Thank you. I love her to death. She's my best friend and has the best personality- even though she acts young she still acts like an adult in the sense that she knows right from wrong, isn't mouthy, and knows when to play and when to stop.

Here's how she plays with the puppy. It just left us yesterday to be with her new owner in California.

Step 1: The puppy initiates play time with Shaqua by attacking her tail and following her around.

Step 2: Shaqua turns around and tries to play with puppy.

Step 3: Shaqua tries to play, puppy runs away

Step 4: Shaqua chases puppy and tries to play, tail wagging and prancing. Puppy runs.

Shaqua and I just arrived in MO to visit family. She loves road trips, she gets so much attention everywhere we stop. On Friday we drove up to Linden, TN to have dinner with a friend who was volunteering that weekend at an Elephant Sanctuary. We stayed at this local hotel and Shaqua made more friends than I did. LOL

Then we had the long drive to the KC area, where we stopped at New Madrid, MO so we could visit the place of the historic 1811-1812 earthquakes. Yay geology!
Looking at the Mississippi River

Finally arrived at my family's home where my sister's beagle and Mom's Shiba are playing with Shaqua.

She looks so happy!

One winter I had pet tree frogs (2011-12 winter, actually) because they snuck indoors by burying themselves in my tropical plants when I brought them inside for the season. I put them back outside, but they snuck back inside again and by then I was afraid if I put them outside they would freeze. I had 3 tree frogs for that season, and they would even eat crickets right out of my hand. At the end of the season I released them back.


I'm back in Missouri visiting family and I still see the tree frogs from time to time. I can't be sure they are the same frogs, but I like to think so. Shaqua tried to lick this frog as I was holding it.

Shaqua went camping with my family and I on Truman Lake up in Missouri. We went out on their boat. Here's how it went, LOL.

When the boat is in motion:

When the boat is anchored/engine off:

Aw! She looks like, 'what are you crazy people doing on this thing, on the WATER?' I'm sure she calmed down and had fun though.

She did. At first she was bracing herself and hiding like she thought she might fly out..... it was funny because she has no problem in the Jeep with the top down.

Shaqua likes to play with all species of animals. When visiting my parents she decided she is a horse....I don't know why she likes to play with them, but she does. These are my parents' horses and their pony. Ha ha!

She also LOVES their cat, Callie. Of course this cat is just a lover...she even plays with the horses.

Typical Husky behavior. "I'm not listening!!!"

Rofl that's a great picture! xD

So Shaqua turns 11 on Friday. Unfortunately I have to leave on Thrus for some field research

I can't believe that this cute little terror of a puppy (this is her at 6 months old)

Has turned into this beautiful, loving dog. <3

Unfortunately I was away for research for Shaqua's birthday but I live with an awesome lady who loves dogs so she made her a birthday "cake". Since I've been home I've been busy spoiling her. She goes with me everywhere she is allowed to, but unfortunately the island work wouldn't have permitted her to be there (especially with all the island hopper planes).



I can't believe her and I have been together for so long. I couldn't imagine life without my best friend/daughter. She truly has brought a light to my life and I wouldn't have it any other way. Hopefully I have many more years ahead of us together. <3

Aw! Very cute, happy belated birthday to miss Shaqua

What a cute pic! Love her eyes!

She is gorgeous, those eye are so pretty

I really love taking macroshots with my camera. Shaqua's eyes are so beautiful that they make the perfect subject. It is not often that we take notice of the depth and texture of the iris of an eye. (Note: You can see one of her "moles" that has grown in her old age)

Interesting to see the variety of colors that are in an eye, her mole looks just like my nova's i think the vet had told us it was similiar to a calcium deposit and not to be worried unless it bothered her or grew to large. He later removed it when nova had a tumor removed from her back.

Lately Shaqua has been giving me this stare while I'm inside working on my research data:

I think it is her "Mom, stop playing with that light up clicky thing" stare.

She's also getting curious about the pool, but not curious enough to swim in it. I think she is traumatized from when I brought her in there. She didn't like it too much. She was ok while I was holding her but when she was swimming she went straight for the edge to get out.


She did not want to be on the diving board at all. When I went to put her up there she laid down and put her head on the ground. Poor girl, but she was a good sport for staying and letting me take this picture. <3

So pretty! I love the "pay attention to me, MOM!" picture

Her eyes are very human colored. If that makes sense. I always loved taking macros of the different textures and colors that make up a person's eye.

I did this a long time ago with my own eyes. I definitely want to try it again.



And she is definitely making that pay attention to me face in that first picture. Lol.

You have very pretty eyes! I took a pic of my eyes as well but they are just brown...

Yeah, Shaqua knows how to give the "death stare". It's actually kind of creepy because she will sit their, motionless, and stare at me like that. I will be typing away on here and she will be sitting just two feet away giving me that look. LOL... It works though, it makes me talk to her and pet her. She really is the best to have a conversation with- no back talk.

I love Shaqua's "Ahhhhhhh" moments. (Proof that she actually did enjoy our boat ride for a minute)

Awww she looks so happy

Shaqua had a great weekend. She helped support the Volunteer Fire Dept:

Then we discovered she had fleas So she got a flea bath.

And for the rest of the weekend she just relaxed.




I think I need to teach her to clean my room for me......

As part of the "prevent the fleas" protocol I cleaned and washed everything I could get my hands on today. Apparently Shaqua decided she would like to enjoy my fresh and clean linens because this is what I found when I got out of the tub. Sooo spoiled.