Thanks to Rosy and Sunny of The LLB Life for hosting Nature Friday!
Xena: First, here’s our feeble attempt at Nature Friday, BOL!
This is a baby oak tree who barely has his trunk yet. But he’s sure putting on a pretty show for the fall season. And we think the evergreen is a baby fir tree, cozying up to the baby oak. Can anyone say “awww?” Mom says she’ll replant them in the spring when the ground is softer.
Mom bought a big bag of little bitty candy bars to give out at Halloween. We had a lot left. She kept seeing letters on the little snicker bars, just one letter on each, and couldn’t figure out why. When Riley’s Person Andrew came over last Sunday he set the candy bars out in this order. Mystery solved!
Finally, this is Lucy at work on Monday. It was still pretty early in the morning when she started staring out the windows wondering when the Pastor – her new BFF – was going to show up.
I guess that’s all I’ve got to bark about today, friends. Hope you have a lovely weekend. Oh, wait, I forgot to put in my picture! I’m Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess
It’s my turn to write a poem for the picture and I think I’ve got the perfect one. *wags*
The Pastor Is Gone by Lucy the Church Dog Pastor went away. I pleaded with him to stay. Please return I pray.
Xena: Wow Lucy, you really do have a case on the pastor. Did you get AI to help you with that Haiku? Lucy: No, Xena. AI couldn’t express my feelings like I can. I miss him so much. I haven’t seen him for a week but he’ll be back today and he’ll fuss over me and tell me he loves me Chia: I want to meet this pastor. Grrr, why haven’t I gotten to meet him? Why won’t Mom take me to the church where she goes and works all day? Why do you and Xena get to go but not me? Grrr. Xena: Because the first time the front door opened you’d run out onto that busy street and get flattened into a 2 dimensional dead dog. Chia: Oh. Well, I’m thankful I’m still a 3 dimensional live dog! Xena and Lucy: So are we!!
Riley: Hey Brian, thanks for hosting Brian’s Thankful Thursday! You’re a righteous dude. And also to Angel Sammy for the weird picture this week.
I got stuck with this totally off the wall picture. Seriously? So I looked up my buddy AI and asked for some help. Here we go.
Stairs Up, Lift Downby Riley and my AI
Stairs up a steep mountain, oh my! A climb that’s sure to make you sigh. But don’t you fret, don’t you fear, For the air lift at the top is near.
The stairs are steep, the climb is tough, But the view from the top is more than enough. The air lift awaits, to take you high, and show you the world from the sky.
So step by step, and stair by stair, You’ll reach the top without a care. And when you do, you’ll see it all, The mountains, the valleys, and the waterfall.
So don’t be afraid of the climb ahead, For there’s an air lift waiting instead. Just take it slow, and step with care, and soon enough, you’ll be up there.
The End
Anyhoo, not my best work, but hey, it’s not my work, BOL!!
Xena: Thanks Riley. Maybe next time you’ll make your own poem like I do! I’m so thankful my Mommy’s home, and my Daddy too. I love Miss Christy and she takes super good care of us and all, but she’s not my Mommy (or my Daddy). I sure hope they don’t go away again anytime soon. But I’m gonna get to go to work with Mommy on Friday! And I’m gonna be good and get lots of treats.
Mom Amy: I’m unbelievably grateful to have such a wonderful, trustworthy and loving dog sitter, as well as an absolutely great neighbor who filled in when needed. She even came over at noon to give everyone a potty break and let then spend some time outdoors. And I’m also grateful beyond words to have a wonderful husband who loves me and loves to take me to my favorite places (especially beaches) for several days over my birthday. He’s one in a million!
Lucy: I’m thankful I finally got to go to work again today and see the Pastor. He kisses me and tells me he loves me and always treats me wonderful.
Chia: I’m happy Miss Pam came over so many times to see me and feed me and play with me!
Once upon a time, in the heart of the Chattanooga Valley, there lived four dogs named Captain Riley, Blackbeard Xena, Long John Chia, and Brindle Lucy. They were pirates who sailed the high seas of the mountains and were feared by all who knew them.
