Tag Archives: grass

July 31, 2016 · 9:05 am

Pug in a Hammock

This summer (like last summer) has been hooooot and sticky here, which is never good for pugs, let alone a black senior pug with many medical specialists on her payroll.

Which is all to say that when LP and I received a fabulous invitation to go and hang in the breezy countryside out near a (different) lake, we jumped in the car and drove, baby!

I had glorious plans to visit the beach, explore the town, and eat lots of baked goods, but when we reached our destination, this charming oasis greeted us….

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Notice the hammock?

Yah. So did I. Immediately.

Lola wasn’t so much a fan of the ‘Mmock at first…

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But I kept hauling her up beside me, and she eventually found her comfortable spot…

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…like, REALLY found her comfortable spot….

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So those plans that I had? To visit the beach and the town and to eat lots of baked goods?

Not so much.

But I don’t think that Lola Pug was too disappointed about that.

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So now I have yet another task on my hands.

A pug hammock.

Wish me luck, possums…and please share any tips or tricks if you have made your own dog hammock! (because who hasn’t??)

Also, special thanks to Olive and Oscar (these rascally souls here) for letting Lola Pug and I use their country getaway place (and their hammock) for a few days.

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June 26, 2016 · 1:11 pm

Pug Houseguest

Apologies for our quietude over the past two weeks. I have been off on a couple of weekend quests to raise money for the hospital that helped Lola P’s angel grandma (more on those at the bottom of the post), so my computer time has been limited until now.

Lucky Lola P got to stay with her friends, The Fuppies, while I was away, and BOY, were they happy to see her! And I’m so happy that Lola’s Auntie Evelyn took so many photos to share.

Lola waited for me for a while by the front door of her temporary home…worried that she had been abandoned at Griffy Manor forever…

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She was so sad that Murphy came over to try to console her. Nice photobomb, Leo!

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And it wasn’t long before the promise of a lush lawn and some hardcore snuffling took over, and Lola P’s sadness was almost completely forgotten.

Murphy loves Lola SO MUCH…alas, it is very definitely an unrequited situation.

Admitting defeat, but still sitting by her BFF.

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By the time dinner rolled around, Lola was not only feeling at home, she was leading the Evening Vittles Brigade.

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And when I saw THIS photo, I knew that Lola P would never be coming back to her little tv-less apartment. Because…what is better than TV in bed???

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So everyone ends up happy, in the end.

And I apparently now have to start saving up for a giant, flat-screen tv. And cable.

Now that our schedule is a little bit more back to normal around Casa Lola, I think it’s time to start in on our summer adventures, don’t you? Oh, the sunshine and fun that awaits us!

 

NON-PUG STUFF!

Every year for almost a decade now, the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, in Toronto, holds the Ride to Conquer Cancer – a 200+km ride from Toronto to Niagara Falls to benefit the cancer research and treatments that the hospital offers. I also participate in the Journey to Conquer Cancer – a 1k, 3k, or 5k Walk/Run that allows families and the slightly less athletically inclined to participate. I ride and walk to support the Head and Neck Cancer team, because they basically became family over the years, and they really are amazing. If you’re a cyclist, it’s a fantastic ride to be a part of – consider participating in 2017!

BUT WAIT! I saw two pugs on the ride route who were cheering us on, so I just HAD to stop and say HI to them. I STOP FOR PUGS!

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May 15, 2016 · 9:38 am

Day 1: Pug In Nature Photography Challenge

I was recently challenged by Lola’s Uncle Deji to post a nature photo once a day for a week. These types of challenges don’t usually appeal to me, but then I thought that the world might be a slightly lovelier place if there were more photos of nature floating around. And then I realised that it would be an even more lovely place if there were more photos of Lola Pug in nature floating around.

So over the next week, I happily present to you daily updates of Lola Pug. In nature.

Lola and nature go together like me and camping.

Which is to say, not at all.

So this might be fun.

Day 1

Lola Pug and I travel up to the more northern parts of our province quite a bit in the summer. We generally have to watch out for the bigger ticket nature-related issues up there – rattlesnakes, giant hawks, and black bears – but now we have to give extra concern to the little killers up there. Lyme disease-bearing ticks. *sigh* Nature.

Despite all of nature basically wanting to kill us (those snakes can SWIM, by the way), it sure is pretty, and Lola Pug and I actually feel quite at home by the water on the rocks.

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Come back tomorrow for Day 2 of the Pug in Nature Photo Challenge!

 

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February 8, 2015 · 10:03 am

Jet Set Pug

When last we left you, The Pug and I were leaving our dear friends on Bowen Island, British Columbia, and hurtling back through the air to Casa Lola.

 

But we weren’t headed home to rest. Nope. Not *quite* yet.

