The Long Anticipated Canoe Trip

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After months of contemplating, planning, and worrying about the canoe/backpacking trip to the Adirondacks, we did it.  This was different from the other camping trips we have done in that we were miles from the car and had to use a canoe and our legs as the mode of transportation. Our biggest worries: bears.......and..........Niko jumping out of the canoe and flipping us and all our stuff into the lake or river. The second worry was more plausible and risky (in our minds). We started getting Niko acclimated with his life jacket months ago.

Snapshot of what we brought

We had to be very selective in what we packed to limit space and weight. Kibble, leash, life jacket, and a tennis ball was Niko's allowance. For ourselves, we packed dried food, tablets to treat water for drink-ability, warm clothes, sleeping bags, fishing poles, and a canoe carrier.


We launched at Long Lake and had an 8 mile paddle to our first night's humble abode: a lean-to. Lean-to's are wooden shelters provided by the park and is on a first come first serve basis. It was an alternative to bringing a tent. 


Niko was in the middle of the canoe on his own. I was anxious during the first 30 minutes, fearing he would jump out. With some coaxing and readjustment of his front paws, we avoided mayhem. He quickly got the routine down. He was alert and looking from side to side a lot. There were lots for Niko to see: biplanes that took off and landed in the lake, ducks, loons, turtles, and even fighter jets that were doing some test flights.
Niko did make noises at times when we were near land. We took breaks and got out to stretch and check out different areas. To our amazement, there were times when he knew we were getting ready to go back into the canoe. He would come to us and willingly let us place him back inside it. The second morning, I picked up his life jacket and he automatically sat down to let me put it on him. It was as if he was ready to check out the next place on the route.
We had a waterfront site to ourselves the first night. Niko was off leash and discovered every corner. Ed caught fish and cooked it up with a fuel burner and mess kit. It complemented our instant noodles very well. Of course we shared the fish with Niko. He likes fish very much. Before I can stop him, he gobbled up a raw minnow that was laying on the ground (gross, Niko!)


After the first night, we packed up and went back into the lake to head toward Racquette River. Here, the scenery changed from the vast openness of a lake to a woodsy, enclosed, and curvy river. The current helped us move along easier which was nice because we were tired from the first day. We approached a waterfall area where we had to get out and go on foot to our next lean-to.
We took the sign and broken canoe hanging on the sign very seriously!
The portage (canoe carry between take out from river and relaunch) proved to be challenging. Although we had a carrier to wheel the canoe with gear inside it, there were steep inclines and rocky areas. We met others in the path and commiserated on how tiring it was. At this point, Niko uncharacteristically barked at people. It was probably due to being in a new surrounding and the need to protect us. During the portage, Ed and I were slowed down by the weight of the canoe. Niko ran ahead to "scout" the path and would circle back. At this point, I think he knew the canoe was part of the "pack." He stopped whenever he heard the canoe on wheels stop. We ran into trouble about 3/4 into the portage. We had a flat! We had to stop for Ed to patch the tire. Niko was very good, considering we had other things to worry about. He never ventured out of eyesight and sat near us most of the time. After the mishap, we continued on and found a lean-to for our final night's stay. 


The rest of the trip went smoothly. Some random final remarks:
1) We saw some amazing scenery.
2) Niko may not be a water dog, but he is a canoe friendly dog.
3) No bear encounters. Boy scout Ed craft-fully sealed our food in a bag and tied it high up to a tree far from our campsite.
4) Niko enjoyed being off leash in the wilderness, but the poor toads that he chased did not
5) Niko learned how to find drinking water by going to the shore. 
6) Niko is very dexterous when hopping across big rocks in the river.
7) We all did some soul searching on this trip and bonded.
8) Niko went into a coma for 2 days after he arrived home.

What's in Niko's Bowl?

