More musem photos

I just loved this vase. I am a huge fan of Anne McCaffrey and her novels about the Dragons of Pern so this really caught my eye.

The finish on this was so gorgeous! It's earthenware with lustre glazes from Hungary modeled about 1900 by Lajos Mack Manufactured by Zsolnay Manufactory, Hungary. I really wanted to slip it in my purse, I think they frown on that at the museum though and I'd really like to go back someday.

Then there was this vase. It reminds me of Jackaroo waiting for his dinner.
This hard paste porcelain vase also a dragon, was in a Japanese Palace and created by Johann Gottleib Kirchner about 1730. It is just beautiful.

This bed was so cool. It is English, from about 1800–1805 the design is attributed to: Thomas Hope (1769-1831)London, England made of oak and pine veneered with mahogany but of course its the dogs that caught my eye.

Close up of the dog. I just loved it!



Lastly for my big sister Dlyn one more lovely food inspired porcelain beauty. A triple pomade box and tray from England made around 1753.

I can't wait to go back to see more. I am hoping to rope my friends into another visit on their next vacation. I don't think I'll have much trouble.

He got the job!!!!

I am so late this morning but just can't resist stopping to let you all know Scott got that job he interviewed for a couple weeks back. We had about given up but the offer came and he accepted it yesterday. Woohoo!
We are thrilled.
Have a great day everyone.

You gotta have friends

My trip to the museum last Friday was awesome. Days where you get to wander with no plan except to look at beautiful things and learn about them are rare. So the trip in itself was a joy but I also got to share it with two of my favorite buddies, Judy and Cathy.

When we first started out at 9AM it was just snowing lightly. We discussed whether to take the commuter train from close to home, drive part way to Boston and take the train, or just drive right to the museum in Boston. Since the roads were fine we ended up driving right to the museum and parking in the garage across the street.

I should say Judy drove all the way to Boston. Cathy and I supported her by chatting and cheering her on all the way.

When we arrived at the museum we took a few moments to decide where to start, Cathy studied the map and we discussed whether to take a tour or wander on our own. As it turned out most of the guides were told to stay home because of the storm. So we rented headsets that tell you about what you are seeing and meandered through the European and American collections.


At about 1PM a museum worker came and told us they were closing the museum at 2:00 because of the storm. So though we had planned lunch at the museum restaurant and an afternoon of wandering, then of course shopping at the gift shop, we had to cut our visit short. We headed to the gift shop because, what is trip into Boston without at least some shopping!
When they turned the lights out we made our way back to the parking garage and headed for home. We decided to have a late lunch closer to home so stopped at Not your Average Joe's, a fairly new restaurant near us. I recommend it, the food was fabulous.

The car was buried when we came out so after a short snowball fight and Judy brushing the car off we headed for home.
We had an absolutely wonderful time, not only at the museum but the trip there and back was filled with laughter, chatting and just some nice time spent with great friends. We have decided we need to go back soon so we can wander more. Tomorrow I have more pictures of my favorite things from the museum.

I love museums

This last Friday we had a snowstorm here in Massachusetts. A couple of my friends had invited me to go to Boston to the Museum of Fine Arts and we were really looking forward to it. They are both teachers and it was school vacation week so we would have had to wait for a couple months if we postponed it. So even though it snowed like heck we went anyway and we had a fabulous time.
Visitors are allowed to take pictures as long as you don't use a flash so I snapped a few photos of my favorite things.

This is a ewer, from 13th century Iran. A pitcher that has an inner vessel and an outer vessel. The outer vessel has all those holes that allow cool air to circulate and keep the inner vessel and its contents at a cooler temperature. The colors were fantastic.

This looks like a teapot but was actually used for punch. It was made in England in 1755 and I just love the design. My sister Dlyn will especially appreciate this as she likes to collect pottery that looks like food. Well lets not mention the banana bowl.

