Anna was in her own bed as she has an early swim meet, leaving the house by 6:30 AM
A busy picture. So busy I –
transformed it to black and white due to the wild colors, stripes, patterns and conflicting light. Caught with the iPhone without a flash, just a snippet of the fun I enjoy with the grandchildren when I visit. Now the boys say they want a campout with grandma but I think it is my iPod touch they want to use to watch a cartoon. We’re in the basement guest room. Maura(3) looks around and says,”There are no windows.” That’s true, not in this room. Hope no one wakes up at 3 AM and is missing his or her own bed.
You’ve seen him many times on the blog. His endearing personality and stuffed animal appearance make him a satisfying (and willing) subject to photograph. He wants to be in the pictures with the family. I know some readers are not “dog people” but Murphy is an important member of the family and I know they will enjoy telling him he is “on the blog”!
The recent Weekly Photo Challenge: Peaceful, featured Murph under a shade tree in Hardy, VA and he was on earlier today, being patient as Anna and Maura put sock monkeys on his back.
I didn’t give him proper recognition for his TENTH birthday which is TODAY! January 24th!!
My sister sent the hat and bone from NYC and I photographed him on Saturday with his birthday treat.
I said,” Whatcha doin’ Murph?” and he stopped gnawing and looked up at me, so tolerant of old Grandma and her camera lens, frequently pointed in his direction.
An early post before Midnight so it is ON the day, not belated. Happy Birthday Murphy.
When Anna was a baby I made her a sock monkey out of a pair of Rockford Red Heel Socks, just as I had done for her father when he was little. The sock monkey didn’t get much playtime and I didn’t make anymore for the other three grandchildren. At Christmas I noticed Anna using the sock monkey like a puppet with the other kids at breakfast. Everyone was laughing and she was enjoying playing with her(it is a girl and her name is Mrs. Sock Monkey) She asked me if I could make her a pink sock monkey. I said I didn’t know how I could because I didn’t know at the time you could buy PINK red heel socks.
Last weekend when I visited, the old sock monkey had not only a bed made from a Costco box, covered in blanket but there was a small basket added as a bunk with a junior sized sock monkey wrapped up in a hand knitted dishrag (the sock monkey was one of Murphy the Airedale’s former toys!- every dog needs a sock monkey).
And to Anna and Maura’s surprise, I showed up with two pairs of PINK red heel socks I found online. Laura brought over her portable sewing machine and I sat at the kitchen table stitching up the legs and arms. Anna helped stuff the limbs. The girls were really excited to watch the socks turn into monkeys. I embroidered the eyes and nostrils with some variegated cotton yarn I had as a knitting project.
The next morning as they were waiting to go to church, I had them open the front door to get some available light for a photo of them with their monkeys. Strawberry and Blueberry are their names. Blueberry has blue eyes like Maura and that’s how they can tell them apart. I used a 1/5 shutter speed -handheld -which is really not a good idea. Too much camera shake.
The snow in the night added some reflected light but the winter morning was fairly gray. Murphy decided to come and see what was happening outside and Anna thought he would make a good horse for the monkeys. Murphy didn’t even mind. He remained undisturbed even though Maura was squealing excitedly. Then Anna wrote sock monkey on the condensation inside the storm door glass. I love that all the fancy toys are ignored and the homemade bed out of box and a couple of pairs of socks, transformed into monkeys, delighted the girls. I told Anna how Aunt Mary and I went to the Sock Monkey Museum in Rockford, Illinois.
Murphy isn't even paying attention to a couple of riders!Maura watches Anna make the sock monkey wave!I remember writing on windows. The condensation invites it!
Murphy the Airedale. Again. I was sifting through files and saw him looking at me. This was shot at Thanksgiving time in Hardy, Virginia. The day we were attempting the Christmas card photo with the kids all in red.
Photographed during a family visit to Hardy, Virginia. Labor Day Weekend 2006. I like the green and warmth in this photo as it is white, cold and gray in Pittsburgh today.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Peaceful Click here to view fellow bloggers responses to the weekly photo challenge. Their links are in the comments section. A wide variety of photographs.
