Decorating Gustav for Christmas

Decorating Gustav for Christmas
Originally uploaded by Michael™.

Riley and Morgan's Christmas

love this one
Originally uploaded by goldenpaws.

I made this collage of Touille's photos...

touille collage
Originally uploaded by MBK.

... I made the Touille collage to be included in the multi-media display at the most recent celebration of the feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi at Christ Church Cathedral in St. Louis. The organizers invited folks to send them any photos of pets, deceased or still living, with their human companions or alone. I realized that I didn't have a really good photo of me with Touille where we both looked good. So I made the collage of photos showing Touille in different poses. The photos were shown on a good-sized screen, and they went through them all at least twice. Photos of zoo and jungle animals were interspersed with pictures of dogs, cats, penguins, and tree frogs. There was some recorded music playing, vaguely religious sounding. I'm not sure if the music had to do with animals, Saint Francis, or what, but it sounded kind of pretty.

In attendance at the blessing were many dogs, a few cats, an owl, and two horses (outside). This was the first year that I came alone. I missed having Touille with me, as I always miss her. But I liked seeing her photos up on the screen.

More from the 2006 Animal Blessing

From last year's Animal Blessing, Touille makes friends with a dachshund:



More from 2005

And here's a photo of Touille from a long-ago Blessing of the Animals at the cathedral:



More from the Animal Blessing sometime in the 1990s

Rest in peace, little Touille dog.

Touille's Mardi Gras costume

Touille's Mardi Gras costume
Originally uploaded by MBK.

I'm finding old photos of Touille now that she is gone. This one was from an old roll of film that I never even got developed until last week. It's got to be from the year 2000 or before.

Today I am trying to check out a lot of blogs participating in Blogathon [edited out link because it leads somewhere else now] but it's not easy. For some reason a lot of the blogs crash the browser on my admittedly antique computer. So then I have to reboot.

When I first posted about the blogathon on MB's Blogasm, there were almost 400 bloggers listed as being ready to participate. The blogathon started at 8 AM my local time, and I was especially trying to check out my friend SJ on her blog [edited out dead link] The Write Coast, because I am one of her sponsors. She is blogging for Puppies Behind Bars.

I saw SJ's first post and then... nothing. Though I have never met SJ in person, I feel that I know a lot about her through her various blogs and emails, and it seemed so unlike her to just quit after her first post. Finally I checked the Blogathon site's list of bloggers and luckily the link to her emergency blog had been added, so I was able to see [EDIT: now dead link] a wonderful post about Touille.

I'm proud of SJ for setting up an emergency blog and am so moved by the Touille post, and I've enjoyed her mix of haiku, rants, photos, and the "I AM" game.

It seems that several people had to drop out today, or just forgot this momentous day. I will not call their names here (I've visited some of their blogs and seen that they are not participating) but the total dollar amount of the pledges is still going UP, even though the number of bloggers has gone down from a high of I think 394 yesterday morning.

At this writing:
Number of blogs: 329  
Total pledges: 86,154.45

Besides SJ, here are a few of the other bloggers who are definitely keeping up with things [EDIT: in 2019 all of these blogs are gone so I've removed all the links]:

Pictures From My World, blogging for the World Wildlife Fund with nice photos of all kinds of animals.

Maldrobe Warfunctions, writing 48 sonnets in 24 hours for Doctors Without Borders.

Woolgathering - ramblings of a woman who really ought to know better, blogging for the RSPCA, with a few contests going and inviting us to share photos of pets.

How Animals Save Us Every Day, blogging live from (and for) the Glendale Humane Society with photos of cute doggies and kitties.

Waiting for the other shoe to drop..., blogging for Best Friends Animal Society, telling interesting little stories.

Rest In Peace, Touille

Touille's journey.
Touille departed this life on May 27, 2006. Here are some photos of Touille from the past year.




May 7, 2006 - walking on a nice sunny day




May 7, 2006 - strutting




January 14, 2006 - resting




June 28, 2005 - on the balcony




July 18, 2005 - looking back at me




February 5, 2006 - waiting at the top of the stairs




February 5, 2006 - sitting up to beg for food, a trick I never taught her




May 27, 2006 - Touille's last walk




May 27, 2006 - Touille only made it halfway up the stairs. I carried her the rest of the way up. I washed her face and carried her back to the car. We drove to the Humane Society office at 8 AM.




