Dogs in Snow**Remembering Trouble Elizabeth

I thought these photos were worth sharing. It was a balmy 30 degress, with a fresh snowfall. Nothing like the -20 out there today. We all had a great time that day!

All Dogs Go To Heaven...2

I am participating in Weekly Winners, brought to you by Lotus over at Sarcastic Mom.

These photos were shot with the film version of the Canon Rebel. Back when I could grow delphiniums! They are my favorites, and one of the most persnickety perennials.

Meet Trouble. Or Trouble Elizabeth, as he was known when he misbehaved. He was our first Springer Spaniel. He was liver and white, and the cutest little "speckled pup" you ever did see. He was the best $50 we ever spent. He came from a litter of 14 puppies. It took forever to choose him, but I'm sure we found the very best of the bunch.

Uncle Lynn would take Trouble out to run in the morning in the winter, and then let him into the boys' rooms to jump on their beds and wake them up. He was very bouncy and had a very cold nose, just what little boys needed to urge them out of the sack!

One morning, I was in bed with coffee and heard the most terrible screaming. I ran downstairs, and it was Trouble. He'd jumped off the foot of the bed and his leg got stuck between the mattress and footboard. He'd broken his leg! Trouble became our second dog who received top-notch medical care at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine. So much for being a $50 dog!

We were about to take a trip to Florida, and Trouble had to come along, so he could have physical therapy 3 times a day. But that didn't stop him from swimming after a pelican in the Intercoastal Waterway. We all ran after him, yelling for him to come back. And when the pelican finally flew off, Trouble turned around. I don't know how many boats narrowly missed hitting his little brown head, bobbing in the water! We were terrified there was going to be an accident, right in front of the kids! But he lived to have many more adventures.

Trouble loved to go out on the boat. Here's a shot of him, with his ears blowing in the wind. Hey, spotters are supposed to watch the kids when they are tubing!

Trouble sat down on a step like people sit. He'd back up to the step and sit down, with his little doggy butt on the step and his front legs on the sidewalk, like this...

Trouble was a bird and bunny chasing machine. He couldn't help it. That was his job. He was wired to chase birds and bunnies like a fish is wired to swim. It's what he did. All the time. He couldn't help it. The door would open, and out he'd squeeze. There were days when I had to chase him two or three times! I was afraid to turn the corner, afraid he'd been hit by a car.

So we had an invisible fence installed. I doubted it would keep Trouble home. I was sure he'd make the decision one day that it would be worth it, and run. But he never did. Turns out Springers are softies. You cannot imagine the sense of relief when finally, at about 10 years of age, we could sit on the deck and have Trouble just wandering safely in the yard. Don't know how we got along without it for so many years. I know it saved his life. He could even watch a deer walk down the street, and not follow it. He would stand at the end of the yard, and hold a quivering point until the deer was out of sight!

Trouble was a dog of many nicknames. One of the last was Captain Underpants. He was dubbed this because he, shall we say "dripped" a little bit in the last year-and-a-half of his life. So I found a denim wrap at the pet store, and he wore it without complaint. He was still healthy and alert and interested and happy. He just dripped. And we could not teach our kids that pets are disposable when it gets a little inconvenient. Soccer Boy had just read the Captain Underpants book series, and the name stuck.

We learned a lot from Trubbie. That dogs are people too. That dogs can be great friends, and won't ever laugh at you or tell your secrets. And that when you get a puppy, you get a friend for life. And you owe him your best. And when he died last October, we planted an Autumn Blaze maple tree in his honor in the front yard. Bet there won't be a dry eye when the leaves change.

Weekly Winners: For All the Dogs We've Loved Before...

Meet Nelson. He is (was) a Landseer Newfoundland. He was 175# of big, sweet boy.

He had a head like a buffalo, people said.

Everywhere we went, he drew attention. We'd have him on a leash when we'd be walking with the boys in a stroller. People would stop and say "what a beautiful DOG!" instead of "what lovely children!" Before Nelson, people always commented on the kids. Hmmm.

Nelson had hair, that's for sure. So much, that a I collected a big bag full, and a friend spun it into yarn, and knitted a scarf for Uncle Lynn for Christmas!

Nelson was a great dog. He was protective by nature. When I'd push a child in the swing, he'd get up and walk over to the swing, take the child by the foot, and stop the swing. Not on his watch! If the kids were in the driveway on trikes or playing with trucks, he'd lay at the end of the driveway. His nickname became "Nana."

