Sharon Qualls ~ Author ~ Blogger ~ Friend

When I first started blogging ten years ago it was as if a whole new world had opened up for me.  I was able to connect with people who had like-interests and they were kind and caring and interesting and talented...  

*sigh*

You get the picture.  

Friendships grew from my early blogging days.  Friendships that I cherish to this day.  My thing about social media and especially blogging is this:  You get to know someone from the inside out, not the outside in.  You know their heart.  And that is most special! 

Well, let me tell you about one friend in particular that I grew to love.  Sharon Qualls was a feisty, opinionated, sassy, smart, talented lady who loved taking pictures of her pets, flowers, wildlife, nature...  anything she saw beauty in, that is what her blog would be about.  Her first blog was Life With Jack and Jill.  Jack and Jill were her dogs.  Later she started a couple of other blogs, discontinuing that one...  I believe the latest was Now You See Me (not sure about the title).  Anyway, she stopped blogging eventually, but her and I stayed connected on Facebook.  

We had a sort of bond in that she and I both enjoyed writing and reading.  I'll never forget the one day she asked me for my address and said "I'm going to send you something and don't dare send anything in return!"  

Let me tell you, if Sharon said DON'T...  then you better NOT!  

LOL!

I had purchased several of her books in the past and really enjoyed reading them.  So when her newest ones came out, she gifted me with the complete series.  I was so very grateful!!

We chatted on the phone a couple of times (very long chats) and touched base back and forth on Facebook, but then... she disappeared.

I would send her messages, but with no response.  Finally, a couple of weeks ago I found her physical address online and sent her a Thinking of You card.  I heard back nothing.  Until last evening.

Her husband, Bobby, was kind enough to call me to let me know that yesterday she passed away.  I was shocked and filled with sorrow.  A talented writer and beautiful soul, gone too soon.

Sharon had suffered a stroke in August, according to Bobby or (DH) as she referred to him on her blog.  It had been down hill since.

I, for one, will miss her sweet, sassy self!!!  Bobby asked me to let blogger and facebook friends know she is gone.

Rest in peace, my friend.

Cootie Catcher and Innocent Dog

Summer has moved up in karate.  She took an intro course to the next level and she passed, moving her on.  The kids were given a list of 'integrity tasks' they had to accomplish and those who checked all off on their lists were invited to a board-breaking special event at kick masters.  There, our petite little Summer did indeed break some boards.

She had her picture taken then, with Master Rando, and made him a special wall hanging with their picture on one of the board's that she broke, with a message of thanks from Summer, and presented it to him.  He loved it!

We had some real nice days last week and were able to enjoy walks with Gracie.

But then the cold came back.  I'm glad it's not so cold that our trees are not blooming.  They are looking lovely.

I hope everyone is staying well and virus free!!!  Have you ever seen anything like this before!?  Kinda scary.

Summer says,  No worries.  She was successful in creating a very well-made cootie catcher and I think it might work for viruses as well.  Fingers crossed.

Remember the rabbits from earlier this month and the baby bunny that our sweet, innocent dog threw from the nest?  Well, all bunnies from the nest died.  Sadly.  It wasn't Gracie tho,  we had her tied so she could not get to them.  I'm thinking it might have gotten too cold.

"I didn't do it!"

THIS

Day after day and night after night it's the same thing:

Let me out.  I gotta go, gotta go. It's urgent.   

Every. Ten. Minutes.

Why, Gracie?  Why?

True, she likes to dine on rabbit poop.  It is her hors d'oeuvre,  fill-in at meal time and dessert.  It's a late night snack and an early morning wake-up treat.  Her furry friends provide her with reason to live....  sadly...  in more ways than one.

This is just some of what I pulled from her rebellious little mouth while she protested being brought inside abruptly the other day:

Mama bunny stood confrontationally and eerily close by.   I did not get an actual photo, I was too quick to place baby back in her nest, but I found the below photo on the Internet.  This is what the baby looked like that was tossed from its nest into the yard during Gracie's bunny hunt:

This is what our naughty, defeated, bunny obsessed dog looks like being confined on a lead that stops her yards away from the bunny nest.

This.  Is no way to treat a dog.  ~ Gracie.

Note:  To my knowledge, there were no bunnies hurt in the above showdown.  When bunny nest is empty Gracie will have her freedom returned.

"Uh-Oh, Bye-Bye"

Reminiscing to October when we 'fell backwards' into short, dreary days and looked ahead to gray skies, cold temps, and a long hard winter.  

Now here we are entering into the month of March and I ask myself, 

What do you think?  Looks like one of those Wizard of Oz - Come
alive with eyes, nose and mouth trees that can talk, right?

"WHAT WINTER?"

 Typical of all days, months and years in my mid 60's...  time is racing ahead of where I wish to stay a while and savor.  Yea.  Kind, treasured days are just miniscule when speeding down the road of life and all its happenings.  Here today, gone tomorrow.

In the words of a very wise, sweet 2-yr old of days gone by, 

(yea, Summer)

"Uh Oh - Bye Bye"

Today I invited one of my customers to bring his sweet Shih Tzu in from the car so I could see him.  A sweet doggie.  But when he suggested I take the pup from his arms and hold it, sweet little guy attacked me.  I was heartbroken.  The only dog ever who did not love me.  We concluded that his recent vet visit/experience likely made him apprehensive with strangers such as myself.

"That's what ya get.  Pay more attention to your own dog and stop with trying to win over every other dog in the world and maybe things like this won't happen."  ~ Gracie