As they sailed through the valley, they encountered many obstacles. They had to navigate treacherous waters, avoid dangerous wildlife, and outsmart rival pirate crews. But they were determined to find the treasure and nothing could stop them.
The treasure was more magnificent than they could have ever imagined. It was a chest filled with gold coins, precious jewels, and rare artifacts. They knew that they had struck it rich and that their lives would never be the same again.
With their treasure safely aboard The Salty Dog, they set sail back home to the Chattanooga Valley. They were hailed as heroes by all who knew them and their legend grew with each passing day.
One day, they decided to embark on a new adventure. They had heard rumors of a treasure hidden deep in the valley and were determined to find it. They set sail on their trusty ship, The Salty Dog, and began their journey.
Finally, after many long weeks at sea, they arrived at their destination. They docked their ship and set out on foot to find the treasure. They searched high and low, through dense forests and rocky terrain, until they finally stumbled upon it.
A place they could raid for all the treats their ship could hold!
And so ends the tale of Captain Riley, Blackbeard Xena, Long John Chia, and Brindle Lucy- four dogs who dared to dream big and became legends in their own time.
Hi, Lucy here. The results are in! While the Good Dog breed wasn’t listed, Mom said that was just an oversight on the Wisdom Panel people’s part, cause that’s what I mostly am. *big wags*
If you said boxer, as many of you did, you will find out that it is at the top of my breed profile. Also, if you remember, Mom and Dad had a little contest (now I know where Xena gets that from) and wrote down what breed(s) they think I am, and hid the papers away until we got the results. How did my Mom do? She got four out of six she wrote down, and three of them were top of the list. Dad? He only wrote down one, and it was also at the top. Are you wondering what breed(s) I am? Drumroll, please! And here it is!
We detected 10 breeds in Lucy’s DNA.
Guard
26% Boxer
25% American Pit Bull Terrier
24% American Staffordshire Terrier
7% Bulldog
5% American Bulldog
Herding
4% Australian Shepherd
2% Border Collie
Asian and Oceanian
3% Siberian Husky
2% Chow Chow
Sporting
2% Labrador Retriever
I’m really happy I’ve got so much boxer in me since my guy Achilles is all boxer and my BFF Ella is half boxer. No wonder we all get along so great! I can’t wait to tell Pastor. He still tells me he loves me and kisses and pets me at work. I never knew work could be so great!
Oh, and the panel also showed some of my relatives, and the second one listed is named….Lucy!! To finish up, I want to thank Miss Sandee at Comedy Plus for hosting Happy Tuesday Blog Hop!
87 days ago (last Thursday) Mom sent my spit through the mail to find out what breeds I am. Why is it taking so long? If I could remember my Dog Mom (my Dad was long gone when I was born) I could have told her that I am a Good Breed Dog. But I can’t and everyone at church wants know what “what I am,” so there you go. Or there my spit goes.
Here are pictures of me from many different angles.
Lucy and Oscar
Mom and Dad wrote down what they think the breed mix result is going to be. They’ve hidden them until we find out, and then they’ll see who guessed right, or at least the closest. Do you want to play?
Xena: The first right guesser will get an all-expense-paid…
Lucy: …thank you and recognition on our blog. (I told you Xena, we’re not giving away trips, unless you want to pay for it with your food money.)
I hope we’ll still be friends no matter what breed(s) I am. Knowing sure won’t make me any different, that’s for sure. (I’ll still be the dog most loved by Pastor!)
Riley and Lucy: We’re both thankful that Xena didn’t run out onto the road and get hurt or worse. Xena: I’m thankful I got to go to work with Mommy again. Why these thankfuls? Keep reading for the story behind them.
Riley: Psst, Lucy. Watch this.
*Shouting* Hey, Xena, you gotta come out and see this! There’s a family of chipmunks running all around the mailbox.
Xena: Where? I don’t see any chippies.
Riley: Maybe you need glasses. Or maybe you’re just not close enough!
Lucy: *whispering* Riley, that was mean. She’s actually going to check it out.
Riley: Bwahahahahaha! She fell for it.
