Sunday, December 25, 2016

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas
Henry: "Ho Ho Ho"


Dog Blog Post #2323



What's not to love about a dog in a Santa hat?

Photography Assignment



Our Daily Challenge - December 25, 2016 - "Light Sanctuary Peace"

Taken with a new lens to capture the light from a dog a peace on his sofa sanctuary.

Daily Dog Challenge 1882. "Celebrate"

Certainly something to celebrate.

Editor's Note: Yes, I'm woefully behind. Hopefully, with the Holidays in the rear view mirror, things will quiet down and get back to normal.


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© 2016 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved

Sunday, December 18, 2016

Curl

Curl

Dog Blog Post #2322


Henry's fluffy curl.

The Holidays have a way of wrecking havoc on our daily habits, doesn't it?


Photography Assignment


Our Daily Challenge - December 18, 2016 - "Edward Weston"

Daily Dog Challenge 1874. "Crisp"

... as my iPhone is going to get in this lighting.

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© 2016 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved

Saturday, December 10, 2016

A Rare Sighting

Still playing catch-up...

Striped Golden Caribou
The Rare Striped Golden Caribou



Good News!

It seems the striped Golden Caribou isn't mythical after all!

Our Daily Challenge - December 6, 2016 - "Good News"

Daily Dog Challenge 1863. 12/6 "Stripes"


Striped Golden Caribou
Proud?



Striped Golden Caribou
Shy?



Striped Golden Caribou
Sleepy?



Zachary
Sunrise over Zachary's muzzle?



Or not.

Our Daily Challenge - December 7, 2016 - "Maximalism"

Daily Dog Challenge 1864. "Go Big or Go Home"


Dog Blog Post #2321



Sleepy Puppy
Sleepy Henry



Henry's eye...

Daily Dog Challenge 1862. 12/5 "In The Center"

... of the image.


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© 2016 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved

Friday, December 9, 2016

Best Dressed Dog

Best Dressed Dog
Mr. Henry


Dog Blog Post #2320


What all the best dressed Dogs will be wearing this season, or so I've been told.

Photography Assignment


Our Daily Challenge - December 8, 2016 - "Fashion"

Daily Dog Challenge 1865. "All Dressed Up"

My backlog of projects has gotten out of control.

It seems I have time to either take pictures, processes pictures, or work on a project.

Pick no more than two.

Sooooo... Here's Henry, showing off his latest collar that I FINALLY completed at 10:30pm tonight.

Taken with my iPhone. Processed with my home-grown "make an iPhone picture not look horrible" preset.

Alas, I see I have four days of taken but not processed or posted photos sitting here in Lightroom. The number of started but not yet completed projects is too daunting to count. Good thing New Years is almost here, so I can resolve to finish everything and then promptly break it.

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© 2016 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved

Saturday, December 3, 2016

Compendium

Football, yard work, Christmas Lights, a couple Christmas Props under construction for the boys...

Oh yes, and the occasional picture or two.

Saturday


Peek-A-Boo
Peek-a-boo Henry!


Sequined Beauty
Sequined Beauty


Sequined Beauty
Sparkly Henry


Alas, my sequined remnant is only about a foot wide.

I might have to splurge one of these days and buy a usable length.

Our Daily Challenge - December 3, 2016 - "Bokeh"

Daily Dog Challenge 1860. "Beautiful and Artistic"

Sequins
Cropped from top shot and saturated a bit


Friday



Folliow the Arrow
This way to Zachary?


Folliow the Arrow
What was I thinking?


Folliow the Arrow
Henry, unimpressed


Folliow the Arrow
Seriously unimpressed



Our Daily Challenge - December 2, 2016 - "Follow the Arrow"

Daily Dog Challenge 1859. "Symbol"

Thursday



Near and Far
Watching Football with near dog and far


Near and Far
I guess they were underwhelmed by the game



Our Daily Challenge - November 29, 2016 - "Juxtaposition"

Daily Dog Challenge 1858. "Contrast"


Wednesday


Fall Colors
Zachary and leaves


Fall Colors
Leaves and Zachary


Easy "Plan B" shot, as "Plan A" - which required me painstakingly taping silk leaves to a backdrop - was uninspiring.

Our Daily Challenge - November 29, 2016 - "Minimalism"

Daily Dog Challenge 1857. "November Colors"

Plan A


Fall Colors
Henry's...


Fall Colors
... paws...



Fall Colors
... and leaf.



