MaggieMoose: Maggiefish Sea Dreams

Maggie's pawsability thought for the day:

"Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions."

Albert Einstein

Maggiefish

  I happened to be out shopping with Maggie's human sib Christy. We saw a clown fish Halloween costume for dogs (like Finding Nemo). It was perfect for Maggie since both her human twin sibs have fish names due to their love of the water. One is Christyfish and one is Juliefish. Now there's Maggiefish. She happily swam around the house in her fish costume. The fins caught her attention the most. She wasn't sure if they were for flying or swimming. Last year Maggie was a bumblebee and had wings. Maybe there's some connection here... Either way, Maggie knows that without her having an imagination to swim or fly; where would she go? Life is more fun to see what she might bee (buzz, buzz) or what waters she might swim in with her imagination to guide her....Splash. 

MaggieMoose: WOOF WOOF Happy Father's Day Dad Zack

Maggie's pawsability thought for the day:

"Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile."

Albert Einstein

Maggie's dad Zack back on the farm in Missouri

Happy Father's Day everyone!

MaggieMoose: Cyclist's High Five

Maggie's pawsability thought for the day:

"Life is like riding a bicycle - in order to keep your balance, you must keep moving."  

Albert Einstein

  Maggie and I were out taking an early morning walk. It was still somewhat dark with the sun coming up. BAM, a pack of cyclist quickly approached us. Pulling out the iPhone in the nick of time I started snapping photos. This pack of cyclist was long. We felt their SWOOSH as they went by us. Outdoors the air was fresh, the birds singing, and the sky was coming up sky blue. A perfect cycling day. A perfect morning for a walk. Later, when Maggie and I viewed the darkened images we saw in the midst of this cycling blitz a high five! Alright! This group of roadies were rocking it high fiving the MaggieMoose and me.

Many times Maggie and I have seen packs of cyclists in the wee morning hours. They swoosh by us so FAST. I was never able to get the iPhone out in time. It's kind of like a quick draw of the old iPhone FAIL. What an amazing experience when the brotherhood of riders (females included) swooshes by us. The line of bicycles is so long and then they are gone in what feels like a nanosecond. Akin to hummingbirds on wheels? Maggie and I appreciate the momentum of the bicycle being in our lives. We need to keep moving forward to keep our balance. Alas, there's no reverse either. Forward ho! Until the next pack of cyclist swoosh by us, happy cycling roadies! WOOF WOOF

MaggieMoose: Never To Late To Celebrate

Maggie's pawsability thought for the day:

"Rejoice with your family in the beautiful land of life!"   

Albert Einstein

  On Sunday, over the Memorial weekend Maggie and I were treated to a family dinner. It was served up to us. Yes, we didn't have to do a thing. The kids brought flowers and cooked dinner. Nice! Maggie enjoyed wiggling her butt in excitement when her human siblings came over. It was my belated Mother's Day celebration. Memories of MaggieMoose puppy days flashed through my mind as she reverted to her puppy self at the sight of her human siblings. For me, this belated Mother's Day celebration was a special treat. All I had to do was show up. And I was already here! The food was brought in, prepared, cooked and practically served up. The appetizer was served as the dinner cooked in the oven. Maggie's nose went sniffing back and forth as her mind raced wondering if those smells were for her. Sorry Maggie-it's human food. She wasn't left out of the celebration though as a nice dental inspired rawhide treat was given to her when we sat down at the dinner table. We rejoiced in spirit thinking of our family miles apart that wasn't able to make it. Family in the beautiful land of life surrounded Maggie and me. Thanks family, while the dinner was delish, the main course of family being together was the best. 

WOOF WOOF

Happy Birthday & Merry Twigmas To You Einstein!

Maggie's pawsability thought for the day:

"All religions, arts and sciences are branches of the same tree."

Albert Einstein

Merry Twigmas

  Today is Albert Einstein's birthday. Meanwhile, it is also our friend John's birthday. Maggie and I thought it appropriate to give them a shout out. Einstein is Maggie's poster boy (she loves the brains & hair) while John is her friend. Bonus plan for Maggie, John is another English Springer Spaniel aficionado. Maggie wants to say Happy Birthday to Einstein and John in her best voice, here it goes.... WOOF! WOOF! OK, sometimes the big guns need to come out for special occasions. Maggie decided to enlist some other dog pals to sing Happy Birthday in bark-ese. Click the YouTube link: Dogs Singing Happy Birthday and bark along. Birthday greetings aside, Maggie has been trying to combine the arts, sciences, and religions all in one Christmas card. She's got the tree lights, she has the tree branch (her favorite), the holiday, and the art of looking marvelous in her comfy, doggy throne. We already have a couple different poses with different twigs. How lucky can I be? Every time she goes outside she brings in a new twig? Maybe we can do a calendar for the 12 days of Twigmas? Maggie is wondering what is her best side; the twig on the right or the twig on the left? Oy vey, such decisions. 

Merry Twigmas to you!

Sidewalk Musings: Beautiful!

Maggie's pawsability thought for the day:

"Joy in looking and comprehending is nature's most beautiful gift."

