Andrea and I were at the vet today to learn that with a one shot AI, Lin is pregnant. Very excited to have that confirmed. I had no doubt. Lin acts pregnant. She puked the other day (too much sheep poo) and her brain has gone the way of the dinosaurs recently, among other signs, so I was fairly confident she was, but it's nice to have the professional say she is!! We stopped on the way home to celebrate and got an ice cream from Sonic for her and Gandalf to share.
Lin's page is here:
http://my.att.net/p/s/community.dll?ep=87&subpageid=165444&ck=
The stud is a very handsome red merle from Oregon named Thunder, and you can see him here:
http://www.gearhartaussies.com/thunder.html
Pups are due at the end of August!
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Opposites Attract
Out here, we are often doing chores past dark, so we got these handy-dandy headlamps for the purpose. They work great. Hands free, plenty bright. The new ones we recently got also have red LED's as well as the white flood, beam and combo available. We've learned to keep the lamps on the red LED as the bugs don't seem to be able to see it, or it doesn't attract or bother them one. (Nothing more annoying than trying to wash out a duck pool with moths and other bugs dive-bombing your face.)
Apparently not *all* bugs can't see the red LED... those lightning bugs can see it and they are either trying to mate with the big red glow, or they're trying to scare it off their turf - I've yet to figure out which. I am being dive-bombed by them when I go out to do chores which is only mildly less annoying than moths as the lightning bugs just land on your forehead and walk around.
ahhhh life on the farm.
Apparently not *all* bugs can't see the red LED... those lightning bugs can see it and they are either trying to mate with the big red glow, or they're trying to scare it off their turf - I've yet to figure out which. I am being dive-bombed by them when I go out to do chores which is only mildly less annoying than moths as the lightning bugs just land on your forehead and walk around.
ahhhh life on the farm.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
DOGCHAT: Passport Required
DOGCHAT: Passport Required
Wren here.
Mom came home Saturday night after being gone for at least 100 years, and told me that tomorrow I was going to see France and Boston, and we were going to meet a Pharaoh!
I was so excited Friday night that i barely managed to eat my liver... it was a very close thing, but one should never waste dinner, so I managed... just.
Sunday morning we arose at the crack of dawn. I believe this time she truly did crack herself and it must've hurt terribly because she was crying making the whole world soggy. I wanted to go look for Dawn to make her feel better (my kisses can repair any crack), but mom said, "No, no, Wren. We have a long way to go today! We're going to see France... and Boston! Dawn will dry her tears soon."
"Being an ambassador is a big responsibility," she said. "Decorum is to be the order of the day." (I didn't correct her, but I would've ordered another chicken back) and I trotted to the van for the long journey to France.
I had barely settled in and closed my eyes for a much needed nap when the van stopped and mom said, "Wren, here we are! Let's go see the French!" Did you know, my friends, that France is just a short ride from my house? Surely not more than 15 minutes. I must've missed the Channel, but would you believe that Dawn was crying there too?!!
I waited for mom to put my leash on me, I hopped out of the crate, stretching and yawning, putting on my order of Decorum.We entered a building and walked and walked. No wonder we didn't drive far.I think we walked half the distance to France on foot! We finally turned the corner and SMACK! Right into the most immovable dog I've ever seen."Wren, this is Misty, she is a French Bulldog." Misty must not speak english, I determined. She was rather stuck-up (I'd heard that about the French before), snorting and snuffling, and didn't have much to say to me at all. So I said my hellos and we ambled on.
A short while later I met Zekial, who mom swore was a Pharaoh. The only Pharaohs I've ever seen were photographs, old and wrinkley, wrapped in cloths -wise old codgers. Zeke was smooth and pretty red, bouncy, and kind of a goober. Pharaoh Zeke must need to be seasoned a bit longer before he becomes a legendary Pharaoh I guess, but personally, I like him much better than the KingTut's mummy (Are Pharaohs english? why do they always show photos of their mummy and not the Pharaoh themselves? Their mums are NOT very photogenic, and Zeke is very handsome!).
I also met some new friends from Boston. We had much more in common than the others, and when mom put me in my crate for a rest, they and I spent some time conversing - though they were only telling me how cold they were yesterday, wrapped up in blankies and such.We got an unexpected additional stop on our tour when I got to meet some young german shepherds. They were not overly impressed with their tour of the world, and were hanging on their mom. I tried to engage them in play but they,too, must not speak english, and i assume my attempt at german fell on deaf ears as well. sigh. My new friends had never seen a Finnish girl before, but I showed them my good nature, showered their moms with kisses and won over the world with my personality and charm.
