Worlds away - the Silversong Farm blog

[DeniseJP]

I am lucky - even when things were not going well with hubby and me over the summer, I only had to go to the barn to find peace.

Luckily, things are improving (life is not perfect but I like to make the most of what I have each day - lost three friends to cancer this year - a coworker just had a brain tumor removed - things like that put my life into a much better perspective).

This evening was clean the rest of the cages - Roxanne, Remy, Jared, Calliope and Grace had their abodes cleaned out over the weekend.

Radar celebrated the moment in spin-art style the only way a young buck can... I was moving his cage, ducked as I saw him start the spinning motion and his tail up and I got sprayed. Yup, I love you too, Radar...

Splash started to think the same thing would be fun since I made a lot of noise but I dodged that bullet... Stinger did not even think of spraying me... guess he thought his brothers got me well enough.

Juliette was pretty happy to have her toy stuffed pepper back - I had to clean it with a lot of clean water. Juno's stuffed carrot is also in need of some cleaning.

Roxanne was chinning me and making her tooth grinding noises - she was happy to see me this evening. Axel also chinned me - a rarity for him but I love when he does it.

The night was nice here - cool, no wind and sunny. This morning it was very frosty and cold - the water buckets outside for the horses had a thin layer of ice on them. Since the leaves have all fallen off the trees, I guess frost and cold is next. It was covering everything to the point that when I brought Freedom outside, she was patrolling the paddock fence with her ears and tail up and she was snorting.

Just found out on this evening's news that there is a toxic plume of hazardous chemicals in a park in our town.... the park is about 3-5 miles from my house...one man was found dead in the park - there is supposed to be an update on our news. My sons and I have gone hiking there before... scary stuff!

Denise

 

[DeniseJP]

Haven't watched the news this morning but Benn said a friend's mother confirmed what the news said. Have to check www.10nbc.com in Rochester later to catch the details.

My Lab Quinn decided early this AM to wear a "waste" (as in whatever animal pooped outside in the yard that was not a horse, rabbit or dog)costume into my dog room for a late Halloween celebration.:?:banghead:craziness:no::grumpy No matter how many times we tell him "don't go near that mess", Quinn (and all his relatives do the same thing - roll in the foulest poop like substances they can find) just luxuriates in the mess a human soaking in a tub with (much more pleasant) aromatherapy oils (lavender being my favorite).

Somehow I don't think I can go to the essential oil store to get his favorite scents: Foxcrap, Coyotepoop, Yucky Beans (otherwise known as deer poop - as a two year old Benn gave deer poop that name - I sure hope he did not think they were Goobers, Raisinettes or Sugar Babies and sample the pile...)

Off to the barn....I will be thinking of those who got to go to the ARBA Convention... that sounds like a great place to go (especially with an empty hole in the carrier just in case someone gets to go home with you), and hoping I am busy at work today - I hate not being busy. I will regret those words come April-June when I am doing three major events for work.

Denise

 

[Fancy77]

WOW u sure have a lot going on by u!!!

I think i peed a bit in my pants when I read about Quinn I am laughing so hard!!!

Hopefully nothing happens with that chemical stuff by u *fingers crossed*

 

[hartleybun]

dear mr quinn - brandy choc lab here. hello! i was most interested to hear that an american cousin is keeping up the tradition of 'rolling'. my human, donna, was reading from this blog, glared at me and muttered something about labs rolling in something icky.

around here we have lots of foxes, badgers and cows which gives a variety of rolling opportunities. i recently managed to get 'fox' in my collar and earflap great fun to be had as donna was cleaning it off.

sadly my daughter, whiskey, doesnt roll, but will eat it.....

luv and regards
brandy labrador

 

[DeniseJP]

Fancy77 wrote:

WOW u sure have a lot going on by u!!!

I think i peed a bit in my pants when I read about Quinn I am laughing so hard!!!

Hopefully nothing happens with that chemical stuff by u *fingers crossed*

And he was so proud of himself! I convinced him to take a swim in the pond and his expression was "Oh, but I worked so hard on my look and smell!"

