A Walk In The Woods With Whimsy

I took a walk in our woods with my dog Whimsy .

I have a pack for her to wear and she carries our water bottles. For this hike I also tucked 2 bags of cut up pumpkins and squashes from our garden into the pack. I scatter the cut up fall produce for the wild turkeys and deer that live in our woods, they LOVE squash and pumpkin.

Isn't it beautiful in the woods in the fall ?

This is the view of the back of our home from our woods. Just look at the fall splendor in front of our home. 2 weeks ago there was snow covering those hills .

Whimsy with her now empty pack. She always enjoys our walks and I love having her along.

A Few Residents of Laughing Dove Farm

A few of my Jacob Sheep grazing in the front pasture between the house and the gravel road.

A mama hen with chicks she hatched out and tends.

One of my ewe lambs. I had 19 healthy lambs born here this year , doubling my flock of sheep !

 This little curly mama hen hatched out her brood of chicks under our new chicken house. They are tiny bantams and will be tiny when grown up. She and her rooster are very protective of their chicks. The rooster / father of the chicks is a self-blue d'uccle I got from my oldest grandson a few years ago

Whimsy, one of our 4 dogs. She is my constant companion and protector.

Life is so good here, especially because I am blessed to share it with people and animals I love.

"Some people go through life trying to find out what the world holds for them only to find out too late that it's what they bring to the world that really counts." L.M. Montgomery ~ ' Anne of Green Gables'

My Canine Companions ~ Blessings !

 I don't think I can ever underestimate the many ways my canine companions have enriched my life. This is Whimsy our German Shepherd. If I had known many years ago what an amazing breed German Shepherds are Whimsy would not have been our first GS Dog. I believe we have been mightily blessed she is our first because of her willingness to please us and quickly learn our ways and routines , mutually beneficial to all concerned. And how could you not love a face like this ? She is looking at me in this picture. She watches, studies, and follows me , humbling me with her unwavering devotion.

 This is Hawk, our old Vizsla , settled in front of our fireplace with our other constant companion, Blizzard. Blizzard may look like a cat, but he is 20 pounds of muscle in a cat body with the personality and friendliness of the average snuggly dog. Blizzard actually becomes a nuisance when we have company because he runs to see who's here and then proceeds to jump in their laps, especially if that company includes children. He loves being in the midst of loud playful kids and often frustrates them by snatching their toys for himself. Alas, Blizzard usually has to settle for us and our dogs, but he has no qualms about thrusting himself upon us. Hawk always appreciates a warm body to lean into and he and Blizzard are friends.

 Beatrix is 11 years old and such a faithful dog. She and Whimsy do not get along because they both strive to be by my side. Whimsy works hard at keeping Beatrix away from me by circling us as we walk and nipping Beatrix , trying to bully Beatrix to stay back away from me, far away from me. This works too , because Beatrix will back away from me and flatten herself on the ground when this happens. It is apparent Whimsy has quickly become the "alpha" in my little pack of four. I am working with Whimsy to teach her manners, it is not polite to mistreat your elders . This has really been my biggest challenge with Whimsy. I will not allow her to abuse Beatrix , and Beatrix is the only dog she picks on. I have been thinking on this since Whimsy was 6 months old. Why does Beatrix seem to concern her regarding me ? How can I stop her from bullying Beatrix... still working on this, but Whimsy has not physically harmed Beatrix , and thus far Whimsy has respected my insistence on this. ( She'd better ! )

 This is Willow, Beatrix's older sister. She is 13 years old. Both Beatrix and Willow were born in my kitchen. They are full sisters from different litters. Willow and Whimsy are companions, sharing the back yard and porch. They sleep together too. Willow gets along with everyone, people, other dogs, cats. She loves nothing more than food and her beef bones. She is always carrying a beef bone around with her and sleeps with her favorite beef bone. Willow is one of those dogs often unappreciated until they are gone because she is so easy to have around. Sometimes she is silly and it is fun to watch her roll around in the grass , one of her big pleasures. Rolling, rolling, rolling.. and snorting with pure doggy joy as she does.

All our dogs love to hang out with my grandchildren , and all my grandchildren love dogs. My canine companions enrich my life, entertain me, and I hope I give to them even a fraction of the love and devotion they give to me. My dogs are a blessing to me and I am thankful for them. ( Picture is of Whimsy and one of our grandsons, daughter's youngest son. )

Sunday Sunshine Therapy

 There were a few moments of sunshine between down-pourings of rain . I took a walk along our little road  with my pack of 4 dogs . We watched my geese and ducks swimming in sunshine reflections.

