New Award!

Hi Pups and Kitties:

Our good friend Sue offered us this very nice award today, and we were happy to have it.  We need to pass it on to five other Superior Scribblers  whose writing we enjoy.
. 

Each Superior Scribbler we name must in turn pass the award on to 5  deserving blog writers.

Each Superior Scribbler must link to the author and the name of the blog from whom she/he has received The Award. ( that would be me, Stella!)

Each Superior Scribbler must display The Award on her/his blog, and link to This Post, which explains The Award.

Each Blogger who wins The Superior Scribbler Award must visit This Post and add her/his name to the Mr Linky List. That way,we'll be able to keep up-to-date on everyone who receives This Prestigious Honor!

Each Superior Scribbler must post these rules on her/his blog.

So, with that, I would like to name the following blogs as having very special qualities:

1. The Thundering Herd  Six handsome Siberians, one hu-Dad who runs the show.  Its a picnic every time!

2. Tanuki Maxx  a handsome Sibe who lives with his Mom and Dadster in Singapore and gets daily walks in places most of us just dream of.

3.Romping and Rolling in the Rockies one outdoorswoman, two Labs, views of mountains and wildlife to knock you out, great writing, and  personal challenges. 

4. The Adventures of Cloud the Wonderdog  A rat terrier named Cloud who has an ego the size of Kansas City and more charm than any dog deserves.  He will win your heart in a minute.

5. Dog Daze A retired teacher, three labs, and acres and acres in Georgia. 

I have tried to honor mostly new blogs, because I think you all agree, we have some very excellent ones.  Ah, yes, well, I did slip The Herd in there because I am just a little crazy about them as a group!

So, you honorees will have to start thinking about Superior Scribblers that you read, and on it goes!

Kisses,
Stella

How to make a Zip Teddy into a Khyrafloof, Squeaker Teddy!

We had some very special stuff at our house, and a little Teddy without much going for it.

A friend gave us a package of squeakers, so we operated on the bear, and inserted a squeaker.

Then Mom sewed the little guy up. You don't have to worry about matching the thread color to the bear because it just gets buried in his fur.

When we got some Christmas cards, we wrote and said how much I liked sniffing them.  So Khyra sent us a card with a whole little baggie of Khyra floof in it.

So then my Mom opened a hole in the little bear's head and gave him a Khyra floof transplant!  Imagine this, a bear made of Khrya floof and a squeaker.  I'm gonna love it!

Once again, the color thread you use doesn't matter, it all gets buried in fur.

So here he is in the recovery room, all finished with his operation!

He looks good, doesn't he?

And here is a picture of me, getting aquainted with him.

He smells like Khrya, my furry good pal, and squeaks too, from formerly doing nothin'!

Ah, I'm just gonna love this little guy!

Happy, Healthy New Year is wished to evfurry buddy from

Stella and her Mom

A couple of things!

Hi Pups and Kitties:

We learned something interesting from A Word A Day.  For those of us who are terrified of thunder and lightening, there is a word for us:      Astraphobia or Astraphobics !  Sounds better than just calling us scardy katz, doesn't it?

People have nothing on dogs when it comes to astraphobia. Up to 20 percent of dogs of all ages and breeds suffer from noise phobias so severe that their people seek professional help for them.   Now what do you think of that?  I'm just glad there is gonna be some help for lots of us.

One more thing:  The weather, of course.  We got quite a lot of snow and we are expecting 2 to 3 more inches today.  Here is a picture of me doing what I love to do in the snow. (its way deeper now, this was taken  a few weeks ago.)   It takes my Mom to get out and throw it for me though, and she will if its not sub-zero!
                                                                

Here is a little pome about Minniesnowda in the winter time:

It's winter in Minniesnowda


And the gentle breezes blow

Seventy miles an hour

At twenty-five below.

Oh, how I love Minniesnowda

When the snow's up to your butt

You take a breath of winter

And your nose gets frozen shut.

Yes, the weather here is wonderful

So I guess I'll hang around

I could never leave Minniesnowda

'Cause I'm frozen to the ground!
 
Its a good thing Ali Z stays inside, she couldn't take this stuff.
 
Happy, Healthy New Year Everybody!
 
Kisses,
Stella

Merry, Stormy, Very Merry, Very Stormy Christmas to you!