To contact us Click HERE
The answer to that question is Blue Buffalo dry dog food. Occasionally, he finds surprises in his bowl. A great way to spice up his usual meal is to sprinkle on some cheese. Niko's food bowl is in the kitchen. Whenever a recipe calls for cheese, I sneak some of it into Niko's bowl before putting it back in the fridge. I had some freshly grated Parmesan cheese left in a container in the fridge that I've been slowly depleting by way of Niko's bowl. This cheese is especially aromatic and he LOVES it. 
Niko oftens peeks into the kitchen when we're in there cooking. He stares me down to see if I share anything. His nose picks up scents of meat and cheese very well.We noticed Niko's been munching down more food than usual. We attribute it to the colder weather and his survival instincts kicking in. 

'Bye lil Bud Bud

To contact us Click HERE
Tomorrow will mark the one month anniversary of the day Ed, I, and many others said good bye to Niko. I have thought long and hard of whether I would write this post and how I would go about it. It pains me to write about it but I want to do it in honor of our beloved best friend.


We were spending the week between Christmas and New Year's at Ed's parents. As I've mentioned in other posts, it truly was Niko's favorite getaway spot. He was familiar with the endless acres of land, the house, and family. In the car rides up, when we said "Grandma and Grandpa's!" his head would pop up and eyes would be alert to look out the window. His tail would wag with excitement as he jumps out of the car to greet everyone and go explore.
The "come when called" command was always a challenge for Niko. Although we had him leashed when we were in urban areas, we made a conscious decision to allow him off leash opportunities in what we believed were safe conditions. Ed's parents house was one of the places because of the open land of fields and woods.  Niko had spent a week full of play, treats, and time with family, including Ed's nephews who adored Niko. In fact, the day before his last, Niko was tired out from spending hours playing with nephew Peter who is 6 years old.


On December 30, 2011, while Ed and I were still asleep, Niko was let outside to go to the bathroom. When called to come inside, he insisted on staying out. It was surreal to be woken up and told Niko was hit by a car and needed to be taken to the vet ASAP. We learned afterward that a lady was driving to work that morning. She caught sight of Niko and slowed down her car. When she saw that he was standing in the lawn by the flagpole, she accelerated, thinking Niko wouldn't move. For whatever reason, Niko darted out at the wrong moment and was hit.


After he was hit, Niko walked around the yard, probably in shock. The driver who was very upset, rang the doorbell to let us know. Ed's father picked Niko up and brought him inside. There were no visible injuries aside from a little blood on his hind leg. Niko walked into a bedroom to lay down. This was something he used to do when he wasn't feeling well and wanted to be alone. Once we found out which animal hospital was open at that time (before 8am), Ed wrapped Niko up in a blanket and brought him to the car. Up to this point, all of us thought he would survive due to the fact that he was able to walk and he wasn't visibly hurt. However, Ed was not optimistic when Niko didn't squirm when he was picked up. I sat with Niko in the backseat. I was silent most of the ride from shock and disbelief. I petted him, held him, and we looked at each other, communicating silently. The ride to the hospital was less than 10 minutes, but I could feel Niko slipping away. He moved his head towards the front of the car where Ed was. Ed petted his head; Niko was reaching out for one last contact with his Dad. Moments later, Niko took his last breath. It happened right before we reached the hospital. I say it was Niko's rebellious way of telling us he had always hated going to the vet. When we arrived, I asked for Niko to be taken inside just to make sure he was gone and the technician confirmed it. We brought Niko back to the house and there was no question that we would bury him in his favorite place. Niko is buried by the tree pictured here that overlooks the fields he used to run in and the woods in the distance is where we used to go hiking with him.

Niko was two and half years old. I feel very sad he was taken from us so quickly. We can't help but wonder if we did the right thing. I will say that Niko lived a very full life, had many experiences, and was loved by all. If we hadn't given him off-leash time, he wouldn't have done and seen half the things he wanted to. My friend Mona captured it well: "Niko was an adventurer and his parents accepted his free spirit." If I had to choose a favorite off-leash experience, it would be the time we went on the canoe/backpacking trip in the Adirondacks a few months ago. The trip was not possible if we did not trust him off the leash. I smile when I think back to how he sat next to me when we had to take a break from transporting the canoe. Off leash, Niko had free reigns to run off, but he chose to stay close to us and wait until we were ready to move again.I had taken the following picture two weeks before NIko's fateful day and had planned on writing a post about this sleeping position. I like how he intricately crosses all four of his paws like that. I'd like to think that he's resting peacefully like so.

