Degas Horse and Dog Painting

At the Stables, Horse and Dog

Artist: Edgar Degas

I found this art canvas on ebay. Since I never saw this particular Degas picture before, I just wanted to share it. I love the little dog.

 

Still Life of Animated Dogs by Paul Fierlinger



Though this is over twenty-six minutes long, you need to watch this video. It's excellent! Paul Fierlinger is brilliant.

Daisy, Ellie, Bailey, and an Old Factory

The girls!

Let me introduce you to Daisy, Bailey, and Ellie. I'm caring for these girls while their family is on a cruise. Daisy's on the top. followed by Bailey with mismatched eyes, and tiny Miss Ellie. Their home is a third floor loft built in a converted webbing factory. As the conversion isn't complete, the elevator sits lifeless. This means the "girls" and I hike a lot of stairs. I must stop whining, and be thankful they don't live on the top floor. Besides, the exercise is good for me. 

They judge my picture taking ability with a mixture of annoyance and horror.  

Bailey's blue eye is visible here. When I arrive, Bailey gets so excited and happy she wheezes like an asthma victim. As she also suffers a weak bladder, puppy pads placed in the bathroom are a must. Bailey just can't hold it like the other two can. Due to Bailey's peeing problem, she stays behind the dog gate in the bathroom. She's not alone, as her litter mate Ellie accompanies her. They're inseparable.

Somebody wants a treat.

When begging attention, Ellie sits on her haunches for maximum cuteness.

It looks like a Paint by Number!

 Poor Daisy had many health issues (cancer) and spent much time in the hospital. Her doctors say it's a miracle she survived. Though hesitant around strangers, she's a sweet girl, and very well behaved. Bailey should take notes.

"Aren't you finished yet!"

 It's not easy taking pictures of dogs. They have a talent for turning their heads when the photo is snapped. I'm in a constant state of deleting pictures. Daisy wishes I'd stop taking pictures altogether.

The old webbing factory is in three sections. This is the unfixed middle building seen from my client's living room.

 It will be a big job and take a long time. I can't imagine how much the renovations are costing the developers. I was told they may repair the facade first, and do the rest later.

As we pass under this on our walks, I hope it's well attached! There was a nice blue sky that day.

A river runs behind the factory.

There's also a falls.

 A flood accounts for the chunks of concrete in the foreground. Fortunately, it didn't come close enough to harm the building.

Gossip!

Bailey is telling her sister sad things about me. Don't believe a word of it. IT'S NOT TRUE! I CAN find the camera button! Honestly!

Becky

It's time to write about another ancestral pet. This is Becky, a devilish little cocker spaniel who made everyone smile except the cat. Since this picture was taken in 1980, I must have been twenty-three at the time. Though Becky is cute, that rug is an eyesore. Nightmare inducing braided rugs were popular in the seventies and eighties. A short time later, Becky was taken for a trim. The poor thing hated the trim, and hid behind the sofa for the longest time. I liked her better shaggy too. 

   

Another view of the ugly rug. Becky is obviously contemplating naughtiness in this photo. She was an accomplished escape artist, and loved to dig under fences for self-guided walks. I chased after her more than once. She'd stop, wag her tiny tail, then zip off just before capture. Once, I fooled her by lying on the ground until curiosity got the best of her and I grabbed her collar. She never fell for that again. She was a smart little tyke.

This is Becky's hidey sofa. The fashionable pillows where made by my mother. Whenever a dog walked past the house, Becky would drape herself on the back of the sofa to watch. She was a very friendly puppy who loved everybody and everything, and often expressed that love by squealing and/or peeing on the floor. Cockers frequently have weak bladders. She especially loved the paperboy. Since the paperboy was a daily visitor, paper towels were always at hand. Fortunately, she grew out of the peeing problem with age.

 

Hey! It's my mother! Since Mom inherited all the cheek bones in the family, nothing was left for the rest of us. Don't look at the chair. When Becky was first adopted, an effort was made to keep her in the kitchen at night. It soon became clear the effort was a failure. She'd climb over the doggie gate, run into my mother's bedroom carrying her spitty old chew toy, and sleep on the bed. Becky was the Queen, but her rule was benevolent.

Allowing pets to rule is a family tradition!

Winston

Winston

I'm sorry to say one of my little friends has passed away. Winston, a very gentlemanly beagle, is no longer with us. I'm currently sitting his brother Toby, who seems sad and lost without Winston for companionship. The human family is sad too. They had Winston since a puppy, and you know how upsetting it is when a member of the family dies. Toby, an occasionally nervous fellow from a beagle rescue, felt more secure with the emotional support of his friend. 

When I think of Winston, I remember him slipping and rolling down the hill behind his home . It's a VERY steep hill. He was already about fourteen, and walked in a stiff-legged old man shuffle. There he was, legs in the air, radiating a aura of finality. I thought he was dead! To my relief, he righted himself and tottered off holding his remaining dignity intact. Applause was required. 

He will be missed.

     



I Want a Hat Like That!

Since I won't have time to post anything lengthy for the next five days or so, I'll just share this picture of a young lady wearing a wonderful hat. I think she looks fetching! "Mimi's" not only a fashion statement, she doesn't need her computer to contact the web.  

Nora the Cat Plays Piano



Nora plays the piano better than I do!