Found a Hummingbird Cam Located in Orange County

This is a live stream of a hummingbird nest in Orange County, CA. The nest is located in a rose bush. One baby hummingbird named Sassy and a Mom named Phoebe. The feathers are spectacular, but seeing the Momma bird fall asleep with a little beak under her fluffed out feathers is just, well, breathtaking.


Live streaming video by Ustream

I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.

Bark at you later,
PJ the dog blogging dog :-)

"Don't Forget the Small Stuff This Year"

M's article ""Don't Forget the Small Stuff This Year" just got published on Smashing Magazine.

This article is a useful checklist for the new year with reminders such as backing up your work on an external drive to cleaning up the "visual clutter" that surrounds you each and every day. M hopes you find the article helpful!

This doggie is off to put away some knick-knacks which are causing considerable "visual clutter." Don't worry though, my Hans Solo and my Edward Scissorhands Munny are staying put.

If you get a chance, check out the article "Don't Forget the Small Stuff This Year" at Smashing Magazine and leave a comment!


Bark at you later,
PJ the dog blogging dog :-)

Toto, We're Not in Kansas, Right?

Yesterday we had not one but two tornado warnings in Orange County.

This is not ordinary at all for So Cal. Not only did we have warnings for a tornado, but the tornados touched down in Huntington Beach and Seal Beach! Watching the "purple" eye of the tornado move from Catalina Island and then inland was intense. The weather changed quite fast. One minute we had light sprinkles with sunlight streaming through the clouds. Then just a minute or two later at about 1:20pm PST the skies darkened and the rain increased dramatically.

In our area we could hear thunder off in the distance. The sound rattled the windows in the studio.

I'm a big fan of the film The Wizard of Oz, but I'm not hoping for a repeat performance in Orange County anytime soon.

In comparison to the weather back east and other worldly events, we're all counting our blessings.

Bark at you later,
PJ the dog blogging dog :-)

Some Helpful Adobe Illustrator Articles

Are you just starting to learn how to use Adobe Illustrator? The other day I remembered about the first time M was able to drag the handles on each anchor point as M was using the pen tool. Now, this seems so easy now, but way back then, it was amazing! M was so excited. Something so simple made her smile from ear-to-ear.

This brings me to the importance of tutorials. Designers take the time to write and post them online. So, let's make use of these useful lessons that take no longer than a few spare hours. M & M love tutorials! You never know when you'll find a new trick (zig zag makes a great starburst!) to add to your set of skills. Plus, it keeps their art fresh. M & M experiment with new styles. And even if they don't learn something new, those two have fun practicing!

Here are some interesting articles with tips and tons of tutorials for Adobe Illustrator:

Illustrator Tip: Live Trace


125+ Ultimate Round-Up of Illustrator Tutorials


20 Basic Illustrator Tutorials Every Beginner Should See

and a little article M wrote awhile back:

Back-to-School With 40 Excellent Adobe Illustrator Tutorials


Bark at you later,
PJ the dog blogging dog :-)

New Year is Almost Here!

Around the studio, we're prepping for an exciting 2010. The New Year is just ahead and we are anticipating all of our new projects and the creative juices are flowing.

Myself, I've decided to become more useful and less of a random dog this year. What I mean is that this dog is learning a few new tricks and plans on changing the blog just a smidge. Sure the overall look has changed, but the content is about to take a turn for the better too. No worries, I'll still post about my adventures in the neighborhood and let you in on Mocha's resolutions.

For 2010, it's time to be more productive with the blog. Stay tuned for what's in store.

From our home to yours, we wish you a very Happy New Year!

Bark at you later,
PJ the dog blogging dog :-P

Merry Christmas!

From our doggie home to yours, we wish you a very Merry Christmas!

Woof woof!

Bark at you later,
PJ the dog blogging dog :-)

Moose the MaltiPoo

Moose is such a doll! I especially love the "growl" and that nifty "roll." Way to go.

