Awards Galore Some More!

For it is in giving that we receive.

~~ St. Francis of Assisi (born Giovanni Francesco di Bernardone), Italian Catholic Friar and Preacher, founder of the men’s Franciscan Order, the women’s Order of St. Clare, and the lay Third Order of Saint Francis, 1181 – 1226.

Each day provides its own gifts.

~~ Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor from AD 161 - AD 180 (co-Emperor from AD 161 – AD 169), last of the Five Good Emperors, Stoic Philosopher, AD 121 - AD 180.

Hey everyone! Long time no woof! All is well and I am pretty much maintaining the status quo of my illness/old age. Adjusting nicely and still living the leash-free life! But at a cost. While enjoying the new-found freedoms of being leash-free I have become remiss in a few of my duties, such as blogging. A few of my good friends have kindly bestowed upon me some fabulous awards and I dropped the bone and have yet to acknowledge them. So, without further ado…

I received this “One Lovely Blog" award from my sweet friends Raelyn and Rose at Beautifully Unique. Raelyn and her “beautifully unique” dog Rose are a pleasure to know. Their blog offers up very distinctive and honest insights and perspectives on many human and animal issues. They are both beautifully unique in my eyes and I am furry happy to know them. Thank you Raelyn and Rose! I am very humbled by this charming award.

I have also been presented with two {yes, 2!!} lovely awards from beautiful Sheba, my very smart and delightful friend from England, of the blog, Sheba’s Life Story. Sheba graciously conferred to me the “Beautiful Blogger” award and the “One Lovely Blog” award. Marvelous awards, and I certainly hope I can continue to live up to those standards. Thank you, Sheba! And you are definitely a beautiful blogger yourself!

Last, but certainly not least, my witty and fun friend Haopee of My Dogs Love Me has kindly given me three {yes, 3!!!} awards: the “Sisterhood of the World Bloggers" award, "Illuminating Bloggers" award, and "Very Inspiring Blogger” award. How pawsome is that? Thank you very much, Haopee! They are great awards and I am honored to have received them. I will continue to strive to present "illuminating" and “inspiring” blog posts. However, since I am an Alpha Male I don’t qualify as joining the “sisterhood” but my human, K, is female so I will pass that award along to her.

I am truly flattered by these very kind tributes, and feel very blessed to have such amazing, wonderful, and giving friends. Thank you all!

~~ MOMENT OF BEAUTY ~~

Francesco Botti, Abigail Bringing Gifts to David, circa possibly 1680s (Private Collection, France)

Master of the Saint Barbara Legend, Abner’s Messenger Before David (?); The Queen of Sheba Bringing Gifts to Solomon, circa 1480 (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, New York, America)

Back to me...

Jeepers creepers! A very creepy-crawly scary time is approaching. Yes, Halloween is frighteningly close, and to help me get into the spirit of the holiday my wonderful and lovely friend at Terra De Duendes has created this perfect gift for me:

Boo! Isn't it pawsome? I really love it! And it has made me so excited for Halloween! Thank you very much Duendes! You are such a terrific friend!

For my costume this Halloween I have been considering going as a Trick-or-Treat bag. That way I could go door to door with my mouth open and the treats could be thrown right into my mouth. Am I smart or what? The quicker the food reaches my tummy the better. I'm just sayin'...

C'est la vie...and death

God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well.

~~ Voltaire (born François-Marie Arouet), French Enlightenment Writer, Historian, and Philosopher,
AD 1694 – AD 1778

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The art of living well and the art of dying well are one.

~~ Epicurus, Ancient Greek Philosopher as well as the founder of the School of Philosophy called Epicureanism,
341 BC – 270 BC

We had some very sad news the other week. Many of you may recall I have mentioned Farmer Bob a few times on my blog. He owns the land, and the bulls, right across the street from where I live. Most of my daily walks, and many of my fun adventures, took place on his land. Farmer Bob was tragically killed in a car accident on the next road over from where we live. My human, K, had driven past the accident twice and had no idea it was her dear friend. He was beloved by many and will be greatly missed. He was a very wise and humble man who truly lived his philosophy on life, rare to find in this day and age. We are all deeply saddened by his loss, and it seems a bit more lonely out here now with him gone.

Silvius and I in our front yard reminiscing about, and missing, Farmer Bob. His property is just across the street, at the tree line.

RIP Farmer Bob. You were always so kind and good to all of us. We miss you!

Another full moon rises, and life continues on its path.

~~ MOMENT OF BEAUTY ~~

Strasbourg Astronomical Clock, [third clock on this spot; the first had been built 1352-1354, and the second had been built 1547-1574], circa 1838 – 1843 (Cathédrale Notre-Dame of Strasbourg, Alsace, France)

Lucien Auguste Vérité, Astronomical Clock of Saint Peter’s Cathedral, , circa 1857 - 1866 (The Cathedral of Saint Peter of Beauvais, Beauvais, France)

Back to me...

K has been rather busy of late and per usual, my blog ends up at the end of her task list. I continually woof to K that my blog is, and should always remain, of utmost importance but then she grumbles about "work" and whatnot. Regardless, I have missed all of you and want to thank you for your continued thoughts, well wishes, and crossed paws. It really means a lot to me and I am very grateful to have such amazing, wonderful, kindhearted friends. I know all of your positive, loving support has helped me in my recovery. I am feeling better but have come to realize that my health will never fully recover. My hind legs have arthritis and although the medicine does help it is not a cure. My inner ear has gotten better, so my walking is much better and much more stable. I only slightly lean to the right now when I walk. My cough persists, although it has lessened considerably, and my wheezing comes and goes. I think this is just the new me. It makes me sad, and K very very sad, but we are doing our best to adapt.

Life has its ups and downs and you take the good with the bad. I strive to handle both with grace and dignity.

Everything changes and evolves. I'm down with that.

I love the new me! Because I am still me! Just a bit different, but nonetheless, me!

And, the new me gets to be outside leash free! Sometimes getting sick has its perks. I'm just sayin’…