We took Nelson out on a pontoon once. I say "once" because it only happened one time. First of all, he was afraid of the space between the boards on the dock. It took 3 big men to lift him onto the boat. Everything was great until the kids went swimming. Six little boys jumped into the lake at once, splashing and hollering. Nelson jumped in, too. He could not figure out which boy needed saving the most, so he swam from one to another, trying to pull them to shore. All he had to pull with were teeth! It was quite a scene.

Imagine my surprise when recently, a dozen years after his death, we were walking near our home and met people with a Landseer Newfie, like our beloved Nelson. "Oh, what a wonderful DOG!" we exclaimed. Come to think of it, did they have children with them?

Would we have noticed? Probably not.

The little guy sitting next to Nelson is our Springer Spaniel, Trouble. More about him later!

Weekly Winners is Sarcastic Mom's production. I think I shot these snaps with a Canon Rebel of the film variety.

Meet the Beatles!?!

Well, really, I want ya to meet Aunt Julie's side of The Pop'rs Family from a few years back. Auntie J. always does Creative Christmas Cards, and this was no exception. But somehow this little gem got stuck up on the fridge with a Beatles magnet...and you do see the resemblance, don'tcha?

In the phun photo on the left, clockwise (from left): Big Bear, Shark Boy, College Boy, Trouble Elizabeth, Moses and Soccer Boy. In the other phun photo, clockwise (from left-Geez Louise, I feel like this is a yearbook!): Ringo, John, George and Paul, sans dogs.

I don't know. Did the Beatles have dogs? Playing along with Candid Carrie today and her Phriday Photo Phinish Phiesta!

Baby Boxing Match

Aunt Julie possesses a "Dog Family." Veggie Mom presides over a "Cat Family." You've met some of our critters, right here. Remember Trouble Elizabeth and Moses in the garden? What about Patch, the Fat Cat? Or Rowdy, the puppy whose name implies everything? And then, of course, Moses and Rowdy as Beach Bums.

Whatever your persuasion~and I know many of you out there feel pretty strongly about the subject of Family Pets~you'll be taken by this Pas de Deux between a Baby and his Boxer...of the doggie variety. The clip comes from The Bonnie Hunt Show.

After viewing this, I beg to differ with anyone who still believes that All God's Critters have no "soul."

Fx4: Please Welcome Rowdy to the Pop'rs Family!

Many of you long-time Eat Your Veggies! readers will remember that The Pop'rs Family lost their long-time buddy, Trouble Elizabeth, last month. He was a good old doggie, and had recently turned 16, which is how many in dog years?

Well, they couldn't remain spaniel-ess for long, could they? After all, Moses needed a companion, too. So, welcome Rowdy to the Family!

This cute little guy was born August 1st, and is a Tricolor Springer Spaniel. Almost looks like a dog version of a Calico Kitty, doesn't he? But we all know that Calicos only come in the Female Variety, so Mother Nature must not work the same with dogs!

Aunt Julie is just itchin' to tell ya about Rowdy's acquisition. "I had visited two litters of Labradors and one of Springers, and didn't feel anything," she says. "We were planning to wait 'til spring to get another dog, so that was fine. "

"We ran into a nice Springer puppy at the dog park, for the second time, and his owner had me put their phone number into my cell phone, so I could call them later in the day to get info on his breeder," Julie explains, detailing her search for the Perfect Puppy. "When I went to call, the number wasn't there!"

But Auntie J., as you know, is undaunted in the face of frustration. "I was scanning a site called Gun Dog Breeders, and found a place in Minnesota that had puppies," Julie recalls. "I clicked on 'Puppies Available,' and it was all over! I called them at 8 p.m. Saturday Night, and at 7 a.m. the next morning, Uncle Lynn and Soccer Boy were on their way to pick up Rowdy."

"Luckily, the breeder met them halfway, which was about a five-hour drive for each of them, one way!" Julie says. "He had to drive through a snowstorm. They met in Minneapolis. What a good looking dog! Rowdy sleeps through the night, on Soccer Boy's bed with our Yellow Lab, Moses, who had hardly eaten since Trouble died October 11. But he's eating again, and playing ball with the puppy. Depression in dogs is very real!"

Please note that the above pic is my contribution to this week's Friday Foto Fiesta Finish, hosted by the Ever-Charming Candid Carrie. Welcome to the family, Rowdy! Have you tried Pop'rs on your Puppy Chow yet?

Farewell to an Old Friend

It's a sad day today for all the Pop'rs Family, especially Aunt Julie and Uncle Lynn. Our Old Friend Trouble passed away Saturday.

Those of you who follow us regularly are familiar with Trouble, aka Trouble Elizabeth, aka Captain Underpants. He became a member of the family as a puppy. He lived to the Ripe Old Age of 16. We're gonna miss him!

