blogging challenge

OK, I am sure you all know my main happy place.

But let me explain it a little bit more.

When I first got Harper a couple of years ago, I knew it would change my perspective on life, and also it would change how I lived my life. But several friends have dogs and it didn’t mess with their lifestyles at all.

They don’t have Harper!

Harper has really helped me get a grasp on life, especially as I approach 50. I’ve changed the way I look at things and how I do things. I’m not always on the go. And she is usually with me.

When she’s not, it’s even more odd.

Case in point … I went to two Phillies games this month. Neither time was she with me. The second time, she stayed at her daycare place to board for the night. Waking up the next morning and not having to take her for a walk — I didn’t go walk either, as I figured it would feel really odd. And in the end it was good as I needed a little extra sleep.

But my happy place usually involves her.

Harper is, by far, a massive part of these photo challenges for me. Though I have been trying to get other things in here, sometimes it’s hard. As I said above, she’s always with me. So … and is a really good photo subject.

What is your happy place?

Anyway, onward. Here’s my five for the month!

1. Give me a chair!

Harper is so happy. She doesn’t always stay still for photos, but when I can get her to do so sometimes, it really is nice. Especially with the colors on this day! So nice! Happy place, indeed!

2. So pretty

As I’ve gotten older, I love being around the water more. River, creek, ocean — you name it. I enjoy the times I get to go to the beach. This was on a recent walk when Harper was on this bench just kind of enjoying life. And if she’d happy, I’m usually quite happy, too.

3. My backyard

My backyard is getting some work this summer. A new patio, and a pavilion. Going to hopefully build some furniture soon. And Harper seems to like it. I’ll have a Blackstone out there, as well as my Ooni pizza oven. It’s truly a happy place.

4. Baseball

The ballpark has always been a happy place for me. I love settling in and watching a game. And yes, I love the pitch clock. Speeds the game up so there’s no silly things to slow it down. Love going to Philly for a few games a year, too.

5. Baseball 2

Baseball is even more fun on bark in the park nights. I love being able to bring Harper, who provides me with so much happiness, to the ballpark, which is one of my favorite places to be.

There’s my five and let’s see what you came up with! If you took part in this month’s challenge, make sure to link up below.

And for those of you who participated, make sure you try and get to other people’s blogs and comment (here, too!).

Let’s continue to grow this challenge and have a strong community. Come back and check out the others who link later on, too! NOTE: We have a Facebook group for those who participate in the challenge and are interested. I’ll post any announcements there and hopefully it can be a place where things are discussed and some interaction etc. You can access it here.

** CHALLENGE CHANGE **

From this point forward, I am going to do the next theme at the bottom of each linkup. Also, the posting date will now be the first of each month, thus giving you the entire month to take the photos etc.

That means it’s a one-stop shop! Hopefully this helps out with everybody.

So, below is the linkup for August. Make sure you drop your link there.

OK, so it’s time to keep on moving! It’s September’s turn! And our theme for the month? Simple! How do you define simple? What is simple to you? Or… how will you interpret? Remember to come back on (hopefully) October 1 to link up and check out the theme for that month!

Photo Blogging Challenge: August 2023 results

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” A ‘lil HooHaa on Facebook!

Do you remember that song from a few years ago by the Chain Smokers?

With the … “But first, let me take a selfie.”

God did I once loathe selfies. I can’t say I’m still this super crazed fan of them, but I have succumbed. I take them now. I figure it’s a way to capture memories over time. I don’t even mind being in photos overall anymore, so selfies aren’t that big of a deal.

Plus.. Harper. Need I say more?

Life, for the most part, has improved for me. Especially with Harper. And some other things going on in life. It also doesn’t hurt that I’ve done decently well losing some weight, though it’s more losing inches as for now. But hey, I’ll take it.

Selfies are part of the evolution of photography, and society in general. Though I do like the idea one friend had … go to an area where a lot of the younger generation might be and likely see them all taking selfies. While they are doing it, whip out a Polaroid camera and start taking selfies with that.

