You think they're called the "Dog Days"
because you sit around in the heat, practically panting. Well yeah, but
the origin of the term is astronomic: The period between July 3 and
August 11 is when Sirius, the Dog Star, rises the same time as the sun.
So as we bid "Farewell" to the Dog Days of 2015, say "Hello" here to
Sampson, Jake and Farley, Seti and Tyra, Atlas, and M. Claude (he is French). Hope you like the pictorial of Odell Painting's favorite summer pupstomers!
Sampson, Fordhook Farm, Doylestown
We
wanted to photograph Sampson as early as possible in the day because he
gets rather busy, patrolling the sprawling estate of the Burpee
Company's historic farm and national historic district,
where we are painting the exterior (and some of the interior) of the
farm's Inn. Sampson, 8, who belongs to Burpee Chairman and CEO George
Ball, is an SPCA rescue. A mix of Rottweiler, Lab and Beagle, he loves
to hunt (although he doesn't catch anything). You may get a chance to
meet Sampson if you attend the Farm's Open Day on August 15. There will be lectures, exhibits...and food demonstrations! Admission is free.
Jake and Farley, Buckingham
Look
up "mischief makers" in the dictionary, and there they are. Farley,
right, tends to be the instigator much of the time, but Jake
occasionally gets the upper paw. These Border Collie/Lab brothers, who
survived the deadly parvo virus, were introduced to their humans, Jay
and Dawn Nurney, when the 3-month-old pups were transported from Alabama
to Pennsylvania, thanks to a rescue team. We've been working on the
Nurney property on and off for years, on both the interior and exterior.
Now if only these two (the dogs, not the Nurneys) could pick up a paint
brush and help.
Seti and Tyra, Ottsville
Here
are Seti and Tyra on a back deck we stained earlier this summer. Almost
9, Tyra, right, was a rescue, and these days loves to sleep and take
walks around the property. Ohio-bred Seti, who's only 15 months old,
stands nearly 40 inches on all fours. He likes to walk in Frenchtown,
talk to people and other dogs - and have his picture taken, says mom
Martie Kyde. Aside from both being Great Danes, they have something else
in common...
...knuckle bones, their favorite "snack."
Atlas, Doylestown
He's
161 pounds of American Mastiff, and whimpers if you leave the room
without him. Also Ohio-bred, this 8-year-old likes to eat and be close
to the people he loves. Sounds like a perfect lifestyle. When we were in
the thick of the interior job, his mom, Julie Waters, was afraid Atlas
was getting in the way. Because when Atlas sits around the room, he
sits...around...the room. Ba-dump-bump.
M. Claude, Durham
We first met le monsieur
a few years ago when we painted Chris and Hal Taylor's historic Durham
home. We reacquainted ourselves with the 11-year-old, 35-pound (!)
Bichon Frise - who was rescued from a circus! - when we went out to take
a look at the Taylor's barn last month. True to his heritage, Claude is
a lover - even of cats! And even though the barn isn't a project till
spring, we wanted to include Claude because, well, he is the prototype
of the dog we had long wanted to share our home with. ...Which we now
are.
Darian, Ferndale
Meet
Darian Merolla Odell, the newest member of our family. She is a
6-year-old Bichon and, no, we did not do that to her ears and paws. She
was surrendered first to a groomer, who thought a little "paint job" was
in order. But the groomer, unable to meet the costs of some surgery
Darian needed, in turn surrendered her to the Burlington County (NJ)
Animal Alliance, and we found her through Petfinder.
We met Darian on July 30 at the Mount Laurel, NJ, Petsmart (pictured
below) and three hours later she was sitting on our couch (pictured
above). We are in puppy love.
We'll see you in September!
Woof....
Carla, Ken and Darian
