biscuit's space | The blog of photographer Katherine Carver

Feb 21

Why You Should Not Skip Your Dog’s Daily Walk

I recently read an article that provided some interesting insights about the importance of walking your dog daily. A 2011 study from Michigan State University found that only two-thirds of its subjects routinely walked their dogs. Consequently, this can significantly negatively impact dogs’ emotional and physical well-being.

Overall, most dogs do not exercise by themselves. And, according to Stephanie Borns-Weil, an Assistant Clinical Professor at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, indicated that a typical yard does not offer enough stimulation to prompt an adequate amount of movement. Walking your dogs provides mental stimulation that comes from companionship, seeing new things and sniffing new things, according to Borns-Weil. Dogs who do not have their needs met can be subject to long-term chronic stress ranging from depression and anxiety, to immune system problems. Studies have found that dogs in shelters also benefit from direct human interaction, which helps to reduce stress.

As a result, you should help your dog get the most out of his/her walk, by letting your dog explore. Sniffing is the way that dogs experience and understand their world. Comparatively speaking, dogs have 300 million olfactory receptors compared to us humans who only have 6 million olfactory receptors. Often times, we want to hurry our dog along, and we miss following their lead to sniff around and explore. Even on the coldest of days, I remind myself that letting our beloved Victory explore and sniff is very important for her. And, Victory loves to sniff around outside during early the mornings and late in the evenings, when there are not many people outside! So, I remind myself that enrichment activities and exercise is important not only for my human child, but also for our fur girl, Victory, as well! Victory always gives us clear signs when she has “cabin fever” during the winter months, signaling to us that she needs to get out and about, and when she does, her morale instantly increases and a smile appears! Her walks and her Hound About rides always seem to do the trick, along with a ride in the car to a fun destination or a ride to get BBQ, during the warmer months! Thus, fully integrating your furry family member into your daily life has wonderful benefits for all!

Feb 14

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Happy Heart Day!

Happy Heart Day! We celebrated Valentine’s Day a little early, this past weekend, with Alex and Victory, along with a dinner at one of our favorite restaurants! Alex and Victory are quite the pair! I am so grateful for our beautiful girls, and I am so grateful to be their Mama! Today, Doug is attending Alex’s Valentine’s Day celebration at school, and Alex is over the moon exited for Doug to come to her class! Alex loved making valentine cards and valentine gifts for her friends!

In other news, very recently, a new rescue dog joined our family. His name is Finn, and he is a puppy mill survivor, who traveled a long distance to his forever home. Finn was adopted in honor of Nick, our first beloved rescue papillon dog. Below is a short video of Finn, enjoying his first Valentine’s Day, in his new forever home! He is still acclimating to his new home, and making steady progress each day! He barked for the first time today, after seeing is reflection in a mirror, and he is learning to walk on a leash and go potty outside. He also has a Hound About, as well, and he enjoys going out for rides! We cannot wait to meet him! Alex has already made art for Finn, and she put a bag of goodies together that she picked out at the store for him! Finn is the most adorable little pup—just look at that handsome face, and those beautiful eyes! We are so grateful he joined our family! He is so loved and cherished!

Here is a video of Finn!

I hope you have a great day celebrating with the ones you love.

You can view our previous Valentine’s celebrations here.

“I know for sure that loves saves me and that it is here to save us all.” —Maya Angelou

Feb 9

What Are Your Simple Pleasures?

Happy Friday! We made it through a long, cold January! We are now into February, which means spring is getting closer! Yay!

What are your simple pleasures?

A few of mine are:
-Taking long walks while pushing Vic tory in her Hound-About, while listening to a good podcast
-Watching Charlie Brown with our little family, all piled together on the sofa, a family favorite
-Reading with Alex
-Reading a good book
-Making smores together with our new Solo
-Tucking in Alex at night, where she always tells me some fun things from her day
-Taking a nap with Victory, as she is always up for taking a nap!
-Getting tea with a good friend and catching up
-Having a date night with Doug, to have uninterrupted time together
-Getting a great night’s sleep

“It is of the small joys and little pleasures that the greatest of our days are built.” — Mary Anne Radmacher

Feb 2

Twelve Year Blogiversary!