That would crack me up, that’s for sure.

A selfie is all part of a journey. A moment in time captured, just with you in the frame. It’s nice to be part of your story, not just on the one side of the image.

I’m excited to see what others did with this one.

Anyway, onward. Here’s my five for the month!

1. Bark in the Park

It’s amazing how your views change with actually having a dog. Years ago, I swore I’d never take my dog to a bark in the park game. Now it’s most of what my baseball trips are. I truly enjoy it, though things have changed enough so I don’t go to as many baseball games as I once did. It is nice, however, to be able to bring Harper along. I hope to have a few more of these this year.

2. Lap dog

Golden retrievers aren’t lap dogs, they say.

They haven’t met Harper.

3. Matchbox Twenty

I don’t go to many concerts, but me and my friend Jeff hit up Matchbox Twenty. Rob Thomas can still go and it was a fun night and concert.

4. Daycare pickup

Harper goes to daycare once a week (usually). This is usually her reaction when I pick her up because she knows she’s going to get a treat!

5. Happy dog!

If Harper and I go somewhere in the car, and if I have to go somewhere quickly and leave her behind (rare), when I get back, she’s almost in the front seat… ready to go.

There’s my five and let’s see what you came up with! If you took part in this month’s challenge, make sure to link up below.

And for those of you who participated, make sure you try and get to other people’s blogs and comment (here, too!).

Let’s continue to grow this challenge and have a strong community. Come back and check out the others who link later on, too! NOTE: We have a Facebook group for those who participate in the challenge and are interested. I’ll post any announcements there and hopefully it can be a place where things are discussed and some interaction etc. You can access it here.

** CHALLENGE CHANGE **

From this point forward, I am going to do the next theme at the bottom of each linkup. Also, the posting date will now be the first of each month, thus giving you the entire month to take the photos etc.

That means it’s a one-stop shop! Hopefully this helps out with everybody.

So, below is the linkup for July. Make sure you drop your link there.

OK, so it’s time to keep on moving! It’s August! And our theme for the month? Happy Place! Do you have one? Multiple? Show us those happy places! And let’s see how you all decide to interpret. Remember to come back on (hopefully) September 1 to link up and check out the theme for that month!

Photo Blogging Challenge: July 2023 results

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” A ‘lil HooHaa on Facebook!

It’s story time!

I’m sure most of you know where I am going with my post. It’s kind of hard not to tell a story with somebody as part of it. Especially with how she has become such a huge part of my life. As I write this post, she is spread out on the floor in front of me, sleeping after a full and fun day.

This month is part of the sandwich that includes her birth month (April) and gotcha month (July). So it’s a perfect time to tackle certain things.

This story is of her journey as much as mine with her. Her growth and her joy of living. And being treated not as a piece of property, but as my best friend as a member of a family. She’s not just something to throw aside (and I hate that some people do this with dogs), but one who has grown so much and become so important to me.

So this was a journey in May. A story of love, happiness, experiences, and adventure. Come along with this story … and to get more and more info and stories about Harper!

Anyway, onward. Here’s my five for the month. I look forward to seeing yours.

1-2. Love

Unconditional love is something I was told about when it came to dogs. And even more with golden retrievers. For the first several months, I was wondering what I missed. Did I get a broken one somehow? It took time, but I started to realize what it all meant. But Harper shows that love to many people (you can ask people who have met her and been around her). She has some favorites for sure.

But the way she is with me .. follows me around etc. She’s also crazy about her “Gram” (my mother) and to watch the two of them together is a story all in its own.

This part of the Harper story is amazing and it keeps growing and growing. I couldn’t have ever said I would feel like this about a dog — but I am so happy I do.

3. Happiness

Like most goldens, Harper likes to smile a lot. She has a lot of dog friends. She has a lot of human friends. But let me tell how this whole thing really absorbs into our story — she is a source of happiness in many ways. When I walk with her, she often carries a stuffie. It’s a remarkably cute thing. And when she does this, I always tend to look at other people. Either those driving by, or others walking etc. And 9 out of 10 times, people smile. That shows how her joy of life and such makes others around her happy.