Even after a month had passed, we miss Niko every single day. Life is just different without him. We both have dreams of him now, when we did not when he was alive. I especially miss his soft fur and how he cheers me up on bad days. Writing this blog was more fulfilling than I had imagined when I started it and I'm happy it is there for us to reflect on our days with Niko. Through the blog, I found other Shiba Inu bloggers from around the world. You can bet I'll continue reading up on you guys and living vicariously through you. 
I am concluding this blog with a few pictures from when Niko was a puppy to his last Christmas.  And a list of the multiple nicknames we had for him: Niko Peeko, Bud Bud, Bum Bum, Bumblebutt, Pup Pup, and Foxy. Niko lives in our hearts forever.

The Friday's Painting Group Art Show

To contact us Click HERE

I joined a Open Studio painting group few months ago, and I really enjoyed sharing the creative time with the ladies of the group. We put together a two-hour showing for friends and family, to showcase our favorite pieces of the last year or so, and have some good time together. It turned out to be a wonderful, warm, happy event. Lots of people came, all the smiles, the positiveness, the enthusiastic comments filled the air with wonderful energy. What a delightful experience!
By unanimous decision, we did not have anything for sale, but seeing all our art together, we realized that the level is higher than we thought, and we might even dare to put some prices on our paintings at the next occasion. :)
I think we were all scared of the outcome. What if nobody shows? What if my art is not good enough? etc. But I estimated at least two hundred people came, and our paintings looked amazingly good. I'm so happy we dared!



The only thing we have to fear isfear itself.     Franklin D. Roosevelt 

Daffodils - Acrylic still life painting 'revisited'

To contact us Click HERE
Daffodils12x12 (30.48 cm x 30.48 cm)
Acrylic on canvas

I liked my Daffodils painting (previous post) but some things did not convince me 100%. When I took it to my painting group's critic day, I received several good comments, and some constructive critiques that confirmed my iffy feelings and made me decide to rework it.

Is it better now? I'm not sure, but I hope so, because there is no way back. :)

Swimsuit Season

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Although life jackets aren't exactly the same as bathing suits, Niko seems to have shed some pounds for the summer. When we first put the suit on him in May, we felt how snug it was. There were rolls around his neck. Last week, when we put it on him, not so snug. He has shed a ton of fur earlier this summer. I didn't think Niko was a image conscious pup, but maybe he knows about pictures of him ending up on the internet and shiba tabloids.
When he was at the vet in July, Niko weighed in at 29lbs, which, according to the vet, is a healthy weight for him. She even said he was muscular which we found funny. She called him a "G.I. Joe" dog after we described some of the activities we do with him. We feed him Innova dog food and today, switched to Blue Buffalo to try out. Niko doesn't clean his food bowl out when we fill it in the mornings. He tends to eat and finish his food at night. We give him scraps sparingly and conscientiously. He definitely longs for scraps by quietly staring cutely at us, but we only give him pieces of meat and cheese. For treats, we give him beef jerky made for dogs and sometimes doggie biscuits.

The Lonely Sunflower

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Giant sunflower stalking Shiba Inu:
At last year's state fair, I picked up a free packet of sunflower seeds (for growing, not snacking purposes). I planted the seeds by the stairs to the deck in the spring. Patiently, we waited for the stalks to come up and the plant is taller than us, towering over the deck. So far one flower is open and it is bigger than my face. Niko doesn't seem to notice this behemoth of a flower because it is not within his eyesight.

