With the completion of this season's Project Runway we are thinking
of our collections. "Make it work" the Tim Gunn mantra is also apt for our garden with its changing look as the spring, summer and fall months
go by. And Heidi's fierce deceptively chirpy statement "one day you're
in and the next day you're out" seems to work for our flowers as well.
Don't watch PR? Here are links http://www.mylifetime.com/shows/project-runway http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Runway
Trips around, a sniff, a stop...Liam enjoys
the yard in the months of spring and summer and fall, taking the same
routes and stopping to smell the begonias
and following are our 2014 collections of yard fashion
MAY
A start...Ruth's garden planted on Mother's Day; Liam's plaque proudly displayed, Paulina's bird
JUNE AND JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
OCTOBER...THE FINAL VIEW BEFORE...
a storm, wind and avid leaf blowing result in a
bent garden and an uprooted Liam plaque...Liam is looking for it
WHERE IS MY SIGN, MOM?
one day it's there and the next day it's not!
IT WAS BY THE ANGEL, I THINK
I SMELL IT!
NOT VISIBLE, FALLEN IN BACK OF BRICK
LIAM HAS HIS SIGN INSIDE
To be put away till next season and the next garden collections
Woof, Woof
Yes, it is possible to have a Yoga Room in one's home. I thought of it and searched around the Internet to see what others do...Apparently this conversion of an existing room is the trend. See link for pix of yoga spaces created in homes; they are from rooms and places designated for other purposes. http://www.pinterest.com/explore/yoga-room-design/
LIAM READY FOR YOGA
And what is this room?
In a late 1940's house this was meant to be a bedroom...
since used as
dining room, has a chandelier
guest room, had my parents
wine room, has wine at times
party room, people have hung out in here
museum room, display room, garden room-permanent collections of treasures, plaques, plants, etc.
The table is now pushed to the wall. The walls show collector's art, representative souvenirs
Treasures and memory items, gifts from life and travel, photos, books, china, flameless candles, wine, plants, trees, recharging area (devices)
All creating ambiance for yoga and for another kind of recharging...emotional, spiritual, physical
Now a chair yoga room. Yes, we use a chair. Start out seated, then end on the floor, some standing poses on the way down...
That is how we do in it class and we repeat at home.
Here is the link to our teacher's website; you'll see my testimonial (Carol M) http://www.myholistichaven.com/Home.html
Liam tries a few poses.
UPWARD FACING DOG?
I am not surprised by the interest Liam has shown. We know dogs love being on the floor. And to engage in sniffing any spot their human has been. His low height has spared him entanglements with the chandelier. Not me. I whacked the chandelier several times while doing my warrior poses. A bit of mindfulness while swinging into position has brought peace between us.
It sounds like that famous one. The iconic Travels with Charley by Steinbeck. Sounds like, but is not like. Travels with Casey is the tale of the journey of a dog and his writer parent as they travel around the country meeting other dog folks. The Steinbeck book apparently was more fiction. He allegedly wrote a lot of it without actually visiting any of the places. Here is a link to the author's Travels with Casey page. http://travelswithcasey.com/
I
followed geographically on my iPad map.
I now follow virtually on Twitter and Instagram.
See screenshot of the Twitter exchange between the author and me. I sent a pic of Liam reading. So did many others.
Not sure how to refer to the author. The formal book reviews use Denizet-Lewis. Other reviewers refer to "the author." Still others leave out his name completely. This blog story is about connections I felt when reading. More informal and not a summary or a cover blurb. I feel it will be okay going with the author's first name, Benoit, pronounced Ben wah. His mother is French, father is American.
My Personal Highlights
Benoit starts out in the Northeast from where he lives, Provincetown Ma. He journeys down the East coast across the South to the West and back across the Midwest. Benoit tells us at the outset that he thinks Casey does not like him very much. I appreciated his worry and his thoughts of inferiority about his dog parenting skills. I have similar thoughts and often think that Liam is bored, sad and lonely when with me. Conversely, he is alert and content with Daddy Paul. My fix to offset Liam's malaise is not a trip around the country. I book him into day care for some canine companionship.
DADDY PAUL AND LIAM, HAPPY BOYS
LIAM AT HOME WITH MOM, YAWN
HERE I AM AGAIN AT BEST IN SHOW- MOM FEELING PARENTING INADEQUACIES
Dog Parks
Benoit does dog parks, I did when Liam was a puppy. I remember the hierarchy and the judgment as well the camaraderie and kindness. They can be tough places as well as nurturing ones. I learned how to be a puppy parent from the people there. Fond memories of the early dog days.
