Category / Scottie

by Brandi Talmadge

Ordinary Miracle

I felt the need to post about ordinary miracles today.  We had our 2nd large snow fall of the season yesterday amongst other ordinary things.  I snapped a picture about an hour or so into the storm.  Last night we took Scottie out for potty and was greeted by our neighbors dog who had gotten loose while clearing the snow from their driveway.  It was pitch dark and we live in the woods where bad things can happen to house pets running in the night so I leash him up and return the not even 1 year-old bouncing Tigger dog to its home.  He was all in his glory of having his rooming freedom and attention from new people…bouncy bouncy Tigger dog…for sure he thought this was all about play which gave me a good chuckle as our dog is a mature 13 years young and doesn’t bounce nearly as high as this pup!  So we trudge our way through the 13″+ of snow and arrive at my neighbors drive where they’re feverishly working at clearing the snow.   I could sense the frustration they had that their dog had gotten loose and inconvenienced me but quite the contrary, I was thankful to have found him and gave him a safe return home.  Just another ordinary miracle right?  This was no inconvenience to me, I feel a dogs life was saved, who knows what may have happened otherwise.  I’d like to think someone would return the favor.

I found this song entitled “Ordinary Miracle” by Sarah Mclachlan featured in Charlotte’s Web.  It’s a nice reflection on ordinary miracles.  Take a listen to it . . . all I can say is “beautifully put”!

by Brandi Talmadge

Steadfast & Faithful Furriness

Adorable picture of my buddy loving his momma or wait . . . maybe I’m loving my buddy?  Well today I wanted to post about this little animal that brings such BIG love to our family!  He’s constant, loyal and well plain accepting of all my recent moodiness, me and Mike’s urge to work all the time, Darcie and Pele fighting, brown boxes all over the house stuffed with everything that used to blanket our home, and the decrease in his carefree walks due to Mike and I being overworked.  Soooooo many things are changing around him but he remains the one constant within this household.  The steadiness and indebtedness dogs provide to mankind is truly amazing to me!  One of God’s greatest creations!!!

by Talmadge House

Photoshop Elements 6

My newest educational book arrived this past weekend, Photoshop Elements 6 The Missing Manual.  I’ve been using this software and getting through it by the seat of my pants or by getting so frustrated when I can’t figure out how to do the things I want to do.  Life and photo editing are much easier when you learn it the “right” way.  This book isn’t your typical dry catalog or computer book (snore).  It’s perfect for us non-techie people who are trying to learn Photoshop Elements.

So no more hair pulling or barking at my husband for not being able to help me quick enough, I’m learning this photo editing beast.  The Missing Manuals is a series of learning manuals for gosh I think almost anything.  If you click on this link you’ll be taken to their website where you will find all sorts of “missing manual” books.  I’m sure they have written one for a program that is making you go bald too.

My featured picture is of Mikey and the budster chilling by the boat last weekend.  It was edited by me and I added a Karen Russell Overlay.  I like it!  Trying to figure out how to add and use actions . . . I’ll surely post a picture with the result of it.  Actions are very very cool!

by Talmadge House

Happy Birthday Little Peanut!

Scottie celebrated his 12th birthday this month!  Wow how fast time goes, our furry baby is getting older by the second and is like 80 years old in human years or something crazy like that!  I won’t get into how sad this whole thing makes me which will in turn will keep this post short.  A show of hands who prefer shorter posts . . . Mike I know you have your hand raised and better lower it if you know what’s good for you 🙂  Anywho, Scottie got his birthday bowl of vanilla ice cream.  This year I light a candle and put it in the ice cream of which he curiously but yet cautiously checked out and quickly realized it was not something he should have his nose close to.  He also got special walks, playtime and snuggle wuggles.

by Talmadge House

Monkey Playtime

Waahoo!  I made the entry deadline to Jenni Bowlin’s April contest.  She’s hosting a contest where you scrap with her April kit and you then get a chance to win one of her May add-on kits.  Emmm yummy!  Don’t we all like getting something free and even better yet when it’s pretty?  Listen I’m not only excited for the chance to win but am downright ecstatic that I scrapbooked something.

This picture of Scottie was the first picture taken with my new 50mm f1.4 lens that I got for my birthday.  He was exhausted from our monkey playtime so off he went to puppy-dog dreamland.

by Talmadge House

A Strool Through the Park

Here we are at Tuesday’s Unwrapped again, it’s uncanny how fast time flies!  Our home has been on the market for ten days and we’ve averaged one showing per day which is pretty good in this market.  I feel quite a bit of stress since this whole house hunting and selling has breached it’s way into our humble, yet busy days of living.  It seems that anytime stress pokes it’s head out, us humans tend to lose sight of what we stand for and what our original goals were.

I for one get my mind wrapped around something, get all worked up, cranky and my type A personality takes over.  I left the house all balled up, cranky and ready to lash out on anyone who merely looked at me the wrong way.  It wasn’t until I left the office early (for a showing) changed into my shorts, t-shirt and flip flops, packed a cooler of water, thin mint cookies and a frosty paw for Scottie and made our way to the park for some much needed tranquility that I was able to calm down.  It was breezy and a warm 90 degrees while walking with Scottie in the park overlooking the river and we heard the church bells chime.  I listened to the chiming while we continued to mosey our way through the flower gardens and cherry trees and felt an immediate sense of comfort and tranquility.

