Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Summer Fun

It's cool out today here in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It hardly feels like a summer day, in fact, I found myself munching soy butter and crackers while watching the Bachelorette last night on TV, and it felt very much like a fall night. You know, winter mode setting in. The lazy days of autumn where all you want to do is hibernate indoors with a soft blanket and some good TV. But alas, it is not even yet July! I hoped to awaken today to a sunny day but mother nature decided to play another trick and gave us yet another cool, rather dreary day. I suppose the one good thing is that it's a good day for working. Otherwise I'd find myself longing to be outdoors.
Summers here are way too short, and so when it's sunny and warm out I find it difficult to stay indoors. I'd much rather soak up some vitamin D and take in the beauty this area has to offer, and it is very beautiful here. Fresh air and fresh water are plentiful.
What are some of the things you love about summer? Do you love the sun? The festivals and parades that take place? There are several festivals and celebrations that take place in this area including 4th of July parades and fireworks, Pioneer Days in Negaunee, Art on the Rocks, The Italian Fest, and Blueberry Festival.
At Peacock Cards we offer many T-shirts, hoodies, buttons, tank tops, and other items that fit right in with your summer fun. Check out some of the patriotic USA and summer designs from Peacock Cards, Sagart, and CowPie Creek!







Thursday, June 04, 2009

Dogs...Gotta Love 'em!

I love dogs! Apparently so do others as dogs are the number one pet in the world. Not surprised? Here's a bit more dog trivia that might surprise you!

The smallest dog breed is the Chihuahua. The tallest breed is the Irish wolfhound. The St. Bernard is the heaviest breed and can weigh about 200 pounds!

Dogs have 321 bones and 42 permanent teeth.

A dog's sense of smell is 37 times stronger than a humans.

There are over 200 breeds of dogs.

Dalmations are born pure white but develop the spots as they mature.

The only barkless dog in the world is the Basenji.

The oldest known breed of dog is the Saluki, which were raised as hunting dogs by the Egyptians.

A dog takes from 10 to 30 breaths a minute.

The oldest known dog lived to be 29 years old.

The Lhasa Apso was used by monks to guard temples.

A Great Dane can eat up to 8 1/2 pounds of food per day!

The world's first ever space astronaut was a dog named Laikia, sent into space in an earth satellite by the Russian government in 1957.

Almost all dog breeds have pink tongues except the black tongued Chow Chow and Shar-Pei.

About 1/3 of all US households have one or more dogs.

Puppies don't normally wag their tails until about 30 days old.

At age one year, a dog is the equivalent of 16 human years; at two dog years, they are 24 human years; at 3 dog years, 30 human years; and for every dog year after that, add 4 human years.

Dogs have been domesticated for 100,000 years.

Greyhounds can reach speeds up to 45 miles per hour for short periods of time.

Dogs can learn up to 50 words of any human language.

Puppies go through a fear stage from the age of 8-10 weeks. A sudden noise like a firecracker going off near a puppy this age can make the dog afraid of thunder for the rest of it's life!

Dogs get heartworm from being bitten by one infected mosquito.

Large breed dogs should be fed twice a day instead of once to avoid stomach bloat.

The best time to take a puppy from it's little physically and psychologically is at the age of 49 days old.

Among the survivors of the Titanic were two dogs, a Pekingese and a Pomeranian.

Law enforcement agencies also rely on the dog's acute sense of smell to uncover illegal drugs.

The Springer Spaniel was named for its ability to "spring", or startle, game.

The normal life span of a small or medium-size dog is about 15 years. A large dog lives only about ten years, however.

The Great Dane is the national dog of Germany.

Labrador Retrievers were originally bred to retrieve fishing nets.

Siberian Huskies have been used to herd reindeer in Siberia for 3000 years.

Zazzle.com now sells dog T-shirts in various colors and styles. Need a birthday gift for your pooch? Here's some really cute doggie shirts to choose from!