6 x 6 Squares

A community mosaic, consisting of 6 x 6 canvas squares, was arranged by a local art center.  Several hundred canvases were the source of personal inspiration.  I saw a string of eleven of them in a row and it struck me how unique each one was.  There were oil paints, cut glass, photos, pencils, paper, and other media used.  Combined by individuals they are each so beautifully unique.  I love how with all of these being by different people, that they are so unique.  It is a reflection of their creators that they are also so unique.   Just little squares of canvas become little captures of people’s hearts. 

Nonsensical Trio

Okay – I warn you upfront, today is just a nonsensical bit of writing. It’s just the way I look at the world.

There are lots of animals that live in the back yard. The live in the front yard too, but the dogs seem to think that they are really only allowed to live in the back yard and bark at them until they resume living in their appropriate space. A rabbit lives in the yard with a little white furry stripe on his rump. I love that it makes him, Peter Rabbit, so easily identifiable. When he was just a tiny thing, he liked to come close and listen to people talk. I’m not kidding, he would sit just a few feet away and if you kept talking and didn’t move to suddenly, he would be quite happy to just hop right around you. Perhaps he was trying to English through immersion. Yesterday morning, Peter Rabbit, now much older and quite grown up, was in the front yard. The dogs of course were announcing that the “attack bunny” was out of his space and should be chased back to the back yard. I went out and tried to shoo him away rather than just opening the door and let the dogs go into their flight of fancy. “The big woofy woofy dogs are coming out; you need to move along someplace safer.” I swear that rabbit pfft’d at me and then hopped quite preciously back into the back yard.
Three crows have also taken up residence in the last few days. I like their substantial size and the way that they seem to just soak in the light around them and be velvety in the shade and shiny in the sun. There was just one, and being in the yard for a short time leads to an animal having a name. They must have names. So, I was thinking Whitman. But, then two other crows showed up and I am at a complete loss as to what to call them.
Deer like to gather in in the evening, eating corn and seed. Mainly though, the dark faced doe who stands and eats corn, with little corn bits stuck to her nose. She is beautiful, sleek and shiny and looks so healthy. She watches in the window from her dinner buffet place. I wonder if she wonders about us, if she is observing us as we observe her.
They are beautiful to watch, taking on characteristics of their own. Personality abounds in these furry creatures who live here.

The Wild Things

In my life, there are two beautiful Labrador retrievers, a chocolate brown lab that is older and quite reserved and a younger yellow lab pup. 

Megan, the chocolate, is my princess pup who holds herself in reserve, not wanting to do anything quite as common as running through mud puddles.  It’s really quite funny to open the door and watch her look out, look at me as if to say – “Ewwwww I will get my feet wet, I’ll hold it.  Thank you very much!”  Actually, she’s a lot tougher than most realize as she is also the one who has evicted (rather forcefully and permanently) a few of the neighboring groundhogs.  Megan has gotten lost overnight once, and that can be real stress for this pampered pooch (not to mention her person).  But, the thrill of the chase filled her mind and she went over a low fence, through neighbor yards until quite lost.  The next day, we got her back from the local Humane Society, where she was deposited after a ride in a police car.  I understand that she tried to get into the local ER – smart girl, headed for lights and people!  Yes, my sweet pampered girl has fully recovered from her moment of stress.  Now, it’s back to princess Megan, who watches TV (yes she really does know what is on the TV), prefers pillows and likes to be talked to.  I have a feeling that she humors me about half the time, the puppy the other half, but secretly wants to be in the center of attention – so long as she doesn’t have to get her feet wet that is.

Sierra, the Super Puppy, is not even a year old yet, but has these long legs that just won’t stop growing.  If you aren’t familiar with labs, they are puppies for two years, and require a substantial store of patience in that time. However, if you can hold on (and keep a large supply of chew toys and trash bags), you can have a great dog at the end of that time.  Sierra, is a blur much of the time as she is full of energy in every fiber, and is either full go or sound asleep.  Just like any other kid, she wants to play and lots of attention.  However, any of Megan’s disdain for dirt is bounded right over by Sierra as she finds the biggest mud puddles to jump and roll in.  That dirt may even be worth the bath that surely will follow.  Actually, the furry energy blur is quite loving and is eager to say hello and good-morning and come play with me.  It’s just that her approach is not always appreciated as it normally means that 70 plus pounds are flailed at you with four feet and a big sloppy kiss all at the same time.  And just like any other little energy filled wild child, she is absolutely adorable when asleep. 

They are the Wild Things, the sweet furry things, the table clearing (thus the trash bags) things, the bed sleeping pillow hog things, they are the sweet and wet dog kiss giver things, and always happier when they are with their people things.  Yes, they are the wild things – the personality filled, big expressive eyed, carrot and green bean loving things.  They are the wild things with a big spot in my heart.