Resa at Graffiti Lux Art & More recently featured my 13-year-old chocolate lab mix, Copper, so I’m reblogging because if you’re a dog lover, you won’t want to miss her post! But not only is Copper Boy featured, so are John’s adorable Twiggy and Marina’s beautiful Hera! But first, below is a little bit about Resa if you haven’t had the pleasure of meeting her:
I’m an amateur photographer who has a passion for taking pics of outdoor ephemeral art.
My name is Resa McConaghy, and my site, “Graffit Lux and Murals”, was originally dedicated to showcasing & documenting Graffiti Art and Murals in Toronto and Winnipeg. However, I now find I am featuring the Street Art of other cities around the globe through travels of mine, and guest contributors.
Taking these pics is a passion and a joy. Each work of graffiti art or mural evokes thoughts in me, and these thoughts are reflected in the titles of my Posts.Some of these pieces may already have been named by the artists. If I know the original name, I will name it so.
If I know the name of the artist, I will credit them under the photograph and/or in the body of the post. If you are an artist & have not been credited, you can reach me by email with your info. I will gladly update the post. If you’re here, it’s probably because you love this type of art as much as I do. I hope my pics do the pieces some justice.
I am thrilled that Resa loved my poem “Copper Boy” enough to include it.So, here’s what she has to say about Copperin which she gently inserts a plug for Ever So Gently:
And now to see those gorgeous dogs at Resa’s, click on the link below ⬇️.
Thanks again, Resa, for including Copper! He sends you lots of slobbery kisses! Good thing you keep those sponges handy ‘cuz he loves to give kisses, but in his senior years, he’s also a bit drooly! 😂🐶
I am touched by those who enjoyed my book and who have written beautiful reviews. 🩵 And a friendly nudge… if you enjoyed my book, please consider sharing a review on Amazon and Goodreads. The best gift for authors! 🙏🏻
Thanks to you beautiful friends for visiting today, and I wish you a fabulous weekend! ~Lauren ❤️❤️
Dear Family and Friends, this story is a bit long, so if you don’t have time to read it, I understand. But if you do, I hope you can appreciate Rusty’s dilemma and recognize the message conveyed. I won’t give away the ending. 🙂 Also, I’ve included an audio version for those of you who would rather listen.
Rusty can’t help but whine and dance around in circles! He knows what’s coming when Mom puts her ball cap on. Today is a crisp, March spring morning when she attaches the blue plaid leash to his matching blue collar. The sky is bright and clear, perfect for a walk around the neighborhood. When he sings (he likes to call it that) and dances, he can tell by the tone of her voice that sometimes she is happy. But there are times when she sounds kind of mad. Maybe he should try calming down. But seriously, what chocolate lab doesn’t get excited for a walk?
She opens the blue front door, and Rusty follows her outside. He lifts his leg on every bush he spots, his nose clueing him into enticing smells. Mom walks at just the right pace while he trots beside her. Occasionally, she jogs, and he picks up the pace, jogging, too. He thinks this is so much fun. The flapping of his long soft ears makes him happy.
Rusty is minding his own business when Sam, the gray squirrel, runs in the street right in front of him! Whenever he sees Sam, he barks up a storm that echoes and bounces from house to house! Sam skitters across the street then skitters back to where he came from, all the while snickering to irritate Rusty. And boy is Rusty irritated!
“Woof! Woof! Woof!” Rusty voices his annoyance and pulls on his leash. All he wants is a chance to catch Sam! And then he thinks…
What would I do if I caught Sam? I mean, I don’t want to hurt him. Yes, he annoys me, but I just want to play!
But once again, Sam gets away! He scurries up the nearest maple tree with the speed and confidence of a black bear, snickering all the way to the top! Sam is an expert at snickering!
How dare him!
“Oh, Rusty, you’ll never catch a squirrel, but it’s always good to try,” Mom says while she pats Rusty on his soft head.
Rusty forgets about Sam as he and his mom turn the corner, and that’s when he sees Tuck, the yellow Labrador, standing in his front yard. What puzzles Rusty is that every time he tries to say hello, Tuck turns the other way. He doesn’t like Rusty and Rusty doesn’t know why. Then he remembers Mom telling him that it’s always good to try. So, he tries again to say hello.