No sooner had we opened our front door and emptied our suitcases than we packed up again and headed straight back to the airport.

Where to this time, Pug?

 

Lola Pug really wasn’t impressed with my insistence that we embrace the jet-setting lifestyle, but she soon changed her mind when we landed at our next destination.

 

After a quick watering of the flowers, a certain someone ran out to her favourite spot in the entire state…

 

…and staked her claim on the spot that I suspected she would basically remain in for the duration of our trip.

 

Hey, no judgment here, Pug.

In fact, I’d advise you to soak up those winter rays as much as you can. We have a lot of winter left, and we have to grab our sunshine when we can!

 

We both proceeded to take a good, long nap, and got ourselves rested up for the week that lay ahead in this magical winter land of palm trees, geckos and sunshine.

Our adventures down south continue next week! Can you guess what we got up to on this trip?

 

 

 

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September 28, 2014 · 9:28 am

Little Pugs, Big City

Off the boat, and onto shore!

Little legs need a little legs vehicle for longer walks, so out came the Pugmobile, and we were on our way, with Admiral Daisy leading the charge!

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All tucked in safely, First Mate Donald?

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So where is the first place to go when we hit the ground in the Windy City?

THE BEAN, of course!

Lola Pug always draws attention when we go out, and the little Bean sure was a hit when we went to see the (slightly) more famous and (definitely) much larger Bean – also known as the Cloud Gate, but that doesn’t really suit our purposes here, so Bean it shall remain.

BEAN AT THE BEAN!

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…seriously…I’ve been waiting a LONG time to get that photo.

She posed patiently and marvellously for her snap-happy mama.

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Right next to the Bean (the big, silver one, not the little fuzzy black one), is the spectacular Pritzker Music Pavilion, which we humans were mightily impressed by.

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Chicago sure knows how to do that architecture thing.

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It wasn’t until we were leaving the park that we noticed the “no dogs” signs, so we felt kinda sneaky and rather lucky that we weren’t pulled aside, but we knew that we had been respectful of the property, and besides – these aren’t just any dogs, they’re PUGS!

I was rather taken with the Pugmobile, so I thought I would try putting Lola in it to see if I could catch a break from carrying her in my arms through town.

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Nope.

…so Big D happily took LP’s spot, and we continued on our way.

Donald was excited to see the sights of the downtown buildings.

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He looked for long lost relatives up among the gargoyles on the (completely epic) Tribune Tower…

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…while I was captivated and mightily impressed by the rocks and masonry that were embedded all over the building.

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We humans got up to our usual shenanigans of darting in and out of shops, eating and drinking, and generally looking UP a lot at some seriously gorgeous buildings, while the pugs rolled (and were carried) along through the sights and sounds of the city.

With the Miracle Mile traversed and the sights seen for the day, we retired to a nearby neighbourhood park to feed the pugs their well-earned dinner and relax a little as the sun set.

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All this adventure, and The Pug is still kinda pissed with me. What gives, girl?

Exhausted from a very full day of adventuring, Donald immediately called it quits when we got back home.

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Daisy was very much up for more fun and games, but it was clearly time to hit the hay and recharge our batteries.

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The adventure has only just begun, pugs!

Sleep tight, and see you all in the morning. We still have so much more to see and do!

 

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September 21, 2014 · 9:28 am

Travelling Pug

Lola Pug and I are active and happy travellers, but we’ve been grounded for a while due to a few LP-related medical questions we’ve been looking to answer.

So it was a great celebration when Lola Pug’s veterinarian, Dr. Deji, gave her the okay to FINALLY fly again. To mark the occasion, Dr. Liver Hands gave LP a well deserved treat.

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…and I immediately logged into my computer to book our first flight in months.

Lola Pug has seen way too many Valentino documentaries, so her idea of a flight that is appropriate to her status is something like this…

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…but her reality is somewhat less glamorous….

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The Pug has always been a great traveller, and this was a short flight, so it wasn’t long before we were peeing on foreign foliage, and leaving little calling cards for friends we hadn’t yet met.

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And where have we ended up, you might ask?

Well. Somewhere with PUGS, of course!

Well, HELLO, Donald! We’re happy to see you, too!

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Donald’s family (Angel Payton’s people) and I have been friends for ages, but this was our first time meeting Donald and his amazing sister, Daisy in person.  D&D were adopted from PugHearts of Houston a couple of years ago, and they quickly wormed their way into my heart through photos and videos. I also had a sneaking suspicion that Daisy and Lola Pug were soul sisters (but more on that later).

Daisy and Donald welcomed us into their Pugmobile and we were whisked away for a very exciting first day in their forever hometown.

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Houston?

Nope.

Think…windier.

