A Final Note from Harper Lee’s Mommy
Posted: August 28, 2022 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: AKC Canine Good Citizen Title, AKC Therapy Dog Title, Blogging, Dogs, Dr. Julie Buzby's ToeGrips, Dysplasia, Golden Retriever, Golden Retriever Twitter Chat, Harper Lee, Instagram, Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, Pet Photography, Pets, Rainbow Bridge, Social Media, Thek9harperlee, Therapy Dogs 29 Comments
March 17, 2009 ∼ August 27, 2022
When Harper Lee was just a tiny puppy, I held her in my arms, and I cried. “Why are you crying?” my husband, Doug, asked. “Because one day I’m going to have to tell her goodbye,” I said. That day was yesterday. She lived 13 years, five months, and 10 days. It was a long life, filled with friends, adventures, treats, toys, travel, and love. It was a good life, and I’m thankful for every second. It was longer than I ever thought it would be, but it wasn’t nearly long enough.
At nine months, Harper Lee was diagnosed with hip and elbow dysplasia. It was serious. She started physical therapy at the LSU vet school. I thought we might only have two years with her. We celebrated her second birthday, and then I set my sights on four years as a goal. I launched Miss Lee’s blog in 2012 when she was three years old. Fearing that my time with her would be limited, I wanted to make every day special. I knew that developing blog content would give me incentive to take Harper Lee to new places, try new things, bake lots and lots of treats. The blog would also give me a memory book of sorts when I had to let her go. I’ve spent the last few days revisiting her blog posts. They’ve made me cry sad and grateful tears, sad that our adventures have ended, grateful that we were so lucky to have had so many special moments together.
Instagram and Twitter accounts followed. Social media gets a bad rap. For Miss Harper Lee and her humans, it was nothing but good. We developed so many real and supportive friendships with people and animals we only knew virtually. Even better, we met so many followers IRL. (That’s “in real life” for anyone of a certain age.) We shared beach trips, football games, courtyard lunches, and a red carpet walk at a blogging convention. We supported each other through losses and illnesses, human and canine. I was happy beyond belief that I was able to share Harper Lee with so many people around the world. She was a special girl, and I thank everyone who loved her along the way.
We moved from Baton Rouge to New Orleans in 2015. Harper Lee was six years old. As her blogging assistant, I regret that our posts became more sporadic. As her human mommy, I can assure you that her adventures continued. Harper Lee became a therapy dog. She visited nursing homes, hospitals, conventions, universities, and summer camps. She comforted families that were forced from their homes by flood waters and helped to establish the therapy dog program at the New Orleans airport. Harper Lee even earned two AKC titles, officially becoming Denham’s Harper Lee THD CGC.
I am forever grateful to Harper Lee for welcoming two Golden Retriever puppies into our family. Tallulah Bee arrived in 2015 shortly after our move. Birdie Blue joined us in 2021. Miss Lee was the perfect role model, patient and kind even when I would have forgiven her completely for not being so. Almost daily I whispered into her ear, “You’re my favorite.” I meant it. I think Tallulah and Birdie forgave me for that bit of favoritism. I also think that they will miss their big sister every bit as much as Doug and I in the minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, and years to come.
Doug and I had our first Golden Retriever, Talbot, years and years ago when we lived in Galveston. One day, I was talking with a woman who was on her second Golden. (In case you didn’t know, Golden Retrievers are an addiction.) She looked down at her second Golden and said to me, “I love this dog so much it scares me.” I thought that was an odd thing to say. I really didn’t understand what she meant, until 13 years ago when I held tiny Harper Lee in my arms and cried. When I had to let Talbot go, my heart shattered into a million pieces. There were days I thought I’d never be happy again. I thought I’d never love another dog as much as I loved Talbot, and then Harper Lee came into my life. I knew almost immediately I would love Miss Lee even more. I would love her so much it would scare me.
On the Sixth Day of Christmas . . .
