Tuesday, September 30, 2014

already???


And here we are again.. check in day at neads...Right now, Danny is the only Maine boy, so we had a nice time traveling down with the gals, and taking time to fill Dave in on Danny's progress. He's doing very well, super laid back, easy going and seems to enjoy all there is about life. 
NEADS is expanding... they own a few of the properties around their current campus, and are in the process of building a new client house. When clients are matched with their dogs, they have to spend two weeks at the NEADS campus to do their team training. While they do have a nice house for them now, this one is being built  especially for the clients, and I dare say, will make "living" here those two weeks even easier. 
This is probably the least favorite of our check ins... Dave likes to see how the dogs handle scary things, and what is scarier than those horrid Halloween stores. Believe me.. this is NOT one of the stores I would normally choose to be in. I don't enjoy being scared, and I find some of this Halloween stuff down right gruesome. But I suppose if the puppies can handle it for a little bit, I can too...
Danny, just as I knew he would... was a pro. He figured out right away that this stuff is all fake... since dogs don't see things the way we do.. he never worried about all the zombies, and other such creatures. I wasn't too thrilled when they screamed at us, or worse yet.. jumped out at us.. but Danny wasn't one bit bothered. 
Dave tested him with masks of all sorts, and things that "glowed".. and Danny thought each thing was just one big toy to play with. Needless to say, Dave is very pleased with his "solid" reactions... I fear that many Halloween stores have done good dogs in. 
It may seem kind of mean to subject the dogs to this sort of thing... but making sure that they are steady and ready to handle whatever comes their way is a huge part of the training. Danny my boy, you're looking good!!!!!
AND... I am taking a bit of bragging time here... I have two "calendar girls!!"  Last year, it was Ginger who made the cover of the NEADS calendar.. and this year (2015) it's Miss Rylie!!! (In fact many of the photos are ones that I have taken!!!)...I know that I'm "a bit" of a picture nut... but it's cool to see them!!! (and you can order them on their website!!!)
So, with September  coming to a close, fall is in full swing. The apple orchards all around the farm are busy, it's a great apple year. The weather has been nothing short of amazing, and I find myself outside as much as I possible can be!!!!
Open for business!!!!!

Reagan, Kass and Sadie came up for a visit.. we went to lunch at our local little place, and then went onto the orchard to get some apples. 
Though, one little chap was far more impressed with the tractors of the orchard than the wonder apples. So while Kass and Sadie did some pumpkin shopping and looked over the apples and other such things, Reagan and I spent time exploring farm equipment.....
His Mom finally convinced him to pick up his own little pumpkin... which was hard when you want to take them all home..... but, after much searching, he did come up with the perfect one....
Back on our own farm, we found an escapee once again. Miss Mocha has decided that her pasture area is just not enough and has been booking it under the fence. She never really "goes" anywhere, but it isn't safe to have her loose... so, we'll need to find a way to keep her contained.....
And we need to prepare these little ones for horsemanship....
Abbie loves helping out in the barn and has no fear (which is good and bad) of any of the horses. Fortunately, all our horses are really good with kids, and despite his huge size, I dare say Duke is probably the best. 
With the warmish weather, the bugs are still a bit of a bother, so Abbie though Duke would appreciate a bit of fly spray. 
After the horses are all taken care of.... she's off on her four wheeler. (I have a feeling that in just a few years, her Papa will think she has out grown this one... and will "need another!!")
And speaking of fall, and all the fall things that we do around here. This is another (on going) project. Filling that woodshed so we have a nice warm house over the winter. Actually, I enjoy stacking the wood. I do it in stages so it isn't so overwhelming....
and find great satisfaction when our woodshed begins to look like this. Planning on 11 cord this year, and we'll see how long we can go without firing up the big furnace!!!!!
Abbie "fetching her ponies".....
Out for a little walk......
thanks to Miss Escape Artists.. the round pen will be used as a pasture spot for a while. (which is probably what she had in mind the whole time)...

So, as another month comes to an end... and the farm goes along on these fine fall days.. I have to admit, that I (sadly) do not spend as much time as I would like (or used to) with my little blog here. But since I do enjoy looking over the stories myself, I will try and spend a little more time, keeping it up to date... (especially the photos)... and will just try and fill it in when I take the moments to do so.....