Friday, September 30, 2016

FRIDAY, DOXIE STYLE

"Why am I smiling, you ask? Because it's FRIDAY, baby!"
Image result for dachshunds TGIF


Image result for dachshunds TGIF

Dachshunds . . . you gotta love 'em, especially on Fridays!

Thursday, September 29, 2016

A HANDFUL OF CUTENESS


I've often said that I'm a sucker for puppies, and this one is no exception--what a KEE-YUTE
fur baby!!

Dachshunds . . . you gotta love 'em, whatever age they are.

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

THE LIFE OF A DOXIE


"Time to get up ALREADY?"

"Just layin' in the grass, catchin' some rays"

"Now this is the life"

"All in all, I have a great life"

Dachshunds excel at relaxing, don't you agree? And . . . you gotta love 'em.

Monday, September 26, 2016

CUTENESS FIX FOR A MONDAY

"The family that plays together stays together!"

There's only one thing I like better than a dachshund: more dachshunds!

Here are some cute and adorable photos of doxie groups:

Three coats: red, black, dapple--all cute!

Black-and-tan litter: they all
look like my doxie Duke!

Sweet babies

Small, medium, and large--how DID that
photographer get them all to face the same way??

And last, but certainly  not least:

Triple cute = C3

Dachshunds . . . what's not to love?

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

DRIVING DACHSHUNDS


I have no doubts that a dachshund COULD drive a vehicle, especially in order to find food! LOL

"Hold onto your hat, Martha!"

"We're taking a Sunday afternoon drive. Wanna come?"


Dachshunds . . . you gotta love 'em.


Tuesday, September 20, 2016

THE DACHSHUND ESCAPADES TO BE RELEASED AS A BOXED SET!

That's right! I am formatting the manuscript for creating a boxed set of all five books of THE DACHSHUND ESCAPADES.

What's a boxed set, you ask? All five ebooks will be released as one large ebook, just in time for Christmas. All five books together at your fingertips!

If you've been wondering what to buy the dog lovers you know, look no further--here they are:
I AM SARGE, Book 1
I AM DACHSHUND, Book 2
DACHSHUNDS FOREVER, Book 3
A DACHSHUND'S TRIBUTE, Book 4
A DACHSHUND'S MERRY-GO-ROUND LIFE, Book 5


More details coming soon--I'll keep readers posted on the progress of the publication process. Stay tuned!

Dachshund books . . .  you gotta love 'em!



Friday, September 16, 2016

MIRROR, MIRROR . . .


"Mirror, mirror, on the wall,
Who's the doxiest of us all?"

You have to wonder what this beautiful cream doxie is thinking. It's always interesting watching a dog looking at the dog they see in the mirror, especially puppies. They very much want to play with that other dog, but it isn't cooperating!

Image result for dachshund looking in mirror
"C'mon out, you coward!"


Image result for dachshund looking in mirror
"I'll bite you on the nose!"


Image result for dachshund mirror
"Bet I can catch you first!"

 Dachshunds are such hams, but that's one of the MANY things I love about them--they will play to an audience at the drop of a hat.

Dachshunds . . . you gotta love 'em!

Thursday, September 15, 2016

DACHSHUNDS FOREVER 76% OFF FOR LIMITED TIME!

Dachshunds Forever, Book 3 of THE DACHSHUND ESCAPADES
discounted 76% for a limited time, beginning this Saturday:


That's right! the Kindle Countdown Deal for September begins this Saturday, Sept. 17, and this e-book price will be only 99 cents (from 8:00 a.m. Saturday until 12 a.m. Sunday PST)!

Dachshunds Forever will return to its original price of $3.99 on Tuesday, Sept. 20. Meanwhile, the e-book price will be  $1.99 on Sunday, Sept. 18, and $2.99 on Monday, Sept. 19

Why should you read this book? If you're a doxie lover, you'll enjoy Sarge the doxie's comical tales about life, family, and his escapades, all written in his very own doxie style:

"Sarge the precocious dachshund continues the chronicle of his own unpredictable dawg's life, along with his zany family of beloved humans and assorted animals. He travels out west to Arizona with his doxie pal Duke (and a couple of his humans, of course), sightseeing along the way in a motor home. Sarge encounters an Elvis impersonator in Memphis, admires cowboys and cattle across Texas, travels through desert in New Mexico, and enjoys mouthwatering regional food along the way. He'll have readers wanting to join in it all with him!

"The Grand Canyon, which Sarge dubs as 'the biggest ditch I've ever seen,' provides even more adventure to his trip of a lifetime. Duke his protege, the conniving cats (remember the Fuzz Brothers?), and Gizmo the chatty cockatiel--who insists on calling Sarge cutie--will have readers chuckling.

"Affectionately written by Sarge as only a dog can, Dachshunds Forever reveals his clever wit, keen intelligence, and refreshing perspective on life."

To order Dachshunds Forever, click on the direct link to Amazon below:

Free Kindle reading apps are available for your smart phone, tablet, or computer:

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

IT'S ALMOST FALL, Y'ALL!

It's time for my annual tribute to fall, my favorite season of the year! What do I like about fall?



memories:
  • I met my hubby in the month of October
  • he asked me to marry him in the month of November
  • we married in the month of December (two years later)  
other reasons:
  • cooler, less humid air
  • beautiful colors
  • apple harvest
  • pumpkin spice everything
  • clear, not hazy, sunshine
  • hint of holidays to come
  • numerous family birthdays and anniversaries
and . . .
  • I just feel better when the weather is cooler!

What about you?

Image result for colorful fall images

Image result for colorful fall images


Tuesday, September 13, 2016

A PHOTOGRAPH VS. VERMEER'S PAINTING

Below is a photo of my twelve-year-old granddaughter Annika taken by her mom (our daughter Holly) on Labor Day at our home. Holly said she simply asked Annika to stand facing away from the camera. When Holly told Annika to turn around, Holly snapped the picture.




I love this photo! It speaks to me in so many ways--that of a young lady on the verge of womanhood, her entire life ahead of her with all of its ups and downs, joys and sorrows, experiences both good and bad, and a life in the Lord to fulfill.

As I looked at this photo many times, it kept stirring a memory buried deep within my "filing cabinet" of a memory bank, but at first,  I couldn't put my finger on what Annika's photo reminded me of. Just the other day, it hit me: Annika looks so much like the subject in Girl with the Pearl Earring painting by the famous Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer!

Image result
Girl with the Pearl Earring, circa 1665-67

While in college, I took an art appreciation course, as required by my major of English--I chose art over music appreciation. I had no idea how much I would love that course and the 17th century Dutch masters, studying and learning far beyond any expectations by my professor. When we had tests, he had to stop me from writing my copious answers at the end of class, because I had memorized so many details about various works of art and often filled up those blue exam composition books, resorting to using the back cover when I ran out of pages! 

I fell in love with the Dutch masters, including Rembrandt, one of the more famous Dutch artists. I loved their light and shadow, their reality, as if they had taken a photograph of their subjects. Well, they did--but with paint rather than film.

In any case, back to Annika: see that hint of mystery in her eyes, just like the girl in the painting? What was she thinking as that photo was snapped? Does she realize she's very pleasing to the beholder? As her doting grandmother, of course I think Annika is beautiful. I know her very well, and she's a loving, goofy, intelligent preteen who is so much fun. 

Not much is known about the girl in the painting; conjecture places her as Vermeer's daughter Maria, and the movie by the same name (Colin Firth played Vermeer, Scarlet Johansson played the girl) suggests that she was a maid in his household with whom he had an affair. Truth be told, nobody knows. I just know that the expression in that oil painting reminds me of Annika's.

Below are a few more of Vermeer's paintings. He was known for painting the everyday life around him, giving us a glimpse into the daily life of his time. Note the detail in his paintings! In the first, the window and the tablecloth are amazing. The folds of the woman's garments. The light and shadow on the wall behind her. They say that an artist's eye is different from that of us "ordinary" people. I tend to agree, because they notice fine detail that most of us never see.


