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Category Archives: Animals

Rosie Wants a Head Rub

08-Dec-07

It has been a while since I posted. It’s time I got back at it so here’s a good start.

This is my little dog Rosie. She is a Welsh Corgi. She’ll be thirteen years old on Monday and though she sleeps a lot, she is still quite playful and agile. She is more fun than a barrel of monkeys.

I use a laptop computer. Most mornings I sit down to check my email.
I sit in a chair with my feet upon an ottoman and the laptop on my…um…lap.

Unfailingly, Rosie will quietly toddle over to me and stop under my legs where they create a bridge to the ottoman. She then makes a grumpy little puff from her flues (the corners of her mouth).

I ignore this.

Without moving she puffs a bit louder.

I move the laptop down to my shins, bend my knees apart, and reveal the endearing scene we see here.

With a slight smile I can never restrain, I say “what do YOU want?”

Again without moving or batting an eye, she replies with another, still louder, grumpy puff.

Then I rub her ol’ noggin with both hands, wiggle her big ol’ ears back and forth, bend over and kiss her on the head, and get a double lick on the nose in return.

Having successfully exercised control over her so called “Master”, she toddles off to the bedroom and curls up on the bed for a few hours of napping.

I can’t tell you how many laughs and snickers I’ve had watching this little dog for thirteen years.

I decided to start a sketchbook called the Book of Rosie. This is the first sketch in the book. I’ll post them as I sketch them.

Rosie will be anxious to hear your comments.

Also filed in Pets, Stories, The Book of Rosie | | Comments (7) »

Sleep Doggy Dog

29-Aug-07

You’ve heard of Snoop Doggy Dog I suppose, the rapper?

Well this is Sleep Doggy Dog. My doggy dog Rosie. Also known as Rosebud, Little Dog, and Bark-a-Lounger.

It occurred to me the other day that in the twelve years Rosie has graced us with her presence, I have sketched her but twice.

That is about to change because I now realize I’ve had a great little subject following me around all these years.

I learn something every time I sketch. Sometimes oddities are revealed to me. This sketch of Rosie revealed an oddity.

You see, at twelve years, Rosie is a really heavy sleeper. The big Corgi ears still work but not as well as a few years ago. And the brain is still playful and sharp but not nearly as prone to keeping watch all the live long day.

As an example, just a few days ago I walked up to her as she slept in this her favorite position. I called her name quietly. Not a stir. I touched her head. Not a stir.
It was not until I rubbed the top of her thick furry neck with a firm hand that she awoke.
Sleep Doggy Dog indeed.

Which brings me to the oddity.

I carefully and quietly sat down on the floor in front of her last night around two in the morning as she slept. I was five feet from her, sketchbook and pen in hand. As usual she was completely zonked out. Not a stir. Not a flicker of a change that indicated I had disturbed her sleep in any way whatsoever.

I sat still for ten or fifteen seconds. Still sound asleep. Deeply asleep. Not a flinch, not a sigh, nothing.

I began sketching her loose and quick and quiet. Scritch, scritch, scratch - the pen making barely audible noises on the grainy watercolor paper.

I got the angle pretty good on the nose and snout then started concentrating on the position of her eyes and…danged if she didn’t wake up!

I froze. How odd! It takes a hard rub on the neck any other time to roust her. I was certain she would just lay there and snooze.

She slowly cracked open her eyes, rolled them up at me for a second or two, then turned and raised her head, and looked at me.

It was a look that said, “If I didn’t know you, I’d bark at you. What the hell are you doin’?”

I am certain it was not the pen on paper noises that woke her. She was awakened from the deepest of sleep by the electricity of me watching her.

I realized at that moment how odd it is that animals, including us, are so sensitive to being watched. Even in a deep, deep sleep our brains tip us off that somebody or something is really checking us out.

It brings to mind the punch line from a joke about the hot and cold “awareness” of a thermos bottle…”How do it know?”

Rosie by the way did not resume her sleep. I continued to sketch her pose from the memory of thirty seconds past. As I did so, she got up, streeeeeetched, toddled the five feet over to me, and gave me three or four licks on the face.

Good doggy dog.