Posted: December 30, 2018 Filed under: Things I Like | Tags: #TopNine2018, Dogs, Golden Retriever, Harper Lee, IG, Instagram, Pet Photography, Pets, Tallulah, Thek9harperlee, Twelve Days of Christmas 3 Comments
. . . I reflected on my 2018 Instagram highlights. My human mommy/blogging assistant used an app called Top Nine to generate the IG posts that received the most likes over the past year. Here’s a little tour of the photos, left to right from the top:
- “When pure love and perfect patience meet . . . and fall asleep.” March 22
- “Bad news: I had a bath yesterday. Good news: The suds were super yummy. Happy #tongueouttuesday!” June 22
- “The Big Easy was the Big Freezy for most of last week. It was miserable. But today was beautiful and spring-like, so Tallulah and I did a little French Quarter/Warehouse District day. We ended with bottomless mimosas (for the humans) at Flamingo A-Go-Go’s dog-friendly patio. Oh, and we had our very own chicken and black bean dish from the puppy menu. Perfection!” January 21
- “Happy St. Patrick’s Day to you and happy birthday to me! Today I’m celebrating nine wonderful years, and my New Orleans Irish Channel neighborhood is having a huge party and parade just for me. So “kissmeimirish and it’s my birthday!” March 17
- “Tonight I brought Golden love to the children, families, and staff at Children’s Hospital New Orleans. My wish for everyone I met: a night of sweet dreams as sweet as mine.” September 17
- “Today we celebrated Tallulah Bee’s third birthday at Dat Dog. Looks like Tallulah might have celebrated a little too much. Cheers to many more celebrations through the years!” April 22
- “I’ll be looking for you at the game today, Miss Susan. May the better Tigers win!” (This one probably needs a little explanation: It was posted for a very sweet young lady who is a freshman at Auburn. Her Auburn Tigers were playing my LSU Tigers in a football game. My Tiger’s won. 😉 ) September 15
- ” Yesterday at the Golden Retriever National, Mommy reconnected with these two Florida sweeties and their humans . . . almost four years since we all met in real life during my fabulous Florida adventure. Golden friendships are the best!” October 7
- “I’ll give you three guesses who won’t be the official Easter bunny ear model tomorrow. Hint: her initials are T.B.” March 31
If you’re on Instagram, I highly recommend generating your Top 9 posts for 2018. It’s a fun way to review the old year as it draws to a close. And if you are on IG, let me know where I can follow you. You’ll find me @thek9harperlee!
Countown to Christmas: Three More Days
Posted: December 22, 2016 Filed under: Dogs I Like, People I Like, Things I Like | Tags: Christmas, Doggy Attire, Fashion, Geaux Fideaux, Golden Retriever, Harper Lee, Instagram, Pet Photography, Pets, Tallulah, Thek9harperlee 6 Comments
In the last few weeks, my human mommy has taken hundreds of photos (only a slight exaggeration) in hopes of getting that perfect picture for our Christmas cards. Tallulah Bee and I have humored her, mostly because she bribes us with treats. In fact, we purposefully look away from the camera, move slightly, or close our eyes just as she snaps so we can get more treats. Shhhh . . . don’t tell her that. It’s our little secret.
Anyway, Mommy managed to get a few favorites along the way and today we begin the countdown to Christmas. The Bee and I are modeling our gorgeous Geaux Fideaux monogrammed bandanas. If you’re interested in getting your very own Geaux Fideaux original (they’re working on Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day looks), just send an Instagram direct message to @geauxfideaux.
We’re all smiles as we await Santa’s arrival!
A Little Housekeeping with Harper Lee
Posted: February 11, 2015 Filed under: Dogs I Like, Things I Like | Tags: Dog Tricks, Dog-Friendly King Cake, Dogs, Golden Retriever, Harper Lee, Instagram, King Cake, Mardi Gras, Mystic Krewe of Mutts, Pet Photography, Pets, Shopping Around the World, Thek9harperlee, Tuna Snackers 30 Comments
It’s time for a little housekeeping. Oh, goodness no, not that kind of housekeeping. I have a human who does that sort of thing for me. I call her Mommy. She’s constantly complaining about all the hair she has to pick up. Should I tell Daddy that he sheds too much? Probably not. No, back to my kind of housekeeping–catching you up on what’s going on in my life, which beats cleaning toilets any day.
Photo from Bacon’s Blog
Shopping Around the World Reminder
Each time I do a Shopping Around the World blog post, at least one or two of my friends will say, “I wish I had known about this” or “I completely forgot about that.” Well, it’s time to mark your calendars for the next Shopping Around the World day: Friday, February 27. My friends Bacon and Fozzie host this international event. Everyone purchases the same items and we all compare prices from around the world. This month is “Random Choices Month” and these are the items:
- Random condiment of your choice
- Random frozen meal of your choice
- Random dessert/something sweet of your choice
- Random fruit of your choice
- Random item of your choice
For more details, click here to connect with Bacon’s Shopping Around the World reminder post, and see you February 27.
Mardi Gras Madness
This past Sunday, I enjoyed a little Mardi Gras madness at the Mystic Krewe of Mutts parade in downtown Baton Rouge . . . and I got to meet the very handsome Beauregard, also known to the Instagram world as @goldenbeauregard. Beau’s mom brought frozen ice balls, which were tons of fun, and I might have had a sip or two of beer. I gave Beau a kiss . . . or two . . . or three, and he slimed my head. It was total doggy bliss. Mardi Gras comes to a screeching halt this coming Tuesday and then it’s time to repent for Lent. I wonder if we have time to make one last tasty Doggy King Cake?
Squirrel Obsession
I have a very, very good excuse for being slightly behind on reading your blogs and responding to your kind comments. I am absolutely and completely totally squirrel obsessed. Those pesky little creatures have been all over my holly tree, eating the pretty red berries and tormenting me daily. I have spent hours upon hours sitting under the holly tree and observing. They nibble for a while, and then they race across the roof, over the shed, and into the big oak tree. One day, one of those little fellas is going to slip and end up on the ground, and then . . . and then . . . well, frankly I have no idea what I’ll do.
Six by Six Update
Last month, I set a goal for myself: learn six tricks by the time I turn six years old in mid-March. I am happy to report that I am well on my way to meeting that goal (with a little help from the tuna treats that Mommy made to encourage my trick training). I have totally mastered spin, as you can see from the photo above. The last two days, I was brilliant at bow, and then today I tricked Mommy into thinking I’d forgotten that one. I don’t want to make this trick-learning thing too easy on her, and the more I “struggle,” the more tuna treats I get. There’s a method to my madness.
Today we worked on sit up, which I like to call hover because I barely lift my front feet off of the ground and seem to be hovering rather than actually sitting up.
Now if only Mommy can work on her photography skills so that she can get my entire body in the shot when I sit up. And maybe she can learn how to take and post videos by the time I turn six years old so that you can see me in action as I do my six by six. That would really be a trick. Perhaps her training needs to start soon.
Curling Up with a Good Book
And finally, I would like to thank my Sheltie friend Dakota (of Dakota’s Den fame) and his sweet mom for sending a copy of Fuzzy Logic by Susan C. Daffron to my mommy. Fuzzy Logic is the story of librarian Jan Carpenter who travels to her mother’s latest wedding (is it the sixth or seventh?) and reconnects with Michael Lawson, the obnoxious little neighbor boy who’s all grown up and pretty good-looking. Of course, dogs play a major role in this romantic comedy. (You can click here to read the full review on Dakota’s blog.) I entered my mommy in the drawing for one of two copies of Fuzzy Logic, and I won. Interestingly, the other winner was also from Louisiana–M.K. Clinton whose blog is called Barking from the Bayou. I think it just might be time to curl up with Mommy and dive into Fuzzy Logic. That actual housekeeping stuff can wait for another day.
