The Secret Leaked...

 So, maybe you've heard of rei... reinc... reincarnation before?  Dang, that's a hard word to remember and I'll bet it's a hard one to say too.  Anyhoo, there may those who now believe that I, Stella Claypool, may just be the reincarnation of a famous soccer player.  A VERY famous soccer player.  I may have even competed in the Olympics once upon a time.  There's a story that leads us down that road of to speculation of course but then isn't there always a story?

My mom used to hope and wish for a dog that enjoyed paying fetch.  The dogs of her past just never were much interested... although they were wonderful individuals that made their mother proud.  She once had a cat that adored playing fetch with scrunched up pieces of typing paper and she says that was fun but just not quite the same as playing with a pooch.  

And then came me...

To say that I am addicted to balls would be putting it mildly.  They truly drive me crazy with their ability to fly, roll, bounce and occasionally get lost.  I nearly eat & breathe balls, balls of any size, I just can't get enough of them.  I can play fetch as long as anyone can keep throwing it.  If you are visiting you can be assured, I'll bring you a ball and give you the most pleading of looks until you finally succumb to my magic and toss the darn thing.  So far I'm maintaining a no-loss win.  Everyone, and I mean everyone, eventually tosses the ball.  Needless to say, my mom adores this gift of mine and makes sure I get to run long and hard on a regularl basis. I adore it too but I knew there was more, more that I just couldn't quite put my paw on until...

Recently I began attending a new doggy day care in town.  Its called Whistle,  in like whistle while you work.  It's the coolest place with the coolest kids ever.  They all welcomed me right into the pack and I've made all kinds of new friends.  I actually enjoy going there instead of feeling like I'm being forced against my will.  There's all kinds of fun things to experience there, from arts and crafts to musical appreciation.  I was totally digging it all and would have been hard-pressed to pick my favorite activity until...

Just the other day at school, Mae, my daycare mom, introduced us all to a soccer ball.  A SOCCER BALL!!!  My heart nearly leapt right out of my chest an was pounding so hard.  I'd been waiting four long years for someone to give me a soccer ball.  It was like seeing a long lost friend.  With my very first kick the memories came flooding back.  Offence, defense, narrowing the angles, and focus, focus, focus on that goal!  It felt fabulous and I can hardly wait to play again.  I tried to keep the other kids in line but it quickly became obvious that these were a bunch of weekend warriors at best and not the series athlete like me.  That's okay, sometimes you're the audience and sometimes you're the star, it's all good either way.  Mom says they might excel at a sport I'm no good at so it all evens out in the end.

So, any ideas of just who I might of once been?  I sure wish Ancestory.com went further back, back to past lives.  When I listen closely I can still hear the roar of the crowd. Maybe you can too!

Loves & Licks

Stella

 Yesterday I turned four.  Yes, really I did!  I know I look much younger and I attribute that to healthy food, plenty of love and a really good gene pool combination, but I honestly am four years old now.  Can you recall when you were my age?  I know that's been a lot longer for some of you than others but it's such a special, once in a lifetime age, I hope you can remember.

Being four means I've been places, met lots of different folks and have a pocket full of experiences under my belt.  The best of the best is the friends I've made as I've traveled along lifes pathways.  Some have been much bigger than me, some have been much hairier than me and some haven't had much hair at all, but the one thing they've all had in common is that I loved each and every one of them to bits and pieces.

For my birthday yesterday I received a couple of new toys and yes, they are wonderful, all fresh and unchewed but something was missing... can you guess what is is?

Let me start by telling you a story about another present I received, it goes like this...

I'm a lucky pooch who has never gone without an extensive assortment of toys to play with, however, I tend to love them maybe just a smidgeon too much.  If there's a squeaker inside, and of course those are my favorite kind, I just can't seem to rest without doing my best to "kill" that darn thing!  I even give myself extra points if I'm able to extract that noise maker out of the tiniest hole,  like a surgeon doing fine, complicated surgery.  Once the squeaker has been separated from its host toy, the stuffing is next on the list.  Oh, the fun of leaving tiny balls of white snow like  stuff all around the house!  Unfortunately my mom doesn't share the sense of accomplishment I do and in fact, from the huffing and puffing she does while gathering it all up leaves me to believe she's maybe even angry or disappointed in my ways of showing love.  Once a toy has been thourougly loved in the methods mentioned above, the leftover corpses go to live in the closet, up high on a shelf where I can't even see them,  but my feline siblings assure me they are there.

