The Canine Kids

Goodbye for Now

noreply@blogger.com (Emma the Golden Girl) — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 13:49:00 +0000

Summers in Vermont are gone in an instant. In as little as three short months, we could be facing snow again. I have decided there are not enough hours in the day to spend time with the Canine Kids and Baby Bull and do justice to my blog as well as visit other blogs so we are officially closed for summer vacation.
When the temperatures start to fall and the snow starts to fly, we'll be back.
I hope everyone enjoys these fleeting halcyon days of summer.

A Taxpayer's Lament

noreply@blogger.com (Emma the Golden Girl) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 23:29:00 +0000

Property taxes in Vermont are a real problem to the majority of us who are not wealthy. Many of us are forced to sell our land and move or be faced each year with an overwhelming debt to the town in which they live.
In an effort to be fair to the other side, there are a couple of programs for landowners faced with large tax bills. One program is a �??prebate program�?? where the State pays a certain portion of property taxes owed to the town. This program is based on income guidelines. The other program is for landowners with larger parcels of land. They can enter it into a �??current use�?? program.
My goal is not to dwell on the positives or negatives of either program. I just wanted to express how I personally felt on being presented with our property tax bill.

I decided to write this in verse instead of in an essay form. I hope you bear with me.

It came in the mail without any warning
But it had started out as a wonderful morning.

The Canine Kids and I had gone out to play
As we always do on a beautiful day.

Up mountain paths we began to wander
The beauty around us we did ponder.

The trees, so majestic, decked out in green
What beautiful sights to be seen.

Deer, turkey, moose, they all live here
Because they know they have nothing to fear.

To the top of our mountain we did roam
Oh how magnificent is this land we call home.

Views unmarred by development�??s scars
I�??m so proud of this farm of ours.

Held in trust for future generations to learn to love our farm
We don�??t want this green space to come to any harm.

Trees that have lived for many long years,
Land that we�??ve cared for with our blood, sweat and tears.

Rural living is not for the faint of heart
But with our farm we would never part.

Off to the mailbox to see what has come.
I open the letter and then become numb.

Our tax bill is here and I quake in fear.
I wish this notice would just disappear.

Ten thousand dollars they say we have to pay
Or our farm they will take away.

Oh where oh where will the money come from?
I sink to the ground and become numb.

Sell some land say the powers that be.
You�??ll never miss it, you�??ll see.

They don�??t understand that trees when they fall
Will change the landscape so beloved to us all.

Developers are anxious to bring in their dozers.
What will we do when it�??s all over

And there�??s no farms left to feed
All the people in need.

So find the ten thousand I will
But oh, what a bitter pill.

The money could do so much more if only left in our trust.
I would feel it a must

To give to the poor, help those in need,
With the ten thousand so many I could help feed.

Oh, what a lot of money we pay for government to waste away.

To keep our farms and the landscape unmarred
For trees to flourish and animals to play,
I will definitely fight to the end to stay.

I�??ll work my fingers to the bone
To keep this land, this place I call home.

Why?

noreply@blogger.com (Emma the Golden Girl) — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 13:28:00 +0000

Last summer, The Canine Kids blog was born. I started it originally as a way to make some money to help support our farm. I thought we had a unique lifestyle; 300 acres in rural Vermont, six canine family members and RV travel with all dogs aboard. I figured if I started writing about our life, people would be interested and I would add some income to the family as well.
Knowing nothing about blogging, I signed on to blogger and got started. I had no idea about html code, rss feeds and a host of other items. I also had a lot to learn about writing for a public audience and taking pictures as well. Perfecting my skills has been a challenge in itself.
I put ads on my blog and waited for the money to roll in. I can hear my readers laughing now.
Then, I looked at the ads that were appearing on my blog and discovered a lot of the material showing up, I could never support. I decided the ads would have to go.
I looked for different ways to make money. I considered paid posting but I decided this blog was my baby and I wanted it to remain solely my own thoughts. Another income opportunity closed.
I decided to stop worrying about the income and focus on the fun of blogging and I did discover it was fun.
I joined Dogs with Blogs and found many wonderful friends. I learned that other people adore their animals as much as I adore the Canine Kids. It makes my heart glad to know how many well loved canine family members there are in the world.
I then started expanding my blog search and now I have discovered many blogs on a variety of subjects.
I found people passionate about helping others, about farming, about writing, about photography; the list of blogging topics is as endless and varied as the people who write them. I have discovered many people with great enthusiasm on many topics. What a delight it has been getting to know these blogs and their authors.
A while back, our satellite went down and I was unable to access the internet. My first response was panic. How could I survive without the computer? When would they be out to fix it? I could not be offline for a few days.
I got those withdrawal symptoms so many of you would understand. Then I stepped back into the reality around me.
I took a deep breath and walked outside. Bull was running in the field. I stopped and admired the beauty of the moment. I walked up the trail to our mountain. I admired the vistas. I saw deer playing in the open field. I took another deep breath and let my frustration go.
I returned home to six demanding canines. I sat outside and let them entertain me with no other thought than being there for them.
By the end of the day, I realized that in some ways I had let the computer and blogging take over my real life. I decided to write fewer posts and spend more time in the moment of the beauty of each day and I wondered why I spend so much time blogging at all.
I have the answer now.
If I can visit a blog and leave a comment that will make another person smile or realize their posts are appreciated, I have succeeded. If just one person visits Compassion through my widget and sponsors a child, if just one person reads the Amber Alert banner, if just one person thinks about the crop dogs in puppy mills and hesitates before they take a puppy mill puppy home, if just one person smiles when they read about our farm, then I have succeeded in my aims.
In the end, it is not about money at all. It is about the relationships we gain through blogging and the impact we have on the world, one blogger at a time.
To paraphrase a famous quote, "Blogging is not my whole life, but it makes my life whole."
Thank you all of my readers for making this year one of my most memorable.

