Love and Hate Relationship

 The 4th of July
marks the beginning the best celebration in the world...
my birthday month.
Yes.  I wrote month.
But that's not what this post is about.







The 4th of July is a great celebration of The United States
declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain.
So long taxes on tea, playing cards, and sugar!
Hello taxes on...well everything else. Ha!
But the 4th is a great day to celebrate,
I just don't get why we had to do it with loud bangs, pops, and KABOOOOMS!
Yes, the American Revolution had guns involved,
but do we need to replicate that part of the war?
Couldn't we just get together and hug our relatives and friends,
like they're returning from battle?
Couldn't we just cook, eat delicious food together,
and toast our good fortune in life?
I think so.
And so does my dog.

Murphy...
the protector of all,
except from fireworks.
He can't help me there,
because he is hiding in the bathroom, by the tub
waiting for this ungodly attack to STOP.

Actually, many times you can find him on top of me,
trying to gain some sense of safety.
So in that case I guess that I'm really protected...from everything.

Thus, my love and hate relationship with the 4th of July.
Love = July (my month), family, friends, and food.
Hate = All fireworks and the people that started setting them off 3 weeks ago.

So if you are like me, you are armed with all the supplies needed to make this holiday less traumatic for your furry friends. 
Me, I have everything.
Thundershirt?  Check.
Calm-K9? Check.
Anxiety drop for his water? Check.
Loud Movies and/or music? Check.
Sedatives (For me and him)? Check and Check.

Okay, I guess I'm ready.
Bring it on.

I know that there is nothing that I can do about it...
And I do enjoy the 4th,
but it does put a damper on the celebrating
knowing that my boy is at home terrified.
So I celebrate early and then hunker down.
But that's love for ya...sacrifice.
And I do love this dog.

So if you try to reach me for the next couple days,

just know that there is 67 pounds of dog on or around me.

Leave a message, and I get back to you as soon as he lets me get up.

Have a happy & safe 4th of July to all!

Celebrate Independence with PIE

Dutch Apple

Berry (whatever is in season)

German Chocolate

Ah, the 4th of July.
A day filled with family, friends, celebrating, BBQ, and in my family, PIE.
Of course in my house it's not just any pie.
It's a beautiful, slightly sweet and slightly tart apple pie,
crafted by my mom.






I was fortunate to grow up in a family that believed in pie as art.
Yes, I said pie as art...lovely, edible art.




Any self-respecting pie artist knows this to be true.
As I roll out the dough, lay it in the plate, prepared and pour the fruit,
there is beauty overflowing.
It's the type of beauty that should be admired and eaten.
Don't you think?

Lemon

Strawberry Rhubarb

Would you like to enjoy some edible art too?
I'll be making pies for the 4th of July to benefit the independence of pups. :)

Lemon ($12.00)

Mom's Apple Pie

Coconut ($15.00)
Chocolate Cream ($15.00)
Chocolate Strawberry Cream ($15.00)
Mom's Apple ($18.00)
Dutch Apple ($18.00)
Dutch Berry ($18.00)
German Chocolate ($18.00)
Strawberry Rhubarb  ($18.00)
Berry-whatever is in season ($18.00)
Pecan ($18.00)

Gluten-Free Options:
-Lemon Cream
-Chocolate Cream
-Chocolate Strawberry Cream
-Dutch Berry
If you need a pie, just let me know!
I'll have them ready on July 3rd.

Independence Day

I know...that was last month.

But sometimes I go places and have experiences 

that need to sit and marinate until I'm able to do something.

That was Independence Day for me.

Sure, it's all about Bar-b-ques, family, friends, 

and loud obnoxious fireworks that terrify my dog...well that was last year. 

Now, Independence Day is about 5 dogs and their freedom.

It's amazing what a fence, a simple fence, can do for dogs.

Instead of small, cramped spaces, that caused fights and harsh feelings in the pack,

they had dust flying under their feet.

When I see dogs living in small kennels,

I am reminded of road trips with my brother.

Not. Good.

And yes, at times there were tears and bloodshed...it was necessary. 

Sometimes (all the time) cramped spaces brought out the worst in us. 

We would try...actually try to do whatever it took to push the other one over the edge.

It was a game.

And the winner? Well, it depended on the day. 

But the tears, oh yeah, they were generally mine. 

Brought on by either being "picked on" or out of guilt from retaliation. 

I always felt guilty...always.
Like Catholic guilt.

But not enough guilt to avoid it the next time.

See, these are the memories that spring to mind when I see dog kennelled or chained...

Me, my brother, and one backseat...nothin' but trouble.

This time, that memory was spurred on by meeting five pitties around the 4th of July.

I only snuggled a couple of the dogs, but they,
like each dog I meet on a fence build,
hold a little piece of my heart.
And watching them run and play, well, that was pure joy.
Pictures are powerful.
The images captured in a moment,
can speak louder than anything actually spoken.
What will images say today?

 JOY

Volunteering to change the lives of dogs, overflows our hearts with joy.

 Creating Friendships...on two and four legs.

BLISS

 LOVE

ENDLESS LOVE

And we love to soak it all in!

Who won't drink in this affection?!

 

TRUST: I'm always struck by this the most.  No matter what our fidos have been through or how little they have interacted with humans, they trust.  Sometimes it takes a little time, but just like I have seen the beauty inside the heart of each volunteer, the dogs must see it too.  They trust us to care and love them...even for just one day.

All volunteers enjoyed snuggling and loving on the dogs one final time before their release.

We knew that once they could run, they would RUN!

Can't you feel his soul in those eyes?

And then, they were off!

Ah, sweet, sweet freedom!

Those dogs definitely knew the beauty of freedom and

will enjoy every inch of it for the rest of their lives.

Now this was the perfect way to celebrate an Independence Day.