McElmurray's Mountain Retreat!

Wind Driven Snow

2012-02-22T07:43:00.003-07:00

One of the hazards we face by living in the mountains is wind. We have had wind for several days with gusts to 60-80 MPH and blowing snow. It is supposed to be even more windy today and tomorrow. Tomorrow more snow is forecast and the wind is predicted to be stronger. Two or three inches of snow when you add the wind as a factor will produce drifts several feet deep especially along roads that have a snow bank on each side. That makes them collectors for drifting snow.

We needed to go to town yesterday to resupply and two attempts to get down off the mountain were not successful due to the drifting snow. Both times we had to turn back. We might have been able to get out but even when I turned back the tracks left by our Jeep tires had already filled in within minutes. We have seen it drift a road in two or three feet deep in a few hours. So we will make another attempt today and see how far we can get.

It is not so much getting out but getting back home after we have made it to the paved road about 12 miles from our house we still need to return. With the wind chill down to sub zero temperatures and the snow and ice crystals blowing so hard it hurts when it hits you - getting to town is not worth the risk. We receive a lot of wind in the winter in the mountains and when you add a little snow suddenly you get instant drifts.

Just part of living in the mountains and that is why we maintain a well stocked pantry. It is also a good reason to have a wood stove for heat because normally the power goes off due to power poles blowing over or trees blowing over and taking down power lines. All our power lines are under ground but those that feed our area go right along the mountain top and are more vulnerable to wind. Just part of mountain living and something you adjust to or you move back to the city where you are not effected by the wind as badly. It is not always windy here but much of the time we will have a week or two of high wind. This is one of those times. If you don't care much for wind this would not be the right location for you.

So cope we will, and being prepared if we can't get out safely today we will try again tomorrow and if not then it will be next week some time. Just part of living on a mountain.

Anonymous In Colorado Springs, CO

2012-02-20T08:08:00.003-07:00

Here is a photo for anonymous. This was taken of our past dog Ben who passed away in 2007. We have had a traditional hay ride for our friends and our dogs every year since 2000. The wagon is parked within 20 feet from where the hay was located which you called baiting elk. We have photos of each hay ride including the last one a few months ago.

We have taken our dogs on traditional hay rides for 11 years and they love it. We use the hay for as many weeks as we can and cover it with a tarp when not in use to protect it from the deer and elk and rain. The deer and elk still manage to pull the tarp off sometimes which is not baiting. Please be sure when you send the "elk baiting" photo that you send this one along with it to the DOW.

To our other readers, this is about the only exercise some potential trouble makers get by jumping to conclusions. You can generally tell who they are because they prefer to conceal their name under "anonymous" submissions. Anonymous should you want to try to stir up trouble in the future - save yourself the time, just go ahead and call the DOW and then I will learn of your identity through the DOW. No further trouble maker comments will be posted here.

Everything I Needed To Know -

2012-02-18T11:06:00.005-07:00

Everything I needed to know I learned as a paper boy. I learned how to deal with people, both the kind and unkind. I learned at 12 years old that a job meant being outside in rain, snow, heat and cold whether I wanted to or not. I learned that good service was appreciated by people and they would either thank you or give you a tip for going the extra mile. I learned that when it came to money people either had no problem with stiffing you or they were meticulous at making sure you were paid. I learned responsibility. I learned that walking 4 blocks with over 100 lbs of newspapers was hard work. I learned many other things too.

If you have never been a newspaper boy then you may have missed out on an experience of life that would benefit you greatly as you traversed the challenges of life. When I was 12 years old I got a job as a paper boy. I was a skinny kid that seemed to catch every cold or flu bug that came along. That was until I got a paper route. I had 125 customers, and I earned 1.1 cents per paper. The Lansing State Journal came out 7 days a week and the Sunday paper was delivered in the early morning and the rest after school. So here is what that entailed.

I would have to walk with my canvas paper bags 4 blocks and pick up my 125 newspapers. I would carry them home and fold them and put them in the bags. Then I would walk the several blocks and deliver them from door to door to my customers. Thursdays and Sunday was heavy so I might have to make two trips then. I placed them up by the door on porches, or in milk boxes or between the doors so they wouldn't blow away or get wet. Then on Saturday I would go from house to house collecting for the week. If someone wasn't home that meant a return trip and sometimes that could be several return trips.

That was in rain, snow, sleet, hail, wind, heat and cold. Being out in that kind of weather has a way of toughening you up to where a cold or flu bug would have to think twice about trying to invade your body. Even if you had a fever or cold you would be out there delivering papers. Then once a month I would take a city bus downtown, walk the several blocks to the newspaper office and pay what I owed. What was left over was mine. Then take the city bus home again.

It taught me to save money, that if I didn't stay within a budget and set aside THEIR money first I could find myself in deep doo doo. I also learned that some people would not pay you and then cancel the paper so that came out of my portion.

I did that job for 5 + years until I graduated from high school and went into the USAF. You missed after school activities. You missed many other social functions too but what you learned along the way was a far better education than you received in school. Having a paper route was a precursor to life itself. I have been working since I first took that job as a paper boy. It is sad to see that those jobs are no longer around and have gone the way of the milk man, ice man, and so many other service jobs.

I learned much about dogs back then too. Until you have 50 pounds of newspaper weight in the basket on your bicycle and are being chased by a dog nipping at your heels you don't know what excitement can be. You don't need a super duper roller coaster to make your heart pump - that dog can do it for you. They used to hide and wait for me to come by on my bike. Most of the time when you stopped to get off your bike and chase the dog off your bike would fall over and you would have newspapers every where.

So to all the old paper boys out there, here is to the good old days when a boy could get a job and hold it as long as you also kept your school grades up to snuff. Gone but not forgotten.

2012-02-17T10:01:00.002-07:00

It is not quite a month yet, but the routine I have decided on seems to be working. It takes longer to lose weight when you exercise with weights. You burn fat for sure but you replace it with muscle which is more dense and therefore you don't see the quick results you might with another form or exercise.

So far by cutting out sugar and working out with weights - I have shed around 4 pounds. I get anxious and sometimes weigh myself to often which is not good. Your weight fluctuates and when you check it to frequently it varies. Your body can also retain water which makes your weight vary. Last time I really checked it properly I was down 4 lbs and this morning it was 2 lbs. I'll go with the four pounds. When I saw the doctor a week ago he thought 4 months was on the optimistic side, but I'm right on schedule for reaching my ideal weight in 4 months.

My weight lifting is geared to my age. I start out with a manageable weight and do 12 repetitions. Then I add more weight and after one minute rest do 10 repetitions. I rest one minute between reps and keep adding weight at each session and go down to 8 reps and then 6 reps and then get the weight I started with back on the bar and do 12 more reps.

I do the bench press, sit ups, leg lifts (hard on the knees) and pull downs. When it starts to get easy I move to more exercises or increase the weight. This workout is designed to be done three times a week. Right now it can be done in about 25 minutes and I will work up to 45 minutes three times a week.

If you are looking for fast weight loss this isn't what you want to do. Replacing fat with muscle doesn't show very fast as muscle is more dense and weighs more. I personally love to lift weights and miss the old days working out with my buddies at the gym. They were all professional and had been trained in the NFL or by professional trainers. You had not only a spotter but someone who could coach you while you were working out to see that you did it properly. I worked out one day with someone who thought they knew what they were doing and while doing squats I also blew a knee. It is important to follow the right technique and not just think you know what to do and subsequently injure yourself. After the time off for knee surgery I had to start all over again and that is hard.

Hopefully this system I have set up for myself is a good one and will achieve the objective of losing 20 pounds in 4 months. Only 16 more pounds to go...so it is working so far.

Life Mystery

2012-02-15T08:33:00.004-07:00

Why is it people like myself say that we would never vote for this person or that person in an election. I could change my mind but I doubt anyone other than the candidate could change it for me. But maybe not because I am very stubborn. It reminds me of when we took our three boys to the movies and bought a huge tub of pop corn for them. One son said if he couldn't hold the tub of popcorn that he was not going to eat any. He didn't get to hold the popcorn and he stubbornly refused to eat any. I'm sure he was trying to make a point but to this day I still don't know what it was except he punished himself because he deprived himself of a good time. The other two gave him a strange look and decided that was okay with them.

So why do we make similar mistakes and polarize ourselves, especially when it comes to politics in the USA? I mean really we are intelligent people who love each other and have been friends for many years and suddenly we draw a line in the sand and dare our friends to cross that line - or they do the same for us. I don't know where to walk anymore for all the lines I'm afraid to cross and risk losing a friend. I mean really we are talking about smooth talking politicians who promise anything to get elected and then do nothing to keep those promises. So if they are so good why are they spending millions to get a chicken feed pay job anyway? Kinda reminds me of those three boys with that big tub of popcorn, only being preformed by adults. So if we give them center stage who really is intelligent here anyway, especially when we convince ourselves the world will end if OUR candidate doesn't win. So the real question is: Is intelligence artificial? If you argue with an idiot he will only drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.

Or what about actually believing that the Mayan calender is running out and the world will end. Those people who believe that must be the same people that check under their bed and closet before they go to sleep at night. That a civilization long disappeared could actually predict the end of the world? If they were so good why did they disappear in the first place? Maybe I'm just someone who needs more proof. Like the University of Colorado put a satellite into deep space to study the sun. They now know more about the sun and can predict solar flares with more accuracy than ever before. Or so they would have you believe. But just how accurate are those predictions. Our meteorological prognosticators can't even tell us when it is going to snow with any degree of accuracy. So how can these people tell us what is going to happen at the center of our solar system. Does that mean that because I spent $300.00 on my medical degree from on-line degrees mean that I can't do brain surgery any more. Surely I'm not the only brain surgeon that thinks of these complicated mysteries. So if the world is going to end in December this year should I pack now and put all my money in travelers checks?