Bark at you later,
PJ the dog blogging dog :-P

Just in Time for Christmas

Check out this cool blog called Snootypaws. They have a cute list of Christmas Pet Gifts which are sure to please your furry friends.

On their blog, I found this little cutie-pie:



What a ball full of cuteness! That little hedgehog has about the cutest ears ever.

Merry Christmas to all and too all a belly rub!

Bark at you later,
PJ the dog blogging dog :-P

Website Revamped!

Well, you can finally see what M & M have been working on over at our website. It's taken a bit of time, a few sleepless nights, and a lot of coffee, but the website is launched!

I hope you enjoy the new look!

In other news, we've been busy getting ready for the holidays. The rain has made for some muddy paws and cold nights. This year's Geminids have been hard to view due to cloud coverage and freezing weather (ok, freezing in terms of California). I've been all snuggled up in my blankets with a hot cup of coffee to sip.

Here's to a wonderful Christmas ahead!

Bark at you later,
PJ the dog blogging dog :-)

Sweet November

It appears November has almost come and gone faster than anticipated.

This dog has been busy with multiple projects and has had all four paws clicking away.

Recently Mocha and I have been busy in the studio as muses for M and M. I've even taken a liking to charcoal again and made a few smudges here and there. Matt stopped by last week and took me for a walk down at Balboa. I got a frozen banana on a stick and I must say--yum! Matt will be here for Thanksgiving and says he has a big surprise for me! I'm so excited.

In the backyard, the cat we call Marmalade hasn't been around much. We're pretty sure she's not too fond of having me sit and watch her from the family room as she rests under MY lemon tree. Mocha says not to worry. I've decided to just stare at her and that has paid off, lol. I think I'm winning so far. But I'm pretty sure she's the one leaving me half eaten lemons at the back door. Woof!

Since the holidays are coming...

Please try and remember the shelter dog and cats. Drop by a county animal shelter and give a few pets to the animals for five minutes. Those five minutes don't take much time. Plus, the time you give to a shelter dog or cat helps them in ways you'll never know. I know, I was in a shelter once and everyone who took the time to scratch under my chin made the moments behind the cold bars a little less scary. Even if you never plan on adopting an animal, the time you take out of your day to spend a few minutes with them will be priceless for the both of you. Please give the gift of five minutes during the busy holidays.

That's all for now.

Bark at you later,
PJ the dog blogging dog :-)

Happy Halloween!

Happy Howloween to all!

I'm off to get dressed up as a...wait for it...werewolf! I've got the fur, the fangs, and the fake blood. I'm all set to go. M will be my "Little Red Riding Hood." Muhahahaha. Trick-or-Treat!

Have a safe and sane Howloween!

Bark at you later,
PJ the dog blogging dog :-P

Apple Mail Password Problem

Grrrowl!



Have you received the dreaded "Enter Password for account..." in Apple Mail? Well, I have and I've tried just about everything to fix the problem. I browsed the Apple Forums for solutions. I tried clicking the "cancel" button, only to have the same problem. I've entered my mail passwords, only to have them "disappear" or not save. I've deleted keychain passwords. I've repaired and verified the keychain. Nothing worked. I repaired the keychain with Mail active and inactive. Still nothing. I restarted after repairing the keychain. Nothing, and the frustration is building.

I may have had a slight breakthrough though. Today, I went to my mail server and changed my password for two of my POP email accounts. I didn't really change the password, I just entered the same password that I had entered before. It appears the password wasn't the same (the number of ***'s didn't match the number of letters and numbers in my password).

When I opened Mail. the POP mail didn't ask for a password this time on those two accounts! :-)

So, let's hope I can fix two more POP mail accounts the same way.

I'm keeping my paws crossed.

Bark at you later,
PJ the dog blogging dog :-)

Southern California Heat Wave

Today begins what will hopefully be a short heat wave here in So.Cal.. So, how can you and your pets beat the heat?