We here in Minniesnowda are having a terrible forecast for some very Bad Winter Weather.  Its supposed to start tonight after midnight and carry right on through until Saturday!  We could call it Christmas Spoiler Weather because a lot of people aren't going to be able to get to where they want to go.

But a good thing happened to me today, we walked to the library, came home and found a package with MY name on it from Happy Hearts Cookies!  My Mom says its a Christmas Present for me from Her.  Some bags of little cookies, all cheezy and good, and one big one with my name on it!

And here is me sayin' "I think I would like to have that right now, Mom." and she says you already ate some smaller ones so we will save this biggie for tomorrow night!  Its got three kinds of cheeses in it, I love cheese so much, and this is very much delicious.  Our friend Gerri at Happy Hearts does the best job of making cookies of ANYBODY!  Oh, she also said I could be a Cookie Tester (is that a great job?) and she sent me some new cookies to try called Mint/Applesauce Dog Cookies.  I tested them and say they are furry good cookies.  You should try some!

Then my Mom was reading the blog of the Portugese Water Dogs and their Mom is a terrific cross stitcher. She had put up all the beautiful Santa Clauses she had stitched and my Mom is saying, I gotta put mine up!

Mom's was made way back in 1986 by a good friend of hers and here it is, Jolly Old St. Nicholas!

Mom says she has no talent for this stitching but she loves it anyway.

So thats about it from us today.  You probably won't hear much from us for the next few days,

but we will be thinking of you and hoping for a great Christmas for all the dogs and peoples all over the world!

Hugs and Kisses,

Jo and Stella

Can It Be?

If this was yesterday:

Can this

Be Far Behind?

Oh, I hope Not!!!

Cheers and hugs,

Jo,

Stella and Ali Z's Mom

Happy Weekend Everybuddy!

Ali Zophia Returns . . .changed!

Hello Kitties and Pups:

I have spent the last two weeks investigating available training for Feline Rights.  I spent one week at a most life-changing workshop that told me how to manage my life with a dog who loves to chase and annoy me.
Today my Mom was shocked to find Stella and myself sleeping on the same bed  and took this picture:

Its very funny because Stella doesn't seem to know what to do with me or my new cattitude!

I say, get used to it!  Its all different from now on.

I have looked at all the Christmas cards you have sent and they are so beautiful. Next year we will do a photo card.

So, I am back and just wanted to say Happy Holidays to everyone of you.  Now my Mom is going to do some shopping and so I will say bye for now.

Meow, meow,

Ali Zophia

Where is She???

Yes, its me again, Santa Claws, and I am a little perturbed.  Does anyone know where Ali Zophia is??? 

She asked me to fill in for her for last week, and all I had to do was take orders from you pups and kitties for Christmas.  And I did.

Although a couple of them were kind of creepy, like Bailey and Martha in Scotland just wanted me to stand still, if they caught me comin' in, and not run away.  Otherwise they'd get excited and chase me.  Forget that, Basset Hounds! 

Then Max in South Africa said all he wanted to do was chase me, he has always wanted to chase a cat but his Mom wouldn't let him. He said he wouldn't hurt me.  Get real, Max, this is not fun and games night, this is serious gift delivery.  Unless you change your mind and control yourself, I might have to cross you off my list.  Think about that!

Anyway, back to my question, has anyone seen Ali Z?  I don't want to do this job all by myself. 

We did help Dennis the Vizsla dog by removing him from the naughty list, but he doesn't seem to know it yet. Those Hungarian dogs are a little different, aren't they?

By the way, Dory, the little girl who wanted a whole carton of Cheetos, was  on Zoolatry's advent calendar today with her brother Bilbo at http://zoolatry.blogspot.com/. They got a cute new baby over there too.  No, not Dory, but the Zoolatry people.  I did get a case of Cheetos but I have tapped into a bag, I am just a nervous eater and believe me, with Ali Z, I seem to have a lot to be nervous about.  Dory, you will get enough!

OK, thats all for now.  Anyone sighting Ali Z is to let me know immediately.  Anyone have any questions or requests, nows the time.

Meowy Christmas,

Santa Claws

E-cards vs Mail!

Hi there Pups and Kitties:

We were brand new here last year at Christmas time and arrived too late to send out Christmas Cards. We were a little (tiny, tiny) bit jealous though because it looked like fun to get all these cards from your pals.  So this year, we said, YES! we want to send cards, but for one reason or another we didn't get time to get these made or a good picture or lots of excuses. 

