Hot Dogs

Two Hot Dogs :)

It is still spring here, and we have had a slew of beautiful days when the windows have been open and we have had a fabulous cross breeze through the house.  I treasure those days because it always seems like we have very few of them.  When we first moved to the south we lived in a 200 year old farmhouse.  The ceilings were 10 feet high in every room, and there were plenty of windows.  No air conditioning though.  We just had to get used to the heat and the humidity.  We purchased fans and put them in the windows, running them most of the day.  The evenings were always a delight as coolness came across the lake to blow soft breezes through the house.  When I would lay in bed I was reminded of growing up, and the sounds of the birds and insects at dusk when I would lay down by the window.  Somehow, our sheepdog managed to survive many of those hot hot summers.  The country seemed cooler then.

Jack Junior

Bella

We are already beyond that now, though.  The weeks went by so quickly - and the air conditioning is already a critical need.  The puppies have gone from delighted with the yard and never wanting to come in to really never wanting to be out - especially not in the middle of the day.  We are already past the long walks in the sunshine - they would rather wait until the end of the day or better yet, walk first thing in the morning.  They see a little bit sad about it - and it is early yet.  Mr. Bryant says he will buy them a swimming pool to soak in.

Max consoling Jack as he rests on the cool kitchen tiles

Treats All Around!

When Mr. Bryant calls from the kitchen, it's cookie time.  It might be for a home-made biscuit, it might be for a prepackaged treat, it might be for a graham cracker, or it might be mini-marshmallows.  One can never be sure just what goodie Mr. Bryant may produce - and so you see in our house, no one takes any chances.  :)

Our Best Friends

In December of 1980, Grandmother and Grandfather Hanson gave Aaron some Christmas money for books. He and I went to the book store together and any book that caught his eye came home with us. One of our very most favorite books was called "Our Best Friends" by Gyo Fujikawa. This delightful little board book has simple art work and tells the story of a little girl Mary, her doll (Doll), her cat Smudge, and her little mouse (Mouse), as they look for new friends. I remember us reading this book again and again to Aaron, and both of us never getting tired of the story. We took the book on picnics and to Grandmother's house; we read it in the car and at the park. My little blond boy sat in my lap and pointed at all the characters in the book as I said their names. I remember the sun shining down on us while we read outside, and listening to the wind chimes on the porch when we read again. I don't have any pictures of those days. But I do know that in the end, Mary, Doll, Smudge, and Mouse become fast friends with Harry, Larry, Spots, Mops, and Peeps. :)

I read the book to Amanda when she was little, and then again to both grandchildren. The book and the pictures and all the little creatures make me smile to this day. As my house fills up with sweet little souls, I watch them becoming the "dearest and the best of friends." The reality makes me smile and the memories of all those wonderful moments with my son, daughter, and grands wash over me. I am glad we have the memories that books bring, and thank Mr. Fujikawa for his gift to my children, and to me.

Everybody Loves Marshmellows

I can't eat them during Lent. But nobody said they didn't make great treats......


The puppies can catch them, but Max just reaches up Mr. Bryant's leg and takes them right out of his hand. :)

Coolest Cat Ever. Happy Birthday Max.

Our Max (Old West Coons Thunderpaws Maximum Blue) is one year old. But he is still just as much a kitten as he ever was. Our dear friend Pam sent over some Valentine Goodies for the Puppies and Kittens. Max immediately decided they were for his birthday, and got in them lickety split. He has sharp teeth, and in a skinny minute had bites through the tastiest bags to get the treats for his own.






He plays with these big puppies with absolutely no fear and complete trust.


He is the bravest cat I have ever seen, and has a heart of pure gold.


Yep. That's our Max.

Opposites

Rosie went to Munich. She taught me - the german’s say: Anfangen ist leicht, beharren eine Kunst.

Or: To begin is easy. To persist is art.

So despite the long work hours in February, the challenging weekends and puppies, the cleaning and routining of home life, I persist.

My February Sketchbook Pages in the Opposite Theme --- >


Two different watercolor techniques, opposite in execution. Interesting results, no?


Pale acrylic neutrals with a touch of acrylic bright....soft/bright opposites.

Little busy sweet mischievous colorful Gracie Girl and big, laid back, soft, great hearted silver blue and white Max. Opposites of another sort. And attempt at real sketching - something that I am not confident with at all. Interesting. Persisting.

A Chair Full of Kittens

Max and Gracie are doing just fine with the puppies. We were worried that they would be stressed out and angry, or that the puppies would chase them. Instead, they both want treats every time the puppies get treats, and they still consider themselves first King and Queen of the house.

Max will be one year old this month, and he is still growing. A very cool cat, he is always with the people in the house, checking out everything that is going on. He talks quite a bit, loves to play with the kids, the puppies, and of course has regular evening rumble-through-the-house sessions with Gracie. In the picture above, Gracie was in the chair perfectly happy to spread out and take up the full seat. I had to find another chair to read in. At some point she must have taken a chill because she curled up - and in that very instant Max jumped up and joined her. Nobody is chilly now!

Wordless Wednesday September 14, 2010

Keeping us busy

Seems silly to always have something to say about the kittens, but I tell you, they are keeping us busy. They want to be where we are, into whatever we are doing, even to the point of Max trying out Mr. Bryant's pistachios! (And he loved them, I might add!) This, of course, started a rapid search on the internet to make sure cats and pistachios weren't a deadly mix, and it turns out that they are fine in moderation. Egad.

So, they had their 4 month check up Friday, and Max is 7.8 lbs with Gracie at 5.3. They are growing at the same rate and looking perfectly lovely and the vet is pleased and so are we.

They are more fun than I ever expected. I encourage you to consider a kitten or two.

Kittens named at last. . . .

We searched the internet, stories, and baby name books for ideas. We held naming contests. We researched ancestral Maine Coon names, and looked through lineage documents. We looked through the history of our personal heroes and the history of our country. And yet, we couldn't seem to find the perfect names that would work as both registered names for our kittens, as well as everyday "we call him/her" names.

And so we started writing poems about them as they scampered around, cuddling the unwilling dog, thundering through the house playing catch, climbing up the cat trees and knocking over the hamper. We held brainstorming sessions as we watched their personalities develop, and at last, after much deliberation, we finally have names.

We are delighted to formally introduce to you our Gracie and Max.

Alopeke's Aislinn Grace (Gracie) and

Old West Coon's Spencer Coeur de la Lune Thunderpaws Maximum Blue (Max),
having an early evening nap before playing chase like mad.