For the Birds

Sometimes there's nothing better than watching birds. This short animation is by Pixar and is just too cute.

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

My New Puggy Pal

I have a new Puggy pal. I met him down at Newport. He and his human were taking a walk along the shore near Matt's place. Needless to say, when I saw him we barked a friendly "Hello." We were instant friends. His name is Domino. We both love coffee, walking on the beach, and barking at the baby waves that dare to roll in close to our paws. Best of all, he'll jump into the water with me! We had a grand ole time until we were both covered up to our elbows in sand and our muzzles had sand on them too.

M liked Domino and made a quick sketch while we were playing. The art piece above is the result of a chance encounter and a new doggie friend. Now that's what I call a great day at the beach!

Next week, we're having a play date with Domino again (Plus, we have a companion piece to the one above that we're giving to Domino's Dad who just moved here from Washington State--a sort of Welcome to California gift!). I can't wait. Mocha may tag along since he loves playing at the beach too.

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

I've Decided to Become a Cat

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April Fools!

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

Meow.

The Resting Place of Animal Companions

I recently watched a show featuring a really wonderful place. The Los Angeles Pet Memorial Park in Calabasas, California. Maybe you've seen their sign on the hill as you drive on the Ventura Freeway?

Sure, pet loss is not something people like to talk about. However, as a doggie, I've got to say that I feel I'm part of my family. I'm not a pet, I'm a family member. I'm loved so much (ok, I admit, I'm spoiled) and I'm included in all the family photos. It's nice knowing that over 40,000 other families feel the same about their animal family members too.

Just like any cemetery, there are some celebrity animals buried there too. "Petey" the dog from The Little Rascals has a burial spot under a lovely tree. "Topper" the horse from Hopalong Cassidy is also buried in this cemetery.

Actually, every animal buried there is a star. Each family animal won the starring role as a member in someone's family.

The really neat part about this cemetery is that most grave markers had fresh flowers on top. How wonderful to be loved so much.

So, Thank-you to those who look over the graves of beloved animal companions.

Bark at you later,
PJ the dog blogging dog

Got Blogged About!

Isn't that cool? Someone emailed me and let me know that we had been blogged about on two cool blogging sites.

Over at Snicketyone, our "Woebegone, the Hedgehog" print was included in a treasury on Etsy. Thank-you so much! You can read the post here.

On the Mixed Plate blog, our "Thinkin' Tree" print was featured among other Etsy artists who enjoy using trees as a theme in their art too. You can read the post here. Thank-you so much!

Now that's pretty neat, don't you think?

Well, I'm off to take a walk around the block and maybe check on our lemon tree. Seems there are some lemons that need to be eaten...err, picked. :-)

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

Welcome Home Danny Boy!

This story is so touching. I can just picture Danny Boy waving his little foot. It's nice to read about a soon-to-be happy ending.

According to the Associated Press:

Danny Boy the Bird Reunites With Owners

CARPINTERIA, Calif. (AP) — A pet macaw named Danny Boy flew the coop in Carpinteria and was found 15 months later some 80 miles away in Pasadena. Greg and Susan Vasilakos, who have moved from Carpinteria to Colorado, learned days ago that Danny Boy has been found. The bird flew away on Dec. 6, 2006, leaving the couple heartbroken.

They listed Danny Boy on an online bird lost-and-found Web site, but didn't hear anything until this month. The macaw was found flying free March 12 in Pasadena and taken to the Pasadena Humane Society.

The bird was then featured on the society Web site and the Vasilakoses were tracked to their new home in Colorado.
Mrs. Vasilakos called the Pasadena shelter and said to put the bird on the phone. The skeptical humane society manager then put the woman on the speaker phone.

It seems Danny Boy waves his foot when asked while offering him a treat.

Danny Boy, who had been "sullen and morose," heard the familiar voice of his owner and perked up, fluffed up his feathers and became animated. He waved his little foot throughout the ensuing conversation.

The Santa Barbara Bird Sanctuary in Summerland is expected to retrieve Danny Boy and arrange for the Vasilakoses to pick him up.

You can view more lost and found parrots at 911 Parrot Alert. Please note that in order to search their database of birds, you will need to join their Yahoo group to do so.

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

Scooby-Dooby Doo, Where Are You?

Some songs I can't seem to get out of my head. They pop into my mind at the strangest moments and stick there like Bubbalicious Watermelon gum under a college lecture seat.