Dog Blog Post #2319


Whew!

Photography Assignment


See above.

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© 2016 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Decisions Decisions

Decisions Decisions
Zachary: "Hmmm"


Decisions Decisions
Zachary: "Snowflakes."

Very seasonal.

Dog Blog Post #2318



The boys picking out the day's collar.

I wish MY closet looked this good.

Needlepoint is an enjoyable Football Season activity for me, as I have a hard time just sitting in front of the TV doing nothing.

Trivia: There are just 11-12 minutes of "live ball" football (action) in a typical three hour (clock time) game.

Here's a Flickr album of most of the collars being modeled by the boys, plus some close-ups: www.flickr.com/photos/bztraining/albums/72157640908971304

The collars are all DMC Cotton Pearl Size 5 floss, doubled stranded, on 10 squares/inch plastic mesh canvas. I usually get one collar out of a single $.99 sheet of "canvas" - that's two long strips joined at the short end plus a square in front to connect the opposite short ends to, created a V-collar.

The Autumn Leaves and white Celtic Knot probably took two sheets, each, being a bit wider and longer. If you look between the top two leaves you can see the join of a third piece of canvas. Same for the white collar.

I honestly don't know how much floss I go through. I usually buy 3-4 skeins of each color (27 yds each) and have 3-4 colors per collar. I have at least 3-4 skeins left over when I'm done. Skeins are ~$2 each for flat colors, a dollar more for variegated.

And no, I haven't the slightest idea how long one takes me to make. Perhaps a month or two worked mostly while watching Football?

The narrow blue collar on the right is a bit different, being double-ended with a "V" at each end, making it reversible from front to back with a slightly different design at each end. A good idea, but I don't like the fit as well and so I never did that style again.

It is, however, my favorite design. I think the boys look particularly regal wearing it. The blue field is worked in a single shade of blue, with narrow stripes of alternating direction stitches, creating the subtle shift in color.

The Autumn Leaf uses variegated thread, which I keep thinking I should do again but haven't.

The snowflake was a pattern-counting pain, although I like the argyle field.

The black collar shows dog hair (Note to self: don't do that again.)

I think the pearls on the purple collar look silly on my boy dogs, but haven't come up with anything to replace them with. It was based on a quilt block pattern.

And the hearts, a Valentine's Day favorite, always make me smile.

All designs are mine, based on a variety of sources.

Photography Assignment


Our Daily Challenge - November 29, 2016 - "All in a Row"

Daily Dog Challenge 1856. "Neat and Tidy"

Decisions Decisions
Henry: "Hmmm"


Decisions Decisions
Henry: "Hearts, of course."

Good choice. :)

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© 2016 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved

Monday, November 28, 2016

Office Coffee

Office Coffee
Zachary - waiting for Coffee to make itself?


Office Coffee
Henry - doing the same?


Office Coffee
Zachary - still waiting


Dog Blog Post #2317


Some co-workers should be forbidden from making a pot of coffee.

Photography Assignment



Our Daily Challenge - November 28, 2016 - "Glass of Water"

Oops... I obviously didn't read the challenge carefully - although the carafe is made of some sort of glass and it has water in it. :)

Daily Dog Challenge 1855. "Transparent"


Sunday


Snack Time
Frozen by Cheese


Daily Dog Challenge 1854. "A Moment In Time"

The boys, frozen, as Hubby waves a piece of cheese to capture their undivided attention.

In the background, the Oakland Raiders are in the processing of winning their ninth game of the year, making this their first winning season since 2002, breaking the longest active NFL streak of having a losing season.

It was touch and go for awhile, after Carr (the QB) sprinted off the field with a nasty looking jammed pinky on his throwing hand and the Raiders went from being up 24-7 at the half vs. the Panthers to down 24-32.

Ouch.

But they managed to pull out a 35-32 win in the end.

Whew.

The Niners lost. Again. Setting a new team record for most loses in a season (1-10).

Ouch.

But hey, they play the 2-9 Bears next week, so there is a glimmer of hope.

I wonder what the record is for how bad two teams are when matched up this late in the season?

Saturday


Lap Dog
Snuggle Pups



A bit of fun with the iPhone's reverse camera.

Our Daily Challenge - November 26, 2016 - "What I'm Thankful For"

Daily Dog Challenge 1853. "It's Good To Be The Dog"

Henry is a lap dog at heart, and has no idea just how big he really is.