If You Bring Home a Horse The Flies Will Follow

noreply@blogger.com (Emma the Golden Girl) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:42:00 +0000

I always knew horses and flies were natural companions but until I brought Baby Bull home, I never realized just how many flies could be attracted by one horse. Seems the hot, humid weather and Bull's ever mounting manure pile descended on the Northeast Kingdom at the same time. So in addition to one horse, we have become home to thousands of flies. Instead of Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds," we have "The Flies." And, I'm not one for being swarmed by any kind of bug.
Bull's fly problem was easy to solve. He's wearing a fly mask and a fly sheet and every day I spray him with an organic insecticide. So, he's fine but we still have to manage the flies from the manure pile.
Easy you might say and so I thought too. Just spray them and be done with it. However, our land is pesticide free and we want to keep it that way. We have many waterways throughout our property and we never use chemicals on our land. We also intend to use the manure as compost and the thought of eating vegetables with chemically sprayed manure just doesn't sound appealing. No, the easy solution won't work here on our farm.
But, I wasn't about to give up. So instead of blogging, I've been searching out natural insect control solutions. Finally I discovered "Fly Predators." They are a tiny insect that actually eats fly larvae and controls the fly population before it even starts. The review of Fly Predators that I could find were all wonderful so after careful research of the pros and cons, I decided I had nothing to lose by trying a package.
In today's mail, I received my first shipment of the tiny beasts. I was as excited as if I were receiving a lottery check.
I ripped open the package planning to run right out to the manure pile and start spreading all those tiny larvae eating insects but the instructions say I have to wait about five days until I see some of the little bugs crawling around before I can spread them.
I also have to keep them away from chickens because evidently chickens love to dine on these tiny insects which is not a problem here at the moment because we are chickenless.
So, I've put my new baby predators away to hatch but here's what they look like at the moment.

I can't wait for the little things to appear so I can get to work spreading them around Baby Bull's ever mounting manure pile!
And, here's a short video of my sweet baby modeling his Think Pink Fly Sheet (a portion of the sale goes to breast cancer research) and his fly mask. He did think the camera was a treat and tried to eat it at the end but I managed to save it!

Baby Bull

noreply@blogger.com (Emma the Golden Girl) — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 20:04:00 +0000

Between taking care of the Canine Kids and making sure they are happy and acclimating Baby Bull to his new home, I haven't had a spare minute. I'm way behind on reading blogs and I hope to catch up with everyone's news soon. I fall into bed each night exhausted but happy.
I have absolutely fallen in love with Bull and he's a great addition to our family. He already follows me around like a very large puppy. It's been a learning experience for me because although I have been around horses all my life, I've never actually had one actually at home. I have lots to learn. One of the things I discovered is that a 1,700 pound horse eats LARGE quantities of food! Here's some pictures.

This photo is of him running to me when I call his name. What an awesome experience!

Thankful Thursdays

noreply@blogger.com (Emma the Golden Girl) — Thu, 29 May 2008 04:01:00 +0000

We are off today to pick up Lanny now known as Baby Bull and bring him to here to our farm! Hurray!
Today, for Thankful Thursdays, I would like to say how thankful I am to have a roof over my head, food in my refrigerator and all I need to make my life comfortable.
I wrote this essay about Poverty during the past winter when I was struggling with issues of child poverty in the Ozarks. I am very thankful I do not have to contend with the issue of poverty in my life.
If you have time to read it, here's my essay.

