pet photography and my life...

As most everyone knows I am an animal lover.  And I have numerous pets.  If you don't know that about me then let me bring you up to speed.  I grew up on a small farm in Indiana and we lived quite a ways out.  We had neighbors right next to us that raised Arabian horses but other then them..for many years the closest one was about a half a mile away or more.  Where I grew up you didn't ride bikes from point A to Point B.. it wasn't practical and our chosen mode was always horseback.  So since I was the furthest out.. I would ride to my friend Susie's house which was about 2 miles away and then we would ride to our friend Sandy's and then the three of us would find a trail or a patch of woods or we would ride them all the way down to the little general store in town.  We would tie them up and go in to get 'penny' candy.   Occassionally we would 'host' a ride through our perspective properties where other kids would come and we would go on trails. 
I was in 4-H.  Cooking because my mom made me  (although I wanted to do woodworking but girls weren't allowed back then) and horseback riding because I was a tomboy and that is what I loved.  I did western pleasure and I had this awesome red shirt and I wore a black and white polka dot simple knot tie and pointed cowboy boots that I loved.. (not sure what happened to those) and a black felt cowboy hat. I did barrel racing and pretty much all events that go with that.  My horse was Fudgie.. named because he was the color of peanut butter fudge.  My fav.  And my mom makes the best!

Okay back to where I am going.. when I was little .. I use to build makeshift teepee's out of limbs from our woods and usually mom's favorite blankets or sheets or whatever.  Now mind you.. I didn't just do this in summer.. I did this in winter also..  where am I going with this?  Here ya go.. since we lived so far out.. people were constantly and I mean constantly dropping off dogs, cats, squirrels, rabbits etc.. for us to take care of.  We had so many pets at one time I couldn't even remember half of them.. it was great as a kid.. but in retrospect.. it was sad that so many people are like that.  But honestly there weren't many shelters if any back then.   So anyway... the sole purpose of bldg the tee pee was so I could let all the dogs and cats come in so I could protect them.  needless to say there was usually no room for me.. but it always amazed me how they would ALL come in and be at peace for one night.  Yes.. I would stay out there the whole night.. cause even though my mom would have my dad bring me in.. I would get right back up and go back out there once they were asleep.  So my love for animals runs deep.. So starting today I am going to chronicle some of the pet antics around here. At least once a week.  There are many and it is non-stop.. and sometimes I wonder how great it might be without this tremendous responsibilty.. but as I lay in bed with a boxer hanging her face over mine and a yellow tiger cat laying on  my stomach I realized how lucky I am.  Because they love you no matter what.  So here are my first candid shots.