catchin' up on the news....

As usual, the summer has been filled with activities of all kinds. Bogey finally made his first visit to church... we have been so busy on the weekends, that I fear we haven't been in church as much as we should..it felt good to be back and see all our friends. Bogey was very good, settled in quite well, and remained quiet for the whole service. 

Dog classes have been going on all summer as well, though during the month of August, I am taking a little time off. This was the graduation of the puppy class... what a nice group they were (are) and many of them plan to move onto higher education come fall.

You all remember little Amy, my Mom and Dad's new girl. Well, she has been in classes and is doing quite  a good job. She has quickly made her way into every one's hearts. Her little buddy here is Henry... my cousin's little dog who attended the puppy class as well. He's a sweetie pie too...

The last Tuesday in July, was our annual dog obedience demo put on by my dog club. This is always a big hit in town, and we had a great crowd of both members and spectators. We even made the local papers this year.

It always goes well, but for some reason, I am usually a wreck the day before it all comes together. I don't know why either, we have only done this for 20 + years, with no troubles, but I do worry. One thing I always fear is "will the show be long enough" and just like every other year .. it goes way over. By the time we pick up and chat with all the folks that like to see the dogs... we're there for the entire evening.

And bit by bit, we are working on increasing the pasture size. So happy to have this post hole digger, I don't know what we would do without it. Trouble is, the days have been so hot that we get three or posts in, and both of us have had enough. Maybe by fall, we'll have it all done!!!

And this wonderful white box contains a few good things..... 

Yup, those would be turkeys!!! We ordered them several weeks ago, and thought they would be in much sooner than this. But either way, they should be "ready" by the time the holidays roll around. Right now they are cute, yellow and fuzzy, and it's hard to think about eating them, but by the time, "that time" arrives, they are usually big, white and ugly (both in looks and temperament) and we're happy to see them go. But for now, we will enjoy them as babies, and think about they're leaving at another point in time.

tractor show

This past Saturday was the annual Engine and Tractor show, it's a great event and has certainly grown over the years. I do enjoy going, mainly to see all the antiques, and of course... it's a great place to work service puppies!!!! The day was quite warm, but overcast.. if the sun had been out, it would have been extremely hot, I took Camille and Bogey just the same, and watched that they didn't get too hot.

Camille has been to the tractor show before, so she was happy to just visit around. Bogey did equally well, and there was lots to work with. For example these big "one lunger engines" make quite a pop sound when they run, as well as hiss and create steam. Bogey wasn't bothered one bit by them. There were other dogs, lots of people, food, kids.... just the things we look for.

And of course, tractors!!! of all shapes and sizes.... we happen to think that John Deere is the best!!!

It's a nice family event,  the engines and tractors are the main interest.. but there are all kinds of things to watch and do...

People enjoy riding around the show and  showing off their prize possession as well. I loved watching this old tractor putt around the grounds....

This was a nice display of mini steam engines... most of them were crafted by hand and ran with a little whirling sound. they were pretty too, lots of brass and painted up brightly....

and the kids could take a ride on this "train" and see the sights of the show......

Now, the old engines were designed to run provide power to things like washing machines, wells, various farm equipment... this engine was hooked into a wood splitter. It did a good job, but certainly slower than the splitter we use around our farm...

The farm where the show is held, is being made into a museum of sorts. And many of the weekends, there are events of one kind or another going on.  This wagon has been given back to the farm.. it's an old apple wagon. When the farm had an orchard this was used to collect the apples, and then set out beside the road, where the apple could then be sold. The family was quite pleased to have it returned to it's original home.  So nice to think of "orginials" returning to their "homes".

Another fun summer event... can't believe we are more than half way threw. The weekends of August are already booked....and I'm thinking September already.... oh my!!!

back on the streets....

Thursday, we were back at NEADS for our monthly check in with Dave (yes, already!!!) It's always fun to go down and I look forward to it each time. Not only do we get the look over of the current pups, but we get the updates of the turned-in pups.. and there was news about Norton. First off, it's this a neat drawing of him... it was done by his handler in the prison... and I think it really "captures" the personality of my muppet dog. Sadly, the news of Norton was not exactly happy, he has been dropped from the training program... because his hips did not pass the medical exam. This is a sad report for sure. Training wise, and personality wise Norton "had it"... and then with is non shedding coat, he was a desirable dog for many clients of NEADS... However, he was not long on the adoption list. Dave, our head trainer, has decided to adopt him!!! So, not only will Norton be a great family pet, he will be accompanying Dave at his training classes, and other type demos. Maybe Norton won't be a service dog, but he certainly will continue to be a good ambassador for the service dogs and will be well loved by his new family. (and I got a chance to say hello to him and gave him a big hug!!!)  

