Posts from the ‘Personal’ Category

Aug 16

A Daily Practice

“The secret to your future is hidden in your daily routine.” ~ Mike Murdock

Blogging is a daily practice for me. This blog was inspired by Biscuit, and this blog is like my little heaven. It is this place where I get to talk about things and ideas that are on my mind, what inspires me, my projects, my life, and people I love — and who doesn’t like to do that? I do not have advertisers on my blog so that I can keep it about what I want, ideas that are important to me, without worrying about anything else.

What I really have become to realize is this blog is like a photograph as it captures little snippets in time forever. I also like keeping a blog as it creates a daily record, that I can refer back to at anytime. Often times, we do not remember the small events that happen on a daily basis. My hope, with this blog, is to share, capture, and preserve. Later this year, I also plan to have a blog book made as well, and I plan to do a blog book for each year worth of blog posts.

I have met some really wonderful people through this blog. Biscuit certainly gave us so many gifts in the short time that we spent with him and his gifts he gave to us, which we continue to receive today, will be with us forever. Doug, Biscuit, and I really made the most of our time together, and I hope to carry out this theme in my own life — making the most of each day and each opportunity. Often times, I have found, that the best opportunities and gifts present themselves in ways I could not have imagined or planned! So, the lesson, I have learned, is to be open and let life fully in your heart.

For anyone out that has any desire to begin a daily blog, I highly recommend it — remember you can begin anywhere.

Aug 12

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Happy Birthday, Doug!

Today marks a special day — it is Doug’s Birthday!

We had a wonderful weekend in the Brandywine Valley in Delaware celebrating our birthdays! The weather was gorgeous! It was very nice to have some time away before our move to the new house!

Happy Birthday, my dear sweet Panda! I cannot believe another year has gone by and that we have known each other just shy of nine years next month. I cannot imagine sharing my life with anyone else. You are my best friend. You are my rock. You are my confidant. You are the yin (panda) to my yang (cheetah). You keep me balanced and grounded with your steadfast patience. You are one of the most kind, giving, thoughtful, and generous people I have ever met. You are truly remarkable. Words cannot express how fortunate I am to be sharing my life with you. I love you.

Love, me

“Our birthdays are feathers in the broad wings of time.” ~Jean Paul

Aug 9

Right Now

“You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land, there is no other life but this.” ~ Henry David Thoreau

It is our “Birthday Weekend!” Our birthdays are one year and one day apart! I guess we can never forget each other’s birthday this way! We miss that Biscuit is not here to celebrate with us as we made Biscuit’s Birthday August 8, as that was the day he was rescued off the street in North Carolina. (I am giving Doug a special birthday present, which I will share more about in a future blog post!)

Doug planned a nice weekend for us! Doug and I are leaving for Delaware today to stay at one of our favorite places, the Montchanin Inn — a very quaint, peaceful, and serene place located in the Brandywine Valley. (We have not been there since we rescued and adopted Biscuit as furry family members are not permitted). We are looking forward to getting away for a few days before our move to the new house, which is rapidly approaching! I hope that you have something fun planned this weekend, where you take some time for what matters most, to turn you brains off, let go of the pressures you put on yourself, and just spend some time soaking in where you are at this exact moment. This life is made up of a series of right nows — Biscuit taught me this.

Until then, thank you for sharing in our journey. It means more than you know.

Happy Friday!

Aug 7

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Healing

“Like archaeologists of the soul, we need to excavate our hidden depths to unearth the shards of the spirit, and then reassemble those fragments into a whole self.” ~Caroline Myss

My heart has been working really hard to let itself break when another piece of me wants to keep on pushing through. It takes a lot of courage to let ourselves feel the pain of any given heartbreak, of any given misfortune. I am trying to be brave. I feel fortunate to have Doug, my rock and my beacon of light.

Because even in the dark I know this to be true — eventually hope rises up to meet us. It cracks open our hearts to the light within ourselves waiting to be seen, to be born again.

Biscuit has been gone for a month today. Doug and I are very much feeling the loss of our little Biscuit. We both catch ourselves thinking that he is still here, expecting to see him. Things are not the same without him. It has only been a few weeks, but it feels like an eternity since we last saw him. Biscuit was very integrated into our lives. Each day we spend time talking about him and we tell each other how much we miss him. There is not a day that goes by that Biscuit is not at the forefront of our thoughts. We hope that Biscuit is having a grand time running and playing in a body free of sickness and pain; and we are hopeful that he is watching over us each day. We know that Biscuit will send us the “right” sheltie friend.