Also filed in Pets, Quick Sketches, Sketching and Drawing, Stories, The Book of Rosie | | Comments (6) »

The Nose

02-May-07

I, the vacation chauffeur, sat alone in the parking lot. My client was inside the drug store, buying toiletries.

My window was open. I was enjoying the breeze, eyes closed, head back upon the headrest, smelling the sweet, salt air of the Gulf shore and beaches. Listlessly daydreaming of scantily cla…uhhh…scratch that part…the “client” might read this.

The SUV slung in along side me, tires grinding the pavement, and came to a quick stop. Almost as fast, the driver door opened and closed. A semi-bald head, barely in view over the hood of the huge chariot, bolted into the store. (Obviously in urgent need of toiletries.)

There was an eerie silence. A quiet that only occurs when one is watching intently…or being watched. The only noise was the tic, tic, tic-tic of the catalytic converter as it cooled itself at rest from the heat of the 400hp engine.

I rolled my head left and studied the looming, blue behemoth. The huge, spotless SUV gleamed in the evening sun. It eclipsed my now tiny Budget-Rent-a-Car mid-size Pontiac. I felt inferior. I felt like poverty itself.

All the windows were black, impenetrable by the eye, and closed…except one which was partially open.

It was a vehicle of complete privacy and security. A family machine. One could see out, but not in. One could inflict great insult upon others from within its great, steel walls without fear. I felt as though I was being watched…mimicked…laughed at.

I imagined there were children in there, in the back, whispering, making fun of me.
I imagined there was a wife in there, in the front, buffing her French nails and snubbing her nose at me, three carat diamond swaying back and fourth as she buff, buff, buffed.
I imagined there was a teenager in there, on the far side, flipping me the bird while bragging about it to his friend on his hi-tech cell phone.
My self-conscious stress building rapidly, I wished I had a straw and spit wads so I could attack those elitist snobs!

Then, it appeared.

The nose.

sniff, sniff…whimper, sniff.

And I had to sketch it.

Also filed in Machines, Passing Time, Pets, Stories, Travel Sketches | | Comments (8) »

It’s a Cruel World

24-Apr-07

Over the last few mornings I’ve noticed this squirrel in a large maple tree just off our deck.

He’s kind of different.

He’s the only squirrel I’ve ever seen that lounges and daydreams. Two mornings ago, he was actually lying on a branch, wide awake, but just lying there with his head resting on the branch.

This morning he was sitting there, on the same branch, staring out into the yard like a little zombie, nothing pressing on his agenda, no sense of urgency like most squirrels. I’m mean c’mon folks, it’s Spring for cryin’ out loud.

I began to wonder about this squirrel…

Then it dawned on me.

This squirrel has ED.

Also filed in Nature, Quick Sketches, Stories | | Comments (4) »

Carla

11-Apr-07

Stuff of real life ahead…just a little warning.

I have a loyal reader named Brian who has a blog called BeanQuest. I found BeanQuest by chance one day and became attached to Brian’s writings. His wife, Jennifer has a blog called Jennifer’s Nest as well. They both share stories about family and struggles…stuff we all deal with.

Well, Brian and Jennifer’s dog, Carla, passed away not too long ago. Trust me if you don’t own a dog, that’s a struggle of high significance.

Being a dog lover, I really…well, I know it sounds odd for a guy…I really hurt when I hear about somebody’s dog passing away. We have a dog that is very dear to us and I know how it is when one passes. It’s hard. Quite surprisingly hard.

My father-in-law makes the comment frequently that “if ya’ll ever tell Rosie she’s a dog, she’s gonna be real disappointed.” And so it goes for those of us who love our canine friends like family.

When I read about Carla’s passing, I decided I wanted to do something for Carla and for Brian and Jennifer.

Carla’s in a good place now. But we on this side sometimes take it hard…and wonder. So I sketched up a postcard of Carla from a photo at BeanQuest and wrote a little message on the back to “Mom and Dad”. It’s in the mail.

That’s what I like most about art…it can communicate in unique ways.

Hopefully, it’ll make things a little better for them. I think Carla would like them to know she’s OK.

