Goodbye Yoda Pug

We lost Yoda this week.

He had a seizure back in December and we wondered if maybe he had been having them for awhile and we didn't see them. The sudden muscle weakness, especially in his back legs happened a few times this past year and we just thought it was related to the known degenerative disc disease he had in his spine. He was weak for about an hour and then he was running around barking with the big dogs and being his normal self. He's getting older, seizures in old dogs do not mean good things, and he was fine so I left it as that.

Monday night/Tuesday early morning, he had a couple seizures. They woke me and I held him through two and I think I woke too late to hold him through a third.  Seizures are hard to watch and with them coming in a cluster, I knew it was time. I woke the kids and let them say their goodbyes. Carus was mad that we didn't warn her about Timmy so I wanted to be sure to warn her as much as I could about Yoda.  Yoda then got to go bye-byes to take Carus to school - one of his favorite things.

The vet was awesome. I called for an appointment and they said whenever I could make it in. They reassured me that seizures that start in old dogs mean bad things like blood clots or tumors and prognosis is poor; I was making the right decision. While I was waiting for them to return with the medication, he had another smaller seizure. They had me to tell them stories about puggy while I held him. He was breathing like he was in pain and it slowly stopped.

When we got him, we showed up to a house in NE Portland to pick him up and there were like 40 pugs in that house. I felt guilty for supporting that type of breeder, but I wanted my puggy at that point.  We grabbed our puppy and ran. 

He was the teeniest thing! And was so terrified for like 3 days. Carus was crawling around on the floor and he started playing chase with her and that was the first time he hadn't been scared. 

He loved the beach, especially the run to someone game. He always ran the fastest to me.

He was happiest when he knew where I was. He would follow me anywhere, and wait by doors and windows for me to return.  He slept at my feet for years, and then his back problems made it painful for him to get up and down off the bed. He would hurt himself badly jumping down so he wasn't allowed up anymore. He'd still ask.  He had a bed beside me and one at my feet under my desk for when I worked.

He was so determined to follow me everywhere, that he followed me mowing the lawn the spring we moved into our house and the grass was super long and so freshly cut that he was green half way up his body.

He used to do hand stands when hiking his leg to pee...

He peed on a computer tower Robert had opened up for repairs. That's when we decided he was old enough to be fixed.  (We delayed as pugs have trouble with surgery so I waited until he was about a year and a half old.)

He stole a stuffed caterpillar toy from Carus and loved it so much and hard that Robert spent like 6 months looking for a replacement on eBay - which he found.  Yoda loved that one too, but not as hard so it still exists.

He went by Yoda Pug, Poda Yug, Puggy, Puggers, Yoda Bug, Yoda Soda Bug, pug-pugs, puggy.

I miss my puggy so much. I knew I would, but still... 

(Below the photo links to Yoda's flickr album.)

52 Week Photography Challenge: Week 1 - Rule of Thirds

We've completed the first week of 2017, though it already feels like it's been longer than a week. I started hearing commercials for tax prep and it feels weird.  Like, we can't already be back at the part of the year where we pay taxes, right?!

The challenges are separated into three categories; Story-Telling, Technical, and Artistic Impression.

Story: Rule of Thirds

The rule of thirds is the first compositional rule most photographers learn; but most don't know why they learn it.  The rule of thirds is amazing for telling a story.  Tell a story using rule of thirds.

I didn't have a plan for what images I was going to take for the challenge this week. I tried to just keep it in mind whenever I picked up my camera or felt inspired.  While I want to make sure that I use my actual camera/DSLR more often, sometimes the best camera is the one you have with you. While I'm at the barn, I have my phone 100% of the time so it becomes my go to.  Plus, I like being able to share my photos on Instagram and Facebook. I like the instant feedback (read: attention HA!).

Leia and Chewie love playing in the snow and we've been getting snow so I took them outside and kept the rule of thirds challenge in my mind.  Yoda isn't a fan of the snow, but he likes following me.

Dusty and Scout seemed completely uninterested in the snow, they just wanted the hay, some attention from Carus, and maybe a cookie.

Scout rarely doesn't head straight for Carus the second he sees her.  The only times he's decided the grass he's eating is more important only lasts until she crinkles a peppermint wrapper or she comes into the pasture.