 Me, my puppy ( she might be large but is still in her youth ) and our 3 old dogs who have all been with us for more than a decade, took our time. I allowed the dogs to examine every log , stick,stone and puddle. The Labs just had to take a splash and a swim in the pond. Therapy ~ that is what you should call a walk in sunshine with dogs you love & enjoy.

The very old Labrador Retriever ,Willow ( dog with collar ), is always limping and in some pain , but she is one of the happiest dogs I spend time with. She gets along with all the dogs and cats and is easy company. She was born in my kitchen many years ago, 4th and last generation of Labs born here at Cedar Pond . She has been such an easy dog to train and have around I have taken her for granted. As I watch her in her old age I am appreciating more and more what a treasure she is.

Just a simple walk with my dogs, some Sunday sunshine therapy.

Whimsy in Autumn

We love the fall ! Whimsy and I appreciate a good walk through the autumn leaves. This is my favorite time of the year. Apparently the dictionary defines autumn not only as the season between summer and winter, but also as my season in life . Autumn:"time of maturity or decline  ...autumnal : past middle life"*. Hopefully the "decline" part isn't too bad yet because I still don't even feel like I am past middle age. ( after all , it's perfectly reasonable to expect to live to be 120 years old, isn't it ? )

*Webster's Collegiate Dictionary  1941

Summer Was Awesome

 I have missed blogging but have no good excuse for not logging in nightly. This summer has been one adventure after another with one summer duty or need after another leaving absolutely no spare moment that has not left me exhausted and deciding I really need to get some sleep. Yes, this night-owl has been to bed before 10:00 p.m. many nights the past month ( August ), so maybe that is my excuse ! I needed to get some sleep. We did some camping last month with our daughter & her family, and my husband's brother and his wife. ( Above is our little Jayco trailer , our home away from home when we're camping. )

 We camped at Iron Creek Campground near Randall, Washington. I am the gray-haired lady in the picture with my husband and 4 of our grandchildren. This campground is so beautiful with ancient trees, fast moving rivers, hiking trails, berry picking, fishing... just an amazing place to camp with family and friends. A place that is so beautiful and magnificent there are not adequate words to describe it. "Awesome" comes close, if you're using the intended definition of the over-used word.

 We've spent quite a bit of time at our home over the mountains too. Our youngest son and his wife  who live near-by this home are expecting their first baby after 13 years of marriage and this little long-hoped-for miracle is due any day now ! My husband & oldest grandson are shown here after checking out the woods and pond and discussing what needs to be done for next year's hay crop.

 Our oldest grandson is a very hard working young man and has his heart set on raising Galloway cattle. He and his mom ( our daughter ) discovered there was a couple who raise Galloway cattle near our home on the other side of the mountains and our grandson has worked hard to earn the money to buy a calf from these lovely people. We visited them and their herd a second time, where our grandson saw his calf. She isn't ready to leave her momma yet, but in a few weeks ...

 One of the perks of our trip over the mountains is the time to hang out with these characters . Yes, along with our oldest grandson who traveled with us are his 6 cousins ( or 6 more of our grandchildren ) . You just know you're going to be amused and entertained when you sit down with this group. If you make sure you have a lot of Cheetos and chocolate pudding to share you're in for an even better time !

 My husband & I also began a bedroom / bathroom re-model late this spring, and are finally finishing up. I use the "we" generously , because my husband really did almost all of the work himself after the plumber re-fitted the plumbing for our new spa bathtub. This is the old master bedroom as we began to clear away and move things for the work to be done. The room is now repainted, the tub and sink have lovely tile my husband cut & fitted perfectly , and after this month I'll have the carpet shampooed, new curtains, bedspread... oh, lots of things.

 We can't escape gardening around here either. With all that we have going on my husband also raised a bumper crop of beans and cucumbers. I promised him I would process and preserve all his hard -earned harvest . This is the number 1 reason I have had no spare time or energy. We here in the Pacific Northwest have had a record number of days over 80 degrees in July & August. We do not have central air-conditioning and I have been over-heating myself as I have been canning in our kitchen with the temperatures indoors at about 80 to 90 degrees daily. Believe me when I tell you I wilt at 72 degrees. Yes, this wilted blogger was very happy to go to bed before 10:00 p.m. for many a night lately. I must confess, we have a teeny tiny air-conditioner in our bedroom , so it wasn't hard to choose going to bed over blogging !

 The reward for all that hot and hard work was worth it though.

