“Ida and The Grove”

Most days my fur child Lilee and I are playing in our favorite park.  My favorite spot is a large grove of towering redwood trees.  The first time I saw this grove I was immediately taken with a forward large redwood.  Her name is Ida.  She named herself.  This is curious and here is why.

Ida is the name of my amazing entrepreneurial self-started Grandmother.  They say our ancestors are always with us; guiding and nudging us to remember we are never alone.

This impressive towering redwood grove is like that.  Ida stands in the midst of the trees, strong, powerful, well rooted and reaching towards the heavens.

I think the most powerful elements humble us in their simplicity.  My grandmother came thru the Depression, raising a child by herself, creating multiple successful businesses and was married twice.  She died when I was a child.  I was an only “handful” child pushing and demanding to be heard.

Many years later, my beliefs and my strengths seem to come from Ida.  Her portrait sits on my studio desk.

I am blessed to see Ida in her new form every day and to appreciate the simplicity of nature.

Here is a picture of Ida with her friends.

IDA

 

 

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Lilee’s Woof

Ah, here I am again.  Really getting my woof on now.  I’m in my beautiful guardian’s studio and was caught “pawhanded” with a new painting.  Tiffany paints and paints and paints.  It’s a wonder I haven’t been painted into by dog bed!  Even by tail turned purple once!  I moved quickly not wanting to turn into a moving paintbrush!

What’s a woof to do!

Lilee’s Woof!

Hi,

I’m back for more of me.  As I said, it has been a long time since I’ve woofed.  My fabulous guardian Tiffany found some earlier pictures of me in the studio to share with you.  Do love being in the creative energy.  It gives me more spark to chase deer and scare off other “hill” critters.  Every time I go after a Coyote or Bobcat, my guardian gets after me, so I have to be quick with my movements.  I am quite good at obeying.  It’s the treats you know!  So, here I am.

Woof!

Lilee’s Woof

It has been a very long time since I’ve woofed.  A lot has happened.  I now live

in the hills of Los Gatos, California where everyday is an adventure for me chasing deer and being on guard against the coyotes.

My favorite time is being in my guardian’s studio while she is painting.  Ah, time to go, she is getting ready to paint me into a corner.

Woof for now!

Lilee The German Sheppard Puppy is Heads Up!

How far is the puppy planet again?

I am a Beauty! Woof!

Woof!
Here I am after a hard morning of playing at the puppy park; really hard as some of the big guys don’t give me much of a break. A “Golden” ran at me full steam and luckily my guardian “just happened” to direct him off my course with a little knee action…whew! Last time playing I had the wind knocked out of me and my left hind quarter was really hurting so much Tiffany had to carry me to the car; everyone came rushing over and boy did I like the attention though not the pain. My guardian is taking good care of me with two to three walks a day. I really like playing with my buds (see the pictures; Bentley is the little guy who thinks he is a big guy, Kona thinks he is king and his mask hides him when he does something he ought not to do! And, Hunter I love; he is getting old now and I just lick him up!) Sometimes, I find my Guardian crying and I think it is because of Elli passing on. In a sad way I am very grateful to Elli as I wouldn’t be in this loving home if she had not made space for me. Well, it looks like it may be time for another opportunity to “run with the big dogs!”
Come again for another woof!

Bentley Center Stage & Kona Investigating Lilee

Lilee with a "Hunter!"

Lilee's Move!

As the Spirit Moves!

Woof!
It has been awhile for my woofing and now I am in another form. My beautiful furry body was laid to rest March 18th and today I am woofing long distance you could say! I certainly had an excellent quality of life in my last 6 months thanks to Dr. Fong of the San Francisco veterinary Specialists so no complaints; if it had not been for his care I am sure my woofing would not have been as long. He had my guardian well-trained too with cooking for me, acupuncture treatments, special holistic remedies and increased loving! My guardian misses me very much I can tell as she is wearing waterproof mascara daily and is framing lots of photos of me; I am a very hard act to follow.! However, my timing to leave was perfectly set for it allowed another beautiful animal to come into my guardian’s life. My guardian calls her “Elli’s pup,” as she is 11 weeks of German Sheppard/Aussie Sheppard smartness; I was brilliant you know!

So let me introduce you to Lilee and here is a picture. I am glad I could leave her some chewed down bones for her to chew on instead of all the great furniture my guardian has!  I have many good memories and of course my spirit surrounds Tiffany because of my woofing love!   So, for now I am woofing off; come back for more as I am sure Lilee could have a few woofs of her own to share with you.

Ah, Bone Duty by Elli The Norweigan Elkhound

Woof!
I am taking a break from “bone duty” to catch  you up on the latest bark news! By the way guarding my bone is no easy task. I have to dig holes; one under the back yard tree, one in the corner by the wooden fence and another in the far corner by the other wooden fence. To keep potential bone takers confused I keep digging up the bone and relocating it to one hole or another. It’s a tough job and I am just the dog to dig good holes and cover them up so you can’t find the bone. Sometimes, that can be a problem because lately I keep forgetting where the bone was buried to begin with! I do find it and whew what a relief! I slept pretty good last nite and on our morning walk even pulled my mistress along a few times before slowing down. I hear my guardian calling me so enjoy the new photos even though ones may be from Christmas. Woof at you later!

Christmas Woof!

More Me Than Christmas Tree!

I am Sitting Like You Told Me!

Girls & Their Toys!

Can I Relax Or What!

A Dog’s Life By Elli The Norweigan Elkhound

Woof!