He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog.

You are his life, his love, his leader.

He will be yours, faithful and true,

to the last beat of his heart.

You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.

~Ode to a Dog, Author Unknown~

A Boy and His Dog

This is College Boy, Aunt Julie and Uncle Lynn's Number 3 Son, and Trouble Elizabeth. Both these boys, as you can see, are mere puppies in this pix. College Boy will turn 21 in three months; Trouble Eliz celebrated a birthday milestone a couple months back.

Of course, you Near and Dear Readers know all about Trouble, and why he received the moniker "Elizabeth" as part of his given name. You've also read about him here. And, of course, you've all followed the College Boy Chronicles here. And here. And, naturally, here. We're Not. Quite. Sure if Aunt Julie has yet forgiven him for that little caper!

They Sure Do Grow Up Fast, don't they? And if CB is Almost 21, what does that make us? I'm just sayin'...

A Bloggy Celebration and a Great New Pop'rs Giveaway!

Happy First Day of Fall! Aunt Julie and The Pop'rs Boys--Big Bear, College Boy, Shark Boy and Soccer Boy, pictured above with Trouble Elizabeth and Moses--love the changing of the leaves, the dropping of the temperatures and, of course, the playing of the football games every Sunday. Fall also means the advent of Halloween, which is Soccer Boy's favorite holiday, since it comes so close to his birthday!

We have an extra special reason to celebrate this season. Saturday will be Veggie Mom's 100th Post! And what better way to commemorate This Life-Altering Event than with a little ol' Bloggy Giveaway?

This Great New Pop'rs Giveaway is a contest With. A. Twist. It features two phases. Here are the rules, plain and simple:

• Giveaway Dates: Today through Saturday, October 4. In Phase One, contestants may enter as many times as they like, but all entries must be recieved by 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, September 26. Phase Two of the Giveaway takes place September 29 through October 4!
• Giveaway prizes: Five Bloggy Friends will each win their choice of two flavors of Pop’rs, the good-for-you seasonings that make eating veggies fun! One Bloggy Friend will win the Grand Prize—a complete set of Pop’rs! Pop’rs are that tasty and fun seasoning that really encourages kids to Eat Their Veggies! Pop’rs, which come in eight flavors, add great flavor, and fun, to just about any kind of food, from applesauce to broccoli--all the way through the alphabet, to yogurt and beyond. Pop’rs, which are only available from Uncle Lynn at http://www.poprs.com/, have an added kick--as the name implies, they go POP! when you eat them.
• Giveaway Rules: Veggie Mom is celebrating her 100th Blog Post and the changing of the seasons, by offering a Great New Pop’rs Giveaway in two phases.

1. To enter the Giveaway, readers must post questions that they want to ask Veggie Mom, Aunt Julie, Uncle Lynn, or anyone else over at Eat Your Veggies! This is Phase One of the Giveaway. Readers get one Giveaway Entry for every question they post. There is no limit to the questions you may ask! Veggie Mom will collect questions from today through 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, September 26, so make sure to get your questions in! I will answer all readers’ questions on Saturday, September 27—which happens to be my 100th Blog Post—and Sunday, September 28.
2. Starting Monday, September 29, Phase Two of the Giveaway begins! Uncle Lynn, The Pop'r King, will award Giveaway Prizes to one Giveaway Finalist each day, through Friday, October 3. He will announce the Grand Prize Winner in a post right here on Saturday, October 4. Finalists will each receive two Pop'rs flavors of their choice. The Grand Prize Winner will receive a complete set of Pop'rs--all eight flavors!

The changing of the leaves, the crisp Fall air, the NFL and a Great New Pop'rs Giveaway. You ask, we'll answer, and we'll both have Something to Celebrate!

Happy Birthday to an Old Dog!

Aunt Julie is on vacation, which means she's missing a Major Milestone back home. Trouble Elizabeth (remember, Julie has no girls, so had to grant the family surname to someone, even if he is a male dog) turns 16 today. Little Red, Julie's soon-to-be DIL, is dog-sitting while The Pop'r Queen is at the beach.

Julie picks up the Trouble Elizabeth tale: "We found him from an ad in the newspaper. There were lots of Springer Spaniel ads that week, and most were $350 or so. The ad for Trouble said $50. I called, to see if it was a typo. No. Why so cheap? Turns out the owner had 12 puppies to find homes for."