I am grateful to have this blog and my photography — they are helpful to healing and providing an outlet for me. Your comforting words, thoughtful gifts, and telephone calls have been very much appreciated. We are so grateful that Biscuit touched so many lives, including our own. Biscuit has had a tremendous and permanent impact on our hearts and lives. Doug and I are so grateful to have met and shared our lives with Biscuit.

Below is Biscuit’s paw print (his left paw); and a photograph of Biscuit taken in Vermont this past May. (Doug and I are still deciding how we are going to preserve and display Biscuit’s paw print).

Aug 2

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Honoring Biscuit: A Special Tribute — A New Look for Biscuit’s Space

A few days after Biscuit passed away, I began thinking of ways that we could commemorate and honor our precious little Biscuit. One of the first things that came to mind was to commission an illustration of him to be used as the header of this blog marking Biscuit’s transformation and significant impact in our lives — encapsulating the importance and purpose of Biscuit’s Space. I discussed this idea with Doug, and he agreed that this would be a neat idea while also marking an eloquent transition in the blog as well. This illustration of Biscuit creates a brand and identity for the blog. I want Biscuit to be the first image people see and associate with this blog. After all, Biscuit is the reason and inspiration for Biscuit’s Space!

As such, I recently contacted Bee Johnson, an illustrator, who I interviewed here, and I discussed with her what I was thinking in terms of an illustration of Biscuit for the header of this blog. After speaking with Bee about this commission, I spoke with Doug, and we settled on a photograph to base the illustration, shown below. This was also the image that was featured on the Jones Soda bottle. I selected this image of Biscuit to use for this illustration because I love how this image is dynamic; I love Biscuit’s expression; I love how Biscuit’s fur coat is flowing in the wind; and, most of all, I love it because it really captures our precious little Biscuit. Biscuit loved the beach!

Based on my vision, Bee sent me mock ups of the illustration and text to review. After a few drafts and revisions, we arrived at the finished illustration, shown below and at the top of this blog, which is now a prominent fixture of this blog. I love the illustration of our little Biscuit — I love how the illustration truly captures our little Biscuit; and I love how the illustration of Biscuit creates a three-dimensional look whereby Biscuit is literally running off of the screen on the header of the blog! We are extremely happy with the final illustration and header — we feel it fits well with the design and feel of both the blog as well as my companion website, Katherine Carver Photography! Bee is very talented and she was wonderful and easy to work with on this project that is near and dear to our hearts! Thank you so much, Bee! If you are looking for an illustration commission, I highly recommend working with Bee!

Most importantly, this illustration of Biscuit signifies that Biscuit’s Space is more than a website; it is a place where special dogs are given a second chance. Biscuit is the inspiration, namesake, and living proof of the power of Biscuit’s Space. Biscuit’s Space will not end because Biscuit is gone, but will continue in Biscuit’s great honor.

Jul 30

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Cheetahs and Pandas

This weekend Doug and I went to the National Zoo to visit the cheetahs and pandas. Since we met almost nine years ago, we have been regularly going to visit the National Zoo. However, Doug and I realized that we had not been to the National Zoo since we rescued and adopted Biscuit. (Unfortunately, furry family members are not permitted at the National Zoo). Since the weather was so nice on Saturday, we decided to go to D.C. Below are a few of my favorite photographs. (It was a bit challenging photographing the cheetahs through the fence; and it was challenging photographing the pandas through the glass as the two pandas were inside their glass enclosure as it was too hot for them to be outside!)

Tian Tian, a male panda, is shown below. We do not know the name of the cheetah shown below, other than it is a male cheetah! As you can see in the image below, Mr. Tian Tian is enjoying a sweet potato while sitting in a sea of bamboo — his dinner!

Over the years, we have seen litters of cheetah cubs born at the National Zoo; and we saw little Tai Shan, the first panda cub born in 2005 at the National Zoo! Mei Xiang and Tian Tian and are the mother and father of Tai Shan. While at the National Zoo this weekend, we heard that Tai Shan, who now lives in China may be a father soon! There is also a baby panda cub watch on Ms. Mei Xiang — the Zoo thinks, if she is pregnant, we will know sometime in September 2013!

Sadly, Tumai, a thirteen-year-old female cheetah, recently passed away at the National Zoo. Doug and I remember going to the National Zoo to see Tumai and her cheetah cubs, along with Ume, a male cheetah, who died several years ago. In 2004, Tumai gave birth to the first litter of cheetah cubs at the National Zoo.

Even during our honeymoon to France and Israel, we visited the Jerusalem Zoo where we saw the cheetahs! (Unfortunately, there were not any pandas at this zoo).