These and other life mysteries are enough to make a person really think. As for myself I'm still working on the one about if olive oil comes from olives, and vegetable oil comes from veggies then where does baby oil come from? No wonder I don't sleep well at night. Come on folks I could use a little help solving these mysteries. I need more sleep..

Happy Valentine's Day!/Carol

2012-02-14T07:38:00.000-07:00

The last time Bruce went into Alamosa he brought home these beautiful carnations to celebrate Valentine's Day. Those of you who have followed this blog know that one can't wait until the actual day to plan on bringing home any gift. Today we probably couldn't get to Alamosa due to drifting snow on our mountain roads. Anyway, in addition to the flowers, he brought some of those little candy conversation hearts...which I love. He came out of the living room with the funniest grin on his face...and you will see why when you look at the photo below:

I could read a FEW of them!! The French language course I took in high school many moons ago certainly did not help!! But they tasted just the same!

2012-02-12T11:51:00.003-07:00

Just posted a new blog on Mother Earth News at the request of Pat. Hope this is what you hoped it would be Pat.

Seems that some people tend to act impulsively and adopt a dog that 'looks' good and in fact it would not nor should be part of their home. Hopefully the topic will get people thinking before they adopt so at least they will be doing so for the right reasons. You can view the blog at: http://www.motherearthnews.com/the-happy-homesteader/considerations-before-adopting-a-dog.aspxe

The Miracle Shot Squirrel Hunting

2012-02-11T15:32:00.003-07:00

In my younger days we would keep our shooting skills sharp by squirrel hunting with a .22 caliber rifle. We also practiced on coke bottles laid on their side and shot through the lip of the bottle knocking the bottom out. All in all that kept your skills pretty sharp so you would generally hit what you aimed at.

When I was in the USAF we were sitting around talking about our exploits and the topic of squirrel hunting came up. One of the guys said he knew of a place to hunt and it was small game season why didn't we both go squirrel hunting. He would have his wife fix what ever we shot for dinner. I love squirrels even though they are considered a rodent. So we obtained our small game licences and headed out one day.

We were both sitting on a huge boulder looking down about 200 feet to the bottom and had a commanding view of the gorge we were hunting. He had a squirrel call and he used that a few times and a squirrel from the opposite side of the ravine answered. He had a 4X scope on his rifle and I simply had iron sights. He finally found the squirrel sitting on a limb and told me it was to far off for him to shoot and pointed it out to me. I sighted in and in order to even see the squirrel behind the bead of the sight, I had to move the front sight from side to side until I thought I had it somewhat centered. I told him I'd go ahead and shoot him and after I got the squirrel in what I thought was the approximate center of the bead I shot. I looked up just to see the squirrel topple off the limb and bounce all the way to the bottom in what appeared to be slow motion.

I left my rifle on the boulder and started to climb down. I figured if the chance shot didn't kill the squirrel the fall did. That was my dinner down there. It took a good hour to climb down and retrieve the dead squirrel. To get back up I had to toss the squirrel up to him and then swing my leg up and over the boulder. When I got upright and sitting again he said I don't see where you hit it. I told him I made a head shot (joking) and he said that is amazing you shot it through one ear and out the other. I told him that really wasn't such an amazing shot because I had aimed between its eyes and it must have turned its head just as I shot. Of course my intention was to just scare the squirrel which would have been an astounding shot in itself at that distance. To this day he thinks I aimed between its eyes. I couldn't even see the squirrel behind the bead of the sight so coming within a yard or two of it was a miracle. I don't think he missed telling anyone at the air base about that shot. I have always chuckled over that story. Maybe some day I will get to tell him the truth but then again even given the chance I think I'll just let it stand. I don't think he would believe the truth anyway.

Seeing an episode by Larry the Cable Guy on TV reminded me of that time and its a good story and one to be shared.

Winter Scene

2012-02-10T10:45:00.002-07:00

I thought this was pretty and worth sharing. Ice hanging from our trees. The sun hit it just right to really show them off. If you place your curser on the photo and click it will enlarge the photo.

Daisy The Mule Deer Doe

2012-02-10T07:49:00.001-07:00

These deer are buck, but mule deer out back.

Once upon a time a few years ago there was a doe mule deer we affectionately named Daisy. Daisy is no longer but she certainly is not forgotten and in fact is still cherished and remains in our hearts. We figure that Daisy was 15-17 years old when she stopped coming around. A good full life for a mule deer in the wild. Daisy taught us about her species and Daisy stood tall among mule deer. She taught us that deer have their own unique personalities, can show compassion, and are a force to reckon with when it comes to protection of themselves and their young. In short Daisy was queen of all mule deer and a friend that we miss very much.

Daisy has gone on now to where mule deer go but in her wake she left a legacy as an amazing lady whom will not be forgotten. She traveled with her promiscuous daughter as her companion for several years. That daughter (I’m sure against Daisies wishes) was boy crazy. The only problem we observed was that daughter would wander off with the bucks and leave Daisy with her twin fawns. Daisy would hang around for days and weeks caring for those fawns while daughter would be out having a good time. We watched those fawns over the years grow into maturity under Daisy’s care and tutoring. She cared for them like they were her own and when daughter would come back she got the cold shoulder from Daisy. What daughter lacked in maternal instinct Daisy more than made up for.

One might ask how we knew Daisy from all the other doe mule deer that frequent our home. The answer to that is easy. Daisy was not only very maternal and compassionate but she had distinctive markings. She was one tough old gal we observed. At some point she had a run in with a mountain lion and she had scars from her neck all the way to her rear haunch. She showed up with red and sore looking wounds one day along with a sizable notch out of her left ear. Those healed over in time and made her easy to spot in a herd of deer. After watching Daisy for 15+ years I have to say I’d be a little sorry for any mountain lion that would have the nerve to attack her. I suspect that lion was more of a victim than she was prey. We watched her chase a coyote across a meadow one time that went after one of her fawns and catch up to it and leap high in the air and come down on that hapless critter with all four hooves. The coyote did a flip and flew high into the air and after the encounter limped off badly wounded. When it came to self protection or protecting her young she had no fear and would go on the attack.

We also witnessed what to us was a strange behavior when a small fawn broke its front leg. The other deer in the herd including its mother forced it out. Daisy watched the fawn and observed the other deer push it out of the herd and she went up to it and literally took it as her own. She then forced the rest of the deer away from it and protected and nurtured it to adulthood. It would browse right next to her and any other deer that tried to force it out or crowd it found out Daisy and her slashing hooves were not to be messed with. She raised that fawn as her own and we could recognize that deer in later life due to the thickening on a spot on its leg.

We have many stories of Daisy including the fact she was the mother of one of our best friends here named Junior. Junior is a story himself and he now is no longer with us. Daisy actually adopted us and had complete trust in us. We had never been fully adopted by any wild animal before but I can tell you first hand when they do it is an experience you will never forget. I swear she knew what we said to her most of the time. When I would be out working around our lot she would follow me around and serve as an early warning system and protection. I never had a worry when she was with me. Sometimes if I were working in a specific area she would go over and just lay down and watch out for me. Daisy is now romping in fields of tender browse and being rewarded for her compassion and being a role model for the other mule deer. It is a rest well deserved and we miss her and her unique ways very much. I doubt many get to experience life with deer but once you have you gain a whole new perspective for them.

Tractor?

2012-02-09T15:48:00.003-07:00

I did a blog for Mother Earth News about our Toyota tractor. http://www.motherearthnews.com/the-happy-homesteader/buying-a-tractor-a-smart-choice-for-us.aspx

Have you ever hesitated about buying something and then after you have it wonder how you did without it all those years. That was me with the tractor. It has become such a useful tool that I honestly don't know how I managed without it. When we decided to buy it we realized it was a major investment and it would take us years to pay off. Living on a fixed income made that decision difficult but we finally made the leap and I don't know how I could do without this hard working little machine.

It has graded and groomed the driveway, hauled our firewood, pulled and pushed trees over, pulled stumps, leveled areas, kept snow clear, mulched our tree limbs and brush, taken the dogs for hay rides, and so many other jobs that I can't recall them all. If people could work as hard as a tractor does we could push the earth out of orbit.

It is one of the hardest working machines that I have ever had the privilege to have. I give it routine maintenance and keep it running well. It returns the favor by keeping me from having to work so hard, and doing those hard tasks so I don't have to.

When it comes to making a job easier I'm all for that. I also reported on our local Co-op, and how good it is to be a member. I am a firm believer when you have been treated well that you should share that information and when it comes to the member owned Monte Vista Co-op we have always been treated very well. I hope readers will use the above link and check out my blog about our Kubota tractor. The one think I did not mention is if you live in a cold place like we do getting a block heater installed is vital to being able to start your tractor when it is cold outside.

I guess it is not hard to tell how much we like our tractor and how I would recommend Kubota any time - any place. Small but powerful and hard to consider living without one.

Living Remote and Time Use

2012-02-07T14:00:00.002-07:00

I just posted a new blog on Mother Earth News http://www.motherearthnews.com/the-happy-homesteader/wise-time-use-living-remote.aspx. It is about how we manage our time and how we keep from getting cabin fever in the winter. When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. When life gives you lots of snow, use it to have fun and enjoy it.