Tomorrow is the twelve-year Blogiversary of the blog! I cannot believe it! It is extremely difficult to believe that twelve years, over a full decade, has already passed by so quickly! The time moves so quickly, these days, and I often wonder where the time goes? Many things have changed, but some things remain the same, fortunately. I am grateful for this little space here.

If it were not for our beloved Biscuit, I am not sure I would have ever started blogging and I know that I would not have started my long-term photography project, which is being published this fall, for which Biscuit and Victory were my inspiration. Biscuit was such a blessing and gift to us. Biscuit permanently changed our lives in so many positive ways and he sent us our precious little rescue sheltie, Victory, who we adore and love, shown below! And, coincidentally, Victory is the same age (we suspect, as she is a rescue dog) as the blog!

Thank you for reading this blog for however long or short you have been visiting! I truly enjoy creating content for the blog to share with all of you, and I hope that you continue to enjoy visiting and reading the blog!

Thank you so very much!

Jan 25

Wise Words

We have all been sick, and I was recently talking to a friend about all of the ups and downs of life, that really make a whole life, which reminded me of this wonderful quote, below by Hugh MacKay, which I have always loved:

I actually attack the concept of happiness. The idea that—I don’t mind people being happy—but the idea that everything we do is part of the pursuit of happiness seems to me a really dangerous idea and has led to a contemporary disease in Western society, which is fear of sadness. It’s a really odd thing that we’re now seeing people saying “write down three things that made you happy today before you go to sleep” and “cheer up” and “happiness is our birthright” and so on. We’re kind of teaching our kids that happiness is the default position. It’s rubbish. Wholeness is what we ought to be striving for and part of that is sadness, disappointment, frustration, failure; all of those things which make us who we are. Happiness and victory and fulfillment are nice little things that also happen to us, but they don’t teach us much. Everyone says we grow through pain and then as soon as they experience pain they say, “Quick! Move on! Cheer up!” I’d like just for a year to have a moratorium on the word “happiness” and to replace it with the word “wholeness.” Ask yourself, “Is this contributing to my wholeness?” and if you’re having a bad day, it is.

I really love that.

Jan 18

You Are Exactly Where You Need To Be

These words, below, by Lisa Congdon resonated with me, and maybe these words will resonate with you, too!

This phrase [You Are Exactly Where You Need To Be] can be life-changing when you apply it to difficult situations. When we say to ourselves, “This isn’t working out the way I wanted, and this is exactly where I need to be,” it reminds us that everything that happens on our paths — even the confusing, scary, disappointing stuff — is an essential part of our path, there to teach us something or humble us in some way. It also reminds us that every person’s path is different. Your path is yours. Hers is hers. His is his. Theirs is theirs. What we can control is how much openness we extend to ourselves on our paths, how much we allow ourselves to be vulnerable, fumble, fail, and risk with a sense of humor and affection. May we all do better at allowing the full range of our experiences — even the crappy experiences — to nurture us.

Image courtesy of Oamul Lu.

Jan 15

Review: Tieks by Gavrieli

Tieks by Gavrieli recently contacted me to see if I wanted to try a pair of Tieks! And, I said, “sure!” I had seen them before, but I had never purchased a pair. I picked the ruby red patent pair of Tieks! These shoes, ballet flats, made of Italian leather, do not come in half sizes, so I ordered a half size up, and they are very comfortable and they easily fold up and make packing them incredibly easy and convenient! The flats also go with an array of different outfits and add the perfect pop of color to a wardrobe. I really love them, and Victory does, too, pictured below!

Shown below, each pair of Tieks comes with a foldable nylon tote and a shoe pouch, a small compact pouch, along with a care card, a thank you card, and very lovely packaging!

Additionally, the Gavrieli Foundation, empowers women entrepreneurs around the world as means for social change to help fight global poverty. What a worthy cause!

You can check out Tieks here!

Jan 10

One Little Word 2024: Wild

I hope you had a nice Holiday! We visited with family, we had some down time with our girls, and we all got some sleep and rest, which was so nice. And, I cannot believe our little girl is turning five-and-a-half-years-old this week! She is growing in every way and she loves learning, she is incredibly creative, and she is curious about everything, which I hope never ceases!

