So as I mentioned before Mark and I are training Lola, well, we’re trying to. What we’re trying to do is teach her that Mark and I are the alpha pair so she doesn’t have to act like such a spaz all the time trying to figure out how to be the alpha herself. We’re using Jan Fennell’s method. She has a book called The Dog Listener that we’re reading and trying to follow.

So one of the things you’re supposed to do is make sure the dog always sees you eat before she gets to eat. It’s supposed to be like the alpha who always eats first and then gives the subordinates what’s left. What we’ve been doing is having a couple of little minnie ritz crackers in our hands when we’re about to hand her her bowl and then we pretend to be eating some of her food, get satisfied and then give her the rest. So this morning I did that. I didn’t realize however that the neighbor lady was standing about 15 feet away watching me. Oh my goodness. Now the neighbors think I eat dog food. Oh yeah, I rock.

Mark and I have decided that in order for Lola (and us) to really be happy and at peace with the world she’s going to have to be trained. The other thing we realize is that we have absolutely no money at all. This means Mark and I have to do the training. We got started today. It was actually quite fun. We started by taking her for a walk. We had our pockets full of treats and every time we’d call her and she’d come we’d give her a treat. She did really well! Once she figured out that she’d get a treat if she came, she came almost every time. The only time she had difficulty was when we were passing by a yard with 2 dogs, 2 kids on bicycles and some adults standing around talking. A truck was driving by at the same moment and she just got over stimulated and started chasing dogs and kids all over the place. She did come after a few calls though and that NEVER happens so it was good!

The thing we’ve decided is that the only kind of training we’re going to be able to do is positive reinforcement training. I just can’t bring my self to discipline her for bad behavior. The only discipline we’ll give her is to ignore bad behavior. I can do that. We reward good behavior and ignore bad behavior. We’ve bought a couple of books and I’m really excited about this. I’m going to do 2 15 minute training sessions a day at least and her regular 4 mile run. We want to get to the point where she can be a regular family dog, mingling with the cats and ferrets. No killing of small animals, no breaking front doors, no stealing our food or art projects….etc. I’m excited about this!

These new paintings I’ve finished are about stories. Each one has it’s own story. I have ideas in my mind of what the stories are but the viewer is free and welcome to come up with stories of his/her own for each of these. I’ll post each one and kind of tell you about what I was thinking.

This one is called Transitory Beauty. It’s not realism at all because I just wanted to portray an idea. I wanted to do a painting about change and how beautiful change can be. Sometimes we get a little scared of change I think but I’ve noticed that every time life changes there’s a new kind of beauty to be discovered. Summer turns to Autumn, flowers die and leaves fall but before we have time to mourn the loss of these beauties our eyes are dazzled by crimsons, oranges, and yellows that take our breath away.

The Treefairy

When the sun has set in the assure sky

and the birds have ceased their song,

When the owl and bat rise in the night

when the white moths dance in throng

Wings that flutter in hummingbird down

hair the color of prairie fire flowers

eyes as keen as the white wolf’s moan

the tree fairy guards her bowers

Mischief plays in her unrefined heart

the games that laugh in her mind

a spell to be cast a soul to be caught

will you be the next one entwined?

She sits in the doorway gazing at the summer rain, seeing, hearing, smelling it for the first time. Her eyes sparkle like the falling drops of water that bounce and splash on the front porch. What are these little balls of movement? Why do they vanish instead of run away? She wants to explore, to go out there… but she’s not sure. And then the thunder! The mighty booming in the sky! Where does that terrible monstrous noise come from? She wants to go out but she’s too small, too young. Momma knows best. Momma is inside. That’s where she’ll stay, safe inside. But her eyes still sparkle like the falling drops of water.

I haven’t posted for a little while cuz I’ve been doing a lot of camping. I love camping. It’s my favorite thing to do in the world. It has been since I was a little kid. I don’t know what it is that is so pleasing to me. I don’t think it’s any one thing. It’s gotta be the whole experience. Being out there in the mountains, outside all day and all night (sleeping under the stars is the best), listening to the wind blowing through the trees, the smell of the campfire mixed with sage and pine, the sound of the river lulling you to sleep at night, mountains towering all around you. It’s just the best. We’re going again the day after tomorrow. I can’t wait!

My new favorite. Yep. Definitely. I call it Seeking the Light. It’s really about seeking wisdom, truth. Light and truth are synonymous. D&C 88

Another dancer!! Woohoo!!!