Shakesville: Cute

Showing posts with label Cute. Show all posts

Showing posts with label Cute. Show all posts

Spring

Spring has been more than a little reluctant this year. We've not had a string of beautiful days, and the temperatures keep creeping up, only to drop back down again. But the other night, Iain called me out to the front porch to point out the tiniest wee baby bunny, who was sitting just beyond the bushes along the front side of the porch, munching contentedly on the grass. Zie's so small, zie would easily fit in the palm of a hand.

This morning, the baby bunny was out again, and had been joined by a sibling.

image of two tiny brown baby bunnies, eating grass beside a green bush

Can you spot them?
They were very disinterested in the baby carrot I provided for them. They did, however, give a glance of passing interest to the baby squirrel who came darting across the lawn, pausing to consider running up a tree, but bounding off beneath my car instead. It's fun under there! Apparently. I always have to pause for a moment after starting, to make sure any lazy squirrels have time to make their exits.

image of a tiny red-tailed squirrel near a tree trunk

image of a tiny red-tailed squirrel near a tree trunk

Can you spot hir wee fuzzy red tail?
The emergence of the babies means spring has finally sprung.

Dog Wants a Kitty

by Shaker BrianWS, who may or may not become a full-time contributor someday based on our next visit to The Oracle with Neo. FINGERS CROSSED!

Well, here goes my day...because I'm totally going to watch this another hundred times.

Owner (male voice; off-camera): Hey hey hey, remember how you wanted a kitten?

Dog (a black and white hound mix, trotting around back and forth in front of the unseen cameraperson sitting on a couch, making silly faces and barking and stuff, but its sounds have been replaced with the voiceover): Yep.

Owner: I went to the pet store today.

Dog: No way.

Owner: Yep, I did.

Dog: (excitedly walking) Well come on, let's go. I want to see!

Owner: Hang on, keep your collar on. You wanted a girl?

Dog: Yeah!

Owner: A tabby?

Dog: Yeah, that's right! (jumps up in the air) Oh, I can't believe it, you got me a cat! (looks around)...Where is she? Is, is she out here?

Owner: Wait, wait you didn't let me finish. So I went to the pet store and I looked at the snakes.

Dog: Snakes? Oh. Blech! I'm gonna just go over here.

Owner: Well, I didn't get one.

Dog: Okay, um....

Owner: No, no, then I went and I took a look around, right, and I looked at the, uh, guinea pigs. You know what guinea pigs are, right?

Dog: Yeah.

(dog continues to nod along and say "yeah" in between each animal on the owner's list)

Owner: Yeah, I looked at the mice, gerbils, parrots, newts, hamsters, kittens –

Dog: (interrupts) Oh oh, that's it! That's where you stopped because that's what you're gonna get me, a...

Owner: And the hermit crabs.

Dog: (tosses head around) OH COME ON!

Owner: Can you calm down now?

Dog: You better get me a kitten or I'm gonna chew this couch's arms right off!

Owner: Oh, you will, huh?

Dog: Now tell me what's going on!

Owner: Went to the pet store.

Dog: Yeah.

Owner: Saw the turtles –

Dog: OH COME ON!

(kitten meows in the background)

Dog: What...was...that?

Owner: Well, let me tell ya. You listening?

Dog: Yeah.

Owner: I went to the pet store. There were shelter kittens. So I picked one up.

(text onscreen says "pets need a pal to talk to")

Dog: Oh, no way! You got me a cat! Yeah! Oh! Oh! Oh! What does she look like? What does she look like?

Owner: You wanna go see her?

Dog: Um, yes. Yeah! Let's go!

(Owner stands up and follows dog into the next room; as the screen fades to black, the kitten mews and the dog says excitedly: "OH!")

Daily Dose of Cute

image of Dudley the Red and White Greyhound lying on the couch, his ear flipped up over the arm, revealing the tattoo that shows his racing number

Dudley Q. McEwan: A dog I love more than I can possibly describe.
April is National Greyhound Adoption Month!

On April 28, 2010, Dudley came to stay at Shakes Manor. On the one hand, I can't believe it's already been almost three years since he arrived. On the other, I almost can't remember life without him, because he is so tightly woven into the fabric of our lives that it feels like he's been here forever, that we've always had a giant, two-dimensional dog strutting about the place and taking up egregious amounts of space on the furniture.

Dogs aren't for everyone, and Greyhounds aren't for every dog-lover. If you want a high-energy dog who can be your companion in cold-weather sporting and run around off-leash, the Greyhound probably isn't your dog. But if you want a low-key dog who can be your companion on the couch and is happy with a walk and the occasional breathtaking burst of speed at the dog park, the Greyhound may be just the dog for you.

