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

This girls got balls!

This weekend I'll be delivering #12!!!!    It all started about a year ago when I overheard a podcast my mom was listening to.  The subject being discussed was "spreading joy" and I really liked the thought of that.  I spent a couple of days thinking,  just how might a little black pup manage to make the world more joyful...  I thought of all the things that make me smile, that seemed like a good place to start.

Have I ever told you about my-very-favorite-balls-in- the- whole-wide-world?  Well, they are nothing short of fabulous!  First of all, they fit perfectly in my mouth and when I chew on them they make the  coolest squeaky sound.  They also have a hole that goes clear through them that allows the air to create a whistle when you throw them just right.  Best of all though, they GLOW!  Yup, seriously.  You can hold a flashlight up to them for a few seconds, place it next to a lamp or just sit it in the sun.  A glowing ball is extra special fun to play fetch with, especially in the dark. And so...


I decided I could make the world a little bit better by sharing my love of these amazing glow balls by surprising other dogs with a gift of one of their very own.  My mom helps me a little but it really is my project.  So far I've given eleven balls out and have the twelfth one ready to go.  Mom says that makes a dozen.  I just know that it makes me smile from ear to floppy ear.

If you know of a special pup that might enjoy one of my-very-favorite-balls-in-the-whole-wide-world, drop me a note and let me know and I'll add it to my list.  I get a small allowance each week if I've been really good so as you can imagine, it takes me a bit to save up for each order but it's a goal I believe in and enjoy.  Just one little ballsy black dog doing what she can to spread joy!

Loves & Licks,
Stella

Memorial Day Missive

Happy Memorial Day... although wishing that seems kinda strange to me since the day is about remembering those who died protecting us.  I think that's more about being sad and respectful but then there's a lot of things hoomuns do that I personally just don't get.

Like this...  I'm really hoping that someone can clue me in to the meaning of all these abandoned clothes.  In the last two days we have come across a pair of shoes neatly placed along the dikes path, a pair of socks at the schools track and a pair of pants outside the gates.  Did the rapture come and I got left?  If that's the case, heads up buttercup ... you got left too.

I've never seen my mom just take off her clothes and leave them laying about, at least not in public.  Now I'm not saying she never has, I've just never been witness to it.

Is there some kind of hidden message in these  pieces of clothing that I just haven't yet figured out?  Is the universe trying to tell me something?  Please feel free to clue me in.

In the meantime, please enjoy this sacred day in whatever manner you wish but somewhere int he back of your mind, remember about what today really signifies and remember too that not all who lost their lives were hoomans… some heroes walked on four legs.

Loves & Licks,

Stella

My very-favorite-ball-in-the-whole-wide-world

This is the story of my very-favorite-ball-in-the-whole-wide-world and a mean and evil sneaker wave. Have you heard of sneaker waves before?  Do you know how dangerous they are?  I'm two now so sure, I'd heard about sneaker waves once or twice before.  I fully understood that meant that you couldn't go in barefoot, that you needed to be wearing shoes to logically protect your feet.  I'd seen signs posted, warning folks about them and suggesting that you never-ever turn your back on them but I never once thought it could apply to me.  And so my story goes like this...

I have this favorite ball.  It's incredibly cool for so many reasons, like it has a hole in the center so when it's thrown just right, it whistles.  If you hold it in your mouth just right, it's great fun to chomp on and it charges up from light so that you can see it in the dark.  I love this ball and if I had my way, I'd pack it EVERYWHERE I go!  If you don't have one, I'm here to tell  you,   you need one.  Sooner better than later.

My mom and I walk in the sand along the river every morning, just before it gets light enough to see.  Mom believes it's good for our physical health and that watching the sun come up is good for our soul.  Who knows, she might be right, she is occasionally about other things.  Never before had she let me take my very-favorite-ball-in-the-whole-wide-world out to the sand with us but today I somehow convinced her.  It might have been because I'd been particularly cute this morning, or that I'd been such a good girl or it could have been because it's Tuesday, we'll just never know for sure but the ball and I hit the beach running.  Mom called ahead and warned me not to let it get close to the waters edge but by then I had the wind on my face, the sand between my toes and my very-favorite-ball-in-the-whole-wide-world in my mouth and I wasn't hearing a single word she said.