But we noticed on the list of pups and kitties who wanted to send, many of them would accept e-cards and for a long time my Mom has loved the work of British artist Jacquie Lawson, so we began sending those.

Now  we have enjoyed our e-cards and can appreciate that they are the Greenest way to go and any kind of greeting is wonderful but here is something else:
Every card that we have had through the mail is sniffable!  I love smelling these cards because they all smell like the pet who sent them.  Ludo from England, every body who sent a card sent a little of themselves with it.  And I loved that more than anything!  So I told my Mom, next year we gotta get started earlier, get the picture made, all of that and then I will address them so some of my scent will be there when you open them.

What do you all say to that?  Do you agree with me?

Let me say thank you to Ann of Zoolatry for making our header and card for us this year.  She loves to do this work, and its all beautiful as you can see. 

Happy Weekend evfurry buddy!

Kisses,
Stella

Scottie Christmas Memories

Hello Pups and Kitties:  I think almost all of you know Ann of Zoolatry who makes  such beautiful things for our blogs.  I got to thinking that a Christmas Memory with our late Scottie, Otis, would make me feel happy, and it did.  Isn't it beautiful?

We think of Sir Otis almost every single day.  He came to us as an 8 week old puppy, after a lifetime of me, wanting a Scottie dog.  I grew up during the FDR administration and I thought his dog, Fala, was the cutest thing there ever was, and I knew I would have one someday.  So I was more than thrilled when I found Otis.

Otis was kind of a throw back to the bigger Scotties of years past.  He had no fear of anything.  In walking we could meet some dog four times his size, and he would stop and greet with his wagging tail, then march on!  He had lots of walk friends too, dogs who would stop and sniff and greet. 

When he was at home, he had lots of games he made up and loved to play.  His hu-brother gave him a ball that made a loud WAAAAH noise which he loved more than anything.   He loved to take that ball, place it on the kitchen rug, then pull the rug over it.  He would then go off into the livingroom, wait some minutes, and come back to the kitchen, grabbing the end of the rug in his teeth, giving a huge pull, the ball would WAAAH, and fly, he would give chase and it would start all over again.

In the summer, he loved to take the hose and "water the lawn", getting himself soaked in the process.

One day, he was sitting by me, at the computer, and I saw a good sized Milk Bone on the counter. So I gave it to him.  His pal Eddie, a little lasa mix, heard the crunch and came tearing in looking for his.  So Otis dropped a half on the floor and nosed it over to Eddie, who grabbed it without so much as a thank you.  But its the first time I had seen a dog "share" food.

Otis got to be 16 years old and suddenly, from a lifetime of health, he had multi problems.  He couldn't see anymore due to cataracts, his hearing failed him, and he became confused about everything.  He grew weak in his back end, and fell off the porch .  He would NOT allow you to help him.  Every night I would tell him, Oats, if you want to go be Jesus's dog, its OK with me, I will manage.  But he knew I needed and loved him.  So my vet and I agreed that the time was now, to end his life of confusion and fear.  I stood next to him while he got the shot, and let him smell me, there with him.  Me, the Vet and Vet Tech (who had known him for all his years,) sobbed together.  Otis was gone, but his spirit has lived with me ever since the first day I knew him.

Sometime after he was cremated, I was at a little yard sale and found this print.  Its framed and hangs over my kitchen table,   Anyway, its a very old print, a black Scottie on a dark tan background and its my boy and I love it.

Thanks for letting me share some of my Memories of Otis.  My Sweet Stella would have adored him.

Cheers,

Jo, Stella's Mom who had permission to steal the blog today.

Rockin' Around the Christmas tree---with Ali Z

Hey all you Kitties and Pups, its me, Santa Claws fillin' in for Ali Z this week.
I don't know where she is, she's one busy cat, but she asked me to stop by and take care of the Christmas business today.

OK, Gang, first thing we gotta know is who wants what for Christmas.  All you have to do is fill out a comment and let me 
know and you can be sure you're gonna get it.  Now some of you big pups, you Sibes and Mals, your gonna want sleds and heavy gear like that.  Well, just forget it.  Stick with foodables, small toys and easily transported things.

I am not that big guy from the North Pole (brrrr, who'd wanna live there) so I am fresh out of elves and funny looking little helpers,  I gotta do the whole deal myself and it isn't easy, so keep that in mind when you are making your list, keep it short, two or three items should be enough for anybody. .  

