Fostering puppies

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I visited my grandson again recently.
My daughter works for the Humane Society and is fostering a mother dog and her 6 puppies since they don't have room for them at the kennels. No room, how sad is that! Luckily my daughter is willing to put herself out and take her work home, so to speak. So cute! Their Mom is a beagle and ??, but she looks mostly beagle. Shes a bit scared of men, but takes right to women. She and her pups will be up for adoption when they are big enough. For now, they are in good hands, in a cozy basement.







Notice Caines bib?
Future millionaire.
I like the ballet pose. He was just caught playing with the wires and cables. Looks guilty, doesn't he?

He has a mouth full of teeth!
He had his first visit with the dentist, and she gave him a flouride treatment that tastes like bubble gum. ?...My thoughts exactly....
Notice also the size of his hands???And for some reason he holds his pinky out when eating or drinking! Such a proper child!

I hope the little split in his front teeth stays. His Grandpa and his cousin and a few others on his Moms side has it, and I like it!

Of course, I'd like whatever as far as Caine is concerned!

I hope everyone remembers that when we are having money problems, the Humane Society gets more and more abandoned animals. Lets help any way we can.

Spay and neuter is one way. Donate food and money if you can, and think about fostering if you have the room.

Thanks,

Claudia

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Springy Things in the Country

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This blog is for my Northern family and friends, particularly my sister-in-law, Jan. She appreciates the garden pictures and I know she is awaiting good weather in the Northeast so she can get out in her gardens..So here you go Jan!
The peach trees are budding, and I wonder if this nest will be used again?

If you click on the pictures, they get bigger. There are two bluebirds on the martin house. Last year they were in it and looks like they are back!

This is the asparagus bed. The neighbor came and ran his blades across the grass. Last year the grass was so thick it was hard to find the asparagus shoots! Were hoping this is the cure.

Joey also turned a vegetable garden for us where the chicken coop was. We gave him the chicken coop in exchange for the garden work. The twins are taking care of the chickens and we have already bought a dozen eggs from them!

They were really distraught over the 'mean rooster' that keeps jumping up on the hens and making them screech! Country lesson at hand...

We have been getting river stones to put paths through the flower beds. I love to make a run on my 4-wheeler and stop and get a stone to bring back!( Bob got the big ones with his tractor.)

This old butterfly bush is getting covered over by an ivy. I suppose I should cut it out, but I think its pretty.

I cut the heck out of the wisteria, so I don't know if it will bloom or not, but it had completely taken over everything! Can't kill the stuff, it's like kudzu!

The japanese maple finally has a little breathing room.

The weeping cherry got a bigtime haircut as well, but it has the 'popcorn like' pink flowers on it so I know its ok.

My nephew, his wife and their son Adam (my GRAND-nephew) are coming in a few weeks. I can't wait! I am planning to have John help me put a tire swing up on the big oak near where the wicker swing hangs. The hammock is already stretched between the cedars. Hopefully the creek won't be too cold to go barefoot in and find some craw-dads !

See everyone pretty soon!

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To breed ? Or not to breed?

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Someone e-mailed me this picture of a baby and a mini-horse baby.
So cute I can't stand it.
I have a nice stallion named Red and two cute mares, one all black and one a paint.
I have been thinking about breeding them and next year....?

Maybe it's just spring. I think of all the problems first with a pregnant mare, the special feed and vet trips and all. UGH! And then I think, but 'They are so cute'...!

I need to think this one out...

Someone slap me!

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Spring,Lifted Spirits,Music

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder...Here are some things I think are most beautiful

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Spring is back, here in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Soon the 'Blue Ridge Parkway' will be a canvas of soft green with the pastels that only spring can offer. Not the poor economy nor my dampened spirit from struggling through yet another tax season can keep me from smiling up at the cherry and pear blossoms. One of my favorite, the redbud, is close to bloom, a purple color that it's name doesn't hint at.

I have found a new music station on my computer called "Pandora Radio". I'm sure it's not a new station, but I just found it and a singer that I can't seem to hear enough of.Her name is "Katie Melua", and she is wonderful. Her song,"The closest thing to Crazy", really struck a chord with me, it's from her album,"Call Off The Search", and to my friends who read this, I hope you will check her out. I know my 'Old Pal' will like her...check her out.

Feeling old is a coversation of late, and although I don't feel old,compared to others my own age, I do feel limited in what I can still do today. But then again there are some things that you can do when you get older and wiser that you couldn't do when you were younger due to fear. You can be more truthful, because there are no reasons to play games with people. Its easier to tell it like it is, or as my nephew says, it is what is is. Simple, and as I 'Mature' I like simple things. A hot soapy bath, a massage a bottle of good mountain wine from our many local wineries,such as 'Chateau Morrisette" on the Parkway. Some soft cheese, and homemade bread and a view of the hills or the lake and when really lucky a bike ride to the beach...Ahhhhh, memories...