Poverty

Dawn. The grey light filters through dirty window panes . Sheets of plastic used to block the wind diffuse the light even further until only the smallest of rays are able to penetrate the room. The girl on the bed stirs. A slight child with a gaunt face that matches the pallid atmosphere of the room. Her breathing starts to lighten and she awakes. Cold, so cold. She huddles under the covers. The heat of the woodstove below can�??t penetrate this upper bedroom chamber. She hears the sounds of her Mother working in the kitchen and she knows she needs to rise but it is oh so difficult.

She sees her clothes laid out on the chair where she has put them the night before. The garments mimic the room, dull, lifeless and lacking in any distinction. She sighs again when she realizes that she has to wear those clothes, mended again and again by her Mother�??s loving hand. Shirts with sleeves too short and pants too tight but they will have to do for there are no other clothes.

She hurries now. Chores await and she knows her Mother will be cross if she doesn�??t move along.

Her Mother, sweet and loving; always quick to say an encouraging word or to give her a hug and a kiss. It saddens the girl to see her Mother look so weary all the time. Lines etch her Mother�??s face and her hair is grey.

She enters the kitchen. Her Mother is lying with her head on her arms. It is a position of despair the girl has come to know well.

Breakfast, oatmeal as usual with a thin milk. The cow no longer produces the thick creamy beverage that the girl had come to love. The drought this year did damage to the hay upon which the cow used to feed . The cow seeks food in a pasture that no longer gives sustenance.

Chores now, quickly and then off to school.

She shivers as she makes her way around their small farm. She notices the tractor, rusting, broken now for so long. No money to buy the needed parts.

She passes the chicken house. The chickens are long gone from the dilapidated coop. They fed the girl and her Mother. The taste of the fresh chicken meat blotted out her memories of the chicks she had raised. The chickens would have starved anyway. There was no money for their grain..

The girl sighs as she often does.

The school bus coming down the hill. Quickly she runs to catch it.

The door opens and the girl enters another world.

The light is so bright it hurts her eyes. The children too are alight with color. Larger than life are these children, well fed, self assured, loud children.

She marvels at their clothes. Brilliant in color, shiny in their newness are the clothes these children wear.

Another sigh escapes her lips as she finds her solitary seat. Apart from the others as always. No one even notices the grey little mouse that has boarded the bus. She, so lackluster, seems to be more a part of the grimy bus seat than one of the other children.

At school at last. The warmth of the building envelopes her small cold frame. She luxuriates in the knowledge that for a brief time, she will be warm.

Her desk. It is so beautiful to her. That small piece of the world belongs to her. She looks around noticing the brightly colored pens and pencils that adorn the other children�??s desks. She looks at her plain writing tablet.

Her chair. She sinks gratefully onto its seat. She doesn�??t notice its hardness. Her stomach rumbles. Her body cries out for food but she only feels the warmth. Her eyes start to close.

Her teacher walks by and she rouses herself. She wants to learn, she tries to pay attention but her body won�??t bend to her mind.

Her fatigue overcomes her and she is asleep lost in a world that shines with color, possibility and hope. She is laughing, playing, joyous.

She is dreaming.

The Barn Walls Go Up!

noreply@blogger.com (Emma the Golden Girl) — Wed, 28 May 2008 15:20:00 +0000

We have been busy working on the barn because Lanny is arriving early so I haven't had a lot of time to post. My favorite part of building the barn so far has been erecting the walls. We actually performed this task with just the two of us and the help of our farm equipment.
Here's the story in pictures. Our tractor carries the walls over to the site. The walls were made by us in our workshop from our own lumber.

Next, the excavator lifts one of the walls.

Then, we position the tractor to lift the other wall. Now, two walls are being held in place by our equipment so we are able to hammer in the nails.

It is amazing what you can accomplish with the help of farm equipment.
The next morning, the Canine Kids check out the structure. We're well on our way to Lanny's arrival!

The Plight of Puerto Rican Race Horses

noreply@blogger.com (Emma the Golden Girl) — Fri, 23 May 2008 11:00:00 +0000

The barn is coming along nicely and I'll be sharing more of that with all of you but I wanted to let you know about the plight of some of the race horses in Puerto Rico.

Before last Saturday, I was aware that in the United States there were agencies that placed former race horses in loving homes. I also assumed that most horses coming off of the track spent their post race days in homes where they were appreciated and received the best of care. My illusions were shattered last Saturday, when I read an AP article in our local paper.

