Sammy Seal

Sammy, Sammy, Sammy....he's just dissected the stuffed dog and is laying on the innards looking just a little bit guilty! But I took a movie of it and I'm just here to say, he had such a good time doing it! Sammy comes with his brother Jimmy for Doggy Day Care. He loves the back yard squirrels and barking up the tree, cat food and attention! He and his brother Jimmy take good care of each other, but Sammy hogs all the attention. He's a man that knows what he wants and gets it. They do NOT like snow, being native to LA and just recently transplanted to Baltimore. And I love them....

National Building Museum

If you haven't been here yet and you're at all interested in the built environment, you're missing out.This unique museum offers unpredictable, beautifully curated exhibits in a soaring space within an historic building originally designed for the dispensation of the Civil War Pension fund. In addition there is an expansive museum store with an impressive collection of architecture related books and just plain great design stuff! For example, currently there is a show chronicling the advent and maturing of car culture, using models, drawings, photos and especially memorabilia of early parking garage design including some fantastical unbuilt designs, some artful designs and finally a vertical pez like design for the dispensation of Zip Cars in Japan. Visit www.nbm.org for information on current exhibits and activities.

The Smithsonian Craft Show will be in the this Grand Hall, too, at the end of April. This is an extraordinary show, smaller and more exclusive than the February ACC show at the Convention Center in Baltimore with some of the finest crafts people doing work in the United States today.

Visiting the Finnish Embassy In DC

 

A late start and traffic caused us to miss our scheduled tour...but we toured ourselves through the Finnish Embassy built with the materials representative of this Scandinavian country: Light woods, steel cables, green glass, vertical vistas, curving, open stairs and a grid of light of that extends from the front entry drive through the building and out into the woods behind it. In the exhibition space there was a fascinating exhibit on the Kavella (sp?), a dark, Finnish story of creation that directly influenced the writing of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. The building...and it's people (all predictably blonde and beautiful) were a departure from the pomp and formality of DC's Embassy row. 

On May 8, Saturday, there will be an European Union Embassy Open House from 10-5 with shuttles running between Embassies...just in case you're interested!

Happy Dog Clipper

Clipper is just a happy dog that throws himself fully into everything he does....like chasing a stick or a ball. However, he doesn't like thunderstorms one bit and needs some extra attention when they come around. Visit anytime Clipper!

Mud season is upon us.....

Dirty dog Hayden, how muddy can you get? There's some swine genes in this dog, 'cuz he LOVES rolling in the mud! But he's a very happy dog, exhausted and rinsed and asleep on the only light colored upholstery we own...of course!

National Professional Pet Sitters Week

Everyone's got their day, at least their birthday anyway! Well I've gained a new week for myself! I think I'll send myself some flowers with a note that says; "Dear Shelly, So glad you found me. It's been a match made in heaven! All my love, the Profession of Pet Sitting." They might even be really nice flowers! Seriously, though,  I am grateful to spend time with the animals that are in my care because invariably they are honest, generous and loving clients that usually even pay on time! What more could you ask?

Callie

 

I walk Callie everyday. She is a smart 90 lb. female lab that I call the warrior princess for obvious reasons. She is that dog that ALWAYS puts a smile on my face because she greets me with such joy. She can jump straight up off the ground repeatedly when she's excited to see you, which is a feat for a dog this size! I walk her off leash in beautiful, safe and sanctioned neighborhood park along a stream. This makes for a great walk for both of us, but it's important to me that she comes when I call her. She is very bright and can be will fill and uninterested in listening when she's onto a scent.  We've worked on teaching each other the best way to communicate. Over time, we've developed effective listening skills based on give and take... I give her some extra space when she's really engaged and she listens when I do call...at which time she knows I always take a bone from my  pocket. Love you, Callie!

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