Buddy

As the 4th of July weekend approaches, so does Buddy's adoption anniversary date.  As of next weekend we've had this beautiful, gentle giant for one year.  At a now healthy 90 pounds Buddy has come a long way since that day, a year ago, when we first met him.  He was a dirty, scrawny bone rack of 55 pounds, half starved to death and living in 6 inches of feces with 38 other dogs - all in bad conditions.  Happily all animals were seized and re-homed or fostered.  And Giant Dawg is now content with his full belly, his sheltered home and his new family. 

This is also the photo I chose to enter for the I Heart Faces Photo contest.  It's a recent one but also one of my favs.    Check out the link for tons of other adorable photos!  

After a month long hiatus from taking any photos I'm back in the saddle again!  The monthly scavenger hunt I try to participate in is having a challenge right up my alley and I figured what better time to jump back in.  The challenge is to find various shapes in nature...and with it being spring with all the fresh blooms and critters out and about, it's a really fun challenge! 

Some of the photos are below...but first, a house update!  I think we finally managed to get it after all that we've been through!  We were able to come to an agreement with the sellers that I believe is pretty fair for both parties.  So if all goes well from here out we'll have a closing date tomorrow and will be looking to physically move in 6 weeks.  Photos of the new digs can be seen here.

And here are some photos I've taken this weekend.

Blue Dasher Dragonfly

Cabbage White

Matrix Lily Innards

Finch Buffet

Project 365: 101/365

Buddy likes to patrol his yard every few hours to make sure everything is right in his world. Today as I was trying to get bullfrog photos (see below) I looked up at him standing up on the hill and checking on the yard.  He's beginning to get hot already with all that fur.  I brushed a large flower pot worth of fur out of him today with the FURminator (best dog brush ever!) and he's bound to feel a tad bit better.  Soon he'll get his summer Pyr cut to help keep him cool, even though he spends most of his day loafing on the couch.

This is one of the many bullfrogs that inhabit our Koi and goldfish pond.  They are still pretty skittish right now, but as summer approaches and they get used to us being around the pond they get braver.  He ducked under the water as soon as I got one shot of him.

Project 365:97/365

Project 365:96/365

I'm still couch ridden so you're still at the mercy of couch dogs.  Buddy lays with me daily - my trusty side-kick, even though he does kick me more than he should!  Feeling much better today.  I haven't had any pain medication since I woke up this morning and won't take anymore until right before bedtime since I tend to toss and turn in my sleep.  Here's to hoping tomorrow will be an even better day!

I've been chasing a pair of Red Shouldered Hawks that live down by the pond at work for a couple of months now trying to get some decent shots. Today as I was getting in my truck I noticed one of them in the tree by the pond. One had a rabbit and was perched on top of the light post in the parking lot and the other joined him. As I was changing my focus one of them swooped down and dive bombed me. I literally had to duck to my knees to keep from getting clocked. I just wish I'd have had my focus ready when s/he was swooping straight for me! It was quite exciting!

Yesterday was such a beautiful day that Jason and I spent most of the afternoon on the screened porch with the pups.  I got all the boys' photos.  Lois Lane wouldn't sit still (go figure).

Every day at 5:30 Buddy knows it's time for dinner. If you dare stand up, this is what happens until you feed the Giant Dawg and his three side-kicks.

In other news:

I found out a couple of weeks ago that I have gall stones.  In fact, one third of my gall bladder is full of stones.  So I had a consultation with a general surgeon this morning and the gall bladder is coming out.  On March 11 I can say good riddance to that worthless organ and resume my beer and wing eating habit.  Until then I have to watch the fat intake else I end up writhing around in misery, so it's a good thing to have yanked out.  Odd to think that up until 6 months ago I'd never been in the hospital for anything and now I'm going in for my second organ removal.  I hope this isn't some new trend because I'm not digging it.

And - it's Friday!  Going to hang with friends tonight, seeing Shutter Island tomorrow afternoon and hanging with friends again tomorrow night.  Gonna be a great, relaxing weekend!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day!  :)

If a dog's prayers were answered, bones would rain from the sky.

This is my old man, Hardy.  He turned 16 on Christmas Day.  Buddy was nuzzling on his ear and wouldn't leave him alone for me to get a shot of just Hardy, so here is Buddy's large snout.  Hardy is more gray than black now, can't hear worth a darn and due to having vestibular disease ( loss of ability to orient himself and becomes somewhat tipsy ) he doesn't see all that well either, but he's still feisty and enjoying life!

I warned you that you'd see lots of my pooches during this project!  ;)  Lois Lane is next...