The Tudors

Bella with her new scrunchie! These are supposed to go on her neck, but we tried to make her look like a little Tudor lady here!

St. Francis of Assisi

OK. I am not a Catholic, or have any religions (at the moment at least - it may change again one day though!). I mean, I don't follow anything, I am there for no magical, supernatural powers, maybe because I already had my part on it when I was younger and less cynical. In the other hand, I am all for mythologies and studying religious manifestations and the sort. I love magical things, symbols and beautiful legends. Point made.

Now that I have a dog, I've been thinking a lot about St. Francis of Assisi. He loved animals, and treated them as brothers and sisters. And protected them. Then I reminded his Prayer, or the famous prayer that is to him attributed. I used to love it when I was a kid. Actually, it was the only prayer with which I identified myself somehow, even knowing it by heart. I think it's really beautiful, albeit very simple and straightforward.

Even not being a believer, or a mildly religious person nowadays, here it is for you as well to appreciate it in its very own understated beauty...

The Prayer of Saint Francis

"O Lord, make me an instrument of Thy Peace!
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is discord, harmony;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light, and
Where there is sorrow, joy.
Oh Divine Master, grant that I may not
so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand; to be loved
as to love; for it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life."

(Credit - the beautiful illustration above was found on a very interesting blog, from writer Nancy Imperiale, based in Florida. Like her, I also tried to find out the source for that, but could not find it. Thanks to Nancy for having discovered it, and to the unknown artist for such a delicate piece!)

Baby Bella and the Waves

Here is Bella today, in Mullingar, looking at the lake. She was on her way down to Ballina with Pappy Mark. He sent this to me via mobile and said: "Bella is fascinated by the waves, but also nervous, not trying to jump in the water, not that I would let her anyway!"

Bella's Picture of the Day!

I used a sepia treatment on this one. Love the way she looks and the blur caused by her moving, making it look a bit like a dream... Her eyes look like little beads as well!

Joys of having a dog...

I always say that having Bella has changed my life for better. She is adorable, and a big motivation too. She cheers me up. I must admit lately I haven't been feeling my best, but having her around makes me a happier, less negative person. Anyway, she is our little "baby" now!

Yesterday we were out a lot. She was a bit hyper though. Her main problem is that she still pulls quite a bit, even with her Lupi harness - which used to be quite good when we started using it.

Latest trick she learnt is called "Find the Bickie". I carry a bag of dog treats with me. When I feel she is getting hyper, I make her sit. Then I grab one bickie and hide it in one of my hands while she is sitting down, observing (and drooling). I cross my hands in front of me and say: " Bella, where is the bickie?" She comes, sniffs my hands and then uses her paw to touch the hand where the bickie is hiding. She never misses of course, since her sense of smell is amazing, but... The beauty of it is that, before, she used to do the same but using her nose, pushing the hand where the bickie was. Now, without me teaching, she decided to use her paw. Well, may seems a bit silly for anyone else alright, but I see it as a progress in her training and that makes me really happy. And she looks lovely when she does that!

Bella and her Pappy

Bella's Snap of the Day...

Pillow says...
"Life without friends is like a garden without flowers"

(Click to magnify...)

Her Name is Bella...

Long time without blogging, it seems! Mostly because I went to Rio by the end of the year and, when I arrived back, was feeling a bit depressed and down. The usual! I will try and re-start writing (once again!).

But the big news is... We finally have a dog now! I was resisting a lot to that idea, since I tend to get way too attached to them and, when it's time to say goodbye, I really get way too sad. But thanks to Mark's insistence, I gave it in. And it was the best thing that could have happened to me.


We adopted her from Dogs Trust. Bella is her name. A border collie cross, although some people say she is a "Wicklow Collie", whatever a Wicklow Collie means (apart from coming from Wicklow, of course). Black and white little bundle of joy, more or less 2 years old. She was very skinny when she came to us, but gained almost 4 kgs already. She is lovely and house-trained, and also very sociable and a quick-learner. We love her to bits!

Some more pictures of our 4-legged furry Baby... And more will follow, of course! :)

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