Tag Archives: kol’s notes

Black and white and cute all over

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I’m in a penguin mood today. It happens from time to time. Guess I just can’t resist a bird that comes equipped with built-in formal wear. (Wouldn’t a penguin make a great prom date?) Anyway, on to the links!

  1. First up, the traditional sharing of a punny name. Today, I give you: Penguin Stefani. (Bonus: Penguinona Ryder. See #2.)
  2. Also, I have decided I want to remake Heathers using an all-bird cast. The Heathers will be played by penguins (including renowned feathered actress Shannen Do-birdy). I’ll be calling it Feathers. Obviously.
  3. I can’t get enough of these awesome penguin photos. Apparently there are places where you can get up close and personal with penguins. Needless to say, I want to go to there!
  4. Any hockey fans out there? Whether you are currently immersed in the NHL playoffs or bored to tears, I bet you’ll enjoy this adorable sports fan.
  5. This real penguin hanging out with a plush penguin just about did me in.
  6. I would like to go back in time and purchase all the seats on the train of this adorable penguin conductor.
  7. Speaking of penguins with jobs, check out this therapy penguin. No, really. His name is Roast Beef, people. Roast. Beef. I need a minute.
  8. In addition to being adorable, penguins are also hilarious. Exhibit A: a penguin bit Newt Gingrich. Exhibit B: a penguin pretending to be Garfield kicking Odie off the table.

Even fake penguins are hilarious. Observe:

(via Jezebel)
Have a fantastic weekend!
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Many marvelous musings from the month of March

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It’s time for another monthly roundup… in no particular order, here are seventeen marvelous musings I enjoyed in the month of March:
  1. The hag in the bag gets tagged from Little Dogs on Long Leashes – I bow down to the Seussian brilliance of this post.
  2. Wherein Dewi and I Interpret the Sick-in-Bed Moaning Scene from When Harry Met Sally from The Chronicles of Cardigan – I don’t even have words.  This post is made of hilarity.
  3. Mall Hair from Raising a Super Dog – As a former concessions jockey at a small-town movie theater, this post spoke to me.  (Our popcorn was not pre-popped, though refilling the “butter” was enough to put me off it for life.)
  4. Life with Cush Dogs – Guest Blog Post from Talking Dogs – Something I’ve often pondered, but never had a term for…
  5. Do you have dreams for your dog? from Something Wagging – To paraphrase the Rolling Stones, you can’t always get what you want, but sometimes you get exactly what (and who) you need.
  6. In Search of Spring from The (mis)Adventures of Sage – This one is technically from February, but I fell far behind on my blog reading and didn’t actually read it until March.  However, the photos made me smile!
  7. Some Days You Just Want to Watch a Cute Video from Bunny’s Blog – I totally agree.
  8. The Eye Drop Rodeo from Tales and Tails – Anyone else remember when Rachel hated her eye drops on Friends?  That’s all I could think of while reading this post.
  9. Favorite Video Friday – Let’s Go to The Dog Park! from No Dog About It – You just have to smile when you watch this dog’s eye view of the dog park.
  10. Dog a Day Project – Famous Last Words from Doggie Stylish – Haven’t we all said this one to a pup from time to time?
  11. Summoning Charms from jodistone – I had to share this post. It involves both Harry Potter and irresistibly cute pups!
  12. Dog People from under the blanket – These are just too much fun.
  13. Wordless Wednesday 31 – 14 Years in 4 Minutes from Bringing up Bella – This one made me cry, but in that good way. Then it made me bust out my own photo albums for a stroll down Memory Lane.
  14. bambino vs fido: on loving dogs less from Fido & Wino – A thoughtful post about love and change, and realizing that change doesn’t necessarily mean less love.
  15. A Bedtime Fairytale from Kol’s Notes – The drawings are genius. Genius, I tell you.
  16. Life Without A Dog is No Life For Me from Rescued Insanity – The title says it all, don’t you think?
  17. How Dogs Read Us, Part I from Will My Dog Hate Me? – Fascinating. (The next installment appeared in April, but I’ll share it as a bonus anyway. Here’s Part II.)
These are a bit skewed towards the beginning of the month, as I fell behind on my reading. So there’s the possibility of some March posts on April’s list. (Apparently this is my pattern – see #6 above.) I get to make the rules, right?

Anyway, if you missed my earlier monthly roundups, check out my favorites from February and the ones I loved in January. If that’s still not enough links for you (in which case, I bow before your capacity for linkitude), you can always check out my Friday linkathons for more.Did I miss any of your favorite posts from March? Share them in the comments!