The happiness is also sometimes when I find ways to take goofy photos of her. She’s not always the easiest to get into a photo position without her looking down or away. Or, I have to be really fast with it. But there are times when I think she realizes I really want to take a certain photo and she settles into the image, letting me take the one I want. (this was taken with the Hipstamatic X app, hence the look).

4. Experiences

I’ve used this before, but I’m going to always repeat this. If Harper is with me for 5 years or 15 (I hope at least this), she’s going to experience life. That could be travel or baseball games or hockey games or being able to go into different stores etc. It could be just hanging out back with me, or meeting new friends or trying foods that are OK for her. It might be a trip to the ice cream shop, or a pet store, or to see friends.

Harper is not just a dog, she’s my family. So if I am going somewhere, I try and involve her. A lot of times, she will just lay and watch everything and take it in.

This experience was earlier this month when I was at the Jersey Shore. This pet spot has dog ice cream and they set it up so you can have your dog sit at a table and eat it. What fun this was! An experience I hope she gets again!

5. Adventure

This kind of goes hand in hand with the experiences. Because without experiences, there’s likely no adventure. I love taking Harper with me to explore the outdoors, or see new things. I am not sure what she thinks or how she looks at things, but I know I want her to at least be on adventures with me. So many people have complimented me about her and for that I am proud. She’s an amazing dog and companion and I have a hard time not taking her with me — so most of the time, I do my best to make sure she can come with me on an amazing adventure.

There’s my five and let’s see what you came up with! If you took part in this month’s challenge, make sure to link up below.

And for those of you who participated, make sure you try and get to other people’s blogs and comment (here, too!).

Let’s continue to grow this challenge and have a strong community. Come back and check out the others who link later on, too! NOTE: We have a Facebook group for those who participate in the challenge and are interested. I’ll post any announcements there and hopefully it can be a place where things are discussed and some interaction etc. You can access it here.

** CHALLENGE CHANGE **

From this point forward, I am going to do the next theme at the bottom of each linkup. Also, the posting date will now be the first of each month, thus giving you the entire month to take the photos etc.

That means it’s a one-stop shop! Hopefully this helps out with everybody.

So, below is the linkup for April. Make sure you drop your link there.

OK, so it’s time to keep on moving! I know this month can be crazy, so … June’s theme is … Where will you go? Five photos and some words… can you weave a story? We’ll look forward to it! Remember to come back on (hopefully) July 1 to link up and check out the theme for that month!

Photo Blogging Challenge: May 2023 results

Feel free to leave a comment, or

I went back and forth with how I wanted to do this theme.

In the end, with the timing of it and the post, it seemed like a pretty obvious choice. But, I’m going to try and go a little deeper with said subject.

Harper turned two on April 29. I can’t believe where the time has gone with her. It seems like yesterday I was driving an hour and a half to pick her up. I brought her home in a laundry basket and she slept most of the way home.

This journey hasn’t been all cake and candy. There have been a lot of frustrating times and events. But overall, she has been one of the best things that ever happened to me.

In July, it will have been two years since I owned her. Well, you could say since she’s owned me.

My life is basically a few things — work, Harper, and anything else I can fit in. I’m a new homeowner and I’m working on some things with that, including working on a patio so I can then have a nice pavilion. Under that will be some furniture, my Blackstone griddle and, I hope, something along the lines of a Solo Stove fire pit. This, of course, will make it easier and nicer to hang outside with Harper, no matter if she is running around or just lounging.

The goal, too, is to have a place where it’s relaxing to be. Then I can read some, or blog some … all while Harper has the ability to roam around. I don’t like her outside alone, so this will be the best of both worlds.

