One of the most frequent conversations I have with my neighbors is about my dog, Grace, and how much she enjoys being the “Porch Dog” this summer. Whenever people go by, Grace is out there, relaxing under the ceiling fan, enjoying all that “porch living” has to offer!

Grace is about 14 yrs old. I’ve had her for the past 6 years, so almost half of her life at this point.

This is amazing to me because she arrived at the Animal Rescue of New England as a dog in need of a lot of attention. She was initially categorized as a ‘Katrina’ dog who lost her owners during that storm 7 years ago this week.  The closest to reality now (or believed), is that Grace was a resident of the Humane Society in Newark, NJ and was used as a bait dog in a fighting ring in East Orange, NJ before she was rescued.  Grace ended up in the ‘ring’ after the death of an elderly owner (at least that’s what she has shared with the animal communicator whom she visited last year). 🙂

She arrived at the shelter with puppies (Seven according to her records that noted – “Do not PTS”  – PTS = Put to Sleep). She also had more puppies at the shelter.  I don’t like to think about this part of Grace’s life, but I know I have to acknowledge it – and appreciate the team at the NJ shelter that continuously “checked” her out and brought her back in each time ‘her time was up.’ That said, she definitely deserved to be where she ended up for the second half of her life – especially as I look at her tired, old, aging body, covered with scars stretching from her face to some of her paws,  as she rests so contently on the front porch this summer .

YES! I admit -she is spoiled and she is definitely the “Porch Dog”.  She is out there by 7am and won’t come back into the house until after dark (which seems to get earlier each day as we wind down the summer of 2012.)

I’ve recently discovered that Grace has company on THE PORCH (my friend Terri has noted that this term should be in all CAPS because it seems to be a summer destination!)

There is the “Porch Frog” that  joined Grace on the porch (I mean, THE PORCH)  earlier month.

Technically, it’s a Grey Tree Frog – common here in NH.  It has been hanging out during the day, taking its place behind one of the window shutters.

It leaves each evening as dusk sets in, just before Grace comes into the house for the evening.  He heads to the garden in my backyard, I imagine to eat the bugs that only come out at night.  It’s become a routine, every morning, the “Porch Frog” is behind the shutter and every evening, it heads out, hopping across the patio furniture and into the backyard.

Once the frog jumps into the magnolia tree each night, Grace seems ready to come back inside.  (Of course, the people on the porch get excited to see the frog’s evening migration, but it seems odd to me that Grace doesn’t seem to notice.)

I have a strong suspicion that Grace and Frog are true porch companions and we’ll never know what they talk to each other about all day long!