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I’m not very musical, but this post is quite Seussical

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Thanks go to Kolchak Puggle for inspiring today’s theme – I just hope that my bad rhymes do not make you scream…
  1. Today’s punny pet name has both brains and good looks – it’s Fleaodor Seuss Geisel, author of many great books!  (If you have the time and are feeling quite able, you might want to check out this Lorax dessert table.)
  2. Speaking of books, not to be quite contrary, but I don’t think I’ll fit in this little library.
  3. I hear that the ’80s are making a sartorial comeback – will fashion soon be inspired by volumes in my childhood book stack?  (It seems that everything comes back around, from clothing to music, such cycles abound.  This fashionable news fills me with neon-colored dread, but I suppose I should just be thankful we aren’t chasing the ’70s instead.)
  4. If fonts were cats, would they wear hats?  By that of course, I mean the thing called a serif – that a letter sometimes wears a pair of.
  5. This next link will mess with your head and your brain – it’s inspired by Escher, and it’s right up my lane.
  6. Now, Bella gets carsick and can’t go too far, but if she could travel I’d want this plate for my car.
  7. Last week I took the adorable Willis to an adoption event as my friend – although he did like to hug, I’m lucky he did not try to fully ascend.

Before I must go, I shall whisper a secret.  It should fully explain the final thing in this link set.  Dr. Seuss isn’t the only one who entered the world on this day – a certain pup-obsessed blogger also came out to play.

Now that you know of this Seussy connection, perhaps you will realize upon further reflection, that the puns and the parodies are fully explained, and my all-around goofiness was no doubt preordained.Anyway, if you’re feeling inspired by this meandering post, and wish your blog had a similar rhyme scheme to host – sit down at your keyboard and let the creativity pop, then head on over to join up with this Seusstastic blog hop.

 

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Saint Howlentine’s Day & Pillars for K

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Today, I join several other bloggers for Pillars of Strength – A Special Day for K.

K is the canine star of many gorgeous photos over at Romping and Rolling in the Rockies, as well as the beloved companion of my blogging friend KB.

The photography of K and her furry brother R takes my breath away on a regular basis.  It’s a constant reminder to enjoy the natural beauty that surrounds me.

K has been diagnosed with cancer (osteosarcoma in one of her front legs) and will be undergoing another round of chemo next week. Today, many pet bloggers are joining together to send support and encouragement to K and KB during this time. I’m joining in to send lots of hugs their way.

I also thought I’d send a few smiles their way, with a special Valentine’s Day edition of No Frown Friday, dedicated to K and KB.  Enjoy these links from the heart, after the jump:

  1. It wouldn’t be a pseudo No Frown Friday without a punny name.  We’ll go with Saint Howlentine.
  2. I want to celebrate Valentine’s Day at the zoo… how do I get invited?
  3. Check out these adorable Valentine’s Day cards – they’re cute and for a good cause.  (No shame in sending a belated valentine, after all.  Shouldn’t we celebrate love every day?)
  4. Here’s one for the legal nerds, or maybe those who just like Mad Libs – sign a Valentine’s Day contract this year.  (Don’t worry, other nerds – I’ve got you covered too.  Enjoy Valentine’s Day for Math Nerds.)
  5. Need a last minute (or belated – see #3) Valentine’s Day gift?  Here are some great gifts for every budget.  Want to see more?  The cute continues… 
  6. You could always make a gift.  Perhaps a cupcake with a heart inside?  (If that’s not your style, just celebrate Chocolate Eating Day instead.)
  7. Don’t forget to make a treat for your pup too… yum!
  8. Here’s a history lesson about those conversation hearts.  I don’t love the taste, but I do love the idea.  What’s your favorite Valentine’s Day candy?  
  9. I can’t argue with this lovely message from 24 Paws of Love – everyone needs a Snoopy.
It wouldn’t be a link roundup without a video… so here’s one I found just for K.  Don’t worry, the only actual chocolate in the video is the Lab:

Please join me and these other fantastic bloggers to send hugs and good thoughts to K and KB today…

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Updated: The red carpet? It’s covered in dog hair.

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This brave confession over at Something Wagging has inspired me to come clean as well – I’m an awards slacker.  When it comes to blogging awards, I’m deeply appreciative but supremely lazy.  That ends today.

