Wilma meets Darlene....

...Darlene meets Wilma.

Wilma (about 5 years old) was found wandering the streets in Ohio's Amish country a few months ago with a young male pug, Wendell (about 18 months old). The vet believes them to be mom and son. No one claimed them and it was their lucky day when Ohio Pug Rescue was called. Wilma is a tiny little thing, weighing about 15 pounds. It is obvious she has had many litters of puppies ~ she was probably a puppy mill momma. NO MORE!!!

Yesterday she went to her forever home. I was fortunate to be able to do the adoption. (I did not foster her.) New mom Darlene had an almost 15 year old pug Daisy who went to the Rainbow Bridge last year and she was just now ready to welcome another pug in to her life. It was love at first site! She absolutely adored Wilma (which happened to be Darlene's mother's name!) and I know that Wilma is not going anywhere ever again.

To see the smile on Darlene's face makes fostering all worth while!

Please, if you are considering a pet, be it a dog, cat, bird, horse, even a skunk, consider a rescue pet. There are so many animals out there looking for their forever homes.

Thank you so much for stopping by and I hope you will come again soon!
Pug hugs :)
Lauren

The Usual Suspects ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ WELCOME FRIENDS ~ ~ ~

The "usual suspects" showed up last night for the monthly hooking at the library. I thought I would have lots to share, but since the weather here on Ohio's north coast has been absolutely beautiful, everyone was probably outside enjoying it rather than hooking. I know I've gotten lots of yard clean-up done, both at my house and at my mom's. Everyone was working on their same rug, with a couple of exceptions. Andrea was just starting a pumpkin rug (getting a jump on the season!) and then there's Carol. Carol ~ as I think I've said before ~ Carol is hooker extraordinaire. She is hooking the same rug that I am. I was amazed that she has only been hooking this for a week. She said she got so much accomplished because she was hooking with a 9 cut. Well, that theory didn't hold up too well since I am hooking with a 9.5...lol! Her rug is slightly shorter and taller than mine. As usual, her choice of colors is magnificent! The stars and flowers are hooked with an old paisley shawl. I wish I had taken a close-up!

Here's my progress. I've been working on it for just over a month!
As I said, we've been having some gorgeous weather, but hopefully today we will get an April shower. I know some areas in the East are flooded, but here it is already getting dry.
My forsythia is in full bloom.

One of my favorite spring flowering bulbs.

The hyacinth are beautiful and smell heavenly.

Thank you so much for stopping by ;-) I can't believe it's already hump day. Time is flying by so fast! Do all of you feel that way? I know the older I get, the faster it goes.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

HAPPY EASTER ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ HAPPY EASTER ~ ~ ~

A big thank you to everyone who read the last post about my mom. Thank you for all the kind comments and all the prayers. I know she appreciates all the prayers!

I only put a few of my decorations out this year. These are all ceramic eggs made by my mom the '70's and '80's.

A few of the items I did put out.

A small hooked mat I did in '06.

Purchased on eBay. Unsigned, but I do remember that it was hooked by Keith in Canada.

Today was the Easter egg hunt at Lakeview Park, which is on the shores of Lake Erie. Last year, we wore winter coats and gloves and froze. Today was an absolutely gorgeous day. Here's grandson Jake at the Easter basket.

With the Easter bunny.

Playing on the beach after the hunt.

Thank you so much for stopping by. I hope you have a blessed Easter spent with those who mean the most to you!

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Nine Lives ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ Welcome friends ~ ~ ~

Thank you for stopping by my blog. I really do appreciate it ;-)

I believe my Mom thinks she is a cat with nine lives. As many of you know, my dear Mom recently turned 90 and has been facing a series of health issues, mainly congestive heart failure and worsening dementia. This past Monday, "something" happened. They are not sure if it was a stroke, a TIA, or just her heart not sending enough blood and oxygen to the brain. She had some signs of a stroke, mainly drooping on one side of the face and her lower lip. It was heartbreaking. I seriously did not think she would survive. Well, in typical Mom fashion, by Tuesday she was doing much better and joking with the hospice aide, telling her that she was a pain in the a**. Gotta love my Mom!

I am so thankful my Mom is in hospice care. She is at home with 24/7 care and hopefully will be able to remain there! She is no longer being transported to the hospital for health issues. They are managed by hospice. Her nurse Sue is wonderful. The social worker is just a hoot. I know she's a great person ~ she owns a pug! The aides have been wonderful, too. Their goal is to make mom comfortable and manage her pain, and for that, I am thankful.

