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The Mental Stages of a Slow Painting
I paint on a professional level. In my spare time I also like to paint. But in my spare time I like to try new techniques and media. I rarely take any big risks, so most of my experimental art turns out pretty cool. But until the painting is completed, I pretty much loathe it. […]
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Hiking Mt. Washington
About a month ago, Ivan and I celebrated our 11-year wedding anniversary the same way we celebrated our 10-year wedding anniversary: we climbed a mountain. In fact, we climbed the same mountain both times. Mt. Mansfield, the highest peak in Vermont, is a fun day hike. It’s not for complete novices, but you don’t need […]
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Edible Water Bubbles
As a famous TV chemist once said, “Science, Bitch.”
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Why I Can’t Stop Running
There are a few things that I’ve been doing with reliable consistency for years that I don’t foresee ever ending: art, documenting and running. The art has been a part of my life for long enough that I barely need to separate it from my existence anymore. As long as I’m around, I’ll be doodling […]
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Painting My Dreamscapes
As far back as I can remember, I’ve had hyper-realistic, vivid dreams. I’ve decided to start painting them.
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A Chill in the Air
Dr. Husband started a new rotation with a 14-hour on-call shift Friday evening. Then another Saturday evening. And the 14- to 15-hour shifts (both day and night) will continue for over a month. We knew this rotation was coming, but it’s still pretty lousy. Anyhow, since Ivan is a first-year resident (also known as an […]
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Customers and Their Spirit Animals
I’ve mentioned a number of times what I do for a living; I’m an artist. Specifically, I sell paintings of animals and specialize in pet portraits. My style varies, depending on the painting, but my custom portraits are messy watercolors and generally quite colorful, focusing on the vibrant personalities of our pets. The colors that […]
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Sewing for the Dogs
Years ago my mother-in-law bought me a sewing machine for Christmas. It wasn’t really on my wish list, but she’s a practical person and gets a lot of use out of her sewing machine (especially with 11 grandkids and one great grandkid). She even sewed the dresses for my bridesmaids and flower girl at our […]
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Tumors, Cancer and Babe
Yeah, you read the title. You know what this post is about. Babe has a number of histiocytomas — benign tumors — that she’s had for years. We’ve had a couple checked out and the vets that saw her were not concerned. These are common, benign growths Then, when we were in Brooklyn, she developed a […]
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A Brief Visit to Pennsylvania
A few weeks ago I went to Pennsylvania for a couple days. It had been my plan to visit my hometown this fall, but Ivan’s schedule is unpredictable, to put it mildly. His call shifts end up being 14+ hours overnight at the hospital and that’s outside of his usual weekday hours. I couldn’t leave […]
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The Separation of Health and Fitness
The Balance I’ve mentioned plenty of times that I try to stay fit. But, let’s be honest, fitness is tough. Sure, I exercise a lot. I run at least 5 times each week and try to do some strength training as well. We eat pretty well, avoiding prepared foods and eating meals centered around vegetables and whole […]
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Out With the Old, In With the New (toys, that is)
Babe doesn’t get excited about toys. She never has. Occasionally she’ll lay down and chew on a rubber toy, but that only happens once or twice a month. Babe is more of a food-driven pup. And when she’s not eating, she’s snoozing. It’s a nice, even life for her. Banjo is extremely toy-driven. When she’s […]
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Dog Days of Summer
The dog days of summer are upon us. They have been, I suppose, for just over a month now, according to the expression, and there are still a few days left. We’ve certainly noticed the heat. With a full week in the 90s, the grass turned brittle, the trees drooped and the dogs were less […]
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Cooling Off
We’ve had some pretty hot days recently, temps hovering in the low to mid-90s. Our house stays pretty cool, thankfully, maintaining the chilly evening air that we let in as we sleep. First thing in the mornings, we close up all of the windows and draw some blinds. It works pretty well. We’ve only used […]
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Whipped Cream for the Win
I posted not too long ago about a little trip we took with Babe to Starbucks. We treated ourselves to some lovely caffeinated drinks and Babe got her own cup of house-made whipped cream. Babe loves whipped cream and, as it turns out, so does Banjo. We try not to give them too much since […]
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10 Things All Dog Owners Know
If you have ever had a dog, you know what I’m talking about. These guys bring so much love into my life, I can almost overlook the utter insanity that they embody… almost.
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Pet Art is My Day Job
So, let’s talk about art. It’s what I do every day. It has become my “day job” and, aside from a few freelance articles a month, it’s my only job. If you asked me 15 years ago (which is about when this photo was taken) if I ever thought that my art would be more […]
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A Backyard of One’s Own
For 2 years we lived in a 2-bedroom apartment on the third floor of a Brooklyn walk-up. We did not have a backyard, like most people in Brooklyn. We shared the streets. We shared the parks. For 2 years before Brooklyn, we lived in the Caribbean. Our studio apartment in Grenada afforded us many things: […]
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That Whipped Cream ‘Stache
Babe is a spoiled little pig, so she gets all of the noms.
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Connecticut, How Do I Love Thee?
Well, Let Me Count the Ways The People. Look, I’ve spent the past 2 years living in the unhappiest city in the country, according to the CDC. And maybe that’s not something I was acutely aware of, but I have been very aware of how friendly and helpful everyone has been here in Connecticut. Aside from […]
Off Topic Mom
A mommy blog for babes and pups.