just about as figured... we go from snow to spring in a matter of days... even hours... and that means we are slammed dunked into mud season (again and again)... I have been putting the big boys out in our round pen, just to get them out of the mud in the small winter pasture. I can't wait to open the fields up again to them, but we need some solid ground before that happens, or those big feet will just chew up the pasture... they can't wait... I can't wait!!!!
I let the guinea hens out of the coop a few weeks ago, and they are on tic patrol once again (ya!!!) the scout all over the farm finding all sort of great "treats". I love seeing them out and about and hope to add even more to my flock this year. Free ranging has it's risks for sure, but I am glad they can do the job that they are meant to do... we had so few tics last year that I know they "work" for sure.
I've been getting some extra hours at the post.. and on a few quiet afternoons Rylie has joined me there. She is so good and quiet, no one ever knows she is even there. One thing, if she becomes a service dog and has to "do" an office setting, she will be excellent there.
BEES!!!! I can't wait for my "little girls" to arrive... and I find my self over at the bee store quite a bit. This actually needs to go on the list of "don't go there often" (along with fabric shops, quilting shops and the like) because I can get into "big trouble" at shops like these. This is an observation hive that they have in the shop and I love to stand there and watch the bees at work. I won't have a view like this with my own hive, so it's fun to watch and see how the bees all do it. Some time the end of May, my hive will arrive... so there will be more stories to come for sure!!!!
Ed borrowed a manure spreader from Dave and brought it home over the weekend. We have a pile of manure that has been aging all winter and Ed wanted to get it out on the pasture before we let the boys loose...
Oh.. I "hate" that look... it means.. "come and help me with this project"... boys and machines... they scare me.. I can't tell you the number of times that Ed has said.. "oh just come hold this" or "jump up and get that" ..or "hang in there, I'm almost done".... I often remind him that I am a "girl" and I don't have that man strength that he often takes me for!!!! uggg.....
But, we managed to get the spreader off the trailer, and he had it loaded and ready to go in no time... here goes the first of the pile... We have a lot of "it" so I was sure that we could get the whole field done....
Off and running.....
I would suggest not standing too close behind this!!!! as you can see, "it" was on the fly!!! and it didn't take long at all to clean up that manure pile and turns out, we didn't have enough for the entire field!!!! So, Ed did what we could and we are starting another pile to age over the summer and will do another spread in the fall. One thing for sure, the boys will keep up the supply without too much trouble!!! So, the work of spring has begun (finally) and I have all sorts of plans!!!!!
Today is Reagan's dedication at church. A very special event and a day filled with wonderful things. We arrived at Kass and Nate's church to find many old/life long friends....
One being "uncle" Don Williams. I have known this wonderful man my whole life and it was such a joy to see him and show off our precious new grandbaby. "Uncle" Don, and his dear wife Betty, told us that they are going to be great-great grandparents in September...such a wonderful Christian man with a beautiful family of his own.....
Kass, Nate and Reagan and two other young families made their way up in front of the church. A dedication is the promise of the parents that they will raise their children to know the Lord. And once a child/adult makes the decision for themselves, they will then be baptized. So, for us, this is a very special event/day/commitment......
The Pastor offering his words of encouragement and blessings to all the families....
And the joy of this beautiful little boy and the newest member of our family......
After church, we all went back to Kass and Nate's for a cookout and the chance to be together.... one of our families favorite things to do!!!!!! Eat and be together!!!!! Their little house was filled with friends!!!!
This is Ed, another long time friend of the family.. he has know Kass and Sadie since they were little kids... and now, he loves to see Abbie and Reagan as well..... (and one guy who doesn't get nervous holding babies!!!!)
Mary and Ed take a little time to chat with Kass.... ( and these are the folks who Kass and Nate got Banjo from.....)
Course, me and the camera... have to get all these great shots when I can... and here are all our "kiddos" together!!!!!
Our family takes up a lot of space these days!!!! Ever growing, and bigger still because come July... Sadie and Jesse will be married!!!!!! (lots of plans in the works for that)...
Looks like little Reagan has had about enough fun for one day......he's growing too fast.....
It's called the Fairy Tale Ball, and it's my niece's first grade "formal" dance... you just know that we couldn't miss out on something as special as this. All the children dressed as a fairy tale "person" and went out to the ball....
Abbie was so excited to go and watch Naomi... though I must confess, that I wasn't thinking too well, and Abbie was quite upset that she "wore pants" to this event when all the other little girls were in their ball dress..... oh my.... won't forget that another time!!! But, she did smile whenever she got to be with her cousin......
The kids were so cute, they had been practicing their dancing for quite some time, and even had chosen partners!!! This little chap happens to be Naomi's crush, and you can be sure that all "slow" dances were done with him!!!!
After the ball, there was only one way to end the evening.... our first ice cream run of the season!!! And even though it was a chilly spring night, that ice cream sure tasted good..... winter must be over, if we are doing ice cream runs!!!!!
However, the next morning, we awoke to this....... I guess ol' man winter is having the last laugh... maybe it was ice cream last night, but today.. it's just plain ice.....