Here is approximately what I posted on my face book page this morning: As I was out sweeping off the deck the sun came out following the snow storm last night. The sun filtered through the trees and make the new snow sparkle like a million diamonds every where I looked. Then I looked up and the tiny ice crystals were floating in the air and the sun make them all glitter as the different air currents carried them at different directions. It was silent and such a spectacular sight that even the feeding birds were hushed. It was like being taken and put in this snow globe to see the wonders of creation. Like God was saying to me here I did this just for you because i know you will appreciate My intricate art work. It was one of those rare moments like the time we found ourselves standing at the very end of the rainbow. A time to be silent and stare in awe at what was going on around me. It was beautiful and all I could think about was I wish my family and friends could be standing here seeing this too. It was totally still outside but yet the tiny ice crystals were floating in all directions and if my camera would have worked I would have gotten a photo of it. It just doesn't capture the fine detail so that moment is etched in my mind forever.

Here it is February and many people are fussing about the snow and I experience one of the rare wonders of living and enjoying snow. Many I know would not have stopped to really look at the wonder that was happening and attributed it to other things. I couldn't pull myself away from it. If there had been music it would have been heavenly music I know for certain.

So we live in snow for most of the year, and while others may grouse about having to deal with it we tend to use it for entertainment and powerful moments like the one I experienced this morning. I hope you enjoy our Mother Earth News blog about proper use of time. Time spent enjoying the breath taking beauty around you is not wasted at all. It is balm for you soul.

8" inches of beautiful snow!/Carol Feb. 7 2012

2012-02-07T09:29:00.001-07:00

the road less traveled/Carol February 4, 2012

2012-02-04T13:48:00.002-07:00

Remote - Isolated Mountain Living

2012-02-03T17:00:00.002-07:00

As I have done the latest series of blogs for Mother Earth News on choices I recognize that not every one would choose our lifestyle or be interested in how we live. Therefore some of those blogs would not pertain to many people. Some however would pertain to people who may come from many different lifestyles.

Dealing with a partner who seems to be always in the way or occupying 'your' space can be frustrating. Especially when you are that half of the partnership and don't realize it. This blog deals with those little unexpected life frustrations. Hopefully there is something for everyone in this blog. To read the entire blog go to: http://www.motherearthnews.com/the-happy-homesteader/choices-remote-isolated-living.aspx

While you are under the Happy Homesteader heading take a look at the heading sawing your trees into lumber, by David Boyt. David is a sawyer and I have had three mills over my lifetime and sawed more logs than I can count. Therefore we have a lot in common and similar experiences. David is an excellent writer and I'm sure readers will enjoy his writing style and the abundance of information he provides in his articles. You can go to his blog by going to:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/the-happy-homesteader/sawing-your-trees-into-lumber-part-3.aspx

I hope you enjoy both articles and the material provided and somehow it may be beneficial to readers.

2012-02-03T14:00:00.001-07:00

The title of the book LOVE YOU MORE: The Divine Surprise of Adopting my Daughter was intriguing. It was written by Jennifer Grant and was a real eye opener for me. The process of adopting a child from another country is much more complex and lengthy than I would have thought. Reading Jennifer’s writing was like having her sitting across the table from me, telling me all about it. She quotes a Chinese proverb that says “An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet regardless of time, place, or circumstances. The thread may stretch or tangle, but it will never break.” This describes the process that Jennifer and her family went through as they sought to adopt Mia from Guatemala. Mia eventually joins the family: Jennifer, her husband David and their three young children….and then begins Mia’s lengthy process of assimilation into an American family and culture.

At the end of the book there are tips for adoptive parents, discussion questions, resources and notes/references. I would recommend this book to anyone who is thinking of adopting a child…or who, like me, was drawn in by the title of the book!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through BookSneeze.com. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Covenant Communities

2012-02-01T16:56:00.004-07:00

I just did a blog today for Mother Earth News about covenant communities. I hope the blog was objective and I did not allow my bias to show through. Having been involved in numerous covenant communities it is my considered opinion that if you are contemplating moving to one that you give the move serious consideration.

Colorado has passed law after law that gives associations unbridled power that is not found anywhere else in communities. Novices or those who have specific agendas then manage to get into positions where they can wield that power against their friends and neighbors. Politics within these communities make the current republican caucuses pale by comparison. Normally good and decent people suddenly become dictators over their communities not especially because they wanted to do that but because they can do that and don't have the sense not to.

In all the people I have spoken to from Florida to Wisconsin and Maine to California they all seem to have a grievance with their HOA. I don't understand why people suddenly change like they do but it certainly is not localized. So if you want to read the newest blog on HOA's go to: http://www.motherearthnews.com/the-happy-homesteader/choices-more-on-choosing-a-homestead-site.aspx

I would be interested to know if anyone has a favorable experience with their HOA and actually likes their HOA.

Gypsy

2012-01-30T16:43:00.004-07:00

Here is a photo of our past dog Ben along with Gypsy and myself 9 years ago this month. Gypsy was then a young girl, agile, full of energy and no grey muzzle. Her sight and hearing were sharp and her joints healthy. She was only 5 years old in this photo. Gypsy has been having trouble breathing recently with a lot of panting and so first thing this morning she was taken to the veterinarian. After X-Rays, echo cardiogram, along with a thorough examination her diagnosis was her heart is not functioning fully. Her results were read by a specialist in Colorado Springs and the conclusion should be available by tomorrow but initial diagnosis is that one chamber of her heart is not working. She was placed on a medication (Lasix) that should give her some relief inside of a week but it appears that our gal is just wearing out like so many of us do when we get older.

The other day I was locking up downstairs and Carol was bringing her back from her short walk and it has always been her custom when she sees me outside she wants to run up to join me. Carol turned her loose and she came running up the driveway just as she has hundreds of times in the past. When she got up to the back door she staggered a little and fell over. I can stay calm when I'm hurt but when the dogs are hurt or in trouble I come unglued. I carried her inside and we made her comfortable and shortly she had recovered. We knew then she had problems and her breathing has become more labored the past few days. It appears that one chamber of her heart isn't functioning and her running up the driveway with the wind in her face and a smile on her lips won't be happening any more.

Gypsy is now just two months short of her 15th birthday. She has outlived her life expectancy thus far by a full 3 years. It is looking like every day forward we are blessed by her presence in our lives. There is nothing animal science can do for an aging dog with a declining heart. If her lifestyle is moderated she could be around for a long time yet, then again we never know. She is not in any pain and she is perfectly willing to give up some of those things she previously did but can't accomplish now. She clearly enjoys a more sedentary lifestyle these days. She still has a quality of life and enjoys almost everything she previously did but she is more restricted.

As much as we hate the time when we have to say good bye to her, we know one day not to far down the road of life she will be crossing that rainbow bridge to be greeted by her brother Ben. So as we look at the above photo and remember how it was 9 years ago, we wonder where the time has gone. How could it possibly have gone so quickly.

We attribute her longevity to good diet as she only eats premium food, healthy treats, good exercise and regular doggy doctor visits. In the meantime we cherish every day we have with her and plan to give her good senior years of comfort and pampering. Wait a minute - she has had a pampered and spoiled life, well, more won't hurt there is always room for improvement.

World Wide View

2012-01-28T10:03:00.003-07:00

It is with great humility and happiness that I see so many visiting our blog site. We had a counter and live traffic feed installed on our blog site so we could see how many and from where people are that visit our site. We are aware that our lifestyle is different from most people in these modern times but we never expected people from all over the world to be visiting our site to read about how and where we live, like has happened. Other blog sites are cross referencing our site and as a result we are getting viewers from just about every point of the world and across N. America from Maine to California, and Florida to Wisconsin. Numerous places from Canada. When we started this site it was to keep friends updated on how we live and cope with the fairly harsh environment. It has grown beyond our wildest expectations thanks to all of you who visit regularly.

As I sit here being warmed by the wood stove someone from Russia, British Columbia, England, Iceland, Netherlands, Finland, Germany, Croatia, Portugal, Australia, Thailand, Belgium, Abu Dhabi, Sweden, Romania, Hungary, Nova Scotia, Albania, Tobago, Korea, Jordan, Korea, Bulgaria, Philippines, Taipei, and a host of other countries that I have not been able to keep up with come to visit our site. If you visit our blog site and I missed your country I apologize as it has been difficult to keep up with everyone who looks at our site. Several places I have put into my search engine to see your area. I find it fascinating when I look at your areas too.

We now have, thanks to being a participant in Mother Earth News blog site, between 500 - 600 viewers a week checking out our site. It is very humbling for us because what we accept as routine others find interesting. As I look at those sites that visit us I ponder what life is like for them in their country, how they view our lifestyle, and are we making a good or bad impression on visitors from other countries. Thousands of questions run through my head as I see how many are following our blog site and from where they visit from.

So to all our viewers from other countries and domestic I want to humbly thank you for taking an interest in how we live here in our little mountain cabin and thank you from the bottom of my heart for visiting our site. I am deeply grateful for everyone who takes the time to visit our site to see how and where we live. I will try to post things that will reflect our area and lifestyle for you. If you have cross posted our blog site on your site I thank you for considering it worthy enough to make mention of. This has been an exciting experience for us and the thanks go to all those who visit our blog site. Thank you and I hope you will keep coming back for more visits.

