Saturday Pet Blogger Hop - Dark Shadows

Lexi, Nitro, Tallulah, Bailey, Bud and I are excited to participate in this weeks Saturday Pet Blogger Hop!

Special Thanks goes out to our Pet Blog Hop hosts, Life With Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers, and Confessions of the Plume! If you would like to read some entertaining pet blogger posts in the Saturday Pet Blogger Hop, just click on one of the host links above or click on the badge to the right with the animals circling the Earth that reads The Saturday Pet Blogger Hop. Happy Hopping!       

Dark Shadows

My love of doing dog and shadow photography started in November of 2010 when I got my first deaf puppy Nitro from the City of Salem Animal Shelter. I took the photo of Nitro in his blue sweater with his blue DEAF DOG tag and his big dog shadow and I was totally hooked!

Below is Nitro's very first puppy shadow photo I took in November 2010. Below Nitro's puppy picture are some "Doggy Dark Shadow" photos I took this week (Nov., 2012). It's as if the shadows tell their own stories for example in Nitro's puppy shadow photo, the shadow seems to say "I'm going to be a big important dog some day" and it seems his shadow was dead on! 

It's been two years since we brought Nitro home to Bluebird Farm. Happy 2nd Dogiversary to my sweet Nitro the CED (Chief Executive Dog) here at our sister blog DeafDogsRock.com. He has changed our lives forever by giving us a special purpose of helping deaf dogs and their owners. Happy Blog Hopping and thank you for hopping by!

Christina, Lexi, Tallulah, Bailey, Nitro and Bud 

Photo: 10 week old deaf white rescue boxer Nitro his first week here at Bluebird Farm November 2010.

Dark Shadows Doggy Style By: Christina Lee

My sweet foster failure 12 month old deaf white boxer boy Bud.

Bud with some of my graphic special effects.

His shadow seems to be saying..."did you smell that?"..."I smell an intruder"...

My two handsome deafies and their big guard dog shadows!

Look at Nitro's cute nub of a tail in his shadow...such a handsome boy!

"Rutt Rowwww...I smell trouble"

Lexi and her sweet "big girl" shadow!

"Moma, did you say treat?"

Nitro looking at Bud "Dude seriously?"

The lines in Bud's forehead are his worry lines..he worries a lot.

Nitro's blue eye is his special brand.

Okay, I admit it, I just love to take photos of Nitro's blue eye!

My little Sun Goddess Tallulah! I love her curly tail in her shadow!

Thanksgiving Day Walk on The Salem Greenway

While the Turkey was cooking in the oven, we decided to take Nitro and Bud on a nice long walk on the Salem Greenway. It was a beautiful 60 degrees out on Thanksgiving Day and we really enjoyed getting out and about in the woods.

Nitro is looking at me as if to say "where are all the ducks mommy?"

Nitro checking out the cyclists on the Salem Greenway. Such a pretty backdrop don't you think?

My handsome deaf boxer boy Bud. He just turned one and he came to live with us the first week of September. He is what we all call a "foster failure" and now I am totally outnumbered with five dogs!

I would caption this photo "Bhahahahaha, I made it out of the shelter and I bet those folks who dumped me as a puppy at the river never thought I would end up being the head dog at Deaf Dogs Rock and saving deaf dogs from death all over the country!"

I love taking photos of my boys by the little red caboose!

Chris and the boys.

I decided to add one shadow photo of me and my sweet boy Nitro. He is such a pleasure to walk with on the Greenway.

Bud catching some fresh air in the back of the pickup truck on the way home from our walk.

"hmmm fresh air smells so good"

Bud has a hard time breathing because of his small air passages so he opens his mouth to "gulp" in the fresh air.

My sweet angel boy!

Tallulah is Nitro and Bud's side kick. She thinks she is a boxer in a small package.

Lexi would be mortified if she saw this photos because it makes her look like a "chunky monkey"....

Watching the main gate...

My little Tallulah and her sweet little shadow. I love her curly tail!