The photos of the dogs are DSLR and the horses are phone with Instagram filters.

More information about the Dogwood Photography 52 Week Photography Challenge can be found here.

#dogwood52, #dogwood2017, and #dogwoodweek1

All about the weekend

My weekend has been great.

I started out with a riding lesson on Tucker. I left feeling really happy with myself. I wanted to work on my balancing and having better control of my seat, and my steering. Tucker is a smart horse. He figures out what the pattern/routine is and then anticipates the next move and tries to cut corners so he makes me work to keep to what I say we're doing and not what he thinks we are doing. One of the exercises my trainer had me doing was riding without stirrups. Definitely used a few more muscles doing that - especially when I started doing it at a trot. I'm happy with the sore muscles I have today; let's me know my work paid off.

After my lesson, I picked up Robert and we ran errands, did some grocery shopping, got some lunch, and hung out together.

Then, Saturday evening Robert and I went and picked up our new puppy. He's really little still, but mom weaned them a little over a week ago so they were ready to go to their new homes earlier than planned (they were thinking at least another week). (This is earlier than puppies usually come home, but I didn't want him to be all alone with his siblings going home this weekend.) We surprised the kids with him; they knew we were getting a puppy, they just didn't know we were getting him so soon.

Leia and Yoda have been slightly afraid/weary of him (omg, what is that thing?), but at my 5 am wake-up Leia started to play with him. He tires out pretty quickly still so just when she was really getting into it, he sat down and promptly fell asleep. Robert had the next shift at 7:30 am and the household was up not too long after that. 

The kids have been in charge of him most of today (Sunday), with Robert and I as supervision. Carus is already pretty good at noticing potty sniffing cues. She has insisted on being on night-watch with him and has put his crate in her room already. She says he's her puppy. 

He doesn't have a name yet. We can't all agree on one. Robert likes Rex, I like Tater (as in Tater Tot) and I keep calling him Buddy, Carus likes Tater but also would like something else, and Adam has been wanting to continue the Star Wars theme we have and go with Luke or Kenobe but no one else is really feeling those names. We'll figure it out and for now it's okay because I don't think he'd come when called. Have any name suggestions? 

Beach Trip - Girls only!

A few weeks ago Barb took me and Carus (and Yoda) to the beach for a girls only beach day.

It was gorgeous! We stopped in Tillamook at the Tillamook Cheese Factory and we perused their gift store while eating some really good ice cream.  Then we went down to Lincoln City to walk along the beach for a bit before grabbing a late lunch/early dinner and heading home.  It was a really lovely day.  Thanks for taking us, Barb!

Go here to see the rest of the photos.

Project 52 - Week 1 - Shadows

The week project started out slowly.  

I wasn't able to get any inspiration for a few days and I worried I would never find inspiration and I would fail my new little project in the first week.  I daydreamed of amazing shadows of summer when it isn't cloudy and dreary outside.  

I had a TTFP shoot last Sunday and quiet hospital corridors always stop me in my tracks. I find them so peaceful - especially a maternity ward.  The shadows in the peaceful hallways broke through my uninspiring fog and I started seeing the shadows everywhere.

I see these shadows from the tree on the back fence from the window by my desk and they lured me outside where it was cold, but sunny.  

Not just any old shadows, shadows that evoke something in me.  Feelings of peace, excitement, and amusement.  

My garden fence casting shadows.  I walked the garden.  I was so frustrated with it at the end of season last year because of the insane, cannot get under control, weeds.  I was worried I wouldn't want to touch it this year, but now that all the weeds are dead I want to go spruce it up and have already started planning my plant layout. I should get out there and clean it up and maybe try to add some yard fabric in the aisle-ways so the grass and weeds don't take over again.

Of course the dogs followed me outside.  

If someone is outside then there is someone to throw a ball for Leia! 

Another sunny day and it was cold outside so I didn't last long before taking my break in front of our large living room window.  The cats always join me here for sun bathing.

Timmy was trying to see what Carus was tapping on the table with, and when reviewing the photos on my camera's LCD I just knew I had to make a peek-a-boo gif.