Tuck stands tall at the edge of his yard, close enough to offer a friendly sniff to Rusty. But when Rusty walks up to him, Tuck turns his big head and body around, heading for his mom who stands by the front door. Rusty’s ears fall back tightly against his head and his heart aches. This isn’t the first time he’s been taunted by Sam and ignored by Tuck. With his heavy and hopeless heart, he and his mom leave Tuck’s house and continue walking up the street that begins to incline. Lucy, the beautiful snow-white husky, lives at the top of the hill. Rusty’s had a crush on her for what seems like forever, but she doesn’t pay any attention to him either.
Lucy stands by the white fence that borders her yard, and sure enough, when she spots Rusty trotting up the hill, she runs to the porch and lies down on her bed so he can’t get close to her. She even holds an intimidating stare. Rusty notices this which causes his heart to ache more and his ears to fall back for a second time. He doesn’t know if his heart will ever warm up again. At this very moment, it feels as cold as his big brown nose. He and his mom walk past her house, making a U-turn to head back down the hill to their home.
I love my humans, Mom, Dad, and my sister and brother. But it’s lonely not having friends, and I wish I knew why they didn’t like me. If I had to, I would change my ways. I’m friendly. I don’t bark a lot, except at squirrels, sorry Sam! I don’t sniff where I’m not welcomed. Is it because my coat is the color of copper, and not a true chocolate, blonde, yellow, or shiny black? But why would others not want to be my friend just because of the color of my coat?
While Rusty ponders the cause of his friendlessness, unbeknownst to him, Sam and Tuck meet up with Lucy just outside her white fence.
“I don’t know about you boys, but I’m tired of being mean to Rusty. And just for the record, I find him kind of cute,” Lucy admitted.
“Oh, Lucy, don’t go letting your heart soften up now. Rusty’s different! We all know that, and different doesn’t bode well with our tight group!” Sam chimes in with conviction of an elephant.
“You know, Sam, I think Lucy makes a good point. Just because Rusty looks different doesn’t mean we can’t include him. I guess my eight-year-old heart is beginning to soften, too,” Tuck says as he observes Sam’s fluffy tail standing upright like a surfboard in the sand, his little whiskers moving at lightning speed.
It seems odd that a squirrel weighing no more than a pound can gain control over two dogs the size of Shetland ponies. But Sam’s personality is bigger than him and as powerful as a lion’s. Lucy and Tuck automatically followed Sam in every adventure they went on, but not anymore. Their hearts and souls are beginning to see the kinder sides. It’s been one whole month and Lucy can’t bear the pure sadness in Rusty’s soulful, amber eyes. And the more Tuck thinks on this issue, the more he considers Rusty the brother he never had. It would be fun to have another buddy to hang around with now and then.
“Sam, what if you or Lucy or I looked different that didn’t align with what Rusty thought was normal? How would you feel if he ignored you when he saw you on the street? Or even worse, what if he growled at you, scaring you out of your wits?”
“Hey, you’re sounding a bit philosophical, old man!” Sam replies.
“Who are you calling old man, Sam? I’m only 8!” Tuck retorts.
Lucy can’t stand this banter any longer, and contrary to what some believe, girls know best!
“Okay, boys, enough is enough! This neighborhood holds plenty of room for all of us, and that includes Rusty! I, for one, would feel devastated to be ignored like he has been because of our unkind behavior. I feel so ashamed, so my only hope is that he can forgive!” Lucy feels the lifting of a huge burden from her heart. Her body even feels lighter as though she can frolic on clouds, and her spirit as bright as the shining sun.
Lucy pokes the latch on the gate with her cold nose, then once it becomes unlatched, with a paw she pushes it open. She walks through and onto the street when Sam scurries up beside her, giving her a surrendering smile. After thinking this situation over and pondering Tuck and Lucy’s words, he agrees with their wisdom. Tuck sidles up beside Lucy on the opposite side, and together, the trio heads downhill to Rusty’s house.
The single-story ranch style home looks quiet from the street. But the trio hopes to find Rusty in the backyard, lying in the sun like he loves to do. Then it will be easy for them to get his attention.
After Rusty and his mom return home from their walk, he is ready for a nap. Exhaustion has taken over his body, not only from the walk and jog, but from the sadness weighing heavy on his heart. In the backyard, a patch of grass in the sunshine beckons him, so he lies down on his side, legs stretched out, and begins to soak up the sun’s warmth. It takes a lot of effort for him to ignore the gloomy thoughts, so he tries to dream of chasing squirrels. But then he hears a loud commotion in the front of the house!