And for the current puppies in training, it was hit the streets of the city once again. The day was overcast, but the city was still hot and full of the activity that it always is. Everyone is progressing well... we got our "usual" excellent progress report.

We popped into the train station... talked with Dave, shared some stories and the doggies practiced unders....

And the ever famous stair work. Believe me, by the time you have hiked up and down them a "million times" so you can work the dog.... you get a pretty good work out yourself. No one ever said that service puppy work was for the lazy!!!!!

This is Vickie... she has been raised by June who is in Mass. But Vickie needed to do a puppy swap, so she is "home" in Maine with us right now. I took a little time to work with her and here we are doing an under. Vickie did quite well, wearing the back pack instead of the vest, gives the dogs another type of work out.

We were also joined with Lorna who currently has Bogey's sister - Rayvan... she's a little cutie pie, and it was neat to get a picture of the siblings together. Both of them are a little small for "goldens", but Bogey seems huge next to his sister!!!! (and they both did quite well in the city!!!)

OK.. so I'll fess up to this part of the story. When we met in the morning, we had to decide if we travel in one vehicle or two. I opted for one, because it's just so much fun for all of us to be together. The others, weren't so sure, traveling together put four humans and four dogs in one car. But, I guess I convinced them, because we all piled into the jeep. I didn't think about the return trip though... because coming back we had another dog with us (Vickie) plus all our supplies (ie: bags of dog food) ..so we all squished big time... five dogs, four humans, 3 huge bags of food.... it was quite interesting and we headed home quickly. Guess it will be two vehicles from now on!!!! But over all, just another fun day in the world of service puppy training...

And paying a visit to the puppy house.... the future looks bright....

summer around the farm

Projects, projects, projects... they seem endless with this farm... and that isn't a complaint, it just seems we are always fussing and changing things around. Working on making it easier, better, faster. Our latest addition is this "portable garage" (aka tent building). We have a pretty good collection of horse drawn vehicles now, and I am having a hissy with them either outside or bearly under cover, so Ed found this little building (on sale no less) and we got it up to tuck our wagons, buggies, and various other items under. Now the sleighs will be protected in the summer and the wagons in winter.... I feel much better about that!!!

Abbie is having a great summer, and she is one busy girl. She spends every other weekend with her Daddy and his family, one day a week she does pre-school with Tee-Tee, and the rest of the days are playing around the farm and being at camp. She also has had a major break threw.... potty training. Took her about a week to get the idea and now she is all about it. She's growing up so fast......

She loves to putter around the barn, and is so happy when she can find ways to help out. Another one of her discoveries... how to start things.... see the gator in the back ground??? Well we now have to hide the key, because she has started it on more than one occasion!!! It was either hide the key or simply teach her how to drive it... think hiding the key is the better idea right now!!!!

The barn swallows have had two batches of babies.... and the other night, batch two had made their way out of the nest and were about ready to take off. We have quite a few of them now, but they must be dong a good job, because we hardly have any bugs in the barn. I am always happy to have them as our guests, they are welcomed back anytime...

Hard to think that the end of July is fast approaching... seems like it was just the 4th and here we are. August is full of fun and all sorts of plans already..... hate to say, but fall isn't that far away.....

lobster... again....

For us - lobster eating folk - this has been a good summer. Lobster prices are way down, and right now, it's a pretty cheap meal. And while I appreciate that (I do love lobster) I feel bad for the fishermen who are trying to make a living doing this. When lobster, per pound, is cheaper than a gallon of gas, there is no way these folks can be making a living at what they do, and a number of them have pulled their boats and aren't bothering to even try.

but, I will support them and eat what I can, maybe drive the demand back up........

Yes, Camille --- that is lunch. Our puppy raiser friends from New York are visiting the seacoast this week. So, we thought it would be great fun to get together and have a good ol fashion lobster bake....

The puppies were surprising happy to see each other and NOT on the streets of the city. It was fun to bring them all together in a non working event.....

Here's my lunch.... ooohhh , I can't wait.....