This song will pop into my doggie head (and I've only seen a few minutes on Nick @ Nite):

Scooby-Dooby Doo, Where are you?
We got some work to do now.
Scooby-Dooby-Doo, Where Are You?
We need some help from you now.

(The rest of the lyrics can be found here .)

I always seem to think of this one when I find a ripe tomato:

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes!
Attack of the Killer Tomatoes!

From Gangreen's lab come forth each week
The ripe red monsters of which we speak
Except when he has a security leak!


The rest of the lyrics can be found here .)

There are other songs, but alas, the 'net is having a hiccup right now.

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

Happy St. Patrick's Day

I hope you wore green today! Or did you get pinched?

I had my lime green collar on today to keep away any pinching leprechauns. After being a little too preoccupied with digging for gold in the backyard, I took a break and guess what I saw?

I also saw a really pretty crow today. He was sitting way high up on one of my favorite pine trees. His head bobbed up and down as he proceeded to give an oration on the importance of... something or another. I can't quite speak crow yet. I'm sure it had something to do with trash or recycling or maybe he was hoping someone had found his lost button. Not quite sure.

Anyhoot, I hope you had a great St. Patrick's Day!

May you find a pot of gold, because there didn't seem to be any in the yard this year.

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

Warning: This Makes Me Cry Every Time!

This ad comes on tv at least once every time I'm watching television. Now, as a dog who was rescued from the pound, I'm very sentimental about shelter dogs. This commercial makes me have to wipe my eyes with my doggie paws. Every time I hear the song on the radio, I can feel the tears slipping down my fur face.

The song in this ad is "In the Arms of an Angel" by Sarah Maclachlan. It's a very haunting song. Hearing the song and looking into the eyes of each dog as the camera fades in and out on their faces is not only memorable, but breathtakingly sad.

I hope you, my one or two loyal readers, take a moment to hug your cat or dog. If you don't have a pet, please visit a local animal shelter and give a little tlc even if you can't adopt. Those few precious moments when you reach through the bars at the shelter may be the only moments of love in the life of that dog. And that can make all the difference in the world.

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

Annabelle, a Dog with Heart

Annabelle is a special dog. At 7 years old, Annabelle the English Bulldog is a therapy dog. Her doggie kisses help brighten the days of people in Ohio.

We salute you Annabelle. You're a doggie hero.

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

Happy Leap Year

Officially, today is a leap day. This occurs every four years. People born on this day celebrate their birthdays in common years (the non-leap years) on either February 28th or March 1st.

Around here, we eat a piece of dry toast and the person (or dog, as the case may be) who doesn't drop a crumb has good luck for the next four years.

So, have yourself a leap year "toast" of good luck!

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

Robot Treasury on Etsy

Check it out, M snagged a treasury on Etsy! Treasuries are a neat way to create a themed list of other artists who make handmade items. M chose a "robot" theme because we all love robots at PeachPoPs. Beep. Beep.

::End of transmission::


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

R.I.P. Gill-Man

So, if you're not a horror fan, you might be wondering, who was the "Gill-Man"?

Ben Chapman played the "Gill-Man" creature from  1954's Creature From the Black Lagoon.

  Sadly, he's passed away and so has another chunk of horror history. Ben's "Gill-Man," featured in three of the "Creature" flicks was memorable, to say the least.  At six foot five, Mr. Chapman had the height necessary to appear intimidating in his foam rubber suit.

Incidentally, some of the lake scenes were filmed right here in California at the exclusive private Malibou Lake.   After seeing this film on one Saturday afternoon, I went to the lake and didn't dare dip even a single paw into the cold rippling water.  Gee wiz, between sharks and the creature, I'm not sure any body of water is safe.  And don't get me started on showers (Norman anyone?).

So, I bid the talented Ben Chapman farewell.  Thank-you for scaring me as a young pup and for giving me the heebie jeebies. :-)

Bark at you later,

PJ the dog blogging dog :-)

Fonts and Birds

Oh, they've updated blogger.  Now I can change my font to anything! Ok, so maybe not anything.  But there are font choices now.  Very cool.  I'm a happy dog.  I didn't realize I liked fonts that much.  Lol.   I actually love looking at all the different styles of fonts.  From arial to comic sans, the choices are fun to play around with on your website or blog.

