wordsfromanneli

Thoughts, ideas, photos, and stories.

Category Archives: Dogs


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Another Kind of Bag

Last week I went to a class to learn how to make a cosmetics bag (which could be used for anything at all, not only cosmetics).  I had some dog print material that a friend gave me and I thought it would look nice on a bag. The pattern had three sizes and I decided to make the middle size for a start.

I learned how to use a zipper that you make as long as you want by cutting it off a long, long zipper. Then you put the zipper pull on it and sew tabs on the ends of the zipper. This was my first time trying to make a custom-sized zipper, and it’s a bit rough, but still okay enough for me to try again on another bag sometime.

Inside the bag is a lining which I decided to make of the same dog print material. It has two mesh pockets on one side.

On the other side, an extra piece of material was sewn in to make a zippered pocket. This pocket zipper was a pre-determined length, ready made, so it was relatively easy to install.

If I can figure out how to fasten a long over-the-shoulder handle and make the bag the next bigger size, I know someone who would love to use it as a dog training bag. It has a place to put the dog whistle, dog treats, a leash and collar, a bottle of water, and maybe a sandwich or a granola bar. He just has to be sure not to get the treats mixed up. I’m sure Emma wouldn’t mind it, but the Captain might not be so fussy about mistakenly eating a dog treat.


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Baja Dogs

We are the guardians of the roof,

And though it’s hot up here,

Our job is to say, “Woof-woof-woof,”

And strike all hearts with fear.

As chow I’m toughest of them all,

I make intruders stop,

I only hope that I don’t fall,

That would be quite a drop.

With me there is no serious threat,

I pace the roof above,

And what you see is what you get,

A dog in need of love.

I’m not a guard dog as you see,

I’d be one if I could,

The roof dogs all make fun of me,

Because I’m made of wood.

My name is Andy and I sleep,

I never am awake,

A battery makes me breathe so deep,

Because, you see, I’m fake.

 

*** Andy was a stuffed toy dog, just like a teddy bear. He had a battery inside him that made him look like he was breathing by making his chest go up and down. He had me totally fooled and the woman who owned him had him on her shop counter, loving every minute of my reaction as I asked if I could pet him. I was really surprised when she told me he was completely “not real.”


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Irish Wolfhound

This gentle dog was visiting at the mall last week. I’ve whited out his owner’s face for the sake of his anonymity.

I had never seen an Irish wolfhound up close like this, much less touched one, but this fellow didn’t mind at all that I touched his nose when we said hello.

I was amazed at his size, easily standing as high as his owner’s waist, and weighing over 200 lbs.

Irish wolfhounds were bred to guard against wolves in Ireland several hundred years ago. Although they must have been aggressive and tough to kill wolves, they are generally quite calm and gentle.  They are not bred to be guard dogs, lacking enough aggression for this job.

Still, if you would be the owner of an Irish wolfhound, it would be advisable to train your dog early, before he gets too big to say no to.

Another thing I’ve learned about them is that Irish wolfhounds are susceptible to a heart condition called cardiomyopathy, so they do not usually have a long lifespan. Six to ten years seems to be the average lifespan.

It was a real treat to be able to meet this very large dog. He was seven years old, and very mild mannered.  As I went home from having met this dog, I kept thinking, “It must cost a small fortune to feed this dog, but I’m sure he would earn his keep by being such a loving companion.”


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Like Watching Paint Dry

Might as well do my nails while I’m watching the walnuts dry.

In the lower level, by the woodstove, the walnuts are bagged and almost ready to be hung above the woodstove to finish drying. I think I’ll have to get another burlap bag or maybe two more, to hold all those nuts as they dry. All the messy work of scraping the black goo from the shells has been done. Now we wait. Most days, I sneak a few to bring out to the squirrels.

I wonder if there will be any walnuts left by Christmas.

 


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Puppy at the Beach

When Emma was only about a year old, we took her for an outing at the beach one day.

 

What looked to us to be just tired sea grasses was probably a shoreline full of life.

 

 

“Did  I see something move out there?”

 

 

“Whoah! Is that water closer than it was a second ago?”

 

 

“Are we safe here?”

 

 

“Okay, then. Just say the word, and I’ll go bring you that bird I saw down the beach.”

I’m sure I saw a movement there

Way down along the beach,

I’ll go and chase it if I dare…

But naw, it’s out of reach.

 

And anyway these waves are big,

The worst thing is they’re wet,

But pups like me don’t give a fig,

They haven’t hurt me yet.

 

So I’ll be brave and daring too,

I’ll chase those birds around,

I’ll show my folks what I can do,

And what a pup they’ve found.


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Emma’s Story

When I was just a baby, my older sister Ruby was the boss. She was always trying to tell me what to do.

One day, Anneli took my bed away, and I tried to claim what was left of it – just the inside part was left.

Ruby was playing the part of Miss Know-it-all.

Something moved out on the grass. Don’t forget, we’re hunting dogs. It’s our job to chase anything that moves.

 

But Anneli didn’t bring us food and she didn’t look like she was sorry for anything. She just laughed and said, “What are you doing in the wheelbarrow?”

Soon, while Ruby went to chase the rabbit, Anneli told me everything was okay. She had another bed fixed up for me on the deck. I tried for some compensation, but she didn’t go for it.

When she put me into the special bed on the bedroom deck, I was going to gloat a bit about how I had messed up her sliding door with nose prints. I was going to tell her, “Haha! So there! That’s what you get for making me worry about my bed,” but before I could tell her all that, I succumbed to the softness of the bed’s furry  pillowcase, and off I went to Doggie Dreamland.


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Harvest Time

The squirrels have been harvesting hazelnuts from the trees and hiding them to be retrieved in the winter.

Along comes Woodrow the Woodpecker, innocently looking for bugs.

Ronald Rabbit knows the squirrels wouldn’t like their stash to be unearthed, but, “What to do? What to do?”

“Mind your own business, Ronald,” says Woodrow. “That’s “What to do’!”

“I’m telling,” shouts Ronald. “The people will let their dog out and then you’ll be sorry.” Meanwhile, I have one leg raised and ready to make a run for it.

“Look out, you guys! Here I come. And don’t forget! I may be a teddy bear in the house, but I’m a wolverine in the field.”

“Are you serious?” Woodrow calls to Ronald. “Now that the dog is out, we’ll all have to make a run for it.”

“Aw, do what you want. I’m going up here to higher ground and — oh! What have we here? A hole in the tree. Anybody home?”

And so life goes on … unless you’re a bug in that tree.

 

 

 

 

 


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Tough Little Tony at the Beach

“What the heck is that I see,

Over near the shore?

Looks like twice the size of me,

Should I check some more?”

 

 

“Found some courage after all,

Show I’m not afraid,

If in trouble, I will call,

For my family’s aid.”

 

Tony lived across the street from us. He had a good long life there. For a while now, he has been reminiscing about his happy life and looking down on us all from doggie heaven. He is missed a lot.