On the Second Day of Christmas: A Quick Trip to New Orleans
Posted: December 26, 2014 Filed under: People I Like, Places I Like | Tags: Christmas, Dog Friendly, Dogs, Golden Retriever, Grand Isle, Harper Lee, Instagram, New Orleans, NOLA, Pet Friendly, Pet Photography, Pets, Second Day of Christmas, South Louisiana, The Big Easy, The District, Thek9harperlee, Twelve Days of Christmas, Windsor Court Hotel 6 Comments
And on the second day of Christmas . . . my humans and I jumped into my chariot and took a quick drive to New Orleans to meet my Instagram friend @goldenluver, also known as Erika, who’s visiting the Big Easy from her home in Indiana. Naturally, our tour of New Orleans had to begin at my favorite watering hole, The District. We then headed to Grand Isle for a bite to eat and a very nice visit. Miss Erika has three sweet Golden Retrievers back home–Bogey, Bear, and Bagus. She was having major Golden Retriever withdrawal, which means that I got lots and lots of love and attention. Perfect for me!
Then we went on a short tour of New Orleans hotel lobbies. (My human mommy says that you absolutely must visit New Orleans for Christmas so that you can see the decorations in the hotel lobbies. They are truly stunning.) Our first stop was the Windsor Court Hotel. While Miss Erika and my mommy went into the lobby to enjoy the festive atmosphere, my human daddy and I waited outside in the beautiful courtyard. And that’s when the doorman uttered these magical words: “You can go inside. We’re completely dog friendly.” It was the poshest place I’ve ever been. Mommy was so stunned by the fact that I could go into the lobby, she totally cut off Santa’s head in my photo in front of the Christmas tree. But it was a day I’ll always remember . . . meeting yet another of my fabulous Instagram friends, showing her my favorite spots in one of my favorite cities, and walking into the Windsor Court Hotel to see the beautiful Christmas decorations. What a perfect Second Day of Christmas!
The Best Day Ever!
Posted: December 9, 2014 Filed under: Dogs I Like, People I Like, Places I Like, Things I Like | Tags: Beach, Brevard County, Brinkley, Canova Beach Park, Carter, Cupcake, Dog Friendly, Dogs, Florida, Golden Retriever, Harper Lee, Instagram, Lakewood Golden Retrievers, Parks, Pet Friendly, Pet Photography, Pets, Sam, Thek9harperlee 34 Comments
Can you believe that life got even better after my first day at the beach? Can you believe that I woke up the next morning and got to go back to the beach?
And can you believe that I was joined by friends? I had a Golden Beach Bash with eight of my Golden Retriever Instagram friends. It was the best day ever! We started gathering around 11 a.m. at Canova Beach Park, the only dog-friendly beach in Brevard County, Florida. It was a little chilly, slightly overcast, a bit drizzly, and the wind was blowing like crazy. But we didn’t care. That’s Sam on the far left, Brinkley, Carter, and Cupcake. I’m the one on the right with the super happy and totally silly grin.
The day was organized by my friend Carter’s mom. His mom is the hostess with the mostest. She made the fabulous reindeer bandanas for all of us. Isn’t Cater the most handsome boy ever? And why do I look like such a wet rat? Oh well, I didn’t care. I was at the beach . . . with friends . . . and it was the best day ever!
And if you think I was happy, just look at my humans. I would say they were in hog heaven, but it was more like dog heaven . . . Golden dog heaven. That’s my daddy kissing Carter with me hidden in the background . . .
. . . and there’s my mommy with Carter and Harper Lee bookends. More than two weeks have passed since that day, and Mommy still has that smile on her face.
That’s my daddy handing out treats. Carter’s in the middle getting a treat; I’m on the left; and Sam is on the right. It looks like Sam was getting ready to move closer so she could be in better treat-gathering position. I just look like I’m wondering why in the world Daddy is handing out treats to others. The humans distributed a lot of treats that day . . . when they weren’t snapping photos.
Believe it or not, Mommy didn’t take that many pictures. She was having too much fun hugging all of my friends. That’s Brinkley. Brinkley looks just about as happy about hugs as I am.
It’s not a real beach party until the new girl’s face is covered with sand. Just for the record, I was the new girl.
Carter, Cupcake, and I took a quick moment to pose with our reindeer antler headbands. I’m on the left, looking for my daddy at the other end of the beach; Cupcake’s on the right, looking toward the sky in hopes that treats will fall; and Carter’s in the middle, looking handsome for the camera. Can you tell which one of us is the show dog?