87 seconds later
Wait, where’d she go?
Lucy: I think I saw her cutting across the yard, running toward the woods chasing something. It’s hard to tell on this hill. Riley: Cr*p. Now we’re in trouble. Lucy: Not as much as if she’d gone out on the road! Oh wait, she’s back.
Mommy sure was mad, but I don’t understand why she was mad at Riley and Lucy and not me. Oh well. Lucy got grounded so I got to come to work with Mommy! Maybe I should chase chippies into the woods more often…
Chia: OK, so we have some kinda weird thankfuls this week. But first we want to thank Brian for hosting Brian’s Thankful Thursday!
I’m looking for a good place to poop.
I’m thankful I have little poops because of my raw diet. It makes it easier to…
Lucy: I’m censoring you here, Chia. Everyone knows what you’re going to say, so let’s just move on. Chia: Grrrrrr.
Xena: I’m thankful Mommy reads a lot about things to keep us healthy. Although sometimes I think she takes it a little too far. Like this…
I’m not kidding here. She really did download this for future reference. *sigh* But she does this cause she loves us me. Or maybe us. I’m her baby girl.
Riley: I’m 13 and still pooping good. I’m really thankful for that!
Lucy: I give up. I’m trying to keep this blog “G” rated. Why does no one here comply? *tail down* I’m thankful no one has censored us and hopefully this won’t throw us over the top or under the bus or some other unwanted direction. *sigh* Sometimes I just go hide in Dad’s office. Sometimes he’s not even in there. But it’s a peaceful place.
I’m under Mom’s desk at work watching her.
I know I’ve said this before, and I’m still thankful to be the Church Dog. It’s a great place to hang out and to meet great, new people who love me and see great people who already know and love me. And I get all the attention from Mom — and all the treats too, even stuff I don’t get at home. Shhh, don’t tell anyone.
Lucy here, with another episode of Grooming with Mom on Thankful Thursday. We’re all real thankful today and every day that Groomer Mom’s Small Dog Grooming business is thriving, and that she’s able to offer the kind of service that creates a less stressful environment for all the pups who come to be groomed.
Today I have a new dog to introduce and a second groom on a puppy. First, the new pup.
This is Annie, a three-year-old Berma-doodle. This is the best picture we could get of her before her groom. ( I think she was looking at me, her Zen Dog.)
Annie used to belong to a family who had a lot of health issues and related expenses. When it became too much for them to take care of her, her new Mom got her. She may be three, but she’s still very puppy-ish, and very “busy” on the table. Here she is after her groom and bath.
Oops, looks like Groomer Mom missed a little strand of hair hanging on her ear. That’s OK, she clipped it after this picture was taken. Isn’t it funny how pictures show up things that someone might miss after staring at the dog (or anything) for over an hour? See ya’ next time, Annie!
You may remember Pippa, a tiny 4-month-old yorkie who was here for the first time back in February. Oops, just remembered that we never told you about Pippa. Groomer Mom forgot to get an “after” picture and when Pippa’s Mom sent her one, she forgot to have her Ace Reporter report on it. Wonder what we can do about Groomer Mom’s memory… So, better late than never, here is Pippa from February at 4 months of age. You can figure out which one is the “before” picture, BOL!
Shortly after Pippa had been here she fell off her people sister’s lap and broke her ankle! She was diagnosed with weak bones. How awful is that!
Now, three months later, Pippa came back for a “full” groom. Previously, Groomer Mom just did some touch-up, what she calls a “mini-groom.” This time Pippa’s Mom wanted “the works!” Her nails had gotten really long but were no bigger around than a tiny pin. And her hair had gotten long, too. Pippa was extremely good on the table, just like was used to it. Groomer Mom kept showing her the tools she was using and talking sweetly to her, and Pippa just let her do what needed done! And you can bet that Groomer Mom was extremely careful that Pippa didn’t fall or jump off the table! Here she is, seven months old, before and after having her “second-ever” groom.
You can probably see that she’s grown some, but she’s still really tiny, probably not more that a couple of pounds. We hope she stays well and comes back to see us soon!
