February 19, 2012

White Dog and Puff supervised packing up the picnic lunch. YoYoMa and Quinn helped Steve load the photo lights and camera gear into the car. Nuka stood guard over the gift. It was going to be a busy day!

I have been working on a print advertising campaign for Dragon and Sen-ge’s dad’s catering company and we scheduled a food photo shoot at his kitchen with a volunteer model. BUT today is Sen-ge’s first Gotcha Day with Gregg and Candace and no one wanted to miss a chance to celebrate.

The shop was closed and no one was around so the White Dog Army and the Honorary White Dog and Sen-ge got to watch the action gated in the office/ conference area. Steve set up lights around the prep counter. Gregg and Candace styled the foods we needed. Karen posed holding mini cupcakes in her palm; cherry tomatoes in her fingertips; placed cherries on top of a fruit pyramid. We got plenty of commentary from the extended WDA. It was fun, creative, and celebratory. Steve managed to capture expression in just the curve of the wrist or the placement of the fingers; we ended up with lots of good options to choose from.

After, we opened the picnic basket and joined the pups for a meal of Cuban sandwiches (cooking the pork loin last night was pure torture for the White Ones), spicy black beans with chips, and LOTS of fruit leftovers from the photo styling. Sen-ge seemed to appreciate his party and especially the pork and ham prepared just for the pups.

By mid-afternoon when we finished, the sky had clouded over and was seriously threatening rain. The WDA agreed that maybe a car ride might be better than the Park during a thunder storm so we took a basket of picnic leftover goodies to our friend, Gordon. On the way over, the storm struck with winds and lashing rain and deep rolling claps; no one was happy. BUT this is New Mexico and a rainstorm never lasts more than a few minutes.

By the time we reached Gordon’s the rain had stopped. It was cold and windy but Steve took the window of opportunity to make a mad dash to the Park where we walked to end cancer. There for a brief time White Dog, Yet Another White Dog, and Still Another White Dog got to run and The Other White Dog and Another White Dog had a gentle stroll to breathe deeply the amazing smells of the desert right after a rain.