Shameless Begging

This is Petee.  He’s a pug that I adopted from Midwest Pug Rescue back in 2006.  Midwest Pug Rescue is a not-for-profit agency that rescues all pugs that are abandoned at shelters or roadside in the Midwestern United States and they are in a world of hurt for donations right now. 

If you’re like me and you’ve got a dog at your feet who is happy and healthy and who makes your family complete then excuse me for the shameless begging but this agency needs some cold hard cash and they need it now because not every dog gets to lead a dog’s life and they don’t think that’s very fair.

Got an extra $5 or $10 bucks?  They’d gladly take it - and it’s tax deductible if you live in the U.S.  Easiest way to contribute is to run over to Paypal and click on the “Send Money” tab, then enter this email address:

Loveforpugs@aol.com

That should pull up a form  for you to leave a donation.  Petee, Grace and I would be eternally grateful and so would the Midwest Pug Rescue.  If you want to contribute with a check or visa/mastercard, head over to their website and scroll towards the bottom of the home page and they’ll give you some links to click on. 

Dogs give us so much unconditional love.  Let’s return the favor, eh?

Three Years

Tomorrow will mark the third anniversary of sharing my life with a pug named Grace.  In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, I bought her first leash and collar in a brilliant bright green. 

She has certainly been a challenge at times - but so very worth it.  I really can’t imagine my life without her flat nose getting into everything that smells like food.  People tell me that pug stands for “part pig/part slug.”  I’d have to agree.  What they don’t tell you is how much you will grow to love the little creature that sheds on all your furniture and who puts absolutely everything she can find on the floor into her mouth. 

Despite her flaws, she has taught me much about life, a few lessons about God, and a ton about photography (hey, you try to properly expose that black face with that light tan colored body!) 

She’s my girl and I love her.  Happy St. Paddy’s Day / Anniversary, Miss Grace.

Lullabye

The sun streamed into the kitchen this morning and both Grace and Petee took the opportunity to bask in it while they took their morning nap. 

There’s really nothing I love more than watching them sleep…unless it’s me taking a nap of my own.

“Porcelain” Petee

Here’s the main little guy in my life, Petee. I adopted him from the Midwest Pug Rescue back in July of 2006 and have been in love with his fiesty character and his loving nature ever since.

I took this photo yesterday over the Christmas holiday. He was sitting right inside my french doors so the natural light was streaming in around him. I converted the image to a black & white and then finished it with a Porcelain action that I purchased from EZ Action Photoblast.   

River’s End

I stood at the river’s edge again tonight when a man and his dog walked down to the riverbank.  I saw him make the sign of the cross, then he picked up a rock, held it in his hand for a moment, and then hurled it into the river. He crouched down as if the weight of his burdens were too much to carry until his dog finally nudged him into motion again. With that, they turned and walked away.

I felt like I had witnessed a very private, very painful moment so as we both moved towards the parking lot at about the same time, I walked near him and his dog and whispered a “God bless you” below my breath - then passed him with a hint of a smile.

I hope throwing that rock into the river tonight helped him to let go of something painful. Tonight, that is my prayer.

Manic Monday

In the two and a half years that I’ve shared my home with Gracie, she has never ever shown signs of being a “morning person.”  Whereas my other pug, Petee, will bound out of bed at the sound of the alarm clock and fly down the hallway to head outside, Gracie prefers another approach to Monday mornings. 

In reality, I follow Petee down the hall but my heart and head are still with Gracie, beneath those warm, soft covers…