In the three years we've had Dudley, I've had people occasionally express surprise that he is so sweet-natured, so friendly, so ebulliently full of life. There is some prejudice about Greyhounds that they are broken, that they are pitiable creatures who need a special kind of owner to love them despite their brokenness.

This is simply not true. Greyhounds are goofy, gangly packages of indomitable effervescence, whose capacity to give love and willingness to receive it, in spite of their beginnings, is extraordinary.

They are survivors. And given the chance, they'll rescue you right back.

If you're thinking about adoption, please consider a retired racer. And if you are contemplating adopting a Greyhound, and have questions, please feel welcome and invited to email me.

Video Description: A video I made December 2010 in association with a pro bono project on which I was working for local greyhound rescue, which documents the change adoption makes in dogs' lives. Footage and a still image of Dudley when he first came to us, followed by footage and still images of Dudley over the time he's been part of our family. Set to Angelo Badalamenti's "Love Theme" from the score for Cousins.

two juxtaposed images of Dudley, one taken right after he came off the track, looking scared and pitiful, and one taken after he'd been with us for a few months, looking happy and confident

two juxtaposed images of Dudley, one taken right after he came off the track, looking scared and pitiful, and one taken after he'd been with us for a few months, looking happy and confident

< Dudley, just off the track and after living with us for awhile: This is the difference that rescue makes.

Daily Dose of Cute

image of Dudley the Greyhound standing on the couch, looking out the front window

Dudley
If I'm in the living room when Iain pulls into the driveway in the evening, I whisper in the quietest voice possible, "Daddy's home," and, no matter where they are in the house, the dogs come RACING! into the room, LEAP! up on the loveseat, and stare desperately out the front window, quivering with excitement as he walks up the path to the front door.

The only reason Zelly isn't in this picture is because, once he gets out of the car, she RACES! into the office to grab one of her plushy toys to toss gleefully into the air when he comes through the door. "YAY! IT'S A DAY! AND THE DADSY IS HOME!"

* * *

As always, please feel welcome and encouraged to share pix of the fuzzy, feathered, or scaled members of your family in comments.

Daily Dose of Cute

Since today is National Pet Day, here are some of my favorite pix of all five furry residents of Shakes Manor, from our oldest girl Matilda (age 11) to our youngest girl Zelda (est. age 4):

image of Matilda the Cat, stretched out regally on the sofa

Matilda

image of Olivia the Cat with her eyes closed, looking as if she is smiling contentedly

Olivia

image of Sophie the Cat sitting on the stairs, her head and front legs poking underneath the railing

Sophie

image of the Dudley the Greyhound, cocking his head with ears up, looking at me quizzically

Dudley

image of Zelda the Black and Tan Mutt stretched out in the grass, smiling

Zelda

♥ ♥ ♥

Daily Dose of Cute

image of Zelda the Black and Tan Mutt sitting on the couch, looking alert

Zelda, alert and watchful. No trouble will befall you on Zelly's watch.
As always, please feel welcome and encouraged to share pix of the fuzzy, feathered, or scaled members of your family in comments.

Daily Dose of Cute

For the fans of interspecies cuddling: Dudley and Matilda nap together on the chaise last night.

image of Dudley the Greyhound splayed out on the chaise, napping, while Matilda the Cat lounges at his feet

image of Dudley the Greyhound splayed out on the chaise, napping, while Matilda the Cat lounges at his feet

For awhile, she was actually sitting on top of his feet, but I wasn't quick enough with the camera. They are such great buds. And considering Tils was 8 years old when Dudley came to live with us, and she'd never been around a dog before, I had hopes that they would peacefully coexist, but didn't even dare to imagine that one day I'd see them sharing close space they way they do.

Tils still has no fucking clue what it means when Zelly play-bows at her, though, lol.

Daily Dose of Cute

Dudley the Greyhound looks up at me, while Zelda the Black and Tan Mutt looks up at him, while we're all in the backyard

BFFs.
As always, please feel welcome and encouraged to share pix of the fuzzy, feathered, or scaled members of your family in comments.

Daily Dose of Cute

image of Zelda the Black and Tan Mutt lying in the grass, looking alert and watchful

Zelly Belly, being watchful in the garden.
As always, please feel welcome and encouraged to share pix of the fuzzy, feathered, or scaled members of your family in comments.

Daily Dose of Cute

image of Livsy and Tilsy the cats curled up on the chaise facing one another

Olivia and Matilda deep in discussion about Schopenhauer's The World as Will and Representation.
As always, please feel welcome and encouraged to share pix of the fuzzy, feathered, or scaled members of your family in comments.