With a bit of snow... just for good measure. Ed had been talking about shutting the wood furnace down, but I'm glad we haven't done it yet.... I think we're going to need heat for a bit longer.... ugghhhh.....
The dogs don't seem to mind... and in fact, had a grand time out this morning. Now, we really don't have this many dogs!!!! It's vacation week, and it seems all smart people head south.. which is exactly where all the owners of these guys have gone. The kennel has been very busy this week (and next).. which is nice for me, except I could use a little warm weather....
At this rate, I have a feeling that spring is just going to come and catch us all off guard......
Poor little robins, they are probably wishing they had waited just a bit longer...
come on spring... we're waiting!!!!!
Today was the Spring graduation for NEADS, I just love going to graduations, I can always count on a good cry!!!! The whole chapter met first for breakfast at one of our favorite places. Not only is the food amazing, but they like having us and the dogs come to visit....
We had four dogs under the table and not one of them made a peep, or even were known they were there until we left. You should have seen the other folks eating at the restaurant when we all filed out... the comments were all over the place... "they had four dogs with them?" "we never even heard them" "can you believe how well behaved they are?" I just love hearing those sorts of comments!!!! (Rylie of course, was perfect!!!)
Now, not only is this a special day for the new teams.. but it is for us as well. Unknown to Linda - our chapter leader - she is being awarded today for her 20 ( TWENTY!!!) years of volunteering as the chapter leader for Maine!!!! This has all been kept a very big secret and has been in the works for months. And even as Linda traveled down to the graduation with us... her family is coming too....Rylie had to squish in the back with the presents that we were bringing for Linda!!!
And here we all are... this group is Kathleen with Mercury, Linda and Otis, Me with Rylie and Cam... Rick has Moxie and Linda has Merv..... this group will all be different a few months from now, but that's how it works in the "puppy raising" .....
It still amazes me at how comfortable the puppies are in public. I mean, I know they're suppose to be, and it's what we are always working towards, and even though this picture doesn't really show it... the hall ways were crowded, and anytime we stopped to chat, this is what the dogs do... lay quietly and wait.... such good puppies!!!!
And here we go... I was so excited, I couldn't wait to hear about the teams, but I was really happy about Linda's award ....
While the other dogs laid on the floor, Camille insisted on being in her own chair.... she's not special or anything (????) is she
And here are this spring's graduates..... I think there were 28 new teams consisting of facilitated dogs (those are the kid's dog), veterans, hearing dogs, and ministry dogs....
Now, this young man was quite special to us... last summer when we were out with Bogey, we came upon a family who told us that their son was waiting for his NEADS dog... well, surprise to us... he has been matched and was at the graduation. I think having to be on stage was a bit overwhelming for him, so he found his comfort laying quietly beside his friend... they were so sweet together, and this is the work of the kids dogs...... (which I think would be a great job for Rylie!!!)
The guest speaker was a marine... and he is now in charge of a group of students who have given many volunteer hours to NEADS. He told a wonderful story of a dog that he had lost and that his new dog was a "career-change NEADS" dog... I cried threw his whole talk.....
And then... came "the moment"... Linda's award. She still had no idea that this moment was strictly for her... Gerry started telling about the Maine puppy chapter and its' history and then ended with the presentation of the award... Linda was completely caught off guard... it was wonderful!!!!!
She is the second person that NEADS has awarded this honor.... this is a lead crystal vase with her name engraved in it...... and then when she realized her family was there to see it all... she could hardly find the words.....
Back to the graduation.... there were four veteran dogs... I can't get threw any of their speeches without crying!!!!!
And then, they added this time, a great demo of "what" the dogs are trained to do... they had this whole set up and demoed turning on lights, opening the refrig... opening dogs, and fetching objects... it's great for people,. who don't know the talent of these dogs, to see....
Three dogs were hearing dogs... and to quote this beautiful lady.. "If God said to me I can make you hear again, but you wouldn't be able to have a dog.... I would choose to remain deaf and live my life just like I do... with a dog..."... (OK need I say more as to why I choose to raise puppies~!!!) On top of that, her little dog was a shelter rescue - which they often use as the hearing dogs!!!! Pretty neat to be an "unwanted shelter dog to a highly important hearing dog!!!!"
After graduation, we took a few moments to talk and get some photos...
Linda still can't believe that she was awarded and that we all kept it quiet until the very end.....
Oh, and look who else made it graduation... there's our Ginger!!!! She is always so happy and excited to see us, and we think of Pastor Jane as part of the Maine chapter..... I just love this dog, and Pastor Jane had even more stories to share about their ministry.... This dog is without a doubt, a very precious gift of God....
And with any NEADS event, trainings or graduations, by the end of the day.. this is what the puppies are beginning to look like. Marv - the big yellow lab in the back - has been given the word that he will be turned in when we go next month for check in. And Rylie is going on a puppy swap to the prison...I will be getting her sister, Hope for a while, as they feel she needs a break from the prison program and Rylie will go in and start her experience there. One thing about puppy raising, it's always changing but the outcome is priceless....
