Poppy's Fun Day

Popcorn had a fun play day last week. Cru is feeling better, too!

Hello. Ginger here. Today started pretty well, even though Popcorn kept all of us up until 2 AM this morning doing strange things. Holly took us for a walk in the sunshine. I thought it was funny because she would poke Popcorn with her cane every so often during bad dog moments. Mom is having trouble walking right now due to the MS and has to stop a lot and crouch over and wait for the pain to pass. I am very patient because I am just a very mellow dog. But Popcorn is another story. In order to keep some kind of control with us she uses a leash that is elastic and ties around her waist. She hooks us both up to it.

I think she needs to see the dog whisperer, but whatever...I am not the problem...it is that naughty blue thing. She needs to show it who the pack leader is. Mom spent most of the morning cleaning things and building some shelves in the bathroom and cooking polenta lemon cake. I think she is working too hard but she can't seem to help it right now with the medicine she is on. I wish she felt better, but I try to help with my special fuzziness.

Full Moon?

Ah...no...I don't think so. However, Popcorn is acting very strange. Of course, we all know that Ginger is my absolute favorite...mainly because we are bonded beyond any level of normalcy, but Popcorn is definitely worthy, too. She is not as fuzzy as Ginger, but softer. For those of you who know Ginger it might be difficult to believe that any dog could be softer. Popcorn has baby fur all over except for a course patch on her back. Her ears are big and soft, too. She talks to me. She has a range of sounds that I've honestly never heard in a dog before. Sounds such as "boof", "purr", "Blrrr", "woooooWowoo", "nuf", and "eeeyou". Each one means something different. She also has a little dance she does...well several different dances. Last night when I went to bed, Popcorn, who usually doesn't sleep in my room, came in and starting obsessing on Bubba the bad ass kitty. It wasn't a "dog after cat" kind of obsession, but instead, a need to kiss the kitty over and over again and snuggle the kitty and get the kittie's attention. She was "boofing" the kitty and giving kitty the "paw" and licking the kitty and staring at the kitty. It was really sweet. Unfortunately I couldn't sleep through it...so had to put the smack down eventually. Popcorn ended up snuggling with me all night. I love her.

Scrapbook from Ginger

Hi everyone, Ginger here. I thought my mommy was posting too much stuff about that crappy Popcorn so I wanted to tell my story a bit. As you know, I am a formerly fat, currently fuzzy red heeler. I was probably the runt...or so they tell me because I am a bit smaller than usual and have my own way about me. I am not very social. I don't know exactly where I was born...somewhere in Eastern Idaho. I lived with a family for awhile...about 6 or 8 years maybe in Tetonia, ID where I roamed the streets eating snacks and getting really fat. My original people couldn't keep me anymore because of a new job so they took me to the shelter where I was absconded away by Cupcake, who used to run the Animal Adoption Center in Jackson. Apparently fuzzy red heelers are popular...the fat ones especially with the older set. Cupcake put a picture of me up on the wall that said "don't hate me because I am fat." A couple of people were interested in me...a shopkeeper who wanted a low-maintenance dog for the store, and a chubby German kid. I met my mommy at the Adoption Center. She was volunteering and already had taken in 2 horrible cats. She was nice and I liked to stare at her. She kept fostering me but wouldn't commit even though I was really good. One day, after several weeks of fostering, the little chubby kid wanted to take me for a walk and I refused. I sat like a tank in the middle of the floor and stared at my mommy-to-be. I gave her the look...and the next day...she took me home for good.
I knew she would be a good one. She didn't even mind that I leak a bit...although I did have to wear Nemo diapers
for awhile which was humiliating and not very effective. She took me all kinds of places...I used to float down flat creek on an innertube after work sometimes. She would throw me in and watch me float away. I was really fat for a long time, but lots of stuff has happened in the past few years. For one thing, I lost an eye.
I don't really know what happened. It just got all gooey and the next thing I knew, I only had one. Mommy took me on a fire dispatch detail in California right after my surgery and all the people in the office kept sneaking me sandwiches cause I looked so horrible. Now I am skinny because mommy added Popcorn to the family and I developed acid-reflux disease.
Life is still good, though. Today I ate a marrow bone and got to go for a car ride.

