Finding Nemo

This trio of pet toys was too cute to pass up. Each toy has a squeaker which means it will last at  most 5 minutes before it is torn apart.

Summer Blooms

I couldn't resist these beautiful flowers. The fragrance of the roses and the lilies fills the kitchen with a wonderful scent.

Ear Infection

Otis has very thick ears and is prone to ear infections. I cleaned Oti's ears the other day and thought that one seemed extremely dirty. I checked that ear the next day and it was filthy again.

I realized that Otis had an ear infection and immediately began to apply drops to his ears. Oti's ear must be very painful. I was petting Otis on the head and when I touched his ear, he cried out.

Hopefully Otis will begin to feel better in the next few days.

Rolling Around

On hot sunny days, Cooper and Otis love to roll endlessly in the grass.

I always wonder if the dogs are trying to scratch their backs or are just having fun.

Pawling Mountain Open

Jeff and I spent the day acting as roving photographers at the Pawling Mountain Open, which is hosted at the Pawling Mountain (Shooting) Club. As we drove up to the clubhouse, I immediately knew this was a special place. Stepping inside, the elegance bespoke of the wealth of its members.


The PMC grounds are gorgeous.The sporting clays stations are tucked within acres of tree lined rolling hills and lakes.

The PMO is a charity shoot to raise money for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. We drove around the course in a golf cart, taking photos of the squads.

Participants included generals, colonels, retired military personnel from the US and UK, business men and PMC members. The Special Operations Warrior Fund has funded full tuition for 150+ college graduates and is currently paying tuition for 140+ college students. All awards are given to the children of deceased special ops soldiers.

 The Liberty Belles from the USO sang beautifully during the luncheon. I was glad that Jeff donated his time and talent to photograph to this worthy cause.

Too Hot

We are suffering thru a heatwave in CT. 98°+ temperature with extremely high humidity. Stepping outside feels like being in a sauna and reminds me of our NC days.

When I walk the dogs, they get to the end of the driveway and want to turn back for home. I think the asphalt is extremely hot on their paws.

Coop loves to spend time out on the back deck. When I went to water my plants, Coop raced outside. When I went inside to get more water, Coop followed me in and refused to go out again.

We are all hoping for some rain and cooler temps!

Finally

I waited all summer long for these Stargazer lilies to bloom. Bugs ate most of the leaves and a few buds died on the stems.

The Stargazer's are one of my favorite flowers with their striking colors. They rarely survive the deer, so I truly appreciate their beauty.

Happy Birthday Otis!

Otis has been with us for 2 years. How quickly the months have passed.

According to Oti's medical records, he is six years old. Otis still acts like an excitable puppy.  I think he is really only 4 years old. Otis greets me with the same exuberance whether I am gone for minutes or days. After a long day at work, it is nice to come home to Otis, who acts like being with me is the greatest thing ever.

Otis helps to keep Cooper young at heart. Both dogs love to play together.

Otis has become an important member of our pack.We thank his Maine Mom's, Bobbi and Linda for bringing Otis into our lives.

Welcome!

This new welcome sign was a gift from our LI family. I love the cheerful birds.

It matches our Christmas gift

Table Manners

We decided to barbecue and eat dinner outside on the deck. Inside, the dogs have good table manners. They know not to beg and usually lay down under the table while we eat.

Once outside, it seems that Cooper and Otis thought the rules changed. I am not sure if it was the smell of hot dogs and hamburgers cooking or if it was being out on a beautiful evening, that got them so excited.

Coop sat next to my chair and began to bark when the hot dogs were placed on the table. Otis sat near Jeff drooling. The down command got both dogs to lay down for 5 seconds and then they popped back up.

When the table was cleared, both Cooper and Otis got a small piece of hot dog. I guess their persistence paid off.

Meeting the Family

On Saturday morning, Jeff, Cooper, Otis and I headed to upstate NY to visit family. When we arrived  4 hours later, the dogs were anxious to get out of the car.