I was horrified by the title, �??For Puerto Rican Horses Winning is Life and Death" and the contents that followed sickened me. For those of you who haven�??t read the story, I will provide you with some of the appalling details.

Horses who do not win races in Puerto Rico are often euthanized immediately after leaving the track. The euthanization takes place behind the racetrack for no other reason than the horse lost the race. More than 400 healthy horses are killed each year by this method. This information has been verified by the Associated Press.

The horse lost the race so you kill it as it exits the track? I couldn�??t believe what I was reading.

The reason. Yes, I know you have already guessed correctly. It�??s the inability of the owners to view these animals as anything other than a commodity. A commodity that has the audacity to cost them money by losing the race.

The article further goes on to state that �??here, even when a second home is available, veterinarians say that some owners want losing horses executed anyway �?? some to save money, others for revenge.�?? �??You�??ll get owners who get so upset, they just want the horse dead,�?? said veterinarian Shakyra Rosario.

Hmm, revenge against an animal. I suppose these owners assume these hapless horses have the ability to reason and understand consequences for their actions. I can see the poor horse in the starting gate thinking, "I'd better win this race today or I'll never see my stall again." With possible death awaiting, these horses are supposed to be able to conceptualize and push themselves even harder.

I have a hard time understanding a meanness of spirit that enables a person to take revenge against an animal who disappoints them.

Thankful Thursdays

noreply@blogger.com (Emma the Golden Girl) — Thu, 22 May 2008 04:01:00 +0000

I have recently decided to take my blog in a new direction. It will still be about our lives and the farm but I'm also going to incorporate issues that are important to me as well. I have always enjoyed visiting other blogs on "Wordless Wednesday," so I thought I might start "Thankful Thursday." I just want to take time each week to remember all that I have and all the good that surrounds me.
This week's Thankful Thursday's post is going to be long. I actually wrote it last Thanksgiving to express gratitude for my dogs. I thought I'd use it again to start out Thankful Thursdays to express appreciation for all that they have brought to my life. Here it is:

Gratitude

I sit on the porch in the dimming sun. The wind whirls around me, lifting the fur on the dogs�?? backs, reminding us of the winter that is closing in. None of us seem to mind though. We are happy, complete in the little sun that does shine. We are grateful that we are together, enjoying each other�??s company on this fading fall day.

The dogs rest languidly as if we were in the warmth of a summer sun. I sit still watching them; loathe to break the spell that seems to have fallen upon us. My mind starts to wander. I think of prior days of grief, of the death of my husband, of days of darkness and pain. I marvel on how far I�??ve come in just a few years. I am thankful for all that I have had and for all I have now. I am filled with gratitude to be here in this moment at peace with my dogs around me.

I think about those dogs, how different they are one from the other. How amazing each is in his or her own way and I am filled with gratitude that they are my companions on this journey we are taking together.

The dogs stir, their feet run in silent dog dreams. Dreams filled with long runs through the forest, of dinners dropped on the floor, of many doggie things.

I look at my dogs and I am filled with love. For all they bring to my life, for all they have given me, asking nothing in return.

My heart contracts as I look at the aging faces of my golden angels whitened now by their advancing years. �??Old Gold�?? a friend recently called them and that they are. Better companions on life�??s journey I could never have found. I am thankful for the many wonderful years we have shared.

Lilly, even at rest, has her ears raised and alert to any signs of danger. Radar ears we fondly call them, always listening to the sounds that surround her home. Her family, that is what we are to Lilly and I know she would do all in her shepherd power to guard us if the need arose. I think of Lilly, all heart and soul, and I am thankful for the gift of herself that she gives to us.

I hear Logan sigh, a quiet sound. He�??s wondering, as he always does when we are still, why we are not playing ball. Logan, my incomparable athlete. I marvel at the intensity he brings to life. I have learned from his dedication to his sport. if you give a task enough energy, if you bring to life your enthusiasm and determination. From Logan, I have learned that if you give a task enough energy, if you bring to life your enthusiasm and dedication anything is possible. So much has my determined shepherd taught me and I am thankful for the lessons I have learned.

Toby groans and stretches. Thinking of food I�??m sure. I know in a few minutes, he will rise and lumber over and give me a kiss filled with equal parts slime and love. Toby, our goofy newfie, always finds a way to make me laugh. Toby, who has never met a stranger, who believes if you give kisses good things happen. An optimist always, a gentle giant truly. I am thankful for the laughter and love Toby brings to my days.