If there was a dog GQ, I think Nitro would make a great cover model!

Bud Chillin like a Villain!

I caught these shots just as I was getting ready to upload the shadow photos. The sun was low and it was just perfectly hitting Bud for some nice warm sunset shots. He was very relaxed and ready to take a nap.

He looks like an Angel from Heaven in this shot. 

I love the backdrop of the Boston Terrier painting by Svetlana Novikova in the background.

These are my babies and I am so blessed to have all of my dogs, my sweet husband, my wonderful horses and have the good fortune to live here on Bluebird Farm.

Saturday Pet Blogger Hop - In Memory of Big Old Jake!

Lexi, Nitro, Tallulah, Bailey, Bud and I are excited to participate in this weeks Saturday Pet Blogger Hop. Special Thanks goes out to our Pet Blog Hop hosts, Life With Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers, and Confessions of the Plume! If you would like to read some entertaining pet blogger posts in the Saturday Pet Blogger Hop, just click on one of the host links above or click on the badge to the right with the animals circling the Earth that reads The Saturday Pet Blogger Hop. Happy Hopping!       

My best friend Terri's dog Jake died last week. Hurricane Sandy knocked out the power to the farm's underground fencing and Jake could not resist running after a pack of deer. Old Jake died doing something he loved, chasing deer. When he didn't show up at home, the family knew something was wrong. They found out later that poor sweet Jake had been struck and killed by a passing car. He was a sweet old gentleman of a dog that I know died doing what he loved the most, chasing big animals that run. 

In Memory of Jake The Farm Dog

Jake resided on The Overlook Farm in Purcellville, VA. His occupation was being the best farm dog he could be. Jake has a long list of hobbies but one of  his favorite things to do was hanging out with and loving on his little human girl Casey Jones. He also loved playing with the farm kitten but don't tell the other "dawgs" in the neighborhood. He loved laying in front of the T.V. at night watching movies with his daddy. Jake was very athletic and one of  his favorite sports was to chase bunny rabbits. In his later years he took on more of a management roll on the farm by directing and letting all the horses on the farm know that he was the boss.

Jake took great pride in being the ultimate guard dog on The Overlook Farm by keeping strangers and criminals away. He also loved a good old fashioned belly rub and he loved his family. He is survived by his best buddy in the world Andrew Tibbals, his companion and favorite little girl (who he loved to keep an eye on just in case she got into mischief) Miss Casey Jones, his kitten, his mommy and daddy Terri and Fred Jones. 

Jake will be laid to rest on the grounds of The Overlook Farm where his spirit will remain as a guardian to watch over his family that he so cherished. Run free Jakey boy, run free. Your family will meet you at Rainbow Bridge. 

This was Jake about six years ago with his best friend Andrew.

This was Jake last Winter meeting one of my rescue pups Maddi when I took her to meet her new family.

Jake's daddy told me he hated when other dogs came to The Overlook Farm but for some reason he could tell Madison was special. He liked her from his first meeting with her. Maddi is a doll baby that any respectable male dog would be sweet on right away.

Their first greeting...

Jake and Maddi watching the main entrance to the farm. Always on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary...Jake was a good watch dog!

Can you say BEEFCAKE?! What a hunk of a hound old Jakey was.

Time for a nap...

Jake in this photo was like: "did you say the T - word...as in TREAT?"

Jake was always on the look out checking all the perimeters of the farm. This was a big job and over the years it took a very dedicated and loyal dog like Jake to get the job done.

Top Dawg!

Showing off his management skills...Jake showing those darn horses who was the Head Dog at The Overlook Farm...



Jake, Your family will miss you every single day. I'm sure they will feel your spirit in the warm breeze of the summer's wind rolling across the pastures. They will meet you someday, one by one, on the other side of Rainbow Bridge.  Until you see them again, have fun and let your heart not be troubled.

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow   Bridge. When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster. You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart. Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....  Author unknown...