I have begun writing blog posts for Mother Earth Living. Do you ever read that magazine?
I pick it up from time to time. It has all the simple living ideas I’m interested in.
They emailed me a few weeks ago and asked if I’d blog for their website. There is no pay involved, but they list my blog URL and that will probably send me traffic. And of course traffic equals money.
The first article I wrote on summer garden maintenance. And My bio.
Charlie At The Groomer:
When I picked up Charlie from the groomer yesterday, she told me that his hair cut wasn’t all that even. She said it’s because he can’t stand up long enough for her to cut it evenly.
She’s been putting wadded up towels under him for some time to give him a hair cut. His back hurts him if he stands up for very long. So she kind of rolls him around to get to all of him.
I told her I didn’t care as long as my boy is not in pain.
Charlie is a little chunker. He really likes to eat.
I remember when Dr. Poteet told me they had to pull all but two teeth.
And I asked him how Charlie was going to eat. He told me not to worry. He’d be able to eat. And he was right.
I guess he’s channeling Abi again. I was taking my shower yesterday evening. He usually stays on the bed while I take my shower.
I stepped out and found little torn up pieces of toilet paper on the floor just outside the shower. And he looked so innocent.
I’ve never known him to do that. How he got the toilet paper into such tiny pieces with two teeth amazed me.
He’s My Funny Bunny:
I laughed and laughed. He’s my funny bunny.
I’ve noticed that he no longer wants to be under a blanket all the time. He’s changing, my little man is. In fact I haven’t seen him wiggle under a blanket in weeks.
I had my first tomato of the year for supper yesterday.
I baked a potato (Charlie loves plain baked potatoes, so I give him a little bit), cooked some beans and made a salad. I had tomato chunks in my bowl of beans and on my salad.
Then I snipped chives over everything. I prefer simple meals like I ate as a child.
My grandmothers canned veggies and berries and stored the jars in our cellar on wood shelves along the wall.
But I had to go down the steps into that dark cellar to retrieve them. I can still almost smell that damp cellar.
Life was so simple back then.
Charlie is quite the handsome boy. I laughed at how he could have torn the tp into tiny bits! You wonder what goes through their minds!
Simply meals are so tasty. We enjoy boiled red potatoes with fresh rosemary picked from the garden, butter, salt & pepper. Delicious.
Love little Charlie’s hair cut. Very handsome on him. Looks cooler for summer too.
Without Abi I bet he is wanting your attention even more now. Have a great week.
Kris
He has changed his behavior in so many ways. I see changes in him every day.
I have a severely retarded daughter. One year she was around a couple of dogs, and one day she crawled up to me with her tongue hanging out, ala Charlie, and so I patted her and said Good Doggie, she fell over laughing! she pulled a joke and I got it! a big day for her!! Charlie’s behavior is a little like her.
I think we can all learn quite a lot from dogs. Their sweetness and lack of judgment. What a sweet moment between you and your daughter. I seldom ever get jokes myself.
Charlie looks quite dapper in his new haircut, even if it’s not all even! I’ve never noticed what generously-sized ears he has! “All the better to hear you with my dear!” He looks so cute in the one photo where they are sticking up so straight. Did Abi lose her teeth, too? I wonder if that is usual for older dogs. None of my dogs lost their teeth but they were all bigger dogs. Don’t know if that makes a difference or not. I never had dental work done on them either.
It really is funny how Charlie’s behaviors are changing. As if he has only himself to please now.
I don’t have a garden this year as my daughter isn’t planting. She does most of the edible plant growing but feels it is too much to do with her job and taking care of her boys. But I did plant two tomato plants a few days ago. Can’t wait for them to produce!
Yes, my boy has big ears. And a very long tongue too! I was just outside with him and picked another ripe tomato. I had better eat it fast because several others are getting ripe. It amazes me that I can cut off slivers of cucumber for at least a week and closed in a baggy it stays so ripe and tasty. Abi never lost any teeth. But they told me Charlie’s teeth were just bad for some reason.
new to your blog. 🙂
Charlie is very cute? Is he a Yorkie?
Yes, he’s a Yorkie. As was Abi, who I lost on May 10, and will forever grieve. I cry for her every day. Welcome to my blog!
thanks, and I’m so sorry for your loss. 🙁 We have 3 dogs….one will turn 15 end of July and we are seeing significant changes for the worse this past 2 months or so. 🙁 The middle one is almost 12, and has been a (sweet) head case her entire life; not sure she’ll adjust to life without her big step sister. The ‘baby’ is a 6 year old chihuahua. We won’t ever have 3 dogs again, but probably a 2nd dog. And I’ve been researching yorkies as a possibility, because frankly, I’m OVER dog hair. Are they as shed-free as they seem to be?
I am so thrilled to see Charlie coming into his own without Abi. You were so right to not get another pet and let Charlie have his day. He is the cutest thing. I like simple meals also and need to slim myself down but it doesn’t seem to be happening. So hot today but I got out with a new friend and had a good time.
I think after a certain “age” the body just doesn’t want to shrug off weight. That’s the way it is with me. And I think genes play a big part too.
I read and enjoyed your article for Mother Earth. That is a good publication – congratulations for getting on with them. You know how one thing can lead to another so you never know what other doors it can open. Charlie looks so fresh and bright after his haircut. I think dogs feel better after a cut especially in the summer. Enjoy those fresh vegetables, yum!
I don’t know how hot Charlie gets. But I know I feel cooler when I get a hair cut.
Mother Earth Living is a wonderful magazine, I sent a subscription to my daughter who lives in the country and gardens, cans, and lives frugally. For many years I used to subscribe to Mother Earth News and dreamt of moving to Alaska and homesteading. Of course my husband was a city boy and it never happened LOL!
I’m a country raised girl living in the city. Homesteading is very popular now, though many have been involved in this way of life for many years.
I remember all the Mother Earth sites–they are very good. I don’t think many people realize how stressful grooming appointments are for dogs. Dogs don’t want them, just their people do.
Well, I have him groomed due to the heat. I put it off awhile because I knew it would be different for him without Abi.
Charlie is so handsome with his new haircut. I love how his tongue sticks out. 😉 I love simple meals, too. Right now for lunch, I’m eating a mixed green salad (organic greens) with some of my leftover pesto pasta salad on top, plus some toasted walnuts.
I love Mother Earth Living magazine. We’ve been subscribers for several years. I applied to do blog posts for them too and they wrote back and gave me the guidelines, but I am still thinking about it since it’s not a paid gig. That’s a lot of work in addition to blogging – so I give you a lot of credit! Though I totally understand that people will be referred back to your blog, which is a good thing. Can’t wait to go over and read your article – I know it will be wonderful!
Blogging every day here has become habit with me and easy to do. I may post there once a week.
Brenda glad to see you and Charlie are doing well. They have their themotherearthnewsletter that can be signedup for (@.com) which is very informative and free. Hope you and charlie have a wonderful summer. ?????
Congratulations on your posting with Mother Earth. That is very exciting. My Morkie is about 14 lbs and he is solid. We live on an acre of land that is all fenced and he is all over it. I do keep him.and my other two on weight management food tho.
If he’s running all over it’s probably muscle. Charlie isn’t really fat, he’s muscle.
Charlie looks so cute! I think it is so great that he is having his “moment in the sun.” How wonderful to see his personality coming out.
Your dinner sounds delicious! Simple meals in the summer are the best.
Who wants to cook in the summer? At least I don’t have an oven that heats up the whole place.
Charlie looks adorable with his haircut – what a cutie pie he is!!! How funny that he ripped up the toilet paper, what a goofball! xoxo
Yes, it was rather strange that he did that. I guess he just pulled it down with his mouth and ripped it either with his jaws or his paws or both.
Good morning,
Charlie is so cute! Glad you have a new writing assignment. I will have another to read each day.
Linda
I’m going to try to post there once per week.
Charlie is just one adorable puppy. those pics of him make me so happy!
the year before Bob got sick we used to read Mother Earth News. he had his own business and was so tired. we decided to ‘homestead’ in Arkansas. little did we know that he had cancer even then. but oh! the times we spent reading about it at the table!
brought back good memories. and I love the way you write. congrats on the new gig!
I remember Mother Earth News back in the eighties. I recall my then brother-in-law was into all that stuff. Now it’s kind of caught on with many people no matter where they live.
Hi Brenda,
I am Shirley from FL. Need some advice on pot planting, Can’t plant in yard anymore. Do you have the name of a good book that would help me? I love fresh veggies.
Love your post and Baby Charlie. Give him lots of love from me.
Thank you ,
Shirley
Well, I’ve never had a book on container gardening. You can google it and find all kinds of things. I probably have posts on this blog addressing container gardening. Main thing is: put something like pot shards in the bottom for drainage. Use a potting mix for containers. and plant!
I love Charlie’s summer doo; it will keep him cool and comfortable. What’s he weigh? Molly weighs 11.2 pounds and I’m trying to her down a 1/2 pound but it is so hard, she just loves her food and treats. I’m hoping to pick blackberries in a few weeks and I see a cobbler in my near future. I just love summer fruits and vegetables, just not the heat and humidity that goes with it. I’ll check out the Mother Earth Living; that’s great news and expanding your reader base!
Happy Tuesday,
Carol and Molly
He weighs about the same as Molly. Or that’s what he weighed a week or so ago. I think he’s gained some though, Carol and Molly.
He is precious, Brenda!
Well I agree!
My mother had a “root” cellar, it was called and I just loved that earthy smell. Charlie looks adorable, as usual with the tongue out.
My fear when he gets groomed is that she might inadvertently cut his tongue1
CHARLIE LOOKS VERY HANDSOME .
I LIKE WHAT I CALL A PUPPY CUT ON YORKIES, AND MUCH EASIER TO MAINTAIN.
AS YOU HAVE STATED, CHARLIE IS NOW FREE TO BE HIMSELF.
ENJOY THAT PRECIOUS BOY, YOUR BEAUTIFUL GARDEN AND THOSE DELIGHTFUL FRESH VEGGIES !
I always opt for the puppy cut. I don’t have to take him back in as soon, so saves money.
Charlie looks handsome and healthy. He appears to be holding still for his pictures too.
My mom used to can a lot and made all kinds of jams too. When I was married I did the same, but now for one person it is too much. My grandmother also kept canned goods in the cellar and I was often sent down to that creepy dark place to fetch them. To this day I hate being in a basement for long. Congratulations on your new gig. I will be heading over there to check it out!
It was dark and dank in the cellar. But oh how good that food was!
I think Charlie is realizing he can start to be himself. Sometimes other dogs just don’t allow for them to be who they really are. We had a few of those. I think he’ll change a lot, and keep you laughing – by your side!
He is never more than a few feet from me.
Brenda, I enjoy reading your posts every day. Mr Charlie looks very handsome. Where do you live.
Have a good day today
Tulsa