Katie, the whippet baby, always in search of warmth, is stretched out trying to capture the last rays of a dying sunlight. Katie, the smallest of the Kids, has brought wonder to my life. I marvel at the way she moves. Katie doesn�??t wander through life, she leaps and bounds with an energy unsurpassed. I am thankful I am here to watch Katie�??s joy in life.

We are lazy today, my Canine Kids and I. The sun starts to dim. Soon, but not just quite yet, we will move inside to the warmth of the woodstove.

Yes, it is getting colder, but for the moment we are still bathed in the gentle glow of sunlight. Lassitude envelops us and we are at peace.

My heart expands as I take one last look at my peaceful companions. The world is brimming with endless possibilities, endless opportunities. I am grateful to be alive.

Springtime Commercial Announcement

noreply@blogger.com (Emma the Golden Girl) — Wed, 21 May 2008 13:08:00 +0000

Every day, the Vermont forecast has been for rain and cold weather. Every day, we have awakened to sunny skies and mild days; a beautiful, uninterrupted stretch of gorgeous Northeast Kingdom weather. Alas, we have been unable to drag ourselves away from outside pursuits.
Our Mom is working on a post on a topic which she just discovered and wants to share with you but in the meantime, while she is still writing, we thought we'd share some Moondoggie items with you. If you are shopping for your best friend, please consider visiting our online boutique. We have cool items for every special canine in your life, from pocket pups to gentle giants and, as an added bonus, our Mom will donate 10% from each sale to the animal charity of your choice.
If you think our Moondoggie items are cool and you would love to have your own special Moondoggie link like Chris has on her site, just email our Mom at sara1222 at m-doggie.com and she'll get you started.
Here's what the Canine Kids have on their wish list.
K-Whip has asked for this birthday girl dress.

Toby and Faeden are using this special water dish to keep their floppy ears dry.

Lilly has asked for the motorcycle toy.

And the always fashion conscious Emma has asked for this new collar and lead.

And Logan, well Moondoggie keeps him well supplied with huck balls because without huck balls Logan couldn't make it through the day.

Thoughts

noreply@blogger.com (Emma the Golden Girl) — Wed, 14 May 2008 13:49:00 +0000

I awoke this morning to another beautiful day. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, the Canine Kids are all fine. I am surrounded by beauty and peace. I sit down at the computer with my morning cup of coffee, a custom brew roasted and then shipped directly to me. My belly is full of a wonderful breakfast from a refrigerator stocked full of food, the Canine Kids have eaten as well; their holistic kibble specially selected with each of their dietary needs in mind. My biggest worry of the day is the progress of the barn. All is well.
I am anxious to catch up with my fellow bloggers and read about the latest exploits of the dogs I have come to know as part of my family, anxious to visit other farms which are as dear to me as my own.
I visit On the Way to Critter Farm and read about a horrific tragedy that has occurred on a small farm in rural South Carolina. A pack of dogs viciously mauled and killed the animals on this small country farm. A woman arrived home from work to see her animals maimed and dying and her dreams in tatters.

I then visit our Barking Loud buddies' blog and read about another terrible tragedy that has happened to Gracie, the beloved dog of a fellow Dogs with Blogs blogger.

My heart aches as I think about the devastation that happens daily around us and the tragedies that occur in so many lives each day.

I am no stranger to tragedy either. My husband was killed in an instant by a careless teenager driver after he had stopped to help at the scene of an accident. I know the long days of struggle to return to normalcy after a horrific loss.

My thoughts return to the letters I got from two of the children I sponsor through Compassion. I had sent them each a birthday gift of $20.00 (the maximum we are allowed to send.) I received these letters in return which brought tears to my eyes.
They read in part:
Dear S,
Thank God for my family and I are very happy for the gift you sent me. They gave me a pair of shoes that were a big blessing. I send you many kisses and hugs.

The next letter:
Dear Momma S,
Take my love. I thank you very much every day for the support you send me. I received your birthday gift that you sent to me. I bought a box, shoes and a pair of pants and some nuts with your gift money. My family and I were very happy to get your gift because now I can keep the things of our family in the box.

In the wake of the tragedies and the poverty that surround us, I think of how petty my problems are and how blessed I am. I renew my vow to never take all that I have for granted.

Today, I would urge each of you who visit my blog to go out in the world and perform a random act of kindness for someone. You never know whose life you may touch.

