I couldn’t just let this sleeping dog lie. Ellie B does not want to face this gray autumn morning in Syracuse. NY.

Remember when you were growing up and your parents seemed to pull out a camera not only at the best of times, but at the worst of times?

Well, it didn’t happen in my family. My folks clicked away at birthday parties, neighborhood parties, holiday parties, graduation parties … you get the picture.

Frank and Dolores were not so big, though, on taking the candid shot that they would laugh about and you would hate, forever after. That premise was reserved in my life for when friends would squirm while their parents proudly pointed out this odd picture or that.

So I sort of surprised myself by pulling out the iPhone a minute ago to snap this shot of beloved Ellie B, aka Dogamous Pyle. She’s going to hate this one, our 3-year-old mixed breed, when I point it out to her on this blog.

You see, Ellie B has had a lot of wind in her sails lately as we circle the neighborhood on our daily walk. At least once a day every day the past week, somebody has told us what a beautiful dog she is.

I always say thank you. Because it’s true. She is a beaut, with her mix of shepherd and whatnot. (When we rescued her from the Pause for the Cause event in May 2011, the folks at the booth for the Rome Humane Society guessed shepherd, collie and lab. Since, I’ve added dingo because I saw the breed on the Internet and Karen and I tacked on greyhound when we saw a few darlings hoping to be rescued at Destiny USA).

Ellie B takes the compliments with an added bounce to her step.

So, take a good look at this shot, Dogamous Pyle, and come back down to earth. You have your “darn, dad” scrapbook moment.