Halloween all year round!

BEWARE!!!!!!!

Halloween Body Part Guessing Game...

Halloween Body Part Guessing Game...

Guess who's eye it is....

Happy Halloween!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh my gosh...did you get another Lab? Meet Bruno!

Or perhaps a double Mochachino...

I'll take an extra frothy Cupachino...

They're not triplets, it's 2 sets of twins...

When twins become triplets...

One of these things is not like the others,
Can you find the thing that is different?

If you said the St Bernard in the middle is wearing a t-shirt you were right!

We're so tough we don't even need costumes!

Happy Halloween!

I'm going to be Shea for Halloween!

Gold is the must have color of the season!

Fall Photo shoot...watch out Halloween, here I come!

Shea Shea from the block, used to have a little, now she has a lot!

Bark Ridge's next Top Model...

My cousin Hilary went to new York and found me some fabulous fall fashions. I had a photo shoot followed by a few treats and then play time. I love presents. OMG, who's cuter than me?

Welcome Ellymae, there's always room for another Lab!

Ellymae is part of the Hotpockets family

Which one is the real pumpkin?

A piece of rawhide and a little lounging in the yard...

Ahhh, the good life!

How they touch our lives...

I received this in an email today from my friend Kris.
Let me warn you that even the hardest heart may need a tissue after this one...

This is one of the kindest things I've ever experienced. I have no way to know who sent it, but there is a kind soul working in the dead letter office of the US postal service.
Our 14 year old dog, Abbey, died last month. The day after she died, my 4 year old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her. I told her that I thought we could so she dictated these words:
Dear God,
Will you please take care of my dog? She died yesterday and is with you in heaven. I miss her very much. I am happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick. I hope you will play with her. She likes to play with balls and to swim. I am sending a picture of her so when you see her you will know that she is my dog. I really miss her.
Love, Meredith.
We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey and Meredith and addressed it to God/Heaven. We put our return address on it. Then Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because she said it would take lots of stamps to get the letter all the way to heaven. That afternoon she dropped it into the letter box at the post office. A few days later, she asked if God had gotten the letter yet. I told her that I thought He had.
Yesterday, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch addressed, "To Meredith" in an unfamiliar hand. Meredith opened it. Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called, "When a Pet Dies." Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God in its opened envelope. On the opposite page was the picture of Abbey & Meredith and this note:
Dear Meredith,
Abbey arrived safely in heaven. Having the picture was a big help. I recognized Abbey right away.
Abbey isn't sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me just like it stays in your heart. Abbey loved being your dog. Since we don't need our bodies in heaven, I don't have any pockets to keep your picture in, so I am sending it back to you in this little book for you to keep and have something to remember Abbey by.
Thank you for the beautiful letter and thank your mother for helping you write it and sending it to me. What a wonderful mother you have. I picked her especially for you.
I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much.
By the way, I am wherever there is love.
Love, God

The face of guilt...

I'm a puppy and I love to play. My older brother and I like to run around the yard. I catch him every once in a while.
Today we played ring around the fountain and knocked it over. Mom was not happy about it but she fixed it all up (and got it ready for our next game).


It was all going to be okay until she went to turn on the hose to re-fill the fountain and I remembered that I chewed it in half... oopsies!

Playing is hard work!

This puppy thing is hard work!

"ello Guvnah, table for one?"

Labradors play and we end up with a dirty Shea!

All the Labs love Shea Shea...

My cousin Vinnie...

Vinnie had his first play date with two of his four cousins.
Fun was had by all!

Malibu Murphy Brown

dog
BY VALERIE WORTH

Under a maple tree
The dog lies down,
Lolls his limp
Tongue, yawns,
Rests his long chin
Carefully between
Front paws;
Looks up, alert;
Chops, with heavy
Jaws, at a slow fly,
Blinks, rolls
On his side,
Sighs, closes
His eyes: sleeps
All afternoon
In his loose skin.

In Memory of Byrne...

Treasured Friend

I lost a treasured friend today
The little dog who used to lay
His gentle head upon my knee
And share his silent thoughts with me...
He'll come no longer to my call
Retrieve no more his favorite ball
A voice far greater than my own
Has called him to His golden throne.
Although me eyes are filled with tears,
I thank Him for the happy years
He let him spend down here with me
And for his love and loyalty.
When it is time for me to go
And join him there, this much I know...
I shall not fear the transient dark
For he will greet me with his bark.
Author Unknown

You know you're a dog person when...

You have a kiddie wading pool in the yard, but no small children.

Lintwheels are on your shopping list every week.

You have baby gates permanently installed at strategic places
around the house, but no babies.

You refer to yourselves as Mommy and Daddy.

Your dog sleeps with you.

Poop has become a source of conversation for you and your
significant other.

You can't see out the passenger side of the windshield because there
are nose-prints all over the inside.

You have 32 different names for your dog. Most make no sense, but
she understands.

You like people who like your dog. You despise people who don't.

You carry dog biscuits in your purse or pocket at all times.

You talk about your dog the way other people talk about their kid.

You sign and send birthday/anniversary/Christmas cards from your
dog.

You put an extra blanket on the bed so your dog can be
comfortable.

You'd rather stay home on Saturday night and cuddle your dog than
go to the movies with your sweetie.

You go to the pet supply store every Saturday because it's one of
the very few places that lets you bring your dog inside, and your
dog loves to go with you.

You open your purse, and that big bunch of baggies you use for
pick-ups pops out.