Another Movie

noreply@blogger.com (Emma the Golden Girl) — Tue, 13 May 2008 13:36:00 +0000

It's been absolutely beautiful here in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. We have had day after day of sunny, warm weather followed by cool nights around the wood stove. We have been outside every day enjoying this wonderful weather either playing, hiking or working on Lanny's barn. We've also been trying to catch up with all our friends' blogs to see what they are doing. So, today, if you can stand it, I'm just going to post another movie of the Kids at play.
Our Barking Loud buddies and Princess Snowball asked who was on the deck in the last video. Yes, Princess Snowball, you are correct, it's Faeden on the deck and Diva Emma in the yard.
In this video, you'll see white flecks scattered around the yard. I wish I could say it was beautiful blossoms that had fallen from a tree but, alas, it is the remains of another stuffie. The Canine Kids believe the only good stuffie is a shredded stuffie.
I'll have more pictures up soon of the progress on the barn.

My First Movie

noreply@blogger.com (Emma the Golden Girl) — Sat, 10 May 2008 20:30:00 +0000

I tried to take a movie today of Lilly chasing K-Whip. I'm just a beginner so I don't have great movie making skills but it kind of gives you an idea how fast K-Whip is. I just wish I had sound so you could hear Lilly going BARK, BARK, BARK. They play this game of whippeting constantly.

(The small dog in the video is visiting.)

A Spring Walk

noreply@blogger.com (Emma the Golden Girl) — Thu, 08 May 2008 19:15:00 +0000

Our farm lies at the base of a mountain. Throughout the mountain, we have miles of trails to hike. Every day, our Mom sets out with two or three of us Canine Kids. Today, it was K-Whip's and Lilly's turn. Off we go.
Mom says we have to stay on our leashes in the woods because of all the wild animals that are roaming around this time of year.
The trees are starting to grow leaves at long last.

We decide we'll explore some of our streams today.

Lilly decides to jump in.

"What did you do that for Lilly?" K-Whip doesn't understand why any self respecting dog would want to get wet on purpose.

The biggest surprise of the day was MOOSE POOP! For the first time in many years, we have an actual MOOSE (besides Toby) wandering our mountain! We wanted a Moose Poop snack but Mom said no, no, no.

We walk by waterfalls.

And water means the inevitable, infamous Vermont MUD.
"You mean you want me to walk through that???"

Almost home. "What's Dad been doing?"

Looks like he's been building the barn walls.

Looks good but I hope he doesn't expect us to lift it!

That's it from Vermont for today.

The Barn Continues

noreply@blogger.com (Emma the Golden Girl) — Wed, 07 May 2008 16:08:00 +0000

I thought it might be interesting for those of you who don't live in the country to see the progress of our barn.
Today, we started working on leveling out the floor in the stalls and gathering together the lumber that will make up the floors on both levels.
The first chore was to see if our excavator would even start. It's been sitting under the 158 inches of snow that fell this year. We held our breath.

And, luckily, it started so we began smoothing out the dirt we had previously piled up with the tractor.

All smooth at last!

Next, we started organizing the timbers that will comprise the floor boards. The timbers were carefully logged from our own woodland.

Logan Log Dog as we fondly call him supervises all the work.

Hurray, the timbers meet with Logan's approval!

While Logan was hard at work, the other Canine Kids were busy playing their favorite game of what we call "whippeting" chasing K-Whip round and around the shop. They'll never catch her but they still love to try.

Chris asked if we were planning on getting more horses and the answer is yes. Once Lanny is settled, we are going to be looking for a companion for him, preferably an elderly rescue horse that needs a quiet place to spend his/her senior years.

Thanks everyone for visiting. I enjoy reading all of your comments.

Toby's Trip to the Vet

noreply@blogger.com (Emma the Golden Girl) — Tue, 06 May 2008 19:32:00 +0000

Today was Toby's day for his annual checkup.

Our bouncing baby boy who was 30 pounds when he joined the family is now topping the scales at 136 pounds.

Apart from depositing lots and lots of slime kisses on the staff and leaving furballs all over the floor, all went well.

He did have me ask the vet if he was too thin and needed more food but, alas, he was told his body weight is just perfect and he doesn't need any extra food.

The entire experience proved exhausting for him and he spent the rest of the day sleeping.

Back Home

noreply@blogger.com (Emma the Golden Girl) — Mon, 05 May 2008 19:10:00 +0000

It's been a long, rough, difficult year in many different ways. I have learned a lot along the way, gone through some tough times but things are looking up again. The Canine Kids have been there by my side the whole time and without them, life would have been bleak.
The snow finally melted and we headed back to Vermont.
The Kids are now veteran travelers.

We decided to take a new way back to Vermont through West Virginia. We went through lots of tunnels cut into the mountains.