Land Use Choices

2012-01-26T08:52:00.004-07:00

In my newest blog for Mother Earth News I recruited a good friend of mine to act as a co- contributor. My friend Sakoieta' has been inspiring and educating people for years where he teaches at Brock University in Canada. He has inspired me and so many others outside his University environment that I asked him if he would contribute to this blog.

I believe that this topic is essential to living with nature as opposed to trying to work against nature. On one of my other topics I received a comment from a gentleman who thought he was living rural with his nearest neighbor a mile away. He soon found himself with his dirt road paved and chock full of neighbors with all the noise a group of people bring with them. Therefore wise use of our land can be instrumental in our lifestyles and happiness.

We too experienced the noise factor two years ago when a neighbor 3/4's of a mile away had the sound from his generator amplified up the side of the mountain. If you stood next to the generator it was fairly quiet. The sound however became more amplified as it went up the terrain and when it reached us it sounded like a semi truck going through gears driving past our house. A reasonable neighbor would have understood the situation and not run it at night but this particular neighbor became very belligerent over the matter. It was finally resolved but left a polarized community and hurt feelings. So when the gentleman wrote me to tell me of his remote living suddenly turned congested and complete with the noise I could sure sympathize with him.

If you want to read our most recent collaborative effort on land use, go to: http://www.motherearthnews.com/the-happy-homesteader/choices-wise-land-use.aspx

My purpose for writing it is maybe it will inspire someone to make good choices about land use and not think that they need to build a home, strip the land and plant non-native grass, exotic trees and shrubs to make the homestead look better. If you ask me when our wildflowers bloom there is no more beautiful place around and it is all natural and native.

So don't just rush in with a back hoe and push everything aside and strip the land because it is more convenient for you to build, but think about what you are doing; don't fight nature, but consider working with nature instead. It is just common sense to do so.

Living Remote

2012-01-24T13:22:00.002-07:00

I just posted a blog for Mother Earth News about living remote and the things that need to be considered. Some just barge in and don't think it through and others give it a lot of thought beforehand. We gave it much thought and prepared. The blog article explains some of the thought process we went through.

You may view the blog at: http://www.motherearthnews.com/the-happy-homesteader/choices-remote-living.aspx

Hope it will give those planning to move out into the boonies something to think about and make good decisions. To those who are unsure, maybe it will help you too. Enjoy.

Story Of The Tuxedo

2012-01-22T10:19:00.004-07:00

Anyone who knows me well knows that I am an amateur story teller. My wife is a saint as she has listened to my stories over the years and still acts interested. I tell true stories that I have personally experienced myself and this is one I do not believe she has ever heard before.

When I was in the U.S. Air Force my first overseas assignment was on the Island of Bermuda. It was tough duty but someone had to do it. I was an Airman Third Class, the lowest rank on the rung of the military ladder. While stationed in Bermuda we had a visit from a tailor from Alexanders of London a high class clothing company taking custom orders at a reasonable rate. He came to the base and would measure you, then go back to London and make a custom made tailored suit made to fit you and you would then receive it a few months later. It took me two months pay but I got measured for a Tuxedo thinking it would be cool just to own one. Previously all my sport coats or suits were from a thrift store or off the rack at a discount clothing store. I decided that to own a Tux was a good step in life, so why not buy one.

One of my USAF buddies was dating the social editor for the island newspaper. As it turned out she had two features to cover in the same night and she and my friend decided to cover one and she asked me if I would go to the other with her press invitation. It was a formal black tie event and since I had a Tux it would give me a chance to wear it for the first time officially. She told me to take notes on subjects and I agreed to cover it for her as it sure beat sitting in the barracks listening to a bunch of drunks or playing poker. The one she asked me to cover for her was a formal social dinner party given by the Governor of Bermuda. (It would be equal to a State dinner at the White House in Washington DC) So at the appropriate time I donned my Tux, took a cab to the Governor's Mansion to attend the dinner with her press invitation.

As I circulated with some of the most powerful people on the Island including industry leaders, dutifully taking notes, it came time for dinner. I was shown into the dining room and who was I seated next to - the Base Commander from my base. As he was sipping his wine and turned to me he introduced himself, and I in turn introduced myself to him. He said he was the base commander of Kindley AFB (as if I couldn't tell as he was in full dress uniform) and asked me who I was...the dreaded question. I decided to go with the truth and I told him I was also from Kindley AFB. He asked what I did and I told him I was with the Air Police Unit and I guarded KC-97 aircraft. He about choked on his wine and the look on his face was absolute shock.

He was the base commander and had thousands of men under him and I was the lowest ranking enlisted man on his base. He wanted to know how I got invited and I told him I was covering for a friend who worked for the local newspaper. He made me promise not to tell anyone what I really did and I assured him I would not embarrass him by doing that and we spent the rest of the night in enjoyable if not aloof fashion.

I believe this would be equal to being invited to a State Dinner with the President of the United States and be seated next to his chief of staff and being asked what I did and to tell him I cut the grass at the White House.

I don't believe I have ever seen a more stunned/shocked look on a person's face than I observed on the Colonel's face when I told him what I did. I do admire his ability to recover quickly and we had an enjoyable evening at the Governor's Mansion that evening. I got indirect word that he appreciated being mentioned in the newspaper as a guest of the Governor of Bermuda. Probably not really funny except for the fact that Officers were not allowed then to socialize in any way with enlisted men under any circumstances. This was not only an officer but the highest ranking one seated next to the lowest ranking man under his command at the Governor's mansion. It was probably the highest honor he could have had bestowed upon him as base commander on a foreign island to be invited to the Governor's once a year elite dinner with a host of high ranking guests - and me. There was a definite social order in the military that we not not allowed to cross and when the highest ranking officer on the base sat next to the lowest ranking member of his base it was a real hoot, I think both of us enjoyed as best we could. He returned to the base in his staff car with the flags flying on each fender along with his driver who out ranked me by several levels and he only talked to in order to give him orders. I took a cab back to the base. I guess expecting a lift would be asking too much. My guess is that this is the very first time this story has been told because I know the Colonel would never repeat it. So enjoy...

Choices - Planning A Home

2012-01-21T16:01:00.002-07:00

Imagine our surprise when we drove all the way from Pennsylvania to see our new house and this is what we found. I just posted our third in a series on Choices: You can see the entire blog at:http://www.motherearthnews.com/the-happy-homesteader/choices-deciding-on-a-home.aspx

Maybe some of our choices will help anyone planning the same type of homesteading we did avoid mistakes.

Mid-Night Revelation

2012-01-21T08:08:00.003-07:00

Sometimes when the wind is howling through the mountains it is hard to sleep at night. I woke up around mid-night and had a cup of sleepy time tea. That clearly does it for me. As I sat here sipping my tea I thought about a report on Denver TV I had heard last week. It related to all the sugar we consume in about everything we eat, especially processed foods. They said 4 grams of sugar is the equivalent of a tea spoon of raw sugar.

Then as we were watching that report Carol looked at the 'fruit on the bottom yogurt' I had just eaten and it had 32 grams of sugar. That sugar is all hollow calories that end up being fat. So after my cup of tea I went in and weighed myself. OMG, I'm 20 pounds over my normal weight which is 180 lbs. I must have fallen asleep at the wheel to let that happen. That means every time I get up from my chair, out of bed, walk anywhere, I'm carrying an extra 20 pounds along. I can't get away from it!

That led to the acknowledgement I am not lifting weights now and had my weight bench and weights up for sale. Maybe it is time I used them instead of waiting for a buyer. I had stopped last year when I had hernia surgery. I have been lifting weights all my life and need to get back into the habit. Instead of bench pressing 245 lbs. I need to do less weight and more repetitions so I don't bulk up which would totally defeat my wanting to lose weight. Muscle weighs more than fat so I don't want to exercise and gain weight.

So I'm going to cut out as much sugar as I realistically can which means no deserts, no evening snacks unless it is trans fat and sugar free and resume my weight lifting routine. At my age I don't need to go for the heavy lifting as much as the fat burning reps. So I figure if I get back on my life long routine of lifting weights, cut back on sugar and trans fats (excluding an occasional chocolate drop) then in four months I should be back to my normal weight.

The photo above is not me but one I borrowed however it sure could be me. 20 pounds in 4 months is 5 pounds per month, and not drastic reduction, but gradual at 1.25 pounds per week. I will let readers know if that works or not. I realize that there are diets that people use that work but I hope my approach is a common sense one that takes an extra 20 pounds off my hips, knees, and feet so they hurt less. With the regular walks, shoveling snow, cutting/splitting firewood that is all good exercise but more needs to be done.

So stay tuned for monthly progress updates. I know better than to get on the scales to often as weight fluctuats and I don't want to become disappointed. I will do it once a month. I've never had 6 pack abs as I think that is not normal, and even though I lift weights and work out, that is the extreme. I'm not a body builder, but do enjoy working out with weights. It would be more fun if I didn't live remote and had someone to work out with like in the old days. I have always been fortunate to work out with those who were professionally trained on weights because if you end up doing it wrong you can hurt yourself very easily which would defeat my goals to lose weight. I do hope to work on specific muscle groups however and replace some of that unwanted 20 lbs, with more muscle. So I will try to post my success or not once a month.

Interesting Local Attraction - Great Sand Dunes

2012-01-20T14:04:00.003-07:00

One of our favorite places to visit is the Great Sand Dunes. It is now a National Park but a few years ago it was a National Preserve. The above photo shows Medano Creek which flows in spurts or has a rhythmic flow. Much of the year it doesn't flow at all but when the spring melt occurs high up in the mountains and it starts flowing and it has this sporadic surge to it that makes it unique in my estimation.

