Dog Photography Blog

Rest in Peace Bender

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Yesterday we sent you to the Rainbow Bridge. I miss you so much. 

The past two weeks have been tough as the cronic liver disease you had flared and your liver started to fail. You fought as best you could and you’re now in a happy, healthy place, wrestling, playing and hanging out with Icey, Mick, Axel and all of those who were at the Rainbow Bridge before you. Chase the squirrels, chew all the bones, take all the naps my sweet pibble. 

Bender’s story started in with a visit to Hawk Creek Humane Society on February 11th 2011.

Strolled the kennels and was struck by a cool shepherd mix named Dax and a mega adorable brown and white pittie named Bender. Bender was a stray who was running the streets with another dog. No info on his age or history. I fell in love with his ears and his sweet personality.

 

A couple of weeks passed and the shelter posted that he was starting to get a bit bummed out being in the shelter and was hanging out in the office. They were looking for someone to foster him. I volunteered & March 11 he arrived.

Bender joined the pack of Mick, Icey and Axel. At first he was a total lughead. He listened casually, liked the gang, napped and took treats but didn’t really click with me. Until one day when a lightbulb turned on and he realized I wasn’t too shabby of a lady. From there I knew he belonged to our pack. When he was due for his shots the following year, we could do them and negate the adoption fee or bring him in for shots and bring him back to the shelter. We opted for the shots and Bender formally was ours.

He and Axel were the bestest buds, running, chasing and wrestling together until an argument involved teeth and they were put on crate and rotate. This continued for years until Kris and I got our house – Bender came with us and Axel stayed with my parents.

Bender was sweet, spunky and chill. He snored like an old man, would sneeze then bark at us if he wanted to chew his bone or occasionally if he needed to poop. He loved walks and smelling all the smells was one of his favorite things. He wasn’t fond of other dogs, rain or water and always had something to say to the mailman and delivery guy, occasionally the people strolling past the house. He enjoyed cucumbers, carrots, radishes, blueberries, lettuces, spinach, and all kinds of snacky foods. Walks were his jam as were car rides. He napped like a cat and LOVED to bake in the sunshine. He was gentle when he took treats, though his treat face was a little intimidating.

He was deeply loved and is greatly missed. Rest well my sweet pittie. I love you Bender.

Rest in Peace Bender Read More »

The End of Summer

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Whoosh.
Summer came, it heated up, served us ice cream and swimming outings, parades and fireworks and rolled into lazy dog days. Now its lazily waning as school supplies and Halloween display in the stores, the early leaves are transitioning and children anticipate school.

This was one of those summers where it went streaking by too quickly.

Mondays at the part time gig of the camera shop, weekdays sewing as a madman for Atomic Collars, every other weekend at the Minneapolis Pet Market hanging out with other awesome pet vendors, every opposite weekend filled with adventure and my two favorite guys. There was a trip to a cabin and a long weekend for my birthday.  Then the summer was gone. 

Photography has been quiet. The oomph of steam that had the birthday excitement petered out when there was a loss of time (coordinated around the cabin trip, might want to rethink that…) and I lost the organization to pick winners as well as release the contests for all 8 sessions. Part was due to the amplification of Atomic Collars. Sewing = time. With more sewing to do to create stock, it ate into marketing and social media for About A Dog Photography.

Don’t worry, we aren’t going anywhere. We made it to 9 years, can’t stop us now!

With back to school happening soon there will be an adjustment made. I’m helping my mom out during the weekdays so Monday-Thursday won’t be available until after 5 pm. Fridays are out as that’s a pizza night and hangout day. This will hold steady until we reach then end of September when our start time is 5:30 pm (we meet up an hour and half before sunset for the best light).

Now if we need to, we can shorten the session to an hour and shoot until we lose light. This would give us weekdays until  October 18th with a start time of 5:30, sunset at 6:25 pm. Any weekdays after the 18th of October will be only available as a short session due to the loss of light as the season transitions. This will remain in effect for weekdays until the time change in March. 

Select weekends will be available pending events with Atomic Collars. At the moment the weekends of September 18th & 19th, October 3rd, 16th-17th, October 30th and November 13th-14th are available.  If you want a session then, call dibs ASAP!

Peak fall leaf color is typically late September to mid October for the middle of the state aka St. Cloud area. The Twin Cities tends to have a later start and later range, with leaves turning in late September and transitioning into late October, while the North Shore is going to peak in September (waterfalls and leaves? yes please! Though water levels are low this year…) 

 The week of October 11th-18th ought to have a fair display of color for the St. Cloud area, possibly for the Twin Cities (we know there’s tons of variables) and I’ll be doing active weekly reporting of the colors starting in September. If you want a session during that week, email me ASAP!  Only 5 weekdays that week are available for full sessions!

The weekend of November 13th-14th is the VERY LAST weekend to book a session to guarantee you receive your prints, albums etc in time for Christmas. Yes we can have sessions in December but you won’t get your prints and products in time for Christmas. Print and product production is 3-4 weeks, especially around the holiday season. 

From January to March 12th there will be no weekday sessions and only select weekends available. At the moment January 22nd & 23rd, February 5th & 6th, February 19th & 20th, March 5th & 6th are available.

Starting the week of March 14th we can resume weekday sessions! Start time would be 6 pm and as the spring heads into summer start times will get a bit later. When we hit the end of school in June, weekdays will be fully available for morning and evening sessions, with select weekends available. 

Can’t forget about Viewing Sessions! These will only be available in the evenings after 5 pm weekdays and can be done in person or virtually via Skype from the start of the school year until summer break. Summer will give us more flexibility, but Viewing Sessions will always be on a weekday, whether in the morning, afternoon or evening. 

Now you’re in the loop! Starting in September there were will be weekly blogs featuring a report on fall leaf colors. I may add some other fun dog things – recipes, dog facts, possibly adorable pictures of pups. 

Keep staying safe in this new normal world. Hugs from me and sniffs from Bender. (Kris says hi too!) ♥

The End of Summer Read More »

From the interim

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It’s one of those posts that is challenging to create a title for.

No, we don’t want to be like “oh hey, it’s been awhile” (it has). Or a “hello, sorry we’ve been gone”. Classics when you’ve gone from blogging, to half ass blogging to forgetting that you have a blog (it’s really been nearly two months???).

From the interim.

Interim
– noun / the intervening time
– adjective / in or for the intervening period; provisional or temporary

What we’ve been up to since the end of January (the post previous to this one):

  • Hanging out with my stepdad & Axle, Tuesday – Friday
  • Learning to snowboard every weekend in February! (It’s tons of fun and has lots of falling down!)
  • Cover dog sessions for Sidewalk Dog (want to win a session & Atomic Collar?)
  • Watching lots of daytime TV and Roseanne…
  • TONS of updates to Atomic Collars
  • Learning new hobbies for the warm months: longboarding & roller skating!
  • Obsessing about doughnuts and archiving vintage doughnut recipes – frying will commence soon!
    (Stay up to date with those adventures over at Banterings!)

Axle says hi! He’s turning 10 this year….. EGADS!!! How did he get so old and grey?

From here forward, we’ll be able to do sessions in the evenings (starting at 6 pm) until the very end of May when the summer holiday starts. Then we can meet up during the week in the morning for an early golden hour (starting at 5:30 am!) or keep to the evening golden hour.

As for viewing sessions, we’ll have to conduct them in the evenings – we can do them virtually (via Skype) or in person (masks & being socially distant). Editing of your prints might be delayed a bit, please allow for a little extra time until we enter into June!

Remember, we’re booking about 2 weeks out for sessions! This puts us at the first week just after April (and Easter!).

We may have a little green foliage by then, but don’t be deterred by the browns! The golden browns of leftover grasses look AMAZING covered in golden light as the sun sets. Dark colored dogs, medium colored dogs and light colored dogs all would look stellar in the golds!

Or instead of strolling through the parks of browns and golds we can go urban and find bold murals, bricks and alleys, all while the area is quieter (summer could add more people out enjoying the weather).

** Remember: we can do a weekend session but there is a fee of $50 for the weekend – so the session will be $300. 

Days that aren’t available for sessions:

  • June 14th – 19th
  • August 9th (my birthday!)
  • November – December (for holidays & getting prints before Christmas)

From the interim Read More »

The last Friday of the first month of the new year!

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Today is the last Friday of the first month of the new year, the 2021 year, and where has it gone?

Mondays are captured by the part time gig, the rest of the week have me adventuring to Paynesville for hanging out with my stepdad, weekends hold variables of low key to high energy. 

New things are incoming for Atomic Collars (found 2″ pink webbing & rose gold hardware!) plus sewing like a fiend. Plus a new way to post the images to the website that invokes the feel of retro & atomic.  Awesome things are coming!

Sessions are less frequent in the January – March timeframe, often due to cold. Though this Jan has been quite tolerable without a single negative temp day (we’re still getting into 10 and below, just not negative!). The pause in sessions allows for reflection, some updates to be taken care of to the website, and any tweaking to service, workflow and the many many areas of a business.  This has captured a fraction of the month’s time. 

Add in ample TV (daytime TV… oh the drama in the soaps!), assorted meals, a bit of furnace repair and odd bits and ends and you’ve got January in a pod. 

How’s your first month of the new year been?

Today, January 29th is:

– National Big Wig Day (wear a big wig to raise funds for the American Cancer Society Look Good/Feel Better division)
– National Corn Chip Day
– National Puzzle Day

Upcoming virtual event: Union Depot’s Doggie Depot! 

Taking place on Saturday February 6th (the last weekend of Winter Carnival) Union Depot will be hosting their dog friendly event virtually. Pop in the morning to do guided yoga with your pup, then visit the vendors and watch the crowning of the King & Queen at 1 pm! There will be tons of giveaways throughout the day. 

For all of the details: Union Depot Doggie Depot 

Vintage Recipe Time!

From our beloved 1896 Cook Book – Friday, January the twenty-ninth, the menu submitted by Harriet Mann of Evanston, Ill. 

BREAKFAST
Quaker oats
Codfish in puree of potatoes
Bread and butter
Hominy drop cakes
Coffee

LUNCHEON
Sardine salad
Cracker toast
Fairy gingerbread
Cheese
Tea

DINNER
Scotch roll
Shred cabbage
Riced potato
Togus bread
Cheese custards
Bread and butter
Bananas
Apples
Shells

Breakfast starts fair (Quaker oats have been around since 1877!) then whisks us into an interesting protein – codfish for breakfast? Interesting! Luncheon holds mild minus the sardine salad, with dinner ramping into a vibe of Scottish heritage (though Togus bread comes more from Canada than Scotland…). Not exactly sure what shells might be. 

Upon searching, shells make be a baked cake or pastry, baked so there is a bowl that fruit or filling can be added to. Intriguing. Togus is a steamed bread with a cornbread base. The recipe is found in this blog post!

Recipes include: Codfish in Puree of Potatoes, Hominy Drop Cakes, Sardine Salad, Cracker Toast (buttered soda crackers heated until golden brown), Fairy Gingerbread, Scotch Roll, and Cheese Custards. 

 

FAIRY GINGERBREAD
One cupful of butter, two of sugar, one of milk, four of flour, one-third teaspoon soda, one tablespoonful ginger. Beat the butter to a cream; add the sugar gradually, and when light, the ginger; the milk in which the soda has been dissolved, and finally the flour. Turn baking pans upside down and wipe the bottoms very clean. Butter them and spread the cake very thin upon them. Bake in moderate oven until brown. While still hot cut into squares with a cake knife and slip from the pan. Keep in a tin box. This is delicious. With this quantity enough for several days may be made. Remember to spread it as thin as a wafer and cut it the instant it is take from the oven. 

*Moderate oven: 350-375

SCOTCH ROLL
Remove the tough skin from about five pounds of flank of beef. With a sharp knife cut meat from the thick part and lay it upon the thin. Mix together two tablespoonfuls of salt, half a teaspoonful pepper, one-eighth teaspoonful of clove, and one teaspoonful of summer savory. Sprinkle this over the meat the sprinkle with three tablespoonfuls vinegar. Roll up and tie with twine. Put away in cold place for twelve hours. When it has stood so long, place it in a stew pan, cover with boiling water and simmer gently for three hours and a half. Mix four heaping tablespoonfuls of flour with half a cupful of cold water and stir into the gravy. Season to taste with salt and pepper and simmer half an hour longer. Good, either hot or cold. 

*Totally not the recipe I thought it would be! Rolls = a fluffy bread served with dinner. Google agrees that Scotch roll are bits of bread, not beef! 

Best of luck on the recipes! Have fun adventuring in the snow (we’re due for a bit more tomorrow) – we’re taking snowboard lessons tomorrow! EEEEEEEEEEK! Give your pup tons of loving!

If you want to banter, suggest ideas for the blog, set up your session, you can reach me via call or text 320-428-0135 / or via the socials: Facebook & Instagram

The last Friday of the first month of the new year! Read More »

Mid Month Friday + 2020 recap

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An odd snow day to start the mid month out on – crusty, crunchy – and not the 4-10 inches that were forecasted to blanket mid Minnesota today (granted there is still ample time for a rather large dumping of snow…)

Thus far the month has been tolerable for temperatures, with adventures in sledding and the idea of snowboarding (hasn’t happened yet, lessons will be in the works first!) while the daylight is stretching longer into the day with a formal sunset of 4:58. 