I think I'll take a hot soak with a glass of wine, and smile with my memories that my old pals share with me. Nice to have friends and family that love us..

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The snowman meltith

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Saturday brought lovely weather for Mom's last full day. The snowman that Bob made for me has lost it's nose and within a few hours, it's head! The kids came today with Caine for a last visit with Mom. They also brought their 6 month old yellow lab "Jaspar" who looks like the cartoon 'Marmaduke'. He's huge already, with feet bigger than my mini horses and must weigh at least 70 lbs! In all the commotion with him and trying to control him( he bit the chain link kennel and we had to take him out of it before he destroyed it!) I didn't get a still picture, just some with my video camera....

snowman melting and me in my jammies!

Caine is trying to walk. He has Dad's leg here.

He loved the swing I got him! Grampy hooked it up on the pergola on the back deck.

Mom , the dogs and I enjoyed the front porch Sunday, it was 75 degrees! She flew home to 50 degree weather and today, Monday, they are having yet another storm with at least another 6 inches forecast!! I'll stay here in my T-shirts, thanks...

The crocus are happy to have all that snow and ice off of their heads! The poles are an attempt to keep Penny and Belle from stomping them.

The froglooks to be sporting a lovely hat of yellow daffodils.

Iris (and the other cats as well) have enjoyed the open windows. Iris has one eye and prefers to keep it trained on the bird feeder from inside the house.

Today we shipped Moms clothes and got the dogs licensed. This week will be catch up with laundry and the horses barns and the yard work, etc, etc. Tomorrow I am going with my friend Becky to Martinsville where she will speak at a writers group and we will get a little shopping in as well as dinner, a nice break for me!

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10,000 words

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They say a picture is worth a thousand words. There are 10 pictures here, starting when it first started snowing yesterday. The daffodils were just getting ready to burst open. By this morning they were mounds of snow. You can't see any green anymore.


Frosted magnolia...

Harry Lauders walking stick dipped in whipped cream...

Last years flowers,dried and iced...

The dogs learned about snowballs in their pads! Belle skidded through the kitchen and promptly sat down and started de-icing!

This mornings 4 wheel journey...start down a trail, back up because of trees down...repeat several times over!

I have to say, it is pretty...the 8 hours without power, from midnight until 8 am, not so much...

Penny still had to have a dip in the creek. She has had a ball with this snow. She ran around the property with her mouth open scooping up snow..it reminded me of the skimmers in Florida, birds that flew low to the water and with their lower half of their beak down, skimming the water and I assume, gathering up fish.

This is the most snow I have seen since leaving New England for the Florida Keys.

Now I remember why I left New England. The nice thing about here is, this mess will be gone in a few days. Normally it wouldn't last the day, but it is cold and going to get colder tonight, and things should refreeze. Fortunatly we have the fireplace, a gas log, that throws out plenty of heat. Hopefully we won't need it again tonight!!!

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Promised Daffodils

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It's Sunday, March 1st. Yesterday's weather was bad. Rainy and cold, and the dogs didn't get a run. I was sick, actually I am still fighting this darn cold, but yesterday the headache got me. The last of February and it was crummy. March is coming in like a lion, as the old saying goes. Today it's cold and we have had ice, snow, sleet and a mixture of the three. We had a good breakfast and then we played cards with Mom, her greatest joy.


Before cards I went and fed my horses and there were 2 daffodils in bloom, although they were drooped and draped in ice, I picked them and brought them to the table for Mom. I had promised her daffodils before she left to go home. She leaves next Sunday.

The birds are very active this morning and if you look closely at this picture you will see there are birds perched all over the bushes, and on the feeders. My poor hammock is hanging low covered in ice as are the electric fence tapes.

The gazing ball was glazed...

All in all this day is a wash for outdoor activity. I'm still hoping it will clear long enough to run the dogs, although both of them seem content to curl up on 'their' couch. Mom is snoring in the chair now, and I'm hoping I didn't tell her of her upcoming trip too soon, as she will dwell on it and make herself sick thinking about it. With any luck the dementia will work in my favor and she might forget.

I think its a great day to write some poetry and curl up with a good book. I have read all Becky's books http://peevishpen.blogspot.com, but I am still not finished with 'Mom's Family Pie' by Peggy Ann Shifflet. Becky also has given me other books to read, and I thank her for catching me up with the 'Southern' thing. Without her, I would be up the creek, with no paddle!

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