In honor of our dogs

As you know, if you know me, I lost my poodle son to cancer at the very end of July. I am still stunned and sad that he's gone. Recently three friends I met through blogging have lost their dogs too.

There are really no words to comfort someone, so I made a remembrance to honor their furbabies.

First up is Easy rider... who was a cheeky weimaraner who lived in France. His mama Katty is a terrific writer (easyweimaraner and I pulled two images of Easy for her. This one is sweet Easy, snuggling with her on the bed.
It is 6" square with peltex instead of batting. The corners are funky because it's so small and stiff and I was doing good to just make it in the first place.

I haven't sewn much since November. I sew from a happy place and my heart hasn't been in it. I was grateful to be able to sew again, for a friend, for a reason, and my heart needed to reach out to theirs.

There were tears.

The heart is lame'( the really thin metallic dress fabric), stars on the orange (Katty loves bright colors) are metallic embossed, and I beaded it with bugle beads like exclamation points! I free motion wrote his name with metallic gold thread.  Easy was very bright and bold and lived life with an Exclamation point!

This image is more like "naughty" Easy chewing Daddy's shoe... it's on the reverse side. Somehow I managed to take this picture skewed but it's evenly sewn.

It felt like getting it done was more "impawtant" than fussing over the binding but the sentiment is the real message.


All the little quilts are a mix of improv, photo transfer, applique and piecing. All machine quilted with gold metallic thread.

Seamus... this is the image I pulled from his blog. (3poodlesandanana) Printed onto printed treasures fabric, it printed out more pale than I wanted. I got out my prismacolor pencils and inks and made this

Appliqueing gold lame' hearts and adding in the charm, Adore.

Next is Eliza's (forestpoodles)  quilt honoring D'Art. I almost called Cole D'Artagnan but he misbehaved the day I did so we chose Cole, and he was quite pleased with that. Eliza lives with several poodles but D'Art was her constant companion and shadow...

There are two charms and the title" D'Art was born with a heart of gold".
I love this image of him, with his reading glasses and a book.
 Poodles love a good book.
Again, colored in with pencils and inks, but the background was from her image. I liked the blurring there.

Cherish

I hope these pups are running with Cole in Heaven.

 I felt Cole's spirit on three occasions after he passed over to spirit form. Unmistakable.
On one occasion I felt him jump on the bed  while I read my book.
 Strong and sure, which told me he was young and able bodied again.

When Cole's ashes came home to us, we put them on his sofa. Slowly we added in his favorite things, The pillow I made, his duck, his giraffe ball, the quilt my friend Mary made to honor him and help me, her friend.
It says
"Dogs' lives are too short. Their only fault really" by A.Turnball

Remember this funny Cole-di-Locks and the big bad bed post? We three loved Lake Placid trips... the link
http://lapaylor.blogspot.com/2015/09/cole-di-locks-and-big-bad-bed.html

when you are finished looking at Cole, look at this video on the power of puppies. Each view brings a pound of dog chow to shelters

https://www.youtube.com/embed/SJoE_lNQdHU

linking to show-off-saturday

Who tells the universe?

Doesn't the Earth know what happened?

It's all different--the World changed last week

Everything is different.
Even time changed. Each minute became like days.
Days of grief and emptiness.
Waves of guilt at making a final decision mix with loss. 

The World continues to turn however, people go to work, they move around me in a slightly blurred way.

I move slowly as if stepping gently will ease the pain.

I had to eat. My stomach hurt all the time for three days, then hurt half the time, then only to remind me to eat.

I hated eating. I hated dinner time coming around as if nothing had changed. It is so trivial... eating. Just a necessity.
Chew. Swallow. Eating seems like a celebration but it should have a black cloth over it instead of being happy.

Hours must be filled but not with normal activity. What can possibly override the pain??

I wander.
I drive to shops to leave the empty house.
I wander past brightly colored fabrics, past books I can't read, past pretty clothes and it has no meaning.
It fills an hour.

The tears surprise me. Hot intense tears.
I pick up and hug his duck toy. I see a chewed up ball he found on a walk and brought home hiding beneath a bush next to the front door. He knew certain toys were outside toys.

The squirrels romp in a now poodle-free yard.

Meal time rolls around regularly.


I have some old funny posts Cole wrote before he left. I have much to tell you all, those who came to know and love my son Cole's wit and kindness. I am writing a celebratory post of his life.
I am also writing a book. But...
I can't write now. 
My world is empty, my heart is broken.