Murphy the Airedale Terrier is an important part of the McGrath family. Here’s his birthday party 3 1/2 years ago in the kitchen.
In this photo, Erika is expecting Maura Clare- who just turned 3 after Laura and James’ wedding in November. No more jumpy seats in the house these days.
I was trying to decide if Laura had already met James when this celebration shot was taken.
Murphy didn’t get to eat one of his cupcakes but we all did. Well, that was AFTER we sang Happy Birthday. Seriously. The kids loved it!
It was a happy celebration and the excitement level was high, even though it was just before bedtime. Creating family rituals and traditions makes for happy memories later.
You might not believe me but Murphy not only poses, he smiles for the camera! That night grandson Michael hid from the lens, though.
Weekly challenge links to other blogger’s responses to the challenge are here
Check out those doggie cupcakes with the pink chewing gum tongues.
Anna is eight years old today. I remember going to the hospital in the dark, and then watching the sunrise over the Monongahela River from the window. Then I went to school after she as born and everyone was so happy for our family. It was a happy day. Here is a portrait of her with Murphy the Airedale when she was one. It hangs in her bedroom.
And a recent photograph of Anna and Murphy….
The artist of the painting , Alison Zapata, is a new mother herself and paints wonderful pet portraits. Her website is here
Taken just as the sun was slipping below the horizon.
Wednesday night was the swim banquet and I came home in one car with Jack and Maura. Jack opened the door and Murphy came out to greet us. Such excitement and welcoming greetings. He had been to the groomer’s earlier in the day. He was so happy to see us come home. Erika told me that he was feeling left out since I don’t photograph him like I used to. I asked her how she knew. She said he had texted her.
So there he was sitting so nicely on the driveway and the sun was setting and I had my camera from the swim banquet right there and I called him and he looked right at me.
He is a sweet dog. I know everyone has their breeds they are loyal to and Rob has his OPD’s as his favorite breed( other peoples’ dogs) Murphy adores his family and they adore him. He is affectionate and patient and likes to be near people. I don’t have my own dog but enjoy Murphy when I visit. Sometimes he comes to stay at my house when the family goes on vacation.
Since the temperature was 99 degrees plus humidity factor today and it felt like 110 I’m sure it felt good to have his hair cut.
As far as photographs go this is not my best as he looks like a bit like a cardboard cutout against the concrete but I think it captures his personality. Don’t think I have a future in pet portraits.
There are good things that come from taking care of Murphy. I saw clusters of Snow Drops in bloom around the corner when we walked after school. Sandra has a hillside of tiny pale purple crocuses interspersed throughout the grass. This morning before school when I took Murphy out for a quick walk, I heard the birds chirping and singing for the first time, surely another sign of Spring. I wouldn’t call it strenuous exercise but he is strong and keeps me moving along as we walk. So for those expecting the usual Thursday view of the South Side- No supper on the South Side tonight (sorry Bernadette) I promise two more South Side Posts on the way to class next week. Covering Carson Street and the side streets has been a fun self-assignment. But today my car needed the first maintenance check (really exciting copy here) drove from Arlington to Monroeville (for those of you not in the area, there is no good way in Pittsburgh from Point A to Point B) and driving at 4:30 PM it was the thick of traffic. Avoided the Squirrel Hill Tunnel and down Forward Ave passing the Irish Centre where Laura took Step Dancing years ago. After dropping off the car and getting a loaner, I headed for the North Side and Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild where class starts at 6. Tonight we did self-portraits in PhotoShop and presented a project we accomplished in class. I was able to desaturate the whole photo of Laura and James and then use a mask to recolor just their faces. A success. Murphy was so happy when I go home. Such a greeting. He is having a good time with us but misses us during the day. Have to keep Lucy the cat cordoned off so they don’t end up like the Gingham Dog and the Calico Cat by Eugene Field. Murphy misses his family, though.
There are reasons people have dogs
Enthusiasm for your arrival home?
Can’t be beat.
Wanting to sleep by you for company?
Sweet.
You are not going to believe this
but Murphy has one of the best personalities
of anyone I know.Human or canine. Seriously.
Good natured, humorous, and companionable!
An all around good dog. He makes me smile.
I have got to read that book One Nation Under Dog.