It is a new year, which means there has been much talk about fresh beginnings. For me, I keep things simple and I select a word, an intention, for the year, and I try to really embrace the word for the year, which feels like a theme or mantra for the year.

I have reflected on my word for this year: wild. Last year, I chose the word joy; in 2022 the word present; in 2021 the word grace; in 2020 the word bliss; in 2019 the word embrace; in 2018 the word peace; in 2017 I chose relax; in 2016 I chose present; in 2015 I chose flow; in 2014 I chose trust; and in 2013 I chose the word create. The idea of picking an intention has worked well over the past few years, and this is my twelfth year doing this one little word intention.

I have nothing against resolutions (or goals, or plans, or to-do lists — I always have a to-do list), but for me, I have found the most impactful way to embrace a new year is to pick a word — just one word, an intention — to keep in mind.

As 2023 came to an end, I know that things were really hectic and busy in 2023, on many fronts. I feel this is going to be a really wild year, it has already begun, in a good way! “All good things are wild and free.” —Thoreau

For me, it is an easy reminder to take whatever small steps I can to create clarity and feel better. For anyone similarly overwhelmed by resolutions, I recommend the practice of a New Year’s Word. Plus, since it is so simple, and you can change it at any time.

Happy New Year!

Dec 14

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Happy Pawlidays!

“Dogs are our link to paradise.” —Milan Kundera

Happy Pawlidays! I wanted to thank you so very much for checking in over the past year — I am very grateful.

Below is the front of our Pawliday card (the back of our card containing text is not pictured), along with our matching envelopes using little photo seals of our beautiful girls, Alex and Victory! And, unfortunately, custom stamps are still no longer permitted by the Post Office. (You can view our previous Pawliday cards: here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here). Sending our Pawliday card is one of my favorite parts of the Holiday season! This is my way of sharing our Pawliday card with you. It has been an exciting year and we have so much to be grateful for. Thank you for reading this blog for however long or short you have been reading. I sincerely enjoy creating content for the blog to share with you.

I will be taking a break from the blog to enjoy some down time with family, and I plan to be back to the blog sometime early next year, which is going to be an exciting year, as my first book will be published next fall, and I cannot wait to share more with you on this topic before it is released into the world! Meanwhile, if you are in a blog-reading mood, you are warmly invited to visit the archives — the links are shown below. Warmest wishes to you for a safe and Happy Holidays!

Dog Related posts

Dog Rescue posts

‘Dog-Centric’ Artists Interviews

For Artists posts

Photography posts

Personal posts

Victory Related posts

Dec 5

Christmas Time: Visiting Santa

We recently took Alex and Victory to visit Santa, an annual tradition! All went well with both of our girls during their Santa visit!

Victory, our beautiful fur girl, did very well, like always! And, of course, Santa and his helpers remembered our beloved girls, as this is Victory’s eighth time visiting Santa and Alex’s fourth time visiting Santa! You can see Victory’s previous trips to visit Santa: here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. This is the only Santa in our area that welcomes both of our girls, while also allowing me to take photographs! Victory wore her pink sweater, and Alex wore a coral dress. All proceeds from visiting Santa are donated to a local dog rescue, a very good cause near and dear to our hearts, as Biscuit and Victory are rescues. If you are interested, be sure to check with and visit your local pet stores to see if there is a Santa in your area that specializes in furry family members!

A few images from Victory’s and Alex’s fourth visit together with Santa are shown below, along with images of Victory with Santa from the previous seven visits, excluding 2020 and 2021, due to COVID-19. The time really does fly by too quickly! We are so grateful for our fur girl, Victory!

Below are images from Victory’s eighth visits to see Santa: 2014 – 2023 (excluding 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19, sadly).

The girls’ visits to see Santa in 2018, 2019, 2022, and 2023.

Pictured below is Alex in front of our Christmas tree in 2020; and Alex in front of my parents’ Christmas tree during 2021, 2022, and 2023. We truly missed seeing Santa in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19.

And, after seeing Santa, Alex and Victory made hand print and paw print ornaments at the pottery shop, shown below! It was so much fun, and a wonderful, unique keepsake for our girls!