50 s decorations

All Creation Waits book giveaway

Are you looking for a book to help you connect more to nature AND get more out of the holiday season? Then check out All Creation Waits by Gayle Boss ...I'm giving away two copies of All Creation Waits here today, so you too can enjoy this wonderful book.

All Creation Waits is a unique and thought-provoking book about the advent season which depicts how wild animals of North America adapt when cold and darkness descend. Each day for 24 days you'll discover how the Painted Turtle, Whitetail Deer, Chipmunk, Raccoon and many other woodland animals endure the long, dark days of winter. At the end, the author helps us to see how these winter preparations can help us prepare our hearts for the spiritual gift of Christmas.

Today I'm pleased to have the author, Gayle Boss, join us here at The Writer's Dog:

TWD: Your book is about animals and the Advent season. What does Advent mean to wild animals?

GB: Now is a time in the Northern Hemisphere when it is getting very dark and very cold. Animals' food sources are becoming depleted and they need more energy. They don't deny the dark and the cold--they've adapted to get through the season. There are 24 different animals in the book, and 24 different ways they adapt.

TWD: How can this help us prepare for Christmas?

GB: All the pressure to shop, decorate, turn up the music, and keep busy can make us physically sick. The animals are a metaphor--they can provide guides to handle the season in a healthy way by learning how the animals adapt.

TWD: What are some specific ways we can adapt?

GB: We can resist what the marketplace wants us to do (shop, get busy, do, do do). In response we can be more quiet. We're not always connected to nature, but nature still affects us. There are things we can do in our technology-ridden life to reconnect. For example, I go shopping and get everything done before Advent so that I can focus on the season. Instead of stringing multiple Christmas lights, we have just four advent candles, and we gather around them every night. We spend more time being quiet and reflecting.

TWD: What do you want readers to take away from your book?

GB: Enjoy and embrace quiet. Match your own rhythms to the rhythms of all creation.

TWD: That is wonderful. Thank you for sharing about your book. Now I'd like to know a little bit about your pets. You have a dog. How do you celebrate the holiday season with your dog?

GB: We have a 15 year old Corgi, Jessie. She has a big, thick coat and she loves the snow. I don't like the cold, but because she loves it, I go out. I bundle up and three times a day we go out for a 30-45 minute walk.

TWD: One last thing. How can we help our wild animal friends in the winter?

GB: I feed the birds and the squirrels in the winter, but just enough to supplement. I want to make it easier for them but I don't want them to become dependent on me, so I put out a small amount each day. I'll put out more when it's very cold out. In especially hard weather I put out corn or apples in the woods for the deer. I also make a brush pile in the back and possums, rabbits and other animals take shelter there.

TWD: Thank you, Gayle, for this enlightening interview, and for sharing your wonderful book with us. Two lucky winners will also get a copy of your book to enjoy!

I absolutely love this book, and highly recommend you add it to your holidays. Prepare for Christmas this year with with muskrats, chickadees, black bears, raccoons and other wild animals of North America. Lyrical and unique, this is an adult book that you can also share with children.

You can also order All Creation Waits in e-subscription. What a wonderful way to enjoy the holiday season. When you subscribe, you'll get one animal reflection in your inbox each day of Advent, starting December 1st.

Every year I say I'm going to put more meaning into Christmas, and every year I end up caught up in the hustle and bustle of shopping and decorating and my endless To-Do list...and all that "meaning" I'm searching for is lost. This year I read All Creation Waits helped me discover exactly what I've been missing.

Enter here to win. I'm giving away two copies of All Creation Waits!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

"Each of the beautiful creatures in this little book is a unique word of God, its own metaphor. . . they announce the Good News of Advent: that through every dark door the creating Love of the universe waits." — Richard Rohr, OFM

All Creation Waits ISBN 978-1-61261-785-5 $18.99
http://www.paracletepress.com/

Full Disclosure: I was provided with one copy of All Creation Waits to review, and two to give away. This in no way influenced my opinions. Opinions expressed here are 100% my own.

reade more...

Cat(s) on a Hot Shingled Roof

Do you see them?

They look like they are quite content.

Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop.

Do you see them?

They look like they are quite content.

Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop.

reade more...

Stray Magic review and book giveaway!

If only finding true love was as easy as falling for a stray dog. That's what Cara Snow thought. She worked in a specialty pet boutique, and always seemed to go crazy for some homeless pooch at their adoption clinics. But her love life was a disaster!

In her new book, Stray Magic, Jackie Bouchard blends her trademark humor with a passel of pups and a sprinkling of fairy dust. All I can say is I bet you've never met anyone quite like Vincent, Cara's matchmaker and fairy godfather. (Did I mention he was about 3 feet tall and wears a velour track suit?) And wait til you read what happens to Llewellyn, Cara's adorable corgi. He certainly comes to her rescue in a unique way!

If you're looking for a great story about dogs, love, magic spells that often spell trouble, and a lot of fun, be sure to pick up Stray Magic. And, enter our giveaway here!

Entering is easy! Simply leave a comment telling us one quality in a dog that you'd like to see in your significant other! Contest ends Monday 11/143 at midnight. Good luck!