The Dog Park & Raised Fur

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In the area we live in, dog parks didn't exist....until now! A few months ago, we were at our local Petco and we saw a display table with volunteers raising money for a community dog park. We gave a monetary donation and forgot about it. The other day, I decided to do a search online on the dog park progress. What a nice coincidence, they had just finished putting up the fence this week and have the gates yet to put up tomorrow. We couldn't wait so we decided to take a drive and check the place out.
The fenced in park is very open with lots of space for dogs to run around and do their thing. They have 2 divided areas for big breeds and smaller breeds. We let Niko off the leash and he barely moved, giving us a confused look. We threw his tennis ball and he got the hint. He darted around playing fetch, enjoying the free space.
Not long after that, a few other dogs who were offleash came into the small breed section. Although they were larger dogs, they noticed Niko and came in our area anyway. Niko was outnumbered and smaller in size. One dog chased him and Niko chased back. We noticed Niko's fur patterns change very quickly and fur was raised like nothing we've seen before. My limited knowledge of reading a dog's body language is: tail up and wagging means happy and confident; tail down means scared.
I was able to snap a few pictures and review the transition from happy/confident/playful to scared/nervous.

Niko was alone at this time. Tail up and fur on his shoulders raised. He is alert and chasing the ball.




Then came the larger dog who chased Niko. Notice Niko's tail is curved way down and his back looks like we shaved him and gave him a mohawk. This was only minutes after the other picture:
The owners of that dog tried to call her name but to no avail. She just wanted to play with Niko and was not a threat. But Niko was very timid when 4 dogs came in all at once. He growled and the other dog did back away. We were on hand to stop a fight if needed, but it didn't come to that. 

Happy as a clam again.

We give the dog park 2 paws and 2 thumbs up all the way. We are happy the community approved the project and it is something a lot of people and pets have been waiting for. There is even a creek by the park for dogs to swim in and cool off. We took Niko there as well and he was about 2 inches deep in the water. Not bad, Niko.

What's in Niko's Bowl?

To contact us Click HERE
The answer to that question is Blue Buffalo dry dog food. Occasionally, he finds surprises in his bowl. A great way to spice up his usual meal is to sprinkle on some cheese. Niko's food bowl is in the kitchen. Whenever a recipe calls for cheese, I sneak some of it into Niko's bowl before putting it back in the fridge. I had some freshly grated Parmesan cheese left in a container in the fridge that I've been slowly depleting by way of Niko's bowl. This cheese is especially aromatic and he LOVES it. 
Niko oftens peeks into the kitchen when we're in there cooking. He stares me down to see if I share anything. His nose picks up scents of meat and cheese very well.We noticed Niko's been munching down more food than usual. We attribute it to the colder weather and his survival instincts kicking in. 

'Bye lil Bud Bud

To contact us Click HERE
Tomorrow will mark the one month anniversary of the day Ed, I, and many others said good bye to Niko. I have thought long and hard of whether I would write this post and how I would go about it. It pains me to write about it but I want to do it in honor of our beloved best friend.


We were spending the week between Christmas and New Year's at Ed's parents. As I've mentioned in other posts, it truly was Niko's favorite getaway spot. He was familiar with the endless acres of land, the house, and family. In the car rides up, when we said "Grandma and Grandpa's!" his head would pop up and eyes would be alert to look out the window. His tail would wag with excitement as he jumps out of the car to greet everyone and go explore.
The "come when called" command was always a challenge for Niko. Although we had him leashed when we were in urban areas, we made a conscious decision to allow him off leash opportunities in what we believed were safe conditions. Ed's parents house was one of the places because of the open land of fields and woods.  Niko had spent a week full of play, treats, and time with family, including Ed's nephews who adored Niko. In fact, the day before his last, Niko was tired out from spending hours playing with nephew Peter who is 6 years old.


On December 30, 2011, while Ed and I were still asleep, Niko was let outside to go to the bathroom. When called to come inside, he insisted on staying out. It was surreal to be woken up and told Niko was hit by a car and needed to be taken to the vet ASAP. We learned afterward that a lady was driving to work that morning. She caught sight of Niko and slowed down her car. When she saw that he was standing in the lawn by the flagpole, she accelerated, thinking Niko wouldn't move. For whatever reason, Niko darted out at the wrong moment and was hit.


