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. )

Just An Old Dog

Just an old dog following me around as I tend my flocks and gardens . My Beatrix loves me so much. She is an old dog now and has always lived here. Beatrix was born here at Cedar Pond in our kitchen, as was her sister Willow who is older than Beatrix. Beatrix and Willow are easy dogs to have around and because of that I sometimes forget what amazing dogs they are. Right now Beatrix is snoring as she sleeps at my feet but if I were to move from this chair she'd be up and ready to follow me even if her aching bones protest.

I remind myself that my dogs live to follow me around and please me. Their life is short compared to ours and it is so easy to make them happy. They want my praise. A nod and a pat and simply saying "good girl, I love you " to my dogs causes ecstatic tail-wagging and happiness . Food treats I give my dogs are a bonus , but I can tell when I feed them and walk away while they're eating and my dogs leave their dish of food still half full to follow me, it is me they desire most. I am humbled.

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

Apple Retriever

Who knew you could get fat on apples ? Not apples baked into pies, sweetened for applesauce, but just plain apples ! Beatrix retrieves and piles apples near our front porch all day. She gets them from our orchard and she doesn't wait for the apples that fall onto the ground, she will pick the apples herself. Of course she eats her fill of apples before stockpiling them. She is a Labrador Retriever who tends to gain weight easily ( like most of us ) and she is on a diet of 2 cups of dog food per day. She had already lost weight and we were helping her maintain a healthy weight until the apples ripened and began to fall during wind and rain storms. She wiggles and wobbles as she runs now.

Fortunately she can only eat so many apples and because she stockpiles them near the front porch my sheep are benefiting from her labors. Good dog Beatrix , my sweet, stout, and loving Apple Retriever.

Kona ~ A Happy Dog

This is Kona, a Labrador Retriever. Kona is a happy dog. Kona's mistress , Shannon, ( sister of our youngest son's wife ) hosted a baby shower for our son and his wife who are soon due to have their first baby ( our grandson ) after over 13 years of marriage. A miracle and a blessing we will never take for granted. Kona seemed to take over the role as host for the baby shower and I thought he was pretty entertaining, greeting every newcomer and checking out the gifts. During the baby shower I saw him grab an unopened water bottle, bite the lid off  and enjoy a long cool drink . His happy face made me even happier. How can you beat this ? A happy son, a happy daughter-in-law, a happy family, a happy dog enjoying the gathering ? Well, the only topper for this ? A happy birth !!!!! Soon.....

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 Quiet Evening Before Christmas

 This little church belonged to my husband's parents. I found it in the buffet he inherited from them. I remember them having it out on display during Christmas. There is a hole in the back of the little church so it can be put into the tree with a Christmas light inserted. Since the church is cardboard I am unwilling to risk the fire hazard it could be, but maybe once in awhile I'll put little fairy lights in it for a few hours. The light shining through the tiny faux stained- glass windows is so pretty.

 I am still not finished decorating our home. Maybe by December's end I'll be done, just in time to take it all down and pack it away. The fireplace mantle is always a challenge because we use the wood-stove all day , every day this time of the year and anything hanging below the mantle gets way too hot ( so must be fire-proof ) and also gets in the way of adding firewood and stoking the fire. We don't usually put our Christmas stockings out until Christmas Eve but I am thinking about new stockings for us this year and putting them up early. Yeah yeah, I know a few days before Christmas doesn't qualify as early for many of you who had your homes decorated and stockings hung the day after Thanksgiving, maybe next year I'll have it together . ( I say that to myself every year )

 Try decorating your mantle with all these furry nappers to maneuver around. My husband & I have a tradition of watching our collection of A Christmas Carol DVD's every December as the days draw close to Christmas but tonight the TCM network was showing them.( Our favorite versions are the ones starring George C. Scott & Patrick Stewart. ) My husband and I had a quiet evening tonight, and this is just what we have needed. He baked his Berry Butternut * cookies while I decorated and wrote Christmas cards, which will be mailed out on Monday, too late for Christmas delivery. I am so behind in my Christmas duties ....

...but as Tiny Tim says..." God bless us everyone " .