Update on the chemical situation in the park and the deceased man - my coworker was in the park at the same time with his family and he found the man in the car with a note on the dash that said "Don't open" and the car was locked - he said the man looked very pale and was slumped over. He had two five gallon buckets filled with household chemicals that created hydrogen sulfide (I think). He called the emergency number. He said the car was all steamed up like two people were in there and he said he wanted to make sure if that was the case that someone was not being held against their will.

Turns out the man was a cousin of a friend of Benn's. More investigating is being done... the chemicals dissipated and the park was open again today. Just tragic to have stuff like that close to home... my thoughts go out to the family of the deceased and I am glad my coworker and his family are safe.



Denise

 

[Fancy77]

OMG I dont know what to say that is way too close to home that gave me goosebumps. I am just so happy everyone is ok (well except the deceased man) But he wanted it that was i guess. sad very sad thx 4 the update

 

[DeniseJP]

hartleybun wrote:

dear mr quinn - brandy choc lab here. hello! i was most interested to hear that an american cousin is keeping up the tradition of 'rolling'. my human, donna, was reading from this blog, glared at me and muttered something about labs rolling in something icky.

around here we have lots of foxes, badgers and cows which gives a variety of rolling opportunities. i recently managed to get 'fox' in my collar and earflap great fun to be had as donna was cleaning it off.

sadly my daughter, whiskey, doesnt roll, but will eat it.....

luv and regards
brandy labrador

Hello Brandy Labrador!

Quinn the yellow Labrador here - my Lab relatives (parents and littermates and siblings) and I celebrate rolling every chance we get.

However, you never know when you might need to smell like coyote or fox or deer - although my mum here makes such a big deal about how bad I stink. Stink bad?! I think I smell great and I even worked the stuff into my coat so that I was covered in artistic greenish-brown smears that looked smashing against my yellow coat.

It takes time to make oneself up like that and mum ruined it by making me wash it off in the pond. The pond is getting cold but I did manage to get into the tall grass and faked my mum out by rolling again. You probably heard her shriek across the big pond! I didn't find any great scents on that roll.

Another of my Labrador traditions is the shredding of dog beds and blankets. There is nothing like sinking one's teeth into a soft object and shredding it so the stuffing goes all over... and then the pleasure of rolling in the stuffing and lying down in it... I am not allowed to have a dog bed anymore because I also like to eat the stuffing.

I also like giving kisses to everyone... the bunnies, the horses (Freedom and Mercy do not like when I kiss them and call me bad names before they try to stomp on me) and my friend Bridget the German Shorthaired Pointer.

My final talent is my paw paintings on the dog room floor. I findmud and then make sure I run all over the floor. I have done some great paw patterns on the tile floor. It makes my mum freak out because she has to clean it but I like to think of myself as an artist - Jackson Paw-lock.:biggrin2:

Off to eat my dinner and contemplate what trouble I can get into later.

Quinn

 

[DeniseJP]

Fancy77 wrote:

OMG I dont know what to say that is way too close to home that gave me goosebumps. I am just so happy everyone is ok (well except the deceased man) But he wanted it that was i guess. sad very sad thx 4 the update

It is very sad - we have known of a few suicides in town this year... but it could have been even worse if the kids got near the chemicals.

Denise

 

[hartleybun]

dear mr quinn
you are a labrador after my own heart. i am something of a pawprint artist meself - donna thoughtfully provides a towel for me to wipe the excess off

i dont do much shredding these days - i leave that to young whiskey. tho' i have eaten an artificial christmas tree and a nearly finished needlepoint cushion cover. donna recently spent two hours cutting out some patchwork block pieces, then carelessly left them lying about. well, you know how it is, whiskey was bored and i told her to go play.....they did look ok after a good ironing tho'. also whiskey managed to unravel a 100gm ball of crochet thread. it kept donna and lauren occupied for ages whilst they cleaned that up

will try to send you my pic

luv brandy x

 

[Fancy77]

Do I sense a Lab Date coming on soon...lol

 

[hartleybun]

i know it's hard to tell us apart but im the one with the grey muzzle. luv brandy xx

 

[DeniseJP]

Quinn here - Brandy and Whiskey - you ladies are beautiful! Glad to have found fellow Labs who like doing the things I like to do... even if our mums don't approve all the time.

:inlove::faint::adorable::adorable:

Like the time I caught a mouse and killed it and it fit just perfectly in my mouth...you could not tell it was even there - then my dad called me over and I was so excited I started wagging my tail... I mean... I caught a mouse! All by myself! And bossy Bridget didn't take it from me... I wanted to share the moment with my dad and mum and when dad went to pet me I put the mouse in his hand along with some slobber. He did not like the gift but my mum was laughing a lot.

Denise here: Gotta love what animals do for us.

 

[DeniseJP]

Bunny update - Calliope is becoming very friendly... she will greet me on her hind legs and gently make that tooth purring noise... she loves her noserubs and being petted. Where Roxanne is active inbetween noserubs and she will chin me, Calliope just melts when she is petted and she does not mind me picking her up to carry her or to move her.

Grace let me clean her cage today without taking her out of it - I talked to her and warned her I had to clean the mess but I would put in new straw and hay for her. She growled once (I think it was an "OK") and she let me fix the cage. Definite progress there!

And some really big news....We may have our junior Checkered Giants in production, finally - Roxanne is almost 9 months old and she was bred to Remy (the blue CG)on November 3rd. I will keep everyone posted - I am used to Holland and Fuzzy Lop babies...Checkered Giant babies will be fun and this will give me some juniors for the 2010 shows as everyone currently here will be a senior buck or doe. The CG nest box that I have is a lot bigger than the Lop boxes...

Juno and Axel's three boys will show unless they go on to new homes - Stinger seems like he will be the one I hang on to - I love his coloration and his balance and size but he is still going through the awkward adolescent stage Hollands go through. He is starting to get the "posing" thing for shows... we have been working on that nightly.

Radar is my second favorite of the bunch of boys - but he is a little bigger than Stinger. He is also a very active, inquisitive bunny and likes to pose. He knows he is nice looking.

Splash is the biggest of the bunch and I like the body on him... he is not as well marked as his brothers but he also loves to pose and has presence.

Juliette has been playing with her toys a lot to get my attention... she loves being held and cuddled and she is a doe that will actually spray like a buck to get my attention, yet she is definitely a doe... I know she likes to show and I will have to get her out to a show, too.

My friend lost her 10 year old Holland (he was from my first line of Hollands I had years ago)and gave me her carry cage so I have three more "holes" for bunnies to go to shows...I just have to make one of those roly things that my cages can go on so I don't have to carry them all.

It is snowing here tonight - just "lake flakes" from cold air going across the warm water of Lake Ontario but a definite sign of things to come.

Denise

 

[LuvaBun]

Just been catching up on your blog, Denise. It works as wonderful therapy for me- all your lovely extended family, and your attitude to life . Saoirse is such an adorable girl - I'm sure she'll be great at therapy.

Jan

 

[DeniseJP]

Thank you, Jan...

I am making the most of life these days... I am so here and while my health is not the best these days, each breath I take is momentous... and my buns and other critters make each day so getting up for so worth it. Each day I never forget that each day is a blessing.

And Saoirse... so tiny and little... yet so full of presence... she reminds me of all I have yet to do!

Denise

 

[hartleybun]

:thud:cant wait for pics of cute baby bunnies! im sure lady roxanne will make a lovely mum! or if she's anything like brandy she'll employ a nanny (hardest 8 weeks of me life)

 

[DeniseJP]

hartleybun wrote:

:thud:cant wait for pics of cute baby bunnies! im sure lady roxanne will make a lovely mum! or if she's anything like brandy she'll employ a nanny (hardest 8 weeks of me life)

I think I am taking on the job of nanny...

I cannot wait...

Denise

 

[hartleybun]

i shall be with you in spirit!! cant wait for my fix of baby bunny whisker pics either:biggrin2:

 

[DeniseJP]

I have to snatch the camera from Benn to get more shots... there are a lot of whiskers waiting to be photographed!:biggrin2:

Denise

 

[hartleybun]

:shock::shock::faint:

as long as i dont have to look at muddy dogs i shall be fine. the river clyst has flooded the fields again so the dogs had a lovely wet muddy splash session yesterday.........