Note: Contest open to U.S. residents only. Winner will receive your choice of one e-book or paperback copy of Stray Magic.

Be sure to visit Jackie Bouchard on Facebook or twitter to check out all her great fiction books for dog lovers! Get your copy of Stray Magic on amazon.

*Full disclosure: I was given one copy to review and one copy to give away in exchange for my honest review. This in no way influenced my decision. Opinions expressed here are 100% my own.

reade more...

Busy Dog or Lazy Pooch? Your Pet's Activity Level and GIVEAWAY

Do you wear a FitBit or other activity tracker? You know they're helpful in managing your activity goals. But have you ever wondered if your pet is getting enough exercise?

Petey, photo by Roy Gumpell

Are your walks together long enough? Is he running around in the yard or just laying in the sun? When you leave the house, is she actively playing or is she sleeping on your bed? If only you could have a FitBit for your dog!

Now you can, with the Poof activity tracker. AND, we're Giving Away Two Poof Activity Trackers at the end of the blog!!

Poof sent us two activity trackers to sample and review, and two to give away. We tried out the blue Bean for Petey, and the green Pea for Ernest.

Setting Up
At first I was a little intimidated because there seemed like a lot of parts. But the instructions are really clear and simple, and the parts are very straightforward.

THE BEAN- uses a USB cable to charge.
THE PEA- uses a battery

So the first step would be to determine which you would prefer, to charge or change the battery. Also, the Pea is a little bigger than the bean. The pea battery lasts up to 6 months and then you need to purchase a new battery. The bean charge lasts 6-8 weeks, then you need to recharge, which takes 4 hours to get a full charge--but you don't need to purchase anything additional. So, Question #1- would you rather have the convenience of a battery that lasts longer? Or, the cost-efficiency of recharging, but you have to remember to do it more frequently?

Getting Started
Once I put the pieces into the holders and attached them to the collar, it was time to download the app. You simply sign into the app, then hold the phone near the Poof on your dog's collar, and it connects! Easy peasy!

Reading the Data
Checking the data is quick and easy. I was able to enter multiple dogs on the same app, and could easily toggle back and forth between Ernest and Petey. At the top was the activity level for that day, broken into hours, and a graph to show light, moderate and high activity levels. Below that was a graph to show light and deep sleep. Then there as a bar graph showing calories. You can even enter feeding information to determine calories consumed and calories burned.

Uses for Poof
Poof is a great tool for
*helping manage your pet's weight.
*monitoring sleep patterns
*determining if they're active or sleeping when you're out of the house
*discerning if the pet sitter/walker exercised your pet for the appropriate time
* realizing if your pet is active at day care
*understanding changing activity/sleep patterns that can indicate health concerns
*In addition, Poof has a cool feature that maps your pet's location. Plus, Poof can send out alerts for your lost pet.
Question #2- Which way would you find Poof most helpful with your pet?

The Results
I've been having fun observing the difference in my senior dog Ernest's activity, vs. my puppy Petey's activity level! As you can imagine, Ernest has many periods of deep sleep, and mostly light activity. Petey, on the other hand, has fewer periods of sleep and a majority of high intensity activity! So far I have enjoyed seeing that my dogs basically sleep the whole time I'm out of the house, and sometimes they are awake and active in the middle of the night when I think they're sleeping. lol. It's a lot of fun to check the Poof app at the end of the day and see how they're doing!

--------------------------------------------------------

Would you like a Poof activity tracker for your pet? I'm giving away one Poof bean and one Poof pea! Just enter the Rafflecoptor below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

FULL DISCLOSURE: Poof sent me two Poof trackers to review and two to give away. This in no way influenced my review. Opinions expressed here are 100% my own.

Do you wear a FitBit or other activity tracker? You know they're helpful in managing your activity goals. But have you ever wondered if your pet is getting enough exercise?

Petey, photo by Roy Gumpell

--------------------------------------------------------

reade more...

Oh, the Mistakes we Make

To err is human, to forgive canine
In raising and training our dogs, we are likely to make some mistakes. I feel like I still have so much to learn in training especially. (Perhaps Petey and Ernest are training me!)

Ernest thinking, "How can I make her understand what I want?" I look clueless.

Recently, Pet Wellness Advisor asked two dozen pet bloggers "What is the biggest mistake dog owners make, and how can they fix/help this issue?"
The responses are well thought-out and reflect the experiences and expertise of a wise and diverse group. I was honored to be included in the panel. Of course, after I read each response I thought, "I wish I'd said that!"

You may be surprised by some of the answers. Here is a link to the article Pet Wellness Advisor Ask the Experts Round Up.

What are your thoughts? What do you think the biggest mistake pet parents make, and how can we help the issue?

Ernest thinking, "How can I make her understand what I want?" I look clueless.

reade more...

Remembering Kelly

Recently I found myself thinking more about my dogs Ernest and Petey, and less about the ones I'd lost six months ago, and it shocked me.