There is also a beetle called the Sand Dunes Tiger Beetle that is found no where else in the world. You rarely see them as they are allusive but you can see their distinct tracks in the sand if you can get to the dunes before people start walking all over. In all the years we have visited the Great Sand Dunes it never ceases to amaze me that the dunes are constantly changing formation. The wind will change them around and if you have not paid close attention you probably wouldn't even notice.

It is a great place to take a picnic lunch, walk the dunes, do a little exploration, and relax. It is a one hour drive from our house and we like to visit frequently. They also have a very nice campground. If you go onto the dunes, be sure to take sun screen and lots of water and carry your trash out with you.

The Great Sand Dunes now has Park Rangers and structured activities. It used to be more informal when it was just a preserve. The Rangers are nice and polite but you get the feeling they are watching you to make sure you comply with all the rules. Reminds me of a place I used to love to visit and take our kids just outside Gainesville, Fla. called the Devil's Millhopper. It was an easy bike ride from out home in Gainesville, Fla. - a deep pit in the ground where the kids could root around and find shark's teeth from when Florida was once under water. Shark teeth in the middle of the State and so far from each coast was unusual but there were tons of them. Then it became a State Park and you couldn't do that any more. It was a local attraction, like Ichntucknee River was in North Florida. A great place to take a truck tube and float down the river stopping where you wanted, swing from a rope swing or take a swim. Once the State took it over making it a State Park, you were restricted where you could go in and get out. The rope swing was removed for safety, and the time the park was open was limited as was the number of visitors. They provided transportation, but those of us who knew it before the State took it over enjoyed it more with out the restrictions and limitations.

The Sand Dunes now seems to have more restrictions than previously but I guess when you have so many people visiting it there needs to be measures taken to preserve it. It is still a nice place to visit for a hike, exploring (stay on trails) or a picnic. I know the rangers are protecting our safety and the natural beauty but it would be nicer if they were less of a presence and you felt less watched.

Part one - selecting and buying land

2012-01-19T09:44:00.002-07:00

Here is the first in a series of starting a homestead. The first is purchase of land and getting that land ready for development. The link to the Mother Earth News blog is as follows: http://www.motherearthnews.com/the-happy-homesteader/choices-starting-with-buying-land.aspx

Next will be choosing a home.

Decisions - How They Impact Your Future

2012-01-17T10:58:00.002-07:00

I have posted a blog to Mother Earth News on making choices and decisions and how they impact your life down the road. Choosing to live remote as we do. To view the introduction go to:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/the-happy-homesteader/lifestyle-choices-need-to-be-decided-carefully.aspx

I hope to post future blog topics on matters such as purchasing raw acreage, choosing a home, medical and dental care living remote, clearing and lot improvement, location of well and septic tank, building a house, clear property and wood lot maintenance, purchase of tractor, chain saws, time alone and how to cope, and volunteering.

There may be other remote living choices and decisions both good and bad ones that I hope to help others to improve on those decisions that worked for us and to avoid making bad decisions. It appears to be a fun series of blog topics and will explain some of the do's and don't's of remote mountain living and I hope it will benefit readers.

So if you enjoy the topics or want amplification on any of them - please ask questions.

Memories Made/Carol

2012-01-15T12:31:00.000-07:00

Bruce was looking through an old CD of downloaded and pictures and sent me a few of them....of memories made. This photo was taken back in 2003 while camping and here is the story.

Back in 1994 Bruce and I had driven from Harrisburg to Colorado in the beginning of November to work a bit on our cabin. However, the old wood stove that the contractor had put in the cabin leaked smoke (it is now the one we use for the cowboy breakfasts) so after two days and nights, we headed back home. We got there on Thursday and Bruce still had Friday off as a vacation day so we headed for the Humane Society. We liked to go down there just to visit the dogs. And there we saw Ben. He had just arrived the day before and was a beautiful long-haired German Shepherd...a stray. He came to the inside gate of the kennel and started chewing on it. Bruce told him NO...and he stopped. Our hearts were stolen. He wasn't going to be available for adoption until Monday so we left. As we looked back, he was the only dog that had come out side of his kennel to watch us leave! On Monday I loaded Clarence, our golden retriever/basset hound mix into the truck with me and we went to meet Ben...and the rest is history.

Gypsy moved in with us after we moved here in 1997...I am thinking in 2001...and she has been with us ever since! Ben passed on in 2007; he was the best of dogs. He sold us on having a German Shepherd with us until we can no longer have any pets.

Making memories................

Seed Catalogs - Dreaming Of Spring

2012-01-15T11:21:00.002-07:00

Personally I think it is cruel for garden companies and especially those that sell seeds to gardeners to send their catalogs out the first week of January. Their covers depict these pictures of nice plump blueberries, nice healthy looking squash, and flowers of every type and description. Living here our ground is frozen solid down to 4' deep, and it has several feet of snow on top of frozen ground. That in itself is cruel to do to someone who wouldn't be able to get a seed into the ground for the next several months with anything short of a jack hammer.

But then to show all those beautiful fruits and vegetables without a blemish on them just rubs salt into the wounds created by sending their deceptive catalogs out in January. Sure it gets the gardener thinking well ahead but as you get older and your memory isn't what it once was, your memory wasn't what it once was, I just know I'll forget that some of these seeds are drought resistant and fast growers when it gets around to planting time.

As I gaze at those beautiful fruits and vegetables that don't have a visible flaw on them I give myself a reality check. My fruit never seems to be as big or perfect as those in the pictures. Mine has little nibbles out of it from voles, birds and field mice. The harshness of our climates makes them wilt in the afternoon and look almost semi normal in the morning. If I grew a garden for 100 years I couldn't get my produce to look as good at those seed catalog photos show.

I also have to deal with ground squirrels and chipmunks. When my garden starts to come in we go from seeing a few greedy rodents to having thousands. It is like the call goes out for miles that Bruce's garden is ready. The ones we do have end up so fat they drag their bellies on the ground as they gorge themselves on our vegetables. They don't run across the ground, they sort of swim with their little legs protruding out the side of their plump bodies - kind of rocking from side to side while they inch forward. Even at my age I could out run them if I had the desire to do so. I plant distractions like gooseberry bushes and current bushes, but that only holds them back for a short while until they work their way to my raspberries. They probably die from serious infections from dragging their raw bellies through the same ground the dogs peed on. Has to be a lot of bacteria in that dirt or at least I hope so. They sure don't die from starvation at least as long as I'm foolish enough to keep planting a garden they can prey upon.

So as I sit here drooling over those perfect fruits and vegetables pictured in the seed catalogs it is with ongoing irritation that I remember that none of my produce ever looks quite like that in the pictures. I tried corn one year and discovered where they get those little ears of corn you find in canned Chow Mien Chinese food. They have dopes like me trying to grow real corn and end up with ears of corn less than an inch long. We sell cheap which gives the Chow Mien people larger profits.

Nope, my result always seems slightly different than what is advertised. I keep year after year striving for a garden that will look like the photos in the catalog but apparently that just isn't to be. So when I gaze at all those perfect fruits and vegetables I sometimes forget what my previous result actually looked like, that being a miniature version of their perfect garden photos. I get lost in my dream world thinking that maybe, just maybe - this year my garden will really look like those pictures.

I go from one vegetable seed to another vegetable seed and can't decide what to grow this year. That has always been one of my problems in looking at seed catalogs though: I used to be indecisive but now I'm not so sure. Just trying to figure out what might grow this time is a yearly challenge. All this is giving me a headache so I think I'll just lay those catalogs aside for now and take a nap. Personally I think to have fruit and vegetables the size of the pictured ones in the seed catalog I would have to start with a three pound seed.

Nearing Home: Life, Faith, and Finishing Well/Billy Graham

2012-01-14T13:52:00.001-07:00

Billy Graham will turn 94 years of age this coming November and I have been privileged to read his latest book through www.booksneeze.com. As with all of Mr. Graham's writings, he is very easy to understand and is well versed in scripture. He has ministered in over 185 countries around the world! As he is "nearing home" he tells us how to be prepared for this adventure.

A well known phrase is "If I'd known I was going to live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself." Billy's phrases? "Growing old has been the greatest surprise of my life" and "life, indeed, is full of surprises." It is his thought that "the days when the aged were admired, looked up to, and respected are gone."

During an interview in 2006 with Newsweek magazine, he realized that he had been taught all of his live how to die but no one had ever taught him how to grow old. The idea for this book was born!

Mr. Graham's book gives us tips on how to view retirement: what to do and what to consider before taking the giant leap. He reminds us that our attitudes play a major role in the closing scene on life stages; that life itself stands between the bookends of birth and death.

I would recommend this book to anyone of any age since at some point in our lives, we will all be nearing home.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through BookSneeze.com. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Wolves - Where Do You Come Down On Them?

2012-01-13T11:06:00.003-07:00

If you are like us and love wolves check out my latest blog on Mother Earth News at:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/the-happy-homesteader/wolves.aspx

We find these amazing animals interesting and feel they are viewed radically by proponents and opponents of the species.

I am particularly opinionated about those who force breed them with domesticated dogs. The resulting poor animal doesn't know whether it is wolf or dog. It is cruel to do this in my opinion.