Keep hydrated by drinking water

Make sure your pets are drinking fresh clean water

Try popsicles to stay cool

Try making small ice chips for dogs to chew on

Mist your bird if you see signs of overheating

Wear sunscreen

Stay in the shade

Wear light loose clothing

If your dog gets hot, put paws in cool water for a refresher

Above all, stay cool and please don't leave any animal in a vehicle during hot weather.


Bark at you later,
PJ the dog blogging dog :-)

A Moment of Silence on 9/11

God Bless America.

Bark at you later,
PJ the dog blogging dog :-)

Peek-a-Boo!

Now that is what I call a cool fence! I love knotholes because I can stick my nose in the knothole and sniff the other side of the fence. But this window would sure be fun to have! Hey, I'd love a couple of these around the whole perimeter. That would be a lot of fun!

Read more about the Pet Peek here.

Bark at you later,
PJ the dog blogging dog :-)

World's Oldest Dog Dies: R.I.P. Chanel

The oldest dog in the world has died. Chanel lived 21 years! Now that is impressive. Not only did Chanel love butter (Really? Just butter? Or butter on baked potatoes or butter on crunchy english muffins? Yum.) but also had another unhealthy habit--chocolate. Go figure, 21 years with butter and chocolate! I bet lots of love and belly rubs made for a happy long doggie life.

Read more about Chanel here.

Bark at you later,
PJ the dog blogging dog :-)

Hot Weather + Dog = Hot Dog!

Yes, it's been hot here in Southern California. I've been sleeping on cold marble tile, sipping ice cold water, and eating ice chips to stay cool. Needless to say, I am covered in fur and do not appreciate the hot 100ºF weather right now.

My paws! Mocha and I don't like the sidewalks when it's so hot. Have you felt how burning hot cement gets? Well, try four paws on the sidewalk griddle. It hurts, I tell ya.

My favorite napping place, beneath the lemon tree, is too hot right now. Even the visiting bunnies and cream cat we've nicknamed Marmalade, won't rest there right now.

Popsicles wear my tongue out! I lick and lick the lemonade frozen yumminess on a stick, and I'm dog tired afterwards.

So, for now, Mocha and I are sticking to the grass for our walks, drinking lots of cold water, and taking an afternoon swim with Matt.

Stay cool and drink lots of water!

Bark at you later,
PJ the dog blogging dog :-)

Oops, Where'd the Time Go?

I haven't updated in the longest time ever! I'm a bad doggie.

This summer we've got a ton of projects online and offline which are keeping me, well, dog tired. Rest assured, I won't go this long between posts anymore (paws crossed).

M & M have been keeping me cool with the hot weather that's hit Southern California. I've come to love cool tile floors and ice chips. In fact, M makes me homemade dog lollipops (frozen dog treats encased in ice, yum!). Mocha has invited me over each day for an afternoon swim so I can work on my dog paddle too.

Recently, we've been up late trying to catch a glimpse of the Perseids Meteor Shower. The first night, August 11th-12th, was absolutely spectacular. Since then we've had cloud coverage and missed the light show above in the heavens. But, we keep trying with cups of coffee in hand between 2:00am and 4:00am.

Needless to say, I'm about to take a dog nap since Matt is coming over to see the Perseids tonight. Here's to no cloud coverage (cross those paws).

Bark at you later,
PJ the dog blogging dog :-)

Rusty, the Talking Dog

Is this not the cutest conversation between a dog and his Dad?

Bark at you later,
PJ the dog blogging dog

Happy 4th of July

We went to the beach and watched fireworks. M & M, Mocha, Matt, Griff, Hunter, and the twins. There was laughter and a sky which took our breath away.

The sky had so many neat colors. Red bursts and orange bursts of light which illuminated the sky and reflected off the waves as they rolled by. Some of the fireworks appeared to be shooting stars which fell from the sky, only to then wash ashore onto the sand.

A beautiful day to celebrate our country's birthday!

God Bless America!

Bark at you later,
PJ the dog blogging dog :-)