 

And then came by birthday day...  Try for a moment to imagine sitting alone on the floor and then having an entire bag,  really big bag, of friends you've loved in the past but haven't seen or sniffed properly for the longest time, being showered upon you all at once.  It was downright magical.  There they all were, patched up beautifully and ready to play with once again.  Everyone seemed so happy to be back together and I smiled ear to ear, I just couldn't believe it was true and it seemed to me that everything was right in my world once again!

New toy that I hoped for & got!

The moral of this story is to remind you all that as amazingly wonderful as new friends are, all shiny bright, without any tatters yet,  no smell of dog drool on them and all their seams sewn shut nice and tight, they just don't quite compare to the comfort, of old friends full of memories.  I'm old enough now to understand that it takes time for new friends to become old friends and to be as loved and cherished as much.  I'm making it my mission to make that happen as quickly as possible though because without a doubt, old friends are the very bestest kind!

 So hug your friends, new ones and old ones.  Share experiences, make memories, lots of them, let them know just how important they are to you, even leave a little drool on them if you must.  Just be sure to treasure them even if you might not get to see them often, even if they have some flaws and never forge those who helped make you, you!

Loves & Licks,

Stella

PS ~ In full disclosure, one is already residing once again in Moms closet.  Sorry Hedgie

 

            

So my mom says this is the last day of the year.  She seems really excited about it but I'm not exactly sure why.  She also says that folks have been asking about me, maybe even wondering as to what I've been up to for the past several months. Oh, I've pretty much just hung out at home with mom and the kitties and from the whispers I hear from my other hairy friends, that's what most of you have been up to too. We go each day either to the river to walk and play fetch or to a couple of the parks nearby. I did get to attend my first outdoor concert earlier in the summer with Mom and Auntie M.  I tried my best to be just as good as possible because that was fun and I want to be able to do that again, and again, and again.

 Mostly, I'd say I've spent a lot of time reflecting.  As I'm approaching adulthood there's just so much to consider!  For the time being I've decided to continue to live at home.  I'm afraid Mom would start ugly crying if I mentioned moving out on my own.  I had a date a couple of months ago but he turned out to be a bit deaf and blind and too old to run and have real fun with.  Mom says that sounds a lot like her dating life too.  

This is Pibb ~ he sounded better than he was IRL

I've been reviewing my options, "trying on" different occupations to see how they fit. I know some folks make a very nice living as an astronaut but what about alien spaceships?  Those sound kinda scary and I'm not real fond of heights.  That's probably a no go.

I love to eat yummy foods and Mom has all kinds of really cool kitchen stuff that you plug in...  maybe a baker or chef would be fun and taste good too.  I could just sit and dream of the concoctions I might create.

Or, perhaps I could just continue being a pup of leisure and spend my days sailing through the skies in a hot air balloon.  Oh, the choices are endless.  So tell me, what do you want to be when you grow up?  Let me know and I'll add it to my list of possibilities.

Happy New Year with Loves & Licks

Stella

In the meantime I want to wish you all the best for 2021.  I'm hoping there will be a lot of new adventures, new friends, new experiences and a chance to visit with folks a whole lot more!

So when exactly do I get my cap & gown?

Greetings from the land of the Corona Virus!  Now, to be honest, I'm not exactly sure what that means.  I've put together little bits and pieces here and there,  from conversations I've overheard and the radio and television but I still have questions... so many questions.

 It sounds like a terrible thing and I don't doubt that for a minute, I've heard of folks being sick and even dying from it which is just too sad to even try to wrap my brain around but without trying to sound disrespectful, as a little black dog, I'm not really hating some of its aspects.

I've always been taught to look for the silver-lining in problems... like for instance, we don't have friends come to visit anymore at our house, but we get to go see Grandma almost every day and I love playing with her.  I especially love that she always pours me a bowl of filtered water when I get thirsty and my ball is always waiting in exactly the same spot.   She never gets tired of throwing it for me and when I'm really, really good, she has a bag of treats stashed and I know right where they are.

