Monday, October 31, 2016

10 year anniversary......

Today is a special day with regards to my little blog.... today is my/it's 10 year anniversary... back in 2006, "blogs" were "the thing".. I remember a couple of my dog students were keeping blogs and had put pictures of the obedience classes on them. Telling me about them so I could go and read their stories, I decided it might be a fun thing to try.

I wasn't (I still not) all that great with computers, and I had doubts if I could even find it again once I had started it, but I did... and began to "write" if you will. 

It's been fun keeping the blog and then every once in a while going back threw the stories. We had (have) a lot going on... between the girls getting ready to leave home and go out on their own... to moving to the farm... to grand babies... and all the things in between. 

I even discovered that the blogs could be made into books, and so I am trying to have each year printed out, thinking that one day, maybe one of the grand children might be interested in "what it was like with Baby and Papa"... who knows??? I like hearing about my family history so I hope they will as well.  I know that I tell stories sometimes to Abi now, and I can see she thinking "wow" that was a long time ago, or "you really didn't have those??"  Each generation has its own thing, I guess.


so... here's to my little blog..... and I have no intension of stropping now, maybe it will continue for another 10 plus years... that would be fun... but, "we' made it this far and will celebrate that to it's self......

Sunday, October 30, 2016

halloween eve....


So, we're getting things buttoned up for winter. Each year I think, why is there so much to it... by now I think that we would have everything all set.. but no, there are still things that alway must be done. This year, it's our garden pond... because it has no depth and if it .. rather when it freezes, we can't have the ice pushing on the stone wall... so, this means it will have to be drained. 
Because we haven't dealt with this before, we're really not sure what the routine is.. and are kind of making it up as we go along. I want to keep some of the plants and of course, get the fish out.....

so we used the fountain pump to drain the water, and then Ed went into the pond to catch the fish and grab out the plants for me....

I so enjoyed the little pond over the summer and will certainly have it up and running again next summer. It also gave me a the opportunity to decide what I liked and didn't like and how it all worked. So this has certainly been a successful project. 


I started with 8 fish and we ended up with 6... now I need a place for them to be this winter, which I guess will mean getting a tank for them. Since they're pretty I want to find a spot for a small tank in the house and we can enjoy watching them this winter...

And then we found him... Mr. Froggie... I really wasn't too certain what we should do with him.. and I didn't just want to toss him out homeless ... so we put him in a little jar and took him up to the lake and found just the spot to let him go. He'll know how to fend for himself come winter, and next year, perhaps another froggie will come to live in the pond. 

Come the evening we headed down to Kass and Nate's... our little town does trick or treat the night before Halloween... why this is.. I don't know.. but we always went out the night before. even when I was little... so that's the way it is. Since this came on a Sunday evening, Kass had invited everyone to come for dinner and then see the boys off  for trick or treats...

Their theme is Calvin and Hobbs... with Reagan as Calvin and Calvin as Hobbs.... but I'm pretty sure they really don't know whats its exactly all about.

Reagan was more excited to show off Ferguson...


Kass had made a nice hot dinner of chili and soup, and everyone had great fun just being together...and it also gave Kass a chance to show off her new kitchen....



Getting dressed up..... but by now Calvin was really more interested in going to bed than out for trick or treats.. I have a feeling it won't be a very late night..



And they're off. We wanted to go as well, but my Dad was in the hospital and we felt that we wanted to pop in and see him there. The reports I got about trick or treating was it took Reagan a few houses to "get it" and then he was off and running... Cal on the other hand, fell asleep in the stroller.... next year however.....


Thursday, October 27, 2016

weekend projects

This weekend is off to a GREAT start.... we have Abi spending the night!!!! I am so happy and excited to have her here, especially since this was an expected sleepover... But, I have to say, from the moment she walked threw the door... one little brown dog was over the moon with joy... Livy loves her kids...
The Great Pumpkin was on the other night.. and with this new fangled TV we have the ability to record it. We also have it on DVD but Ed hit the record button... so, we had it "on file" and with Abi here.. nothing better than watching it. I remember 7 years ago, when she was just days old.. (and recorded here in this blog).. she sat with me and we watched.. well.. I watched.. the Great Pumpkin for the very first time. I hope we will watch it many times over in the years ahead... it's still a wonderful little show and for me... brings in so many wonderful memories...




Saturday morning, there was lots to do.. I have to wonder are there projects that always need to be done on a farm?? or because we live on a farm, do we always find projects that can be done.... who knows what the answer is, and I guess it doesn't matter.. because there are projects that need attention. Abi was happy to get out on her bike and speed up and down the drive between the house and barn.


