On this day, eight years ago, shortly after midnight, my bedroom door was frantically flung open. Startled, I sat straight up as the very-much-awake-voice of my sister announced the anticipated words, "Mocha is in labor." The rest of the night I spent crouched in awkward positions watching my one-year-old puppy birth ten little pups of her own. Eventually, we sold all of those pups but one. A pudgy male pup. Thankfully within the year in which I bought Mocha I became enthralled with names. As such, this big pup received a better name than some coffee type, Jarrett Wellington. Jarrett because his father was Payton, named for Walter Payton. And Walter Payton's son's name was Jarrett. And Wellington because on this day in 1815 the Duke of Wellington defeated Bonaparte at the battle of Waterloo. Back then I loved anything and everything to do with the Napoleonic Wars and I still do.  As a fourteen-year-old, I thought his name was awesome now as a 22-year-old, I think it is amazing.

Me with Mocha during my Chicago-Bulls-T-shirt-wearing-frizz-head days . The other day our Vet called her Moch for short in his Kansas accent. I think that is the first time I was happy about her name.

I have been playing around with my Hipstamatic app on my iPod... So here are some of those pics

Josh takes several pics as well....

Sorry to those who are big dog fans, but they're always there when I want to take a picture...

I was slightly taken aback to see this dead creature right outside my window, but I quickly regained my composure and was out snapping picture within seconds.

(why are you taking a picture?...... Becuase it's dirt, boots, trucks and hard work. And that is amazing....)

My sheep Rebi



Another dead creature, which is sad but.... look at his teeth! They are sooo cute!

Bah, Ram, Ewe...

View of Dubuque, Vermeer style

As you know, I often take photos of the Mississippi, just because I love the river. I took this photo, however, not only to capture the Mighty Mississipp but more so because the Art History nerd in me was shouting, "Vermeer's View of Delft," I was delighted, So I wanted to share my delight. (see Vermeer's painting here).

My father's cattle.

I always take pictures from this point. Every time I think I will capture the glorious composition God has created but alas, I fail time and time again. One has to be here to understand how gloriously beautiful it is. I love the angles of the trees and their shadows, the gravel road leads ones eye back and the rolling hills. Everyday, I walk this road at least twice, in every form of weather.

Sometime in the near future I would like to learn how to take night-time photos....

Same walk again. See the rolling hills with the sun shining down? Yeah, I often pretend I am in the Shire.

Mattie Marie. Her eyes are so foggy these days. She cocks her head at a weird angle so that she can see better. Every time she stands up, it is painful, time-consuming experience. But she is still faster than any dog I know and she is the smartest dog I know. It seems like every day I discover a word she understands. She is 11 and a half and probably will not be around much longer. So scratch her belly and soften her food so she can gum it (she has lost many of her teeth from biting the tires of cars, certainly not her brightest action). I love how her white stripe curves over her right eye. She is obsessed with burs. If you have burs stuck in your close or shoe laces set her to work.

Jarrett Wellington. Let's just say he is not very smart. But I still love him for his size and eyes. I once asked the Vet if Jarrett was fat. Doc replied, "No.... He's just powerful." This made me happy.

I bought Mocha when I was thirteen, which means she too is getting up there in age....

Creepy creatures always appear in my Philosophy notes...

I made these mugs for my nieces. The front one says Hadessa in Hebrew and the one behind it says Aletheia in Greek.

A collection of dead creatures... whole bodies or pieces

I have never claimed to be a "flower person." I have never desired to paint flowers or take pictures of them. However, I do I love to pick, press, smell or even sketch them. But most of all I love to observe them. I think I am a sucker for purple flowers.

"Flowers have a mysterious and subtle influence upon the feelings, not unlike some strains of music. They relax the tenseness of the mind. They dissolve its rigor." ~Henry Ward Beecher

"There is more beauty in a single flower than could adorn all the greatest cathedral in the world." ~John Ruskin

Besides the first picture of this post, this is my favorite picture from the past month.

 Tomorrow I will begin my journey east. I will drive a couple hours to a bus stop, take the bus to O'Hare, take a couple plane rides and be in Williamsburg by the afternoon!

Photos from my 366 Project..

I am missing having cute little faces near by so I can take their photo. In the mean time... I take these