Zachary walked up to see what was going on, no doubt hoping Cookies were involved.

Lap Dog
Me and Henry - my 85 lb lap dog


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© 2016 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved

Friday, November 25, 2016

Relaxing

Relaxing
Zachary relaxing

This was not the picture I had planned on taking, but it was too cute to pass up.

The blanket was strategically placed to keep this a G-Rated image. :)

It's good to be The Dog.

Daily Dog Challenge 1851. "Relaxing"

IMG_4179
Chilling with Zachary


Zachary enjoying the Football game with Hubby and I, in his own special way.

Our Daily Challenge - November 23, 2016 - "Connections"

Daily Dog Challenge 1850. "Together"

Henry
Sleepy Henry



Dog Blog Post #2316


Ok... we haven't been QUITE as lazy as this seems to indicate.

We've been doing a lot of yard work.

Honest.

The boys?

Maybe not so much.

Photography Assignment



Henry
Henry in his Cookie Place - with Sock



No Room
No Room?


Whether due to a surplus of dogs or a deficit of sofa, we ended up with a leftover canine on the floor.

Daily Dog Challenge 1852. "Leftover"


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© 2016 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Helping

Helping
Zachary staring in "Fluff Busters"



Helping
Zachary: "That fluff is finished."



Dog Blog Post #2315



The vacuum is a dangerous beast, and the boys felt it prudent to don protective gear before Helping me with the Crevice Tool.

A crevice tool is just the thing for getting pup-fluff out of all the things that pup-fluff flits, floats, and finagles its way in, under, and around.

(Am I the only one thinking Ghost Busters?)

Photography Assignment



Daily Dog Challenge 1849. "Helping"

Our Daily Challenge - November 22, 2016 - "Tool"


Helping
Henry: (blink)


Oh... right... your hard hat.


Helping
(sniff)



Helping
Henry - channeling his inner Harbor Seal?


How many Cookies DID you eat this week???

Helping
Henry, unimpressed, waiting for his lawyer to call back


Good grief. Henry isn't fat!

His bed-head ruff does make him look more like a seal than a dog at times.

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© 2016 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved

Monday, November 21, 2016

Hello!

A Good Window?
Zachary: "Hi Mom!"


That fuzzy blur in the lower left is Henry's tail.

Henry's much better at settling in for the long haul of a Football Game - especially once he motivates you into petting him.

(A cold, wet nose is a powerful weapon when wielded by an expert.)

Zachary... fidgets.

Dog Blog Post #2314


It's challenging to watch Monday Night Football (Oakland Raiders vs. Houston Texans, played in Mexico City!) with a friendly Zachary hopping up on the bed frequently to say, "Hello!", making my view of the game rather Incomplete.

Photography Assignment


Daily Dog Challenge 1848. "Hello!"

Our Daily Challenge - November 21, 2016 - "Incomplete"

That's It?

Well... umm.... yes?

Go Raiders!

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© 2016 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved

Sunday, November 20, 2016

Golden Caribou

Golden Caribou
Henry: (blink)


What's the matter, Henry?


Golden Caribou
Henry: "This is so embarrassing."



Golden Caribou
Zachary: "I'll join you pup!"
Henry: "Really?"



Golden Caribou
Zachary: "Golden Caribou stick together, right?"
Henry: "Right!"



Golden Caribou
Zachary: "More Cookies!"


(I'd complain, but they really were such good sports about the antlers.)

Dog Blog Post #2313


You know the holidays are approaching when the Golden Caribou make an appearance.

Photography Assignment



Our Daily Challenge - November 20, 2016 - "Whatchamacallit"

Daily Dog Challenge 1847. "Absurdity"


Meanwhile, over the past few days...


More yard cleanup, the occasional movie, and yes, the Niners lost (again)...


Saturday


Sweet Henry
Sleepy Henry...


Sweet Henry
... in Profile


Daily Dog Challenge 1846. "Portrait of Love"

Our Daily Challenge - November 19, 2016 - "That Face"


Friday



Nighty Night
Henry: "Zzzzz"



Days end in much the same way every night.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Daily Dog Challenge 1845. "The Same"

Thursday


Mysterious
Henry's Nose


This is Henry... my fully furred and fluffy, always panting Golden Retriever.

Snuggled under a blanket.

In our 60F house.

Daily Dog Challenge 1844. "Makes You Wonder"

Our Daily Challenge - November 17, 2016 - "Mysterious"

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© 2016 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved