It’s time for the big reveal. What will Bella be for Halloween?
To be honest, I don’t have the heart to make Bella wear a Halloween costume when she’s already stuck in a cone. (She’s not a huge fan of being dressed up even when she’s in a good mood.)
However, the new cone appears to have a silver lining… literally. This weekend, we discovered that the cone has some reflective qualities. As a result, photos taken with a flash end up like this:
Have you guessed it yet? Keep reading…
She’s going as a flashlight!
Poor Coney Island. The insults never stop coming… I even got some of this snazzy flashlight action on video:
What’s your pet’s Halloween costume this year?
UPDATE: I just got a call from the vet – Bella’s lump was benign! Yay!
UPDATE 2: It’s a Halloween Parade Blog Hop from afFURmation!
I’ve got lots of linky goodness for you today. Before we get silly, however, I have some cool information to share with you in honor of Pit Bull Awareness Day, which just so happens to be tomorrow.
Our pals over at love and a six-foot leash have put together a special adoption event with the Montgomery County Humane Society. For a select group of lovable wonderbulls known as Little Zee’s Fabulous Four, all adoption fees will be sponsored. Once a dog in the Fabulous Four is adopted, a new one will take his or her place on the list.
If you’re in the DC area, check out the details on how you can bring one of these adorable pups home. (Even if you’re not looking for another dog right now or aren’t in DC, you can still help by spreading the word!) For bonus points, head over to Peaceful dog, where a donation will be made to the Washington Humane Society for each comment. Pretty cool, huh?
On a related note, I saw the sign below one day, and it was the highlight of my week. I’m sure the people who saw me taking this photo thought I was nuts – however, anyone who gets the reference below scores instant awesome points. (I’m beginning to think I need to join Lionel Richie Fans Anonymous. Their motto? “Hello… is it therapy you’re looking for?”)
Lionel Richie crossing
Um… moving on… looking for a treat to make for Halloween? Check out these creepy eyeball cake pops from Bakerella. (Continuing on that theme… there photos of animals’ eyes up close are pretty cool.)
If that didn’t satisfy your sweet tooth, try these awesome cakes inspired by Tim Burton. (There might even be some new eye candy on my baking blog… head on over and check it out.)
Also… I think this might be the best costume ever (although I doubt it’d translate into a pet costume).
Want to see more cute pet costumes (and vote for your favorite)? Go to All Things Dog Blog to vote for the Most Original Costume, and swing by DogTipper to vote for the Cutest Costume.
I wish I’d read this article about pumpkin carving tips before I tried to carve mine last weekend. Nonetheless, maybe it’ll help you in your carving endeavors. (Are you a pumpkin carving savant? Then you might want to enter this contest.)
This photo looks like it came from some sort of horror movie.
The video below, however, looks like it came from the best movie ever.
It’s like a remake of 8 Seconds only much more fun and without Dylan McKay.
Oh, and I know it’s No Frown Friday, but I want to keep you posted on what’s up with us today. Bella had to go in for surgery to have a lump removed this morning, and I’ll be picking her up this evening if all goes well. That being said, we’d appreciate any healing vibes you could send her way.
I’m hoping that it’ll turn out to be nothing, and that the worst part of the whole ordeal will be her displeasure regarding the cone of shame. (At least we don’t have a doggie door, I suppose…)
This week, I can really use some smiles… thank goodness No Frown Friday is here when I need it most! I also have an important zombie survival tip to share with you. But first, a few things to send you into the weekend with a giggle or two:
Your punny pet name: Tyribone Lannister. (Confused? See #2 below.)
This one has no real connection to anything else on the list… but it’s my blog so I can take some liberties right? It’s a cheese grater that looks like a hedgehog!
I don’t know what you saw, but I’m pretty sure I just learned how to survive a zombie attack – always sit on a kitchen rug so that the zombies can’t quite reach you. If only someone had shared this info with the cast of The Walking Dead.
Anyway… what are you up to this weekend? I’m going to a corn maze/pumpkin patch with friends, and then we’re heading back to my house for a pumpkin carving party. For Bella, that means extra people to pet her and give her love. I don’t think she’ll mind that at all.
Previously… I ate some cheesecake and finished the educational portion of Day 1.
After learning about various bloggy things, the first day of sessions was over. It was time to head back out into that big lobby and chat it up once again before our screening of Spooky Buddies. Luckily, I quickly encountered Kim from This One Wild Life, who was kind enough to allow me to be her wingwoman (wingblogger?) for the evening.
