Saturday, March 13, 2010
FAREWELL MY GOOD FRIEND
I REMEMBER BACK IN MID DECEMBER OF 1995, DALE CALLING ME IN TO THE BEDROOM TO WATCH SOMETHING ON TV. I LAYED ACROSS THE BED AS THE VIDEO PLAYED. THERE WAS DALE IN SOMEONES BASEMENT WITH CHILDREN RUNNING ALL AROUND, I'M THINKING WHAT IS THIS ABOUT. IN THE CENTER OF THE ROOM WAS A HUGE BOX WRAPPED IN GREEN, DALE CONTINUED ON IN THE VIDEO SAYING HE WASN'T SURE WHAT TO GET ME FOR CHRISTMAS SO HERE WERE SOME OF MY CHOICES. HE REMOVED THE LID TO THE BOX AND ALL I SAW WERE LITTLE BOBBING GOLDEN RETEIVER HEADS, ALL AS CUTE AS COULD BE. I WAS CONFUSED AS WE HAD DISCUSSED NO MORE DOGS AFTER I LOST MY 17 YEAR OLD GOLDEN PYRITE, WE HAD JUST OPENED A NEW STORE AND OUR LIVES WERE CRAZY AND DALE STILL HAD HIS TWO WOLVES. DALE WOULD PICK EACH PUPPY UP AND SAY NO YOU'RE NOT THE ONE, AND THAT CONTINUED ON FOR FIVE OR SIX PUPPIES AND THEN HE PULLED THIS LITTLE GUY WITH A NAME TAG AS BIG AS HE WAS, THE TAG SAID ROOSTER, DALE STATED THIS IS THE ONE.(I HAD WATCHED A DOG SHOW AND SAW A LITTLE PUG NAMED ROOSTER AND SAID IF I EVER GET ANOTHER DOG I WANT TO NAME HIM ROOSTER, DALE REMEMBERED)SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS WE WENT TO VISIT ROOSTER, HE WAS TO YOUNG TO BRING HOME BEFORE CHRISTMAS. WHEN I MET HIM HE WAS BY HINSELF PLAYING WITH A RIBBON TOTALLY IGNORING ME AND EVERTHING ELSE. THIS LITTLE GIRL PUPPY THERE WOULD NOT LEAVE ME ALONE, JUMPING AND TUGGING AT ME, I WAS DRAWN TO HER. DALE SAID IF YOU WANT HER INSTEAD WE CAN SWITCH, BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW ROOSTER PICKED US, I DID NOT PICK HIM. WITH THOSE WORDS WE WENT BACK A WEEK LATER AND BROUGHT ROOSTER HOME TO THE FARMHOUSE. HE WAS A BUNDLE OF JOY, VERY INDEPENDENT, BUT STILL LOVING. HE GREW TO BE A EXCELLENT CATCH OF THE TENNIS BALL,AND SNOWBALLS IN THE WINTER TIME, HARDLY EVER MISSING ANY, HE ADORED HIS STUFFED ANIMALS AND ALWAYS HAD ONE IN HIS MOUTH AT ALL TIMES. THEN HE GOT INTERESTED IN ROCKS, THERE WERE ROCKS EVERYWHERE, IN THE HOUSE, ON THE LAWN(SOME THAT WENT THROUGH THE LAWN MOWER AND BROKE WINDOWS). I REMEMBER HIM PUTTING ROCKS ON ANYONES SHOES WHO STOOD STILL LONG ENOUGH, AS HE KNEW THE ROCK WAS GOING TO MOVE WHEN THAT PERSON STEPPED . WHILE RESTORING THE HOUSE HERE HE WOULD PUT ROCKS ON THE BOARDS AS THE CARPENTERS WERE SAWING BECAUSE HE KNEW THEY WOULD MOVE OR FALL SO HE COULD RUSH AND GET THEM. IT WAS HIS LITTLE GAME THAT HE PLAYED BY HIMSELF. HE LOVE A GOOD PARTY AND WAS QUITE THE HOST. EVERY YEAR WE WOULD THROW A SUMMER PARTY WITH A HUNDRED OR SO GUESTS. WE WOULD LET ROOSTER OUT(WITH A HAND WRITTEN NOTE STAPLED TO THE TOP OF HIS COLLAR "I'M NOT ALLOWED TO PLAY WITH