Wolf Dogs
Benoit visited a man in Appalachia who raises wolf dogs. My artist aunt in New Mexico has a tenant who owns a wolf dog. As a result of her proximity to his wolf dog and her fearless admiration of the species I have educated myself about these gorgeous animals.
Here is some info http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/w/wolfdog.htm
DOG + WOLF, LIAM WITH HIS WOLVES
Uga at UGA of course! A visit to the bulldog in Athens Georgia named Uga. My connection here is my BFF and my godchild. My friend a former Professor at University of Georgia (UGA) and my godchild UGA grad, a double dawg (two degrees) Liam spends a lot of time under, near or surrounded by our Georgia bulldog blanket. Benoit meets Uga. I have Uga embedded on my Tervis cup.
Uga
The present Uga is a successor of the Uga he had met on a previous visit. Benoit writes of the controversy about bulldog breeding...there have been a series of Ugas with too soon deaths. Health issues affect the breed.
Here is a link to info about all the Ugas http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uga_%28mascot%29
Cesar Millan
Benoit visits The Dog Whisperer on the West Coast. Benoit recalls how he moderated Cesar's Times Talks discussion in January 2012. I was there! I cannot believe it! This discussion took place a short time before Benoit set out on his RV journey. I remember that Cesar strode onto the stage with his dog Junior and we all went crazy. Now here it is 2014, the journey done, the book written...see the You Tube of the Times Talks program. .A few minutes will have you smiling. http://youtu.be/sqvtHcT9Czw
In what category should this book be? It is currently on the New York Times best seller list..in the travel group. Makes sense, travel is in the title. Travels with Casey has so much...I see it also in the Relationship, Self Help, Inspiration, Psychology, History, Spiritual, Pets, Romance, Automotive, Humor...there is something of everything and something for everyone in this story
It happened August 18th, and it has shaken up the routines. Mine, Liam's, Starbucks, friends who treat; the ripple effect has been unexpected yet in hindsight of course predictable. What happened? Decided I had to switch my latte...I have been a grande non-fat latte since 2004. A decade of one drink...ten years of no fat...At some point over the last year the non-fat had become non-friendly.
CAROL LOVES LATTES
I loved this drink for so long. Had a strong coffee element tempered by non-fat milk. And the best, it bragged of totaling only 130 calories. And I believe it.
I had a routine. Drink the latte. Liam waits. Liam barks for the foamy cup. I hand off. Gnawing stomach pain. Chug some Mylanta (actually CVS generic antacid) and it's a wrap for that day.
It was so routine that it seemed okay. No it was not. I started noticing how often I was replenishing my liquid antacid remedy. The latte was lacerating my insides. Starbucks coffee is strong and apparently over the years had become a tad too much for my stomach lining. So I attempted to fix it. I needed some fat protection.
First Fix Attempt-
Grande Soy Latte
Thought I would try soy. A friend does the soy. A lot of soy was being ordered while I waited on line. It boasts of health benefits for women. I know some studies say no, not so, but I disregarded those in favor of the studies which supported soy. My new drink would be a grande soy latte. Tastes like a mocha coffee drink...sort of sweet...was okay. Caused a disruption in my ordering. My home Starbucks has my latte ready as I walk in the door. Frantic waving and apologies to stop production of the non-fat. My baristas are on board in no time.
SWEET SOY, NO!
But there was a sad fallout . Liam hates the soy latte licks. He showed such disdain that he pushed and kicked the cup instead of wearing it on his nose. Sticking out his tongue to get the soy away.
I kept it up for a week or two. I missed our drinking/licking bond. And I was missing the coffee component which the soy superseded. I had to keep experimenting.
Second Attempt-
Grande Fat Latte
Is there such a drink? Not usually heard as an order but I ordered it. My thinking was that if there is a non-fat the opposite must be fat. I was asked if I wanted 2%. No I want the fat one..I explained I needed the fat. Who would order that? Not calorically correct in today's weight sensitive culture. I was told to say grande latte. Okay got it... and at a bigger calorie count of 190. That's the fat. Whew...I will still take it. No stomach pain. Or minimal. And the 60 extra calories will be fine, I think.
Drink Fixed
Stomach Fixed
Dog/Parent Relationship Fixed
FAT FOAM
Liam is back as my latte licking partner. CVS might lose some antacid business. Think they will survive the loss.
Here is an active latte foam licking Liam on video. Listen closely and you might hear the action. As he pushes away the cup it is with contentment not annoyance.