Lucy, Sam, and Tuck yell in one giant burst of sound to rouse Rusty!
“Rusty! You annoying lab!”
“Hi, Rusty, come on out!”
“Hey, Buddy, we need to talk to you!”
Rusty slowly stands; his twelve-year-old legs don’t hurry anymore. Then to his surprise, he sees Lucy, Tuck, and Sam, yes even Sam, jumping up and down at the see-through gate. They speak simultaneously, hard to understand every word. But the word that stands out is FRIEND. And judging by their smiling jowls, and Sam’s happy, fluffy tail swinging from side to side, Rusty understands completely!
His mom hears the joyful barking, too, so she steps outside, and when she notices the trio giving kisses to Rusty through the gate, the sight warms her heart. Her senior pup has been sad for too long now. She opens the gate and joy flows through the air as the foursome hug and kiss in their own canine and squirrelly ways.
“We’re so sorry we were mean to you, Rusty. We never should’ve judged you because of your coat color. I actually think you’re quite handsome. So will you forgive us?” Lucy steps back a few inches, certain that she is blushing after baring her soul.
“Oh, will I ever!” Rusty cheerfully answers. “And Lucy, I actually think you’re beautiful!”
And so, the three canines and the one fuzzy gray squirrel trot and scamper down the street on this spring day – the best ever for Rusty! His heart feels happy again, and he realizes that Sam, Lucy, and Tuck accept him for who he is – they don’t expect him to change. This is the day he not only gains friends, but the day he becomes one.
“What a day I had at school, Bella,” Nick said to his loyal black lab cuddling against his leg. “I finally got the courage to ask Rachel to prom and she said no! I thought she liked me!”
Bella just stared at her human brother, ready to give him a big sloppy kiss on the cheek. She couldn’t help but wag her tail, hoping to get Nick in a tail-wagging mood.
“I can always count on you to cheer me up, Girl. No matter what, you won’t betray me. I guess that’s why they call you ‘Man’s best friend.’
P.S. I’m not sure if this little piece of writing qualifies as a story, but it is 99 words, and you get the message I want to convey. If you’re an animal lover, I hope this story warms your heart.
Happy Friday and weekend ahead, and for those in the U.S., have a safe and fun Fourth of July! Hugs, Lauren ❤️
Two dogs lived with me a kind woman cared for us but it wasn’t home I waited for the feeling then they walked through the front door
girl, boy, and mother spoke to me, gentle voices showing interest mother and woman shook hands I jumped in the car, smiling
sniffing in the yard marking my territory sniffing through the house each corner felt like comfort finally, I found my home
mom, Dad, and children walked me, played chase, tennis balls somersaulted on soft grass. Fetching was fun, but letting go I did not like
they taught me commands to sit, stay, come, heal, lie down I love to shake paw I learned quickly and got treats and lots of loving cuddles
humans say time flies almost thirteen, I’m old now but with my people who don’t hit, kick, or starve me I am loved and protected
sad faces on screen anger hearts of compassion unthinkable acts please throw them your safety net adoption saves lives for all
p.s. I love my family so much!
Sometimes, I’m bashful.I worship the sun.I make time for listening.
In honor of National Poetry Month, Copper wanted me to share his new poem. He hopes you enjoyed learning how he found his forever family, and that adopting dogs and cats is really, really important.
He sends you big kisses for a Happy, Happy Day! ❤️❤️
We hold our breath, sitting as still as a freeway during morning commute. Its wings flutter at a possible eighty times per second, so we’ve read.
It closes the distance between us, and we know it eyes the dangling rosy petals. But below those blossoms lies the sleeping dog. He wouldn’t be the least bit interested in the winged creature, but the winged creature doesn’t know this to be true.
And so, we watch our tiny friend flit to within a few feet of the blooms, then disappointment lands in our thoughts as it retreats to the maple, camouflaged to the naked eye.
If only it could be brave. If only it knew there was no threat below from the sleeping beast. In fact, the beast quietly snores, and we are confident he is dreaming of squirrels.
When he trots around on his long legs, he carries eighty pounds of love. And those amber eyes see right into our souls.
