Oh lordy. Today is dog bath day. I’ve mentioned before that this is a major undertaking. Unlike those of you who blithely give your dogs a bath in your own home, we must journey several miles away to a dog wash. Scout and Riley are fairly large, extremely hairy dogs. Riley hates getting a bath. I repeat: Hates It. Lifting him into the tub will accomplish nothing but the spectacle of a big, wet dog escaping and then running around the house, shaking every part of his body. At the dog wash, we can put on his muzzle, secure him to the tub, and wash away…all the while telling him what a good dog he is. He gets clean, we don’t get a fear bite, and all is well. Scout, on the other hand, loves getting clean. She’s a girl, through and through.
We put this off until we absolutely have to. We have to. Afterward, both dogs will be exhausted. The next 10 days will be about chasing tumbleweeds of dog hair around the house. Hopefully, by Christmas all will be in order again.
We got our tree on Saturday. Yesterday, we decorated it. I’ll have some photos later in the week, though I always get frustrated trying to take photos of the prettiness I see in front of me. Last year, I googled ‘photographing Christmas trees and lights’ and read all sorts of advice, but the running theme through all the posts seemed to be that it is next to impossible to take a successful photo of a lit tree unless you are a professional photographer with lots of equipment. This year I will adjust my expectations.
Once again, I have been blessed with treasures from my friends. When my friend Elizabeth and I got together in New York, she gave me a little present.
Homemade caramels. Oh boy. They are scrumptious! Thank you Elizabeth!
My friend Betty wrote me a note around my birthday saying she had something in her house that kept reminding her of me and she had decided to send it to me. It came on Saturday.
Gasp! Yes, indeed – it reminds me of me! Is this not beautiful? Here’s the other side:
I’ve done some research. This pitcher was made by Hull and the pattern is Sunglow. Uh oh. The collecting urge is starting again. How many kinds of pottery can I collect? If you were in my home right now, your answer would be: ‘Apparently, a lot.’ I cannot help it. I know. I’m hopeless.
Hey, I don’t smoke. I don’t drink. I never did drugs. I’m a vegetarian. This is a relatively harmless vice, don’t you think?
My new obsession? Saving my pennies for a new camera. (Sssh! Don’t say anything about it to my current Canon. ) I love my camera. I just want to be able to do more. I really love photography and it’s time to step it up a notch or two. Or three.
I’m just putting it out to the universe.
Oh my, doggy baths…have fun!!! Love the vase!!! It is you!!! Homemade caramels…yummy!!!
I have the same problems taking pictures of my tree, it always looks so yellow and it is really bright white…
Hope you had a wonderful time in NYC!!!
Hugs,
Margaret B
I just found your Blog over from Georgianna. LOVE your dogs, good luck with the bath time! LOVE that vase too and yummy hand made caramels :) Happy Christmas! Catherine
The doggy baths sound like quite an outing! Our’s gets plopped in the tub, he doesn’t like it one bit and knows when it’s coming, I find him hiding under furniture and have to coax him out:)
What lovely gifts Claudia~ a lucky girl!
Looking foward to your tree photos:)
Good morning Claudia! So many things to comment on about your last two postings! Like you, I just love walking through Chelsea Market – it’s such a wonderful old building. We usually buy bread from Amy’s and fill our little red plastic baskets at the Italian grocer towards the back on the left. Was your event held at the Food Channel? It sounds like you had a wonderful time – your heart must have been chock full of friendship and happiness – it definitely looks that way in the photos!
Doggie baths – so many memories of giving our dogs Bear and Brinkley baths in our old white porcelain tub! Bear, a very large brown standard poodle (but not a sissy poodle!) begrudgingly amused us for a short time by standing in the tub and looking at us with very soulful eyes, then ran like the dickens as soon as he was released. Little Brinkley, oh, what a sweet little rescue dog from Small Dog Rescue in Princeton, NJ. Brinkley always looked so defeated in the tub. My son painted me a little painting of Brinkley standing there looking up – and wrote “Welcome to my life” on the back of the painting. So cute! Well, my friend, oh, I also wanted to let you know that I ordered a little bird’s nest painting from Lara’s Etsy shop – she is raising money for a family member who needs medical attention. The nest is just adorable and fits beautifully on an old medicine cabinet in our upstairs bathroom. Thanks for sharing the link to Lara. Take care! Ciao, bella!
hi claudia,
you sound just like a good friend who is a collector. she is always telling me the same thing…i don’t smoke, drink, cheat, gamble, etc…
too funny. you 2 would really get along well.
happy holidays claudia.
~janet
Claudia,
As always – love your blog. I have not a chance to tell you that I am crocheting the scarf!!! I have so much to do. I sit there counting the double crochets….
Love that pitcher!
Carol
You sound like you have the same problem my sister has with her Bernese Mt. dog! We on the other hand, wash our 2 Chihuahua’s in the kitchen sink….don’t worry we do sanitize afterwards! I love your pottery but then it is in my favorite colors! It’s ok to have an addiction! Good luck with the doggy washing!~Hugs, Patti
My Bogart is terrified of water…we have to take him to a groomer. I feel like a big fat meanie everytime I drop him off.
And aren’t you a lucky girl? That pitcher is a.ma.zing. Beautiful and soooo you!
Hi Claudia, your dog bath story is so funny! We bought a plastic kiddie pool and my son stands in it and coaxes the 85 pound lab in. She hangs her head and does her best to lay on the guilt, then we all scrub at once and try to rinse that intense fur!! Finally she dashes madly around the yard, rolling in whatever she can find so she can smell like herself again! What we put up with for the love of those creatures!