Cole's Commandments "Never let them see you limp"

Me in Annapolis... Momma wasn't fast enough to get a picture of me showing off for Lola

Cole here to discuss.... showing off for love!
So I was feeling kinda old one day on my walk with Momma. Slow, careful steps til I saw her!
Lola! My current heart throb Lola. Tiny, black long hair, cute little nose, wicked sense of humor, always ready with a bon mot (bark).

This looks just like her, but she's too fast to photo!!

 I quick picked up the pace, dove into a puppy bow, just to show her I was still hot! She danced her little chihuahua siren dance. I did it again, then pranced around her, grabbed a mouthful of grass (still got my teeth!) sniffed at her nose (I wanted to kiss her) and lept over to pet her Daddy. I capered under her leash, to tangle us up closer.   What fun!

When she had to go home, and I turned to go the other way, all of a sudden my shoulder hurt! Bad

 I started to limp and am still limping. Thank DOG Lola wasn't there to see that.
Momma gave me a  butter treat (muscle relaxant) since I can't stomach pain pills.

I blame my Momma for this. I don't know how, but somehow she caused this! grrrr... I limped for days.

To add insult to injury, my peeps got take out on Friday. Eggplant Parmesan, my favorite.

an obvious reenactment since we ate ours too fast for a picture!

Guess what? Once again they forgot to buy my dinner too. I said I want nothing special, just whatever you're having. All I got was some stinkin' Parmesan cheese sprinkled on kibble. ACK!

LeeAnna here:
I don't know what to say. Cole never connects a puppy bow or running with shoulder pain. He gets hot ears when he has any wheat, or tomatoes. He loves it, but it makes his ears hot, then ear mud, then flapping all night despite antihistamines.

 I fear he has begun to hate us.

Definition of a walk... Cole's commandments

It's as if humans speak an entirely different language!

I mean, when Momma says lets go for a walk, I think, Alrighty then!

 I know walk means---
1. stop as often as necessary to REALLY smell the smells. I mean, be thorough. Do NOT miss even one smell that might be interesting.
This takes concentration.
It's serious business.
This is probably the biggest problem I have with Momma lately. She just will not learn. It's as if she doesn't know the meaning of the word "walk"

2. Walk also means... pee on almost everything that smells like it's calling out for pee
There are times you run out of pee, and have to give it your all to squeeze out a few drops but you try, people, you TRY.
Again this is a bone of contention with Momma and I. She does not seem to get the importance of peeing. I mean she next to NEVER pees on a walk, and that's what it's for.

3. Next meaning of the word walk is HUNT.
Keep your peepers open for critters who have the nerve to dash in front of your very eyes! Squirrels are probably the worst for that nonsense, but I've seen many a fox, chipmunk, and the occasional bird. Well if you can call them birds. There was that vulture eating a slow squirrel in the road one day, but that's a story for another time. Oh, and the goose who guarded the cul de sac. Again another day I'll make you laugh with those encounters.

Here comes Harper! She's cute!

Sometimes walks include seeing friends. Here comes  Harper the golden, and River's new sister along the sidewalk. Awrighttttt! If you go for a "walk" you see peeps.
 I mean when they come by my fence I feel compelled to bark and I think I might possibly look like a fool, but  I really do like them.

It's the fence thing, because my job of protecting is more impawtant than visiting.
Visiting is for walks.

 So there you have it. My problem is that Momma doesn't know the meaning of the word walk. She is hard to train, and it's been nearly 14 years I've been trying to explain this to her. Sheesh! You'd think poodle people would be smarter.

Gotta love her though! She's my momma!

Stop and smell the tulips, or the pee on tulips

 ps.
LeeAnna here (the momma) to show you a pic of some pretty flowers.
I got a chance to really, really, look at these flowers while his majesty, Old King Cole power-sniffed.

Look how painted they look. Just  keeping it artistic around here.
They are not mine, the squirrels eat mine, but they are inspirational. 



check out these other bloggers  http://rascalandrocco.com/pet-parade

Sleeping Beauty, or My schedule is not the same as yours

 Zzzzzzzz.....hmph! Oh!

Cole here... to discuss something very impawtant to dogs.

My schedule is not the same as yours.

And mine is the impawtant one.

Here's the story: It got cold again today, and being of an age, I feel the cold more now. I had Momma put on my extra warm t-shirt and climbed into bed. Well actually I couldn't do anything but pace around after coming in from the back yard til I had Momma remove the offending gumball spike from my foot.