What are you thankful for today?
Lucy, Ace Reporter, signing off with *wags* and *smiles*.
Lucy: Mom never met her Uncle Paul. He lost his life in England for our country shortly before the end of WWII. Mom asked us to be quiet for a moment to honor all who have served our country and who have given their lives for this great nation. That was asking a lot of 4 dogs, especially a schnauzer, but we agreed it was a small price to pay. Mom also explained that this was one of the reasons I have the freedom to be a church dog. *silence*
Today we thank The Cat on My Head for helping us to say Happy Mother’s Day with our Selfies! To settle the argument of who got to go first, then next, then next, Riley declared we shall go in age order, starting with the oldest. Here we go, and this one’s for you, Mom!
Mom Amy: Y’all make it a great Mother’s Day, my dear girls and sweet boy. I’m so happy everyone is healthy and happy. I love you too!
Xena: Why are you all dressed up in this picture, Mom? Are you going somewhere? Mom: No, this is a picture from last night just before your Dad and I went out ballroom dancing. Chia: You mean when you left us alone with no food or anyone to bug,umm, I mean, pet us? Lucy: I was afraid you wouldn’t come back! Riley: Happy Mother’s Day!
Ace Reporter Lucy here again with another episode of Grooming with Mom. First, a big thanks to Brian’s Thankful Thursday, with special thanks to Brian for hosting it! Today I am featuring two pups who have been coming to Groomer Mom for a while, but got very different grooms…at Groomer Mom’s suggestion. Both their Moms loved the new look. Let’s see what you think.
First up is Kylo, the Standard Brindle Poodle. He is the biggest dog that Mom grooms, and his owners bathe him the night before and stay during the groom to help with lifting, etc. Mom suggested shaving his face and his Mom readily agreed.
The lighting is different…he’s actually more the color on the left. But these pics still show the huge difference the shaved face made in his looks. Everyone loved the new look! Which groom do you like better? And yes, he’s every bit as sweet as he looks. If I was a few years younger… uh, I mean, moving on…
Sunshine is a long-haired cairn terrier/beagle mix. She has been coming to Small Dog Grooming since October of 2020 and is now 14 and a half years old. Her Mom has always let her hair grow long. She has a ton of undercoat (that was hyperbole, a method us reporters use to overstate a fact). Her hair was more and more matted (a grooming term) each time she came. So this time Groomer Mom suggested that it was time for Sunshine to get shaved. Not too short, and not too long. Her Mom had to think about it a moment, then hesitantly agreed. Here she is from a previous groom and then after this one.
Her Mom was crazy about how she looked and said, “Why didn’t we do this years ago!?”
Sunshine’s big greyhound sister, Ruthie, was a bit curious about this “new” dog that just got in the car.
Ruthie sniffed her (did she really wonder if this was her sister?) and then gave her a little kiss. We know that their Mom will have a much easier time maintaining this cut, and we hope that Sunshine will be more comfortable in it too. Which one do you like better?
Lucy, Ace Reporter, signing off with two more successful grooms.
Thanks to Miss Sandee at Comedy Plus for hosting Awww Monday!
Hi! It’s me, Riley! I’m RiBoy, the BDay boy today! And I’m 13 years young. Mom Amy’s got a special treat for all my friends…13 pictures of me! She’s gonna start with when I was just a whippersnapper, and work her way up to now. I hope you enjoy them!
Clockwise (Mom Amy told me how to do clockwise) 1. My first week in my new home, November 2010 2. My first birthday, May 1, 2011 3. Me with my girlfriend Maebe in 2012. We’d been working on our joint Freestyle routine. A few days later when we got to the venue where we were to perform, Maebe dumped me and wouldn’t even do our routine. (She found out I’d been making eyes at a gorgeous white standard poodle.) 4. Me with my boy. He and his Mom and my person Andrew lived with us for 2 years. I moved out with them when they left. I’ve been back to stay several time since then, and I’m pretty sure this is my real home again.