Your pitcher is gorgeous! The glaze is beautiful and I can see how it reminds someone of you! Collecting is a great hobby! Linda
If I don’t take a few pictures a day, it’s an unusual day indeed.
My two little dogs fit in the bathroom utility sink quite nice, and the sides are high enough to prevent escape. The Dane? It’s the hose in warm weather or nuthin.
Hi Claudia,
I know all about trying to bath a large dog, The Italian takes Toby into the walk in shower, it works out pretty well.
Your gifts are so lovely and a testament to how you are so loved.
I have NEVER been able to get a decent photo of my Christmas tree and like you, I would love to get a new camera.
Have a fabulous week Sweet Friend!
I bet Scout and Riley are feeling pretty good about themselves today. I love the pottery, you are a lucky girl to have friends that send you beautiful pottery.
Love and miss you,
Mere
LUV the pottery. I’ll collect vicariously through you (: Getting presents is more fun than Doggie Wash Day me thinks. And, hmmm, I thought you got a new camera for your birthday. Guess I need more ginko.
I’m so glad the pitcher made it there safely. I always worry about sending things! It does go perfectly in your house!
Guess what we are doing today? Taking the dog to get bathed, nails clipped, etc. I can’t see to do his nails and he has outgrown the sink!
Have a wonderful week!
Claudia, I shouldn’t be laughing while reading the account of you trying to get the dogs clean, but I can’t help it because you have painted such a clear picture of the chaos! My dog is tiny, but his shaking all over everything is bad enough, so just imagining your two running around shaking would be reason enough to take them to a dog wash!
Oh your new pitcher is a beauty! You are right…this is a great vice to have!
Your pictures are so awesome already, so it will be a treat to see what a nwe camera does!
I was so sad when my Canon Power Shot wore out…it is such a great camera. Luckily it still works (the dials are wearing out)because I cannot beat the macro shots it took. I love my new camera, but you get so used to something that it is hard to get the same feeling for a new one. Happy camera shopping!
hugs to you…
I sooo wish I had a tripod, so I could take a decent picture of our lit tree.
That is a gorgeous little pink Hull pitcher! what a wonderful friend you have.
Claudia, I have been thinking that taking a photo of the tree was nearly impossible for me anyway. You are perfectly correct to collect as much pottery as you like and that pitcher is YOU. I start new collections all the time and Joe just rolls his eyes. When my kiddo gets out of college I get a new camera for sure if not before so I definitely wish one for you soon. ♥O
Your poor doggies! I can just picture how he must get all soaking wet! What am I saying ? Poor you and your hubby! LOL
I could tell it was Hull as soon as I saw it. I have a book on Hull. Did you find out how much it is worth? I can look it up for you if interested.
Have a great week!
Jillian
Bella Rosa Antiques
You lucky Duck….
She was right.
It’s perfectly YOU.
It has your name all over it.
Hope the pups didn’t freeze….
I’m thinking about a new camera too — preferably a magic camera that might help with taking pics in this PNW gloom. :-)
Those ‘large, extremely hairy’ friends of your looks like a couple of sweeties!
Aren’t dog washes the greatest idea ever?? I take Hagrid to one and it’s wonderful. He jumps right into the tub without a second thought. It’s hilarious. He loves water. Hair dryers… not so much. I’m just glad there’s no mess in my tub at home!
You have such sweet friends~ everything is so thoughtful. That pottery pitcher really is “so Claudia”~ so lovely. Love the colors, love the floral design, love the whole dang thing!
Good luck with your camera hunt~ I think that I still need to learn more about the camera that I have before I upgrade. I’m very low-tech! I sure would like to improve the quality of my photography though.
Hugs,
Jill
Hugs,
Jill
Some dogs hate baths and other love to have a bath. My daughter’s dog loves to have baths in the tub at their house. Our cat hates to have a bath.
Can’t wait to see your tree!
What wonderful friends you have. The pitcher is lovely, totally you. Good luck at the doggie wash.I wish I had one close by. It would save on some of the clean up from “shaking” the water off. I never noticed your girl is named Scout. I have a cat named scout,
My dogs are on the small and medium side so they go in my tub but, they don’t like it any but they put up with it. My cat takes a shower………..My cat was rescued at 8 months all my animals are mixed breed rescues. The lady who was fostering my cat had him since birth and took a shower with him………so I just kept up the traditiion and he takes showers…I had never heard of such a thing but it works. Have fun at the dog wash I have seen them around but did not know what a self wash was, it sure would save the bathroom mess after washday………Love your pottery and That was so sweet of the handmade caramels. I will post pictures of my tree blur from the lights and all!
Sherry
We used to have a dane-lab
mix {think 90 pounds} and
my hubby would take her in
the shower and wash her down.
Poor sweetheart, she hated it
but wanted to please. Our
current seven-pounder is NOT
a water dog, either, so I
sympathize with poor Riley!
Looks like your week is off
to a lovely start with all
of your goodies!
xx Suzanne
Oh, that piece of pottery is so you and so pretty! What a nice blogger she is.
Brenda
OUR SHEPHERD IS GOING IN NEXT WEEK FOR CHRISTMAS. HE IS TO BIG TO DO IT AT HOME. LOVE YOUR POTTERY, ESPECIALLY YOUR NEW PIECE, LOVELY.
HAVE A NICE DAY. RIZZI