Please say a prayer for my Mom. She believes in the power of prayer and I know she'll appreciate it.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Antique Dry Sink ~ ~ ~

I'd like to thank everyone who entered my give~away and left such kind comments. Mary from Wooly Bear Woolens was the lucky winner. I got the nicest email from her and I do hope she likes the punch needle bunny.

OK. On to the dry sink. I thought the dry sink would be perfect in the dining room and when I finished my latest hooked rug, it would be perfect hanging over it. Well, it will be a while before the rug is completed and I decided to use the dry sink as a sofa table. Here is what I had behind the sofa before. I didn't think to take a picture before moving it. It is a Canadian dough box made of poplar that is huge. I didn't have anyplace to put it except in the spare bedroom. I think it's way to big, but it will remain there for the time being. The footboard from a rope bed (with matching headboard) was bought years ago on eBay for only $10.00! I did have to drive over two and a half hours to pick it up, but it was well worth it. It is a 3/4 size that my DSO converted to a full size. That man can do just about anything ~ lucky me ;-)
Anyway, back to the dry sink. Because it is positioned about 4 foot from an outside wall, it was hard to get a good picture. So what did I do? I opened the window and took the picture from the outside looking in. Neighbors must have thought I was nuts, but since it was an icky day, they were probably all inside their houses.

Here she is. She's about 48" wide x 30" high x 17" deep. I absolutely LOVE her and she was such a bargain. She is square nailed and each of the doors is one single board 17 1/2" wide! They don't build furniture like that anymore. I would guess she was built around 1860-1870.

Now I'm sure the knobs are replacements and so it the latch, but I'm no purist and buy pieces that I like. If I were to buy the "perfect" antique, I'd be so afraid of dinging it. I use all my cupboards, and if they get a new scratch or ding, it just adds to the character.

The top of the cupboard looking into the living room.

This old repair is on the left door. I didn't notice it until I brought her home (the barn housing the antique shop was not that well lit), but I love it!

Thanks to all of you who asked if I had gotten it and requested pictures!

Here's a picture of my foster pug Eema that I just had to share. I love when she has just the tip of her tongue sticking out of her mouth. I think it's because she has so many missing teeth. Remember, she was a puppy mill momma for seven years and I'm sure she did not receive good care. Thankfully, she is now living the good life of an Ohio Pug Rescue pug. I've had her for almost six months and when she finds her forever home, I will cry and cry and cry some more. I know some of you are wondering how I could give her up. Fostering is very bittersweet. I foster knowing the pug will leave me, but I do it because I want them to find a forever home where they can live the remainder of their life being spoiled and loved. If I have a foster failure, my fostering days would be over and right now there are 16 pugs in Ohio waiting to get in to foster care with the rescue. Statewide we have 60-70 pugs already in foster care looking for their forever home. Please, if you are looking for a pet ~ dog, cat, horse, even a skunk, consider a rescue pet!

For those of you who asked, my granddog Selene is a Newfoundland.

Thank you so much for stopping by and please come again soon!

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

And the Winner is ~ ~ ~

I'd like to thank

each and every one

who entered my give~away!

The winner is.....

Mary at

Wooly Bear Woolens.

Congrats, Mary.

Please email your address

{lauren@centurytel.net)

and I'll get this in Monday's mail.

A big thank you to all

who read my blog

and leave me comments.

Please come again soon!

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Last Minute Easter Give~Away ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ GIVE~AWAY TIME ~ ~ ~

I finally finished this little punch needle bunny this morning. You know how I am with the finishing process. I got the punching done a couple of weeks ago, but.... The punched area of this little piece is about 6" x 5".

The rules are simple. Leave a comment on this post only or drop me an email at lauren@centurytel.net and put give~away in the subject line and I will enter you in the drawing. I will draw the winner Saturday evening at 6pm.

March is birthday month in my family. Here's my grandson Jake. He turned 5 yesterday.

With my mom even though she doesn't have a March birthday.

Additionally, my younger son Jason (Jake's dad), MUCH older brother Bill who turned 60 (not really that much older...lol!), my beloved Auntie Anne (who passed away 20 years ago) and my granddog Selene all have March birthdays. Here's Selene about a hundred pounds ago.

Oh, and me, too.

Thank you so much for stopping by. I really do appreciate everyone who reads my blog. A big thank you to all my followers and to those who leave me comments.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren