"  In the beginning, God created man, but seeing him so feeble, He gave him the dog." ~ Toussenel (1803-1885) French writer, naturalist.

"God sat down for a moment when the dog was finished to observe what He had created.  He knew that it was good, that nothing was lacking and that He could not have done better."

 

~1000 Dogs, The Presence of the Dog,  Raymond Merritt & Miles Barth, TASCHEN [photo files lbw thanks and apologies friends ~ without permission]

 

  

 

 

 

"It is a strange thing, love. Nothing but love has made the dog lose his wild freedom, to become the servant of man."

~ D. H. Lawrence

 "I think we are drawn to dogs because they are the uninhibited creatures we might be if we weren't certain we knew better."  ~ George Bird Evans (American Outdoor Essayist)

"My memory of being a kid is that my mother was available but rarely hovering or directing my activities.  My siblings and I did not have organized playdates.  We rode our bikes around the neighbourhood without adult supervision.  Our parents might have checked on our homework once in a while, but they rarely sat with us while we completed it.  Today, a 'good mother' is always around and always devoted to the needs of her children.  Sociologists call this relatively new phenomenon 'intensive mothering,'  and it has culturally elevated the importance of women spending large amounts of time with their children.  Being judged against the current all-consuming standard means mothers who work outside the home feel as if we are failing, even if we are spending the same number of hours with our kids as our mothers did."

~ LEAN IN ~ WOMEN, WORK, AND THE WILL TO LEAD, Sheryl Sandberg (Chief Operating Officer Facebook) Alfred A. Knopf, 2013.  www.leanin.org

On Friendship ~

"You shall judge of a man by his foes as well as by his friends."  ~ Joseph Conrad (1857-1924)  Writer b. Ukraine.

"It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) Amer. poet, essayist.

"He makes no friend who never made a foe." ~ Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809-1892) Poet Laureate Great Britain & Ireland.

"Constant use had not worn ragged the fabric of their friendship." ~ Dorothy Parker (1893-1967) Amer. writer.

"It is good to have some friends both in Heaven and in Hell." ~ George Herbert (1593-1633) English writer.

"Friends
to borrow my books
and set wet glasses on them."

~ Edwin Arlington Robinson (1869-1935) Amer. poet.

Random Act of Kindness ~  Cold temperatures, relentless winds, endless icy snowbanks on the streets and village sidewalks and today an act of random kindness.  Thank you, Grant Church.  Camera caught him helping downtown.

Suzanne Hurley "To the Stars"

Meet the Author Suzanne Hurley, reading today in The Neat L'l Bookshop.  Suzanne recently released her eighth novel ~ a popular mystery series and now a novel intended for young people who have experienced the loss of a loved one.  To the Stars has received glowing reviews.  To read more, visit the author's website www.suzannemhurley.com

                THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1:00 p.m.

"Everyone Welcome ~ coffee pot's always on..."