Driving to the Humane Society for the last time.




The last photo I took of Touille, still in the car. At the Humane Society, I held her and kissed her and told her she was a good dog.


More about Touille

Usciamo?

Usciamo? by RoBeRtO!!!.

More pictures of this cute dog can be found in the Jary photo album.

The photographer gave this picture the title "Usciamo?" I don't know the Italian language, but this dog is definitely waiting for something to happen, perhaps a walk or a nice dish of food.

(MB just looked up a translation on babel fish, and the Italian word means "we exit?")

- Touille, who can feel the expectation in the stance and the eyes of this little dog

UPDATE from MB:  In 2019, Babelfish still exists, but AltaVista does not.

Flickr Groups

[The link is broken for the original photo featured on this post.] 
There are thousands of photos in the Dogs! Dogs! Dogs! photo pool.
If you like looking at photographs of dogs, you could spend hours on Flickr.
Here are a few more Flickr photo groups dedicated to dogs:

• Dachshunds
• You Are A Dog People
• My Chihuahua is cuter than Your Chihuahua
• Puppy Love
• Dogs in the white stuff
• Your Dog Nose
• Dogs in Cars
• Dogs with an Attitude
• Who let the Dogs Out?

- Touille, a dog whose photographic likeness may be found in some of the aforementioned groups

easter song - Nutmeg sings "howlleluia"

easter song
Originally uploaded by bfelice.
Happy Easter and Happy Passover to everyone.

- Touille, who plans to spend the day in quiet contemplation and feasting

Old Dog

Old Dog
Originally uploaded by Lynn Morag.

"Even the dog enjoyed the party - though he was surprised that his garden was full of people!"

from the Scotland photo set. The photographer, Lynn Morag, includes this quotation on the photo set page:

"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn."

- John Muir (1838 - 1914)

MB is enjoying the day scouring the Flickr website for photos related to Scotland and Scottish things, to be added to our blogs for Tartan Day. MB seems to be concentrating on the Highland Games photos this year, but she has found this bucolic scene to place on my blog.

- Touille, who also enjoys sitting in a sunny spot

another dog wearin' the green (photo no longer on flickr)

[Original photo "such a ham!" has been deleted from Flickr. However, you can view it on Touille's blog via the Wayback Machine web archive.] The photographer says:

such a ham!
she stood there for about three minutes and let me take all the shots i wanted without blinking!!!! see why i love this girl?!

I think that in spite of this feathery concoction around her neck, this dog retains her dignity. I must sign off now, as I see MB rummaging through some green ribbons looking for something to wear to the parade, and she seems to be eyeing me as well.

- Touille, who may yet have to submit to being photographed in an ensemble of green today

Bassett O'Hound

Bassett O'Hound
Originally uploaded by michaelrighi.

The photographer chose the title for this photo, and (I am sure) the outfit that this dog is wearing. This photograph is also a part of the group photo pool St. Patrick's Day all over the world.

MB has promised not to dress me in green or take me to any parades this year. But she is planning to go to the parade herself and take many photographs. That means that she will spend the rest of the day sitting at the computer and uploading photos to the Flickr.com website again.

- Touille, who thinks that this Bassett Hound looks rather handsome despite the peculiar costume

"Dog Surfing" ??? (original photo no longer on Flickr)

[2019 Update: The dog surfing photo couldn't be found but the photographer is still active on Flickr. Touille's original post including the photo can be seen via the Wayback Machine.]
 Original photo uploaded by zenbombed.

Some of the humans who commented on this photo referred to it as "dog surfing" as though this might be the latest craze for felines. I prefer to think that this cat and this dog are friends, and that the dog is kindly giving the cat a ride upon his/her back. I hope that cats are not beginning to leap upon the backs of unsuspecting dogs just because they've seen another cat do such a thing.

- Touiile, a very small dog who is smaller than most cats, and who hopes that cats will not leap on her without warning

Men in Kilts - Alexandria, Virginia

Men in Kilts
Originally uploaded by Greg Jagiello.