This was well deserved down time today with my biggest fan at my heels (well okay he’s always in front making sure he’s sniffed the path that I’m about the walk on).  Thank God for all things beautiful, simple and tranquil!

by Talmadge House

Tuesdays Unwrapped


Emily over at Chatting at the Sky invited fellow bloggers to join her in recognizing and documenting the small, ordinary things in life that truly are abundant in our daily lives but most of us are too busy to recognize and appreciate them.  So we’ve vowed to stop for a second {or okay we should take a few minutes to enjoy the journey of it all} notice something meaningful and precious in our day and blog about it on Tuesdays.

The minute I read the challenge {while at work mind you} I looked down on the floor and saw one of the most precious living things in my life.  It was Scottie {our dog} who came to work with me today as we had an abundance of showings of our home that we’re selling.  I therefore thought it best to just bring him to work with me to avoid taking a day off and/or running back and forth between all the showings.  The piece that is meaningful about this long winded story is that I have an amazingly flexible employer.  Not many employers are understanding and/or even flexible enough to allow a pet in the office.  Thank you Orthopaedic Surgeons, you certainly do make life much easier and in turn I want to work that much more for your office.  Amen!

P.S.  I LOVE it when Scottie lays like this, like he’s superdog or something.  Well HE IS OUR superdog!

by Talmadge House

Puppy Love & Forgotten Birthday

Last Wednesday was my 37th birthday and I was lucky enough to have Mike take some pictures of me and my fluffy bundle of puppy love.  I adore this picture out of all the ones he took.  It’s a true depiction of how much he loves me and I love him.  He’s the best dog and friend anyone could ask for with his chocolate brown puppy dog eyes.  They and his big curly haired ears melt my heart . . . most of the time anyways :).

I figured I’d mark my birthday this year as it was the first year ever that most of the vital people in my life forgot about me.  And when I say “vital people” I’m talking my husband, my sister, my best friend . . . so ya’ll see what I’m talking about right?  I’m thinking I have a free pass with all of them.  What are the chances they’d all forget the same exact year?  LOL . . . listen I can laugh now but I was feeling pretty cruddy the day of my birthday though.  Oh well . . . I’ve earned free passes.

by Talmadge House

Unwrapped & Long Necks Polished Off

Yesterday was the official start of Spring for the Talmadge Family.  We started our day off with a brisk 3 mile walk of which Mike has me surprised this year.  It goes like this . . . during the winter we work out separately, he walks a few miles everyday with his friend at work while I typically go to the gym.  Come nice weather he and I walk together on the weekend.  Well this is the first year I’m not saying “come on pick up the pace”!  He’s actually outpacing me, well it does take me two steps to keep up with his one.  I’m completely impressed Mike!  Now lets  see who wins the push-ups competition.

Mike in his walking sneaks, Adidas jacket and iPhone . . .

And just because I have a fetish with taking pics of shoes . . . Mike’s sneaks LOL

The unofficial start to boating season started this weekend as we removed the shrink wrapping from the boat.  Wahooooo!!!!!  Well the shrink wrap is on it’s way to being off in this picture. . .

OK . . . there goes more of it.  Love & Luck is breathing fresh air again!

Well yeah now this is an interesting picture!  A few of us had some beers after the boat was uncovered and this is the rear view of the men.  From left to right . . . Mike, John, Cowboy Roy and Jeff.  Thanks for the pose and thanks for not mooning me guys!

And the cutest of the pack . . . Scottie Buddy Boy getting his lick on some icey cold ice.  This bucket housed the beers, yes they are burried in there, nice and cold!

And lastly the American Flag is up so you know what this means?  Albeit chilly boating season has started!  Cheers!

by Talmadge House

March is in like a lion!

Seriously guys there wasn’t a lick of snow to be found on the ground yesterday and mother nature wasn’t happy about that so she plastered the Northeast with 14 inches of snow.  The winds have been whipping and the temps are plunging to single digits tonight.  Ahh yeah I did just use a lot of adjectives . . . must sound like the weather man.  All I have to say is that the saying better hold true which means March will go out like a lamb.  We’ve certainly had our fair share of snow, cold temps and bitter wind chills this winter.  Brrrrr

I enjoyed a cup of black tea and a snack this afternoon.  The cookie is a maple cream cookie direct from Vermont.  So bad but so good!

What the???  You with the blond fur . . . get the . . . move your slimy nose away from . . . Hey you furry thing get away from my maple cookie boy!  A bit of subject blur there as I didn’t expect to be taking a picture of a “moving” subject.  I swear this little devil can smell food from anywhere in this house.

Well I’m off to prepare our dinner for this evening . . . the weather has called for something warm and yummy so it’s wine braised chicken with wild rice and green beans.  Oh can’t wait to eat!  Good night