ROCKS"). HE WOULD GREET THEM ALL AND HE WOULD COME TO FIND US "OCCASIONALL" TO SEE WHAT WE WERE DOING. WE WOULD GIVE ALL OUR GUEST GLOW NECKLACES TO WEAR AFTER THE SUN SET, BY THE END OF THE EVENING ROOSTER WOULD BE WEARING THIRTY OR SO AROUND HIS NECK AN ALL YOU COULD SEE WAS THIS RAINBOW OF COLOR SWIMMING IN THE POND. I REMEMBER HIM COMING UP TO OUR NEIGHBOR NETTY AT ONE PARTY AND RESTING BESIDE HER WHERE HE JUST FELL ASLEEP IN THE SITTING POSITION NEXT TO HER. HE WAS A LOVER OF ITALIAN FOOD, ANYTHING WITH TOMATOE SAUCE HE ADORED. IF WE LEFT A PIZZA BOX ON THE COUNTER HE WOULD NOT COME TO BED UNTIL WE THREW IT AWAY AND IT WAS OUT OF SITE. HE CHASED THE NEIGHBORS DOG CRICKET HOME EVERY CHANCE HE HAD FOR YEARS. YOU JUST HAD TO SAY THE CRICKET AND HE WOULD START LOOKING FOR HER, I THINK IT REALLY WAS A SILENT CRUSH HE HAD ON HER. AS HE GOT OLDER HIS PERSONALITY WAS GREW EVEN MORE, HE GOT VERY VERBAL IN LETTING US KNOW WHEN HE WAS HUNGRY OR WANTED SOMETHING. I KNOW WHEN WE BOUGHT THE NEW HOUSE IN MAINE I THOUGHT THE TRIPS WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR THE OLD MAN, BUT WE TOOK HIM AND HE FIT RIGHT IN, EVERY TIME HE WENT BACK HE HAD HIS OWN AJENDA, JUST AS LONG AS WE WERE THERE HE WAS FINE.I LOVE TELLING THESE STORIES OF ROOSTER BECAUSE I WANT TO KEEP ROOSTERS MEMORY ALIVE.HE WAS SPECIAL AND I THANK HIM FOR GIVING FOR FIFTEEN YEARS AND MOST OF ALL CHOOSING US. ROOSTER I LOVE YOU.
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OLD GLASS FISHERMANS BOUYS, TAKE THE NET OFF, THEY MAKE GREAT ART INDOORS OR OUT. TRY IT !
MY INSPIRATION TO KEEP OIL PAINTING
THE FINISHED PAINTING
BIG PILLOWS, LITTLE CHAIRS, IT WORKS IN THE GUEST ROOM
THE PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING
I HAVE BEEN COLLECTING EARLY PUDDING MOLDS FOR YEARS NOW. I HAVE THEM SCATTERED AROUND ALL THE HOUSES. I LOVE THE MOTTLED COLORS OF THE IRONSTONE AND ALSO THE INTERSTING MOLD PATTERNS IN THEIR INTERIORS. I HAVE RABBITS, FROGS, ELEPHANTS, BIRDS, AND FLOWERS JUST TO MENTION A FEW. THEY USUALLY RUN ABOUT $100 HERE IN THE STATES, SO ANYTHING UNDER THAT I GRAB 'EM. THEY LOOK GREAT GROUPED ON MANTLES, IN CUPBARDS, OR EVEN ON WINDOW SILLS ALL LINED UP. START COLLECTING THEM TODAY, YOU WON'T BE SORRY.
BOAT A SHORE!
THIS HAND MADE BOAT RESTS ON THE MANTLE IN SOUTHERN MAINE YEAR ROUND. I LOVE THE GREEN ACCENTS ON IT. IT IS JUST AS ENJOYABLE AS IT IS SIMPLE. IT DOESN'T NEED CANDLESTICKS OR PAINTINGS AROUND IT. MY FAVORITE WORD IS "EDIT", EVERYONE SHOULD USE IT.
CHRISTMAS AND IRONSTONE
CHECK OUT MY WHITE WIRE CHRISTMAS TREE. I JUST LOVE IT AND LEAVE IT UP YEAR ROUND IN THE MAINE DINING ROOM. IT'S THE ONLY LIGHT IN THE ROOM!