Summer is almost over, and although it is my least favorite season, it was a summer well spent. My youngest grandson shown above with our dog Whimsy  is soon to be the 2nd to youngest grandchild and grandson. My dog Whimsy is over 1 year old now and she has proven to be very good dog, wonderful camper, and all around excellent companion to our family. The year has gone by so quickly and soon my favorite season will bring with it the weather I love . As I look over my blog from its' beginning, a beginning that started as our family eagerly awaited the birth of the grandson shown above with my Whimsy, I see how quickly things can change in a life, how what seems an insurmountable life situation can in a few short years turn into something quite amazingly different. Not what was expected , but every bit as "awesome" and blessed.

What Am I Working On ?

 I acquiesced to a blog meme recently not realizing family and other obligations would hinder my best intentions of fulfilling the commitment of accepting. For this I apologize to  blog friend  Vickie *. I know so many of you who blog and read blogs value above all family and the times we have with our families. For this Lovely Blog Tour I was required to list 3 blogs I love and answer 4 questions. The blogs I love are written by bloggers who do not desire to be part of memes so I decided to list them anyway without any requirements. Before I continue I will show you pictures in answer of one of the questions about myself. What am I working on ? Well, the ongoing care and tending of my flock of Jacob Sheep ! This is one of my lambs ( above ), a ram lamb. ( baby boy sheep ) I am also spinning into yarn and dying large quantities of their wool, an ongoing process here given the amount of wool I have.

 I am also working on enjoying my Sebastopol geese who love and adore me. They follow me everywhere I go when I am outdoors. If I am working somewhere outdoors for any length of time my geese Ella and Fella will park themselves near me and simply sit until I move on. ( I hope you can forgive me for calling this pleasure work ! ) If it is any conciliation to those of you who think geese are all beauty & pleasure, please be comforted  knowing I have to scoop their poop the same as I do my dogs'. If Ella & Fella sit for long near me I know I'll be scooping away their leavings later. It's all worth it to me though , especially when I watch them gliding around our pond looking very much like the swans of fairy tales.

 I am also working on training my German shepherd pup, now 1 year old. Whimsy is the best dog ever but don't tell my Labs Bea & Willow I said this.

I am working on remembering to enjoy any & all time I have to spend with my grandchildren without thinking about the real hard work at home I am not getting done because I am having so much fun with granddaughters who actually enjoy spending time with their old granny. These two granddaughters spent a few days with me this past week and oh what fun we had .

How does this work differ from others of its genre ? Not sure this "work' falls into any "genre" but I guess spending time with one's flocks, herds, and grandchildren differs because I have a unique breed of sheep, geese,  and of course my grandchildren are the best ! :)

Why do I create what I do ? I craft rugs from the wool of my sheep. I spin the wool of my sheep to weave into fabric,  I craft Wee Little Sheep* from the wool of my sheep and gain inspiration from my sheep and my poultry flocks. I create because I cannot exist without creating. How can I not be inspired by what my husband & I have surrounded ourselves with here on Cedar Pond ? Sometimes my head fairly wants to burst with all the ideas I have but practical time & energy limit .

I have probably left out some of what I should have added to this post but I will now list 3 blogs I love ( not exclusive of many blogs I enjoy ! ).

Nib's End * is written by a writer. She is able to write succinctly and sometimes heart-wrenchingly in a way that brings to my heart & mind emotions oft buried  but brought to the surface in tender and comforting ways.

Buttons Thoughts *  is a blog written by a Canadian blogger. Boy, I find I do love so many blogs written by my Canadian friends. Buttons writes her thoughts on life as the hard working wife and soul mate of a Canadian farmer. She has a particularly sweet relationship with their cows, some she has knitted hats for !

Thistle Cove Farm *  is written by Sandra Bennett. I read her blog many years ago when I did not know what blogs were. She has been an encouragement to me, a prayer warrior, an on-line pen-pal, and an inspiration . She was widowed more than a year ago and has written words of wisdom learned the hard way to share with women who find themselves without their life partner , shattered, and not knowing where to turn when their lives fall down around them. She also writes about farm life, community, travel,and so much more.

I have a feeling I am forgetting to add some things to this post but have a big day coming up later this morning and need to get some sleep. The temps are extremely high for our neck of the country , lots of watering to do of animals & gardens. Adventures with a granddaughter who is staying with us for another week, and simply keeping up with the work & pleasures of life here on Cedar Pond. Thank-you for indulging me in reading this post and I hope you'll check out the blogs mentioned, I don't think you'll be disappointed, and if you like what you read in these other blogs please leave them a comment ! Good night and good morning to you wherever you are in Blog Land.

Some of my handspun Jacob sheep wool yarn*.