( Sheesh, when are those people going to clear the yard of those??)

Anyway, then I laid down for a minute (LeeAnna: it's been two hours) and I heard Momma say "Cole! Time for a walk!"
Now, when she does that before I'm ready, I don't even open my eyes or she'll get excited and race around putting on shoes, etc. I ignore her, and hope she'll check my schedule. I'll let her know when it's time for a walk, probably when I am done with the nap and before I expect lunch.

Until then people, I have a gift for you, chosen by my own paws from a great store in Annapolis. They have the good sense to carry lots of pet related items.
Entertain yourselves and me by telling me a story of how your pets set the schedule for the household. 

It's a magnet for the most important door in the house, the fridge!

I'll pick one of you to win.
Until then, could you entertain my Momma by answering my question, so I can finish this great dream?

Oh, the other night I woke up from a pre-bedtime nap, barking!
Woof!  Woof, woof!
Then I stared at Momma who was staring at the "talky-talk (TV) and I said, "Woof!"
She looked confused and said, "Cole it's just a dream! Stop barking before you wake up Dad!"

Ever have a really vivid dream and wake yourself up barking?

It's good to save your energy, as you get older, for really meaningful activities.
for my cat friends, check out these hilarious videos about Simon's cat. One is the wake up cat...
youtube

linking to among others,   pepismartdog and  http://rascalandrocco.com/
Update: Cole paw'ed Auntie Mickie to win the prize this time!
He sends you all a big lick for commenting! 

Cole's commandments Teach your pawrents well...

I'm an Angel, see my halo??

Cole here...
Today I wanted to talk about training a pawrent to play games.

I am currently working with my Momma on my version of  "Hide and Seek".
I do not enjoy the regular game, as I have a bit of separation anxiety ( and I'm not on the couch at the moment to analyze so we'll just let that go by heh heh)

I'm talking about my game-invention...... Hide the Squeaker.
I got Daddy to order replacement squeakers for my favorite toys that somehow got broken.

(#jawsofdeath)

Then I trained Momma to pull out the old ones, put in new loud squeakers, sew the toy back up and put it in my toy box for me to "find"

 LeeAnna:  This is his Favorite Toy... which has been re-sewn so many times it's more of a rectangle than a ball but it's the first one he pulls out every time.

Cole again:
What fun it is to "seek" the new squeaker, pull them out thru the holes I make, and break them! I leave them laying by the toy so the Momma can find them and do it all again!

LeeAnna:
OMDOG! There's hardly enough to stitch back! But they don't make these now, and he loves a furry fleece ball., What to do!!!
 Cole:
Momma is hard to train,  and definitely surly about it. She has thumbs so she can get her own treats so I don't know how to reward her for the tricks... isn't it enough that I am happy again, for a moment, and that she gets to listen to the squeakers being VERY LOUD??
It sure makes me happy!

No I don't want the newer ball there

Okay Momma, do it again! Good girl!

Cole's Commandments... Second Childhood

Cole here...
The other day I surprised momma... she'll explain...

LeeAnna:  I let Cole in from one of his Reconnaissance Missions in the back yard (everything was safe) and he surprised me by playing a childhood game.
Peekaboo
 This is where the puppy comes through your legs holding his little head up for a pet. Criss-cross was when he came through my legs, curved to the right, back thru the legs, curve to the left. In and out.

He hasn't done either game since he was about two years old and he will be 14 in May.

Cole: Do not ever lose your Inner Puppy. It knows how to have fun and make your humans laugh.
(Heck, I even laughed this time too! Momma can't hear me, but I'm laughing with you Momma)
It's important not to lose your sense of play...

(Editors note: no poodles were harmed in the making of the reenactment photo above)

Cole's Commandments...Thou shall not pass (without giving me a treat)

Cole here... with another installment of my commandments.
Thou shall not pass...without giving me people-food!

LeeAnna: He's like the troll under the bridge. The mean border guard. The taxman. He takes up position right in the doorway to the kitchen so we can't get in or out.
This is a new thing. He even comes in the kitchen now. He didn't do that for 10 years, now at nearly 14, he goes wherever he wants, thank you very much.

COLE: The food coming out of here smells, head-and-curly-shoulders better than anything hitting my bowl.
If I don't remind them I live here, and am starving... I'll never get food.

LeeAnna: one of the first words Cole learned was move. When I say move he, well, he moves. To anywhere else. Not now though. He could be losing his hearing or he could be ignoring me.