Happy Dog

Our happy dog Hawk just soakin' up the sun on a beautiful spring day. I hope you're enjoying sunshine too !

Sunshiny Autumn, Happy Hawk !

I was working outside and noticed my constant companion, our Vizsla , Hawk, was not following me. Very unusual, he seems to be attached to me at the knee when I am outside.I looked for him and found him just standing...

..and soaking up the heat of the afternoon Autumn sunshine. Here is a dog dear to my heart that knows when to stop and soak in the blessings that come our way, sometimes for only a few scarce minutes.Thank-you God for allowing me the privilege of enjoying animals who know to stop and take in the everyday blessings I so often hurry by, only to remember days or years past, if at all.

"The happiest heart that ever beat 

was in some quiet breast

That found the common daylight sweet,

And left Heaven to the rest."

John Vance Cheney 

 

Hawk & Blizzard

Blizzard our Siamese cat enjoyed a day in the sun.

Blizzard wears a harness and leash because we have lost too many beloved cats to predators, and we also do not like our cats to eat the many wild birds we feed.

Blizzard enjoyed chasing bugs & butterflies, bees and ...

...ducks!

But the most fun of all was stalking, attacking, and wrestling our dog Hawk, a willing participant in their never-ending games, most often played indoors on Hawk's pillow in front of the t.v.

O.K. Rest time in the shade, the games will continue later on tonight,indoors.

Blizzard keeps watch on Hawk, and stalks him all day, attacks Hawk whenever he can grab him, and when the two of them are exhausted, they fall asleep together on Hawk's pillow. I think they are pretty evenly matched, but most often Blizzard shows himself the winner of their friendly wrestling matches.I think Hawk allows this because he loves having a furry companion to cuddle and claim as his own. Whatever brings them together and binds their friendship, they are fun to watch !

Comfort Comes In Dog & Cat

My Bea, she loves me, she lives for me.I love her.

~Our granddaughter's cat Blizzard who lives with us.A dog in cat form.I love him too.

These two cuddle on the hearth in front of the wood stove, adding an air of peace and comfort to our home. Who can measure ,really, all the company of a beloved pet adds to our well-being, our sense of contentment? The world may be scary, our personal trials many, but the cat purring against our heart, the beloved dog leaning firmly in at our side gives a comfort words cannot describe. "A cat improves the garden wall in sunshine, and the hearth in foul weather." Judith M. Riley

Thanksgiving With Some of My Favorite People and Dogs

Thanksgiving was celebrated over the mountains and through the woods, 6 and 1/2 hours away with our oldest son and his 4 daughters, pictured above.

My beloved Beatrix was with us...

..as was my husband's dog Hawk. We had a wonderful time of family, food, and fellowship ~ and LOTS of snow! "As the season turns toward December , we are settling in. The woodpile high, the freezer filled, heaters ready to be lit,snow tires on - we can face the world with a smile." Gladys Taber Now, on to December and the hustle and bustle of Christmas!

Obsession

Hawk can often be found in the sun room striking this pose, and he can hold this pose for long periods of time.

Miss Marple can often be found in the sun room striking this pose, and she can hold this pose for long periods of time.

Can you say "obsession" ?

Yes, OBSESSION !

Poor Bob & Belle, they are so oblivious to the fact that if they were not safely housed in cages they, the objects of so much attention are really the objects of natural appetites. ( Belle whistles 'Thy Loving Kindness' & 'Jingle Bells' all day . She has a musical obsession.)

Look at her, she likes the dog and cat's attention, little does she know...

"Well, I am a BIRD dog!"

"Meow~Just let her out of the cage once...purrrrty please?"

I'm So Doggone Popular~

I'm so doggone popular and I don't know why.

Children love to adorn me with jewels.

See?

Children love to hug my face and kiss me.

Starry jewels for my head, beads and scarves for my neck, cuddles and kisses !

I am so doggone popular...what's a dog to do?

~"We long for an affection altogether ignorant of our faults. Heaven has accorded this to us in the uncritical canine attachments." George Elliot

~"Dogs have given us their absolute all. We are the center of their universe. We are the focus of their love and faith and trust. They serve us in return for scraps. It is without a doubt the best deal man has ever made." Roger Caras