This is our little Gracie. She was Olie’s little sister and what a handful she was. Today her face is getting as white as can be. She came to us as a puppy- a large puppy who was too much for her elderly owner. Here on the farm she could use up some of that supernatural puppy superpower. Oliver was patient and kind and taught her the boundaries. She was always over the top- joyful. I frequently thought that she was joy-puppified.

This is Gracie helping in the garden.

This is gracie looking for her keys in the snow.

This is gracie playing in the mud.

This is gracie in her happiest of places- the middle of the pond next door. Oh, how this dog loves to swim.

I have never had a dog that likes vegetables as she does. She picks cherries off of the tree….

she picks peas off the vine…

and she pulls carrots out of the garden before I get to them!

She was kind when Olie got older and finally respected his space. Much to her chagrin after Oliver passed away Theo came along and he was all the puppy that she was- stealing toys, herding, nipping and basically being a pesky younger sibling.

Now she’s the grandma to Lil Roux- a Weimaraner/German Shepherd mix.

She is patient when Roux wants to chew on her ears and steals her bone. She is sweet and loving but still a bull in a china shop. She doesn’t bound across the yard like the joyful gazelle she once was when we drive up the driveway. Now she just walks slowly out of the garage with her tail wagging and stalls in front of the car. Her happiest days are filled with riding up or down the driveway in the UPS truck or waiting for a treat from the mailman. She was my model for the Yellow Lab design. She is truly a love and ever so joyful.

Many of you know that I am an animal person. Since this blog started we have lost and gained a share of lifetimes. Each with a special place for us. What joy I have known to host and love these souls for this short time. Thank you to everyone who has shared their loves and their losses with me over the years. I consider it a great honor.

Update: This was written in January but not posted. Since then we have had to say good-bye to this sweet girl. Her presence in our family is greatly missed…

it’s an understatement but I don’t have the words…

How many times have I been asked to do a Labradoodle design or a Goldendoodle design!? Sometimes when creating a watercolor image for The Posh Pet Digs Collection its hard to know how to represent a breed that has so many variations!

We know that people love their doodles… they want the design to look like their very own dogs! I have been going back and forth about coat length, size and color and decided on this big guy. Isn’t he a happy fellow!? I love the structural topiary hedges contrasted with his shaggy, happy-go-lucky demeanor.

For ordering information please click HERE. : )

Did you know that these beautiful Swiss dogs were bred to accompany alpine herders and dairymen? The larger of the breed often pulled carts and wagons with milk or flowers. Don’t they look like jolly, happy souls? Can you spot the Edelweiss in the design? For ordering information click here.

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Oh little blog… I have missed visiting you. I love the history that you hold. At times I have thought that it was time to end but I’m not ready to close that door. Let’s pretend that it hasn’t been so long and that the ups and downs of life don’t keep us from writing or using our creative voice. Let’s just do a little recap and catch up…

Last year was a bit of a challenge. We had to say goodbye to our sweet Oliver and it absolutely broke my heart. I had his companionship for 14 years- in the studio, in the kitchen, at the barn, in the garden, in my lap on the couch. His passing left such a void in our home and in my heart. The sadness that I felt overtook my creative voice for a while. I suppose that is a natural part of grieving.

After the Philadelphia Flower show last March, my ongoing issue of tendonitis progressed and placed limitations on what I could do physically. Simple, everyday things like brushing my teeth, picking up my coffee cup and washing my hair were very painful- not to mention packing, shipping and doing the most basic tasks for my business. My creative voice got quieter and quieter.

Don’t get me started on politics. Drama and uncertainty has played in the background noise of daily life.

On a happy note, my sweet husband and son fashioned beautiful cedar raised beds for me over the winter and what a difference they have made! Our potager has been going for a number of years but this is the first year that I have gotten to enjoy it more than feeling the burden of the work that is needed to do digging and weeding. The boxes and the stone walkways have been so easy to manage this year. I hope to do a blog post about that process!

