Needs grooming

Who is more hairy - Truffles or his keeper?

A tale of 2 frogs

This little froggie went to market,


and this little froggie stayed home ;-)

Ribid!

Cherish

I no longer make New Year's resolutions. My success rate is pretty low - good intentions are usually forgotten halfway through January.

Reading some of my favorite bloggers lately, I noticed a trend; instead of making resolutions, people adopt words they will focus on throughout the year. Words like: forgiveness, compassion, risk, health, understanding, adventure, love, acceptance, spirituality...

So I pick the word "Cherish" for 2008. To be aware and appreciative of the people in my life, the places I hold dear and simple moments like this one - curling up in a comfy chair with a good book and Truffles gently snoring on top of my head...

What's your word?

Smell the flowers

Truffles and hibiscus

"Don't hurry and don't worry,
Life's too precious to be rushed,
Take time to hear the blackbird sing
When the evening's hushed.

Don't stumble and don't grumble,
We're only here a while,
So smell the flowers on your way,
Enjoying every mile.

Don't groan a lot, or moan a lot,
Or dwell on stress and strife,
But see the wonders of the world
And all the gifts of life.

Don't hurry and don't worry,
Enjoy the sun and showers,
We're here for such a little while -
Take the time to smell the flowers."

~Iris HESSELDEN Smell the Flowers

Just a friendly reminder, during this stressful holiday season ;-)

Virgin (canine) sacrifice?

Truffles at the canoe park

Sometimes words are superfluous. The picture says it all.

Tagged!

" I want my privacy, please!"

I have been tagged by both Victoria and Glenn to reveal 8 random facts about myself.

These are the rules:

1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.

2. List eight (8) random facts about yourself.

3. Tag eight people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them).

4. Let them know they’ve been tagged by leaving them a comment on their blogs.

Here are some things about me you probably did not know:

1. I was born on a beach (long story!) on Friday the 13th. This should clue you in to how well my life is going ;-)

2. I had a poem published at the age of 9. It was entitled "Shattered Dreams" (at 9???)

3. I am a decent cook but a dismal baker. I guess baking requires precision and exact measurements - that's sooo not me...

4. I once danced with Robin Williams, the actor, at a night club in Jamaica.

5. I was detained at Frankfurt Airport on suspicion of espionage. Questioned, searched and released shortly after.

6. I can never get through Chopin's "Heroic" polonaise without crying (but then again I empathize with his longing for his motherland).

7. I have this uncanny ability to tell time...without consulting a watch. No matter when, day or night, if you ask me what time it is, I will be exact to the minute. (Can anyone else do that or am I a freak?).

8. Nobody makes me belly-laugh like John Cleese in "Fawlty Towers".

Now, it's my turn to tag you, my blogger friends:

Jilly - Menton Daily Photo

Sonia - Leaves of Grass

Nikon - Hemingway's Paris

JAM - John's Daily Digital Images

GMG - Blogtrotter

Lessie - Anderson Daily Photo

Zsolt - Budapest Daily Photo

Richard - Zurich Daily Photo

Doggone it!

Photo courtesy of Bonnie, taken from the PetFinder website

We are interrupting our regular programming to bring you this special bulletin:

An adorable Havanese named Truffles just became the newest resident of Naples!

If you visit my Michigan blog, you know that I am involved with an animal rescue organization. We "bail out" dogs and cats from the city shelters and foster them in our homes until they are permanently adopted. It usually takes 2-3 weeks, so as you can imagine, it is a bittersweet moment - you are happy that they are finally going to their "forever" home, but your heart is breaking when you say goodbye.

And sometimes, the heart wins out over logic...This innocent bundle of energy and love was sadly neglected, abused and finally abandoned - all before his 1st birthday! One look into those hypnotic black eyes and we both knew that he will suffer no more (except for the occasional off-key singing of his new "forever mom" - hey, you've got to take the good with the bad ;-)

"No matter how little money and how few possessions you own, having a dog makes you rich."
— Louis Sabin

Now, back to our regular programming...