Luna as Fine Art

Mike and I may not have any human kids at this time, but Luna is most definitely our baby girl.  This is common knowledge to all our friends and family members.  So, it should have come as no surprise that several of our wedding gifts followed a "we love Luna" theme.  We received FOUR hand painted/sketched pictures of Luna.  We joke that the decoration of our house has gone from "we like greyhounds" to a shrine for Luna.

The first three paintings were commissioned by my mother's family.  The artist lives in England and is a good friend of my grandparents.  They met the artist on one of their many trips to England.  My grandfather had several paintings done by this artist of buildings and locations important to our family.  To have these three paintings/sketches of Luna done by the same artist means so much to Mike and me.

(These paintings were modeled off of three photos on the blog.  See if you recognize them!)

Watercolor

Oil painting

Pencil (Sorry the picture did not turn out well. It is of Luna roaching.)

The fourth drawing was done by a friend of ours who is a budding author and an amazing artist.  She used one of our engagement photos to create the picture.  We were shocked and honored that she created something so beautiful for us.

Pencil

Original photo

Each piece is proudly on display in our home.  We love each one because they showcase how beautiful Luna is inside and out.  These are treasured pieces that we look forward to sharing with guests for many years to come.

Good-bye Amber

Three weeks ago we said good-bye to Mike's family's dog, Amber.  We're not sure of her age since she was adopted from a rescue, but we guess that she was somewhere between 12-14 years old.  She wasn't doing too well and it became obvious that she was ready.

Sweet Amber.

As we were hanging out with her, I realized that I've known Amber for nearly as long as she's been a member of Mike's family.  She was adopted about a year before I started dating Mike so I've known her for nearly a decade.  She was always so welcoming to me and made me feel like part of the family when I'd come over to visit.

Everyone had their nicknames for Amber.  Mike and his father frequently referred to her as "Stinky" or "Stupid".  Mike's mother called her "Sweetheart" and "Honey".  Mike's sisters loved to call her "Baby" and "Booger".  My nickname for her was "Ambie Bear" which I always called her when I came over to visit.

In Amber's earlier years, she distinctly disliked other dogs and would not accept them in her home.  By the time Luna came into our lives, Amber had settled down and allowed Luna to join the family.  Luna loved to follow Amber from room to room and in and out of the house.  I wonder if Luna will notice that her constant companion will be missing from the home when we go to visit.

Amber was a fantastic dog who made her family very happy.  She loved nothing more than to receive affection and return that love tenfold.  She will be sorely missed.

Finally at the Fair

Luna finally had a chance to go to a 4-H Fair.  The weather was cool, the rain held off, and Mike and I were motivated to go.  She enjoyed getting pet by anyone willing to stop and say hello.  She also helped us finish our sandwiches.

Luna wanted her picture taken at the dog tent.

As always, her favorite tents were the poultry and small animal tents.  She especially liked the big wall of rabbit cages.

I don't think the chickens want to see you, Luna. 

That's a lot of rabbits.

As we passed by the Mechanical Sciences tent, a young man had an radio controlled car zipping by the entrance to the tent.  Luna immediately stopped in her tracks to watch with her ears up.  Thinking that the car was scaring Luna, the man stopped the car and waited for us to pass.  We explained that she actually enjoys watching the car and asked him to continue.  When the car came back to life, Luna started barking her head off as if to say, "What the heck is that?! Can I catch it?!"  She did not pull on the leash, but all her barking and intense gaze told me that she really wanted permission to put the car out of its misery.  Maybe someday we'll get Luna an RC car to chase.

It was a great Fair and I'm glad Luna had a chance to visit.  She settled down a bit when we got home, but you can tell she is still eager to be included in adventures outside of the house.

Wake Up Call

Nothing startles you awake better than a greyhound nose in your face.  Luna is typically very good at staying quiet in the morning.  She will stay on her pillow and wait for me to get up (for some reason she doesn't bother moving if Mike gets up first).

"I noticed that the sun is up."

However, if she decides that we've had enough sleep she will come over to the side of the bed and just stand there looking at me.  Again, she rarely bothers Mike.  If I don't respond, she'll move closer and rest her head on the bed.  If I still refuse to acknowledge her presence she will inch her nose close enough to leave a wet nose print on my arm or face which usually sends me leaping out of bed to her delight.

I'm just thankful that this method of waking up only happens occasionally and that she does does not choose to wake me up by jumping on the bed.

"Perhaps you weren't aware that the day has started."

"Do you need some motivation to get out of bed?"

"You'd better get up before I touch you with my nose."

"You know, you could help me get her out of bed instead of just smiling at me."

Traveler

Got car?  Will travel!

"So where are we going this time?"

That's Luna's motto these days.  Every time we start to move towards the door, pick up the keys, put on shoes, or make any other indications that we MIGHT be heading out, Luna's right there ready to go.  She has become quite a dancer at the door when she is hoping you will take her along.  I'll bet she would even enjoy a trip to the vet if it led to her going for a car ride.

When I was a kid, my neighbor who introduced me to the world of greyhound rescue shared with me this valuable advice. "How do you catch a lose greyhound?  Open the car door and shout 'Car ride!"  I'm sure most greyhounds owners will agree with this awesome breed trait.

Since the 4-H Fair, Mike and I have been spoiling Luna with as many car rides as possible.  She has gone with me to work and "helped" the staff pack up the Fair.  Typically, she just follows along asking for pets and investigating what we're doing.  Since our office refrigerator is broken, Luna got to go out to lunch with me and the ladies.  She was very well behaved and mostly left us alone while we ate.

"Let me help you with that chip."

Luna has also enjoyed trips to my parent's house, Mike's parent's house, the lake, and other errands.  She is always eager to jump in the car and head out to...well, anywhere!

Lazy Day with the Gemstones

To celebrate the end of 4-H Fair madness and give Luna a break for her boring life, we decided to visit Mary Pat and her three greyhounds, the Gemstones.  Luna knew exactly where we were the moment we pulled up the driveway.  She eagerly greeted Opal, Tanzanite, and Emerald, but she was even more enthusiastic about greeting Mary Pat, keeper of all delicious treats.

Mary Pat with the Gemstones.

Mary Pat and I thought that the girls would enjoy running together in her big backyard, exploring the vegetable garden, and bothering the chickens.  We were surprised that Luna only did a few trots around the yard, trampled some of the garden, and sniffed at the chickens before ignoring them for the rest of the afternoon.

Tanzanite showing off her best side.

After only a short time all four dogs had picked their napping spots and fell asleep.  Here we thought they'd enjoy the afternoon running around and instead they just snoozed away.  We joked that we should stop calling them play dates and admit that our get togethers are really slumber parties.

Emerald perched on her throne.

Mary Pat had prepared a delicious treat for the girls of frozen peanut butter and yogurt in a waffle cone.  Each grey got her cone and quickly devoured the treat in just a few chomps.  We will definitely have to make Luna another one at home.

The pups are eager for their treat.  Notice Emerald's expression.

Wide eyes and open mouths.  They are ready!

Two seconds later it was all a memory.

Luna always enjoy visiting the Gemstones.  She gets tasty treats, plenty of attention, and the company of some wonderful greys.

Opal with her toy.

Emerald with her blanket.

Luna and Tanzanite "helping" in the kitchen.