I haven't been to this parade in Alexandria, but I have marched in several parades over the years. Now that I am an elderly dog of seventeen (in "people" years), I have pretty much retired from parades. Groups of kilt-wearing men are likely to also be playing bagpipes, which I find to be loud and not pleasant. MB claims to like the whining sound of the pipers, and she is also fond of the booming drum, which I don't care for either.

- Touille, a small dog with sensitive ears

a dog's eye view of boys in kilts... (original photo no longer on Flickr)

[The Boys in Kilts photo is no longer available on Flickr. The original post on Touille's blog, including photo, can be viewed via the web archive site, The Wayback Machine.]
Originally uploaded by Paul J Whaley.

Paul's Pugs album can be seen here.

I don't know if the Boys in Kilts photo was taken with a dog's eye view in mind. But this is the general view that we dogs get of humans - from the ground up.

MB is looking for Scottish things right now in preparation for the Tartan Day Gathering of the Blogs. We participated last year, and as MB is about one-eighth Scottish, we plan to find photographs of Scots and Scottish things to add to our blogs again this year.

Here is a link to my 2005 Gathering of the Blogs post:

Scottish Tartans - MacMillan clan

- Touille, a small dog who is just a mutt, really, but who can be thought of as a pale wheaten Scottish Terrier mix if necessary

bumblebee dog at the Soulard Pet Parade

bumblebee
Originally uploaded by MBK.

According to the St. Louis Post Dispatch, the pet parade had 8000 dogs and ten times as many humans, but the "small and skinny" stayed home. MB reports that she saw no whippets, and few chihuahuas. Even dogs that were bundled up in blankets were shivering with the cold. This dog seemed to do fine, and had one of the favorite costumes. MB had used up her memory cards by the time the alligator dog and the Harry Potter group came by. But she did get the Harry Potter dog on her phone camera.

- Touille, small and skinny, who this year is hearing about the pet parade after the fact

8000 Dogs braved the cold weather for the Pet Parade..

parade-fireplace.jpg
Originally uploaded by bfelice.

This person's dog stayed home. As did I.

- Touille, who has no fireplace, but who stayed home in the warm bed during the parade this year

Mystic Krewe of Barkus Parade: herd of weiner dogs

parade-herd1.jpg
Originally uploaded by bfelice.

Here are the photos that MB's friend BFelice took at the Pet Parade on the very cold Sunday: barkus 2006

I haven't seen Nutmeg lately, but I am reasonably sure that she agrees with me: 20 degrees Farenheit is too cold to be hanging around the streets. The actual walking part was probably OK, because exercise gets the blood circulating. But I've had a lot of parade experience, and the walking lasts only a few minutes, while the standing around waiting to walk takes hours.

- Touille, a small elderly dog who prefers to wait inside a heated building, preferably one with a big comfy bed

Krewe of Barkus Parade in New Orleans

Mardi Gras 2006 photo album by DJMAGS.

I hope it was warmer in New Orleans than it was here in St. Louis, Missouri, for the Pet Parade. MB and her friend BFelice attended the Krewe of Barkus parade in the Soulard neighborhood of St. Louis, but luckily for me (and for Nutmeg, my best friend) they left us at home in our warm houses, while they braved the below freezing temperatures to watch and photograph other dogs as they marched through the chilly streets of Soulard.

Here are MB's photos from that frigid day: Soulard Pet Parade

- Touille, who has marched in many a parade, but who has now retired from cold weather parading

rZx & the dink

rZx & the dink
Originally uploaded by richardzx.

These two are raptly looking at something. I wish I knew what it was.

- Touille, a curious dog

Greetings from the Big Bed

hi cute touille
Originally uploaded by MBK.

MB took this photo of me as I was taking advantage of her absence from the big bed. When she vacates it, I can spread out and get right in the center of the bed and arrange the many blankets to my liking. MB calls it "making a nest."

- Touille, who has always been a "nesting dog"

Miesha... Too cute!

Miesha..Too cute!
Originally uploaded by Padrone.


Padrone, the photographer, was the one who calls the photo "too cute!" Of course a young sweet dog is cute. There is no such thing as being too cute. Cuteness is one of the tools that small dogs and puppies have to use so that we can obtain favors and food and attention from humans.