West Virginia was beautiful so we decided to drive on some of the back roads. It's not all that easy to get a 36 foot RV towing a car behind it down some of those back roads but it was worth it to see the beautiful farm land there. Everything was so green!

Vermont is just starting to show signs of spring. We are still experiencing nights with freezing temperatures and the days are in the 50s. But warmer days are ahead and it's good to be home.

As our first project, we decided to start work again on the barn for Lanny. Last year, we did the gravel work and put in the footings and the well before we stopped.

Here's an overview of our barn. It is going to be laid out with four stalls on the left hand side, a center aisle and then on the right hand side a large tack room, a stairway to the loft and a storage area. The white circle area on the left is our well which is filled with water from our mountain streams.

Right now we are framing in the four stalls. There's lots of work to be done but it's exciting to be working on the barn again.

We have also been busy brush hogging our fields so Lanny will have lots of room to graze.

Between preparing the barn for Lanny, wandering the trails again with the Canine Kids and just enjoying the first signs of Spring, I have been busy and happy. There's something so wonderful about being home.
Thank you everyone for all your kind words and support. You all are the best!

Update

noreply@blogger.com (Emma the Golden Girl) — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 21:47:00 +0000

My blog is at a standstill at the moment. I had closed it for a while because I didn't want to delete it and then someone emailed me and thought I had closed it to keep people out. That was the furthest thought from my mind. I actually closed it because everyone is so kind and visits and I didn't want to think I was ignoring anyone if they posted a comment.

The truth is that although the Canine Kids are fine and doing well, I am struggling with some issues in my life at the moment. It's really hard to be upbeat and blogging when you are feeling overwhelmed.

I hope to start posting again in a month or so.

Thanks everybody for caring.

Totally Hip Award

noreply@blogger.com (Emma the Golden Girl) — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 00:46:00 +0000

We Canine Kids were honored to discover a present from the Whippets and their Servant over at Patience-Please. It's the Totally Hip Award. Thank you for thinking about us. Our Mom has called us many things before but never, ever Totally Hip so we were very pleased you thought of us.
The six of us got together and thought that we should pass this award on to:

Princess Snowball

When we saw the video of you being pulled around the water by Tugboat Chilli, we all thought wow, that is one Totally Hip Princess!

Life with a Whippet

noreply@blogger.com (Emma the Golden Girl) — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 14:17:00 +0000

It is always a challenge living with six Canine Kids. They are each individuals and have distinct personalities. And Katie the Whippet (or K-Whip as we affectionately call her) is no exception. Her favorite past time is taking items and hiding them under the covers in the bed. Usually, these items are her toys (taken so the other Kids can't have them) or an occasional piece of underwear or socks. I have learned to keep items out of her reach but not yesterday. It was a beautiful day and I left the door open so the dogs could run freely in and out of the house. I decided to watch a DVD and I promptly fell asleep. Not used to afternoon naps, I woke up in a daze and went straight outside to play with the dogs. Fast forward hours later and I decide to watch television before I go to bed. I automatically reach for the remote where I always keep it, high on the television. It's not there. Ah, I remember, I left both remotes in the bed. So off to the bed I go and there are no remotes. Oh, no, I know exactly what has happened. It's K-WHIP! I pull off every cover, pillow, mattress pad, I search under the bed, around the bed, no remotes. Then, I remember I had the bright idea of leaving the door open so out into the yard I go, accompanied by 6 highly excited Canine Kids. They think we are off on some kind of midnight adventure as I search the pitch black yard with a dim flashlight. "K-Whip, where did you put the remotes?" I plead with her, "Just tell me." (I should say I have one of those televisions that just won't work right without the remote.) Well, K-Whip, being the helpful whippet that she is, leads me straight to the DVD remote. I am thrilled with her brilliance. "Great Katie so now please, please, show me where you put the TV remote." She leads me to a place where she escapes under the deck these days. It's muddy and gross and scary under there so I decide not to go under until daylight. I walk through the darkness with all the dogs trailing me over the entire fenced area which is a couple of acres but no remote. I give up and decide to call it a night. Katie nestles under the covers and promptly falls asleep. She sleeps without a care in the world. Her Mom struggles to fall asleep without her nightly dose of television. Oh, well.
This morning, bright and early, we are out searching again. The dogs were having the time of their lives, jumping and running and sniffing following me around as I walked the yard inch by inch. I brave the mud under the deck but no remote. I emerge filthy and covered in grime. What a start to the morning!
Finally, a couple of hours later, I found the remote! In the farthest part of the yard (of course) covered by assorted stuffed dog toys. Hurray! But, much to my surprise that wasn't all I found. There, placed very carefully around the remote, are my keys and wallet! I didn't even know they were missing. I had left my purse open which I usually never do and even though it was on a counter, whippets have a LONG reach.
The more I live with K-Whip, the more careful I become. I know she just loves everything that belongs to her people and she will go out of her way to take things and hide them. I am just lucky she never chews anything. In fact, she treats everything so carefully as if it were made of gold.
Today, I have gone through the house and dog proofed it some more. I will remember now to always put the remotes back up and to put my purse away.
There is something so engaging about whippets. They don't have a mean bone in their body. They are your best friends, they snuggle under the covers at night and keep you warm, they run around like gazelles and they make a practice of hiding your favorite things. I imagine life with a monkey must be similar.