Food Aggressive Dogs - Not Us

2012-01-09T07:57:00.003-07:00

As I process applications and talk with potential adopters I have many tell me one of the things they "do not" want is food aggression. The dog does not just suddenly decide to be food aggressive and a lot has to do with how (or if) you train your dog/s. Dogs from birth lay right next to each other and share teat's of the mother. If they get possessive mom will do an immediate correction. Our dogs are not food aggressive and they eat right next to each other just like when they were pups. Some people just dump kibble in 'their' dog bowl and walk away. Then months or years later they go to reach for that bowl and the dog growls at them and they wonder why their dog has suddenly become food aggressive. What is wrong with that dog anyway? The fact is it has claimed that bowl and food all along but the dog owner simply has not paid close enough attention to realize it. The dog owner also has neglected their responsibility in properly training the dog.

Resident dogs who are kept outside have the owner come out once a day and pour kibble in their bowl and leave. That bowl becomes theirs alone and they defend and protect it. Not much different with inside feeding, people do the very same thing. We train every aspect of our dogs lives including eating time. They are fed three times a day and it is an orderly process. Here is how we handle the feeding. They eat side by side, all at the same time and there is no problem allowed in the process. If there is it is corrected by myself or Carol instantly.

They are made to sit far enough back from the preparation of their food and bowls to know that I am the one doing the preparation and don't want to be crowded or disturbed while I get their bowls ready. Each dog gets its food measured out, supplements depending on need added, and I'm given the freedom to do it without being crowded. I then take the bowls of dog food to the shelf they eat on and sit them down one at a time. Should a dog start forward before being told they are made to go back and all dogs then wait until I can tell they have calmed down. I stand between them and the food and do not tell them to come until each dog has made full eye contact with me. I then stay with them while they eat. Sometimes I will reach down and move (not take away) their bowl or hold it while they eat so it doesn't move around. I'll also reach into their bowl on occasion take out some food and feed them that food by hand. What this tells them is that it is my bowl, my food and as their pack leader I'm sharing it with them.

On the rare occasion one may sample someone else;s bowl I am right there to make it understood that too is my bowl, my food and I don't want them to do that. I don't scold, only give a pssst, and if needed a finger poke in the shoulder to distract. I have never had one dog growl at another one - instead they will look to me to see if I have permitted that. After they eat they are expected to leave the bowl, leave the room and let the others finish in peace. Sarah is a slow and particular eater so she is always the last one to leave. I learned this technique from Cesar Milan the dog whisperer, in one of his books. I have modified it somewhat but the basic principal is the same. Our room is narrow and I will not tolerate pandemonium when it is eating time. They fully understand that.

So how do you tell an applicant the dog is not normally food aggressive but it is their lack of understanding and laziness to find out how to properly feed the dog that is the problem. It never ceases to amaze me that people comment about how our dogs are so well behaved, don't bark, get along so well, are gentle and how they wish their dog could be like that. Our dogs haven't gotten that way without a lot of work. Theirs have never been worked with in most instances. dump some food in their bowl and walk away or go to the other side of the room. Really what do you expect anyway? People now want a fully trained, obedient and well behaved family member without having to put out the effort themselves. Perhaps that is why designer dogs are now so popular where traits are blended.

The dog comes hard wired to be a good companion and pack member. The problem rests with the people who are to lazy to learn training techniques, or expend the effort to get that obedient dog that they desire so much. They are so used to being able to order exactly what they want and they fail to understand that with dogs it takes training, skill, and patience and lots of love. Don't ever try to out love a dog, you will come up short every time but you do have to demonstrate to they you do love them. That can be done by being a good responsible pack leader. Maybe that is why I'm reading now that those 'gift' dogs that people bought for Christmas are being dumped at shelters. So many good dogs, so many idiots, with so little patience and love. So if you have a food aggressive dog consider it may be your fault, not the dogs. The longer they are allowed to be food aggressive the harder it is to break that behavior. Our dogs also do not get fed from the table. They may carefully come over and sniff but never touch or lick our food. Incidentally those who want to adopt a dog to give it a good 'loving' home but then have a list of attributes they want in a dog do not get my approval. Those who claim to be good trainers but then want a non food aggressive dog get even less consideration. Some people actually would do better with one of those robot dogs made in Japan or an internet virtual dog in my opinion. So maybe that behavioral problem your dog has is not the dog after all, but you instead. Some people are just not suited to adopt, and don't understand why they don't get a dog. If you tell them they fight and argue and don't listen. So if you are the center of the universe enjoy your time there because it is unlikely that I would approve you to adopt a dog.

2012-01-07T08:08:00.003-07:00

I imagine most people are much like we are and that is you stay busy doing various things and assume in the process that certain things are a given. One of those givens is that premium dog food you feed your beloved pooch. Or in our case our pooches. For many years I have fed our dogs a highly rated well known domestic commercial brand of dog food. It is available in most if not all grocery stores. It proclaims that it is high in nutrition for dogs and has all the supplements to support their digestive, skeletal, skin and general health.

It wasn't until our vet told us that one of our dogs had allergies which could be environmental or food borne allergies that we started to really read labels. Those labels can be difficult to read and understand but patience will get you on the right path - usually. Instead of putting him through the expensive tests to determine what his specific allergies were and then having to give him shots ourselves to hopefully over come those allergies we decided to do a little experimentation first. We started to look at dog food labels a little closer. What he had been eating (premium dog food), we discovered had as fillers, corn, oats, wheat, soy, animal fat, crude fat, poultry by-products and required 5 cups per day.

What we found was the more expensive food did not have any grain fillers, crude animal fat, chicken (ground up bones beak and all) and looked to be far more healthy. It required 3 1/4 cups a day as opposed to the 5 he was getting or roughly 3/5 of the volume per day. It had ingredients such as roasted lamb, sweet potatoes, peas and other natural products. The price was higher but when we finished the arithmetic it came out about the same. By checking ingredients carefully we discovered that he was allergic to corn, wheat, chicken and tree pollen. All done through the process of elimination. Since he has been on a grain free food his allergies have improved greatly. We left the other two dogs on the premium food as they did not suffer allergies. We later decided that it cost about the same irrespective of the fact the premium food was 44 pound bags and the new food was only a 30 pound bag. One was .95 a pound and the better food was $1.80 a pound but less was required. It pretty much balanced out even though the cost was different the volume they received was also different.

Dogs when they get over weight tend to put fat on under the rib cage too so that effects their organ function. I do not like to see over or under weight dogs but apparently our vet gets to see a lot of both as when we take our dogs in he always comments on how their weight is just perfect.

Our senior dog eats Chicken Lovers for the Soul senior food which is balanced for a less active dog. She seems to thrive on it and she is well onto the up side of her life expectancy and has an active and productive life. It appears that she is 2-3 years beyond what her charts say is a normal life and at her last check the vet told us she should have another couple years easily due to her nutrition and care. Our dogs now eat Taste of Wild as pictured above. Some people advocate feeding raw and prepare their own food. That may be okay if you live close to a grocery store and it may work for them but when we considered doing that it clearly did not work for us. In reading all the pro and cons (and there are cons) of feeding raw we determined there was just to much risk involved and when you live remote as we do it was not practical. We therefore feed our dogs perhaps one of the most expensive foods available but also one of the best foods for their general health.

If you have not considered what you are feeding your best friend maybe it is time to do some research in that area. If you put your thumbs on your dogs spine and run your hands down their back you should be able to feel their ribs with your fingers. If not, maybe they are getting fat. Our dogs get plenty of exercise but lately with our road being an icy mess they have gotten less but still have maintained their correct weight. Soon, (maybe today) we will get more snow to make the road less hazardous and we can get them back on their long walk routine again.

I did check with the manufacturer of the premium food that they were getting to see how much came from China and found out 99.4% was made in the USA but that .06, which was the supplements, came from China. I believe now all the food they eat comes from the USA or Countries with known quality control that can be relied upon. I believe that feeding the dogs a proper food lengthens their life and gives them a much healthier condition. Just something for you to think about when you proceed through your busy day.

booksneeze.com

2012-01-05T11:32:00.000-07:00

Because there is no church nearby we worship on line at www.northlandchurch.net . During the service on January 1, Dr. Joel Hunter mentioned Billy Graham's latest book NEARING HOME. I thought it sounded good so went on Amazon.com to see how much it is....and read a few reviews. One of the reviewers mentioned www.booksneeze.com. I went to that site and long story short, signed up and my application was accepted. They are sending me books at my request that I download onto my Kindle. Then I write a review for this blog and also at Amazon or another site that carries that particular book. I am excited to be part of this program. So keep an eye out for some book reviews!

Deja Vu All Over Again/Carol

2012-01-04T09:45:00.001-07:00

Those of you who have been following our blog know that one of the most labor intensive activities we have here is that of getting the wood ready for the winter...downing dead trees, using the chain saw to cut them to length and then the tedious job of stacking...either inside the woodshed or in long rows. This year, for the first time, we realized that having some rows on the deck OUTSIDE the woodshed would be a good idea...and good idea it is! We have already used the three rows that were originally stacked there but haven't had to use any wood out of the woodshed. The break in the weather has given us an opportunity to put three more rows on the deck! The woodshed is to the left of these piles.

You can see where the piles were in the photo below...and how much snow can accumulate on top of them. One and one half rows are still there to be used if need be. We are thinking that the new/efficient wood stove is going to make our "wood gathering" this coming summer a lot less "labor intensive"!