You get an extra-long hose on your shower-massage just so you can
use it to wash your dog in the tub, without making the dog sit
hip-deep in water.

You and the dog come down with something like flu on the same day.
Your dog sees the vet while you settle for an over-the-counter
remedy from the drugstore.

Your dog is getting old and arthritic, so you go buy lumber and build
her a small staircase so she can climb onto the bed by herself.

Your license plate or license plate frame mentions your dog.

You don't think it's the least bit strange to stand in the back yard
chirping "Meg, pee!" over and over again, while Meg tends to play
and forget what she's out there for (but what your neighbors think
of your behavior is yet another story).

You match your furniture/carpet/clothes to your dog.

You have your dog's picture on your office desk (but no one else's).

You lecture people on responsible dog ownership every chance you
get.

You skip breakfast so you can walk your dog in the morning before
work.

You are the only idiot walking in the pouring rain because your dog
needs her walk.

You don't go to happy hours with co-workers any more because you
need to go home and see your dog.

Your friend's dog acts as Best Dog at your wedding.

Your weekend activities are planned around taking your dog for a
hike (both days).

You keep an extra water dish in your second-floor bedroom, in case
your dog gets thirsty at night (after all, her other dish is way down
on the first floor...).

Your freezer contains more dog bones than anything else.

You never completely finish a piece of steak or chicken (so your dog
gets a taste, too).

You shovel a zigzag path in the back yard snow so your dog can
reach all her favorite spots.

You avoid vacuuming the house as long as possible because your dog
is afraid of the vacuum cleaner.

You keep eating even after finding a dog hair in your pasta.

You make popcorn just to play catch with your dog.

You carry pictures of your dog in your wallet instead of pictures of
your parents, siblings, significant other, or anyone else remotely
human.

Your dog is the star of your World Wide Web site!

Your parents refer to your pet as their granddog.

You hang around the dog section of your local bookstore.

Your jewelry box contains no jewels... just those fasteners from vari-kennels.

Every time you read the name Bob, you think the guy's first name
is Best of Breed.

Your house isn't carpeted--the fuzzy furballs under your feet are
soft enough...

Your hungry hubby comes home from work, lifts the cover of the
pan on the stove and says, "Is this people food or dog food?"

Your hungry hubby once ate the dog food and asked for seconds.

At your dinner parties, you always double check the butter before
putting it on the table.

You put important papers in your latest issue of your breed
magazine you know you will find them there.

You have dog hair stuck on tape on wrapped gifts.

You have several albums filled with the 8 by 10 pictures of your
dogs but you can't locate any pictures of your kids to send to
grandma.

You show up at the car dealers with a ruler, to measure and see if
your big dog crate will fit. Before the actual purchase you make
the dealer cringe by insisting that you load both crates and dog
into the shinny, new vehicle to make sure it works!

You can't get the groceries in the car because its
A) already full of dog food
B) you have that big old crate in there.

The passenger seat is full of dog stuff.

You cringe at the price of food in the grocery store but think
nothing of the cost of dog food or treats.

You have six squeaky hedgehogs... but only 1 with a squeaky that
works.

You put popcorn in the clean dog dish for movie night.

When you get your latest roll of film and there isn't a single
picture of a two-legged person in it...

People at work have stopped offering you their lint brushes; they
realize it is a hopeless case.

I’m Still Here


Friend, please don't mourn for me,

I'm still here, though you don't see.

I'm right by your side each night and day,

And within your heart I long to stay.


My body is gone but I'm always near,

I'm everything you feel, see or hear.

My spirit is free, but I'll never depart,

As long as you keep me alive in your heart.



I'll never wander out of your sight.

I'm the brightest star on a summer night.

I'll never be beyond your reach.

I'm the warm moist sand when you're at the beach.


I'm the colorful leaves when fall comes around,

And the pure white snow that blankets the ground.

I'm the beautiful flowers of which you're so fond,

The clear cool water in a quiet pond.



I'm the first bright blossom you'll see in the spring,

The first warm raindrop that April will bring.

I'm the first ray of light when the sun starts to shine,

And you'll see that the face in the moon is mine.


When you start thinking there's no one to love you,

You can talk to me through the Lord above you.

I'll whisper my answer through the leaves on the trees,

And you'll feel my presence in the soft summer breeze.



I'm the hot salty tears that flow when you weep,

And the beautiful dreams that come while you sleep.

I'm the smile you see on a baby's face.

Just look for me, friend, I'm everyplace!


Author Unknown

A Tribute to Maggie...

MY FRIEND

WHEN GOD HAD MADE THE EARTH AND SKY, THE FLOWERS AND THE TREES, HE THEN MADE ALL THE ANIMALS, THE FISH, THE BIRDS AND BEES AND WHEN AT LAST HE'D FINISHED, NOT ONE WAS QUITE THE SAME, HE SAID I'LL WALK THIS WORLD OF MINE AND GIVE EACH ONE A NAME. AND SO HE TRAVELED FAR AND WIDE AND EVERYWHERE HE WENT, A LITTLE CREATURE FOLLOWED HIM UNTIL ITS STRENGTH WAS SPENT. WHEN ALL WERE NAMED UPON THE EARTH AND IN THE SKY AND SEA, THE LITTLE CREATURE SAID DEAR LORD, THERE'S NO NAME LEFT FOR ME. KINDLY THE FATHER SAID TO HIM I'VE LEFT YOU TO THE END. I'VE TURNED MY OWN NAME BACK TO FRONT AND CALLED YOU DOG, MY FRIEND

Lindsay Morgan Stonecipher