Just like fonts, birds have a lot of distinct personalities too.  For instance, I often find that I see interesting bird "secrets" when I'm out on one of my daily walks around the neighborhood.  I once saw a bird nest that had been woven with strands of green floss.  That nest, high in a Mulberry tree, made me smile (no pun intended).  I was not aware that birds used floss. :-)

The other day, I saw a nest with a button and thread interwoven among the twigs.  The nest had long been abandoned and dropped from a very tall eucalyptus.  But boy oh boy, that nest was a work of art.  

And so today I'll look high up in the trees as I'm walking.  Perhaps I'll see a mud nest under the eaves of a ranch house, or maybe I'll glimpse a nest in-the-making.  That would be cool.

Bark at you later,

PJ the dog blogging dog :-)  

Happy President's Day

President's Day is the official day we celebrate two birthdays. George Washington's birthday is February 22nd. Abraham Lincoln's birthday was on the 12th of February. In the Senate, George Washington's Farewell Address is read to commemorate this day.

God Bless America!

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

Chief Brody Lives On

I'm a dog who loves a good scary flick. And Jaws is right up there with the best. I mean, goodness, I bark at the waves if they slap the sand too closely to my paws. Which brings us to some sad news.

Actor Roy Scheider has died. He is best known for playing the character Chief Martin Brody in Jaws. He gave a memorable quote (ad libbed) that lives on in movie infamy. Just as he sees the shark (nicknamed "Bruce" on the set), Chief Brody says "You're gonna need a bigger boat" to Captain Quint (played by the late Robert Shaw). Such a great line and such a great actor.

So, our hats are tipped to you Mr. Scheider. Thank-you for all the wonderful films and television.

And hey, if you get a chance, please say "Hi" to Quint. :-)

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

The Day After Valentine's Day

Yes, it's true, doggies like me love those little candy hearts. Ok, sure, we're not supposed to eat them. But come on, they're so crunchy and sugary and yummy.

Plus, the little hearts are really educational. For instance, I didn't know "Fax Me" was a term of endearment. Did you? The little sayings on the hearts range from the traditional (and a favorite of mine) grape-flavored "My Pet" to the "Cool" or ever-so-popular "Kiss Me."

The consequences of eating the little hearts is that we need a dog nap on the sofa with our favorite pillow and blankie.

Here's hoping you had a great Valentine's Day and hope you enjoy those leftover candies (woof).

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

Surprises Make for an Interesting Sunday

Today I got two surprises.

First, I saw a tall glass of liquid sitting on the coffee table and decided to stick my nose in there and sneak a sip. Whoa baby! I got a surprise alright. The clear pulpy drink made my lips pucker. Turns out M had made a glass of lemonade and forgot to sweeten the pitcher before pouring herself a glass! Just my luck. I gave the glass a good bark and proceeded to drink about half of my water bowl until my dog tags were clinking quite loudly.

The second surprise today happened outside. I found the first stalks of a calla lily breaking through the soil. The stalky green fingers are reaching from under the ground, much like the hands of a zombie in Night of the Living Dead. Oh wait, if I have to walk out there at night, that image might not be such a good thing to plant in my mind. Oops.

Anyways, I hope you're having a wonderful Sunday.

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

Happy New Year!

Today begins the "Year of the Rat" and I thought these guys could ring the New Year in right! Plus, the look on one of their faces after bungee jumping is hilarious. :-)

Hey, if you're really into the "Year of the Rat" you could always head over to our website (or Apple downloads) and download our freeware Mac and Win "Kookie Bytes" icons. This icon set has a rat named iChoo (he loves to nibble on cheese pizza and has allergies!).

Happy New Year!

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

Phil Predicts Six More Weeks of Winter

Above is a photo of the "official" groundhog. His name is Phil or Punxsutawney Phil as he is formally known. "According to legend, if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter weather. If he does not see his shadow, there will be an early spring."

Today, Phil saw his shadow. Now that can be good or that can be bad. If you love fresh powdery snow, chilly nights and snuggling up with a warm cup of coffee, this is a good thing. If not, six more weeks isn't that bad, right?

Interestingly enough, the groundhog makes the prediction in a place called "Gobbler's Knob" in Pennsylvania. The first Groundhog Day was on this day in 1887. Wowzers!

Thanks Phil for being such a great weather forecaster! You do us other critters proud. :-)

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