ONE WORD

HOT

FOLDED LIKE A CHEAP SUIT

Yep, I folded again, just like a poorly made suit.  90 degrees and climbing steadily, dew points in the oppressive category, a breeze that makes no difference and I can't get a deep breath outside.  Let's just say that there is no lack of dog crates in my home today.  Trace, Charlie, Kit and Reid all got moved to the livingroom and I managed to squeak another crate into the space between the doorway and the loveseat for Pixie.  Poor Joy is in season so she is pushed up against the pantry door in the kitchen by herself.  The remainder are in the dog room and everyone else is without crate.  But I can divide them all up and it's okey dokey.  Mealtime and potty breaks will be a mess for a day.  I am praying it will get better by 11 p.m. and I can put dogs back into outside kennels for the night.  Those insulated igloo dog houses actually keep them cool as well as warm. 
Thankfully I got up at 5 a.m. this morning and cycled all of the dogs into yards for a good 3 hour run before it started to warm up.  And I managed to finish the mowing by 7:30 a.m. for the same reason.  After a quick run into town and refilling water buckets with cool water for the 2nd time, I just couldn't stand it.
So I'm a weenie...sue me...
Until next time I'm off to take a short nap...

FOUND: ONE GARDEN

Eureka!  I have discovered the garden!  It only took 3 hours of weeding this a.m. so I call it a success.  The beans as I thought are a loss.  Rabbit.  Bad Rabbit.  I have placed a Wanted Poster in the dog room--dead or alive (preferably dead) rabbit, reward will be one extra large chicken thigh in your dinner.  After all, the dogs do sometimes need an incentive.
The garden surprised me today.  The tomatoes that I had pretty much given up on are enormous and flowering--yippee!!  And the beets that the rabbit ate the tops off of are actually growing although they look a bit sad on the top.  The peppers, peas, squash and cucs are flowering and of course my onions had been going great guns since they were first planted.  My hopes of being able to put up pickles, tomatoes, sauces and salsa may actually turn out, fingers crossed.  The peaches will be ready to get as of July 1 and I have plans to can them and make some jam.  Oh and the herbs I planted are lovely.  I picked thyme, rosemary and oregano to put in my roasted chicken tonight.  The lavender is close to being able to start some small harvesting and drying.  It's going to be a homemade Christmas my dear family and friends.  I promise not to poison anyone or make any of Aunt Bea's Kerosene Cucumbers.  ;-)
Oh and this past weekend Jean spotted a huge asparagus patch that I didn't know what it was.  In fact I thought it was just another bunch of weeds along the field fencing.  So I guess next year asparagus gets harvested too.  The apple trees had a nice amount of blooms this spring so I am hoping that I will get apples to pick this fall for something.  Jean slices and freezes hers for pies, etc.  I might have to try that one.  Or maybe I can dry some of them and put them with the lavender for potpourri...hmm...ideas....
Until next time...

IT WAS A GOOD DAY AT THE DOG SHOW...

Actually it was a good weekend at the dog show!  On Sat. Jean's baby Cardigan, Hoover was Winners Dog  for his first 3 pt major!  That's made 4 points/1 major in just two days of showing!  My Declan was Reserve and John's Musca also was Reserve.  But Splash made up for it by going in and taking another Select with John.  Rough Collies went well, the baby looked like a long legged, very out of coat baby and was last in his class.  Daddy Bryce with Sahra won the Open Sable class.  The ladies, Spice and Lolli duked it out in the Open Sable girl class and came out 2nd and 3rd respectively to a nice bitch owned by Michelle Struble.  Poor Lolli looks like she has been plucked by chickens, she desperately needs to regrow her coat for the fall shows.
The weather was dreary but not hot and we got a bit sprinkled on.  Jean and I took turns attempting to take pics with John's camera.  As usual I took 600 shots and got 2 good ones, which I might point out is a pretty decent average for me. I think I inherited my mom's talent for cutting off the head's of people.  Although I sure got the dogs into the shot, so there!  :-)
Local shows are always so much fun with exhibitors that I know from other breeds that I get to see only at local shows.   And I got to reconnect once again with old friends.  Time goes by but it's comforting to know that overall things don't change much and I believe most people that know me well understand that I tend to drift out and back into their lives. 
Today was another stellar day--the sun was shining and the day was hot but not humid.  A blessing for sure since Iowa City tends to be stormy and humid most years.  We began the day with Smooth Collies and Declan was Winners Dog and Best of Winners for 1 point, followed by John's Musca in girls with Winners for a point.  That put's Muscas at needing 2 points to finish.  John once again piloted Splash to a win, and came out with Best of Opposite Sex to Cody showing Carson for Best of Variety.  Onward to Cardigans where John showed Slick to Reserve Winners to the major.  Not to shabby for a dog with no coat at all and a happy tail.  I loved it when Slick decided every 20 feet or so to sit down and try and scratch off his collar.  Roughs were early this afternoon and I was dragging along.  Reid again was 3rd in his class but as usual had a blast showing.  Is there anything more endearing than a Collie that loves everything??  Our friends, Kellie and Roger Barry finished their boy, Refund, at the show today going Best of Winners to take the crossover major!  I was so happy for them and send huge Congrats again!  Rough girls was a repeat of Sat. but gosh Spice and I had a blast!  I love her so much and she and I have finally clicked together, which I think is because we have spent so much time working on obedience and agility together.  It's paying off with her breed ring performance for sure.  Mary Ebert had her girl Tanzie out in open blue class and won the class today!  It was Tanzie's first show and she handled it grandly.  Tanzie is a daughter of the much beloved, Toby and I can really see his movement and Tanzie's great granny, Crystal, in her.  I think Mary will have a good time with her for sure.  I also heard that our good friends up Minnesota way had a terrific time at the shows in Cambridge MN--way to go guys! 
It was a good couple of days at the dog show!  Now back to reality and off to clean kennels and mow lawn.
Until next time...

Why?

Why does it keep raining?  That just makes weeds and grass grow.  Between bouts of showers I managed to weed the cucumbers and zucchini.  Tomorrow--more rain forecast. 

Why must all the dogs visit the barn on rainy days?  That just makes wet, muddy and of course stinky dogs.  Which leads to dogs confined to crates to dry.  Which leads to more towels for the laundry.  Tomorrow--more rain forecast.

Why does America's Got Talent draw so many outstandingly horrifically weird performances?  I use the term performance loosely here.  On the other hand, there are plenty of truly interesting and talented acts.  It's a little like bright pieces of sunshine between severe weather outbreaks.  Tomorrow--more rain forecast.

Why do I blog about inane items as above?  Maybe it has something to do with rain...

Until nex time...

HITS AND MISSES

According to the latest edition of A Dog's Eye View at Maiwae, it was a hit and miss kind of day.

Hits:  Sunshine, good breeze, cool water, hours of play and nap time in the yards, being hand fed chicken (the REAL stuff!), hugs and snuggles.

Misses:  Walking around on a leash (what are we, dogs?!?), standing on a tall table (might be considered a hit since we got to watch the cows), the EVIL dremel and being hosed down with listerine (okay, it isn't a hose, but still...).

Seeing as we had a quorum a vote was in order.  It has been decided that more chicken and snuggles must continue to be presented upon demand.  We will continue to tolerate the hosing of smelly stuff with only minor grumbling, but the dremel has got to go!

The Dogs

PLOTTING...

TRACE AND CHARLIE

Show News

Spice and I headed out to Ft. Dodge this morning in the fog.  I'd like to thank the weather angels for giving us a rain free and cloudy day.  Jean arrived first and got prime shade parking just yards from the building.  Charlie and Trace road along for a bit of torturous "be good" time.  They were perfect gentlemen and I got the cutest pic of them pouting in the crate together.  It's difficult to determine which one of them is the instigator of mayhem and which one is the follower.  I guess it doesn't matter, they have each others back.  Trace ducks between the gate and the post and Charlie flies over the fence, both to freedom.  But I digress. 
Spice was Reserve Winner's Bitch today and I was tickled!  I haven't shown her much and try to leave the grooming to Sahra so that Spice actually looks good, but today I was on my own for grooming and showing.  In a way I am grateful that she is out of coat, it is certainly easier to deal with.  I felt she looked glorious albeit a bit bare, and wow it felt great to move her out in the ring.  She is a fun dog to show and I look forward to spending more time showing her this year.  Jean had a terrific day with her Hoover puppy in Cardigans and I brought home 10 frozen homegrown chickens.  The dogs have backs and necks and the gross stuff like hearts, etc.  I have awesome cut up chickens to cook.  One is thawing for Sunday dinner.  And yet again off topic, the garden is yielding some darn good onions right now and my herbs, with the exception of my basil, is looking great.  I picked thyme and lavender the other day, put the thyme in my salad and the lavender is still on the window sill.  It smells like spring and once it is dried, well guess what everyone I know is getting for Christmas this year?  Along with my own pickles and homemade salsa if the stupid tomato plants every pick up the pace.  The pepper, cucumbers and squash all look good.  The rabbit(s) have about taken out the beans.  Bad Rabbit.  The peas are hiding in the weeds.  Bad Judy.
Next week I'm off to the local Iowa City show with Spice and Declan.  Declan is about as ready as he is going to get at this point without me waiting indefinitely, he has leveled out and his head is good again, so we will play.  I'm going to try and show him myself.  Let us pray.
Until next time...

IT FIGURES

It figures.  Enter one hairy dog in a show.  Said dog then blows all of her coat.  It figures.

Liking This New Toy

It's only a $25 Vivitar from Walmart with a $10 memory card added in, but for $35 it's providing some real fun for me.  This is a video of Harold and Kit in one of the new play areas.  I wanted to get some video of Kit's movement to pass on for review.  It's not Oscar winning videography but it'll do.

MWCR

What is MWCR?  It is Minnesota Wisconsin Collie Rescue, a simply wonderful organization that works tirelessly for Collies in need of new homes.  It's been a very long time since I did rescue in any form, whether it was fostering or transport and when this opportunity to lend a hand came up, I had to pitch in.  Right now I have all the time in the world to work with and care for the extra dogs so with a little extra work in obtaining kennels and putting them together we were ready to go.  My heartfelt thanks go out to Sahra and John Jola for pitching in.  Sahra groomed all 9 dogs including the horrid shave down for old Rosy and John spent the holiday weekend designing and putting together the kennel spaces and new huge running area for the extra furry kids.  Here are the dogs that will soon be available for adoption through MWCR (with the exception of Rosy, who has her own video posted on the blog previously).  Please go to MWCR's website for updates and to see the Collies there right now that need homes:    http://www.mwcr.org/     

TORI - AGE 8

ABBY - AGE 8

GEM - AGE 5

HOPE - AGE 3 (BLIND IN LEFT EYE)

JOY - AGE 3

MATT - AGE 6

NESSA - AGE 3

PIXIE - AGE 3

Rosie Video

THE WAR

It's hot hot out.  Not normal summer hot, but that blistering mid-July hot designed to make a person long to be up to the ears in a shaded, cool swimming pool holding an ice cream cone in one hand and a cold beer in the other.  So of course today is the day that Charlie and I begin our War.  Charlie is a sweet, loving, definitely a suck up for attention, a typical Border Collie doggy.  He has been very obedient for the most part until just recently.  This is my fault.  I let some behaviors slid and now I have to gain back some of the territory he has pilfered in the pre-War maneuvers. 
Today we fought the Battle of Here.  It started on the way out of the gate to go and get the mail.  It was the day for Trace and Charlie to go with me and I should have known it was not going to end well.  Apparently Trace is Swiss and decided not to side with either army of one.  He was obedient and listened and ignored all the other commotions.  Trace has probably handed off the information gathered to Spice who will no doubt form some type of fact finding committee and head up the peace talks.
Charlie dislikes a leash.  I have a feeling he finds it somewhat degrading, but more likely he just does not want to give up any image that he is in control.  To keep him from racing the dogs in the yard on the way back from the mail box, I asked him to "here" so I could put a leash on him.  His retreat was stunningly expedient and I knew the battle had begun.
The other dogs were put in the house.  I put the leash away.  The I hunted the little bugger down.  He thought he was entrenched and hiding under the LP tank.  His camouflage was spotty and I pulled him out by a hind leg and his tail.  We had the "name, rank, serial number" talk along with, I said HERE.  Dropped him where I had called him the first time and he took off for the gate to the house yard.  After 14 (yes 14!) skirmishes and 20 sweaty minutes he finally caved and did a "HERE" from 20 feet. 
I won the battle, but the war will be hell.
Until next time...

SLEEPING BEAUTY

This is Rosy.  She will be 11 years old soon.  She was an indoor dog who has spent the past 2 years outside in a kennel in not the best conditions.  Sahra, bless her, came and shaved her down.  She was matted to the skin and most of it came off in a "pelt".  She and her kennel mates all had to be treated for hookworms and whipworms so she had to spend the past week in quarantine here on the farm.  But after another bath and blow out today she is now in the house enjoying her stay here as one of the old dogs.  She's better off than Maddy, Rosy can still get on the sofas to sleep.  Poor Maddy can't make that anymore because of her rear end.  But that's okay because she has a fluffy dog bed and of course I put her into my bed at night.
Once Rosy's intake is complete she will be available for adoption through Minnesota Wisconsin Collie Rescue, as well as the other 8 dogs she was with.  I'll post more on those later as they are all here in foster care.