According to Padrone, Miesha had just had a swim in this photo, so her fur is still wet. At age 6 months, she is at the height of cuteness.

There are more photos of Miesha and other animals in this photo set: Miesha and Clem.

The dogs in this photoset all look really fine, but the cat(s) look somewhat crazed. I am not sure if there is one cat or several, but all the photos of cats show the mouth open and the eyes wide. And not in a cute way.


- Touille, a small dog who, although now somewhat elderly, is still extremely cute

Mickey

Mickey
Originally uploaded by Lida Rose.
The photographer, Lida Rose, says:

Taking a photo of a Siberian Husky is not an easy thing to do. They are busy. Very wired as they need to be energetic to pull sleds long distances. I lured Mickey with a rawhide bone into standing still long enough to take this photo. He is my beautiful, big boy.

You can see more of Lida Rose's photos of her pets and her daughter's pets in this photoset.

- Touille, a small dog who has never pulled a sled

Chinese New Year 2006

Chinese New Year 2006
Originally uploaded by Food Trails.

It's the year of the Dog. I predict it will be a very good year.

- Touille Dog

Touille and the steps

pause before the final leap

I used to run up these 16 steps as fast as possible. Lately if I try to do that, I fall back down. But I can take it one step at a time to this point, and then I gather myself for the final leaping up to the top.

(MB always waits behind me to catch me just in case.)

- Touille, an elderly heart patient now, but still a dog who can't resist that final two-at-a-time leap

dogs can fly!

Flying
Originally uploaded by 97439weathernerd.

part of the Cooper photo set.

- Touille, who used to be able to fly like this at a younger age

MELODY

MELODY
Originally uploaded by MIBSASHA.

Melody is a fine looking dog, and Melody's person, MIBSASHA, has a collection of photos called "MY PETS".

- Touille, a small and handsome dog

Mourning Dove

Burnished breast
Originally uploaded by Lida Rose.

A Dozen Animal Stories for 2005 from the Humane Society.
#8 is: Michigan mourning dove hunts are canceled

In June 2004, Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm backed away from a campaign promise and signed a bill into law that overturned a 99-year-old ban on hunting mourning doves - an animal that the Michigan House of Representatives had earlier named the state bird of peace. Following the state's first dove hunt in a century, animal advocates rallied around the bird and launched a petition drive to gather enough signatures to place a measure on the 2006 Michigan ballot. In March, those advocates turned in more than 275,000 signatures, 73% more than required.

Three months later, the state certified the signatures, which not only placed the anti-dove-hunting measure on the ballot, but also canceled the dove hunts for 2005 and 2006.

- Touille, who has eaten other types of bird, but would not want to eat a bird of peace

My trip to the county on a warm winter day

big big yard
Originally uploaded by MBK.


I live in the city, and since MB and I are apartment dwellers on the second floor, MB has to take me out and walk me on a leash. We have no back yard to speak of, although many of my fellow city residents have fairly large yards.

My cousin Alexia lives in St. Louis County, not too far from the city line. This is a photo of me in Alex's very large yard. It was January 9th, what should be the dead of winter, but it got up to 70 degrees Farenheit that day.


Here's a photo of Alex, myself, and a small human boy (MB's nephew) who I allow to pet me because he is very gentle and does not pounce. As a small dog who is not overfond of children, I find that one of my pet peeves is a small person who likes to descend upon me in furious fashion. Most children seem to fit this category.

- Touille, a little dog who prefers to associate with persons of refinement, quietness and calmness

Nutmeg's historic flight

a portrait celebrating nutmeg's historic flight
Originally uploaded by mick y.

My best friend Nutmeg has been immortalized in this fine portrait by photographer bfelice (view her manipulations) and photo manipulator mick y (view his manipulations) for the Manipulate this! group on Flickr.com.
From what I understand, a photographer submits a photo to the manipulate this! group and then other photographers take the photo and play around with it and submit it back.

All I know is, I am very proud of my friend Nutmeg, and this photo of her shows the great feats that she is capable of performing.


- Touille, a small dog who is content to travel no higher than her second floor apartment (but who must leap up the last few steps every time)