While we were there, Cooper and Otis got to meet some of Jeff's extended family. I was impressed by how good Coop and Otis acted. The dogs were not perfect, but after a long drive and being in an unfamiliar home with a group of strangers, both dogs were pretty well behaved.

Cooper wandered to each person to get petted. Looking at Coop, I was amazed. Was this the same dog, who when first adopted, never wanted human interaction ?  Coop took an immediate liking to Berry and kept placing his paw on her. This is Coop's way of saying, pet me! Thankfully, Berry is a dog person and she patiently petted Coop.

Otis bounded from person to person wanting attention . 80 pounds of dog coming at you can be a bit unnerving. Thankfully, everyone realized Otis is just a big happy dog, looking for love.

When we arrived home on Sunday afternoon, both dogs were exhausted and slept all afternoon.

Glimmerglass Opera

I have always wanted to attend an opera. Unfortunately, Jeff does not have the same desire. Luckily, my mother in-law knew of my interest and generously purchased two tickets to Carmen, at the Glimmerglass Opera in Cooperstown, NY.

I did not know what to expect, but the opera was fantastic! One hour before the show begins, Glimmerglass has an expert discuss the composer, the opera and parts of songs are played, so you know what to look/listen for during the show. This was interesting and helpful for a first time attendee.

We had "critic's row" seats and an excellent view of the stage. I was surprised to see that the people in attendance ranged from age 16-80. Dress ranged from suits and long dresses to slacks and even a few people wore shorts.

At 8pm, the scheduled start time, the announcer said a patron had a medical emergency and the opera will begin after medical services arrive. At 8:30, the ambulance came and the opera began.

I had always pictured opera singers as large men wearing viking helmets. Imagine my surprise, when a svelete Carmen and muscular Don Jose stepped onto the stage. I did not realize that a large part of the opera was the dancing and the theatrics, not just the music.  The singers were incredible and the 3 hours passed quickly.

If you are ever in Cooperstown,  NY in the summer and want to attend the opera, I would highly suggest visiting Glimmerglass, I know I will never forget my night at the opera.

Hydrangea

I love the purple color of these flowers

Wall of Rhodies

The rhododendron blooms  are at their peak!

Treatment Options

Dr Duffy called to discuss Cooper's Cushings Disease diagnosis. Unfortunately, Dr Duffy did not have the detailed blood test results, so we spoke in generalities. Dr Duffy did not recommend surgery. To remove an adrenal gland is a difficult surgery, since this is located close to major arteries, including the aorta.

Medication could be used to block the hormones which are being produced. The preferred medication is safe with few side effects. Dr Duffy said if Coop's symptoms are not severe, we could wait to begin treatment.

Dr Duffy is going to speak with the Cornell vet. After Dr Duffy has all the details, we will determine what to do. I was very relieved to hear that surgery was not recommended.

Unstuffed

The new toys from Linda had a very short life. Even though all the stuffing is torn out, both dogs still like to carry them around.  Of course, they both want the same toy at the same instant.

Dr Duffy is back from vacation, but we are still waiting to hear from him about Cooper's treatment options.

CT Made the Top 5!

Well, if you count "The Top Five States With The Highest Median Real Estate Taxes" a good list.

Easter in July

Happy 4th of July!
The Easter lilies are now in bloom!

Ice Cold

With plans to visit our LI family, I knew it was time to give the dogs a bath. Since the day was warm and sunny, we decided to wash the dogs in the driveway.

The water from the well was ice cold. Otis was a good sport and just stood patiently while he was shampooed and rinsed.The instant the cold water hit Cooper, he shook from head to toe, getting all of us wet.

The dogs spent the afternoon on the deck drying out.

Senetti II

In the early spring, I purchased a Senetti. The instructions said that when the plant stopped blooming, move it outdoors, replant in a larger pot and trim the plant to half its size.

It has been a few weeks since the plant was trimmed and now it is in bloom again.