We grabbed a glass of wine (farewell to my final drink ticket) and some popcorn (in my book, wine goes with anything) while we waited for the evening’s festivities to get underway.
After mingling for a bit, the doors opened and we headed inside. We picked up some movie snacks and grabbed a seat a few rows from the front. Little did we know that the rows in front of us would later be removed and we’d be in the very first row… not that I’m complaining, but it was somewhat unexpected. Anyway, Kim and I chatted for a while about this and that – it was like hanging out with an old friend. (Kim, feel free to correct me in the comments if you thought it was more like hanging out with an annoying person who won’t go away… I kid, I kid.)
Here’s the coolest part… not long before the movie began, Kim and I checked our Twitter feeds (hey, it’s a blogging conference) to find out the results of the Petties (it’s like the Oscars, but for pet blogs). Be the Change for Animals (which Kim co-founded) won for Best Cause Blog! It was a pretty amazing moment – and fortunately, the BlogPaws photographer happened to swing by at the perfect time and get it on camera.
(Check out her acceptance speech – Be the Change for Animals donated its $1,000 to Best Friends Animal Society. Pretty great, huh?)
Not long after that, it was time for the movie premiere of Spooky Buddies – BlogPaws was the first press screening in the country. I’ll admit, I’ve never seen any of the other movies in the franchise, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.
The basic story – the five main characters (a.k.a the Buddies, a group of five adorable Golden Retriever puppies) encounter the legend of the Howl-oween Hound and must stop Warwick the Warlock’s evil plan before it’s too late.
The movie was cute… not necessarily one I would have sought out on my own, but I definitely think kids would like it. I actually enjoyed it – there was something about the crowd (including dogs barking at the screen) that just made it a fun experience. Here’s the trailer:
Obviously, I’m not the only blogger writing up her thoughts on her Spooky Buddies experience these days. For a few more, go visit Bocci’s Beefs (and find out how many stand-ins each puppy had on set), My Tail Hurts from Wagging So Much (for an interview with the director), and The Chronicles of Cardigan (for a firsthand account of what it was like to watch the movie with your pups).
After the movie, it was time for a Q&A session with the director. I have to imagine that working with kids and puppies is quite the challenge, but he really seemed to enjoy it.
Once the Q&A ended, we had the opportunity to get our photo taken
with one of the stars – an adorable puppy dressed in a bunny costume.
The photographer wasn’t very quick on the draw – which didn’t work so
well when a tired puppy was involved.
In the interest of getting these
photos done quickly so that the pup could get out of his duds and take a
nap, Kim and I did our photo as a duo. Once I have a copy, I’ll
definitely share it here.
Once that was all done, Kim invited me to crash a Greenies happy hour that she was invited to attend at the hotel bar. I was a bit hesitant, but I’m glad I let her talk me into it. I had a fantastic time chatting with Doreen from Doggies and Stuff, Jess from Indy Dog Blog (a party crasher like me), and others.
Eventually, it was time for me to say goodnight and head home. After I got home, I snuggled with Bella and caught up on Project Runway.
One day down, one more to go. I was able to attend the second day, but I did end up ducking out a bit early due to the hurricane. Never fear, I still have lots to tell you.
Up next? More sessions, some great speakers, a photo shoot or two, and meeting up with some more of my favorite bloggers.
To those of you in the U.S., I hope you have a wonderful July 4th! It’s been busy around here… I made some patriotic cupcakes and a ridiculous amount of sangria yesterday. (No joke – I bought a 2 gallon cooler to store it in. Let’s just hope that nobody tries to go total sports fan and dump it on someone’s head as if it were Gatorade.) In addition, I’ve made some giant submarine sandwiches, and a vat (also not really an exaggeration) of Asian Noodle Salad. We won’t starve, that’s for sure!
Anyway, no time for a long post, but I wanted to wish all of you a happy 4th of July – I hope you have a fantastic day. So does Bella… she even dressed for the occasion:
In spite of the holiday, Bella’s nap schedule proceeds as usual.
A long weekend… the stuff that dreams are made of. I don’t have to go back to the office until Wednesday. In addition to Monday’s holiday, I took Tuesday off as well. As you can imagine, I’m pretty excited! But first, I need to send you into the weekend with your usual dose of randomness…
Today’s punny pet name is LeVar Purrton. Why? Read on…
In honor of butterflies in the sky and taking a look because it’s in a book, enjoy these photos of 50 animals reading.