When he smiles, his white choppers shine as if they’ve never caused any commotion…never mind the afternoon when he attempted to eat the barbecue!
When he hears a knock on the door, his bark echoes across the Golden Gate, along the marina into San Francisco. Out of protection? Sure. But mostly from excitement.
A social butterfly sporting a Labrador costume, that’s what he is… freely passing out his affection, assuming everyone loves his slobbery kisses.
But he has a selfish side, rolling over onto his back, expecting a belly rub. And who are we to deny his wishes? And his ears, like feeling silk between our fingers. We can’t get enough.
How amazing to know his love comes unconditionally. To know he doesn’t waste minutes worrying about world events or whether the pandemic is here to stay. And he is never one to judge.
He just loves in his simple way, and we love him back. And that is simply enough.
For inspiration to notice surrounding beauty, to feel gratitude, to face challenges and fears while sipping your favorite coffee roast or a beverage of your choice, check out my latest book: More than Coffee.
I’ve never participated in a poetry reading before. Even though I’ve sung in front of audiences in my youth, the thought of sharing my original poetry in person immediately starts the internal flapping of butterfly wings. Sharing behind a screen isn’t so scary.
Well, a friend of mine heard of a local poetry night taking place last week, so she encouraged me to sign up. Her exact words, “You should do it!” So I did, but not without jumpy nerves.
There were 27 poets, different ages, even some young voices which was fabulous. I prayed that I wouldn’t be the last reader because we all know the effects of anticipation. Instead, I was second to read, which was a little nerve-racking in itself, but at least it was over fast. According to my friend, I did great. And even in my mind, I thought I had done well, maybe not stellar, but well enough for the first time. I didn’t trip over any words. I didn’t sneeze or fall into a coughing fit. I stayed focused, and afterwards, I received some “Beautifuls”, which I believe is music to any artist’s ears.
Irregardless, I’m glad I finally did this, another box checked off the list. Listening to the others read their original poems or poems written by another author was also wonderful. This event turned out to be an enlightening experience.
Now, for the sake of trying something fun and different, I’m sharing an audio of the poem I read that I recently recorded. I’ve posted “Castanets” before, but I’ve made small revisions since then.
I also can’t help wonder if most people think their voices sound strange when they hear them recorded. I know I do. Nonetheless, here goes…
Castanets
Stepping outside, I stroll down the quiet road with my lab on my left, his gait as graceful as a galloping horse in slow motion. Squirrels raise their sleepy heads because of the early hour. The sky appears to be coal black, but when I turn the corner, watermelon pinks, corals, and lemon yellows take center stage. My camera doesn’t do justice. Then I recall my son saying, “Enjoy the moment.” I slip that device back in my pocket. To my right, salmon-colored roses flaunt their fragrance and I am intoxicated. Passing orange poppies, their stems flutter with excitement, eager for the sun’s ascent, and in the distance, silence sings its serene ballad. As the tempo of our pace speeds up, a breeze joins us, and the leaves on the trees lining the lane sway in rhythm as though dancing a waltz. Jowls flap, he smiles with brown nose set in overdrive. The sun’s gentle touch adds a glimmer to his copper coat. I pause, bending down to his level, fingers stroke shiny, silky fur, his eyes close, contented from contact. When we move again, his nails on the asphalt mimic the clicking of two sets of castanets, and in seconds, I realize these observations are what life is all about… seeing…feeling…smelling…listening… being.
I wanted to share a Christmas poem, but the words just weren’t flowing. So, you won’t read anything fancy today, only that I’m taking a breather from blogging for the holidays and this will be my last post until I return sometime in January. As we all know, breaks are necessary so that we can recharge our minds, bodies, and spirits. But before I go, I want to thank you all for your continued support! It has beenwonderful to meet and get to know so many talented artists in this virtual community.
On that note, I wish you all a holiday filled with Peace, Joy, and Love, everything we’ve heard before but all we truly need. ❤️
Copper wishes you a Merry Christmas, too, and he hopes you get lots of treatsand slobbery kisses! Speaking of treats, here is a small sample of my Christmas cookies that I bake each year.
Sending holiday hugs, stay safe, be well, and I’ll see you in 2022! Cheers, Lauren ❤️🎄❤️
Baydreamer Writes ~ Lauren Scott, Author & Poet 