Did I mention that we got a puppy? In confusing fashion for the family, I cried all of the way home from seeing the precious, squirmy puppy-breath puppies. I am a “both/and” person. Both happy (about puppies) and sad (about Olie) – at the same time. It is beautiful and abundant but sometimes confusing and overwhelming.

Oh, I do love dogs and one day I want a whole herd of them… or pack, or gaggle. Oliver’s little sister Gracie was adjusting pretty well but we wanted to introduce a puppy while she was young enough to play with him and teach him the boundaries here at the farm. We knew a puppy would be easier to acclimate to the chickens, cats, horses and Lily- the guinea pig.

We couldn’t decide on a name for the puppy so we settled on two derivitives of and including Theodore- Theo and Teddy. He really doesn’t seem significantly confused. He politely ignores or responds to all three names.

Having teenagers makes life busy. Really??? Some of us weren’t prepared. I thought those toddler years were pretty dang extreme. What was I thinking?

Where do I give my list of 10 things to do or not to do??!! Here I am rambling on and on and not giving any advice/tips to hold your attention. If you are reading thus far, bless your heart.

Speaking of “bless your heart” – we went to MS to celebrate my grandmother’s 100^th birthday! It was a trip down memory lane to share with my family the many places and family that were a part of my growing up. My grandmother is something else. I wish that you could hear her voice and see her hands that I have known all of my life. I think I could draw her hands by heart. It was lovely to hold them again.

I’ve been going to PT for a while now and I’m happy to report that my arm/elbow has gotten much better!  What a difference. The puppy graduated first in his puppy school class. As shown above- he has out grown his older sister in only 8 short months. There were 4H presentations and horse shows, track, Young Life camp, Horse camp and the Newport Flower show over the summer. So many good things…

Fullness. It’s hard to sum up. My cup runneth over.

I am beginning to find my footing, my rhythm and my voice again. It was a bumpy year.

I think that we are caught up Little Blog. I hope to come back more often. You are such a good listener. ; )

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These little guys are so cute… this design was inspired by a friend over on Instagram…. @FiveFabulousFrenchies! Aren’t they precious!? Their mom gave me permission to use them as my models for the new design. Wasn’t that generous?! I was having trouble picking what color to show this sweet, clownish little breed.  After seeing these charming dogs and their fabulous poses it became clear! What is better than a plethora of pretty, posing Frenchies??  Not a thing.

This design is available on notecards, linens, prints, marble coasters and pillows. For ordering information click here.

Are you a “poodle person”? My in-laws have always had standard poodles. They make wonderful farm dogs… who knew!

My friend Jane Hellman from PUDELZ.com will be set up at the Poodle Club of America’s 83rd National Specialty show in Salisbury, MD starting this weekend.

Jane has everything that you can imagine that is poodle related… including these lovely cards by yours truly. : ) She will have a nice assortment of my cards including the Topiary Poodle, Holiday poodles and Oodles of Poodles on the topiary couch. Stop in, see her and find your perfect poodle themed gifts.

Can’t make it to the show? You can order all of my poodle designs on various gifts right here!

A beautiful day for a ride at lunchtime! Queenie the Pony is a surefooted, sassy pony. Yesterday we rode to the hounds… Oliver and Gracie, that is. Good for the mind and even better for the soul.

There was significant water play and creek-crossing practice. Sorry for the tilt-a-world… it’s not easy trying to take pictures on the back of a fidgety pony.

Heading home.

The 2013 National Dog Show Best in Show award winner was Jewel… and American Foxhound! How grand! I know  from experience what good dogs they are. When I was little occasionally we would have to bring one of the hounds home from the kennel for her to have her pups in our barn. You have never seen/heard anything so joyful as a litter of hound puppies bounding out of a stall for the first time! I’ll never forget it. : )

This is my little nod to the American Foxhound and its garden portrait from 2010. Here is the original post. Congrats Jewel and your owners/handlers. Enjoy your Thanksgiving Day victory.

To order the American Foxhound Garden Portrait on notecards, prints or linen items click here.