Being an ambassador is such hard work!I got an extra helping of dinner when we drove home, and slept most of the night through, dreaming of the next fun place I'll get to go!
Wren
(Reprint from Jan. 26, 2007)
Wren here.
Mom came home Saturday night after being gone for at least 100 years, and told me that tomorrow I was going to see France and Boston, and we were going to meet a Pharaoh!
I was so excited Friday night that i barely managed to eat my liver... it was a very close thing, but one should never waste dinner, so I managed... just.
Sunday morning we arose at the crack of dawn. I believe this time she truly did crack herself and it must've hurt terribly because she was crying making the whole world soggy. I wanted to go look for Dawn to make her feel better (my kisses can repair any crack), but mom said, "No, no, Wren. We have a long way to go today! We're going to see France... and Boston! Dawn will dry her tears soon."
"Being an ambassador is a big responsibility," she said. "Decorum is to be the order of the day." (I didn't correct her, but I would've ordered another chicken back) and I trotted to the van for the long journey to France.
I had barely settled in and closed my eyes for a much needed nap when the van stopped and mom said, "Wren, here we are! Let's go see the French!" Did you know, my friends, that France is just a short ride from my house? Surely not more than 15 minutes. I must've missed the Channel, but would you believe that Dawn was crying there too?!!
I waited for mom to put my leash on me, I hopped out of the crate, stretching and yawning, putting on my order of Decorum.We entered a building and walked and walked. No wonder we didn't drive far.I think we walked half the distance to France on foot! We finally turned the corner and SMACK! Right into the most immovable dog I've ever seen."Wren, this is Misty, she is a French Bulldog." Misty must not speak english, I determined. She was rather stuck-up (I'd heard that about the French before), snorting and snuffling, and didn't have much to say to me at all. So I said my hellos and we ambled on.
A short while later I met Zekial, who mom swore was a Pharaoh. The only Pharaohs I've ever seen were photographs, old and wrinkley, wrapped in cloths -wise old codgers. Zeke was smooth and pretty red, bouncy, and kind of a goober. Pharaoh Zeke must need to be seasoned a bit longer before he becomes a legendary Pharaoh I guess, but personally, I like him much better than the KingTut's mummy (Are Pharaohs english? why do they always show photos of their mummy and not the Pharaoh themselves? Their mums are NOT very photogenic, and Zeke is very handsome!).
I also met some new friends from Boston. We had much more in common than the others, and when mom put me in my crate for a rest, they and I spent some time conversing - though they were only telling me how cold they were yesterday, wrapped up in blankies and such.We got an unexpected additional stop on our tour when I got to meet some young german shepherds. They were not overly impressed with their tour of the world, and were hanging on their mom. I tried to engage them in play but they,too, must not speak english, and i assume my attempt at german fell on deaf ears as well. sigh. My new friends had never seen a Finnish girl before, but I showed them my good nature, showered their moms with kisses and won over the world with my personality and charm.
Being an ambassador is such hard work!I got an extra helping of dinner when we drove home, and slept most of the night through, dreaming of the next fun place I'll get to go!
Wren
(Reprint from Jan. 26, 2007)
Monday, July 7, 2008
SSSSSSnake!
Today our friend Maura came over to graze the sheep for a bit early this morning. I was working on a website but joined her later in mid-morning with some cold watermelon for us and the dogs.
On the way out to the pasture I saw a snake in the path. I startled, took a few steps back, and waited to see what it was doing (it looked like it was going into a hole) but I quickly realized that it was not moving... at all... so I gave it a shove with a stick. Nothing. Dead. A quick flip and I discovered why. Snakes don't generally live long without a head. I didn't know what got it but it looked to be a pretty violent end for the snake. The thought occurred to me that the thing looked like it had been pulled down a mole hole or something, but I couldn't imagine a mole doing that kind of damage. Oh well... off to the pasture we went to consider the mystery.
On the way out to the pasture I saw a snake in the path. I startled, took a few steps back, and waited to see what it was doing (it looked like it was going into a hole) but I quickly realized that it was not moving... at all... so I gave it a shove with a stick. Nothing. Dead. A quick flip and I discovered why. Snakes don't generally live long without a head. I didn't know what got it but it looked to be a pretty violent end for the snake. The thought occurred to me that the thing looked like it had been pulled down a mole hole or something, but I couldn't imagine a mole doing that kind of damage. Oh well... off to the pasture we went to consider the mystery.