After the National Zoo, we walked to Georgetown and then we had a nice dinner at one of our favorite restaurants in Northern Virginia, Mike’s American! It was a fun “date day” together!

The cheetah and panda have become a metaphor in our relationship. As such, the cheetah and panda sat proudly atop our wedding cake made by ZIngerman’s, shown on the left below! Can you guess who is the cheetah and who is the panda?! (Hint — the groom’s cake, also made by ZIngerman’s, is shown below on the right!)

For our anniversary this past October, I had a custom Cheetah and Panda Totem made as an anniversary gift for Doug! Doug loved it!

Happy Tuesday!

Jul 25

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Honoring Biscuit: A Colorado Blue Spruce

Over the weekend we received in the mail a baby Colorado blue spruce tree in honor of Biscuit. It was a pleasant surprise to receive this piece of non-traditional mail that we were not expecting. We consulted with a local nursery on how to appropriately plant this tree to ensure that it thrives — we do not want it to die. Since Doug and I are currently in transition as we are waiting for our new forthcoming home to be finished being built, we planted this little tree in a pot to be kept inside our home, shown below. Once we move to the new house, we will also frame and place one of our favorite photographs of our little Biscuit by this tree. (Right now, most of our personal effects are packed away). Additionally, once we move to the new house and when the time is right, we will eventually plant this little tree outside! Each time we look at it, we think of our little Biscuit.

Doug is diligently monitoring, watering, and even talking to the little tree in Biscuit’s honor, shown below. Doug has even coined this tree, “the little guy’s tree.”

Doug and I are currently discussing and working on ways that we will commemorate and honor our little Biscuit. Thank you for your continued good thoughts and wishes. We really appreciate it. Thank you.

Jul 19

Framing Fine Art Prints

My parents recently framed an archival fine art print from their commission with me of their dog Nick! They had the archival fine art print framed and matted using archival framing methods similar to museums. The fine art print that they chose to frame shows Biscuit and Nick together with smiles on their faces waiting for a treat on a beautiful spring day! The archival framing was completed by JLP Framing located in Baltimore, Maryland. As a result of using archival print and framing methods, this print will last for many years to come!

Importantly, Biscuit’s memory will be forever be preserved in his Grandma and Grandpa’s home along with many other photographs, including a painting, also shown below, of our little Biscuit. Of course, Nick’s photographs and painting (that Doug and I had commissioned of Nick as a gift to my parents) also adorns their home!

Doug and I are currently working on ideas to commemorate and honor Biscuit. We know for certain that we will have some fine art archival prints of Biscuit and our family made, which we will have framed and matted to display in our new forthcoming home. We have some other ideas in mind as well to commemorate and honor our Biscuit.

You can read further information on how to preserve your photographs here.

The above photograph is courtesy of Dick Carver.

The above painting was completed by Mary Medrano as part of the 50 50 Show.

Jul 15

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Rainbows

Doug and I are truly grateful that we both were able to be at home with Biscuit as he transitioned to his next life. Just minutes before Biscuit passed away, as he laid in my lap and in my arms, I noticed a white heart shape marking in his fur on the bottom portion of his neck, shown below. Biscuit was shaved in this area from his recent surgery and we had not noticed this marking since his drain and his cone were both removed last week. I am grateful for seeing this heart marking on Biscuit. Perhaps it is a sign of Biscuit’s mutual love for us before he said good-bye for now. We know Biscuit did everything he could to stay with us for as long as he did. In fact, Biscuit’s strength was quite remarkable given his circumstances. He was always a very persistent little guy. At times, I think that he was stronger than us.

“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched — they must be felt with the heart.” ~Hellen Keller

Additionally, on the evening Biscuit passed away, Sunday, July 7, 2013, during the time of our usual evening walk with Biscuit, Doug and I witnessed on our walk together, a beautiful and breathtaking bright orange and pink sunset like no other sunset we had ever seen before. Perhaps it was Biscuit telling us, in his own way, that he was OK and that we would be OK. Doug and I also observed two rainbows during Biscuit’s final days. (In retrospect, I wish that I had photographed this magnificent sunset; however, at the time, our emotions were very raw).

Further and very interesting, Carol Guth, who heads the Sheltie Haven Sheltie Rescue, Inc., the rescue organization where Biscuit resided prior to us rescuing and adopting him, shared with me that she saw double rainbows outside her home on the evening of Sunday, July 7, 2013, the day Biscuit passed away, which appeared just prior to sunset. She was so moved by the rainbows that she photographed them and she sent me the images of the beautiful rainbows shown below. We are very grateful that we received these rainbow images. We have faith that Biscuit is waiting for us at the rainbow bridge.