It certainly has been a long time for my woofing news and here I am to catch you up.  Right now I am outside keeping an eye on my bone.  This is a very important job for a dog and time-consuming, though, I like consuming time it is what I do best!  And, speaking of bones they are always the best.  I don’t understand why an organic bone is better than a regular bone; overhead my mistress saying this is all they had left at Whole Foods and $7.00 for two organic beef bones is a joke; Elli deserves to have a couple so I will go ahead and get them.  Now do I feel special or what!  Al I know is I am perfecting the fine art of “gnawing,” and it’s  my dog thing!

My speed has changed some since we last woofed.   Sometimes I can pace along like I always do and then I put one paw in front of the other moving slowly.  I can still spot  a good smell and give my guardian a yank now and then.  I didn’t do so well a couple of weeks on our morning walk and started to shake forgetting where I was.  Tiffany was able to guide me safely home which luckily was not too far.  Then she  picked me up and placed me in the car on the road to the San Francisco

A "glowing" Elli with Carol

A Christmas Woof with my Guardian!

Fireside Relax Mode

A memory moment! Woof!

Caught me ready for action!

"Bring on the chow!"

veterinary Specialists to see my favorite doc Dr. Fong.  We arrived via emergency which was a little longer than I expected checking me out.  My owner was not happy to see a black spot in my eye.  That means dead cells showing up which is not good news.  Dr. Fong was able to take a moment and come downstairs to see me and that made Tiffany feel much better. After taking my blood and getting the results back it appears my liver is failing.  Now, being a dog I live in the moment and really not too aware of what is going on, except when I have difficulty breathing which is happening a lot more causing me to really pant and cough trying to get my breath  and twice I have found myself on the floor.  The first time I hit the floor upstairs and my guardian came running up the stairs to figure out what had happened.  It appears I am having mini-strokes.  I had another one the following nite downstairs and that really upset my mistress as it took me longer to get up and start moving.  Today,  Sunday and yesterday though I am doing pretty good; my owner not so good as sometimes I catch her crying and also trying to catch her breathe.  We have been together for a pretty long time and in dog years we are almost the same age!  My owner does have her happy moments like when the VPI Pet Insurance folks go the extra mile to help her;  taking some  time to review her claims and sending her some “due money.”  Now, that made her very happy.   And,  a few things that make me happy; walked by my favorite pet walker Carol with Critter Care service;  she has been walking me now going on 8 years.  My mistress calls her “Aunt Carol,” as she is part of the family and gives me such excellent care so here is a picture of us in the kitchen after my walk.  And, here are more pictures of me doing my stuff!

Well, the rain is still coming down and I hear my mistress calling me to come in which I am not doing since I am still on “bone duty!”  Woof until next time!

Holiday Woof!

Woof Woof,
Which is Merry Merry in dog talk! Here is a picture of me approaching my favorite place in my house….the kitchen and that is where the “magic” truly lives. My personal chef Tiffany is getting ready to whip up my dinner….white rice, pork loin, spinach, broccoli and barley…followed by a huge bone….woof some more! My last visit to see Dr. Fong was highlighted by a bladder infection and not more fun for me. Every time I attempted to pee nothing happened and after the fifteen time it was getting to really be a drag….hard to leave messages when there is no “ink!” Dr. Fong helped me with a chiropractor adjustment and acupuncture….feel soooooooooo much better. And, the herbal stuff seems to be working really good as my owner has a big smile on her face every time I do my business….weird but hey when she’s happy I get more strokes! At least she is not jumping up and down yelling the poo is firm…though she is saying softly “

Eureka!” Time to woof into the kitchen and see what my Guardian is cooking for me and Merry Merry Woof Woof!

Elli the Norwegian Elkhound is Merry!

Woof!
Golly gee, time sure has passed since I last woofed to you and here it is approaching Christmas!

Personally, I don’t really know what is going on except for one major difference….our house is really crowded with much more stuff and I have to watch where my tail goes! My mistress puts up the tree the day after Gobble Day and there goes my other relaxing space! She talks a lot to her friends about how the tree is her special gift….sure is bright when I am trying to get a quick snooze…1,700 white lites bright!

Now to change the subject and bring you all up-to-date on what is going on with me, my cholesterol is more than what it used to be so no more sweet potato treats for a while and I seem to be leaking protein. Our last visit to see Dr. Fong of the San Francisco veterinary Hospital was a tune up for me;  helping me to breathe better and have more energy; acupuncture does really work guys so do think about it for we pets! Anyway, my guardian changed my diet under Dr. Fong’s instructions and boy do I love baked potato, white rice, carrots and pork (I get pork loin!). Now the diet brings up another subject…doing my business in the park has gotten pretty public. I have always been a little shy and tend to park myself by a bush or in the bushes; now my owner yells the poo is firm, the poo is firm! This is rather embarrassing guys.   However, the point being I am leaking protein so we are happy to have firm poo verses very soft poo.

Ok, now back to the Christmas house where I live. This morning Tiffany was back in action with her favorite holiday tool….a can of gold spray paint. I have a tendency to run for cover as she looks at my beautiful grey fur and I can just hear her thinking how a little gold on the tip of my tail would look or a red bow around my neck! She kept me inside while she sprayed more leaves gold and sprinkled green glitter on them for gifts. The house smells pretty good though I usually don’t eat what I smell….gingerbread, carrot cake and such….I can sure smell my meal cooking though!

Well, guys it was great being back in woof action so stay tuned for more woof to come your way! And, in the meantime, enjoy more pictures of me with my stuff!