Maybe it's only natural to focus on the ones who are here day in and day out. Maybe it's because Ernest has cancer and we spend a great deal of time making sure we're caring for his health and comfort. Or because Petey is a puppy and so very consuming of time and energy. Maybe it's just the way it should be. But it feels wrong.

Especially with Kelly. I don't feel this same melancholy about Ike, the 10-year old golden retriever we lost in March. Ike is still with me in many ways. I think of Ike every time I look at Ernest and Petey, and feel a deep appreciation for this wonderful breed. Ever since Brooks, the dog we adopted when he was 11-years-old, we fell in love with golden retrievers. Especially the seniors. Maybe it's still having golden retrievers that helps me keep Ike's spirit alive.

But Kelly. Sometimes Kelly feels...gone. It seems like years, decades ago that we had Kelly. Yet we lost her in March, just after losing Ike. And we'd had her longest of any dog...15 years.

The last year with Kelly had been bad. Pacing. Loss of continence. Loss of mental faculties. She didn't like to be held anymore. She fell. Panted. She stared with eyes that barely recognized me anymore. That's not the Kelly I'm remembering today.

Kelly was a good dog. She used to be joyful. She ran, wagging her tail like a helicopter, springing from bush to bush in the yard. She loved to swim. She loved to jump. She jumped up on the back of my big green chair and curled around my neck like a scarf. She cuddled. She was smart. She could solve any puzzle or problem. She was in charge, that was for sure.

With any other dogs in the house, she was the boss. She controlled them with just a look. All our golden retrievers were respectful of her, and deferred to her leadership. But what I remember most is her empathy. She was always there beside me if ever I was down or not feeling well. There were many times when I was going through some challenge, and she just intuitively crept up and tucked herself in by my side. She was almost human, I thought. She understood me, and sometimes it seemed as though she read my thoughts.

It makes me happy to think of Kelly and how special she was, but it also makes me sad because I miss her all the more.

There once was a dog named Kelly, and we adopted her, and she was a part of the family and she loved us with everything she had. We played with her when she was young and we cared for her when she was suffering from dementia. And in March we said goodbye to her. And I love her. And I miss her.

Kelly was a good dog.

Recently I found myself thinking more about my dogs Ernest and Petey, and less about the ones I'd lost six months ago, and it shocked me.

reade more...

Pet Parent's Guide to a Clean and Odor Free Ride and #Meguiar's Giveaway!

To be a pet parent is to have a car with:
Smudgy nose prints all over the windows.
Muddy footprints on the upholstery.
Drool down the back of the seats.
Dog hair flying everywhere.
And that ewwwww stinky dog odor.

Does this describe your vehicle? It does mine! Ernest and Petey have lent a paw or two to make sure our car has that lived-in look and smell!

It's time for a total car clean-up. Luckily, I was sent a set of high performance car care products to review....and because I think they're so fantastic, I'm giving you a chance (below) to win a set of five Meguiar's car care products!

We take Ernest and Petey in the car to go to the vet's, the park, training classes, visiting Grandma, and we recently took them with us on vacation. So they've certainly left their mark on (and all over!) our CRV. The trouble is, actual human beings have to ride in that car too. Most of them prefer not to sit in a rolling dog bed. It would be nice, just once, not to exit the car with dog hair all over the seat of my pants too. So we sampled and tested five items to shape up our car inside and out, and I can tell you that it's never been cleaner or fresher, except for the day it rolled off the lot. Best of all---usually you need a lot of elbow grease to make a dent in the gross dog muck, but I was pleasently suprised at how easy these prodcuts were to use, and how effective they were with very little effort from me.

Here's what we got:

Ultimate Interior Detailer -- Helped clean up mats and interior surfaces such as dashboard, vinyl handles, and seats. It really only took a swipe of the cloth to see a noticeable improvement.

Meguiar’s ®Perfect Clarity Glass Cleaner-- What do you know, I can see out the windows again! Quite helpful when driving! No streaks and smudges, either. This is my favorite of all the products.

Ultimate Waterless Wash and Wax -- For touch-ups and a quick cleaning on the exterior, no need to get out the hose and bucket. Simply mist on this product and wipe away with a microfiber towel to remove drool and road grime. It also adds a layer of protection to your finish. What's not to love?

Meguiar’s ® Whole Car Air Re-Freshers-- I notice that Ernest and Petey's doggy smell lingers, even after my pups have left the car. This great air freshener's "odor-eliminating technology" took care of that. Scents include sparkling berry, spiced wood, spring blossom citrus grove, summer breeze, and new car.

Meguiar’s ® supreme shine microfiber towels-- These are the softest, car clean-up towels ever! Why use quality cleaners if you don't use a quality towel too?

Now for the fun part. You can win a set of Meguiars products too- Just fill out the Rafflecopter below to enter. Good luck!
Prize consists of:
1 3-pk microfiber towels
15.2 oz Ultimate Interior Detailer
24 oz Perfect Clarity Glass Cleaner
26 oz Waterless Wash and Wax
1 whole car air re-fresher

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Full Disclosure: Meguiar's sent me these five car care products in exchange for my honest review. This in no way influenced my opinion. All opinions expressed here are 100% my own.

reade more...

Pages