There’s nothing better than grabbing a book and relaxing outside (beach, pool, yard… anywhere will do). If your pool also contained these guinea pigs or these baby elephants having fun, it’d be a pretty perfect day. Just make sure you have a lifeguard – perhaps of the dog variety?
Are you more of a beach person? I’ve got you covered: here’s a baby elephant on the beach. You’re welcome.
Of course I can’t send you into the weekend without a video. Since we’re letting guinea pigs and elephants have some fun, seems like it’s only fair to let dogs in on the action…
Doesn’t that video just make you want to go outside to play with your pup?
Before I go, I wanted to tell you that I’m trying out a new thing… Bella graciously allows me to stop adoring her for a few moments now and then to do some baking. Rather than bombard you with recipes and photos here, I’ve created another space for that sort of thing. Every now and then, you can find me over at I Still Want More Cupcakes, telling you how much I love butter and sugar in addition to puppies. I hope you’ll stop by sometime. Puppies are still the main event and posting won’t be slowed here, but you’ll get the occasional bonus of some baked goods to ogle. Win-win, right?
So, what are you up to this weekend? Whatever it is, I hope you have fun!
First, I’d like to wish a happy Father’s Day to all of the great dads out there, including my own! (Bella the grandpuppy sends her love to my dad too.) In your honor, here are some adorable animals celebrating Father’s Day and some amazing Father’s Day cakes. Consider it a virtual celebration…
Second, I’d like to say a huge thank you to Kol’s Notes and Something Wagging This Way Comes for choosing to honor this blog
with the Versatile Blogger award! I’ll do a longer post on this
subject later (and pass it on to some other blogs I love), but I wanted
to say thank you.
Finally, I’m sending happy birthday wishes to our buddy Kolchak Puggle (he shares it with Garfield, so he’s in good company)!
Memorial Day… a time to remember those who have given their service to our country. Words really aren’t enough to describe this sacrifice and to truly honor those who have made it so that we can be free. So these simple words will have to do instead: thank you.
Last year, I shared my tribute to human and canine heroes alike. (I hope you’ll take a moment to revisit that post if you haven’t read it before – and even if you have – as it contains some fantastic links and information about War Dogs and Military Working Dogs. Also, if you are in the market for something to make you cry today, I have a feeling that post will provide what you need.)
I did want to share some links with you today:
As you probably know, a dog helped in the raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound. This amazing dog, a Belgian Malinois named Cairo, has received quite a bit of press (and even met the President). Ever since, it seems like hero dogs have been all over the news.
Countless dogs have served our country over the years. Check out the history of war dogs in these two amazing photo . (Thanks to and Phetched for the tip.)
As always, The Dog Files has a moving and visually stunning saluting Military Working Dogs.
I also urge you to visit FiveSibes for a touching tribute and some fantastic videos that are just perfect for today.
Check out this great post from Bocci’s Beefs about dogs of war and what would have happened if cats were helping us out instead. (Just kidding… after all, there are some truly patriotic cats out there too.)
Last year, the National World War II Museum honored some four-legged heroes in an exhibit. You can learn about some of these heroes here.
Can’t get enough of these fabulously furry heroes? Read about five more here or watch a movie about some heroic dogs or horses..
Not all heroic dogs are on official duty, as illustrated by this tale of a unit in Afghanistan that was saved by some local strays.
As I mentioned last year, when these hero dogs retire from service, they need homes. After Cairo’s participation in the bin Laden raid, inquiries about war dog adoption have increased, but these heroes will need homes even after the initial rush slows. If you are interested in giving a home to one of these retired heroes, learn more at Fido Friendly and then head over to Military Working Dog Adoptions. (You can also check out the Department of Defense’s Official Military Working Dog Adoption Website.)
If you have any stories about Military Working Dogs (either in action or in retirement), click on over to Dogster and read about Maria Goodavage’s new book project, Soldier Dogs.
As I mentioned last year, Mother’s Day is somewhat bittersweet for me. However, I wanted to take a moment to wish a very happy Mother’s Day to all of the wonderful moms out there and send a big hug to all of those who are missing their moms today. My gift to you? A Bella photo, of course!
In honor of Easter, I thought I’d give you two videos today. In the spirit of the holiday, I’m giving cats, dogs, bunnies, and chicks a moment to shine. First up, Simon’s Cat celebrates Easter:
