Some years I send out holiday cards to friends. Some years I don’t. I like it best when I do… I like staying in touch with friends, and I love getting real mail in my mailbox instead of unwanted junk and wasted trees. However, I haven’t even thought about cards so far this year; as often happens, I’ll end up writing them after Christmas when I have time to savor writing them.
However, it occurred to me that I have several kinds of friends now, and one important category is made up of you–the people who daily overwhelm me with their honesty, knowledge, intelligence and inspiration. Not to mention some truly kick ass senses of humor. Here’s my holiday card to you, a collage of many of the photos I’ve used on cards in the past (that’s Willie’s uncle Luke and Pippy Tay with the sign, Luke and Lassie in the hats), or just photos that I especially love from this year. The older photos are easily distinguished, but as grainy as they are, I couldn’t resist including them.
Next week, (December 28th) I will be taking a week off from posting even a short blog. Picture me hand writing cards to friends, cooking yet more Butternut Squash soup, and taking the dogs on long, ambling walks in the woods.
I hope, more than I can say, that each and every one of you is able to savor all the good that you can find within the next few weeks, and that the love of animals that brings you to this site lights up your life and warms your heart. You certainly warm up mine.
May your New Year be full of peace and exhilaration, in just the right amounts, at just the right time.
Gayla says
If I had seen this in time, I would have plagiarized your last line for all of my cards. I love the way you write…
Mahalo for all you give us, Trisha!
Vicki in Michigan says
Thank you for all you do, all year ’round, every year, to make the world a better place for dogs and their people.
🙂
Trisha says
Gayla: Use it next year with my blessing! Mahalo to you too, and to Vicki, in very untropical Michigan.
Melody Matchett says
I commented to my husband this weekend that we count the passing of time as much in what pets we have had each Christmas in photosover 20 years, and in how much more gray the faces of our current dogs have; as we do in how much our 17 1/2 yr old son and 12 yr old daughter have grown and changed. Our lives would not be as full, chaotic or BLESSED if we did not have our children and our pets (2 dos, 3 cats).
Blessings to all animals and humans!
Melody
"Jo" - Joanne Schreiber says
I have spent the last few days at the family cabin watching a DVD from 2003 (that was a LON time ago Patricia – ha) titled “Dog-Dog Aggression”! Before I left for my vacation, I also picked up my stack of awesome books by who else but Patricia McConnell from my local library to read in my spare time. The poor librarian thought I was nuts! Ok well I am, but none the less…We are first time fosters and are currently fostering a Great Dane that has “aggression” issues (lack of better words). It can be quite overwhelming and a lonely traveled path. Gathering great ideas and putting them to good use! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Now I have a long Christmas list with wanting to own all of your books to always reference back too. Merry Christmas to you and your animal gang on the farm. Thanks for ending my 2015 year on a good note and hope for 2016 to be dog gone good!
Bruce says
Apropos of nothing except dogs:
My car died driving home from work. Coasted to the shoulder, called for a tow, and waited in the wind and rain for an hour, traffic whizzing by at 70 mph. Dropped the car off at the repair place, called my wife to pick me up, and then waited some more.
My dear wife shows up with Red Dog in the car. I sit down in the front seat, and Red Dog flings herself upon me, whole-body wagging, slobbers all over my glasses, plays hairy 50-pound hot water bottle all the way home.
Needless to say, all of the day’s travails quickly receded.
Best holiday wishes to all, and Trish I hope you enjoy your well-earned break.
Roberta says
I’ve just returned from my first holiday time home with family and old friends in 20 years (nursing schedules are not kind to those whose families are far away). I remembered to take my sister’s birthday and Christmas presents (not wrapped, but…), and she allowed my dog, Justus, on all her new furniture and even, gasp, in her lap. He has won her heart. My travel, in 6 days by car, took me over 1500 miles.
After I realized the Christian calendar season of Christmas doesn’t even start till 12/15 (or 12/24 if you want), I relaxed and now enjoy writing my cards during those 12 days of Christmas. Do enjoy next week during the true Christmas season!
Thank you so much for your writing and blog. I enjoy everything about it.
Sherry in MT says
I had friends that owned a mail shipping company. She didn’t have time to do holiday cards so everyone know they’d get lovely Valentine cards from them and it was actually really fun!
Andy says
Those pictures are so wonderful, thanks for sharing them. Happy holidays to you and all my fellow commenters!
Lacey says
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all – certainly pets included!
Ellen Pepin says
Enjoy your well deserved break and you and Jim have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Nic1 says
Trisha, Season’s Greetings to yourself and Jim and ear scratches and belly rubs to your furry family. Such a treat to see these festive pics – Lassie, aww!
Thank you for continuing to generously share your knowledge and wisdom so warmly and graciously with us all and thanks for another year of awesome blogging. Saw this news item and instantly thought of you.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-35159786
Where and when can we pre order your memoir btw!?
Karen says
Merry Christmas Trisha and Jim!! Miss you!! Xoxxo
Trisha says
Merry Christmas Karen! Miss you too!
Laura says
Reading your blog is one of my highlights! Happy Holidays and Thank You for all your wisdom and insight to dogs and people.
Jane B says
Love Christmas greeting card, thank you, and to you also.
Kathy R says
Love the pictures! Merry Christmas, happy 2016 and thank you for your thought provoking insights, personal glimpses into your own struggles an successes and sharing your sense of humor with all of us!
Kelly Schlesinger says
Thanks for sharing all your wonderful observation, knowledge, humor and warmth with us. Best wishes for a wonderful 2016. It will be a looooonnnngg year, not only for the obvious reasons but also waiting for your new book. And what will they be doing with it all that time?
lee williams says
I was hoping to see Tulip. (:
You’re the only author who has instilled in me such vivid visualizations of animals, in particular Luke and Tulip, that I felt true love for them and such sorrow when the time came to say goodbye. The I first read one of your books, “The Other End of the Leash” and would speak of it to others, I’d often find myself saying, “Trisha told me….”
I have the sense when I’m reading your words that you are speaking. And because I’ve heard you speak on video and in person, I have an accurate mental audio of your voice!
Thank you for all you’ve done to educate and inspire in so many ways.
Many happy new year’s wishes to you and all your family, fur and furless.
And please consider in the new year joining Twitter, if only to post a link to your blog posts! (:
lw
Kathleen B says
Not sure if anyone will see this as it is late, but…
As in some years past, I am sending Valentine cards this year instead of Christmas cards. We are making a major move in our life and I don’t want to say anything until all the details are firmly wrapped up.
Just think of all the people you know who would really appreciate a Valentines’s card, and well after the holiday hoopla is over. Years ago I found a Cathy cartoon Valentine’s card that said on the outside, “Now that it is Valentine’s Day, there is something I’ve been wanting to tell you for some time.” Open and it says “Merry Christmas!” twenty years later people still comment on it. So for all you too busy, too stressed, not a good time, folks, it’s never too late! Send Valentine’s cards to all your friends like when you were a kid, especially if you make a card with a picture of your happy, self-actualized dog on the outside (this week’s subject). You’ll warm lots of hearts!