I have two awards (from three four sources) to pass along today.  I decided to give myself a bit of a challenge, and imposed a rule of my own on the proceedings.  If I’ve ever given you an award in the past (this includes instances in which I cheated and just turned the spotlight on those fantastic bloggers who gave me an award), I decided to deem you ineligible for this particular round of awards. I thought it would be fun to shine the spotlight on some new faces and spaces.

Ready?  Here we go…

First up, the Kreativ Blogger award, which I received from my pals at Kol’s Notes, Bringing Up Bella and A Filly’s Best Friend.  A huge thank you to allof them for passing this award along to me – they’re all absolutely fantastic and I encourage you to pay them a visit and say so.  (Go.  Don’t make me “encourage” you with a baseball bat to the virtual kneecap.  Seriously. Don’t get on my bad side.)

Anyway, the rules of this award require me to share a few things about myself.  According to Kol’s Notes, I should share 7 things, and according to Bringing Up Bella and A Filly’s Best Friend, I should share 10.  (I long ago accepted that the evolution of blog awards is akin to a game of telephone.)  I’m splitting the difference and will share 8.5 things about myself:

  1. I cringed multiple times when typing Kreativ.  I can’t help it.  I’m a nerd and misspelled words bug me even when they’re misspelled on purpose.
  2. When I was a kid, I desperately wanted to be an archaeologist when I grew up.  That did not pan out.
  3. I own a blanket with a photo of Bella on it.  She’s gigantic.  I could imagine it scaring small children, but I love it.  (It was a gift from the in-laws, who indulge my love of puppies.)
  4. My favorite food is grilled cheese, and I often dream of a world where this restaurant has a location near my house.  (That place is delicious.)
  5. I love puzzles and am currently addicted to the latest Professor Layton game for Nintendo DS.  (If you are a puzzle-holic like me, you should definitely check this series out.)
  6. According to my iPod, the most played song is “Bloodstream” by Stateless.
  7. That song is the most played because I listened to it way too much after it appeared on The Vampire Diaries in 2010.  (The fact that it remains in the top spot on my iPod almost two years later should give you an idea of just how much I played it back then.)
  8. Contrary to what numbers 4 through 7 may suggest, I am not a teenager, nor was I one in 2010.  I haven’t been a teenager in a long time.  (Bonus half fact: I’m officially old enough to star in Thirtysomething, a show that I have never actually watched.)
Now, the fun part –  I get to pass the award along to other bloggers.  I’m passing it along to 8 creative bloggers that I truly enjoy. They’re all creative in different ways.  I hope you’ll pay them a visit and discover how.  You won’t regret it.

Up next, I’m going to pass on the Pawsome Blog Award, courtesy of Roxy the Traveling Dog.  A huge thank you for sharing this award with me!

(Also, that earlier virtual kneecap threat applies… get on over there, buddy.)

The one seems to be light on the rules, other than to give it to blogs you love.  With that in mind, I’m passing it on to these eight blogs:

There’s truly something special about each and every one of those blogs – I hope you’ll take the time to visit and discover the awesomeness.

Whew. I’m all out of awards, so I shall take my leave of you now.  (Anyone else start singing “I’m all out of love… I’m so lost without you” after reading the first clause of that sentence?  No? Um, neither did I.)  Until tomorrow, my friends…

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Billy Joel, baby sloths & more…

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Happy Friday! As usual, you’re Corgially Invited to take a moment to relax, smile, and wag your way into the weekend…

  1. First up, this week’s punny pet name: Ricky Grrr-vais.
  2. This weekend, I’ll be watching the Golden Globes – I hope that this dog walks the red carpet.  (Either way, he’ll be my choice for Best Actor.)
  3. Speaking of movies, I want all of these cakes. All of them. (Not to eat… just to gaze at lovingly.)
  4. I love this reference to Modern Family when talking about pet adoption (yay)!  Pop and pup culture combined… just awesome..
  5. Man, I never encounter any cool street art when I’m out walking.
  6. I couldn’t stop laughing while reading this post about Pinterest from Kol’s Notes.  (It really is an addiction.)
  7. Moving on… I’m awash in baby zoo animal links today. To start, I give you a baby monkey orphanage.
  8. Two words: baby koala.
  9. Not enough for you?  Fine… three words: baby polar bear.
  10. These lion cubs are taking a cue from Billy Joel and moving out. (Speaking of lions – it’s an animal odd couple alert, this time with a dog and a lion.)
Meanwhile, these baby sloths are taking the world’s most adorable bath (or close to it, anyway):
(via Best Week Ever)

Fluffy baby animals dining on flowers and snoozing away?  My work here is done. If that doesn’t send you into the weekend with a smile, nothing will.