My Grandma!

Another benefit is that Mom has had a lot more time recently to spend  with me.  Sometimes we walk the lake, or the dike or head to the river and sometimes we take car rides to new destinations but the difference is, now we are never in a hurry! Even if it's just getting to spend more time napping on her lap, it makes me happy but... let me tell you about my very favorite new thing to do!

Up by the lake is this beautifully big building that Mom says is a high school named RA Long.  Turns out Mom went there many, many years ago and so did her grandson Easten. In fact, I've met a lot of lovely folks over the years who also went to school there. In front of the school it just so happens they have not one but two humongously big yards with luscious green grass and really tall trees.  Because of this virus thing, there aren't any kids going to school so it's become a very lonesome place.  Mom and I decided to visit it and let me tell you, that place rocks! Because it's such a large area, Mom can throw the ball really far and I get to run just as fast as I can to fetch it.  Just between you and me, Mom can't really throw worth a darn but with that green ball-throwing device, she looks like a superstar.  And then there are the squirrels, tons of them and they are so much fun to play with.  We pretend I'm chasing them, but I'm really not, it's just a game, and they run up and down the trees, teasing me, but not mean- like because remember, it's just a game.  I tried my best to run up the trees after them but for some reason I just can't seem to get a grip on the bark like they can.

There are also these really cool flowers that Mom says are called dandy-lions.  She told me all about how they are healthy and helpful to the bees but the part I like is how you can nudge them and make them blow all over.  I tried using my mouth but I just couldn't pucker my lips in the right way so I ended up just swatting them with my paw instead, same results and so cool.

Success!

I also have my very own private gardner that comes every so often and lets his very noisy horse-like monster eat the grass and make it short again.  Sometimes he kind of vacuums up all the leftovers that the monster leaves but sometimes he doesn't and that leads to one thing I'm not really crazy about... hairy balls.  Yup, my ball gets little grass hairs all over it and when I bring it back to Mom, it tickles my tongue something fierce.  Still trying to find the silver lining in that little problem.

So, I'm hoping this virus thing isn't getting you down, that you've been able to find some silver-linings too and that when this is all over and I've gone back to day-care, and you've all returned to your lives, you'll be able to look back over these past few months and realize that there were some good times too.  And... if this Corona continues much longer, my hope is that I too will be an RA Long graduate. :o)

Love & Licks, Stella

      

                    

Happy Birthday to me?

So... according to my mom, today is my birthday! I guess I'm three years old now, although I still  feel like a very young pup. If you believe the online charts and grafts, that makes me equal to about seventeen in people years.  Hummmm, that might explain a lot.  Turns out I've been a bit moody for the last few months, just kinda keeping to myself, sometimes even napping at the opposite end of the couch instead of always in moms lap.  I'm usually happy and excited to see what the day might hold but once or twice I've found myself feeling reflective, and just like time in my bed, left alone to chill.  Mom says she just chalks it up to me being a teenage girl, what the heck does she mean by that?

I'm so excited that today I share my birthday with the first day of Spring ~ how cool is that!  Spring is full of longer days for walks around the lake, dry skies to head towards Willow Grove to chase the birds or warmer weather to head to the beach.  I'm old enough now to know that following Spring is Summer, major whoop time!  I've heard whispers of some new adventures planned over the next few weeks and I can hardly wait.

My Auntie Joanski always said Spring pups were the best pups to adopt and I have no reason to disagree.  Now is like the PERFECT time to consider an addition to your family and if adoption isn't your thing, maybe fostering would be a better fit.  Thant's how I met my mom.  Either way, it can be a really wonderful experience that will make your heart swell right out of your chest ~Yes, I've watched The Grinch Stole Christmas movie too, maybe more than once.  He's kind of a scary dude!

Please help me celebrate my special day by doing one random act of kindness in my name.  Id love to hear back from you as to what your RAK ends up being.  The thought of being the reason for something nice happening just makes my heart well in a very Grinch-kinda-way.