Here we go with years 2014 through 2017 1. Me and Lucy were great friends (and still are) and played together and sometimes even ran away together. Mom always found us. 2. That’s me and My Person Andrew up at Rock City for Rocktoberfest. 3. 2016 is the year Lexi crossed the bridge. We’re at My Person Andrew’s house. I was telling her everything was going to be ok. 4. Me and my Little Buddy Piper in 2017. He joined Lexi the next year.
Me, Lucy and Xena. I think Xena’s a bit afraid of me, so that would be why she doesn’t bother me much. Here, taken in 2020 we’re the 3 amigos!
Chia appeared on the scene, as they say, and brought out the puppy in all of us.
This is from Christmas last year (2022). I got my Racky D, and he’s only the second stuffie who I haven’t deadied. Right now he’s soaking up some sun in a lawn chair in the dog lot. I might go out and play with him.
Chia can be braver than she is smart. Earlier this year she slid off the top of the couch onto my back, pulled the blanket down to make a bed and settled in for a nap. On me! I decided to let this travesty go and save my energy for bigger fish, as they say.
I hope you enjoyed my meander down memory lane in pictures. I hear My Person Andrew is coming over after work today, and I think there may be an order in for pizza. I love my raw diet…I’ve never had such a good appetite as for that food. I come running every morning and evening when I hear it being prepared. But pizza…*drool*
Hoping to see you again in May 2024 and lots of times in between!
Maybe we could be nice countries, instead of you always attacking me and me attacking you back (in self-defense). You think it’s a fun kind of playing, but it upsets me terribly.
Chia: Whatcha gonna give me? Schnapps? Whiskey? Dog treats? Lucy: I’ll give you a bite on the tail if you keep being a hostile country to me. Chia: I’m calling for a detente while I think about this. Lucy: Sounds good to me! I’ll take one with some butter on it, please.
Thanks to Miss Sandee at Comedy Plus for hosting Awww Monday!
Thursday was my first time at Mom’s work. It was new (obviously) and I explored a little bit. Mom works at a Lutheran church, and there was a really good vibe there.
I wonder what’s in that room…it has the smell of little kids having been there.
I was very good, and did my bizness outside, unlike Xena on her first day.
First thing, Mom went to the door and let a lady in who only had cats. Of course, I could tell she was a “cat person” before she even said anything about it, so I was gentle and moved slow so I didn’t scare her. I eventually got her to pet me.
The next person was also a lady, but she came in without Mom’s permission. I ran to the door to greet her, then realized I didn’t know her and she might want to kill me. So I hunkered down and gave tight, little tail wags. Then Mom called her by name and I realized she wasn’t an enemy. She stayed with us quite a while and I realized she was a good person. And I got treats out of Xena’s treat drawer while she was there, too.
Then a lot of ladies came in for their special ladies-only meeting. Mom shut the office door, but there’s big glass windows from the floor all the way up to the ceiling. Some of the ladies stopped to see me through the windows and smiled at me. That made me wiggle all over. In the meantime, the Pastor came in. He liked me a lot! As other people arrived for their meeting he introduced me and said, “She’s a good dog.” He asked me to come into his office and visit him, so I asked Mom to go with me. We stayed a few minutes, and then I followed Mom around.
“Hey Mom, what are you doing? Why are you watching that TV that’s hanging from the wall? Aren’t we supposed to be working?”
Mom answered, “Well Lucy, that’s where the people who come to church services get information. It scrolls from one picture to the next with slides that tell them important things. I just programmed the ‘stick’ that attaches to it. Hey, let’s go back to the office and get some more work done.”
I guess that’s why they call it “going to work.” And I didn’t know that you could stick ‘sticks’ into a TV! See? I’m already learning stuff.
Anyhoo, some of the ladies came into my Mom’s my office to pet me after their ladies-only meeting. Then the pastor came in to let us both know he was leaving. He told Mom that she should bring me every Thursday since she’s usually alone there all afternoon. He said I would be good protection. I don’t know why she laughed, but she said she would bring me. I think he really just wants me to come hang out with him in his office. You know, I might just start doing that.
I am Lucy, the Thursday church dog. (Shhh, don’t tell Xena.) *wags*
Xena: Did you hear Mommy say how thankful she is for all our help, Lucy? She even got pictures of us in action! Here we are.