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22 things that made me smile in 2011

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‘Tis the time for reminiscing about 2011…

Last year, I shared some of my favorite posts from this blog.  This year, I’ve decided to stop the navel gazing (until the Pet Blogger Challenge later this month, of course) and highlight some of my favorite posts from other bloggers.  (Thanks to Mel from the No Dog About It blog for the inspiration.)

It’s a tough task, actually. There is a ton of great content out there in the pet blogging community.

The posts below all have one thing in common – they make me laugh or smile (one of those really big smiles).  There are many beautiful, touching, and thought-provoking posts that touched my heart this year. However, today I felt like aiming for tears of laughter or joy rather than the other kind.  Hope you don’t mind.

It was a long year. I’m sure there are some others I adored that slipped my mind when writing this post.  (Perhaps one of my 2012 resolutions should be to do a better job of keeping track of my favorite posts. You may notice that this list skews toward the more recent entries.)  In no particular order, here are 22 posts I loved this year…

  1. My Most Embarrassing Dog Moment from My Brown Newfies – I have no words. Just go read it.
  2. The Puppiness Project – Everything’s Better with Puppies from Something Wagging This Way Comes – With a title like that, how could this post not make my list?
  3. 10 Pictures of Dogs Reading Books from Doggie Stylish- I love dogs. I love books. I love this post.
  4. Favorite Video Friday – Stella’s Shasta Adventure from No Dog About It – I don’t know how Mel finds so many great videos.  However, I still watch this one when I just need a moment of Zen.
  5. (Viewing this may cause extreme joy) More Happy Pets! Part I from The Chronicles of Cardigan – It really did cause extreme joy. Extreme.
  6. Adopting Beelzebub: A Beast of a Bird? from This One Wild Life – An adoption story that warmed the cockles of my heart.
  7. 17 Things Bella Has Stolen from Bringing up Bella – I’m kind of glad my Bella only hoards socks.
  8. Spam Saturday: Amazing Products, Thrilling Occasions, Thanks-a-Mundo! from Will My Dog Hate Me – This post is masterwork. Go put the lime in the coconut and drink it up, okay?
  9. 32 Simple Things You Do That Matter To Dogs from Peggy’s Pet Place- More warming for those cockles.
  10. Dog a Day Project – Why I Don’t Have Kids from Doggie Stylish – I’m just going to start replying to everyone who asks me when I’m going to have children by emailing them a link to this post. (Don’t get me wrong – I don’t know what the future holds. However, I tend to think people should mind their own beeswax and stop asking.)
  11. 5 Reasons Puppies are Easier Than Kids from Smart Dog – A perfect companion to the Doggie Stylish post. 
  12. She Who Cannot Be Trusted from Postpartum Paradise – A toddler, a dog, and adventures in unconventional (and unsanctioned) grooming.  See? I can appreciate posts involving kids!
  13. Senior Dogs: Appreciate, Don’t Discriminate from Grouchy Puppy – This one is actually a guest post that Sharon from Grouchy Puppy contributed to this blog. I just love the message.
  14. The Mystery of Burt’s Bees from Tales and Tails – Or, as I like to think of it, “how to collect puppy kisses in one easy step.”
  15. Dogs in International Costumes: Bone Voyage! from Will My Dog Hate Me – Just because.
  16. Drunken Master IV:  Canine Fu from Rescued Insanity – A funny tale of DWWI (Dog Walking While Intoxicated).
  17. For Woofing Out Loud from Kol’s Notes – In case you’ve ever wondered if your dog thinks you’re as funny as you think you are… the answer is apparently no.
  18. 15 Ways to Tell if You’re Dog Crazy from Something Wagging This Way Comes – Just a genius post, and, well… it’s funny ’cause it’s true. This post inspired me to start that whole dog song parody series of posts. 
  19. Pinterest Tuesday – Dogs Making Messes from Two Little Cavaliers – The cutest kind of mess is the kind that I don’t have to clean up.
  20. Chinese Takeout = Bad Dog Parenting from Life With Desmond – Speaking of messes… wondering if something is trash or treasure? Just ask the dog.
  21. Dressing Up Dogs at Holidays from Grouchy Puppy – I just love this creative take on the antler photo.
  22. From the DDY Digs Desk from Daley’s Dog Years – I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m including this post partly because of the Ryan Gosling photo.