I love impressionist art. Monet being my absolute favorite. I love most of his paintings but this is the very best in my opinion. Morning on the Seine, near Giverny. When I stand and look at it I can almost go there. I find his paintings so romantic and satisfying. You can feel his love of nature.

Of course Water lilies is one of his most famous and just as wonderful.

This sculpture is called Psyche created in 1899 by french sculpter Auguste (René) Rodin. It is so beautiful it takes your breath away. I had to really restrain myself from touching it. The marble is so inviting I still long to feel its smooth coolness.

They closed the museum at 2:00 because of the snow, apparently something that they never do, thwarting our plans for a leisurely lunch and an afternoon of wandering through exhibits. So we really only scratched the suface of what there is to see. I will need to go back many times to see a fraction of what is there. It changes seasonally too so I look forward to many more excursions.

There is more from this trip but I like to keep you all coming back for more.

gotta blog

I've been a little busy the past few days so have not had time to put anything up here. I thought I would load a few pictures I have been working on.

These are my Valentines Day gifts. I carried Irises in our wedding so my really smart husband gets me irises most every Valentines Day. I just love how vibrant they are. The only problem is they don't last long enough. See the card on the lower right? Scott and I each bought that card for the other. Cracked us up.


I stole this idea from Country Girl's blog. My puny attempt at photography can't compare to her talent and I love to visit there.
But look at the color of this iris. I did enhance the photo just a trifle but not the color. So gorgeous!

Lastly for tonight here is a photo I like but mostly it makes me understand I need another lesson at Dlyn's Paint Shop Pro school not to mention basic photography itself. But it is pretty.

Living with dogs

I love dogs, in fact I love pretty much everything about them. As a dog trainer I am obsessed with how they learn. I use several different positive methods to teach obedience, agility or just tricks. I like hanging out with dogs, they are mostly honest about what they want and need and I am always intrigued by the interaction between dogs.
Dogs are great fun whether I want to be active or they are great to curl up with on a cold winter day under a blanket on the couch.

But I DO NOT like their cold wet noses or slobbery drool.

I own 4 dog children and they have, I am sure, the coldest, wetest noses on earth. Dogs investigate everything with their noses, so I often have one of those inquisitive frigid snoots planted on me. This is especially true whenever I come home after teaching a dog training class because my dogs have to determine who attended my classes that evening. I don't mind so much then because I am in my dog trainin' clothes and already covered in nose prints, hair and slobber. But invariably it happens when I am dressed and ready to go out somewhere. It's as if they can't stand for me to be decked out in nicely clean and might I add, dry clothes. I can bank on at least one of my 4 dog children planting a nose on my nice clean clothes before I can escape out the door. Its not bad enough that I have to de-hair my clothes when I step out of my car when I get where I'm going, but if I get nosed before even leaving the house I have to grab my hair dryer and dry that spot. So when dressed nicely I am on guard to preserve my neat appearance until I can escape to my car.

Today I had to go to a meeting with my partners at our dog training school. I don't teach on Friday but Scott and I always have dinner on Friday night at our favorite Irish Pub. I had a busy day ahead of me so I decided to simply dress for dinner before leaving and I would be all ready to go out this evening.

I swear as I came down the steps after dressing, the dogs were huddled in the corner drawing straws. They all looked at me and I thought uh-oh. I quickly armed myself with homemade peanut butter molasses dog cookies and headed for the dog room and their crates. They were hot on my heels and Tasha must have drawn the short straw because she was moving with purpose. I could hear the music from Jaws, dun, dun, dun, dun, as she gained speed, nose outstretched, straining for my freshly laundered green slacks. I deftly diverted her assault with the dog cookie tossing it into the crate. She took the bait and I slammed the crate door behind her. Tyler must have been the fall back guy because he started toward me, the music got louder, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun I pushed my hand forward letting the peanut butter aroma distract him and he too followed the treat into his crate and I slammed the door home.
Whew! 2 down, 2 to go.
The cattle dogs converged on me tag team style. I had to think fast since their crates are at opposite ends of the room. I dashed to Beta's crate as she made her play but the call of mommy's homemade cookies save the day and I am able to get her in the crate and the door closed, my pants still dry and fresh.
Jackaroo starts toward me, our eyes are locked, dun, dun, dun, dun, I smile lovingly and say "want a cookie son?" He turns and runs into his crate I shut the door delivering the cookie with a triumphant cry.