After he was hit, Niko walked around the yard, probably in shock. The driver who was very upset, rang the doorbell to let us know. Ed's father picked Niko up and brought him inside. There were no visible injuries aside from a little blood on his hind leg. Niko walked into a bedroom to lay down. This was something he used to do when he wasn't feeling well and wanted to be alone. Once we found out which animal hospital was open at that time (before 8am), Ed wrapped Niko up in a blanket and brought him to the car. Up to this point, all of us thought he would survive due to the fact that he was able to walk and he wasn't visibly hurt. However, Ed was not optimistic when Niko didn't squirm when he was picked up. I sat with Niko in the backseat. I was silent most of the ride from shock and disbelief. I petted him, held him, and we looked at each other, communicating silently. The ride to the hospital was less than 10 minutes, but I could feel Niko slipping away. He moved his head towards the front of the car where Ed was. Ed petted his head; Niko was reaching out for one last contact with his Dad. Moments later, Niko took his last breath. It happened right before we reached the hospital. I say it was Niko's rebellious way of telling us he had always hated going to the vet. When we arrived, I asked for Niko to be taken inside just to make sure he was gone and the technician confirmed it. We brought Niko back to the house and there was no question that we would bury him in his favorite place. Niko is buried by the tree pictured here that overlooks the fields he used to run in and the woods in the distance is where we used to go hiking with him.

Niko was two and half years old. I feel very sad he was taken from us so quickly. We can't help but wonder if we did the right thing. I will say that Niko lived a very full life, had many experiences, and was loved by all. If we hadn't given him off-leash time, he wouldn't have done and seen half the things he wanted to. My friend Mona captured it well: "Niko was an adventurer and his parents accepted his free spirit." If I had to choose a favorite off-leash experience, it would be the time we went on the canoe/backpacking trip in the Adirondacks a few months ago. The trip was not possible if we did not trust him off the leash. I smile when I think back to how he sat next to me when we had to take a break from transporting the canoe. Off leash, Niko had free reigns to run off, but he chose to stay close to us and wait until we were ready to move again.I had taken the following picture two weeks before NIko's fateful day and had planned on writing a post about this sleeping position. I like how he intricately crosses all four of his paws like that. I'd like to think that he's resting peacefully like so.

Even after a month had passed, we miss Niko every single day. Life is just different without him. We both have dreams of him now, when we did not when he was alive. I especially miss his soft fur and how he cheers me up on bad days. Writing this blog was more fulfilling than I had imagined when I started it and I'm happy it is there for us to reflect on our days with Niko. Through the blog, I found other Shiba Inu bloggers from around the world. You can bet I'll continue reading up on you guys and living vicariously through you. 
I am concluding this blog with a few pictures from when Niko was a puppy to his last Christmas.  And a list of the multiple nicknames we had for him: Niko Peeko, Bud Bud, Bum Bum, Bumblebutt, Pup Pup, and Foxy. Niko lives in our hearts forever.

Fundraising Fun

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Niko went to his first fundraising event as part of last weekend's activities. We changed vets over a year ago to SPEAK Animal Hospital, which is a non-profit animal hospital. The staff is super friendly, prices are more affordable, and they had just renovated the entire facility. We attended the grand re-opening event to help their cause, let Niko meet new people and dogs. It was a well organized event with a live band, food, vendors, exhibits, facility tours, and raffle prizes. 
On display were two beautiful alpacas. Niko didn't care much for them. In the last several years, alpacas have grown in popularity. I was educated by a coworker that breeding alpacas is a serious business. Not only are they cute and loving animals, they are making a name for themselves in the textile industry.
The best part of the event was watching the New York State Police demonstration. A police dog named Wheeler (a German Shepard) and his handler educated the audience about NY's K-9 Unit. We learned some interesting facts:

• All NY State police dogs are named after fallen officers to honor them
• The Canine Unit training facility is located in Cooperstown, NY
• Wheeler and his handler were part of a team that searched for survivors and bodies at Ground Zero after September 11
• Dogs can smell their handler's emotions change regardless of visual and verbal cues

We watched Wheeler search for hidden narcotics and "attack" a culprit. The obedience and intelligence of Wheeler impressed us very much.

