Canine Thoughts

Cute dog contemplates pottery at a local festival this weekend. So tragic, he doesn't have opposable thumbs.

Game On

I've been tagged by Jacob of Ocala Daily Photo to list six things that make me happy. The audacity! OK, Jacob, I'll play, starting with today's photo: this fellow is a service dog for the blind, still in training. Such a noble profile!

So, in no particular order, here are six things that make me happier than I can say:

Dogs - life would be too dull without them
Tai chi - good for the body and the mind
Travel - the world is my oyster, and it's always in season
Hiking and being outdoors - cures the cubicle crazies
Reading - but you might expect that from a librarian
Family and friends - I am blessed with abundance

And because I can't follow rules and don't play well with others, here is number seven:
Cheese steaks!

Generally, I don't tag others for a meme. So, participate if the mood strikes you.

Dog and Pony Show, Part 1

Saturday was the day for the annual open house at the University of Tennessee's College of Veterinary Medicine, one of my favorite yearly events. I posted a few photos of this last year, and if I'm still hanging around the blogosphere next year, I'll be posting more.

The Canine Parade teaches the audience about all kinds of dog breeds, but the real fun for me is after the parade, when you can meet and greet the dogs and their owners. This beautiful greyhound was a rescue dog. Greyhounds are so low-key friendly, and as you can see, not camera-shy at all. This little girl now lives a life of leisure and has the run of her owner's farm.

Tomorrow: the pony part of the show.

Laissez les Bon Temps Rouler!

Today is Mardi Gras - Fat Tuesday - and to continue to let the good times roll, I'm sharing some more shots of Knoxville's Mardi Growl parade from Saturday. Remember to wear your feather boas, darlings.

If you're gonna strut, don't forget your beads.

King Louie is the shih tzu that ruled the world - his costume won first place, but I only caught a fleeting glimpse of his royal canine majesty.

And we get one last wave from the end of the parade. Now it's time for some beignets.

Marley and Me

Actually, it's really Rudy, one of the twenty-two canine stars who played Marley in the film Marley and Me - he's the one who destroyed the snowman in the movie. Oh, Rudy.

Rudy was the Grand Marshal of the annual Mardi Growl parade in downtown Knoxville.

Five hundred people and their dogs paraded through the Old City, then down Gay Street to Market Square to help raise money for a local animal shelter.

These photos were shot as the parade began in the Old City. I found that when you sit curb-side at doggie eye-level, you get a lot of dogs coming over to say "hi."

Watching five hundred costumed people walking their costumed dogs down the street is quite an impressive sight. I really wasn't at a place where I could get a good shot of that, but I have a few more individual shots that I'll post tomorrow. Because I like dogs, that's why.

Out For a Walk

There's nothing as satisfying as a brisk walk on a sunny winter morning for dog and owner.
The Gay Street Bridge downtown is the backdrop for this little stroll.

Languid

As I was walking down Gay Street, I almost tripped over these standard sized poodles. I must have been pretty distracted to not notice them lounging in the middle of the sidewalk. Their friendly but camera-shy owner said they were adopted from a poodle rescue organization. They're hanging out on the street to get used to strangers. The training must be working, because they hardly batted an eye at me. Their owner also confided that they were the closest thing available to orange and white, so that makes them Vol dogs.

I'm still having to put in a lot of extra hours at work. I'm pretty well convinced that the light at the end of that tunnel is an oncoming train. So I may not be doing much visiting or commenting for a bit. But these silly hours won't last forever.

Duke

Duke is a Great Dane who is as big as a pony. I think I could saddle him up and ride off into the sunset. He's even too big to fit in the photo. Duke and his owner visit the farmer's market every Saturday. All the little kids look up to him, and so do I.

Neither Heavy Nor Metal

Perhaps I'm being a misanthropic curmudgeon about joining in on theme day this month, but I just couldn't get inspired by Metal. Instead, I give you Rosie, who is the opposite of metal. I met her and her owner at the farmer's market, and she was quite eager to greet me, since I still smelled like bacon from breakfast. 

And I know, I didn't sign up for Sky Watch this week either. But if you enlarge the photo, you can see the sky reflected in Rosie's big brown eyes. 

I Love My Dog, Part 2

Here's one more shot from yesterday's Bark in the Park event (Babooshka, come visit Knoxville! Many people here like to have their picture taken). This owner's happiness at being with her pet just shines through in her photo, and in the conversation we had. Also, I forgot to mention yesterday that the Humane Society of the Tennessee Valley runs the only no kill shelter in the area. Pet owners out there, please spay / neuter your dogs and cats - it's hard to find homes for all their offspring!

Speaking of offspring, I'm off to call my dad for Father's Day and sing at him - off key, but with great gusto - the apple didn't fall far from the tree in that area. 

I Love My Dog

The Humane Society of the Tennessee Valley's annual fundraiser, Bark in the Park, was held tonight on Market Square. There was live music, and games for dogs and their owners. The restaurant patios were filled with people and their canine companions, and everyone was having a great time. What I really loved watching was the bond between dogs and owners, and dogs creating bonds between strangers. I met so many wonderful and interesting people and their pets tonight, and shot a lot of photos. This is one of my favorite portraits. I met Isabella, the sweetest pit bull puppy, and her owner, who was training her to sit. I see so much joy in this picture; pets can often bring out the very best in people.

Do you have a favorite pet that brings joy into your life?

Ghost Dog

I saw him - just barely - in an apartment window. And then he vanished.

Patio Dog

I saw this little guy sitting with his owner on a patio downtown, and he just looked so mellow and patient. I think this photo would work better if there was less chair and railing clutter, however. What do you think? 

Dog Lovers

This is another photo I took during the UT Vet School Open House the weekend before last. It's a little blurry, but I liked the interaction between the girl and the bearded collie. This was a "meet the dogs and owners" session held after the Dog Parade, where different breeds were introduced to the audience.  This photo has been on my mind to publish, and I was inspired to do so after seeing Ming's absolutely adorable dog portrait on his blog recently.