Casting Call...." Puplet"

What can I say... the kids are so dramatic. Perhaps summerstock is the best avenue for their talents... Ruby, Oliver and Bailey starring in Howllliam Shakespeare's, "Puplet!" The dashing Ruby as a young and tragic Dogphelia... Ruby feels as though she was born to play this roll. Not only can Ruby sit and speak on command... but as witnessed by these headshots... she is also very good at "playing dead." Of course Ruby has that starlet quality that is, well, undeniable. I'm just not sure how she will read the dialect of ye olde English... being of German descent... but did anyone ever question Marlena Deitrich? Verily I say nay!

Oliver as a young Puplet? When I asked if he would consider auditioning for the role he simply replied, "Alas poor Boneik... I knew him well!" (He also said not to worry about that scrape on his nose... he got it while practicing his fencing... and it will be cleared up in time for his close-up?!"

.... and Bailey as the great Danish ghost-king. Something is rotten in the state of Denmark, and it could be Bailey?

Do you think you could round out our cast? Send me your bow-wowditions and best doggie headshots, and we'll see if you're perfect for our production. P.S. No divas need apply... Ruby is enough diva for us all. Looking forward to seeing ya'll and composing our final cast soon.

aaaaand Dance by the Light of the Mooooon.

What didya wish when you threw that rock? As I previously mentioned watching IAWL is a Thanksgiving Day tradition for me and that day, believe it or not, quickly approaches. So I want to think about the movie in greater depth and with new perspective this year. i always get something different every time I watch anyway, (and cry like a baby in the end,) but I hope to learn from all of you... your own insights and how they apply to the lives we live. So, what did you wish when you threw that rock?...

I wished for the Granville house too and at least two babies in every room of that sprawling home. And like George, I wished to see the world. ( I don't want much do I?) So, what the Lord gave me was only a small taste of my hopes and dreams... a lovely but modest country home, only one really sweet baby to put inside, and the gift of living all over the U.S. but not the world. And, let's not forget... more time here on Earth to possibly realize more of my dreams and make new ones.

Mary was wishing for George to be her husband, but she also wanted a husband that was content with their life together. George was probably wishing for Mary to be his girl, but a girl to experience his adventures alongside him. In the end we know that they both got what they wished for but not in the way they wished it would occur. Are you wishing for something? Do you ever doubt that your wish will come true? We know that the Lord is able to deliver on our dreams and then some... but we doubt.... doubting his power and his greatness. And then there are those dreams that are realized, which are different but better than we could have dreamed them ourselves. Are you more Mary Hatch or are you the George Bailey type? I am definitely a combination of the two, but I am so glad that the Lord knows the desires of my heart like he did for Mary and George.

Bacon and Eggs

Okay everyone... brace yourselves... I am about to wax philosophical about food... yes I am. Why you ask? Well, have you ever had a really unexpectedly great meal? Yes... me too... just last night in fact! Last night's dinner was so good that my husband and son said at least 6x's how good it was... out loud. That could qualify as a rave review! But I am not convinced that it was so much the food itself as it was the time and circumstance. See we had... breakfast... for supper. Cheese eggs, bacon (which I don't eat), gluten free biscuits with honey, and fried potatoes. I know people have breakfast for dinner all the time... nothing unique... but there was something different. Perhaps it was the element of surprise, or perhaps it was the creativity (we are getting close to grocery store day and the cupboard is gettin' a little low... thus the "creative" element.) Whatever the case, it was also satisfying to have the people I cook for acknowledge my efforts and to set this meal apart... in the history of family dinners... as superb.

Up.

I found this and many other awesome original art posters at Sander's Art Studio online....
http://www.sandersartstudio.com/servlet/Categories?$

Have you seen the summer hit "Up"? What a precious movie! I had heard from many that it had a real component of sadness to it... so I shyed away for quite a while. But when it came to our drive-in, I couldn't pass up the opportunity. I'm glad I went too. The story was really sweet and to top it off, the story had a whole subplot about dogs! Who can resist some really good dog humor? Not me. Imagine if your dog could talk, (something we've all thought about before I'm sure... Bailey would sound like Billy Bob Thornton in "Slingblade.") what would your pup have to say? "Up" creators thought about this too and created a "talking collar" for dogs. The lead dog character "Dug" was a simple fella and his words conveyed that, but he was also as loving and loyal as we know our own dogs to be. In fact he is such a lover that I am almost convinced they must have patterned Dug..

after our very own, Oliver...

Trust me... the similarities are uncanny! I hope ya'll had a chance to see this really sweet movie but if not maybe you can catch it on DVD. I know, I would like to have a copy of my very own!

Wordy Wednesdays

" You can't keep a good man down- or an overly affectionate dog."