"hmm...that dog's got some neat tricks up his paws"

We were glad we attended the event. I bought Niko his latest fashion accessory - a bandana that threads through his collar. 
It is not very often I dress Niko up. He is more of a ruff and tuff dog, but this was for charity =)A few days later, I received a phone call that I won a raffle basket. Even sweeter.

What's in Niko's Bowl?

To contact us Click HERE
The answer to that question is Blue Buffalo dry dog food. Occasionally, he finds surprises in his bowl. A great way to spice up his usual meal is to sprinkle on some cheese. Niko's food bowl is in the kitchen. Whenever a recipe calls for cheese, I sneak some of it into Niko's bowl before putting it back in the fridge. I had some freshly grated Parmesan cheese left in a container in the fridge that I've been slowly depleting by way of Niko's bowl. This cheese is especially aromatic and he LOVES it. 
Niko oftens peeks into the kitchen when we're in there cooking. He stares me down to see if I share anything. His nose picks up scents of meat and cheese very well.We noticed Niko's been munching down more food than usual. We attribute it to the colder weather and his survival instincts kicking in. 

'Bye lil Bud Bud

To contact us Click HERE
Tomorrow will mark the one month anniversary of the day Ed, I, and many others said good bye to Niko. I have thought long and hard of whether I would write this post and how I would go about it. It pains me to write about it but I want to do it in honor of our beloved best friend.


We were spending the week between Christmas and New Year's at Ed's parents. As I've mentioned in other posts, it truly was Niko's favorite getaway spot. He was familiar with the endless acres of land, the house, and family. In the car rides up, when we said "Grandma and Grandpa's!" his head would pop up and eyes would be alert to look out the window. His tail would wag with excitement as he jumps out of the car to greet everyone and go explore.
The "come when called" command was always a challenge for Niko. Although we had him leashed when we were in urban areas, we made a conscious decision to allow him off leash opportunities in what we believed were safe conditions. Ed's parents house was one of the places because of the open land of fields and woods.  Niko had spent a week full of play, treats, and time with family, including Ed's nephews who adored Niko. In fact, the day before his last, Niko was tired out from spending hours playing with nephew Peter who is 6 years old.


On December 30, 2011, while Ed and I were still asleep, Niko was let outside to go to the bathroom. When called to come inside, he insisted on staying out. It was surreal to be woken up and told Niko was hit by a car and needed to be taken to the vet ASAP. We learned afterward that a lady was driving to work that morning. She caught sight of Niko and slowed down her car. When she saw that he was standing in the lawn by the flagpole, she accelerated, thinking Niko wouldn't move. For whatever reason, Niko darted out at the wrong moment and was hit.


After he was hit, Niko walked around the yard, probably in shock. The driver who was very upset, rang the doorbell to let us know. Ed's father picked Niko up and brought him inside. There were no visible injuries aside from a little blood on his hind leg. Niko walked into a bedroom to lay down. This was something he used to do when he wasn't feeling well and wanted to be alone. Once we found out which animal hospital was open at that time (before 8am), Ed wrapped Niko up in a blanket and brought him to the car. Up to this point, all of us thought he would survive due to the fact that he was able to walk and he wasn't visibly hurt. However, Ed was not optimistic when Niko didn't squirm when he was picked up. I sat with Niko in the backseat. I was silent most of the ride from shock and disbelief. I petted him, held him, and we looked at each other, communicating silently. The ride to the hospital was less than 10 minutes, but I could feel Niko slipping away. He moved his head towards the front of the car where Ed was. Ed petted his head; Niko was reaching out for one last contact with his Dad. Moments later, Niko took his last breath. It happened right before we reached the hospital. I say it was Niko's rebellious way of telling us he had always hated going to the vet. When we arrived, I asked for Niko to be taken inside just to make sure he was gone and the technician confirmed it. We brought Niko back to the house and there was no question that we would bury him in his favorite place. Niko is buried by the tree pictured here that overlooks the fields he used to run in and the woods in the distance is where we used to go hiking with him.

