Hound poetry

I found this wonderful poem on a really neat jewelry site Black Horse Design. (They have some really wonderful Wolfhound pieces) It's about deerhounds, but it demonstrates how we feel about our hounds as well.

Deerhounds

Admit the lives more valuable
than our life, than the bodies we bear
more beautiful: tall grey dogs,

what huntsman, what dogboy loosed you
on our slow hearts
and let you slaughter them?

Long dogs, you move with air
belling the vault of your ribcage.
You subdue the miles below your hocks.

Levelled out in speed across wayless country,
over the open grassmoor that is paradise,
the onset of your going undulates the ground.

The bracken hurdles below your height,
the rushes make way for you;
your hard eyes hold in sight the rapid hills.

Brace of deerhounds, a matched two!
Intent, all flame, is what quickens
those long throats thonged with leather.

1977 - Valerie Gillies

Wolfhound on the Hudson

We just got back from a visit to Hoboken, NJ. Specifically from my in law's wonderful posh loft home overlooking the Hudson river and the New York skyline.

See, isn't the view spectacular? We have visited before, and I had and idea for a blog post, sort of a photo essay "Wolfhound on the Hudson."

All very dramatic, and artsy.

Hmm, that railing sort of gets in the way doesn't it?

Finn is also not the most agreeable photo model. Hello, Finn? Look at the camera!

But the major impediment to me getting the hundred or so photos I imagined..

photos on the city streets, greeting people and stopping traffic..

chasing seagulls, walking the docks...

was the fact it was 10 degrees, with the wind whipping in off the river making it below zero wind chill factor.

That's really too cold, I'm not that dedicated of a photographer, or dog walker.

So we rather quickly came back inside.

The view is lovely from inside, where it is warm.

Also, inside there is a beautiful rug to lie on, just Wolfhound size. (no, we didn't get sick this trip)

Finn had a wonderful time, and we are pretty sure we got up all the dog cookie crumbs before we left.

We're nominated!

Go to this site to vote, and visit all the fun blogs!

Snow Ball!

More snow today, much to Finn's delight. After his walk he wanted to play in the yard. We tosssed a softball we found out in the snow, and he went nuts. of course by the time I got the camera, he was was out of steam and slowing down, but still being pretty silly.

Canine couture

I have been on a search for a light waterproof coat for Finn, just for the nastiest weather. I hoped to pick up one at a local horse auction, they look just like the ones for horses, so cute! Nope, none big enough for Finn.

I searched the web, and finally found the largest dog coat out there, an XXXL. Ordered it, and it came in a couple of days later.

The fact it was purple may have had something to do with my choice....

Finn however seems a bit mortified to be wearing it, and it's still too small.

As you can see, doesn't quite cover the territory. Next size up is Mini horse blankets.

We will keep it for now, until I find one that fits.