We believe that these above observations and occurrences are positive and beneficial signs for all of us.

“I have been in Sorrow’s kitchen and licked out all the pots. Then I have stood on the peaky mountain wrapped in rainbows, with a harp and a sword in my hands.” ~Zora Neale Hurston

*The above images are courtesy of Carol Guth, Sheltie Haven Sheltie Rescue, Inc.

Jul 12

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Biscuit: An Appreciation

Doug, Biscuit’s Daddy and my husband and partner is life, wrote a heartfelt appreciation letter to our little Biscuit, shown below. Additionally, a few of my favorite photographs of Doug and Biscuit together accompany these exceptional words. The final image, shown below, was taken on Biscuit’s first boat ride in Peggy’s Cove in Nova Scotia — one of Doug’s favorite images of our little Biscuit. We both miss Biscuit very deeply.

Biscuit,

I truly hoped this day would never come. You have been gone for only a short time, but already it seems like an eternity. I miss everything about you: the sound of your nails on the hardwood floor; your Sheltie stretch before a walk; your Sheltie shake after waking up from a nap; the way you seemed to fall over effortlessly for a belly rub. But most of all I miss your amazing smile. Your smile had transformative powers: A single glimpse of it could turn a bad day into a good one or provide reassurance in a time of need. Your trademark smile always began as a serious forward-looking stare; and then with perfect timing you turned your head to one side and opened your mouth, culminating in a full ear-to-ear smile. Even on your last day, you managed a momentary smile, as if to tell us that everything will be OK. I know that you are in a better place now; there is no more pain, no more doctor’s visits…no more restricted diets. But most importantly, I want you to know how grateful I am to have met you and to have been part of your life. A more loyal, honest friend does not exist; you are literally the best friend any person could ask for.

I will never forget the first day we met, Christmas Eve 2010. I knew instantly that you were the perfect Sheltie. You were simultaneously the most handsome and most sad dog I had ever seen. You had been found a few months earlier wandering the streets, abandoned and severely malnourished. When Carol opened the sliding glass door leading to her backyard, all but one of the Shelties ran out and started to play. You were the sole hold-out, choosing instead to hide on Carol’s deck. The story of our meeting is important because it demonstrates just how far you came in such a short amount of time. On that Christmas Eve day, you were timid, shy, and riddled with anxiety. The Biscuit of today hardly resembles the Sheltie I first met in rescue two and a half years ago. Your fur coat thickened and changed color; you got your confidence back; you started to walk around the neighborhood with your head held high; you began to engage people and play with other dogs…and you became very persistent requesting more food. Your transformation was extraordinary. And your newfound happiness was obvious just by looking at your radiant smile and bright brown eyes.

Our time together was short, but filled with enough memories to last a lifetime. I cannot possibly list everything here, but I wanted to share some of my fondest memories with you one last time. We learned early that your favorite food was barbecue chicken and your favorite dessert was vanilla ice cream from Chick-Fil-A. I don’t know how many trips we made to Andy Nelson’s or Mission BBQ for dinner, but I can assure you that the restaurant staff knew you as a regular. I will never forget sharing Chick-Fil-A ice cream cups with you; or how you liked to stick your snout into the cup to get every last bit of ice cream. You were always a good-sport, tolerating indignities such as a panda bear Halloween costume, reindeer antlers at Christmas, and seasonal Steven Van Zandt-like bandannas. You were adventurous and an excellent traveler: you visited five Orvis stores in four states, including the flagship store in Manchester, Vermont; you toured the LL Bean campus in Freeport, Maine; you visited your grandparents in Michigan and Ohio two times; and you spent two summer vacations in Nova Scotia. In Canada, you enjoyed lazy days napping on the deck, tours around Halifax in your Hound-About, and evening runs on the beach. In your mind, I think the specific destination was always secondary; the most important thing was simply spending time with us. I couldn’t agree with you more. Things will never be same without you.

Most of our adventures together have been documented on your blog. But Biscuit’s Space is more than a website; it is a place where special dogs are given a second chance. You are the inspiration, namesake, and living proof of the power of Biscuit’s Space. I promise you that Biscuit’s Space will not end because you are gone, but will continue in your honor. And when the time is right, I am sure that you will send us another Sheltie in need of a second chance just like you.

I miss you dearly. Our time together was much too short, but I would not trade it for anything. You will aways be the most handsome Sheltie I have ever seen. I love you. Please wait for us at the bridge….