:Chandra and family…
Posted: July 18, 2008 Filed under: Gompa Lhasa Apsos Leave a comment
Tuesday was Spa Day for Chandra and her mother Garma. Puppies – four weeks old the previous day – rode along too. A couple of weeks ago Chandra allowed Garma to help her raise the puppies. Now that’s a smart arrangement!
Nagpo’s Keeper puppies were ‘to the past’…Whisper, Echo and Keeper (call name SiKu). DNA profiling will verify, but I’m certain Chandra’s puppies are sired by Keeper because of the gold sable coloration on all four. Based on that, this litter will be ‘from the past’. The male I choose to stay with me will be named Skyob Pa Po from the Past, call name Sky. Ken suggested that name previously. Skyob Pa Po means guardian. Bobbie put together a wonderful list of Tibetan names, took the list to the Farmer’s Market in Bergen Park and had a young Tibetan woman double check the spellings and meanings. From that list I will be selecting names from the ether. (ether – n 1: the fifth and highest element after air and earth and fire and water; was believed to be the substance composing all heavenly bodies). Chandra means the moon (mind and mother). So, you can see the connection.
: A tribute
Posted: July 8, 2008 Filed under: Art and Photography, Gompa Lhasa Apsos 1 CommentThis post will circle back, paying tribute not only to a special little dog, but to the many people out there in the ephemeral world of cyberspace, ending with the last stanza of a poem sent titled Touch Of The ‘Net, author unknown.
Through fibers, disks, and such.
May cold computer magic turn
To caring, human touch.
Panchen, One Champ of a Dog, has passed through his final door on this planet.
His life’s story, his journey including one last compassionate journey with Susan touched so many hearts.
Katy was moved to sketch – then paint – his aged body, full of nooks and crannies. Words, posted on her blog, pay tribute to this little dog’s spirit. Fare thee well, Travelin’ Man! Godspeed!
Susan shared a series of photos, taken yesterday morning on her porch, which she titled Last Morning on Langner.
The pillow Kathy embellished with an embroidered heart and a little dog bone rests behind him.
This past week Time in a Bottle kept going through Kathy’s mind…
Time in a Bottle by Jim Croce If I could save Time in a bottle
The first thing that I’d like to do
Is to save every day
‘Til Eternity passes away
Just to spend them with you
If I could make days last forever
If words could make wishes come true
I’d save every day like a treasure and then,
Again, I would spend them with you
CHORUS:
But there never seems to be enough time
To do the things you want to do
Once you find them
I’ve looked around enough to know
That you’re the one I want to go
Through time withIf I had a box just for wishes
And dreams that had never come true
The box would be empty
Except for the memory
Of how they were answered by you
And from Vickie..
The message came today,
Propelled through wires at speed of light,
From near or far away.
A staunch and mighty guard,
A loving comfort, Hero spawn,
Fair grist for any bard.
And friends to mourn his death,
She left behind a wash of tears,
As she breathed her last breath.
And contact now is found
With folks that we may never see
But feel with touch profound.
Shape words of joy or pain,
We teach and learn and share our lives
And blessings deep we gain.
And tears flow down my face,
I share a loss and try to find
Pure words of peace and grace.
A precious life has passed.
We take them in, they bless our lives,
Then leave us much too fast.
Our short-lived friends to keep,
In stories, images and thoughts,
To calm us as we weep.
Through fibers, disks, and such.
May cold computer magic turn
To caring, human touch.
:Panchen…
Posted: July 6, 2008 Filed under: Gompa Lhasa Apsos 7 CommentsHere’s a photo of Panchen, recently sent by Susan…
How’s he been the past couple of days? Was there a celebration July 4th…and I don’t mean a celebration for the USA!
:Chandra’s day…
Posted: June 17, 2008 Filed under: Gompa Lhasa Apsos 5 CommentsTalk about the ultimate multi-tasking day! Yesterday, during the day – DURING THE DAY!!! – Chandra whelped her puppies. One female. Three males. It appears they’re all sired by Keeper because they’re all sables. DNA profiling will be the proof.
We knew the exact date she’d ovulated because of a progesterone test. Based on this Dr. Hess told us Chandra’s due date was June 16 – June 18, which is 61 to 63 days after ovulation. Ah! The wonders of modern canine reproductive science. I’m getting addicted the more I experience the knowledge it offers! Dr. Hess saw four puppies when Chandra was ultrasounded. Chandra whelped four puppies. Dr. Hess saw three puppies when Nagpo was ultrasounded. She whelped three puppies. Nagpo wasn’t progesterone tested, so her due date was determined the old-fashion way…counting 63 days from when she accepted Keeper. Chandra whelped at 61 days. Nagpo appeared to whelp early. Based on the old-fashion method, she was due four days later. Of course, I should have known she’d whelp the night following those four days of dog shows!
Chandra (Panchen x Garma) lives with my friend Bobbie. Bobbie had been tracking her temperature three times a day the past week. Her temperature dropped to 98 degrees Sunday afternoon. She was nesting. We made arrangements for Bobbie to call me, no matter what time of night, if Chandra went into labor. I had my supplies packed, everything ready to go. All I had to do was jump out of bed, throw on my sundress and drive about an hour and a half. I told Bobbie puppies are usually born during the night. With that temperature drop, I didn’t think Chandra would wait until Monday night. On the other hand, I’ve sat up many a night waiting for puppies, only to have them born the following night. So, we made the above arrangements.
After a night of bizarre dreams – surely brought on by the possibility of the puppies imminent arrival – I phoned Bobbie first thing in the morning and told her to bring Chandra to me that morning. Chandra began labor on the trip to Evergreen and whelped her daughter at 11AM. In the daytime!! Her brothers followed and by 1:30PM all had arrived into this realm safe and sound. It was quite a day!
Garma, Chandra’s dam, also lives with Bobbie. Bobbie had so much wanted to witness the birth of Garma’s puppies, but sometimes reality and wants are two very different things. She had given up a trip to see her brother because of these puppies. No matter how I tried to let her know I didn’t mind caring for Chandra and her puppies, she simply wouldn’t go on that trip. I’d offered other ideas – like waiting until next season to breed Chandra. Nope. Bobbie insisted Chandra and her puppies were top priority. She hasn’t seen her brother in years, so I was feeling a bit ?? guilty. That it worked out for Chandra to be surrounded by all the Ladies in Her Life….well….it was grand. Grand! Garma came along and rested in a crate next to her. Bobbie sat with her the entire time. I multi-tasked, grooming client dogs three feet away, a handy bucket of warm soapy water to wash up as each puppy was delivered. Now, this might all sound crazy to you, but it worked wonderful! And, Chandra is well acquainted with my grooming shop. She loves to come see me! Her puppies were born in the same crate she stays in during her grooming days every six weeks.
When I got home last night, Rick wondered if I could train all the mothers to deliver during the day. Don’t I wish!!!
Kunza at FleetFire Timbers 