The party ended around 3 p.m. with a final group photo. Actually, the party ended with many, many, many attempts to get the perfect group photo. Finally, the humans abandoned any hopes for perfection and settled for fun. Fun is what you get with nine Golden Retrievers at the beach. In the front row, from left to right, that’s Riley, Sam, Cupcake, Brinkley, and Glory and Katie from Lakewood Golden Retrievers. I’m in the back row with Carter in the middle and Luna on the right (Luna and Riley are sister and brother, but they have different human families).
I had driven 760 miles across the Louisiana border and then through Mississippi, Alabama, and most of Florida. (Technically, I was chauffeured, but you know what I mean.) I had enjoyed a magical day in Melbourne, Florida. I put my toes in the sand and frolicked in the surf for the first time in my life. And then I got to spend a day at the beach with eight of the very best Golden Instagram friends ever. The next day, my friend Carter’s mom had a Christmas photo shoot planned for me (you’ll have to wait to see those photos). Then I would hop into the car and drive with my humans to Tampa for one night before heading back to Baton Rouge. But that night, after a wonderful day at the beach, I put my little head down, drifted off to la-la land, and had sweet dreams of my fabulous day . . . the best day ever!
It’s Official: I’m a Snake Charmer
Posted: May 30, 2014 Filed under: Things I Like | Tags: #snakecharmers, Dogs, Golden Retriever, Harper Lee, Instagram, My Toys, Pet Photography, Pets, Snake Charmers Club, Snake Toy, Thek9harperlee 33 Comments
Yesterday I officially joined the Instagram Snake Charmers Club, which from this point on will be referred to simply as #snakecharmers. Not familiar with the #snakecharmers? If you’re on Instagram, check out the hashtag. I think the photos will tell you all you need to know. If you’re not on Instagram, I’ll do my best to explain. The #snakecharmers are a group of Instagram dogs with snake toys. (As of this writing, there are only dogs in the club, but I’m sure membership would be open to pigs, cats, birds, guinea pigs, etc. It’s a fairly non-exclusive club.) Sounds pretty simple so far, right? Here’s where it gets more interesting. There are various chapters of the #snakecharmers. There’s an East Coast Chapter (rumor has it the #snakecharmers originated in Florida) and a West Coast Chapter, a New England Chapter and a Midwest Chapter, a Georgia Chapter and an Arizona Chapter. There’s even a Special Ops Team and an International Chapter. I’ve heard whispers about an Undercover Chapter, but I was sworn to secrecy so my lips are sealed.
But back to me. There’s nothing quite like that special moment when a girl meets her snake and the charming begins. It starts off slowly, quietly, and gently.
Then a little bit of crazy kicks in and it’s best just to stand back and watch . . . from a very safe distance.
And voila! The snake has been charmed. He’s so charmed that he now has a name–Sammy–and he’s slithered up beside me for a nice little nap. We all know that snakes are cold-blooded creatures, so I’m sure he appreciates a little Golden warmth.
Who knew snake charming could be so exhausting? Boy am I happy that the weekend is here and I’ll have a chance to catch up on my sleep. Many, many thanks to my sweet Instagram friend @johnanng and the 3 Crazy Retrievers for introducing me to the #snakecharmers. The club started just a week ago, and it’s growing by leaps and bounds. What do you say? Any interest from the blogging community?
Harper Lee from A to Z: T is for TONGUE
Posted: April 23, 2014 Filed under: Things I Like | Tags: #AtoZChallenge, #tongueouttuesday, Blogging, Dogs, Golden Retriever, Harper Lee, Instagram, Pet Photography, Pets, Photography, Tongue out Tuesday, Wordless Wednesday 24 Comments
I have an awesome tongue. Even my human mommy, who does not like the word awesome, thinks that I have an awesome tongue. Sometimes my humans look at my tongue hanging out of my mouth and think to themselves, “Where does she keep that thing?” They wonder if perhaps I might be part giraffe, especially when I fully extend my lovely tongue and wrap it around my cute pink nose. Once a week on Instagram, I get to celebrate my tongue on Tongue out Tuesday, also known as #tongueouttuesday. Here is a compilation of just a few of my Instagram #tongueouttuesday photos.