Niko was two and half years old. I feel very sad he was taken from us so quickly. We can't help but wonder if we did the right thing. I will say that Niko lived a very full life, had many experiences, and was loved by all. If we hadn't given him off-leash time, he wouldn't have done and seen half the things he wanted to. My friend Mona captured it well: "Niko was an adventurer and his parents accepted his free spirit." If I had to choose a favorite off-leash experience, it would be the time we went on the canoe/backpacking trip in the Adirondacks a few months ago. The trip was not possible if we did not trust him off the leash. I smile when I think back to how he sat next to me when we had to take a break from transporting the canoe. Off leash, Niko had free reigns to run off, but he chose to stay close to us and wait until we were ready to move again.I had taken the following picture two weeks before NIko's fateful day and had planned on writing a post about this sleeping position. I like how he intricately crosses all four of his paws like that. I'd like to think that he's resting peacefully like so.

Even after a month had passed, we miss Niko every single day. Life is just different without him. We both have dreams of him now, when we did not when he was alive. I especially miss his soft fur and how he cheers me up on bad days. Writing this blog was more fulfilling than I had imagined when I started it and I'm happy it is there for us to reflect on our days with Niko. Through the blog, I found other Shiba Inu bloggers from around the world. You can bet I'll continue reading up on you guys and living vicariously through you. 
I am concluding this blog with a few pictures from when Niko was a puppy to his last Christmas.  And a list of the multiple nicknames we had for him: Niko Peeko, Bud Bud, Bum Bum, Bumblebutt, Pup Pup, and Foxy. Niko lives in our hearts forever.

The Friday's Painting Group Art Show

To contact us Click HERE

I joined a Open Studio painting group few months ago, and I really enjoyed sharing the creative time with the ladies of the group. We put together a two-hour showing for friends and family, to showcase our favorite pieces of the last year or so, and have some good time together. It turned out to be a wonderful, warm, happy event. Lots of people came, all the smiles, the positiveness, the enthusiastic comments filled the air with wonderful energy. What a delightful experience!
By unanimous decision, we did not have anything for sale, but seeing all our art together, we realized that the level is higher than we thought, and we might even dare to put some prices on our paintings at the next occasion. :)
I think we were all scared of the outcome. What if nobody shows? What if my art is not good enough? etc. But I estimated at least two hundred people came, and our paintings looked amazingly good. I'm so happy we dared!



The only thing we have to fear isfear itself.     Franklin D. Roosevelt 

Daffodils - Acrylic still life painting 'revisited'

To contact us Click HERE
Daffodils12x12 (30.48 cm x 30.48 cm)
Acrylic on canvas

I liked my Daffodils painting (previous post) but some things did not convince me 100%. When I took it to my painting group's critic day, I received several good comments, and some constructive critiques that confirmed my iffy feelings and made me decide to rework it.

Is it better now? I'm not sure, but I hope so, because there is no way back. :)

What's in Niko's Bowl?

To contact us Click HERE
The answer to that question is Blue Buffalo dry dog food. Occasionally, he finds surprises in his bowl. A great way to spice up his usual meal is to sprinkle on some cheese. Niko's food bowl is in the kitchen. Whenever a recipe calls for cheese, I sneak some of it into Niko's bowl before putting it back in the fridge. I had some freshly grated Parmesan cheese left in a container in the fridge that I've been slowly depleting by way of Niko's bowl. This cheese is especially aromatic and he LOVES it. 
Niko oftens peeks into the kitchen when we're in there cooking. He stares me down to see if I share anything. His nose picks up scents of meat and cheese very well.We noticed Niko's been munching down more food than usual. We attribute it to the colder weather and his survival instincts kicking in. 

'Bye lil Bud Bud

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Tomorrow will mark the one month anniversary of the day Ed, I, and many others said good bye to Niko. I have thought long and hard of whether I would write this post and how I would go about it. It pains me to write about it but I want to do it in honor of our beloved best friend.