Loves & Licks,
Stella

Life Lessons

During our morning walk today, I started thinking 'bout some life lessons I've learned along my journey through life.... then I thought, hummmm ,  maybe if I shared with you and you shared with me, we might all end up learning something new so let's give it a try!


: Squirrels are fun to chase, they can run fast and so can I, but not when I'm on a short leash.  Squirrels can run up trees, and I can't.  But I tried.

:  Dishwashers are like a treasure trove but you've got to catch it before someone closes its door.

: Lemons might  look like tennis balls but they sure don't taste or play the same.  Yuk!

: Sometimes the smartest thing to do is pretend you can't hear.



:  More people smile and say hi when its sunny outside.


:  Flowers smell so nice but don't bother the bees that are busy smelling them too.

:  Someone needs to make room freshner that smells like freshly cut hay.

:  Dog food and treats are really yummy but cat food... now that's a REAL treat!



: When I'm bored, I ring the bells on the back door, not because I need to go out but just to get Mom to put down her book and pay attention to me.

:  Car seats for pups are great for lifting you high enough to see out the window but also for when the car stops waaaay too fast.

:  Dogs don't give a rip about politics  Dogs are very smart.

: Sprinklers at the school track field are fun to play and run through but don't try that at the golf course.

:  Cats don't play fair... ever!



: I love my moms friends but some days I miss my dog buddies from day care so its nice when we meet new friends on our walks.  I'm not sure,  but I'm thinking one can never have too many friends.

:  Thunder and lightening aren't scary if you sleep right through it.

Tomorrow there will be more to learn so sweet dreams to everyone!

Loves & Licks,
Stella

A Magical Morning

Have you ever woken up on a beautiful morning and just needed an adventure?  Today was like that.  I'd have liked to have to have grown a pair of wings and soared to somewhere far away but alas, that was not to be.  I really hope and pray I grow up to be an eagle someday but right as of this moment, the odds don't seem to be in my favor.

After bearing witness to a pink and purple streaked sunrise, Mom and I got our walking attire on and headed out the door.  We headed to a lake that runs through our town, named after Sacajawea, a Lemhi Shoshone woman who helped to guide and interpret for Lewis & Clark.  She traveled with their expedition thousands of miles, from North Dakota to the Pacific Ocean.  I love the ocean and can only imagine what they must have thought the first time they saw it.

That's Sacajawea on the left.  I accidently peed on her foot.

Bad, bad pup!

   Our lake is called a sparkling jewel and even though I've seen it my entire life, in rain, snow and sunshine, I have never-ever seen it as beautiful as it was this morning.  The lavender smelled heavenly, the fountains sparkled and everyone we passed had a smile on their faces too.  I got to stop and visit with three other pups and one pups mom even had treats in her pocket that she shared with me!  Our lake has tons of big trees to leave p-mail messages on,  so of course I had to add a message or two of my own.  It's so nice that there are places to sit and enjoy the view, or cast a fishing pole.  You can sail your kayak, play on either of the two playgrounds or bring a picnic to enjoy.  There are a couple of islands to that you can visit although one, the Japanese Garden,  doesn't allow pups.  I keep hoping Mom will sneak me in because I'm just dying to see what's behind those magical doors but so far, no luck in getting smuggled in.  Maybe someday...

One of the fun parts of walking the lake is keeping my eyes ears and nose alert for other creatures and critters.  They are everywhere!  We almost always spot a couple of turtles sitting on logs sunning themselves and squirrels are so much fun to watch.  Most of the Lakes inhabitants are friendly but then there's the gang of geese, that's a whole different story!  Mom says the correct term is a gaggle of geese but I swear they are a gang and I'm sticking to my story.  These guys are tough and loud.  They scream at you and delight in chasing whatever crosses their path.  I do my darndest to stay clear of them.

Not this path please!

Gang Members

Lake Sacajawea was developed in 1924 and I'm already looking forward to its 100th birthday.  I hope there will be an amazing birthday celebration and I hope its dog friendly.  If you are ever in our town, I hope you will stop by and spend a little time enjoying it.  If you are already familiar with this little gem then I encourage you to visit often because I swear, it's different every time I come.

Today proved that you don't have to grow wings or go far to have an adventure. Here's to hoping you fill your day with special times too.

Loves & Licks, 

Stella