A Walk In The Woods

One of my granddaughters and I set out with my dog Whimsy for a walk in the woods. We were hoping to find two other granddaughters in the woods who told us they had made a shelter and hide-away there.

We had a very pleasant walk together. A walk in the woods with granddaughters is a very special time. Two romping  dogs make it even more so. We found the pond hidden in the woods and the dogs took full advantage of it. But where are the other granddaughters ?

Whimsy and Beatrix played in the shallow pond , but where are the other granddaughters ?

We discovered quite a few stumps and trees riddled with holes ...

...and one of the makers of the holes . A pileated woodpecker, one of many living in these woods , but where are the other granddaughters ? All it really took was my German Shepherd Whimsy to find them. We would have surely passed them by but Whimsy rushed to a hidden place in the woods and when I went to retrieve her I found her wagging her tail as she licked the other granddaughters profusely. She loves my granddaughters.

See ? You really would not find them if you did not know where they were or if you had not brought a dog who likes them with you ,

 

but yes, here they are in the bower and hide-away they made out of branches and leaves. A true hide-away , a magical place I know they will tuck into their memories of childhood  to bring out and be remembered as happy times with cousins, with family.

This granddaughter and I ( and Whimsy ) left the other granddaughters to their hide-away in the woods and walked back home , sharing conversation and thoughts as we also simply enjoyed the walk. "Take a walk outside - it will serve you far more than pacing around in your mind." Rasheed Ogunlaru ~ " Walking is also an ambulation of mind " Gretel Ehrlich

March Musing

March is almost over for us here in the Pacific Northwest , of course April has begun for almost everyone else in the world by now. March has marked a few milestones for us this year. Whimsy , our German Shepherd puppy is 9 months old and we are loving her even more every day .

 March is the month here at Cedar Pond for new, bouncing spotted lambs ! ( Below is one of my older ewes with her newborn lamb. )

This year we have a bummer lamb ( lamb without a mama ) we named Stormy. Stormy is growing quickly and enjoys his bottle every few hours. He has begun to nibble on alfalfa leaves too. His little face appears crooked because of his markings and he has beautiful long eyelashes.

Did I already mention new lambs ? I spend an awful lot of time outdoors just watching the lambs play. If you're feeling down in the dumps just get yourself to the closest farm with new lambs and sit a spell , watch, and laugh for joy. The joy of life !

 It has been the wettest March in recorded history here in Western Washington. We have had 9 1/2 inches of rain this month. Our ducks are loving this weather but our land is squishy with mud and oozing water everywhere. Thankfully our home & buildings are high and dry. Our prayers go out to our neighbors to the north of us in Oso where the wet March brought  a small mountain of earth sliding down on a small community wiping out  everything in it's path and taking many lives .

The hummingbirds have returned and Blizzard our cat spends many hours watching them at the feeder outside our living room.

March also is the month this granddaughter celebrates another year of life. We were blessed to have her spend the weekend with us. Granddaughter and the fairy are playing in the herb garden where this granddaughter and her sister made me a few fairy homes.

Every March we celebrate the birth of 2 of our 6 granddaughters. We rejoice in the birth of new lambs, chicks and ducklings. The birds are building nests all over the property , the ducks and chickens have increased their egg laying. The frogs chirp, our bees are buzzing over every precious new bloom. Ella, my Sebastopol goose is faithfully sitting on her clutch of duck & goose eggs while her partner Fella guards her,never leaving her . Some time later this week if all goes well I should expect hatchlings from the pair. What fun March is. It brings us joy, hope, new life and celebrating spring. "This is the day that the Lord hath made we will rejoice and be glad in it." 

A Christmas Whimsy , Blizzard, & Hawk

 My Whimsy, almost 6 months old and already she loves to pose for pictures. ( well, she SEEMS to )Do you see the spray bottle under the Christmas tree ? It is full of vinegar water for....

 ...our Blizzard who thinks it is fun to catch the bird ornaments and dismantle the tree. So when I catch him at this game I spray him with vinegar water. Actually, all he needs to see is me reaching for the bottle and he scoots out from under the tree and disappears  from sight. ( The little red boot ornament was a gift to me from my first grade teacher in Massachusetts many , many years ago. Mrs. Miller still rates as one of my favorite teachers.)

Our Christmas dogs. Hawk, wearing a bell and a worried expression, and Whimsy , just waiting to play after pictures are taken .

 

We hope your Christmas festivities and celebrations were times of making new & precious memories with loved ones, and times to reflect on the many blessings God bestowed upon you in the years past. May you  also be able to look forward to whatever 2014 brings to you with boldness and peace because you know the One in charge... Jesus !