Finally, Some Snow

We are finally getting some steady snow here in Moose. Snow tends to create a happier vibe here in the Valley. Popcorn isn't really sure what to do with deep snow...but loves to play "snow dot" at night with the laser pointer.
Gingi just loves snow in general. She likes to roll around in it and do nose scoopies with it. Snow makes a great background for photographing bags. Here are some new ones ready to ship out.

Playtime 2010

Hi Everyone! Popcorn here. I have a new nickname given to me by Daddy Dan and Garrett....it isn't very nice. Poptard. I know I am a bit strange...very strange actually, but I am sweet and I smell nice like grape jolly ranchers and corn chips. I am also incredibly soft...especially my bentley mark on top of my head. My mommy likes to put her chin on it. I am really happy right now because I got to play with Cru yesterday. I haven't seen him in a really long time because he was very sick. His kidneys are not quite right. I am just happy I could run around with him again.

Newest Bags for Ana Cross Stitch

Check out some of my new bags created for Ana Cross Stitch in Anacortes, WA. They are knitting project specific and feature a matching zipper pouch.

Some Favorite Things

It has been a challenging week...first with losing Sampie, then a friend from ski patrol, Wally, and on Saturday morning, my Grandma Joy. I am trying to remain optimistic for 2010...reminding myself of things I am thankful for and have meaning in my life. Here are a few...


1. My family (including all those wonderful doggies and kitties!)
2. Dan, Quinn, & Garrett
3. My friends
4. My backyard
5. Interesting Clouds
6. Madrona Trees
7. The Piano
8. Arrowleaf Balsamroot
9. The Southwest
10. Beach Logs

Rest in Peace Sampie- We Love You

Yesterday at about 3:30 p.m. our precious Sampson passed away. We will know he is with us on every walk we take in the woods. We love him so much. Sampie had many nicknames...little man, Samuel P. Plumpinheimer, Sammy, The Mighty Sampson, Sampy Clampy...to name a few. Sometimes I called him "little round bean", or "banger sausage". I even called him "little pig-man" on the days he would come home from foraging the neighborhood all bloated and happy.
I only knew Sampie a little less than 3 years...but he changed my view of small dogs forever. He was the absolute best snuggler...and he would always shake with joy when I would come over to visit. Ginger loved him because he was in the same "zone" as she...kindof old and stinky...and happy to just toodle along. My favorite memory of Sampson happened not too long after I met him. It was a snowy winter day and Dan and I took the doggies up past the Teton Science School...Sampie was eating snow and got really bloated and round...he was shivering and didn't want to walk any further...I finally coaxed him to walk and heard a sloshing sound and realized that it was all the snow he'd eaten...sloshing around inside of him. I will never forget him...and his big brown eyes.

BRRRRRR

OK....rediculous! It is suppose to be -25 degrees tomorrow evening. Time to head for the higher elevations where it might only be -10. Just when I thought it would stay a balmy 20 degrees and keep snowing!

Popcorn's New Year

Happy New Year everyone! Popcorn here. I spent New Year's Eve hangin' with my mommy and daddy Dan at a bonfire across the street. I was feeling shy so just sat next to my mommy and watched embers fall to the ground from the fire...All the other doggies ran around and played...except Gingi and Sampson...of course...they went home and fell asleep. Elvis the hound gnawed on a moose bone....Daisy the devil dog just wandered around looking completely evil, Little Guy...my favorite one to watch...just stayed around the perimeter of the fire. Diggity was probably the craziest...she was obsessed with the little kitten...who was at one point sitting on daddy Dan's head...and last but certainly not least...Sugar...the new little puglet...snuggled up in miss Quinn's jacket for a little bit. The next day we got to eat moose scraps and go cross country skiing with daddy Dan, mommy, and Quinn. I think I really like my new life. I've started to really bond with everyone. On a sadder note...my very best doggie friend, Cru...the white boxer...is very sick. His kidneys didn't develop properly...so they are not filtering toxins efficiently. I don't know if we will get to play very much anymore...I'm sad 'cause he is my very favorite doggy.

Please send happy thoughts to Cru...and also to my other neighbor dog, Scout. I don't know her very well...but my mommy does. Scout has cancer...hopefully a treatable kind.