Daily Dose of Cute

image of Dudley the Greyhound peering down at me from between the slats on the loft railing

Dudley's got his eye on you.
Zelda is the one whom everyone wants to hug, and she tolerates that from me, but she doesn't love getting hugs. You know who does love getting hugs, though? This guy.

image of Dudley the Greyhound sitting on the couch and grinning

image of Dudley the Greyhound sitting on the couch and grinning

"HUGS? I LOVE THEM!"

Daily Dose of Cute

The doggies enjoying some long-awaited sunshine this weekend:

image of Zelda the Black and Tan Mutt with her face turned upwards and her eyes closed, looking content

image of Zelda the Black and Tan Mutt with her face turned upwards and her eyes closed, looking content

Zelda

image of Dudley the Greyhound lying on the ground in the sunshine, with his face near a hole he's dug

Dudley

Daily Dose of Cute

image of Zelda the Mutt sitting beside me on the couch upright, leaning her head over and giving me a 'what?' look

Zelda, just sitting next to me on the couch like she's people.
As always, please feel welcome and encouraged to share pix of the fuzzy, feathered, or scaled members of your family in comments.

Here are your daily pictures of Tom Hardy and Noomi Rapace and a puppy:

image of actor Tom Hardy, a young white man, running alongside an impossibly tiny grey pit bull puppy, while actress Noomi Rapace, a young white woman, watches with a smile

image of actor Tom Hardy, a young white man, running alongside an impossibly tiny grey pit bull puppy, while actress Noomi Rapace, a young white woman, watches with a smile

image of Rapace holding the puppy in her arms, grinning broadly

Have a nice day!
At some point, these pictures from the set of the film Animal Rescue will run out, which will obviously be a terrible day. But today is not that day. Yay!

Daily Dose of Cute

image of Matilda the Sealpoint Long-Haired Blue-Eyed Cat, lying stretched out on the couch looking extremely fuzzy

"Yeah, I'm fuzzy. So what? You wanna make something of it?"
As always, please feel welcome and encouraged to share pix of the fuzzy, feathered, or scaled members of your family in comments.

Here is your daily picture of Tom Hardy kissing a puppy:

image of actor Tom Hardy, a young white man, kissing a grey pit bull puppy that he is holding in his arms

image of actor Tom Hardy, a young white man, kissing a grey pit bull puppy that he is holding in his arms

You're welcome.

Daily Dose of Cute

image of Sophie the Torbie cat curled into a ball atop a blanket on the couch, sleeping soundly

Sophie, the tiniest wee titchy cat in all of catdom.
As always, please feel welcome and encouraged to share pix of the fuzzy, feathered, or scaled members of your family in comments.

Shakers, I think this puppy may just be living in Tom Hardy's jacket now. There is also the outside possibility that Tom Hardy and the puppy are slowly fusing into one beast that will eventually rule the universe. In which case, I welcome my Hardypup Overlord.

image of actor Tom Hardy, a young white man, cradling a grey pit bull puppy inside his jacket; the puppy is lifting up its face to lick him and he is making a kissy mouth

image of Hardy making an EW! face while the puppy licks the corner of his mouth

Daily Dose of Cute

image of Dudley the Greyhound resting his head on my outstretched leg

Dudley uses my leg as a pillow Saturday afternoon.
When we adopted Dudley, in April of 2010, he was so scared of me touching him that he'd pee on himself in fright if I got near him. I spent long hours lying on the floor, next to his crate where he felt safe, synchronizing my breathing to his, quiet and still, to reassure him I would never hurt him. One day, he came out, and laid down beside me on the floor. I put my hand on his side, across a long scar the origins of which we do not know, and matched him breath for breath. There we laid, until he let me know he needed to go out, and I put on his leash without making him fearful for the first time.

It wasn't until almost two years later that he initiated an intimate snuggle with me, after Zelda gave him an appreciation for seeking out a cuddle with Two-Legs.

Now, as we approach our three-year anniversary of finding one another, there is no trace of the frightened dog who arrived. Not long ago, I fell asleep with my head on his back, our heads meeting in the middle of the couch as our bodies stretched away in opposite directions. There we napped together for an hour or so, two contented little monsters, snoring away.

* * *

As always, please feel welcome and encouraged to share pix of the fuzzy, feathered, or scaled members of your family in comments.

Daily Dose of Cute

Zelda McEwan: Grinniest dog ever!

image of Zelda the Mutt looking to her right and grinning

image of Zelda the Mutt looking to her right and grinning

"Everything over there is making me happy!"

image of Zelda the Mutt looking to her left and grinning

image of Zelda the Mutt looking to her left and grinning

"Everything over there is making me happy!"

image of Zelda the Mutt looking into the camera and grinning

image of Zelda the Mutt looking into the camera and grinning

"Everything is making me happy! Yay! It's a day! IT'S A DAY!"