We were spending the week between Christmas and New Year's at Ed's parents. As I've mentioned in other posts, it truly was Niko's favorite getaway spot. He was familiar with the endless acres of land, the house, and family. In the car rides up, when we said "Grandma and Grandpa's!" his head would pop up and eyes would be alert to look out the window. His tail would wag with excitement as he jumps out of the car to greet everyone and go explore.
The "come when called" command was always a challenge for Niko. Although we had him leashed when we were in urban areas, we made a conscious decision to allow him off leash opportunities in what we believed were safe conditions. Ed's parents house was one of the places because of the open land of fields and woods.  Niko had spent a week full of play, treats, and time with family, including Ed's nephews who adored Niko. In fact, the day before his last, Niko was tired out from spending hours playing with nephew Peter who is 6 years old.


On December 30, 2011, while Ed and I were still asleep, Niko was let outside to go to the bathroom. When called to come inside, he insisted on staying out. It was surreal to be woken up and told Niko was hit by a car and needed to be taken to the vet ASAP. We learned afterward that a lady was driving to work that morning. She caught sight of Niko and slowed down her car. When she saw that he was standing in the lawn by the flagpole, she accelerated, thinking Niko wouldn't move. For whatever reason, Niko darted out at the wrong moment and was hit.


After he was hit, Niko walked around the yard, probably in shock. The driver who was very upset, rang the doorbell to let us know. Ed's father picked Niko up and brought him inside. There were no visible injuries aside from a little blood on his hind leg. Niko walked into a bedroom to lay down. This was something he used to do when he wasn't feeling well and wanted to be alone. Once we found out which animal hospital was open at that time (before 8am), Ed wrapped Niko up in a blanket and brought him to the car. Up to this point, all of us thought he would survive due to the fact that he was able to walk and he wasn't visibly hurt. However, Ed was not optimistic when Niko didn't squirm when he was picked up. I sat with Niko in the backseat. I was silent most of the ride from shock and disbelief. I petted him, held him, and we looked at each other, communicating silently. The ride to the hospital was less than 10 minutes, but I could feel Niko slipping away. He moved his head towards the front of the car where Ed was. Ed petted his head; Niko was reaching out for one last contact with his Dad. Moments later, Niko took his last breath. It happened right before we reached the hospital. I say it was Niko's rebellious way of telling us he had always hated going to the vet. When we arrived, I asked for Niko to be taken inside just to make sure he was gone and the technician confirmed it. We brought Niko back to the house and there was no question that we would bury him in his favorite place. Niko is buried by the tree pictured here that overlooks the fields he used to run in and the woods in the distance is where we used to go hiking with him.

Niko was two and half years old. I feel very sad he was taken from us so quickly. We can't help but wonder if we did the right thing. I will say that Niko lived a very full life, had many experiences, and was loved by all. If we hadn't given him off-leash time, he wouldn't have done and seen half the things he wanted to. My friend Mona captured it well: "Niko was an adventurer and his parents accepted his free spirit." If I had to choose a favorite off-leash experience, it would be the time we went on the canoe/backpacking trip in the Adirondacks a few months ago. The trip was not possible if we did not trust him off the leash. I smile when I think back to how he sat next to me when we had to take a break from transporting the canoe. Off leash, Niko had free reigns to run off, but he chose to stay close to us and wait until we were ready to move again.I had taken the following picture two weeks before NIko's fateful day and had planned on writing a post about this sleeping position. I like how he intricately crosses all four of his paws like that. I'd like to think that he's resting peacefully like so.

Even after a month had passed, we miss Niko every single day. Life is just different without him. We both have dreams of him now, when we did not when he was alive. I especially miss his soft fur and how he cheers me up on bad days. Writing this blog was more fulfilling than I had imagined when I started it and I'm happy it is there for us to reflect on our days with Niko. Through the blog, I found other Shiba Inu bloggers from around the world. You can bet I'll continue reading up on you guys and living vicariously through you. 
I am concluding this blog with a few pictures from when Niko was a puppy to his last Christmas.  And a list of the multiple nicknames we had for him: Niko Peeko, Bud Bud, Bum Bum, Bumblebutt, Pup Pup, and Foxy. Niko lives in our hearts forever.