Cedar raced over to greet me. I am one of her favorite few people. Food has a lot to do with it. Cedar was shy as a pup with a weakness for food that I exploited shamelessly - I fully admit it. She's always happy to see me now. :) I put my chair in the shade and we said our good mornings, the dogs greeted each other, and then Maura filled me in on her creepy morning.Maura had apparently come upon the snake when she was bringing the sheep out to pasture. She saw it out of the corner of her eye and it struck at her. She scooped up Dane (her "great" new border collie pup - 10 weeks old now) and tossed her in the duck pen and grabbed some implements to do battle. A few rock tosses and it didn't get out of her way, a few sticks and nothing, so she finally killed it with a shovel. She was pretty shaken to have met up with it, and I don't blame her. The fact that it wouldn't back down or leave was disturbing. She buried its head - which is what I came upon.
Turns out she was right. I'm pretty sure that is a copperhead.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Almost enough to make me feel sorry for him
Almost.
As dogs go he's a pretty good one. His one weakness has always been food - he's always been a voracious eater, with a nose to die for (if only I could convince him to make it work for anything besides food I'd have one of the best tracking dogs in the country) He's been on a diet recently - so food's a bit more of a priority for him these days. Many of you may recall his fondness for mints - specifically peppermints - developed at the tender age of 4 months by a local old-timer in siberian huskies who gave him altoids at a dogshow (thanks Jan!). Every time I go to Sonic, the minit is his, and I even have friends who save and give me their after-dinner mints for him, so notorious is his liking for mints.
He really couldn't help this one.... I know he couldn't.
His nose is never wrong... ever. If his nose says there is one tiny bit of kibble under his crate pan, he will tell me, and I invariably must get him out of the crate, lift the pan and enable him to eat the morsel or it drives him nuts all night long.
Poor dear.... he just doesn't understand about things like essential oils and how things can SMELL like one thing (i.e. his beloved peppermints), and yet not BE peppermints. A friend of mine made a trip out west just days ago and brought me back four bars of my favorite hand-made soap, peppermint scented, and I set them on my nightstand as I was heading out the door just that minute, thinking I'd put them up later and, well, I'm sure you can see where this one is going. As I went to bed later that night I walked in to see a bar of soap in the middle of an otherwise clean bedroom floor... paper off one end, and two tooth marks in the soap... Definitely one of those times I wish I'd seen the expression on his face upon that odd discovery.
Poor baby. I didn't have the heart to punish him further. I imagine the mouth full of soap for the curse words he uttered during that discovery was punishment enough. You guys may think I'm nuts, but my dogs do talk to me - especially him, my heart dog. He came over as I picked it up and looked at me, looked at the soap, looked back to me, and clearly asked me how such a thing possibly be. How could it smell so much like his favorite treat and yet not BE his favorite treat.
I'm not sure he understood my thoughts, however I did give him a *real* peppermint in exchange.
I really think his poor little world was rocked today - by soap.
*This reprint was originally posted on my lists on 7.29.07
As dogs go he's a pretty good one. His one weakness has always been food - he's always been a voracious eater, with a nose to die for (if only I could convince him to make it work for anything besides food I'd have one of the best tracking dogs in the country) He's been on a diet recently - so food's a bit more of a priority for him these days. Many of you may recall his fondness for mints - specifically peppermints - developed at the tender age of 4 months by a local old-timer in siberian huskies who gave him altoids at a dogshow (thanks Jan!). Every time I go to Sonic, the minit is his, and I even have friends who save and give me their after-dinner mints for him, so notorious is his liking for mints.
He really couldn't help this one.... I know he couldn't.
His nose is never wrong... ever. If his nose says there is one tiny bit of kibble under his crate pan, he will tell me, and I invariably must get him out of the crate, lift the pan and enable him to eat the morsel or it drives him nuts all night long.
Poor dear.... he just doesn't understand about things like essential oils and how things can SMELL like one thing (i.e. his beloved peppermints), and yet not BE peppermints. A friend of mine made a trip out west just days ago and brought me back four bars of my favorite hand-made soap, peppermint scented, and I set them on my nightstand as I was heading out the door just that minute, thinking I'd put them up later and, well, I'm sure you can see where this one is going. As I went to bed later that night I walked in to see a bar of soap in the middle of an otherwise clean bedroom floor... paper off one end, and two tooth marks in the soap... Definitely one of those times I wish I'd seen the expression on his face upon that odd discovery.