The ball, me and Mom were having a lovely stroll and I was having a blast showing off my ball to the seagulls and ducks along our route.  Everyone seemed most impressed.  After a bit my jaws were getting a little tired so I put my ball down just long enough to take a moments break and get a different hold on it when out of no where, along came one of those vicious, hateful sneaker waves and grabbed my very-favorite-ball-in the whole-wide-world right from between my front feet!  Mom was a ways ahead of us and didn't actually see it happen but when she glanced back and saw me at the waters edge, empty mouthed and gazing out into the waters, she quickly figured it out.  We checked the water and even grabbed a stick in hopes of spotting it and being able to help it back to shore but there was no sign of it at all.  Mom said it should float but nope, it was no where in sight.  We searched as long as we could and then it was time to head home.  Boy, was I depressed at the thought of never seeing my very-favorite-ball-in-the-whole-wide-world ever again.  How could I be expected to carry on?  I hung my head and started for the car, trailing as far behind Mom as I possibly could when all of a sudden I heard her yell my name.  There it was, just a foot or so from shore, bouncing along, carried much farther by the waters motion than we had expected.  Other than the bathtub, I am not much of a fan of large bodies of water but was doing my best to work up the courage to jump in when Mom just took a few steps into the river and snagged my ball for me.  That's my idea of a true hero!

 This story has a happy ending but also a moral... pay heed to those warnings and never ever trust those sneaker waves, whether you are wearing shoes or not!

Loves & Licks,

Stella

Today is National Pet Day

So, today is National Pet Day and here at Casa de la Risa (translation: our house, where we laugh a lot) loves to celebrate every event we possibly can.  Usually our celebrations include food, music and maybe a little dancing. What's your favorite cause for celebration?  Around here, sometimes we just party because it's a Friday night.



 Turns out my mom is has been holding out on me!  I am two years old and I'd never tasted a banana before.  Can you believe that?  Someone call PETA because this well may qualify as animal abuse.  Turns out they are pure deliciousness and if that's all that ever filled my food bowl, I'd be one happy little black pup.

When I was first born I had to drink formula because for reasons beyond my control, my biological mamma was MIA.  From there I graduated to raw goats milk and thought that was nectar from the gods. In my two years here on earth, I've tried many, many different things, some good, some bad and some that came as quite a surprise.

So grab your favorite pet, cat, dog, lizard, whatever and turn on your favorite tunes, eat some delightful treats, dance around the kitchen and celebrate the day because there's no better "party animal" than us four legged ones. HAPPY NATIONAL PET DAY from our house to yours!

Loves & Licks,

Stella

It's a Beautiful Day For a Birthday

Today is my birthday, the second one I've ever had.  Unlike hoomuns though, I'm not like a two year old tot.  No, dogs age much differently from hoomuns.  If you take a look at this cool age chart you'll see that I am now a Young Adult, similar to when you were about twenty-three.

 If I weren't a dog, I might have graduated from college by now, moved into a home of my own, found a job and maybe even started a family.  Let me tell you, being a dog is so much better!  I get to run out by the river early almost every morning, I get plenty of fresh water and delicious food that I don't have to ever go to work to buy, I never have to pay a bill and... I get to live with  my mom forever!

Birthday Sunrise

Lot's of cool stuff has happened since I was born.  I've made a ton of friends, some I've met and others I haven't yet.

I have hiked up trails, kayaked on the water, swam in the water with my safety vest on, eaten a gardenful of carrots, ran the track at the middle school and played with all my friends at camp.  I love holding paws with my mom, getting my footpads massaged with shea butter and chasing balls.  Yup, anything that includes running after a ball is a real winner with me and I've learned to play soccer and am a fairly accomplished goalie.

I could tell my mom was stirring up something special because, well basically ANYTHING with peanutbutter in it is special to me.  I had no idea what she was making though so imagine my joy at discovering it was a birthday pupcake for me!  Yup, that's right.  It's a combination of applesauce, oatmeal and peanutbutter all mixed up and baked into a delicious little bundle of complete yumminess, just for me.  She frosted it with peanutbutter, added a few treats on top and then placed a carrot stick in the middle.  Oh my goodness...  birthdays sure do taste good.

Later today Mom is taking me shopping for something called a present.   She explained that folks like to celebrate birthdays by giving someone something meaningful, so I'd like to use my new "young adult" boldness by asking each of you for a present too.  In celebration of turning two, I'm asking that each of you do two, not one but two nice things for someone else today.  It can be as easy as looking a stranger in the eye and wishing them a terrific day, or calling someone you haven't connected with for awhile and letting them know you miss them.

