“Ida and The Grove”
September 16, 2018
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
A Dog’s Life By Elli The Norweigan Elkhound
February 21, 2010
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
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!
Elli the Norwegian Elkhound is Merry!
December 6, 2009
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!