Monday moment

I am out and about today so should have something to chat about tomorrow.   But for now a photo. I love these pods.

The Trout Trainers

You know the type; the Sunday morning, dog trainers with their clean wellys and posh body warmers from a named and labelled brand.  They stand there in a circle with their over weight pooches talking amongst themselves about how dogs should behave and throwing dirty looks over to the rest of us walkers in scruffy clothes, our dogs running with each other, chasing balls, rolling in cow pats and wet grass, barking in delight and having a great time, their muscles lean and toned, whilst we, those in scruffs, laugh and walk, whistling and calling our much loved pets and generally enjoying the weather; whether it be sun shine or rain or deep snow with icicles hanging from branches and glowing from within whilst we walk in thick jumpers and hats, obviously on those days the Trout Trainers are not out and about, they only do fine weather.

Trout Trainers?

Well, they all look like they have been slapped in the face with a wet fish, their scowling faces set in a downward tilt from years of looking down their noses at us mear pet owners.

The group that frequents the river walk on a Sunday morning has become smaller, hopefully those other members realizing that you can't train an over weight puppy who only wants to run and jump and play not learn to sit at heel and have the joy of life replaced by some sour faced old hag telling him that life is about learning and all fun is cancelled.

There was a time I would put my dogs on leads to walk past, but now I don't, call me rebellious but I can't stand to see dogs, over weight and joyless; my dogs might not be the most obedient of the year but we have rules, I like them to play nicely, be friendly and have waggy tails, they know that the first rule of the house is make sure they get the best spot on the sofa before any one else, take up as much room on the bed and when 'she in charge' aka me, looks like she is going to blow a gasket because we are not listening, run to heel, sit, look up with butter wouldn't melt adoring brown eyes and the smallest tail tip wag will guarantee complete success in winning her over.

So I let mine run forward and join the over weight black Labrador puppy, he could only have been 12 months old, this morning.  Defi always does the introductions perfectly, I am very proud of his manners.  He goes as close as possible, without encroaching on space, and lies down, his tail swishing from side to side in the leaves, the Lab puppy, joyous in the fact another hound is there and offering to chase, bounds over, leaving the Trout Trainers scowling in disgust at his lack of obedience and their failure to lasso him with his lead in time, and within seconds the two dogs are charging round and round the group threatening to knock them all down, whilst I call over, friendly like, 'don't they love to play, shame he is a bit like a bull in a china shop'.  I like to throw that out there as it makes the Trout Trainers all band together in fear of getting their immaculate attire the slightest bit hairy or muddy, as I walk past with Iz trotting faithfully behind me, her smile wide on her face as her ball is between her teeth, her flowing coat and toned tummy belying  the fact she is now 8 years old and not the 3 or 4 year old she looks.  Sadly the quick charge with Defi and the puppy was short lived as they failed to get far enough away before the youngster was lasso'ed and fun was curtailed.  I call Defi and walk away knowing that the looks directed at my back from the Trout Trainers are shooting to kill, whilst the puppy, his tongue pink and panting looks at Defi's retreating tail with a smile on his little pudgy face.

But I get the last laugh.  I walk down the lanes with two happy, contented, walked, toned, well behaved Golden Retriever pet dogs, whilst they have to over take me in their cars with the dog that has figured out that you can defy the authorities and have a bit of fun!

You can train dogs that young, I certainly started training Iz as soon as she came to live with us at 8 weeks, all the other dogs as soon as they arrive (they have all been re-homes or rescues except for Iz) but you have to let the dog have fun first and burn off some energy, then they will sit, walk to heel and whatever else you ask them to do.  Fun and training together make happy, well adjusted, friendly dogs that have some manners at least.

Until next Sunday then.

Saturdays smile

I have had a lovely day with lovely people melting glass in the studio and having a chat just about life, experiences, youth.... not mine!... a wonderful day all told and so I am sharing a photo from a couple of weeks back.... I am sharing a smile.  Bit of a cop out for a blog post but I am supposed to be blogging each day for Blogtoberfest and can't back out on day 4!

Happy smiling Saturday.

Friday's Muse - Venice.

While I figure out the title of this blog I might as well start writing it!

 

 

A good glassy friend of mine Kat from Beads by Kat is also taking part in Blogtoberfest this year and is filling her blog with interviews with fellow artisans sending them (us as I am one ;) ) questions to answer, just for a bit of fun.  One of the questions is 'If you could choose a city break where would it be?'.  I hate cities, I hate crowds, noise, traffic, I prefer cow pats, muddy fields, stinking dogs, dribbly cats, the stink of lanolin from the sheep after the rain; I might not like  these smells but I prefer them to fuel fumes, air pollution, coughing commuters and a myraid of other city treats.  On top of that I don't like shopping, last night in Sainsbury's was my worst nightmare and this time I wasn't alone!

 

So, today, Kat has interviewed Jill from Kiln Fired Art another fellow friend and fantastic artist and Jill has answered that she would like to spend time in Venice on a city break.

 

Which begs the muse from me.

 

Is Venice a city?  or, is Venice an island?

