Puppy Dog Tales...

this is a true story.

yesterday, we established that

max

can be a bit of a bully in our household

as ellie can testify...

ellie and max were both given a bone

for morning tea.

they both took their bones downstairs

and max settled with his under the outside table,

while ellie snuck hers around the corner.

max noticed where ellie was and being jealous

stole her bone from right under her nose!

ellie came right upstairs and told on him

as all sisters would.

i gave ellie another bone

and let her stay on the porch

at the top of the stairs to chew on it.

that bully!

he wanted to steal that bone too!

but i came between them both,

as a mother should,

i wagged my finger at him,

and said "max, no!"

in my deepest, growliest voice.

well, the funniest thing happened.

he went down the stairs again,

picked up ellie's first bone with his teeth

and

took it back to the place he stole it from!

it was as if to say,

"i am behaving now,

so can i have another one too!"

we had to forgive him

for his bully-boy tactics

and his greedy ways.

ellie didn't let him get away with it though.

she went down to get the first bone

and max wanted it again.

they ended up in a little dog-fight.

ellie won.

max was on his back in submission

and ellie's little paw

just rested gentlly on his chest.

then off they trotted

to their respective corners

with their own bones.

well...

everybody thinks their own pets are cute,

thanks for indulging me.

i have some blue cherry fabric

that i think i will turn into another apron.

enjoy your weekend...see ya monday,

naturally Carol xox

ps...had an order in with retromummy for some fabric, last week, before her little elodie arrived.

'cos there was a small delay she enclosed a piece of owly fabric for me too.  how good is that?

unexpected kindness....that's tops!

Introducing...

our dogs.

a couple of years ago

i was rattling around in this old house

with no other humans.

the kids had left home

and mr w. was working away.

the only other living soul

was sweet 'ellie'...

she is a spaniel rottweiler cross!

most people think she looks like a mini labrador.

she is very hard to photograph

'cos she is so black she just looks like a shadow

in most pictures...

she is loyal and quiet natured,

a content to curl up at your feet

kinda dog.

 but she does like a bit of a whinge now and then,

just to keep it real.

then...

and my friend's dog lucy had puppies.

i wasn't going to get one.

one night i dreamed

about a white puppy.

one white puppy, a little girl, died.

the little white boy puppy was left.

this was 'max'...

he's a rogue and sideswipes anything or body in his way,

he's greedy too,

and affectionate and easy going,

a good natured type o' dog.

his nose got long and his legs stayed short,

he grew long curly hair and a multitude of spots.

he always attempts to grin with his teeth showing

and looks a bit creepy...hehehehe...

he's a spaniel and border collie cross.

and this is 'kara'..

we think she may be an american staffy,

but her label at the pet shop was "cattle dog"!

she settled in here with son no.3

so strictly speaking she's only on loan...

i wish i had a picture of her smile

'cos it lights up her face

and makes big wrinkles around her mouth.

i call her our grinning assassin!

she's a love you or hate you dog...

absolutely fawns over the peeps she loves

and growls and nips the heels of those she don't.

she's part of the family all the same.

grouches are welcome here too!

just as well

'cos sometimes that's me.

do you have

grouches, bullies and whingers

at your house sometimes too?

{and kids that come back like boomerangs?

but we really don't mind....}

naturally Carol  xox

Making My Own Sunshine...

i am sharing my own version of sunshine

with you today.

these 'city weekend' charm squares

are backed by 'botany' seeds

and i think they remind me of midsummer fields,

glorious with sunshine,

the air thick with the song of cicadas

and blue, blue skies!

i've made my own sunshine

to beat the gray...

those stormy black clouds

can't get in my way!

 i'm dreaming of wide open windows,

lacy curtains riffling lazily,

and my window seat ...

full of these.

reading a book while doing

a little daydreaming

the air warm with just a little cool breeze

well this girl can dream.

there's been a little break in the rain this morning,

so all my teatowels are on the clothes line,

must dash and see if they're dry.

dream on .... i dare you

naturally Carol xox

One Hour of Sunshine...

yesterday

there were storms all day...



blowing all the new jacaranda flowers off the trees.

the rain made this hippeastrum even more beautiful...

but it was a very dull day to take photos of my sewing.

this morning,

i got up at six,

and there was one hour of sunshine!

i grabbed my camera

despite

having birdsnest hair and a nightie on...

{thank goodness i wasn't in the shots...hehehe}

this is a library bag

to top up the box i put together last friday.

you may remember bits of these fabrics from other projects.

these are the last pieces of some of them.

i couldn't resist the scottie dog button i found in the button tin,

he' off on his own adventure now!

tuesday is just the day for an adventure...

hoping yours is wonderful.

naturally Carol  xox