No amount of nudging, or touching of feet, or yelling, will shift him from this perch. It's annoying. More than once we've hurt ourselves trying to step over him or by him. Oh THAT gets him to move. He'll stand up just as we step over causing us to straddle him suddenly and nearly bash our heads on the wall!

grrrr

Cole: Well, what do they want?? I mean, how's a poodle to know what people ever want, really? They are so inscrutable. While I ponder what those two characters want from me, I'll just lay here and wait til they trip and drop their food, then eat it.... just to keep the joint clean  doncha know.

Cole's Commandments... kieep your people busy

Cole here, to discuss an important topic.
"What to do when your people have obsessions"

Sure, they call it hobbies, but a hobby is ball chasing, squirrel watching, removing the insides from stuffies, stuff like that.

My momma is obsessed with fabric. (You'd think she'd dress better, but I digress)
Even little throw-away bits like this. People give them to her, she washes them in a bag and sorts them into little bins so that she can disappear for hours while I sit doing nothing.

I decided to give the scraps a real sniff when she was in the studio, just to see what the fuss was all about.
Shrug. Smelled like soap, blech.

 Daddy is obsessed with his guitar. This is the take-along guitar.
 He and I usually entertain ourselves when we are taken along to a quilting store. I don't touch it. First of all, my nails are long but I can't get a good grip on the thing.

The strings might be like floss though...

Usually when Dad goes up to practice, I go up to protect him.
I lay just outside his cave, and watch.

I listen to the music but he likes folk and I like new age

When I feel he's had enough, I nose him.
Dogs know this technique.
Put a cold wet nose directly under an arm and jerk your head up, causing their arm to rise up abruptly and getting their attention. Much more effective than a bark.



When Momma is in the studio I pace around inside the door.  I have had to resort to the "nose technique" but she isn't nearly as nice about it as Daddy.

 "Cole QUIT!"
(To her credit, if I do that during a vacuuming session she brings me deep into her cave and closes the door to keep the noisy thing out)

The thing is, these hobbies keep them busy and when they're busy they are NOT grooming  me.

And that's a good thing.

Cole's commandments... gumball removal

Cole here to discuss an important issue to dogs...

the dreaded gumball.
These are evil. That's all there is to it.
We are entering gumball season around here and these little sharp pieces of evil are scattered all along my walking paths...

on my running grounds...

and get stuck in my pads, requiring a momma TOUCH MY FEET!
Horrors!

Momma:  we'll be walking along and Cole stops.
The "check poodle" light comes on.
Being stoic, yet unwilling to suffer any discomfort at all, he stops. I begin to check his feet one by one, as he gives no hint as to which one is effected. Nope, he waits for his servant to do that.
When I find the burr, I have to disengage it from the hair and webbed pads.
All while he kicks out at me because it tickles or hurts or something.

Degree of difficulty? 8/10

Cole: People, you with money... cut down these trees. I've seen momma skitter around on these ball bearings and the curses are pretty colorful. I've heard Daddy screaming as the limbs break off and fall on cars.

In honor of Valentine's day, two...

Cole's Characteristics...Cole is punctual

And now for a new poodly series, Cole's Characteristics.
Cole is like Daddy.
My lab was like me, but Cole is allllllll Daddy.
Today we'll discuss walks.

Cole is VERY punctual. He is very timely, and clock driven. When the time changes for the season, he knows and automatically adjusts.

Cole: One of  Cole's Commandments is:
Put your people on a schedule and it will make life much easier.

Momma: For him maybe. Cole wants to walk at 10AM, not 10:30 or 11. If I am doing something and say wait, he huffs, gets on the sofa or flings himself by the door....

Cole: Just as a reminder! I'm not a savage. I just want you not to forget! Did you know we have a schedule Momma? I walk at 10, 4, when Daddy drives up at night, and a late night walk at 10PM with Daddy.  I'll walk with Momma if Daddy is on a business trip, but she is not patient. It's all, COME ON Cole!
I am also VERY flexible, and will walk additional times... if I feel like it...

Momma, well, I don't like standing around in the dark, waiting for your royal highness, Old King Cole, to sniff thoroughly every doggone bush in this block.
 Daddy started this...
 Did you all know if you do anything two days in a row,  it's carved in stone and must be done daily?? It is.

warmer days

Momma: when it comes to walks, Cole subscribes to the Mail Carrier's motto: Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion...

Cole: and...you're welcome!

Both Cole and his Dad have an internal time clock to obey. We'll discuss eating and sleeping by the clock later...