Ozark Renovations

noreply@blogger.com (Emma the Golden Girl) — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 15:48:00 +0000

We are a long way from finished remodeling our farm house in the Ozarks. The way things are going, it might take us years. This time, we decided to start with the kitchen. When we started to tear off the walls, we discovered that behind the walls, there were only boards with lots and lots of gaps between them. Inside the walls, there were thousand of ladybug like creatures that had a horrible smell. We even found plants growing inside the walls as well as assorted bee hives. None of the windows would shut tightly and they were basically falling apart so we decided to replace those as well.
Here are some pictures: If you look carefully, you can see those dots are all the ladybug like creatures.

You can see the old wall in the background. To the right is where the old window from the original farmhouse must have been located. We found it behind the wall. There were also three different layers of wallpaper as well.

Dad is insulating all the new walls and, of course, Lilly is never far from Dad. She's his helper.

Here's one of the new windows Dad put in. Mom and Dad both love letting the outside in so they are kind of going crazy on windows.

After a hard day's work, Toby tries to steal Dad's beer.

More to follow!

Introducing Our Newest Family Member

noreply@blogger.com (Emma the Golden Girl) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 16:56:00 +0000

For a while our Mom has been looking for a very special addition to the Canine Kids' farm. After a long search, she has found him. We would like to introduce Lanny, our new horse brother, who will be joining us later this spring after some snow melts. Lanny is a beautiful four year old Percheron gelding who stands 16.3 hands high. He's going to be joining us on our adventures on the trails. We think it's going to be cool to have him for our brother.

Here's some pictures of Lanny.

Awards

noreply@blogger.com (Emma the Golden Girl) — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 14:41:00 +0000

We received so many wonderful and special awards while we were offline. We want to do justice to each and every award so instead of posting them all at once, we are going to do them little by little.
Today, I would like to thank Princess Snowball for the beautiful award she passed on to us, Forever Friends. Thank you Snowball.
Chris, we would like to pass this award on to you today in memory of Fritz.
With Love,
The Canine Kids and their Mom

Chris

noreply@blogger.com (Emma the Golden Girl) — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 16:08:00 +0000

Our dear friend, Chris, is coping with the unexpected death of her beloved cat, Fritz. She also had just recently lost a dear family member.
We thought you would like to know so you can drop by her blog and let her know you are thinking about her.
Chris has done so much for us.
Our hearts go out to you today.

Mini Cows

noreply@blogger.com (Emma the Golden Girl) — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 15:20:00 +0000

Due to rising prices, in particularl the cost of fuel and food, Mom has been talking to Dad about reclaiming some of the pasture land on our farm to raise animals. Now, Mom being Mom, these animals will be part of the family so she had to put some thought into her decision. After much careful research, she has decided that mini cows are the best choice for our family.
Our Dad, always eager to run any kind of big equipment, has agreed to start as soon as the snow melts (if it ever does).
For those of you who didn't know that cows come in small sizes (our Mom didn't know either), these tiny cows are really remarkable animals. They are used as dairy cows, as beef cattle and as pets. They require less feed than full sized cattle and much less room to roam so just about anybody can have a mini cow. We can't post pictures of them because we can't copy from other sites but if you do a search on miniature cows, you'll see what we are talking about.
As soon as the weather becomes warmer, Mom and Dad and the Kids are going to travel to some of the mini cow farms to look for breeding stock.
Toby, in particular, is delighted that he will have companions his own size.
Lilly is interested in guarding them and herding them through the pasture and the rest of us Kids are just kind of curious to see these tiny cows in person.
Mom also received a catalog for chicks and she was very surprised to see that some of the hens lay pink and green and blue eggs so when Dad repairs the chicken house, I think there might be some pastel eggs in our future.