Enjoy!
This post is part of the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge. See you tomorrow!
Click the link below to connect with other pet bloggers who are doing the A to Z Challenge.
Powered by Linky Tools
Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list…
Harper Lee from A to Z: I is for INCHES
Posted: April 10, 2014 Filed under: Things I Like | Tags: #AtoZChallenge, Blogging, Dogs, Golden Retriever, Instagram, Pet Photography, Pets, Photography, Thek9harperlee 29 Comments
My blogging assistant, who also happens to be my human mommy, was a little stumped when it came to the letter I, so she asked my Instagram friends for some ideas. Get it–asking Instagram friends for a little help with I ideas? Anyway, my very good Instagram friend @johnanng of 3 Crazy Retrievers fame suggested inches. Little did she know what Mommy would do with that, and little did I know that I was about to become a crazy science project of sorts. Mommy decided that she would measure various parts of my body. Apparently this was quite funny, because Mommy laughed the whole time she was measuring. Whatever. Without further ado, I give you Miss Harper Lee in inches:
Intelligence lump to tip of nose: 10″
(The intelligence lump is the little knot on the top of a dog’s head; humans do not have these; hmm.)
Intelligence lump to base of tail: 36″
Base of tail to tip of tail (including hair): 16″
(Apparently, I am one long dog.)
Elbow to tip of toenail: 14-1/2″
Knee to tip of toenail: 14-1/2″
(Mommy decided that it’s probably a good thing that the two measurements above are the same.)
Height at shoulders: 24″
Neck: 17″
Chest: 31″
(Mommy says that may not attract the human men, but the boy puppies will be impressed.)
Waist: 25″
Wrist: 5″
Ankle: 6″
Length of ear: 5-1/2″
Longest whisker: 2-1/2″
So, admit it: Those of you humans who have dogs in your homes are running off now to find the tape measure so you can conduct your own crazy science project. My apologies to your dogs. And with these measurements in hand, some of you just might be running off to build your own Harper Lee. But wait, I forgot to tell you the most important measurement of all:
Heart: Infinity . . . which just happens to be another I word.
This post is part of the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge. See you tomorrow!
Click the link below to connect with other pet bloggers who are doing the A to Z Challenge.
Powered by Linky Tools
Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list…
Let’s Get This Party Started!
Posted: March 11, 2014 Filed under: Dogs I Like, Things I Like | Tags: Birthday, Carter, Dogs, Golden Retriever, Harper Lee, Instagram, Murphy Brown, Pets, Sully, Thek9harperlee 51 Comments
What could possibly be better than celebrating your birthday? Celebrating your birth-week! My big birthday celebration started yesterday–exactly one week from the actual big day–when my favorite mail carrier in the whole world, Mr. Leroy, rang my doorbell and announced that he had a special delivery for me, little Miss Harper Lee. Special? I’d say it was special. It was from my Instagram Florida retriever friends Sully, Murphy Brown, and Carter.
I had a little help from my humans opening the box, and then I dove in nose first.
Look at the precious birthday card they sent. On the back, it says that the sender of this card is a supporter of Guiding Eyes for the Blind, one of the nation’s foremost guide dog schools. Awwwww. Sully, Murphy Brown, and Carter have the nicest humans. And inside, the card said, “Harper Lee–We all wish you the best birthday to date. Love, belly rubs & kisses, Sully, MB & Carter.” I am a very lucky girl to have such sweet friends.
But wait. What’s this? It gets even better. There were also gifts in the box. Wow! Time for another nose dive.
Those special retrievers sent a crate pouch with my name on it, in purple of course, a happy birthday tote, also in my favorite color purple, and . . .
. . . a brand new monogrammed purple and gold collar. Now I must tell you that Sully, Murphy Brown, and Carter are members of an Alabama-Florida State family, so it is a very big deal that they love me enough to send something in LSU’s magnificently beautiful purple and gold. What a fantastic start to my birthday week, and many, many thanks to Sully, MB, Carter, and their wonderful humans for helping me to get the party started in style.
thek9harperlee 