As wonderful as my pupcake is, knowing I was able to help spread some goodness around today would be even better.  Ans so, believing that you'll do your part, get started now and lets all make this a most wonderful March 19th EVER!!!

Loves & Licks,
Stella

From the Vaults ~ The Chronicles of Stella

March 9, 2018

So today Mom said I learned an "Important Lesson"  It went down like this... No rain or snow or ice to contend with on our walk this morning, just sunshine and fog.  The fog is kinda fun because you don't get much notice of who'll you'll be meeting next along the trail.

I came upon the most wonderful treasure, a really cool, really big stick.  Much larger and heavier than any I've ever discovered before.  I was trying my best to figure out a way to carry it but it was more unwieldly than I'd expected.

Suddenly, out of the fogs mist appeared my good friend Angel.  I love Angel and Mom enjoys chatting with her mom and dad, giving Angel and I time to goof around and catch up on each others latest adventures.  Angel quickly saw my dilemma and picked up one end of the stick, keeping her head down low enough that I was able to hold the other end.  Together we carried that big stick down the trail together while the Parental Units proceeded to laugh and laugh at us.  Mom laughed so hard that the photo she took turned out all blurry.  The lesson I'm supposed to have learned is that good friends can help to ease our burdens.  I have no clue what a burden is but I'm guessing its just another word for "big stick".

Loves & Licks,
Stella

The Chronicles of Stella: Tri-fecta ~ a run of three wins or grand events......

The Chronicles of Stella: Tri-fecta ~ a run of three wins or grand events......: Yup,  I'd say today is a grand, grand, grand trifecta kinda day!  After a stretch of pretty lousy, rainy, sometimes snowy couple of w...

Tri-fecta ~ a run of three wins or grand events...

Yup,  I'd say today is a grand, grand, grand trifecta kinda day!  After a stretch of pretty lousy, rainy, sometimes snowy couple of weeks, today is BEAUTIFUL!  Because of how pretty it was this morning, and maybe because she was feeling a tad bit bad about cutting our walks short in the snow, Mom surprised me with not just one but three walks!

I love to explore and sniff my way along the river, but I also adore the lake in the middle of our town, and the track at the middle school is a grand place to throw the ball and chase it.  Today we hit all three spots and I had such a wonderful time.  I didn't even mind having to be on the leash at the lake because I can go leashfree at the other two spots and run to my hearts content.

The sun was shinning the entire time with no cranky clouds trying their best to cover it up.  Everyone we me along the way, those with two legs, four legs and even those with wings all seemed to have smiles on their faces.  The sun is very powerful indeed and has the ability to make folks happy.  It sure made me happy!  I even spied, with my two little eyes, a couple of flowers popping their heads up to see if the snow was indeed really gone.

Have you ever seen a dog wearing a yellow bandana before,
and if so, did you know what it meant?  I never had before so I learned something new.  It's kind of hard to do the right thing if you've never had it 'xplained to you so now, you know too.  Just remember that like a traffic light, yellow means "caution" and be extra careful.



Today I'd like to talk about balls.  I have to admit, I'm smitten with them, perhaps even a teeny bit obsessed.  I LOVE to play fetch and I haven't yet met a person who can play as long as me.  The hoomuns throwing the balls always wear out before me.

 My favorite outdoor ball is my glow-in-the-dark Chuck-it ball.  Its a blast to play in the dark and mom just shines a flashlight on it for a second or two to charge it up ~ no batteries required.  Just imagine watching this glowing ball flying through the dark and then getting to run and scoop it up in my mouth.  I swear it even tastes better when it's all lit up.

The Chuck-it ball is great for outdoors but it's gotten me in a little bit of trouble indoors. Knocking stuff over always seems to  result in the ball being put up high, too high for me to reach and that's no fun.  Finally I found the perfect solution.  The pet store had these cool guys in lots of colors and they can be thrown indoors without hurting anything or anybody. 

They feel great to chew on too and we all know how important that feature is.  If you have a pup that likes to play catch or soccer inside the house, this is the ball for them and you can tell them I highly recommend it.  It even just bounced right off Ozzy, my feline brother, and didn't seem to bother him in the least.  Almost magical, huh?

