An Aries (Who Knows Some Stuff)
The only crafty things that happened at The Compound were my attempt to get better photos with my phone’s camera and dogs jockeying for position on the couch with Tim. Pixie, being spooned by him, and Penny and Sugar, cuddled together at his feet, were the clear winners. At this point, Rex had vanished into a bedroom, and Guinness was on the floor at my feet. Meanwhile, Margot had declared the crate in the dining room her new Fort Emo and was repelling any invasion attempts with her breath.
It’s a gorgeous day in Houston–bright and bold enough to make gray safe to share with some random shots I’ve taken.
Squirrel!
Gray Chucks on red wood.
Eeyore gets a surprise in Pooh Garden.
Big Mama.
1. Do not mock alien.
2. Do not come between alien and its food source.
3. Do not look directly into alien’s eyes.
While their jet-setting mom was visiting Savannah, Little Blind Sparky, Mama’s Girl Minute, and Paco the Brave have been staying at The Compound. It’s been boot camp around here. I can’t manage five dogs without military-like order and discipline. Today I gave them baths using deliciously aromatic shampoo and conditioner for dogs that Tim brought over. Now I have nag champa incense burning. With their short memories, I’m hoping this means they’ll tell Lynne it was like a spa retreat around this place. Maybe it’s time to turn up the volume on Enya.
Minute. Face of a possum killer.
Paco. Rowr!
You know if it’s not on the Internet–with photos–it didn’t happen. So here are a few photos capturing 2011 moments I haven’t yet documented.
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Houston’s AssistHers organization held a two-day tattoo and piercing marathon to raise money for their client programs. For nearly fifteen years, AssistHers has worked with an all-volunteer staff to provide non-medical, in-home support and care to lesbians with illnesses such as cancer, fibromyalgia, HIV/AIDS, and multiple sclerosis. Multiple tattoo and piercing artists from Gaslight Gallery Tattoo & Piercing, Monster Tattoo Company, Scorpion Studios Tattoo, and Bombshell Tattoo donated their time and the bulk of their proceeds from the event to AssistHers.
I was lucky enough to be present for two of these tattoos, as inked by the fantastic Kat Adlerz at Gaslight. I can’t even adequately tell you how cool Kat is–the next time you want a tattoo, she’s your artist!–and I shot photos of her at work. During Saturday’s session, I saw her ink Lindsey on the underside of the arm where her camera tattoo is. The new tattoo says VITA BREVIS/ARS LONGA, which is fancy talk for “Life is short/Art is long.” As Mark L has noted, at least two of my Magnetic Poetry poems have this theme. I think most people who create hope that what we do will exist beyond our years on the planet. The next day, Tim got another tattoo, just around the shoulder blade from his original Barking Dog. His new ink is a fox. |
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People getting inked is one of the most mesmerizing things to watch, and it always makes me want to get a tattoo. I never have and probably never will, but I understand the allure.
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These photos are all blurry because this young lady stays on the move. It’s always a pleasure when EZ comes to visit. If you’re new to my LJ or you don’t read Tim’s, EZ is the first dog he fostered for Scout’s Honor. You can learn about her by following her thread on Tim’s LJ.
I consider her a miracle dog. She suffered terrible injuries when she was thrown out of the back of a pickup truck on one of Houston’s toll roads. Her people never stopped or came back. Another driver stopped and rescued her, and she ended up sponsored by Scout’s Honor. She needed a lot of surgery, many casts, and a “bionic” leg. She had to be spayed and treated for heart worms. When Scout’s Honor put out the call for help, Tim saw it and applied to foster her. And many generous donors paid for her extensive vet care. EZ spent most of her early days at Tim’s in her crate. Because she hadn’t been properly socialized, she was best suited for a single-dog family without young children. Ultimately, she became a healthy, beautiful dog and after a year with Tim, found the most amazing forever home. We’re so lucky that her new family lets her stay with us when they travel. I guess EZ was Tim’s gateway dog, because since her time here, sixteen more dogs have been fostered at The Compound. They’ve come in all shapes and sizes, with every kind of personality, and each of them has gone to a forever home best suited to his or her temperament and needs. If you love dogs and cats but aren’t in a position to make a forever home for one–it can be expensive!–you might consider looking into a foster program like Scout’s Honor that pays for all the costs but needs someone willing to provide room and maybe a little training and socializing to rescued animals. And if you can’t foster or adopt, rescue organizations always need financial assistance. |
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Finally, we also celebrated a birthday here in late January–with cake. Do you understand how we feel about cake at The Compound?
For the longest time I’ve been sure I had a day of photos missing (from a 2008 trip). Last night I found them on the laptop and was able to copy them to my current desktop. (They may still be misfiled on my old PC as well. I’m an archivist’s nightmare.) That search and recovery was prompted by my wish for a specific Photo Friday shot.
All that reminded me of pulling photos from my old cell before I finalized my phone upgrade earlier this week. In doing so, I discovered a photo taken last August on a Craft Night. Margot had sequestered herself away from the rest of us in a crate (if she goes into Fort Emo under the bed, it’s not as effective, since then the rest of us don’t get to see how much she suffers). Tim reached into the crate to pet her (so she could pretend to hate the attention), and he fell asleep. I surreptitiously caught the moment with my cell phone. It always took the worst photos; the iPhone can only be an improvement.
Now with bonus puppy! I went by Scout’s Honor’s adoption event today and couldn’t resist getting a shot of this cutie pie to accompany today’s poem.
P.S. For those playing along, I made “been” out of “be” and “men” if you’d rather use those words.
I spy two pretty girls in the window.
They are watching two pretty girls on the stairs.
Gorgeous day here.
Now I’m absolutely positive that Timothy J. Lambert sometimes dances in his apartment and that his dogs see this. So there was NO REASON why Pixie, Rex, and Penny had to freeze and stare at me like I’d lost my mind because of a little chair dancing. Everybody’s a critic.
I’m feeling very Thanksgivingy. Tonight’s menu: baked hen, cornbread dressing, cranberry sauce, beans, and salad. Wish you were here!
