Flash, Blaze, and Westly from Las Cruces

A whole bag from las Cruces NM

Judy and her gang Flash, Westly, and Blaze sent a whole bag of goodies all the way from las Cruces New Mexico to add to the installation. Lots of colorful ones including a penguin's head, a purple duck (gutted), a starfish opened, a strange tail in green, a multicolored, multi-legged creature with rope and fuzz, some kind of woodpecker like bird with fuzz not feathers, and a lovely hot orange bit!

Washed toys from Rosetta and friend

Rosetta sent us some very colorful toys, freshly washed and scented like laundry out of the drier. 

My cats just loved that, and Leila could hardly keep herself from rubbing up against the bag. (She loves scented and perfumed things). She gave her approval. Rosetta sent a whole bag of goodies for us to hang in the exhibit in August, including a very clean, ratty bear with torn ears and tail bitten off, a colorful ropey thing, a one-eyed fish with no more stuffing, a raccoon with a shredded mussel,  and a rabbit made of pale blue fuzz and rope. I am guessing her dog is a long-haired dachshund, based on a card she sent. Rosetta sent everything from Bonita california. WOW! 

Arwen and Brig send toys!

From gutted pineapples to unidentifiable shredded objects, Arwen and Brig have sent some very fine samples of their chewing and gnawing practices. They live in Wimberley, Texas with their friend Cheryl, who kindly mailed these to us all the way from there!  We send our thanks and hope you have lots of cool shade trees and abundant water. It must be darned hot.

more creechies!

More animals keep coming in the mail. These poor specimens really look like roadkill. 

We'll post more shortly! Thanks to everyone who has sent things in. The show will go up August 5th and opens August 6th!  Hope to see you there: Patricia Carega Gallery in Center Sandwich.

Howard and Big Squeaky Squirrel and Baby Squeaky Squirrel

I received a wonderful package recently from Howard of Edgecomb and a lovely hand-written story from his companion humans, Amanda and Andy, who tell of Howard and his fondness for Big Squeaky Squirrel and Baby Squeaky Squirrel, which are on loan to us for the show.

Here's what  Amanda and Andy wrote me:

Big Squeaky Squirrel is ten years old and is Howard's first toy after we adopted him from Lincoln County Animal Shelter. Baby Squeaky Squirrel is 5 years old. Howard loves both, and as you can see, he takes extremely good care of them. For some reason, he hasn't taken to a New Squeaky Squirrel

We think Howard's unusual caretaking of Big Squeaky Squirrel and baby Squeaky Squirrel arises from his unusual first year of his life before we adopted him. Before his rescue by the Shelter, he had no name and was one of dozens of rescued dogs kept by a single owner. His tail hung limp. He was cautious to the extreme.

That first year of Howard's life before his rescue, before our adoption, gave us a dog with the sweetest personality, one who from the very first day with us, sat watching us prepare his food, explored the back of the stereo speakers where he heard voices coming from, relied on his nose to identify us, and despite the beagle in his border collie breeding, never wandered from our house or us. Not once.

He remains committed to his home, to us, and we are all committted to Howard. We love him to pieces, and we love how Howard acts like everything about life is fun and precious, especially Big Squeaky Squirrel and Baby Squeaky Squirrel. The sheer age of these two toys tells a lot about Howard. To see him "play" with them tells even more: very kind and gingerly and careful and very, very loving."

Amanda, Andy, and Howard, thank you for sharing these toys with us for a month or so, We wil also take very, very good care of them and return them to you at the end of the show. Thank you for sharing this beautiful story of love and loyalty. Human and canine, a story with a good ending.

Kaya sends us a newly chewed creature

Kaya and Lord Byron are pals. Kaya and his human companion Annie, sent me a picture of him working away at his toy, which he has removed the tail. ear, and one eye from. The nose and butt have some holes evidencing his play.