Photo Challenge: ACCEPT

Thanks to everyone who participated despite me not promoting the challenge or reminding you much.  I'm fortunate to be going through a very busy time but am getting to the point where things are blowing through the cracks a little. Sorry!

On to the photos! (And the new prompt below.)

But wait! First, here's a link to Our Ana's photo. It's her birthday today so many happy returns to her! I couldn't download it (and I accepted that!) so I'm linking and hope you'll all click through to Flickr to wish her a happy day.

Can you see why Our Janet submitted this one? Subtle and cool.

Our Cindy plucked my heartstrings with this one. I'm really mourning the end of summer.

Part of that mourning is apparently posting sunflower pics. I guess I'm not ready to accept.


In honor of Halloween and the ever-changing temps let's use CHILLS as our next prompt. Looking forward to seeing your interpretation of this one!

Please enter by 9am Tuesday November 3rd for posting on November 4th. Tag your photos with PHOTO CHALLENGE and CHILLS. Check out the wonderful work in our Flickr Pool for inspiration. Also, let me know if you have any questions. The  appropriate email for that is Kizzbeth117 at gmail dot com.

Photo Challenge: MEDITATE

It feels like so long since the Pope was here that I'd forgotten the reason for the prompt. Had to meditate on it for a minute. Heh.

Our Cindy makes kayaking look perfectly meditative. I think one person kayaking would be. My limited experience with canoeing tells me that steering with more than one person is less relaxing.

I love Our Janet's deep collection of poppets and tiny personalities and the way she records their lives. Jack Sparrow surely benefits from some dedicated mindfulness time.

What I love about New England girls like Our Alisun is that they have a grasp of the classic. This chills me out to no end!

I don't know. This guy seemed meditative to me.

I'm having a hard time with the seasonal change. Seasons aren't going to change the way they change just because I'm having a hard time, though. I'm going to use this prompt to help me deal. To help me ACCEPT. OK?

Please enter by 9am Tuesday October 20th for posting on October 21st. Tag your photos with PHOTO CHALLENGE and ACCEPT. Check out the wonderful work in our Flickr Pool for inspiration. Also, let me know if you have any questions. The  appropriate email for that is Kizzbeth117 at gmail dot com.

This Day All Over Again

Yesterday Alison and I went to Sean Casey to walk Bear (pictured, left). Viv had generously given us a harness to use with him and the results were marvelous. We saw a lot more of his personality since he wasn't choking himself to get to the next smell.

While we waited for someone to be able to take him back downstairs we saw Sean in the store holding a German Shepherd on a leash and talking to a man.

I thought, "Oh. Oh yeah."

I moved Bear down the way because he isn't a big animal lover so Alison is the one who overheard the conversation. We aren't sure but it seems like the shepherd was being surrendered right then and there. He (or she) was beautiful.

I said "Oh" because today, you see, is the sixth anniversary of my deciding it was time to help Emily die. Turns out this day still sucks.

It helps some to have other dogs around. My dog, Bear, that German Shepherd...

I was supposed to volunteer at a big dog-friendly event all day today. It was a coincidence that it fell on October 3rd but it seemed like a nice way to honor her memory. Unfortunately the weather was crappy so, for our safety, it was canceled.

Instead I spent the day hanging with Ed. We went on a long walk, he got a huge pig ear, we napped hard, we went to the pet food store, we took another walk, and now we're torturing the cats. Well, one of us is.

When I sit on the couch Ed sits in the middle, right up near my feet. It's been cold so he's really been snuggly, even begging several times to sit on my lap. Emily had her spot at the very far end of the couch. She only slept in the middle when two humans were here. There was plenty of room here on the couch for her today but she wasn't here to fill it.

She will never again be here to fill it.

So, as we do every year, please have a treats for everyone day in her honor. Not, sadly, solely in her honor.

Please read this wonderful tribute Nancy Davis Kho wrote to her late co-worker. Also, please send your love to Our Audra who said goodbye to one of her beloved shelties, Wylie Coyote, pictured below.

Love them as fast and deep as you can. It'll be over before you know it.