2012-01-01T12:18:00.002-07:00

Shark In The Mountains - A Man's Best Friend

2011-12-30T12:03:00.003-07:00

Okay guys, how many of you know a woman that actually loves her vacuum cleaner? When you have 4 dogs you spend a lot of time walking behind a vacuum cleaner. When they are German Shepherd Dogs which only shed twice a year - which just happens to be six months at a time - you end up with a lot of dog hair. So having a functional and easy to use vacuum cleaner is a tool that is hard to do without. We bought a new vacuum called a Shark and is often seen advertised on television. It works just like demonstrated and Carol absolutely loves our (her) new Shark. It is easy to push around, the wheels don't squeal, it doesn't knock over tables and doesn't sound like a jet plane warming up in your living room. In short it is worth every penny you pay for it.

Let me share something personal with you guys. When you buy your best gal one of those fancy good looking vacuum's that push like a tank and are hard to use after the first month of ownership you are not doing yourself any favor. For her to use that is is like pushing around a shopping cart with a locked wheel, filled with bricks. Buy one like the Shark and she will enjoy it so much she won't let you touch it for fear you will damage it, modify it or use it to vacuum up sawdust or nails in your shop. I'm not even allowed to read the owners manual. Buy her one of these beauties and then just sit back in your recliner and watch her make that sweet investment work properly while you sip a beer and sit on the side lines. I'm sure it would vacuum up bent nails, metal filings and sawdust, but why expend the effort as long as she thinks you might try do it.

A dropped comment about maybe that motor could have the power increased a little bit or I may get myself one of those for the shop/garage if it will suck up metal filings and bent nails is all you need. You go get it out (if you can find where she hid it) and chances are you won't get 6 feet before your hand is forcibly removed. Try to use it and you risk a body cast. So guys be smart, get one of these little gems and if you spill potato chips while watching those bowl games, no sweat, that little beauty will in action before you can watch the replay. Come on guys, be smart....

Mountain Chickadee

2011-12-27T13:35:00.000-07:00

Six Hours Of Hard Shoveling

2011-12-26T14:15:00.002-07:00

Here is what the after version looks like after about 5 hours of hard shoveling. The ice under that snow in the previous blog was 3" thick on the roof. Whew! Only one side to go.

Fair Weather Ahead

2011-12-26T09:38:00.002-07:00

Checked the national weather forecast this morning and there is no more snow forecast through the next seven days. Instead of sitting back on our heels and waiting it is now time to relocate some snow that we do have. According to my conservative measurement to date we have received 156" if accumulated snow this snow season. At 9,750' elevation we only have two seasons here, snow season and no.t snow season. 13 feet of snow so far with us only being 5 days into the winter season is a good start. We are half way to our average snowfall this year. If it keeps up at this rate we will make up for the 100" short of average we did not get last year. Since our entire area depends on the snow for our water it looks like we may have a really good year.

Living in an A-Frame the snow accumulates on the side of the house and so our first priority is to move that snow. As the photo depicts the snow is piled up 10 feet high and we need to shovel it out to the driveway and push it down the mountain. The door to under the house gets covered up and the snow builds up on the ground and makes it difficult to get under the house. That area is not finished off and it is a dirt floor but it stays a nice 40-42 degrees all year long. That is where we keep our yard tools and some canned goods as well as other foods that are mice proof. Therefore we do need to get under the house on occasion to get out shovels and other implements or bring food upstairs. It makes a perfect wine cellar but when you buy your wine in a box keeping it a certain temperature to preserve it is not necessary. It will take two days to shovel out each side of the house and move that snow out of the way.

By Request, Photos Of The Dogs Romping.

2011-12-22T12:24:00.005-07:00

Here are photos of the dogs playing in the snow and one of our back window which normally we can see out. What would the City do with 3 1/2 feet of fresh snow? To see the photo more clearly click on it and it will enlarge.

December 22, 2011... and still coming down!

2011-12-22T10:57:00.000-07:00

Looking down the boardwalk outside the back door..........

looking up towards the gate going out to the woodshed on the left........

standing at the gate............looking at the back of the house..........

back of the house...

A Labor Of Love

2011-12-21T09:06:00.003-07:00

A balmy 15 degrees outside, wind blowing 30+ MPH, wind chill -5 degrees and I decided to shovel out the 16" of fresh snow we got two days ago. That is where the dogs go potty and it is frustrating for them to find a place with deep snow to do their business. With 133" of snowfall total so far this year and it just turned to the winter season today it is becoming increasingly difficult to find a place for the snow.

As the photo depicts there are pathways throughout the back yard. I toss as much as I can over the fence but that is getting pretty deep outside the fence too. The piles inside the yard are now around 6' deep, and the hard pack snow on the ground is a foot thick. And today is just the first day of winter!

Need to get that snow out of here today as tonight another storm is coming through and the forecast is for another 11". Usually when they forecast one foot we end up with two feet, so who knows how much more is in store for us.

2011-12-17T12:57:00.000-07:00

How about becoming a follower of this blog? It is easy and at no cost! That way we can see who is visiting our blog! Just click on the link in the right column.

Thanks!!

Life Lesson

2011-12-16T07:15:00.003-07:00

When you heat with a wood stove there are some things you will not find in books or remember from year to year. Probably no one will tell you either because it should be obvious but then if it were so obvious why do I forget from year to year? It is all those 2-3" logs you cut for firewood last summer should be stacked where they are quickly and easily accessible. Totally separate from the larger pieces. Oh, I remember now, those pieces that were so easy to toss up the mountain where I could get to them with the trailer.

Now that it is 8 degrees outside and the wind is blowing 40 to nothing, isn't the time to have to sort through mixed sizes of firewood to find the larger pieces. When you need heat in the house and don't want to jump up every 15 minutes to feed 2" pieces into the wood stove you need more substantial firewood. What you really need are larger pieces that will be more dense and burn longer. Those 2" pieces burn pretty fast and make a good bed of coals. You also need them to get the fire started each morning. You don't need them after you get the wood stove stoked up though. Then they go from being an asset to a liability. You can also freeze to death sorting through them looking for more substantial pieces.

So if you stack the small 2-3" diameter pieces in a pile by themselves you will know right where they are and be able to bring in the right amount each day. Otherwise if you mix them in with your regular firewood you will be pushing through hurricane force winds in 8 degree temperatures to get the pieces of firewood you need. On the other hand when you have to get up every 15 minutes to feed the wood stove you get exercise which serves to warm you up a little.

Now if I can just remember that for next firewood season all will be good. Probably next summer though I'll end up doing the same thing as I have forgotten now for 14 years running. Now that it is written down, I may remember it for next year. Then again......

Dirt Road Life.

2011-12-14T14:14:00.002-07:00

Go to www.motherearthnews.com and on the left side of the page is a list of blog sites. Scroll down to the Happy Homesteader and click on it and there you will find my blog on dirt roads.

Log in or sign in and if you have a memory on dirt roads, take a moment or two to post a comment under that topic. There are a lot of people who may have traveled at one time or another on a dirt road or even lived on a dirt road. I hope this blog will jog a memory or two.

You can comment here if you like but it would really be great if you could put a comment there where 30,000 other people can see it.

It is suppose to be a fun blog topic, please participate. Thanks, Bruce

Wood Carver

2011-12-09T07:57:00.003-07:00

A little known fact about Carol is that her hobby is carving wood. With her volunteer work she has little time if any for carving anymore. Besides her studio is not heated and carving in the house with 4 dogs that want to be nosing her work is somewhat hazardous. As you can see by the photo's she is really a good carver. She is also an old fashioned carver since she only uses knives and not any power equipment to carve.

These are some of her carving projects from the past. One time on New Years Eve she was carving as we watched the festivities on TV and she cut her hand. We spent the evening at the ER getting stitches. She had her carvings on display at a museum/consignment in Lancaster, PA and some thief broke into the locked case and stole her items. She has attended school with master carvers in the Adirondacks.

I'm somewhat biased but I believe she does a very good job. Perhaps one day she will find the time to do some more carving.

First Sled Run Of The Year:

2011-12-08T10:03:00.005-07:00

Thanks to all the snow we have received we are now finally able to use the sleds. Here is a photo of Carol coming down the driveway and one of her back as she zoomed past. This is great fun but regretfully we only get to do it when conditions are just right.

For a better view click on the picture to enlarge it. Racing down the driveway on a piece of plastic at 25-30 MPH can really get your heart pumping....

Birds???

2011-12-06T10:34:00.003-07:00

The mountain chickadee and nuthatch are feeder friendly eaters. They will fly in and take one single sunflower seed and fly off to eat it. We therefore put out two feeders. One we put hen scratch in for the stellar Jays, and the other for the chickadees and nuthatch with sun flower seeds.

But then there are the greedy birds that flock together. Like the rose finch which come in sometimes in flocks of a couple hundred at a time. Or the gross beaks with large flocks. They will empty the feeders in a few minutes and leave poop all over the deck with all the shells. They also crowd the other birds out and keep them from feeding.

So when we see one of those flocks come in we run out to bring the sunflower feeder inside. I have watched the finches empty that feeder in less than 5 minutes. At $32.00 for a bag of sunflower seeds those guys could bankrupt us in a hurry. The hen scratch for the other feeder is one third the cost of the sunflower seeds. We love to feed the birds but when it comes to feeding gluttons who take advantage of the feed and with it being so expensive we clearly draw the line.

Need A Job?