We boarded a (PUG FRIENDLY!) boat, and Lola Pug settled in for a fun and educational tour of our home for the next few days.

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Not bad, eh?

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…real life Gotham, anyone?

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Now, Donald had been on this particular tour before, so the gorgeous scenery didn’t impress him so much.

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…maybe he’s a bit nearsighted…

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…because even the Little Princess was impressed.

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But the tour eventually came to an end, and we traded history and waterways…

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…for…history and carnivals….

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Hey, pugs! You up for a day on the town?

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I’ll call that as an affirmative vote, so let’s gather up our city trekking gear, and we’ll see you all in the next blog post!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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September 7, 2014 · 11:02 am

Big Dog, Little Dog Farm Adventures

While Lola and I were cooling off (and scouting out some awesome garlic) in the curing barn, our newest tour guide was rounding the corner to show us a few more things.

Great Pyrenees running through green grass on a farm

 

Oh, HAI there, Logan!

 

Great Pyrenees happily coming up to say hi in the green grass

 

Lola isn’t always so great with bigger dogs, so we had a careful introduction…

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…but there were clearly too many more interesting things to do than be grumpy, so the new friends got down to important sniffing business…

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…and they actually seemed to hit it off quite well.

Great Pyrenees and a small black pug sniff green leaves together

 

The Pug and Logan had a good time exploring the greens and shrubbery, but before long, it was time to move on, so I scooped the little monkey up into my arms and we made our way into the gorgeous vegetable garden for a tour.

Vegetable garden on a farm in many different shades of lush green

 

We’ve got green beans and fresh peas (delicious when eaten right off the vine), and kale and more kale and…little fuzzy pods?

A woman's hands hold an immature, green chickpea, still in it's fuzzy pod

 

Seriously. I had NO IDEA that chickpeas grew like this. Where have I been living all these years?

Needless to say, Lola was getting REALLY bored with the vegetable tour, what with being unable to sniff anything or pee on anything, so we left the veggies in peace (with some in our bellies – the wonders of organic!), and walked past the fields of buckwheat to visit the largest resident ladies on the farm.

Closeup of two brown horses in an outside pen on a farm

 

I have always held a deep love for horses, but so much in life is a matter of perspective, and only now can I understand why Lola Pug might be less than impressed with them.

Close up of a brown horse from underneath

 

All teeth and nostrils does not exactly make for an immediate best friend, eh, pug?

Little black pug sitting on green grass looking confused and slightly derpy with her teeth sticking out

 

 

Right.

In search of more shade – and less horse – for The Pug, we happened upon a perfectly pug-sized picnic bench, where we cooled off (again) for a bit.

A happy, smiling little black pug sitting on a small picnic bench on a summer day on a farm

 

Logan had created an even better arrangement for himself, having dug out a Great Pyrenees-sized cooling cave to relax in.

 

A happy Great Pyrenees lies underneath a picnic table in the grass and dirt

 

Lola doesn’t do dirt, and she’s not one for nesting under tables, so a compromise was eventually reached, and the two new friends chilled out, and traded city/country stories, filled with raccoons and coyotes and chickens, no doubt.

A small black pug and a big Great Pyrenees relax on a lawn with big smiles on their faces

 

All in all, a rather glorious adventure that left us with sunkissed skin, baskets (and bellies) full of fantastic vegetables, and huge smiles on all of our faces.

And if you ever happen to find yourself in Ontario, and are lucky enough to be up in Muskoka on a Sunday in growing season, be sure to visit Jay’s Organic Vegetables at the Midland Farmer’s Market to check out his veggies – and the 16 (16!) types of organic garlic – that he grows.

Jay’s farm is Lola and Logan approved!

 

 

 

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August 31, 2014 · 11:16 am

Chickens and Garlic and Pugs, OH MY!

I realise that the title of this post sounds a bit like a recipe, but I assure you it most definitely is not. Quite to the contrary, this is the makings of a great adventure, my friends!

Lola’s Aunt Sarah knows some very special people who have a very special place in the country, and when we got an invitation to visit, we simply couldn’t resist. Because…well…

Happy free roaming chickens

 

…CHICKENS!

You might remember that Lola met her first chicken a few years ago (you can revisit that day here), and MUCH to her thrill and to my amusement, we discovered her deep passion for them.

Now I don’t eat chickens (chickens are friends, not food), but I can’t vouch for Lola Pug’s intentions, so this girl was right to be wary of us.

Suspicious, happy free range chicken in the grass

 

We quietly went inside the chicken barn (is that a thing?) to pay homage to the ladies who were laying their eggs.