YES, THE RUMORS ARE TRUE
I'VE HAD A 30 YEAR CRUSH. YEP AND IT'S WITH CHER. I DID THIS PORTRAIT OVER TWENTY YEARS AGO IN PASTELS ON PAPER. I THINK IT WAS FROM THE COVER OF THE "STAR" MAGAZINE OR SOMETHING LIKE IT. YOU'LL FIND HER IN MY IPOD, HANGING ON MY WALL, AND ATTACHED TO MY HEART. IF THE HOUSE WAS BLOWING AWAY, I'D GRAB DALE FIRST, THE DOGS SECOND, AND MY CHER PORTRAIT. NOW YOU KNOW!
THINKS SPRING OR AT LEAST SOMETHING WARMER
I CAN NOT WAIT TO BE OUTSIDE AT MY GARDENING STATION BY THE OLD MILKHOUSE IN VERMONT. YES POTTING PLANTS, CUTTING FLOWERS, SURROUNDED BY ALL THOSE PANTING DOGS. WHERE IS THAT GROUND HOG WHEN YOU NEED HIM! photo by www.kindraclineff.com
MY CREATIVE SPACE IN VERMONT
MARY MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB, THAT TERRY PAINTED
I'VE TRIED SOMETHING NEW AND LOVE IT. YES PAINTING SHEEP IN OIL ON CANVAS. CHECK THEM OUT IF YOU GET A CHANCE. SOLD EXCLUSIVELY AT COLUMBARY HOUSE ANTIQUES 207-363-5496. ALSO AVAILABLE AT THE SHOP ARE SOME ONE OF A KIND BEARS MADE JUST FOR COLUMBARY AND SOME RETIRED HAND MADE SANTAS ALSO CRAFTED BY ME.
ARTIST TERRY JOHN WOODS * OIL ON CANVAS * MACHIASPORT MAINE
TRASH OR IS IT TRASHED ART
I LOVE OLD PRINTS AND HAVING WATER DAMAGE OR STAINS HAVE NEVER STOPPED ME FROM BRINGING THEM FORWARD TO BE ENJOYED. THIS PRINT I FOUND IN MAINE FOR A SONG AND A WALTZ AND IS ONE OF FAVORITES TO DATE. PERFECT THINGS ARE BORING, AND WHO WANTS TO BE BORING. NOT ME.
ROW ROW YOUR BOAT
WHO SAID PLAIDS AND STRIPES DON'T MATCH
COLLECT THAT TRANSFER WARE...COLORS, DESIGN, AND SIZE WILL NEVER MATTER...STACK THEM HIGH WITH CONFIDENCE
BOW WOW WOW, BOW WOW WOW
GUARD DOG IN OIL
NO ALARM SYSTEM NEEDED IN THE DINING ROOM AT SOUTHERN MAINE. THIS BIG LOVE, WAS RESCUED FROM A THRIFT STORE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE AND HAS BEEN KNOW TO SCARE OFF EVEN THE SMALLEST MOUSE SEARCHING FOR A MORSEL.
OUR FRONT DOOR VIEW, A PARK PLACE VUE
PINCH ME, PINCH DALE, PINCH ANYONE. WHAT A TREAT EACH DAY WHEN WE LOOK OUT THE WINDOWS FROM OUR DOWN EAST MAINE SUMMER HOUSE, IN NORTHERN MAINE.
ONE OF A KIND TEDDY BEARS
BEARS BEARS BEARS. TWENTY YEARS LATER AND THEY ARE STILL HERE. ALL ONE OF A KIND, HAND DYED AND SOME EVEN DISTRESSED TO LOOK OLD AND WELL LOVED. EVERY HOME NEEDS A TEDDY BEAR IN A CHAIR www.terryjohnwoods.com
BREAKFAST OR ART "A STUDY IN YELLOW"
VISUALLY STUNNING....BUT NOT FOR LONG
Thanks for sharing your wonderful memories of Rooster. I am so sorry for your loss of this family member. My husband always says "dogs just don't live long enough". We understand how hard it is to have to say goodbye.
ReplyDeleteRooster was a good judge of character when he chose you! How fortunate you had all those memorable years with your good friend. We adopted Celt (pronounced the Irish way), a Welsh Corgi-Golden Retriever, on December 28, '93 from the Humane Society when she was about 3 months old. When I first met her--she looked like a beautiful mini-Golden--she turned on her side and licked my hand through the cage. That was all it took. Over 15 years time, Celt taught my husband, 4 children and I much more than we ever imagined above love. How you must miss Rooster. He is beautiful.
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