Victorious and still with no nose prints on my clothes I arrive at the training school, my clothes crisp and fresh, ready for our meeting. I am feeling pretty smug about confounding my dogs onslaught and push open the door to the training room, check for dogs. None. Whew! Home free.

Before I realize what's happening my partner Christie releases her two rambunctious golden retrievers and her mini poodle and its all over before I know it. Nose prints, drool and hair all over me. But dag-nab-it, I can't resist those golden and poodly hugs.

Oh well, by the time we go to dinner I am sure those nose prints will have dried and be just a memory.

Still working on these photos.

Thanks to the Dlyn school of Paint Shop Pro.

Let me know what you think.

My old girl is quite the looker.

Here's those cute dogs again, looking even better!

And the big finish

Just foolin' around

I am just fooling with my photos and Paint Shop Pro.
What do you think?

This is my 12 yr old Tasha. Isn't she gorgeous?

The winter wonderland in Massachusetts

but I am still soooooo ready for spring.

This one is just too cute. But they are good subjects.

A study in contrasts

My competition dog Jackaroo is a weird little dog. He absolutely loves running agility and all I have to do is say "Hey Jack, wanna jump, jump, jump?" and he is bouncing off the walls ready to go. I have had people stop me at show and tell me how much they love to watch him because he give himself over totally to the moment. I do love that about him despite the fact that's what keeps outr qualifying rate low. But he is fun to run. Here is a short sequence in our training room so he is pretty under control.



When he is not running agility he is a TV watching couch potato. I am always amazed at how he actually watches TV. I have had people tell me dogs really can't see what's on TV but tell me what you think after seeing this picture.



Do you think he is watching? He even has his favorite shows and commercials. Any commercial with a dog or cat or even just the music of that commercial, will bring him flying into the livingroom to watch. If its truly stimulating he will leap at the TV barking maniacally.
Why, you may ask, would a dog trainer let her dog do this? Well I guess I get a kick out of it and Jack loves TV. He works hard for me so I let him fudge this somewhat "bad" behavior. Just in case you're not convinced he's actually watching:
This was animal Planet's Pupper Bowl last year on during the super bowl. I kinda wish I'd watched this last Sunday instead of the real super Bowl.
NO I AM NOT OVER IT YET!

Oh man I am really wanting show season to start.
Jackaroo! Lets go practice!

123 Tag

Dlyn tagged me with the Page 123 meme so here I go :

Instructions:

1. Pick up the nearest book ( of at least 123 pages).

2. Open the book to page 123.

3. Find the fifth sentence.

4. Post the next three sentences.

5. Tag five people. & post a comment here once you post it to your blog, so I can come see.

This turned out to be harder than I thought it would be. The nearest book to me is a coffee table book, The Atlas of Pern. Page 123 has a full page picture. No problem, here right next to it is My Utmost for His Highest and oh bummer! I have never noticed there are no page numbers. I am too lazy to count pages so ended up traveling across the room for Magic Hour by Susan Isaacs, and it says. "Forty-Five of us stood and held hands. I squeezed tight. I felt warm I'm-with-you squeezes back.

There nice short sentences.

So now I need to tag 5 people and I only know bloggers who visit my prolific sister dlyn. So lets see I'll tag, Ms C at the cubicles back porch , pg cause you're a Pats fan' Laura b because you crack me up. I would have tagged Flea but she has that whole cow situation goin' on and she's already been tagged about 200 times. (so popular she is!) That's all for now I need to meet more bloggers!