Black and white free range chicken sitting on her eggs

 

I don’t know how Farmer Jay is brave enough to reach under those little beaked guardians to get to their eggs, but I bet he does it quickly and without fuss, because before long, the ladies became a little bit squawky, and it was clear that both pugs and humans weren’t so welcome anymore.

Two black and white free range chickens sit on their eggs in a rustic barn

 

So back outside we went, to look for some more adventures.

I think that Lola Pug has made peace with the chickens…she might even feel one with the chickens…but they’re not so sure about her yet.

After finding *just* the right spot for The Pug to pee on, we made our way over to another, larger barn that we were told held a wonderful treat, as well as a bit of shade (and quiet) for us. We were not disappointed.

I mean – LOOK AT THIS!

 

Garlic hanging in a curing barn

 

When you go to the grocery store to “pick up some garlic”, did you know that you have a better choice?  Did you know that there is spicy garlic, mild garlic, pungent garlic and purple striped garlic? And did you know that most garlic is grown in China?

Poppycock to that, I say!

Farmer Jay grows 16 different types of garlic right here in Ontario. Organic garlic, at that!

Organic Ontario farm garlic rest in dirt on a curing table

 

While I spent time learning all about garlic, Lola Pug took the opportunity to cool off a bit in the curing and prep barn.

Black pug sits by a garlic curing table in a rustic barn

 

But little pug, our adventure has only just begun.

Why don’t you cool off a bit while I pick out some garlic, and we will wait on the arrival of our next, slightly hairier, tour guide.

…to be continued… of course….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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August 4, 2014 · 8:56 am

Ziggy the Wonder Pug

Up here in Canadianaland, it’s a long weekend, and while summer long weekends are often best appreciated on the edge of a loon-laden lake, we decided to do something a little bit different this time.

Word came around to Casa Lola that a certain little someone had been busted out of a bad situation, and needed to find his way across the province to his new home. Now, transporting rescue pugs is something I’ve been doing for years, but this transport was a source of particular joy.

When we went to meet the little man, he sure seemed happy to see us…

 

…and he had no issue accepting love and affection…

 

…even his wobbly legs didn’t slow him down….

We could have played with him all day, but the next leg of his transport was waiting for us, so into the car we piled, and onto the highway we went.

Someone was a bit tuckered out from all of the excitement….

 

He slept like a champ all the way to his next pick up, and from what I hear, he continues to charm all he meets on his journey to freedom.

Welcome to your new life, little one. There are so many loving arms already around you!

 

If you want to find out more about pugs like Ziggy (and even Ziggy, himself), click a link or two up and over to the right here ⤴ to link to a few of the rescues we know and love here at Casa Lola.

In the meantime,  we hope that little Ziggy here has given you at least a little bit to smile about on this summer Monday.

Rescues Rock!

 

 

 

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July 27, 2014 · 9:32 am

Coastal Friends

Lola Pug’s lifelong BFF and cousin, Roxy, is moving to the other side of the country shortly (cue the sadfaces at Casa Lola), so we invited the Little Miss and her people up to Lola’s northern playground for a weekend of adventuring and bonding before the big move.

One of the first things we all must do when faced with outdoor adventures is put on our hats and sunscreen, so Roxy reminded us all to do so before we set out….

 

The first order of the day was to have a little boating adventure, which Roxy took to like a …duck to water?

 

Lola, being used to such travel, was a little bit less impressed, but that also might have something to do with the fact that she’s rather grown out of her life jacket a little bit. (Middle age spread happens to the best of us, baby).

 

Not only did we have gorgeous sunshine and water, but we had jumping fish and giant aeries to be on the lookout for.

 

Once our not-quite-three-hour tour was done, we were all rather toasty, so we thought we’d bring the pugs to the water to cool down a bit.

Roxy has always been a bit of a water baby, so she was quite pleased with the refreshment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Epic and proud, babygirl, epic and proud.

 

Lola, however, has *never* had a fondness for water OR being wet, so imagine my shock and temporary horror when THIS happened…

 

Yup.

She stood in the water in a dreamy state, thoroughly enjoying every soothing moment of the cooling wetness.

 

When I finally coaxed her out of the water to come up on a rock with her cousin to watch some passing boats…

 

…she turned around and walked back INTO the water for a bit more spa action.

 

Which prompted me to call out… “WHERE IS MY PUG, AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH HER???”

Oh.

We’re all back to normal now, I see….

 

Yes. That’s likely goose poop she’s smearing her wet face in.

That seemed to be enough adventuring for one day for these two, so we settled in for a little nap on the porch together.

Lola was a bit miffed that Roxy got her favourite chair…

 

…but we do these things for our friends. Especially when we might not see them again for a long, long time.

 

Love and kisses, little Roxy Pug. Here’s hoping we will get a chance to come and visit you in your new (and terribly exciting) coastal home before long.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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