A Rewarding Rescue
Believe it or not, a dog arrived in rescue today inside this taped up box. We've been trying to pull this dog from an animal control shelter in Kansas for almost a week. The animal control officer labeled the dog as "feral", "mean" and "wild" and cautioned everyone about getting bit by the dog.
We opened the box, and Velcro cautiously peeked out. I'm sure he was scared to death of what this new adventure meant for him. In the past he had been picked up as a stray, kenneled in an animal control shelter where they power washed the kennel with him in it, because he was too "mean" to move to another kennel, given to a foster home who took one look at him and dumped him at a vet clinic because she didn't want to get bit, and then finally transported to us in this cardboard box.
Then he bolted for freedom!
Once he figured out that we were in the pen with him, he tried to hide in a corner and wouldn't even look at us. Such a scared puppy!
We got a slip lead on him and sat on the ground and coaxed him with food. He only took one bite, even though we could tell that he is malnourished.
Eventually we were able to pet him and scratch his ears and put a real collar and leash on him. Doesn't he look "mean" in this photo?!?!
After about an hour, he started cautiously approaching us for attention, and he started eating out of the dish of food that we gave him. Such a sweet puppy, whose only issue is that he is scared to death, and no one took the time to show him that the world is not all scary.
What a gorgeous puppy, and what a great save! He was going to be euthanized, because he was labeled "feral" and was biting everyone. Neither one of us got bit a single time. Amazing what a little love and patience can do!
When I creating, and especially when I am trying out new techniques, there are always reject pieces that don't "feel right". But I always save them, because they are great raw materials for collages. The collage above incorporates my first attempt at the "scratched photograph", and I love the ambiance that it adds to this collage!
When I first bought the house I live in now, many people told me that I would hate living so close to an airport. Over the years, I have decided that I LOVE living near this airport! It is a very small private airport (no control tower), and it has provided us with plenty of entertainment over the years. When the weather is nice, we never have a shortage of hot air balloons or interesting aircraft flying overhead. Last night, this biplane made several loops around our neighborhood.
And more Waggiwear dog collars --- this is Rascal, showing off the collar that was named for him. It's almost like he knows that he looks great in his new collar!
And this is Wiley, another rescue dog that had a collar named for him. Wiley has already been adopted, so yesterday I gave his forever family the collar that was named for him and took this photo.
Linda Brown, owner of Waggiwear in Kansas City, makes the most amazing, artsy collars and leashes for dogs! I first got introduced to her and her company when one of our rescue dogs came in wearing one of her collars. Recently she added several new color combinations to her line of collars and needed name suggestions. She names each line of collars after a rescue dog, which I love. I offered some name suggestions, and one of the names she chose was Mya. She graciously sent Mya the first collar in the new "Mya" line, and here is Mya modeling her namesake collar. I love it!!!
And here is a promo photo of Mya surrounded by a donation of fleece tug toys! The donor asked for a photo of a dog with the tugs, and Mya was more than willing to be my model.
I love spring and all the little green sprouts and bits of color as the buds start to open. Everything feels fresh and new and rejuvenated. This is one of my favorite seasons!
And another small artwork, obviously inspired by the spring colors in the gardens. I painted this piece a zillion times and nothing seemed to be working. Then I "whitewashed" it, and now I love it!