Trouble Eliz turned out to be a rabbit-chasing machine. "Almost every morning we’d let him out and he’d take off and not come back 'til he could hardly move, and the neighborhood was free of bunnies for another day," she remembers. "My kids were late many mornings for school because we were scouring the streets in our SUV, calling 'Trouble! Trouble!' and eventually 'Trouble Elizabeth! You get over here right this minute!' "

Julie and Uncle Lynn, The Pop'r King, came up with a great way to wake up their boys in the winter. "We had a habit of taking him outside to play and then letting him jump on the boys' beds to wake them up. Cold toes, cold nose…"

Trouble Elizabeth's alarm clock duties, however, were numbered. "One Sunday morning he jumped off the bed, but his leg got caught between the mattress and footboard, and snapped," Julie says. "Since we lived in a rural area, the local vet was a large animal vet, and his suggestion was to shoot him and get another dog! Good thing we lived near Madison and the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine! One day and $1,000 later, he was good as new!"

There are too many Trouble Elizabeth stories to tell here, "but needless to say, it was the best $50 we ever spent!" Aunt Julie declares. "He's an old doggy, but all we want is another 16 years. What a great dog!"

Like a lot of 112-year-old men, Trouble Elizabeth has become mostly an indoor doggy, and leads a pretty pampered life. His various ailments come and go; he has a "dribbling" problem, among others, and wears a Doggy Diaper. The Pop'rs Family calls him "Captain Underpants"!

Auntie J. says Trouble's aches and pains are pretty minor, though. "As long as he still barks at the mailman and wags his tail when we come home, we can cope!"

More Than a Patchwork of Memories

With the beautiful photos of Trouble Elizabeth and his best bud, Moses, and the pelican cruising so far from the beach, we've already established that Aunt Julie is the artistic sort. Her amazing creative portfolio also includes quilting.

Aunt Julie, aka The Pop'r Queen, has done several quilts over the years, including a pink and white baby quilt for my youngest, and a beautiful blue and white creation for my oldest, when she went off to college. She stitched the gorgeous work of art featured above (the photo is one of Aunt Julie's, too!) when Son Number 3 left the nest for the university life.

Let's let Aunt Julie tell you about this quilt, which is all wrapped up in a couple of great family memories: "This particular pattern is called 'Texas Hold 'Em,' from a book titled Dealer’s Choice, by Atkinson Designs, copyright 2004. I chose it because the boys [remember: she's the proud Mama of Four!] are big poker fans, after attending a trade show in Las Vegas a few years ago. Not long after, my then 10-year-old was working on a speech in which he had to teach something. He was having a hard time choosing a topic, and my advice was to teach something he was familiar with and good at. The light went on, and he said, 'I know! I’ll show 'em how to play poker!' Maybe not such a good idea for4th grade. But that’s what comes from having brothers who are 18, 21 & 24, and who adore you!"

You heard it here first, folks. Straight from The Pop'r Queen! BTW, Aunt Julie also wants to remind everyone to enter this week's Great Pop'rs Giveaway. The contest runs until July 14; you, too, could be a winner!

About Best Friends and Families

The old saying, "Man's Best Friend" should be expanded to women and kids as well. Trouble and Moses, pictured above, are the beloved dogs of The Pop'r Family. They are the doggie sons of Aunt Julie and Uncle Lynn, the Pop'r King and Queen.

A funny story--"Elizabeth" has been a given name in Aunt Julie's family for generations. Most recently, Grandma Vera, Aunt Julie, and my oldest all have been christened with the middle name Elizabeth. Since Aunt Julie is the proud mama of four boys, she couldn't partake in this family tradition. She's taken to calling Trouble, her beloved 16-year-old Springer Spaniel (that's 112 in "dog years"), "Trouble Elizabeth" in his old age. Has a certain ring to it, doesn't it?

The Boys are nesting in Aunt Julie's fabulous flower garden. Auntie J. inherited her green thumb from Grandma Vera (we've already established that I have no green thumb, although my geraniums are doing so much better--thanks for asking!). As you recall, Julie also has a knack for baking pies--most recently, Blueberry and Strawberry Rhubarb. One more thing Aunt Julie learned from her mother--how to make quilts! But more on that later this week.

A PS From Veggie Mom: The newest edition of The Carnival of Family Life is posted now on All Rileyed Up. Today's Carnival features posts on everything a SAHM could possibly be interested in, from Education, to Cooking, to Crafts, to Travel, and beyond. Of course, Yours Truly's post on Aunt Julie's Strawberry Rhubarb Pie is part of the Carnival. And, if you wish to take part in next week's Carnival, to be hosted by Suzanne over at Adventures in Daily Living, use this handy-dandy submission form.

A PS From Uncle Lynn: We're running our Second Pop'rs Giveaway ever, starting tomorrow! Stay tuned for details. Remember--the more the merrier. You, too, can be a winner!