-Anonymous

George Bailey is Bustin' Out!

"No, no... I, I want a big one!"

You see, George Bailey wanted a suitcase as large as his dreams. He had plans to shake the dust of that crumby little town of his feet and see the world! But, what George didn't realize is that God had already seen his dreams and knew his purpose. Of course God lays out a plan for us that is so much greater than what we could envision for ourselves. Yet, we know that God put that desire in George's heart. Why, do you think, God put the wanderlust in George's heart... only to never fulfill that in him? I know there have been many times in which I have asked God for something only to receive the answer, "No." At that moment in George's life... God was saying "no," but with the help of Clarence... he was preparing a marvelous work in George's life. Is God preparing you for a marvelous work right now? One that might be different from what you have planned?

Your Celebri-dog!

Recently, I came across 2 really interesting contests for people who love pooches. The first is an annual contest that I have loved for a while, but never entered. Orvis, a purveyor of fly-fishing and hunting gear, is once again taking submissions for their 2009 "Cover Dog" contest. Orvis has some of the most wonderful dog products such as beds, toys and crates and I have used their fly-fishing products for years too. Orvis is looking for photo submissions of your dog, living the "Orvis" lifestyle... in other words, doing what dogs do. The winner will be the featured cover photo for the 2010 Orvis Dog Book and will receive a $500.00 Orvis gift card. If I won that, I would buy 3 of their top of the line dog-nests for my beloveds! Check out this link for more details...http://www.orvis.com/intro.aspx?dir_id=1633&subject=6335&CampaignID=1069&ADV=106177&cm_ite=T1&cm_ven=orvisemail&cm_cat=PET_09_10_09&cm_pla=01

I spyed this contest, this past weekend while perusing the pages of the October issue of Good Housekeeping magazine. The Halloween Pet Costume Contest is pretty self explanatory and offers a really great prize. The winner will receive airfare for 4 and a 5 night stay at Seattle's Hotel Vintage Park (pet included,) with $2000.00 cash and more! I know that a lot of us love to dress our buddies up for Halloween and this is a wonderful way to reward you and your pet for your creativity! This one is open to all "pets" apparently, so if your pack includes cats, rabbits reptiles, skunks? Here is the link with more details...

http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/family/pets/

Just click on the link for "3rd Annual Halloween Pet Costume Contest," for rules. You will also find some other really good dog related articles there too, so look around. Good luck to you all! I know there are some fabulous pups out there... with a real shot at bringing home the prizes!

Wordy Wednesdays

"What counts is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight- it's the size of the fight in the dog."

-Dwight D. Eisehower

Lovely day... me and my "muley friend" Frankie. I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder but, he's cute no?

Autumn... Time to Start Thinking About Christmas.

Is it too soon to start talking about Christmas? Maybe. Is it too soon to start talking about the best Christmas... nay... the BEST movie ever? Certainly not.You see, every Thanksgiving my sister and I have a tradition of watching "It's a Wonderful Life," while eating pumpkin pie and coffee. It's what we do. So, in that Thanksgiving is in Autumn... "It's a Wonderful Life," is part of Autumn too. Okay I'm getting excited just thinking of it so, I think I'll dole it out... bits at a time. This way we savor the joy, like so many pieces of Thanksgiving turkey! In these weeks leding up to Thanksgiving, and the first viewing of the movie for the season, I want to discuss with ya'll what it's all about. We'll break down the scences, bit by savory bit if we must, to get to the meat of it... what's it all mean... what can we draw from the characters? I'm looking forward to it and I hope ya'll can join me for an online discussion of one of the greatest movies of all time! See ya soon.

"In the Womb-Dogs"

Recently, the National Geographic Channel ran the most amazing series! It's called "In the Womb," and it uses 4-D ultrasound technology to look at the gestation of various animal species in ways that we have never seen before, from inside the womb. This past Sunday they featured dogs in this series and I have to tell you it was amazing! I know that many of you are breeders of pups and have had some pretty personal experiences in whelping but this program offered a view from the inside of gestation... amazing. For example, did you know, that at 20-someodd days of gestation a fetal pup is already practicing running and panting behaviors? Fantastic! The program also gives a glimpse into the gestation of the wolf while showing at what point the domestic dogs veers away from his wild predecessor in the gestational process. Awesome. They even have film of a whelping wolf in her den. Cool. I don't know if my international readers will be able to view this program, but I do hope so. And for all of you locals out there... this episode will be airing again on the National Geographic Channel... Sunday, September 6th @ 12:00 P.M. eastern (set your DVR if you're at work then.) I know all dog lovers will enjoy it as much as I did.

Wordy Wednesdays

"They're not dogs. They're art."

-Rachael Leigh

photo; William Wegman