"WHERE THE ANIMALS ARE SERVED FIRST...AND AREN'T ON THE MENU!"

Saturday, July 6, 2013

The Fourth of July, A Sparky Visit, the Huge Pine Tree Trimming Job and Julie and her Sunflower Thrive at the Lazy Vegan!

Quite a busy week at the Lazy Vegan, with the Fourth of July, a super big tree trimming project, a fantastic visit from Sparky Tomashefsky (the cutest Jack Russell terrier ever...along with my terriers!), and the evolution of Julie's sunflower, which continues to bloom and amaze!  Julie continues her journey along with help from the super special hospice nurses (and, of course, with our loving care!).  She had the front row seat to watch the massive pine tree get pruned today...quite a show!

All tuckered out.

Bravo helps himself to Wasabi's chew sticks and joins her in a good chew.
Snap and the magical sunflower!
And me!
The foreman and Snap!
Lots of posing going on.
Boy, am I getting spoiled:  once again, Snap brought over a home cooked meal and treats!
And put labels on everything!  Wow.

Delicious!
Silly Big Skunk!

 Paco was too busy at the feeder to really stop for the weekly pose...so I just took a photo while he ate!  I love the sound of a donkey eating hay!



Play time.


Toby had some age-related issues this week.  I need to get him into the vet to try to find a pain reliever that he isn't allergic to.

More fun and games.
Daytime Coyote on a Stroll!
Coyote on the Move!

Claire and the sunflower and pups!


I'm always nervous that Bravo will accidentally knock over the sunflower!
My chill-out time - reading "Bark" magazine and hanging out with the rabbit.

Bravo spots an abandoned plate.  Yes, it may appear empty to the untrained eye - but to the eye of a JRT, there will always be CRUMBS to lick clean.
Getting a bit closer.
A bit miffed to discover that the crumbs are, in fact, minimal.
REALLY spastic squirrel!

For no apparent reason, Luigi kicked up his heels one evening and ran around like crazy, snorting and hee-hawing.  Paco was being snarky (he was waiting for dinner) and stood off to the side.  Too funny!
Oh, the fabulous stretched out pose of a very relaxed rabbit!



Sparky above, and Bravo, below...

Bravo views the landscape from his perch on the kitchen window sill.




Note how tall the sunflower is getting!

Happy Squirrel!

We hired a professional tree trimmer to tackle our huge pine...the following is Day One of the project which should take several days.

 This is the biggest and fullest the pine has ever been.  The stuff in the middle of the landscape is the foreman's idea for a new terrace and possible fountain...
 Branch goes flying!


 So happy that this is NOT the foreman high up in the tree!  Although he's done plenty of tree trimming jobs himself.  This guy was strapped in and very good at what he does.


This is the handiwork of just one little creature...and her name begins with "W"!!  Apparently she was just trying to peek out the French doors at night...

The foreman and Claire enjoy salad fresh from the garden!


Julie's amazing sunflower continues to blossom...


Love these of Claire!


Bee on sunflower.
Bravo ventures out onto the window sill again...


Snap all decked out at a wedding she went to this past week!  New hat, new dress, new shoes!
These are hands-down the BEST vegan dogs around!

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!  Due to obvious reasons, I didn't get around to doing my annual donkey holiday cards this year and couldn't find their festive hats...so we did the best we could with flags!





I think this one is my favorite.  The donkeys had HAD it.





Patriotic pups.


And the patriotic rabbit!
One great thing about Julie being with us is that we get to see our kids more often!


Mama and Fawns in the Morning


Sparky and her family visit!  
Grandma Snap put on another  fantastic lunch at her house! Sparky is adorable and full of that hyper Jack Russell puppy energy!  The following photos are from her visit.


























































Julie's Poem of the Week!

The Star Spangled Banner 
By Francis Scott Key 1814

Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!