A couple summers ago, our friend Denise moved her horses and barn to the farm. It was fun having her around, but when she found a place to rent, the horses and barn left. Well... now Denise has lost the rental place, and needing somewhere to go.. we invited her to move back on the farm. Today is moving day!!! We loaded the horses first....
and then the truck arrived to get the barn. These are great little barns, and not really meant to be moved, but they certainly can be....
This company has it down to a science... the barn is built on "skids".. so it's just a matter of winching it up on the truck. However, this truck is also designed to do just this job, and really in a matter of minutes, it was up... on...
loaded...
and ready to hit the road. Fortunately, it only has to travel a few miles.... but it could go cross country if needed.
The barn was right behind us, and here we go.. onto the farm.
Now, putting it where we wanted it to be was another story. I opted for having them go up the drive and then just back it in. But, the drivers wanted to take it across the field. Hummm.. a field that has only just cleared of snow, has been rained all all spring and the ground is about as soft as it can be..... not a good idea in my opinion...
Yup, pretty much as I had thought... they go stuck... and the deeper that barn sank into the ground, the more worried I became...
However, the driver was not one bit phased. He unloaded the barn... turned the truck around,
reloaded and came at it from another angel. Instead of pulling the barn across the field,
He gently pushed it. And what was more amazing to watch, is the truck and trailer were all moved by remote control. He never got back in the truck but did everything from a little hand held unit. He would inch the trailer out, then the truck backed up to the trailer.... inch it out again, back up again... the weight was better distrubted..
and even though it sank a little in the field, the continual movement kept everything from sinking in too far...
Once it was in the proper place, the barn slipped off the truck. A bit of leveling (which wasn't hardly anything) and Denise was back in business.. Up went fencing and the horses were home again.....
Since it was such a pretty day, and the barn moving project went much faster than I had thought. I decided to pull ol Duke out.. give him a much needed brush out, and do a little driving....
Good weather must be on the way... once these big boys begin to drop coat.. it's a sure sign....
almost enough hair to cover another horse!!!!
all harnessed... ready to go.. and then Duke sees, we have new friends!!!
Looking forward to lots of horse stuff this summer!!!!
Our monthly check in at neads!!! goodness, the time is always flying by!!! We stopped in at the campus and then headed right into the city. We have major concerns about Miss Bella... actually, we (puppy raisers) knew from the moment she came to us in January, that Miss Bella was never quite "service dog material"... she's extremely sweet... and wants to try.. but her soft manner isn't going to pass her. Both Kathleen and I have worked with her on all sorts of things, once she's used to something, than she is OK... but when something new crosses her path... like this bit quite statue...
Given the opportunity... she's out of there. We basically took her down today.. with the true expectation that she would be officially dropped.... then we can quit trying to push her into something she'll never be and find that perfect home for her...
Joey, on the other hand, it typical "all boy" lab. He plunges into everything with a great sense of humor and wit. He's been so much fun to work with.. except for one thing... Housetraining!!! I am having a horrid time with that and never.... it all my dog years .. have I not been able to house train a puppy. I have true concerns and stressed that big time to the trainers today....
Poor Bella... this city life is not for her. I was so sad to see her face.. which pretty much looked this way the whole day.... those tight pinched eyes says it all... "this is not what I want to be doing today"....
We continued threw the day. Bus station with all those noisy (stinky) buses... Joey saw no troubles with.....
Beautiful "unders" at all the stations waiting places...
Trains roaring threw...
Bella continued to do her best, but now the trainers are seeing a whole different side...
Joey didn't even notice the traffic whizzing behind him....
But, being a baby, he did poop out .. and so when Bella went to do the hospital walk.. and Joey being tired (and having not done his business) we opted to wait just inside the door
Upon the return from the hospital walk, everyone has pretty much agreed that Bella will be dropped. And as sad as it seems, I know Kathleen and I are actually relived for her. Not every dog wants this job and fortunately, there are people who know and understand that.
On another note here, we have two new trainers we are working with now. Lacey and Anne... Dave has decided to take on a new venue and is no longer at Neads. I am going to miss him greatly, because I loved talking not just service dogs.. but dog training in general with him. He was so knowledgeable and we had so many thoughts in common. The gals seem very nice and we're willing to take on whatever challenges come our way... and things change.. life changes, so you just need to go with it.
Our eyes (and concerns) now turn to Joey... I hope we can sort this potty thing out.
I had a bad feeling that my little bees did not survive the winter. For all the snow that we had, it arrived in January... which meant that the cold November and December days, there really wasn't any snow to help keep them warm. When we got snow on Thanksgiving, I thought that was how the winter would be. Then it left, the cold arrived and there wasn't any good insultor for the bees. I checked on them in December, they were doing well.. had food and the like.. but things got quiet after that.
So, we opened the hive and sure enough, everyone was "gone"... I cried..... and then we found honey that had not been touched... so to make something good out of something sad... we do have honey to harvest. We called Abi to come and help, and she was beyond thrilled to have some of this sweet treat....
She's become a pro .. and maybe one day she'll want to keep bees. I love how she is so interested with the things that we do on the farm..... she really wanted to try uncapping, but that knife is hot and Papa said it was better that he do that.....
With frames in the "spinner"... Abi can now take over.....
The frames were not completely full of honey and I had wondered how much we would end up with. Actually there was more than I thought. So, what happened was the bees were too cold to eat, and died that way.... I have already decided (well already ordered) bees for the spring... we'll try again, because I like having them here on the farm, and I already know I would miss them....
In the meantime, we'll enjoy all the hard work they did for us.....
Family celebrations have to be one of my most favorite things in the world. I like to celebrate them all... but once in a while, there is one that is just a bit more special than any other one... and that would have to be today's.....
Mom and Dad are celebrating their 56th wedding anniversary. It's an amazing thing... because if you take the time to think about all the reasons and time and events that bring a couple this far... it can boggle the mind. But of course, the thing I think the most about was how sick Dad was just a few months ago, and that at Christmas we really had doubts about him even pulling threw. And today, we are so very blessed that both Mom and Dad are here.. they are doing well... and we have the chance to be all together. Blessing doesn't even begin to describe it all.....
We met at one of their favorite restaurants to eat and celebrate and have the chance to be together. Sadly not everyone made it ... (Sadie and Abi, Nate and Naomi) but it's hard to bring "big" families together, and just have to go with as many as can......
Reagan was so good, and it's hard being the little one with all the adults... but we spoiled him...
I hope my Mom and Dad have many more celebrations... I hope we'll celebrate a 60th!! But for now, we'll take each day God gives us and make that a celebration of it's own.....
April is proving to be the month of showers... I'm hoping we're at the point where snow is long behind us, and mud the thing we deal with the most. I have let the guinea hens out and they will now be free (until the next winter snows) to do the bug patrol and get those nasty tics under control....
It's nice to see them out and about and hear them talking back and forth....
We've come threw a very exciting winter... but I'm ready for some long summer days .....
A couple months ago, I signed Livy and I up for a class that would certify us as a therapy dog team. There are a few organizations that endorse therapy dogs. and they are all good, so I just choose the one that was the easiest for me to attend. "Pet Partners" was once called "Delta" and actually my little Moxie dog was "Delta" certified... but they have changed the name and changed some of their rules, and since it has been so long since I attended their course, Livy and I just started from the beginning. It was divided into two classes.. one just for the handler and then (today) the testing for the dog handler team.
What I really do like about Pet Partners is, when you are tested, you are tested as a team. So the handler has their own things that they are being watched for, and then of course, the dog has their list of things that they have to be able to do.
I was more worried about "my work" than I was of Livy!!!! You are scored by either "NP" (not passed) or a #1.. for done well, but needs improvement or a #2.. performed perfectly... we only got one #1... and that was because I did not bring a proper brush with me. They want us to have a very soft bristle brush (in case the people you are visiting would like to brush the dog) and I just grabbed a brush out of the grooming basket.. which by no means would be considered "soft"....
so... we almost had a perfect score!!!! Well.. Livy did have a perfect score...
Now, I just need to get all our paperwork sent in, and then decide what kind of "visit" we will be doing. I want to continue with the reading program that we did last summer for sure, but I would also like to find a facility that would like to have a therapy dog team come and visit on a regular visit... so, there's some research ahead for us. But either way.. a new adventure with this little gal of mine!!!!
Oh this little face!!!! I miss her so much and still to this day, in a mean sort of way... wish she had failed as a service dog!!! Because she would have been mine...... but Debbie is destined for bigger things than me... and today is her graduation.
I had huge mixed emotions at the thought of seeing her again and meeting her new Mom.... I could hardly wait to get to see her, and then was already embarrassed knowing full well that I would have a hard time keep it all in check. And when we saw each other once again....
Well, I think the look on her face says it all.....
I was pleased with myself, that I remembered "good service dog manners" and asked Samantha for permission to pet her dog.....
I think Samantha was nervous too at meeting me ... no doubt she knew from the people at NEADS how much I loved this dog. And I always did know that Debbie wouldn't fail... and being a hearing dog for this wonderful young woman is going to give her an amazing life....
Debbie and Samantha will be heading to college in the fall.... Debbie will love living on the campus and I can already see the love and bond she has for her new Mom. No one ever said being a puppy raiser was "easy"... but it certainly is rewarding....
Debbie got to meet Bella....
And Joey... and seems as though she was giving advise to them both.....
Three of "my" puppies.......
And here's the graduating class........
It wasn't long ago, when I told Debbie that one day it will be her turn on the stage.... and look at this... she's an old pro already......
I don't remember "who" this dog is.. but what a ham he was up on the stage... he laid like this for nearly the whole program.....
There were four hearing dogs at this graduation, but I didn't realize that this class had all trained together. And these four young women had made very close friendships. Each one of them spoke of it in their speech and how already their dogs had brought new and exciting things to them....
Debbie never took her eye of Samantha.... (she used to do that with me....) but that's "my" girl... she always did her job 1000%.... and she will continue to do that....
Joey found it all very boring.... though one day with love and luck.. he will have his turn on the stage......
It was a nice graduation ceremony... though I have to say, this one was rather long.. and between Abi and Joey, it was hard to keep the youngsters patient.....
The new client house is being named after Kathy... this is really nice thing and she had no idea.... so an already emotional day just had fuel added to the fire....
Even during his center time on stage... this boy knows how to play the crowd... good things he's going to be a ministry dog.. with this sense of humor....
When they show "this" photo at the end.. this is my "closing marker"... the work is done... for me and for Deb.. and now they step out into the world together....
But there are other puppies to train... other adventures to take.... and with my buds.. we're going to take them on and have a good time.....
And of course, my number one puppy raiser partner!!!!!
(Abi and Joey.......)