Image result
Woman with a Water Jug, circa 1662

In the painting below, I was interested in this one because my family visited Delft when I was a child. In fact, I still have a few pieces of the famous blue-and-white Delftware that my mother bought at that time. We lived in Europe for six and one half years while my dad was in the military, stationed in France and Germany. Delft still had buildings that looked exactly like these, centuries later. Perhaps they were the same ones--I don't know. Europeans tend to build things that last for centuries, you know!

Again, notice the details: the reflection on the water, the way the sunlight plays on the tops of some buildings, not others. It's cloudy that day, and he captured the light perfectly. Oh, to be able to paint like that!

Image result
View of Delft, circa 1660-61

Below, The Music Lesson shows an upper class household. Note the piano and its intricate inlaid wood, the tablecloth, and the clothing. Light and shadow play an important part of the overall painting, and the mirror behind the piano adds depth. The angles reflected in the mirror are pure genius!
Image result for The Music Lesson
The Music Lesson, circa 1662-65

This post has nothing to do with dachshunds, but perhaps you (and I) needed something different to think about/look at.

My beautiful granddaughter is well worth it!

Monday, September 12, 2016

WANNA SIGN UP?





Hey, doxie lovers!

I invite you to sign up for my free monthly newsletter, which I call "sunshine in your inbox!"
Featuring my books (and excerpts), cute doxie photos, personal tidbits, recipes of the mouth-watering dishes from THE DACHSHUND ESCAPADES, humor, an inspirational corner, and much more:
http://eepurl.com/biq2s5

I value your privacy, so I'll never share your information.

If you love doxies, I'd love to have join with other doxie lovers--sign up today! (Note: you can opt out easily at any time--but I hope you won't want to!)



Friday, September 9, 2016

HAPPY WEEKEND!

Image result for friday dachshund images

Hope you have a great and enjoyable weekend, folks! We're not doing anything special here--just enjoying being around the house. Clark will mow grass and I will putter around home. We enjoy being at home and doing things both inside and outside.

Duke just wants to be wherever we are.

Duke: King of the Hill


Dachshunds . . . you gotta love 'em.

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

LABOR DAY FUN WITH FAMILY


We had a seriously good time yesterday with our oldest daughter and family. We had a cookout, and my hubby Clark let the grands ride the lawn tractor around the yard. They loved it, especially when he set it to go faster!  They are future grass cutters, after all.

The doxies spent most of their time hovering around the grill while Clark was cooking, in true doxie fashion. They are classic chow hounds.

Doxies hanging around the grill: Duke our doxie
and Shadow, our doxie granddawg


Moi with the grands


Alexa learning to ride the lawn tractor so she can
cut grass when she's older


Annika having a yee haw time!


Asher takes this thing seriously!

Dachshunds . . . you gotta love 'em!

Friday, September 2, 2016

LABOR DAY SALE: I AM DACHSHUND

I AM DACHSHUND
Book 2 of THE DACHSHUND ESCAPADES

Kindle Countdown Deal:
Sat., 09/03 - 99 cents
(8:00 am PST for 24 hours)

Sun., 09/04 - $1.99
(8:00 am PST for 24 hours)

Mon., 09/05 - $2.99 (full price)

Five-star review on Amazon:
"A warm and funny story, written in true Southern style. A must read for dachshund lovers everywhere. I highly recommend this book."

Free Kindle Reading App:



Thursday, September 1, 2016

DACHSHUNDS LOVE THE DACHSHUND ESCAPADES!

"Have you read THE DACHSHUND ESCAPADES yet?"

Image result for dachshund wearing glasses
"You really should, you know. Sarge the doxie has
humans figured out--most of the time!"

Image result for dachshund wearing glasses
"Personally, I read for relaxation--and Sarge's books give
me a few giggles along the way as well."

Dachshunds . . . you gotta love 'em!

Dachshund Books for Dog Lovers!

Dachshund Books for Dog Lovers!
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