I’ve started working on a lot of other plans for blogging. I feel like I’m starting to want to write more again. Harper will be a heavy subject, but there’s so many other things going on in my world that I want to kind of expand on. I’m even working on a very big series of stories for my milestone birthday in September. Maybe the August writing challenge will come back. Maybe the January one as well.,

There’s something about working to find that inner peace and happiness.

But at the center of it all is Harper, that’s for sure. So, I’ll do me. She does her. You all do you. Then the world will be a much better place.

Anyway, enough of my rambling. Here’s my five for the month. I look forward to seeing yours.

1. Best friend

My goal with getting a dog was having a best friend. I wanted a companion who would be with me through many adventures. I got caught up into trying dog sports and they didn’t click with me (we do try to dock dive still!) and now it’s basically about bonding and having her with me as much as possible. I once swore that even if I got a dog, I wouldn’t go to bark in the park games. I do that now. I also never used to take selfies. I do that way more often now… always with Harper though!

2. Experiences

As Harper has grown, my goals for her continually change. One, though, stays the same: experiences. While I can’t put myself into other people’s shoes as to why they have dogs etc., as I noted above, I wanted one who I could explore life with. Experiences are important to me to have with Harper. That includes travel, or baseball games, or parks etc. Or heck, a Pucks for Paws game where she got to watch a hockey game! She did well at the game being around other dogs and people and all the noise. I hope we can do this again next year. It really was a lot of fun!

3. Harper’s world

Being the center of Harper’s world is pretty cool. Sometimes it’s the little things. Other things bigger things. But either way, she’s fully part of my world, as I am hers. She often gets cranky or won’t stay still when I take photos (which I guess I can understand …), but sometimes, I get some images that just make me smile. This one is one I think I eventually may turn into a canvas print. I really love it. Her beautiful look… her ball … and just no care in the world. I wish I could climb into her head and get her thoughts.

4. Happiness

The happiness that Harper has brought me isn’t measurable. Well, it is to a point. Over the past nearly two years that I’ve had Harper, I’ve laughed more, I smile more, and life is less stressful. That doesn’t mean that I have no stress — I do. But, it’s a lot different when coming home and know she’s going to be stoked to see me. Her happy faces can make anybody smile! She brings so much joy into my life. And many around town know who she is and share in some happiness when they see her.

5. The future

Nobody knows what the future will bring. I do hope that Harper is part of mine for many years to come. She’s already had so many experiences with me and there are a lot more to come! Be it games or trips or whatever else — I know she will be part of what I do the majority of time. And I know I will try and capture this journey every step of the way! (I’m going to work on doing more videos, too. But that is all part of my plan once I get my outdoor space done, too!)

BONUS!

I had to do a bonus! Being my post was all about Harper, I didn’t have a spot for this one. But, I wanted to include it. During the month, I had to pick up Cameron from school for my brother and sister-in-law. After that we went to his little league practice, and then we went and grabbed dinner. This was at dinner. He’s growing fast and it was nice to hang with him this day.

There’s my five and let’s see what you came up with! If you took part in this month’s challenge, make sure to link up below.

And for those of you who participated, make sure you try and get to other people’s blogs and comment (here, too!).

Let’s continue to grow this challenge and have a strong community. Come back and check out the others who link later on, too! NOTE: We have a Facebook group for those who participate in the challenge and are interested. I’ll post any announcements there and hopefully it can be a place where things are discussed and some interaction etc. You can access it here.

** CHALLENGE CHANGE **

From this point forward, I am going to do the next theme at the bottom of each linkup. Also, the posting date will now be the first of each month, thus giving you the entire month to take the photos etc.

That means it’s a one-stop shop! Hopefully this helps out with everybody.

So, below is the linkup for April. Make sure you drop your link there.

OK, so it’s time to keep on moving! I know this month can be crazy, so … May’s theme is … Tell a story! Five photos and some words… can you weave a story? We’ll look forward to it! Remember to come back on (hopefully) June 1 to link up and check out the theme for that month!

Photo Blogging Challenge: April 2023 results

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” A ‘lil HooHaa on Facebook!