Well, it looks like Mom is getting ready to take a nap and as gifted of a ball player as I am, I also just happen to excel in nap-taking too!
Here's to a lovely, sunny, fun filled day and a peaceful, well deserved afternoon nap.

Loves & Licks,
Stella

Feeling a little bit guilty

Lets talk about weather...  We are currently on our next to the last day of the first month of 2019 and so it is still officially winter.  What's it like outside your window?  Sometimes I pay attention when the news is on tv, and sometimes I'm far too busy planning my next attack against the household cats.  The last few days though I've been really listening closely because for some folks, its colder and nastier than anything I've ever experienced.

 I live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest but I have cousin dogs in Canada and just outside Chicago.

Have you seen the type of weather they are
currently experiencing.  Down right frightful!  I hear those pups have to wear special booties on their paws in order to go outside or they could get frostbite on their toes.

Biting is not allowed in our family and truth be told, it's not a nice thing to do so I think we can all agree, no one's got time for that1

Early yesterday morning when we headed to the river to walk, our world was covered with magic dust or as my mom calls it, fog.  It was so thick and wonderful that you could hardly tell what was ahead or behind you which made walking in it a delightful adventure.  We've certainly walked in fog before but yesterdays should have won a prize for the best ever.

There was also a thin layer of frost on the sand which makes it all  kinda sparkly and you could feel a crunch under each foot step.  That's a feeling and sound I really enjoy.  We haven't seen a single snowflake this winter but I've been promised a river walk if any ever begin falling from our skies.

By afternoon the temperature was up to 55 degrees, the sky was a most glorious shade of blue and the sun was out, shining brightly.  It felt heavenly!  Maybe you also noticed that it's staying light longer into the evening and getting less dark in the early morning hours too.  You realize the importance of this, right?  More hours to walk, explore and play.  Major whoop!

Which brings us back to my feeling a bit guilty.  As I wear my cute little red jacket, I hope other dogs in colder places have coats to keep them warm.

When I return to my nice cozy home I hope that all the other dogs get to come inside too and find warmth and love surrounding them.  As I snarf down my breakfast and lunch I hope that all animals, everywhere have plenty of food to fill their bellies and a soft spot to lay their heads.  By the way, I wish those very same things for all of you!

Loves & Licks,
Stella

Willow Grove Found Treasure

Are you still celebrating the New Year?  The cats and I talked about it and decided we wanted to celebrate each and every day, all year long.  Doesn't that sound like a grand idea?

Today was our first river walk in 2019.  We were the first ones into the park, in fact, the Park Host hadn't even unlocked the gates yet when we pulled up.  I guess you know that means we were the first ones to put our pawprints in the sand too.  That's always an amazing feeling.

 It was still dark when we hit the beach but Mom had her flashlight and we wanted to have enough time to walk as far as possible.  I'm not real clear about exactly why a flashlight is important but I'm starting to get the idea that Mom might not see as good in the dark as I do.

So there we were, just making our way down the beach when... we saw it... a treasure chest that had washed ashore.  The chest was covered in mirrors and we took a minute or two, considering whether we should try to open it or not.  What might be inside?  My mind began to race with ideas both magical and horrifying.

 It was stuck together pretty well,  with sand lodged into places it didn't belong all along the lid, but eventually Mom was able to pry it open.  We looked inside and it was filled with murky water.  Mom tipped it sideways to let the water run out and then declared that it was empty. Empty?  I could hardly believe my ears.  The treasure chest was filled as full as it possibly could be with hopes and dreams and prayers.  How could she not see?  Someone had trusted this chest with their most important treasures and I could only imagine who that "someone" might be.  I pondered several possibilities but I think the only logical explanation is that it belonged to a little girl pirate.  She had to pretend she was mean and cranky during the day, in front of her men but deep inside she was sweet and loving.  She used the chest to hold the mean, cranky side at night and the sweet and loving side during the day.  It was quite a secret to keep from her crew but of course, completely necessary.  Unfortunately, during a very bad storm, the ship and its entire crew went down.  All of the items onboard were tossed by the seas for years and years to come and eventually, a certain little treasure chest washed up on the sand at Willow Grove... where we left it to be discovered again and again.  I really am concerned about Moms eyesight.

Here's to hoping that this year holds adventures, discoveries and some magical moments for you and those you love.

Loves & Licks,

Stella