Brian and Jennifer are getting a new pup soon and Jennifer’s hoping Carla will send them the “right one“. I think she will. Nobody in heaven would know better than Carla which pup would be best for them. I think she’ll put in her two barks worth to get her point across.

And yes, I do believe good dogs go to heaven. Not much reason in us goin’ if they don’t.

Also filed in Pets, Postcard Art, Real People, Sketching and Drawing, Stories | | Comments (15) »

The Illusive Hoary Marmot

28-Nov-06

Back at the end of August we went to Seattle on a short vacation. We took a hike at Mt. Ranier with some friends.

For twelve years or so, we’ve traveled to various National Parks. At some point along the way, reading about local wildlife in one of the parks, I learned of the Hoary Marmot. At once I was hooked. I had to see a Hoary Marmot for myself. Any animal that had been deemed “Hoary” deserved attention it seemed.

Turns out the little stinkers are not that easy to come across. At least not for me. It wasn’t until this trip to Ranier that I finally saw one. Frankly, I had written them off to legend, never expecting to see one.

I asked our friends on the ride up to Ranier, “Do they have the illusive Hoary Marmot up here?” I got laughs instead of an answer. “No, I’m serious! There is a Hoary Marmot and they live in high mountainous regions.” I said. More chuckles…no answers…change of subject.

Well, we arrived at the visitors center and what to my wandering eyes appear? A stuffed Hoary Marmot with claims that they lived near!

We set out on a hike of no particular intention or direction. We were just having fun and cutting up. Then, out of nowhere, one of our party shouted “Look! Looky! What’s that?!” I looked in the direction she was pointing and there it was…in the distance…in a barren, pebbly field of brown dirt, with grass clumps scattered about…The Illusive Hoary Marmot.

At last, after ten long years, the quest had ended.

Cute little dickens ain’t he? He (or she, who the heck could tell) was about the size of a badger or beaver with a nice reddish brown top on his tail. He came out of his burrow to snack on some grass. Not much of it around. I’d have to hope he had something else stored away in that burrow to eat because the grass pickin’s were slim. Maybe all the grass was in the burrow? (Very scientific aren’t I? We quest minded people are like that.)

Anyway, I had time to get a few pictures with the digicam. Tonight I decided to sketch him up and post the story. I won’t win a nobel prize for my efforts. I won’t have the fame of Teddy Roosevelt returning from safari in far off lands. There will be no movie. No book. No place for my name in the annals of biological history.

In fact, when I eagerly told a passing Park Ranger that I had seen a Hoary Marmot, he replied, “Yeah, they’re real friendly. They come right up to your feet. They’re all over the place up here. Hard not to see one.”

Party Pooper…
QUEST KILLER!

I thought that Hoary Marmot looked at me like I was nuts. Hoppin’ around and pointing like that. I probably scared the hell out of him so he just kept his distance. One eye on the grass, one eye on me, one foot in the burrow…

Also filed in National Parks, Nature, Stories, Travel Sketches | | Comments (4) »

Can’t Catch Me!

05-Aug-06

This is a little bunny sketch I ran across in a hiking journal I was keeping a few years ago. The original was an ink drawing. I thought it would be fun to recreate it in color.

In looking back on that journal, I realized how many events make up our lives. Most of them small and insignificant. Yet, it felt good to be able to recall them and read about them. They were still in my memory but untouched since the day I wrote about them. Reading about them brought them back to the front burner in my mind.

My conclusion is that journaling is a good thing. At times, it can seem a chore or even beg the question, “why am I doing this?” But now I know why it should be done. So you can know where you’ve been and thus know where you’re going.

Reading about your activities from a year or more back can give you insight on where you are today. It makes you realize how bigger events, those that took place since the entries you’re reviewing, shape your life. Sometimes you decide you don’t like it that you got reshaped. You see that maybe it wasn’t so good that you let that happen. You re-think. You adjust. You better yourself.

Had it not been for the journaling, and the reviewing of it, you might have simply remained “un-better”.

Oh, and by the way, once you get the hang of it, journaling is fun.

Also filed in ACEO Art Cards, Nature | | Comments (2) »