Why 22?  I have no idea. I feel like this list could have gone on forever (for example, I wanted to include a post from BZ Training, but I just couldn’t pick a favorite photo shoot, so I’m cheating and linking to the whole blog here). Finally, I just held an intervention for myself, cut myself off, and sent myself to list-making rehab.  
What was your favorite pet blog post of 2011?
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What I learned at K9 Kamp

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PhotobucketWell, this week’s challenge was a fun one – though in order to get Bella to chase me around, I had to rely on the rope bone.  I suppose it was only fitting.  It’s the common thread that connects each of our weekly challenges, after all.   

I’m sad that K9 Kamp has come to an end… I had a lot of fun.  What did I learn?  Well, I definitely learned that Bella is motivated primarily by rope bones (although, I wasn’t too surprised by that revelation). 

I also learned that I need to work on her obedience and listening skills.  I’ve been kind of lax on that front – when you have a dog that’s as low key and easy to handle as Bella, it’s easy to let things slip.  However, that’s no excuse…   

Anyway, I plan to continue to play lots of tug with my little furball.  I hope we’ll be using some of the K9 Kamp exercises in the future too.

Thanks again to Peggy’s Pet Place and Kol’s Notes for inviting us to be part of this awesome challenge!

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Sleeping Dog #1 & K9 Kamp Challenge #2

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You may remember my dad’s dog, Roscoe.  His cuteness has been documented on the blog before.  I went to visit my dad this weekend (sans Bella – she and the hub stayed home).  On the technology front, it was a recipe for blogger withdrawal – dial-up Internet and a crappy cell signal.  Regardless, it was nice to spend some time with my family, and I still had puppies for entertainment!  One of those puppies was Roscoe, who managed to be insanely cute while taking a nap:

I’ll share more photos from my trip another day – I think this photo stands on its own.  Do you ever find your dogs sleeping in funny positions?

Oh, and I also wanted to update you on this week’s K9 Kamp challenge. This week, we were supposed to incorporate fetch into our workout.  However, there was a twist – after throwing the toy, Bella and I raced to get it!  (As you know, Bella and I already broke out the rope toy in order to
complete last week’s challenge.  So, of course that’s the toy we used
for the fetch challenge as well.)

Photobucket This week’s challenge was definitely more intense than
our walking from last week.  Bella’s pretty fast when she’s got her eye
on a rope toy.  However, she also tires out relatively quickly, so we
broke it up into several chunks of 10 minutes or so each.  (Also,
probably a good thing it wasn’t me asking her to fetch the rope bone and
bring it to me… she’s never quite mastered that game.  She always
takes the toys back to Toy Corner instead.  She’s like a homing pigeon.)  It was a fun challenge!

Be sure to check out Peggy’s Pet Place and Kol’s Notes today for more updates, and swing by tomorrow for information on Challenge #3.

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K9 Kamp Challenge #1: Make it work

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PhotobucketThis week’s challenge?  Walk it off.

The first K9 Kamp task was to walk for 60 minutes this week.  Given the fact that it feels like it’s been raining here for a month, I had a feeling that completing this challenge would be… well, a challenge.

We did manage to get in two good walks outside.  For the first walk, we had some company.  Bella had a play date with our friends’ new dog, Dozer.  (Photos below.)  It was the first time the two had met, so we decided to take a walk around the neighborhood together before letting them run around in the backyard.  (In addition to our walk, Bella got plenty of running and romping in that day as well.  She was one sleepy pup that evening!)

For our second walk, we managed to get out during one of the rare sunny spells.  However, to complete our final minutes for the week, I had to get creative.  Things here have felt sort of like a monsoon – going outside was not a great option, so I decided to improvise.  Bella and I did some laps around the house instead.  I’m sure anyone looking through my windows would think I’d finally gone insane.  In any event, I convinced Bella to follow me around the first floor by carrying her favorite rope bone.  It ultimately became a walk/tug hybrid, but I think we did the best we could given the circumstances.

Be sure to check in with Kol’s Notes and Peggy’s Pet Place today to read more recaps of the first challenge, and then check them out tomorrow for Challenge #2.  To tide you over until then, I leave you with a few photos from Bella’s play date…

I’m not sure what’s up with Bella’s face in that last photo… she
managed to get stuff stuck to her face during the course of the play
date.  I removed it, of course – but not without taking a quick photo
first!

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