Poor baby. I didn't have the heart to punish him further. I imagine the mouth full of soap for the curse words he uttered during that discovery was punishment enough. You guys may think I'm nuts, but my dogs do talk to me - especially him, my heart dog. He came over as I picked it up and looked at me, looked at the soap, looked back to me, and clearly asked me how such a thing possibly be. How could it smell so much like his favorite treat and yet not BE his favorite treat.
I'm not sure he understood my thoughts, however I did give him a *real* peppermint in exchange.
I really think his poor little world was rocked today - by soap.
*This reprint was originally posted on my lists on 7.29.07
Holes
Does anyone remember that movie "Holes" where the young boys who had run afoul of the law were used to dig all over a dry lake bed looking for a treasure? Lava seems to be doing that these days. I can't leave him out in the yard for long periods of time unsupervised because he's digging along the fence. I've discovered several holes that were big enough to easily allow Oona or Remy to get out. I'm not at all sure what the heck he's digging for but as we are in the country, presumably there is treasure somewhere and Lava is determined to find it.
Willow is still not feeling well and my vet is off until the 14th. I've made an executive decision to up her pred. to 40 because with the up to 30 she is still not feeling well at all. I do not think she will be with me much longer.
Willow is still not feeling well and my vet is off until the 14th. I've made an executive decision to up her pred. to 40 because with the up to 30 she is still not feeling well at all. I do not think she will be with me much longer.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
July 1
Yesterday was a bad day for Willow. She has been upped to 30 mg's of pred now for three days and we didn't have the bounce back we had the last time. Yesterday she didn't want to do anything, and was not feeling well at all. I am worried.
Today she went to the gate and said that it was a good day to go out for a walk about (her treat - she gets to wander and sniff - on lead - outside the main backyard. She always likes this. We took Gandalf with us. He can go further than she can, so she wasn't happy I limited her distance while Gandalf got to go further. Still, she was tired when we came back a short few minutes later. I am grateful to have her here today.
I took both the Lappies, Yeti and Oona, out to work sheep this morning as it was cool enough here. Both are doing fine, both will chase them. Oona is now getting to the point where I've got to teach her that we're actually doing more than just chasing the sheep. Until now, she's been allowed to just have some fun. Today when I asked her to get around and pushed a bit, she stopped on me and ran off to eye the ducks who certainly looked like more fun than sheep where there were now.. apparently... RULES (gasp!) to the game...
Exposure exposure exposure.
Yeti did well. He's such a gentleman that he's not pushy, and he, too, still gets to chase some. He stops to think about why I push on him more. He will stop and stand, eye the rake, eye me, look at the sheep, and he is clearly tryingto decide the rules.
I also got some good news today. Apparently there are Magnum babies on the ground! WOOHOO! It couldn't come at a worst time financially for me, but thems the breaks! I'm excited for a success for Betty after so many unsuccessful AI's.
Today she went to the gate and said that it was a good day to go out for a walk about (her treat - she gets to wander and sniff - on lead - outside the main backyard. She always likes this. We took Gandalf with us. He can go further than she can, so she wasn't happy I limited her distance while Gandalf got to go further. Still, she was tired when we came back a short few minutes later. I am grateful to have her here today.
I took both the Lappies, Yeti and Oona, out to work sheep this morning as it was cool enough here. Both are doing fine, both will chase them. Oona is now getting to the point where I've got to teach her that we're actually doing more than just chasing the sheep. Until now, she's been allowed to just have some fun. Today when I asked her to get around and pushed a bit, she stopped on me and ran off to eye the ducks who certainly looked like more fun than sheep where there were now.. apparently... RULES (gasp!) to the game...
Exposure exposure exposure.
Yeti did well. He's such a gentleman that he's not pushy, and he, too, still gets to chase some. He stops to think about why I push on him more. He will stop and stand, eye the rake, eye me, look at the sheep, and he is clearly tryingto decide the rules.
I also got some good news today. Apparently there are Magnum babies on the ground! WOOHOO! It couldn't come at a worst time financially for me, but thems the breaks! I'm excited for a success for Betty after so many unsuccessful AI's.
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