Losing a pet is difficult no matter what the circumstances are leading up the dreaded event especially if your family is like mine.  In our family our pets become a member of the family.  Even my 3 year old's battery operated hamster has carved out his place in family and in our hearts.

No pet, past or present, has been treated more human like than my canine brother Yoyo.  He became a member of our family when my late step dad and my mom married almost 10 years ago.  At first he really didn't like any of us, but he grew to love us just as we grew to love him.  I even tried to get my little one to call him uncle Yoyo because I thought it was cute.

As most of you know, I lost my step dad 3 months ago, and yesterday we lost his baby Yoyo.  Yoyo was almost 13 years old.  He was a dappled miniature dachshund and was the most beautiful dog I think I've ever seen.  Yoyo was full of personality and he was a pleasure to be around most of the time.  Sometimes he'd get mad and chew up anything left on the floor, or snatch a cookie from the hand of an unsuspecting 3 year old, or hide under the bed when he needed to go out, but all those aggravations were worth the company and the happiness he brought into our lives.

This morning Yoyo was on my mind and the pain of his passing was weighing heavily on my heart.  I decided to search Squidoo for something about loosing a pet.  I discovered that there is a National Pet Memorial Day. Who would have thought there would be such a day? I have to thank awelldressedbullet for sharing this day with me and everyone else.

National Pet Memorial Day is a stunning lens. It is visually appealing and filled with beautiful words of comfort and love for those that have lost pets in the past. There are also many ideas about how to celebrate your pet's life on this very special day.

Visit: National Pet Memorial Day

Image Credit: Dachshund Dog Art Print by mmbenya

Summer is right around the corner and all around me I'm seeing and hearing the sounds of summer already. The smells of burgers on a hot grill and the shrieks of the neighborhood children playing in backyard pools and on slipping slides drift through the air in the afternoons. The restlessness of the school kids attending their last few days of school before summer break is as apparent as the nose on my face. On every day of the week the parks are packed with families enjoying the warm weather and sunshine. The price of watermelon is slowly reaching an affordable rate. And I am on my yearly search for light but yummy foods and recipes to compliment my husband's grilled masterpieces.

During the summer months my regular recipes of southern cooking, better known as soul food, are a little heavy on the stomach, so I have to change the way I cook for as long as the Georgia heat lingers. My husband often grills the main course so I am left to experiment with sides and desserts. It is a fun time for me to try out new recipes with the many fruits and vegetables that are in season, and I am always amazed with what I find summer after summer to try.

Recently I discovered 10 Fabulous Summer Backyard Barbecue Dessert Ideas by Barkely and I can't wait to give these desserts a try. Watermelon Cupcakes? Who would have ever thought of that! Purely heaven I'm sure, and it will be the first one I try after the delicious dirt cake recipe, of course. Who can put off going with the chocolate first?

Lensmaster Barkely didn't just give us a list of recipes, she did it with style and beauty, and with a mean talent for making my mouth water uncontrollably. The pictures of these summer desserts alone are worth a visit, and if you can leave 10 Fabulous Summer Backyard Barbecue Dessert Ideas without finding something that you want to try, well, I would have to suggest you get your eyesight checked or maybe see if you still have a pulse.

Summer's almost here! Woot!

Visit: 10 Fabulous Summer Backyard Barbecue Dessert Ideas

Image Credit:Ice Cream Sundae Party by PartyPrep

Pink Flamingos have always interested me. I love everything about them from their color to the narrowness of their long legs. The bright pink color of a healthy, well fed flamingo is one of the most beautiful colors found in nature in my opinion. Even the crooked neck of the flamingo is beautiful and seemingly graceful.

The classic pink flamingo pose is my favorite. You know the one, the side profile of the bird with one leg held up off the ground, the one we see on everything from t-shirts and mugs to key chains and who can forget yard ornaments. It seems that more than just me has a fascination with these beautiful creatures although they have gotten the reputation of being a little tacky.

Whether you think pink flamingos are tacky or beautiful, you'll love learning more about them. Before today I didn't know much about a pink flamingos other than I really like the way the look, and it really never occurred to me to research them.  I am glad that it occurred to MiaBellezza to do so though. Her lens (article), Pink Flamingo Pictures, is fantastic. In the article she shares everything you could possible want to know about a pink flamingo. Do you know why pink flamingos are pink? Do you know what color a flamingo is when it is born? You will find out the answer to those questions and more when you visit Pink Flamingo Pictures.

Finding this article on pink flamingos this morning was a real treat for me. I realized yesterday just how calming the color pink can be for me. As I sat in the doctor's office yesterday, in the midst of an anxiety attack, I was drawn to an image of pink flowers in a field, the same pink found on a pink flamingo, and it calmed me down some. I'd never noticed the calming nature of the color before, but now my fascination with pink flamingos does make a little more sense.

Visit: Pink Flamingo Pictures

Image Credit:Kawaii Flamingo Mug by ZoologicallyInclined
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