Still waiting

Well we are still waiting to hear back from the company Scott interviewed with this week. I am also sick so I am home with not much to do except wait. So I'll fool around with my blog and my laptop trying to become profficient with at least one of them. While I wait.....it's way worse for him.

Trying out videos

Alright! I have mastered uploading videos. Well it worked once, thanks to coaching from blogglist extraordinaire, Dlyn. (I'm a dog trainer not a techno-geek).
This video is Jackaroo weaving. He was a little freaked out by my standing still and having him weave while I pointed the camera at him. He is pretty suspicious of that thing I point at him way too often.

Hope you enjoyed that, there will be no stopping me now.

Waiting, I HATE IT!

Scott had a job interview last week and is at a second one for the same job as I write this. I am waiting to hear how it went. I hate waiting.

I have a few virtures but patience is not one of them. I routinely over do checking on things. When baking I have to look at whatever as it bakes, I hate it when a webpage takes too long to open up. I stand with my hand on the microwave door while heating stuff. Geesh, no patience is not one of my virtures.
But right now I really can't call his cell phone and ask how its going. So.... I am waiting.

I think I'll go workout. Maybe expending energy and time will get my mind off this.

If you are praying people, pray!!!!!!

Time to introduce the baby

Our youngest dog is Bryn Mawr's All Rev'd up aka Beta. She is the world's smallest Australian Cattle Dog or at least the smallest I have ever seen. Here ins her baby picture she was about 9 weeks in this picture.

Who could resist that little face! Our breeder thought she would be a good choice for us because she was small but scrappy. Too small to go into the conformation ring or to be used for breeding even though she is a beautiful little cattle dog, but small is a plus for agility. Because Beta is small boned she extremely athletic and FAST!
She is tough too, being the smallest of her litter she had to be. Here is a picture of Scott with the whole the litter. You'll notice the pup closest to Scott is indeed Beta.

She is extremely confident and very smart so has been a joy to train. She is now Scott's main agility competition dog and they have done really well together. She just turned 4 in early December and they are already competing in AKC Excellent level and USDAA Advanced and Master levels. We expect great things from her.

Our breeder Monica was right about her being a good fit in our rowdy bunch. She absolutley adores Tasha and nothing beats a good game of chase with the boys. Beta and Jack are hilarious playing together. It's like a kind of doggie ballet. I am going to try to capture a video of it.

We had a difficult time with Beta's health for a while. She has food allergies and it took us awhile to figure out what was wrong with her. While going through that she contracted lyme disease and almost died. Our dogs never do anything half way, they always go all out.
Here is Beta now. Isn't she a beauty?


She is a fast little agility dog too. It's a joy to watch her and Scott run.


Here's a photo of the daring duo.


Soon we will begin our dog show season and I hope to keep up with this blog to track our progress through the summer.

I hope you'll check back to see how we're doing.

They lost?!

Oh my gosh! We are stunned!
The Pats lost the super bowl. Not even the commercials lessen the sting of it. Oh well (big sigh). Time to get ready for dog show season. And oh yes, I will be getting a puppy soon. At least I will have something to do until football season starts again.
On bummer!

Locks of Love

I am so proud of my husband Scott!!!

My hairdresser Carol owner of New Outlooks for Hair had a fund raiser today for Locks of Love . Locks of Love is an organization that provides hair pieces to childern suffering hair loss from medical conditions. I would love to do this but alas I keep my locks short. But Scott has always had very long hair and treasures it as his connection with his hippy, flower child past. But today he donated 15" of his hair to this worthy cause. It was a hoot to watch him as he generously gave to help a child and he truly enjoyed himself.

Signing away that hair!

Before, his hair is soooooo long.The cut!!!!

Now, a nice cut and dry.

He looks a little nervous but

Carol is certainly enjoying this.

Some little child somewhere is going to get a gorgeous hair piece. Yay Scott!

The new do! and possibly seed hair for next year's fundraiser.

Now we wait to cheer for the Pat's in the superbowl.

Go Pats!!!!