Riatta, Portrait of a Llama. Egg tempera on prepared panel.

I'm pleased to announce that this painting received an honorable mention in the 5th Annual Best of Show | Pets Art Competition, sponsored by ArtistsNetwork.com. It will appear on their website and in the Sept/Oct 2026 issue of the Artists Magazine.

 

Wyndee

Julia Miller, a professional photographer, visited a few weeks ago and took some great photos of my horse, Wyndee. Wyndee is half-Arabian and half Appaloosa. Her markings are referred to as a "snowflake Appaloosa". She gets more spots every year. I work with her on dressage - a change from her early work as a cow horse. 

For those who do not know, "dressage" is a series of movements performed by rider and horse that originated in military training. It is now a competitive sport and is one of the three Olympic equestrian sports. It is sometimes referred to as "figure skating of the horse world". 

Wyndee is a character. If several people are talking, she wants to stop whatever she is doing and join the conversation. She loves peppermints and bananas.

https://www.juliamillerphotography.com/

Puppies Are The Best

Waffles is my new pup!

Taki, my 5-yr old pup, has been lonely since Weema died in March 2024. So I decided it was time for something lift him up.

Waffles doing what she
does best - giving kisses!

Waffles, smooth hair mini-dachshund, weighed 4.1 lbs when I brought her home. She now weighs about 12 lbs, which puts her in the "tweenie"category (miniature doxies are 11 lbs and under). She is into everything, and has discovered how to tip over the trash can and then spread all her goodies around! 

Waffles snuggled up to Taki.
She's almost as big as he is!

Waffles and Taki roll around together and have a grand time. There is a bit of arguing over chewies... Waffles always wants what Taki has.