With a nod to Poe...

Dere are things out dere creeping,

So to da door da Princess goes peeping...

Da Harlow does not want da drama,

But watch we should, da Momma....

Da bunnies, Momma! Dey can’t be trusted,

Some day soon dey will be busted!

So da Harlow stands here peeping,

For da things out dere creeping....

First published on Facebook January 14, 2017

Sunday Noir - Part 2

Originally published on Facebook November 9, 2017.

When Rescues Write Noir....

Ramble had a thing about horses. It got him in trouble before, betting on them. He just needed that one win, he told himself. There was one horse in particular he was fond of, a big fellow with fuzzy feet. He sure wasn’t a plow horse, that one. 

Finding the money to bet was easy. The dame lent it to him. Where she got it he didn’t ask. He promised to buy her something nice. Something sparkly and suitable for a princess, he said. 

Placing the bet was tougher. It was hard to find a bookie out in the sticks. Monty thought he’d find one in town, and he had no reason to doubt him. He’d catch a ride with one of the locals, he decided. He stood in the side of the road and waited, the yellow dirt coating his paws. After a while he realized he’d probably never get a chance to place that bet. The only traffic here was the occasional tractor heading to yet another endless field, the farmers waving at him in their cheerful way as they passed by. 

The money was safe in his pocket, next to a crumpled Skittles wrapper and an old bus ticket to Albuquerque . Safe, he thought sourly, but doing nothing for him. He needed to place that bet. He was running out of time.

Sunday Noir - Part One

One of the responses to questions on the 2018 Pet Blogger Challenge was that several of our readers do not have Facebook.  I decided that I would repost some of the mini series that I had originally published there.  Here is part one from "When Rescues Write Noir...."

Originally published on Facebook November 5, 2017.

He went by the name Ramble DeAmble, but he had gone by other names. He’d done time too, he had a rap sheet as long as his front leg. If only these people knew. Would they have given him a place to rest his head? The other one, Monty is his name, says yes. 

Monty had been in and out of prison so many times, he gets birthday cards from the guards. Monty was always making sure he had an escape route. He practices it nightly, pacing back and forth, checking the doors and windows.... 

The dame, she says the same. What was her name? Harlow? She’s a looker, that one, claims she’s royalty. Who knows, maybe she is. She has a different way about her. 

Monty sometimes talks about his escape tunnel behind the old greenhouse. Ya gotta be ready he says, for when they come for you. Monty has a thing about lights. Time in the big house can do that to you, Ramble supposed. 

He’s on a farm now, in the middle of nowhere. He can try to make it as a farmer, he thinks, except he hates dirt, and rain, and the outdoors in general. So he stays inside, making friends with the people. Making friends with Monty and the dame. At least there is plenty of food, he thinks. That’s something.

2018 Pet Blogger Challenge

It's that time of year again!  The Annual Pet Blogger Challenge is here - I hope you enjoy reading about our blog! 

Hurry up!  Da Momma is blogging!

 For those who may be visiting your blog for the first time, how long have you been blogging and what is your main topic?
We've been blogging for close to ten years! We've tried to keep the blog humorous and fun and focus on the stories of our three pups.

What was your proudest blogging moment of 2017?
I'll admit, we didn't do much blogging in 2017.  We had a grand total of 18 posts!  New duties at work kept me busy - and after spending all day on the computer, I wasn't motivated to come home and spend more time.  Things are quieting down and I'm ready to get back into it!    ...and I'm going to have to talk to our graphics department about a new banner....

Dis sounds serious.

Additionally, I have found Facebook an amazing venue for quick posts and short stories.  Make sure to follow the links on the right and like Princess Harlow Speaks page.

In terms of your blog, how do you measure success?
I love the feedback from our fans.  If I get comments where folks tell us how happy our posts make them or how they laughed reading our stories, I consider that a success.

Happy readers make da Harlow happy!

 What was the biggest blogging challenge you overcame in 2017, and what did you learn that could help other bloggers?
Taking breaks is okay.  I have found our fans are still there, waiting to read our stories.  Sometimes you have to focus on life first and the blog second, and that is totally okay.

Resting....  beep....

 When things get hard, what keeps you blogging?
I'll admit, I've got a bit of an overactive imagination.  The blog is a venue to tell some of the stories that are constantly swirling around my head - especially in regards to the trio of pups that share our home.

Looking forward to 2018, what are you hoping to accomplish on your blog this year?
I want to post more, but I have decided to not try to stick to a schedule this year and just post as the stories come to me.

In addition to what you’d like to accomplish, is here one specific skill you’d like to improve or master this year?
Over the years I have been encouraged by our readers to write stories (books) regarding our pups, using photos and doodles I do through out the year.  This year I'd like to explore that option and see where it takes us.  Reader feedback is going to be so important to us this year!

What would our readers like to see?
Any suggestions on what you would like to see on our blog?  Let us know and we will try to include it in the blog!

More Harlow, right?

 Thank you all for sticking with us through the years!  We love our readers and the comments you make!  We hope everyone has a wonderful 2018.

...from the good folks at How Sam Sees It - Monty, Harlow, Ramble, Aaron and Christine