We had a wonderful afternoon.. talking about all sorts of things, enjoying great food and the ocean... and getting photos of this year's puppies.

Bogey still isn't sure that we eat these things... but I bet he would have tried if I let him.

Moxie says.. "this is a set up for sure, I'm not touching those things". We've had some pretty great weekends... thinking back, lakeside, cookouts, family and friends, sky diving, and lobsters by the sea...

ya, know.... we are blessed!!!!! 

from the sky or Merry Christmas...

Not too far from the farm, there is a sky diving school. (amazing what's in my own back yard). Anyways, for Christmas last year, I gave Nate a gift certificate for a jump, he said it was "on the list" of things to try... so, thought he would like to try it. Though I must admit, that jumping out of a perfectly good airplane... well, you know the line....

And I have to wonder just how many people are interested in doing something like that... apparently.. many!!!! because when we arrived to watch Nate do his jump, they had already taken up four loads of jumpers, and Nate was in jump number nine.. and I don't know how many more were after that.

The airport is really fun. They have a nice food stand there, lots of picnic tables, dogs are welcomed and if you like airplanes or parachutes, you could just go and spend the whole afternoon   watching. Nate and Mike (his good friend) had to first take a class on how the jump was done. Then they were assigned to an instructor who would do the jump with them. Can't imagine jumping from a plane over and over and over --- all in one day, .. day after day.. but it must be an interesting job to say the least....

Here are the buddies.... waiting to head out to the plane. Surprisingly, neither were that nervous (I think the families were more worried)

If you want, you can hire a photographer to go up as well, they will film your jump and take photos for you. Nate thought that was a good idea, and as the photographer was asking him "who's idea was it do a jump" he pointed to me and said "my Mother in law".... yup, all the usual jokes followed.....

As I said, it's a place for families and so I brought Bogey along thinking it might be good for him to watch the parachutes fall from the sky. As you can see the landing field is right in front of you, and when they come in, they swoop right over your head. It's cool... Bogey didn't mind it at all and just watched the whole morning.

And here comes Nate!!! They drop from 14,000 feet (about two miles).. do some free fall and then open the shoots..... they also give you a fairly long ride down to earth....

And back safe and sound on earth once again. Mike said it might do it again sometime, but Nate seems pretty happy at having done one. Sadie said she would like to try a jump next year... me.... I'll keep my feet on the ground, thank you very much...









Sadie and Abbie found this peace sculpture neat.....

and here is one of Nate' professional photos. Life is never boring if you just take a moment and look around...





Merry Christmas!!!!

workin' hard...

Last Saturday, it was such a pretty summer night, we decided to pack up Abbie, Sadie, and puppies, and get out there and do some "public access work". I have been wanting to check out OOB, for sometime, and it seemed like the perfect night to do. OOB was filled with summer activities, people, the boardwalk, food... there was much to do and see, for sure.

 Bogey and Moxie got to practice some "unders" while we got supper. We sat outside and watched the crowds go by.

Then we moved over to the amusement park. I knew Abbie would have a great time on the rides, and for the puppies, talk about a working environment.... they got to see it all.

They both did extremely well, and I have already decided that before the season is over, we'll go back there again.

Abbie had a super time on the rides. And one thing that we particularly liked was.. the tickets weren't that expensive, and there is a whole section of the park that is just for the little ones.

And all kinds of different rides to choose from. She likes a couple of them so well, that she took a few rides... one being this mermaid ride. It was very busy and a little crowded, and you had to "pay attention" but over all I would call it a family friendly place.

Bogey was a good as he could be. He seemed to enjoy watching Abbie as she took her rides. He walked along nicely and certainly enjoyed all the attention that he and Moxie drew in.

(love how Abbie picked the pink tea cup -- it matched her sweatshirt)

A bonus to the evening was when we came across a family, who (seeing the dogs) said they were waiting for a dog for their son. As it tuned out, they are waiting for a NEADS dog, so they were very excited when they found out both Bogey and Moxie were puppies in training... they had all kinds of questions about the "side of puppy raising" and we enjoyed hearing about "what it's like to be on the waiting list". The young man who is waiting for his dog certainly loved seeing the puppies, it was about all we could do to pull them away.

The summer is just speeding by... and it's hard to cram in all the fun that it offers... but one thing for sure.. we're "workin' hard" at it!!!