Lucy: I was busy cleaning the inside of our new dishwasher, you know, prewashing all the plates and utensils, when Mom shut the door and switched the sign to dirty. I just managed to get my head out in time.
So I moved to cleaning up the outside. I was doing a good job too. Can you see me and Xe reflected in the shine? Then Xena said, “Hey Luce, let me help.” I didn’t want to be selfish, and there were other things in the kitchen that needed washed, so I told her to go ahead and clean what she could reach.
Seems she could get up almost as high as me! I started cleaning the cabinets, cause I’m a good helper. At least, that’s what Mom always tells me.
Hmmm, I think this one needs washed.
As a reward, Mom’s making me the church dog today. (Shhh, don’t tell Xena.) I got a bath last night and lost a sackful of hair. I’m a bit nervous about riding in the car, but I think all the new friends I’ll make will be worth it. Mom’s already told the pastor that he’s gonna love me! I’ll let you know how great it goes.
Love and licks from Lucy, the kitchen helper and new church dog.
First, big wags to Rosy and Sunny over at the LLB Gang for hosting Nature Friday!
Riley: Mom Amy seems to love the wild violets we’re seeing everywhere. These are in our dog lot. It’s a wonder they survive what is always happening out there.
Xena: Hey there, totally changing the subject, we’ve got our very own grazing grass right here in our side/back yard. You see, Mommy left parts of a bale of straw sitting around after Halloween last fall, and they started to grow grass. Our side and backyard is losing dirt and grass, so that was a pleasant surprise! Riley found it first and we heard him say, “Mmmmmm, so goooood!” So of course, the next time we got out in the yard, we all had to check it out!
Chia walked through first to see what all the fuss was about and to sample it.
Chia’s like our Mikey from that cereal commercial. So if Chia liked it we knew to jump right in. Lucy and me, we staked out our claim.
Then, because Chia thinks she has to be close to Lucy at all times, she went and started grazing in Lucy’s area.
Lucy: I didn’t care, as long as she didn’t start her crap with me. I am just so over that. Thank goodness she was too interested in this new treat we’d found.
Meanwhile…
Riley: Hey, where’d everyone go?
Xena, Lucy and Chia wishing everyone a happy Friday. Hey, where’d Riley go?
Hey everyone! Look what I found hiding in Mommy’s junk email folder on her ‘puter. Good thing I checked it!
Xena, Lock in Up To $250k of Term Life Insurance for as little as $15/mo.. Yep, isn’t this cool? I have to ask Mommy to get this for me. Or maybe I’ll ask Daddy…
Welcome To Medicare 2023 Xena Not sure what this one is for, but I think I need to check it out.
Xena, Get $100,000 Coverage for Only $1* I can get $100,000 for only one dollar! Woohoo!! I bet that’ll buy lots and lots of treats!
Lucy: Xe, wasn’t there another word next to all of these?
Xena: Oh yeah, it just keeps getting better. Along with the special offers, everyone was also giving me a can of spam. I stay home on Wednesdays, so I’ll get on Mommy’s ‘puter tomorrow while she’s gone to work and doesn’t need it and accept all of them. Won’t she be surprised!?
And a big thanks to Miss Sandee at Comedy Plus for hosting Happy Tuesday Blog Hop!
I'm Dalton, a Rat terrier mix and I came here in Sept, 2017, I was rescued from Hurricane Harvey. My birthday is 8-20-2016. My Gotcha Day is 8-27-2017. And I am Benji, a terrier mix of unknown origin. MY Birthday is June 6, 2018, and my Gotcha Day is Dec 28, 2018. I also was a rescue from a different part of Texas. We also have Angel MrJackFreckles, (2-5-2018); and also we have Angel Minko, (6-18-2017); and Angel Pipo, (11-3-2020);There are also Angels Groucho, Simba, Suki, & Toki. We meezers used to be known as WeBeesSiameezers. We'e all from Michigan, Dalton and Benji both came here from Texas, as rescues..
Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess with Lucy and Chia 