Holiday Marketplace Preview is going to be a fancy schmancy event!!

Just heard that the weekend Lacy and I are scheduled to participate in the Berkshire Botanical Gardens Holiday Marketplace is the very weekend that the Norman Rockwell Christmas festivities kick off the holiday season.The  Red Lion Inn will be decked out magnificantly as well as the quaint Stockbridge shops,  carollers will be carolling, vendors and shop keepers will be dressed in period costume and all the usual greenery and twinkling lights that launch this fun time of year will be on view.   The Norman Rockwell Christmas is a yearly event that  always attracts a big crowd.   The preview opening of the BBG Holiday Marketplace will be stocked with outstanding  dried wreaths created for the gardens, as well as crafts and LOLLYPUPS DESIGNER PET WEAR. ::giggles::   
"The town of Stockbridge, made famous by Norman Rockwell’s painting of the village during the holidays, becomes a magical New England setting decorated with holiday wreaths and festive lights, as the town celebrates the 21st annual Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas, December 4th and 5th.
Sponsored by the Stockbridge Chamber of Commerce, the holiday celebration offers a full range of activities, with highlights including a holiday house tours, caroling, and a holiday concert (which I'm sorry to say, is already sold out).
Capping off the weekend on Sunday is a re-creation  of the scene depicted in "Main Street at Christmas", complete with vintage automobiles parked in the spots occupied in the painting. The day’s activities include horse drawn rides, a visit from Santa, Roger the Jester, lunch at the Christmas Food Booth and much more."

For a hefty $75 admission charge, patrons get first look at all there is to offer on Friday evening Dec. 3rd,   but they also get to sample food and wine from the area restaurants for that admission fee, which goes to support the botanical gardens. Not to fret though, Saturday and Sunday are free to the public and parking is free too.    I'm not sure what other vendors will be participating  as I didn't receive this years list.  But Lacy and Lollypups will be there with bells on (literally) and brand new harnesses as well as the unique alpaca sweaters for pets and matching people scarves.  Great gifts for all those chic pets and pet parents out there. Really excited about it and looking forward to getting my Christmas shopping done all in one spot as well.  All this and a little bit of Americana too.  Do I sound like the chamber of commerce, or  what??

Dog news Senior style

Yes Lacy is a Senior and I hate to admit it, my status as such will be official in two more years. The question "how to cope with the ageing process" I’m able to answer about the senior "me". That is, simply ignore it. Do what you've done all your life; exercise, eat right, laugh, create, love family and friends, enjoy a glass or two of wine, be kind and hurt no one. The senior Lacy is another prospect altogether. I watch her and worry when she stumbles, I call her and worry when she doesn't respond, I touch her and worry when she jumps as if startled. It's harder to watch her slow down than it is for me to deal with my torn meniscus, thinning hair, acid reflux and gnarly hands. I wear a knee brace, put my hair in a pony tail, take prilosec and play my fiddle....all to stem the flow of an ageing body and mind. I can do these things. But my little girl (can't help still calling her that) is sometimes confused, sometimes skittish, always ready for a nap and stubbornly resistant to taking walks. For over a year,  I've cooked her chicken and rice, shredding it in the food processor to compensate for her missing teeth. It was after she suffered from an intestinal infection last February that had me wringing my hands in anticipation of the dreaded words " she won't make it". She did.

But today, as she does every now and then, she reverts to her puppy-like state and plays hide and seek with me at the top of the stairs (which she refuses to walk down unless I'm behind her).  Her mighty bark , sort of a gurgling "raou raou" sound, leads me to believe that she's getting annoyed with me laughing at her as she peeks from behind the wall to see if I'm still there, then bolts away only do it again and again... always refusing my request to come down the carpeted steps with me.
She makes me laugh at how smart she is, looking at the door, then at me, than at the door again, until I take her out.   I delight in her ability to curl up on the tiniest fragment of something that belongs to me,a sock, a skein of yarn,  and take a nap. On our excursions to the back yard, she becomes a fierce protector at the sight of deer in the back woods, and charges after them as they run at the sound of her shrill bark.  But always stopping short of catching up with them, she turns to see if I'm still there to step in if necessary. It's as if to say, "you pests stay OUT of MY back yard, if you know what's good for you"  And they obey, (temporarily)
She stays with me in my studio all day as I work, and follows me out for my frequent bathroom breaks.  When she informs me of her equally frequent need to pee, I patiently oblige.

Lacy and I are growing old together and I have realized over the years, that she's added more to my life than I ever imagined she would when she was my daughter's puppy. When my daughter went off to college, Lacy stayed with me and has been my best friend ever since ( I never even thought to give her back).  
Mostly though, Lacy is my canine soul mate. I have my husband (soul mate #1) and my two daughters (my love for them is beyond description). But my "little girl" and I have a relationship I share with no one. As we grow old together, I sense her frailties along with my own. We talk like two old broads on a squeaky rocker (or I talk and she graciously listens with her head on my lap) or we sit silently together in the back yard, feeling the warmth of the sun on our faces.   But mostly, she surprises me with her occasional agility and its similarity to my own (now and then) as if she and I are completely simpatico like best friends are.  I read that to keep a senior dog healthy one must continually stimulate them both mentally and physically.  Teach an old dog new tricks, so to speak. I try to do something each day…. a physical command, a tossed toy to fetch, it lasts for about three minutes, then we both grow tired and take a rest. I guess that’s better than nothing.

Blustery Fall day....hail and rain and leaves twirling ferociously

Halloween can't just come and go without a picture to celebrate.  Our house sits on top of a hilly cul de sac so we don't get trick or treaters and I don't dress Lacy in costume (she's way too proper for that) but she did manage to pose in the Pepper sweater beside our pumpkin.  I can't ask for much more than that.   

Today is a perfect day for completing some harness designs.  I did want to go into the city on a selling trip to a couple of doggy day care places that just opened, but will wait for tomorrow when I have more items to show.  Meanwhile, Lacy and I travelled to Philly over the weekend and visited the headquarters of Anthropologie (their flagship store) and were totally wowed by the place.  It looked hip and palatial,  with pillars, high ceilings and a stained glass dome.  I didn't know whether to drool over the surroundings or the product so I did both.  Lots of ooing and aahing from this Lollymama and lots from the patrons and sales people in the store as I walked past with Lacy wearing her Candy sweater. The diva dog refused to walk (new?) so I'm very thankful for the time I spend in the gym building up my biceps.  I hate the idea of carrying her like an accessory but in this environment, it worked and she got a lot of attention.  The manager of the store gave me the contact number for the buying office so I can approach them about carrying the designs and I placed a call today.  I'd be so honored !! Philly is a nice city and is filled with dogs (all dressed in sweaters!) prancing down the streets on a brisk Sunday morning so Anthro would be an ideal situation for us! 

I should know if I'm in the running for one of the grants I applied for by the first of December.  Meanwhile, I just want to sell the product I have now (retail or wholesale) and get on with new pieces! 

So, update complete...........now back to work.