Today is: 
– National Hat Day
– National Strawberry Ice Cream Day (National Ice Cream Day happens July 1st!)
– National Bagel Day (first known mention of bagels is 1610, though they could have been around before!)

Our favorite bagel: french toast or blueberry!

Totally realized we didn’t do a recap of the AWESOME clients from 2020! 13 total sessions!

New friends, old comrades (Eli & Margot, Stewart, Kaedo, Willie & Dani) and a horse named Peas too!

Who’s who, from the top:
Rowdy, Clarabella, Mishka, Davey, Eli & Margot, Huey, Ozzie, Stewart, Kaedo, Willie, Stella, pack of 4  (Frankie, Maple, Trim & Billie Jean), Dani and Peas. 

* Fun note: Stella’s session was the very last of the year – it was on New Year’s Eve! And those baby bulldog wrinkles!!!!!!!

Vintage Recipe Time!

Before we adventure into today’s recipe… we made a graham muffin recipe! It was… successful, though the muffins ended up quite dense and non muffin like. No butter in the recipe from 1896, not sure if that is what made them so unique in shape and consistency.

2 batches baked, second batch gained a splash more of milk, ginger & mace. They rose a bit more but still the mouth feel was rather dense. Further experimenting will be needed. (The adventure will show up on the side blog Banterings).

With no further ado: Friday January the Fifteenth, 1896, submitted by Mrs. M. A. Sacksteder of Downer’s Grove Ill. 

BREAKFAST
Cerealine flakes
Liver and bacon, sauté
Bread and butter
Squash griddle cakes
Coffee

LUNCHEON
Welsh rarebit
Togus bread
Mother’s cake
Raspberry jam
Tea

DINNER
Tapioca cream soup
White fish au gratin
Potato puffs
Parsnips fried in molasses
Chow-chow
Cream cakes
Orange sherbet
Drip coffee

No idea what chow-chow is… a quick skim of the book and no recipe. Hmmm… onward to the Google machine!

Chow-chow is a pickled relish, pickled in a canning jar,  typically consisting of green tomatoes, cabbage, onion and peppers or a combination of carrots, beans, cauliflower or peas. They can be mild or spicy, with a distinct flavor profile pending on what region of the states you’re in. Southern chow-chow is usually just chopped bell peppers, green tomatoes, sweet onions and cabbage. Northern chow-chow can consist of cauliflower, carrots, beans, onions, bell peppers, and whatever else was leftover from the garden. 

—

Cerealine flakes were made from corn (flattened between rollers into flakes) and the first dry breakfast food retailed in America. Seems its consistency was akin to porridge more than our notion of cereal. Production ended in the just before the 20s as the market filled with crunchy cold cereal options (corn flakes arrived on scene in 1906) and Cerealine fell out of favor. 

—

Recipes included with this entry: Liver and Bacon, Welsh Rarebit, Togus Bread, Mother’s Cake, Tapioca Cream Soup, White Fish, Parsnips Fried in Molasses, and Orange Sherbet. 

WELSH RAREBIT, quick
Grate one pint of cheese. Sprinkle on it half a teaspoonful of mustard, one-fourth a teaspoonful of salt and a speck of red pepper. Heap this on slices of buttered toast and put in the oven until the cheese begins to melt, when hurry to the table. 

TOGUS BREAD
Three cupfuls of sweet milk and one of sour, three cupfuls of Indian meal and one of wheat flour, half a cupful of molasses, one teaspoonful of saleratus, one of salt. Steam three hours. Good hot or cold. Enough for several meals. 

sweet milk = regular milk
sour milk = buttermilk
Indian meal = most likely corn meal
saleratus = baking powder

ORANGE SHERBET
Two gills of orange juice, one of lemon, one cup of sugar, one pint of cold water. Strain and freeze. 

gill = half a cup or 4 ounces

Been sewing like a fiend for Atomic Collars. Bin neckties and a pair of martingales, oh my! Plus there’s a new look to all of the product images – something that fits the “retro” feel of Atomic Collars. Take a gander and let me know what you think!

(Plus there’s a batch of plaids, upcycled from scarves in the ready in waiting stage! EEEEK!)

Stay warm, cozy and snuggled in with your pupper! 

Ample ways to chitchat – about the recipes, questions about photography, just general banter, setting up a session and beyond – email / call or text 320-428-0135 / Facebook or Instagram. 

Mid Month Friday + 2020 recap Read More »

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