Peek-a-boo

Next week's theme is Mirror.

Santa dogs

The result of my crocheting project - a Santa hat for Leia.


My 7 days photo - putting it on Leia.



The alternate - I think Robert was taking pictures at this point though instead of me using the remote.



I'm not happy with the lighting.  Meh. Maybe I'll try again...maybe I won't.





Of course we had to get Timmy in some pictures.











Good dogs and kitty. (The other cats were not interested. At all.)

A week in Instagram

279/365 - Yoda curled up next to Adam


280/365 Feeling cute - work bathroom selfie.


281/365 A favorite evening - watching shows with Robert and editing pics.


282/365 View while grilling dinner. The door was open for the dogs playing revolving door.



283/365 Becca does a sleep study:  My room for the night.  I did it because Robert thinks I snore and that I have sleep apnea.



The sleep study went well, I guess.  I slept. I didn't sleep better than usual; possibly a bit worse since I kept getting tangled up in the wires. I do not like having wires and breathing monitors on my face.  It was also very weird to think that I was being taped while I slept.  My legs, for some odd reason, feel like I walked a few miles which is weird and I have no idea what to make of it.  Also, I might be getting sick and I'm feeling grumpy and bitchy and the whining may or may not be related to that or the sleep study.  Basically, I was taken out of my comfort zone with the study and I'm not too happy about it.  Moving on...

284/365 Are you comfy, Yoda?


I'll try to pull my actual camera out next week - and I'll probably be finishing the year in weekly posts or not at all - I don't know.  Whatever I end up doing.  I have the desire to be more creative...now to find the inspiration...

The last of September

271/365
Pouring (really really pouring) rain on the car window. I was sitting in the parking lot waiting for Robert to just run in and grab something - 2 minutes  (translation 20 minutes).

272/365
Canning spaghetti sauce.  I made a double batch of sauce which gave me enough jars that it took three rounds to can them all.  This was two rounds down, third one in the canner, all the dishes that I had washed (for the fifth time that day) and my celebratory glass of wine.



273/365
Yoda and Wilbur cuddling.

September ended, I can wake up now.

I love September.  In theory.  The beginning of fall - which I do love - and all that goes with it.

In reality though, we are not the greatest of friends.  I always feel overwhelmed and flustered and stressed and depressed and ANXIOUS about all of the things. Always.  It probably has a lot to do with the autumnal equinox and the rapidly changing amount of light that brings out those feelings with me as it does with many others.

But it's October now, and I'm feeling better.

I know I have a hard time with September so I planned ahead and took a day off for me.  A day where I could do what I wanted or needed to do while the kids were in school and have not have to worry about work.  I took it on a Friday - and after I ran some errands in the morning I convinced a friend to bring her newborn over so I could take a couple pictures of him.



Walter was more interested in eating than sleeping for photos so I didn't get too many, and it hasn't worked out to get anymore newborn photos.



Adam had some friends over to play games to celebrate his birthday and he agreed to let Carus throw him a Minecraft themed party.  We had red vines as "TNT", carrots and watermelon as themselves, chips and dip, cucumbers and dip, pizza (of course) and a Creeper decorated cake.  Carus planned, and helped make and put together everything for the party - even drawing the signs.

While spending some gift cards we've had laying around far too long I found this crate - which is a new prop for putting babies - or pug dogs (or cats, etc) in for photos.  Yoda was very cooperative and would jump in and sit down for me.


Providence (the hospital/health care group I work for) has forums for it's employees to keep us informed of progress and plans, etc.  At the end of each forum they do a drawing to give away a little prize.  I won this time - a gift basket with coffee and chocolate.  The chocolate was good - I haven't tried the coffee yet.


We were able to line up schedules one last time for me to run over to do this shot of my friends kids with baby Walter.  She saw this idea on Pinterest and loved it and so did I.  I'm glad we got it, I love it. (Of course Walter wanted to sleep that day!)


Dogs begging for treats from Robert - who got into the closet for paper towels or something.  They did get a treat too.


A good portion of September was stormy and wet.  We had 8-10 inches of rain in September.  Lots of gray skies and wet.



But fall does have lovely sunsets.