Albert Einstein

  Family arrived! Maggie and I are over the moon. More family will arrive later today. It truly is a beautiful day inside and out. The sun is full blast with a cold chill in the air of 47 degree weather. The jazz channel is playing Autumn Leaves by Nat King Cole. All is well in the MaggieMoose household. We are joyful!

Maggie's morning 

Every Bunny Need Some Bunny-Today!

Maggie's pawsability thought for the day:

"Rejoice with your family in the beautiful land of life!"

Albert Einstein

Twins Julie & Christy's 1st Halloween

  Maggie and the rest of the family are celebrating today. Christy (Maggie's human sibling) is on her way home from Boston for a visit. Christy is the original dog lover of my kids. We have an old tattered book called The American Dog. I had to buy it from the library when Christy was 6 years old, because her swim bag leaked water on it. It was ruined for library use. For many years she poured over that dog book like a religion and serious study. 

Maggie, the book & her elk antler chew

Maggie is about to go nuts when Christy comes home from the airport. Last time this human sibling came home Maggie whimpered cries of happiness. I won't be here to experience the mayhem of joy, but I'm sure Maggie's wiggle butt will tell me how she rejoiced being reunited with family in the beautiful land of life. Maggie says WOOF WOOF!

Little Charlie wants to go home to a family. 

He thinks every bunny needs some bunny too. 

woof woof

When The Red Tailed Hawk Cries-Listen

Maggie's pawsability thought for the day:

"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better."

Albert Einstein

Red Tailed Hawk

  Yesterday afternoon on our walk Maggie and I kept hearing a crying sound. We couldn't quite figure out if it was a bird or some other animal, perhaps a cat? As we continued our walk we tried to track the direction where the sound was coming from. We struck gold. Camouflaged high up in an oak tree was a red tailed hawk. It's body's feathers above its talons fluttering in the breeze. When we approached the hawk it sat there still. Then, once again it emitted its loud cries. Who or what was it crying for? Maybe crying for its partner who was soaring (hunting) back by where we live? Holy Moly! Maggie's paws and my feet were right beneath it. We felt honored to be in its presence. Our small point & shoot camera  captured the hawk's cries on video, although a bit shaky. Thirty seconds after we stopped filming- the red tailed hawk flew off. Our precious moment deep in nature instantly evaporated. We choose to think this red tailed hawk let us film it because it's familiar with us. We've seen this neighborhood hawk many times before; standing on the ground with prey in its talons, soaring close above our heads, running on the ground just feet away, and now perched high up in the old oak tree. We thank this magnificent bird for allowing us to understand everything better.  Maggie and I reflected on how we are all part of each other although separate and individual. 

Click to see our video: RED TAILED HAWK CRIES

Coastin' ....Maggie Goes Solar

Maggie's pawsability thought for the day:

"To raise new questions, new possibilities, to regard old problems from a new angle, requires creative imagination and marks real advance in science."

Albert Einstein 

Stanford University Solar Racing Car

  Maggie and I take our walks by the Automotive Innovation Facility on Stanford campus. Also known to us as where the solar car comes from. Recently, on one of our walks we were in luck! The Stanford solar car team was gearing up to bring the car to White Plaza for Admit Weekend. They invited us to White Plaza, but Maggie had an animal-therapy gig to attend. No doubt, we like the creative imagination of these Stanford students as they advance our environmental lifestyle through their scientific innovation. 

Maggie gives it up for their pawsability thinking....WOOF WOOF

solar car getting ready for blast off

Maggie knocking on the door of the future...

They're off to White Plaza! 

*No air we breathed during this photo shoot was harmed by the Stanford solar car in motion. 

PLAY: Coastin' by Zion I

                                        

....Maggie thinks maybe one day they can drive the solar car in the Coastin' video!

Maggie says "Where'd they go?"

See Maggie Look

Maggie's pawsability thought for the day:

"Joy in looking and comprehending is nature's most beautiful gift."

Albert Einstein

Maggie & me in our Subaru Forester

  On Sunday Maggie and I took a drive to sight see and run some errands. It was the second day the sun shone after weeks of cloudy and rainy days.We partially pulled back our sunroof. The sun roof in our Subaru Forester goes way back, almost the whole length of the passenger seating. Maggie loved looking all around while sunlight spilled all around both of us. We heard the birds singing while we breathed in the fresh spring air blowing about. It was a joyful Sunday drive celebrating our day of sunshine after many dark gloomy weather days. I felt like mama bear taking baby bear out of our winter den rumbling about on a fine spring day. Pure joy! 

Addendum: 4/15/12 was our first year anniversary together!

Outdoor Magic

Maggie's pawsability thought for the day:

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” Albert Einstein

  At the end of yesterday Maggie and I took a walk together. Not unexpected, although I really didn't want to walk on this particular day. Maggie wanted to go outdoors, so we went. The weather had turned from sunshiny to cloudy, rain-like with gusty winds. The air had a wildness about it. We both felt super alive outdoors. Before I knew it we were running in the wind. It felt magical. Unexpected. Maggie and I were one with nature in its marvelous mania. Yes, Einstein "Everything is a miracle".