My project was getting the barn straighten out. Lucky, our boarding horse has left... and with her and all her things gone, there seems to be so much room in the barn. The wagonette has been sitting in the ally, but I now have a good place to tuck it away and yet still get to it. It was also a good time to sort threw not needed things and get them out of here. I don't like clutter or useless things laying about and I'm a great one for sorting threw and letting it go.

Ed's project was to put lights up in Denise's barn. We had been hoping to get this done long ago, but not being a pressing matter - especially in the summer and long days - it got put  back time and time again. However, with the days getting shorter, the need for lights is back again.. and it's a good time to get this project off the list. 

So, while he puttered out there, I puttered around the big barn... got this space cleared..

And both the wagonette and Mocha's cart fit in nice and neat, and yet, not blocked, so the can be pulled out and used at anytime

Ed had a plan for the lighting, including an outside light that comes on with motion... this is going to be so handy...

A light over each stall will make this little building nice and bright, and he even put in plugs so Denise can go to electric buckets in the winter and won't have to deal with frozen ones..

Honey and Quimby were very interested in the going ons.....

Probably thinking they could help in some way or another

Henry.... likes to think he's a barn cat... except when it's dark outside or too cold... silly boy

We almost couldn't wait for it to get dark and see how things really looked... and they looked perfect. Denise was so thrilled to come and find this done and everything up and working just fine.....

Little brown dog wanted her Daddy to know that he did good work today....

Thursday, October 20, 2016

morning chores and moving on.....

Such a pretty morning, and for me... the best time of the year. From now until New year's this is my favorite time... the days are shorter, but cooler ... the outside is so pretty and the nesting thing kicks in full before the winter weather. I think of projects... both things for Christmas and the quilts (which is a hopeful statement) that I will finish this year
On this morning, the barn is still quiet, but that's only because no one has seen me yet... once they discover I'm on the way... it all comes alive

Annabelle is usually the first one to say hello... she comes running down the drive with good morning meows... I always have to take a few moments and give her a good pat. It's also a time to check her for ticks, which (sadly) I have found a few on her lately.... I alway think about the time we "lost" her and I am just so happy to see that she is still here with us. I never did find out where she was during those weeks, but she has totally recovered and I do notice, keeps closer to the barn now a days. 

Behind her comes Mona... who, for the summer anyways, has lived out in the barn with Annabelle. She sometimes comes up to the house, but mostly thinks she's one of the barn cats. I don't know if it's because Henry moved in, or if maybe she's making up for lost time when she was solely a house cat, but either way... the outside suits her... she happy and healthy and seems to be very happy at where she is in life.

and now.. I've been seen... and we have anxious equines waiting for their breakfast to be served.


The big guys are still on full pasture, but that will be ending soon. It's just Duke and Tonka now... Lucky has been taken to her owner's home and is no longer with us. I don't know if the boys miss her or not.... they always hung out together, but she certainly ruled them with an iron foot... literally... Duke often came in with new kick marks.. so I'm sort of mixed as to whether we will miss her or not

We weren't too sure how the colors would be this year... with the drought we have over the summer, there was some talk that the leaves were too dry and would just fall away before getting into color. But, the trees at the edge of the paddock look pretty fine to me.

I actually had some success at gardening this year. My walkway garden looked great all summer, and then to my surprise.. the mums that I planted there last year came back... bigger than ever!!!! I didn't know that mums could return but these have... which is kind of neat, because now I won't have to buy any.... 


I don't do much in the way of decorating for Halloween.. but I did get my dog and a few pumpkins out.... he's looks pretty good sitting on the corner of the water garden.

And here are the last of my boys... for the past year and half I have been working with veterans and their dogs with a group called  Canine Community Corps... this group worked with the men and their dogs, getting them ready to work as service dogs. Well, a month ago, it was decided that the group would close... mainly because there is no one interested in running it or growing it... I wish it were a project I could take on, but truly.. I give them all I can and it's not enough either. So.. tonight I met with Lexi and Matt..... and Gary with Jill.. and put them threw the public access test..


Jill

They both passed easily and signing the paperwork can now be considered PTSD service dogs. Julie, who was the founder of the program was there to watch the last  of the dogs work and bid farewell... it was a bittersweet moment.

As I watched Gary and Jill head off, I can only think it was a fun "project" and I know that something else will more than likely show up and take "it's" place... there never seems to be lack of things to do for me.  So, I wish the guys good luck, and remind them that I will always be their trainer... and look to see what comes along