If you plan to leave out treetz for me, well, thats fine, but lose the milk and cookies.  I will prefer tiny sardines (can  opened please) and a saucer with just a wee drop of good brandy to keep me warm!

Oh, and the dogs, just so I don't alarm them toooo much when I come in, it works best if you just keep them kenneled or caged for the night.  I mean, I have a lot to do, and don't want to have to try and convince some
noisy barker that I am goodness itself.  They also tend to snarf up my sardines and brandy which is a disappointment to me and not so good for them either.

So thats how it works, and if we all cooperate everything should be fine.  If I somehow should miss you , well, there is always next year, right?
Sooo, you better watch out, you better not cry, better not pout, I'm tellin' you why, Santy Cat is comin' to town.  See you at Christmas!  whoooooohooooo!

Happy Howlidays,

Santa Claws!

Saturday morning!

Hey Pups and Kitties!

I am still out stomping around in the snow!  We are getting more today too and I hope it gets sort of deeper, more fun to play in then.

But here is something that is making me and my Mom laugh. My Mom subscribes to an weather information deal from the Weather Channel.  So here is what we got for today, which will be OK for tomorrow:

EXTREME CHILL WEATHER
Forecast for Monday December 07, 2009

Wind Chill
Near -3°F

High: 15°F
low: 4°F
Feels like -3°F
Chance of Precipitation 20%
Wind NNW 7 mph
Humidity 73%
Make sure your home is protected and prevent freezing pipes during this period of extreme cold.

Where do these Weather Channel peoples live???  Hawaii?  When the temp here is 15 degrees and we have a little wind, they are telling us its 3 below zero windchill.  Let me tell you, when its like that here, we are all outside shoveling snow , running around, doing errands and enjoying life. Kids can go skating, sliding, having fun. 

Now what you need to be wary of is if the temperature is -20 below and a 10 mph wind, then it is closer to 45 below zero wind chills and that is EXTREME CHILL.  You have to make sure your car is filled up, that you have an emergency kit available.  Lots of things.  But 3 below zero windchill?  That is winter banana belt weather and what it ain't is Extreme Chill Weather.

Lighten up, Weather Channel!

Have a happy weekend, all you pupsters and kits!

Kisses,
Stella, who is going outside with my Wubba

Friday Fun!

Hi Pups and Kitties!

We got some pretty good snow last night and this morning I went out and played it in with my Wubba.

The only way to have more fun would have been to have at least six other pups out there with me, like Khyra and my adopted cousin Merdie, and a few more of you guys who like snow like I do.

Did you go to Zoolatry and see the Advent Calendar they are making with pics of us kitties and pups?

I got the honor to be on December 3rd and go take a look if you haven't seen it.

I got a Christmas card from Moco, Foley and Dawson, three very handsome pups, and I have never met them but you can be sure I am going to now!  We are sending out e-cards this year just because we haven't got the get up and go to do mailed ones.  They are nice though, Jacquie Lawson cards and we hope you like them!  Don't let your spam eater get them!

I can give you a Snooter Report if you want one.  Everything seems to be just fine and little or no pain since Mom came home from the clinic.  Good, good and good.

Have a good weekend evfurry buddy!

Kisses,

Stella the Snow Dog

Snooter Report!

This is kind of what I look like this evening.  The Doc and her assistant first gave me the good news that they got all of the skin cancer, then they put a large pressure bandage over the owie (bigger and more than you see above) which I have to leave on until late tomorrow.  Then its just following aftercare orders and going back to check on the healing in a month.

The only thing that hurt was the first two novocaine shots, but it feels like it is getting a little sore now.  Anyone who is interested can Google for Mohs Surgery and find out all about it.  Me, I am going to look for the ultra strength Tylenol!

Thanks for your well wishes, I know they helped!  By the way, my daughter-in-law was with me (she is a blessing  in my life), the Doctor (a very hip lady) and her assistant (another very fun person) and not one of them knew who I was talking about when I said I thought I looked like the person in the picture above and the name of the movie.  I hope some of you guys know, or I'm gonna feel all alone. Who and what???

When I came home Stella was not sure I was who I said I was, so I let her sniff my bandage and my face and I guess I passed muster with her.


Cheers and hugs,
Jo
Stella and Ali Z's Mom, with a fixed snooter.