Apso Summer

While it is oficially still spring and we had snowfall in the Alps just last week when driving back home from Austria, now it is sunny and warm bordering on hot and I was able to add quite a few new beads to my Summer Apso bracelet this year. It might look strange at first glance - the combination of Tibet, mountain and ocean beads. But the Octopus just really wanted to be on this bracelet and so there he went. And then I read up on the Himalayas where the Lhasa Apso comes from and which is a huge part of this bracelet´s design therefore and I found out that there are fossils to be found because the mountains were once part of a huge ocean - and then it all made sense and I did not even hesitate to put the orca on it as well. The Macrow artisan ornament was the last addition.
And not to forget the best of all: the Lhasa Apso dangle that finally arrived at the end of April. I had tried to get one since summer last year, alas my friend who wanted to troll fairy for me never got to actually forwarding him. So I gifted him to her and found another troll fairy this spring. Thank you so much, Hayseed!!!!   

The Apso dangle could not have come at a better time for I got it just before we went to Austria where we stayed at a friend´s house who breeds Lhasa Apsos and from whom our Gyalmo comes. We lived with between 6 and 9 Apsos near Salzburg with lots of mountains around us for two weeks and for me this was heaven. The most funny part was when our friend was away and we took care of the 6 Apso ladies (the 3 Apso guys live with her daugther and only were with us for a few days when the daughter went on a business trip) and one of them had her behind a bit dirty. So I took her on my arms, went to the basement where there is a bathtub just for such cases, cleaned her and brought her up again. Some followed me downstairs, watchful eyes on me and their pack member and afterwards all Apsos looked at me differently with new respect as if saying „If she is allowed to wash our behinds she must be in charge“ It was really funny All in all with three other Apsos visiting one afternoon and another two we met at a seminar on body language for people with dogs held by our friend´s daughter, we were with 14 Apsos all together, not all related but all somehow connected to Gyalmo and the others, it was fantastic to see all the different characters from boisterous to deep meditative (not to be confused with lazy ). And yet all of them are the same in their quiet presence and yet power, their loveliness and gentleness to one another ant the people they love. I really had an absolute blast being with them   

Gyalmo got spayed during our stay and has recovered beautifully. Here is a photo of her, her mum and her grandmum. Gyalmo is wearing a little „gown“ so that she could not lick/scratch the wound. It looked funny but did its job

Here is the bracelet:



And here Gyalmos maternal family - from left to right: Gyalmo, her Mum Dolkar and her Grandmum Vranzi. Behind them in the back sits Malu, another daugther of Vranzi who is pregnant at the moment and she let me feel her Babies kick in her tummy, which was wonderful, as well

great story! the bracelet is beautiful, especially that cute dog bead    
However, you must not put pics of dogs and bracelet together, in that case, those beautiful dogs avert my eyes completely from the beads, I love those dogs and the last pic is really so heart-warming! Thank you for sharing!     

Ah, that looks and sounds like you had a wonderful trip!

I'm so glad that your dangle arrived safely Your bracelet is perfect for Summer

That's a very cool bracelet, and an interesting story. Adorable Apso family, too.

OH MY!! That bracelet is BEAUTIFUL! I love the mix of colors, so vibrant and happy! Those doggies are so adorable too...I love Gyalmo's sweet, expressive eyes

Too too cute!

Love the bracelet.
Cute dogs.

Thank you sharing your trip.   It must have been so fascinating to watch those animals, observe their different personalities and see how  they interact.  
I have to share this:  I don't know where my mind was when I started  reading your post      ) but the light bulb didn't turn on.  I wasn't picking up that a Lhasa Apso was a "dog".  You were writing about alps and Tibet, mountains being ancient oceans and, for some reason, I was visualizing that you were taking care of a herd of llamas or alpacas (Lhasa Apso--its close, isn't it )   So, I was really perplexed when you carried a llama down into the basement to wash its rear, but I thought to myself, ok maybe the barn has a lower level and you really worked at getting that llama to go down there.  When you got it to sit in the tub, I was thinking you are really going above and beyond.  And then when the other llamas respected you  as their leader after that, that made sense that a herd animal wouldn't immediately acknowledge a new leader/caretaker.  And the reason you went to the seminar on dogs is that you were in the area, babysitting llamas for friend.  I sure had quite a story in my mind, didn't I. Thank goodness for the photo.  ( I guess I didn't get enough sleep last night.)

BTW, the bold blues opposite the sparks orange in the bracelet are wonderful.  I think it looks just like the word "fun".

Thank you all very much for your lovely comments!

Gail, I laughed so hard reading your post and then re-reading it aloud to DH and I am still smiling, especially since I pictured myself carrying a Llama down the stairs into the basement and the others following me. Too funny for words!     And I could have taken it to a whole new level for you had I mentioned that Gyalmo loves to sit on my lap in the car (I know it is not safe, but she gets car sick if put in the box and we are still working on that one). Customs at the border would probably get a heart attack if I travelled with a Llama on my lap  Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts!   

Trollperle wrote:Thank you all very much for your lovely comments!

Gail, I laughed so hard reading your post and then re-reading it aloud to DH and I am still smiling, especially since I pictured myself carrying a Llama down the stairs into the basement and the others following me. Too funny for words!     And I could have taken it to a whole new level for you had I mentioned that Gyalmo loves to sit on my lap in the car (I know it is not safe, but she gets car sick if put in the box and we are still working on that one). Customs at the border would probably get a heart attack if I travelled with a Llama on my lap  Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts!   

Laughing at the vision of a llama on your lap at a border stop....that would truly be a first for them....they could say they've seen it all.

The bracelet is lovely, But the little dogs are the best   

My dog is a Tibetan Terrier   They are called Tsang Apso in Tibet

I agree, Niceday, the dogs absolutely are the best Gyalmo is like our little Princess Sunshine Please share a photo of your Tsang Apso   

Your bracelet is fantaastic and those little hairy ladies....    

I love your bracelet but I adore those little doggies   They are so sweet - I have three cats but they would never be so well behaved and sit nicely together like that! Lol!    

I love to see pictures of your darling Gyalmo, and even better with the rest of her family, my Boudica is only half Lhasa, but she has the same expression   

Here he is...... the love of my life    My Tibetan, his name is Fig.  he will be two years old in July.

OMG, niceday, he is gorgeous   so sure of himself and his place in the world and loved so much - absolutely beautiful!

Oh my goodness! They're all beautiful and little Gyalmo is the most beautiful of all!

I'm so glad you finally got the Lhasa Apso dangle, I remember you looking for one so long ago!

niceday - And your dogs are beautiful as well - I wish I could go for a romp through a meadow with them!

Trollperle wrote:OMG, niceday, he is gorgeous   so sure of himself and his place in the world and loved so much - absolutely beautiful!

He can be a bit wilful  at times   we cannot let him off the lead if there is another dog around he will not come back, playing is far more important to him than doing anything we say !!!   

Just can't resist showing my darlings, Gizmo (Shih tzu) and Boudica (Lhasa X JR)

Oh Fuzzyfeet, they are both adorable