 

Now I love Venice, I went when I was about 16 and loved it, the beautiful stained glass windows, the churches, the quaint - and expensive - cafes in St Marks Square, the side streets all narrow and intriguing, the artists glass blowing and lampworking in the windows as you walk by.

 

 I love the paintings of Canaletto, this one below taken from this website Travelling in Venice

 

 

Venice really hasn't changed since Canaletto's day to when I visited in the 1980's, or judging by the photographs my daughter took when she visited last year (2013) on a photography trip with college, although her views of Venice were through hung over eyes and her liking the modern gallery exhibits to a display at B&Q wasn't her finest moment, but it came close to the drunken walk around the canals by her tutor before the hotel would allow her to enter her room! So it seems Venice still attracts the artisans and accommodates their behaviour regardless of era.

 

But, this does bring me back to my original question.

 

City or Island?

 

I did meet my lovely dog walking friend down at the river this morning, he being a retired Sea Merchant Captain with stories of his travels from all over the globe, and his answer?

 

'who the *&*()*&)() cares anyway?'

 

Maybe he is right, Venice is beautiful, whether you think City break or Island retreat, although I would suggest drinking in the culture more than the wine!

Throw back Thursday, the last cats and Gordy.

I am not going too far back, just enough to remember Megan who left us in December 2012 aged 23, the lost and mentally abused cat that came to live with us back in April 1994, she was never a cat to have a cuddle, always wary, but at least she knew she was safe with us and she had, I hope, a happy life.

Then remembering our Claude who left us back in September 2013 aged 22, he very nearly got longest living cat in this house but missed it by a whisker.  Arriving on our doorstep back in 1995/6 he was around 1 years old, a happy chap, an amazing killer of wildlife and he had a swagger that kept foxy loxy away.

To Gordy, who arrived here a few weeks after Claude had passed, our little man with brain damage who has become an internet star loved around the world for his funny ways and sticking out tongue - which is not apparent in this photo, one of the first I took when he came here so he was still a bit bewildered but found his paws with Iz and Defi.

 



Defi just saying hello on the first day, the tongue is now out and dribbling.

A year on, Gordy is the baby of the family, always into mischief when he is not snoring on his many beds or in his castle in the hallway, loved by millions but mostly by us and he each month he writes for Cat World Magazine...with a little help from me.

 

 

31 days and Blogtoberfest

So this whole introduce yourself thing, odd I had to do that last night at my writing group, we had a wonderful chap come to talk, a retired actor and director of theatre productions as well as some television back in the days when TV was brand new.  He was a fabulous chap with twinkly blue eyes and a sense of humour.  I do love hearing stories so I was transfixed on his life, not more so when he told of doing 2am feeds with his son whilst on the phone to a writer and discussing plays, obviously earing brownie points from both parties and having a contented baby to boot, so, we had to introduce ourselves and I falter, as normal.

October; I have signed up to do the Blogtoberfest, organized by Shells in the Bush and also 31 Days and as soon as I figure out how to download and add buttons I will do that.  So, the first thing you learn about me is that I am computer daft! 

I make glass lampwork beads, those with bums and those with petals, a Jekyll and Hyde character in female form, I have a grown up side, flowers and a childlike side, bums and eyeballs.

 

Pink Lily flowers in glass.  SOLD.

 

Seal on the sea shore.  SOLD.

Guelder Rose and Lavender on eBay.com

As well as glass, I have two dogs, Izabel and Defi my Golden Retrievers that are with me all day and help me look after my little cat with brain damage who is an internet star with his own column in Cat World Magazine every month.  Here he is with my daughter.

and my three amigos together... my daughter is a photography student currently studying her degree course and she let me have this photo below.

So that's me. 

I love to write, about what happens to Gordy and also everything and anything that pops into my head, I am finding my own style with the writing and enjoying the journey.

I live in Hereford, UK amongst rolling fields and moo-ing cows and watch pigs snuffling in the mud from my bedroom window, I share my home with my two grown up kids that I fear will just never leave, everyone tells me I will miss them when they have gone, its the 'gone' bit that they don't seem to want to do! and my husband, he that supports and loves me, even though I don't shop, or cook, in fact banned from both as I let woman kind down in those departments, thankfully he is excellent in both so we have food in the fridge and no one is starving.

There is a few people on the Blogtoberfest this year click on Shells in the Bush blog to find other participants, and for the 31 Days writing just search until I figure out the button thing!! 

 

 

Misty mornings; cobwebs sparkling.

For someone that hates spiders, their skin crawling at the mere mention of the word and finger nails tingling, like nails being drawn across the blackboard at the thought one big hairy black eight legged monster might walk into view; I love cobwebs.

 

 

I woke up this morning to a really misty dawn, the view down the drive and onto the lane, the field beyond lost in the mists of time.

 

Behind me the old gateway into the back of the garden was decorated in fine silk fibres in delicate patterns, created by a true artist of the night.

 

The other side of the falling down gateway that the rambling honeysuckle, once scented with flowers of yellow now supporting last nights masterpieces.

 

 

The kayak kit left out and forgotten by my son when he cleaned out the shed and decided to air his kit on the line, now shrouded with webs off set by the dark background of the black helmet.

The bamboo, its swaying fronds waiting for sunshine under the layer of mist.