2011-12-06T09:19:00.002-07:00

Mostly I put topics on our blog site that strictly pertain to our lifestyle and where and how we live. A recent viewer of this site looked the topics over and wrote to tell me how much he loved our site and the topics. Turns out he works for www.jooble.com which is a world wide web site that connects people looking for work to employers. His job is to find blogs to cross post to their web site. Ours doesn't seem appropriate for their needs but I told him I would post this for anyone who might be interested. So if you are looking for a job or know someone who is this is a resource that may help. You will see the link on the right side of the blog home page and if you click on jobs it will direct you to the link.

It is another available resource for finding work.

Enough Said

2011-12-05T06:48:00.002-07:00

Fascination

2011-12-05T06:41:00.002-07:00

Echo was absolutely fascinated with the Christmas Weihnachts Pyramide sent by my son and daughter-in-law when they were stationed in Germany. I'm not sure what the English translation would be. He really studied this for the longest time.

Dress Pants - Slightly Irregular

2011-12-04T13:14:00.003-07:00

While I sit here trying to catch my breath from shoveling snow I will post another story on our blog site.

When I was just starting my career in Jacksonville having come right out of the military after 8 years, I was in need of dress slacks and civvies. Our office was right next door to May Cohens in downtown, so I went over on lunch hour to check out what was on sale. There was a rack of real nice looking dress slacks so I looked them over and found a very nice pair that fit me very well, looked good and I couldn't find a flaw in them. The price was right so I bought them.

I had worn them several times and did not notice anything irregular with them. Then one day we had all walked down to have lunch together at a downtown restaurant. I went to pay my bill and needed some change so reached into my pocket and my co-workers all looked at me funny. I wanted to know what was wrong and they told me I was bent way over to reach my pocket. I put my hand back in my pocket and sure enough my car keys were right at my knee. I had not realized that my pockets were probably a foot and a half deep and didn't realize why I had to twist and bend to reach the bottom of those deep pockets. Now I knew what was irregular but I continued to wear them until they wore out. Every time I did I would get razed by my fellow office workers.

Are You Ready For Snow?

2011-12-04T10:32:00.004-07:00

Are you ready? You are never fully ready for continuous snow but you don't worry or fret about it, you deal with it. Thursday we received 12" of fresh snow, Saturday we received 17" of new snow and today so far we have received 2" of new snow. Our weather forecast tells us that it is suppose to snow heavier as the day wears on and through tomorrow night. So far that is 31" of new snow and most likely today and tomorrow will provide an equal amount. Therefore I will post this now because for the next week I will be pretty busy with a snow shovel. It is over belly deep for the dogs in the back yard and the dogs clearly don't like that aspect. The top photo depicts how it comes off the roof of our home and piles up. All that has to be shoveled as the snow thrower can not reach those area's. The deck, wood shed, walkway, garage, vehicles, and snow thrower all have to be shoveled out. Therefore I will publish this blog now as I know what I'll be doing for the next several days.

Our annual average snow fall is around 264" and according to my rough calculations so far this winter we have received 103" and still have the next couple days to get through before we have a break in the weather. The road crew does not work on weekends so our road will not be plowed until possibly late tomorrow. More than likely late Tuesday because they also don't plow during a storm.

So if you want to join us as neighbors, this is what you can expect. Last year we only received 180" of snow all winter. Looks like we are making up for that deficit this year. Let the fun begin!!

cute as can be...........but destructive

2011-12-01T08:05:00.000-07:00

here is what an ALIVE wood rat aka pack rat looks like:

Rated V For Violent - may offend some viewers

2011-11-30T15:41:00.002-07:00

This morning we noticed that we had more green sprigs of pine tree under our house than dirt for the dirt floor. The more we looked around the more apparent it became that we had an uninvited house guest. So we baited some traps to put out later today as most uninvited house guests are more active at night.

Went down to set them up and lo and behold there was a pack rat (wood rat) that had tried to steal one and ended up with a wry neck. In case you haven't seen a pack rat before with this nearly always fatal injury - this is what one looks like. He and any family that may have burrowed into under the house have been pretty busy. They have chewed up parachute cord in manageable small pieces. They have chewed up our garden hose, pulled out much of the insulation and chewed it up and made a nice cozy nest out of it. They are highly destructive and will chew anything they can get their little teeth into.

So it appears he was pretty tired from chewing up everything under the house and went for a snack - probably thinking he would get away with a little theft. That WNS - wry neck syndrome can really deal out justice to a nasty little critter like this. We should know tomorrow morning if he has any relatives that he brought with him...

Elk Photos

2011-11-30T06:11:00.006-07:00

Photos of a herd of elk that were in our back yard a while back. Now the snow covers their browse so they have left our area in search of food. Sometimes we will have herds of up to 50+ out back. When the snow melts in a few months they will be back again. Presently the elk have moved to greener pastures, the bear are hibernating, and the deer have moved down the mountain. The mountain lions have followed the deer so all we have left are a few rabbits, squirrels, and the occasional hawk or owl. We do have bob cats and coyotes that seem to hang around all year also with the rare siting of a wolf. Not much wildlife remains presently as we get ready for the next storm due tomorrow.

Awesome Story

2011-11-26T11:05:00.002-07:00

This is a great story shared by a regular viewer of the blog. Published with Raylene's permission and a story with a moral. Thanks for sharing. Bruce

Back in 1956, summer evenings in Central New York were often spent in my front yard watching the beginnings of the space program's Sputniks fly among the stars. My Dad was in awe of the program and what it represented in our ability to create/explore. Well, this morning, in front of my lap top in the kitchen, while on the phone to his grandson, we shared the launch to Mars--containing equipment my Dad's Grandson, my son had invented to explore Mars.....needless to say, I had tears and was all choked up.

Back in elementary school, this man/child was labeled as being Learning Disabled and I was pretty much told he would never "amount to anything". Lots of research later, I found information that supported my theory that he just Learned Differently as he was certainly smarter than I was and I function pretty darn well! Let's face it----that is what science is all about--thinking differently. He had great science teacher's and math teachers in middle and high school who understood that he thought differently than the typical kid and was able to do things in different ways to achieve the same outcome or a better result. Thankfully, that same conclusion was reached by several of his teachers at one of Virginia's well known universityies when he came up with new ways to invent the wheel --sometimes with a better wheel. If there is a moral to this story, it is to believe in your beliefs--don't expect that others must share your belief--just encourage them to accept the possiblity that it could be so...and keep the Serenity Prayer as one of the voices in your heart.

Agenda For The Day:

2011-11-26T07:57:00.005-07:00

Our agenda is set for today. Much like yesterday and the day before that. We woke up to 10 degrees outside and the two inches of fresh snow we got yesterday makes for a cold day. It was so nice and warm inside the house we didn't bother to build up the fire in the wood stove last night so it's now down to 49 degrees inside the house. It is warming up but the dogs have had to go out twice already. When one needs to go out the others suddenly realize that they all need to go out for company or just to re-mark the back yard.

The nice thing about 2" of fresh snow is that it covers up all the yellow snow and looks fresh again. So today the agenda is set, just like the sign by the back door says. When the temperature drops like it did last night there is no wasted time outside for the dogs, they attend to business and want to come right back in and stand by the wood stove.

With the exception of the obvious agenda in the sign our only agenda today is to try the sleds down the driveway. With the wet snow from yesterday, the above freezing temperatures after the snow, the hard freeze last night - conditions should be ideal. We will see if today is the day to sled down the driveway with the bobsleds. If so, watch for upcoming photo's....

2011-11-25T11:57:00.001-07:00

Bruce walked down our road this morning. Those are his snowshoe prints and also ski poles to the sides!

2011-11-23T14:40:00.001-07:00

2011-11-20T11:12:00.008-07:00

We have a beautiful blue colored bird than frequents our area called the Stellar Jay. They are illusive and camera shy so I put the trail cam on the front porch to see if I could capture a photo or two of them. They come in and leave so fast I mostly only had photos of the bird feeder alone but I did manage to get a few photos of the bird.

And as an added bonus there are two photos of elk that I found on the trail cam that I didn't know were there until I went to review the Stellar Jay photos.

Before And After Photos

2011-11-19T06:55:00.006-07:00

Here are before and after photo's. One taken just before the snow came and two right after the snow came. The snow still remains on the ground and so far this winter (actually I guess it is fall in most places) we have received 60" of snow. Only two hundred more inches to go and we will be at our yearly average. Weather predictions are good for the next week but we haven't really gotten to our real snow season yet, but have a good start toward meeting our average snow fall.

Next snow fall we get hopefully will be enough to do some sledding down our driveway. That is great fun and good exercise hiking back up the driveway. We searched for years for a good sledding spot without success and finally hit upon our driveway. We can sled down our driveway into the road and then down the road for a couple hundred yards. Now all we need is more snow... when it happens we will post photos here for all viewers to enjoy.

Cross Reference Post

2011-11-17T17:50:00.002-07:00

I posted a blog for Mother Earth News today that is near and dear to my heart. Adopting a rescue dog. Having processed several hundred applicants I find some people are simply born without common sense or they have lost it some where along the way as their life progressed. The idea of adopting a rescue dog is that you can give the dog a loving home and safe and secure future where it will be a significant part of the family. One applicant recently wanted to adopt a German Shepherd Dog (GSD) to keep coyotes and deer out of their yard. Another woman had 7 inside cats, two 5 pound dogs and wanted to adopt a GSD because she liked the look of them. Another one wanted a dog to keep her safe on long distance runs because her 4 year old boxer couldn't keep up. Another one to sit in the car as a deterrent.

These dogs are in rescue because the owner no longer wanted them or couldn't keep them. Many have been tortured, abused, neglected or simply chained in the yard as as a deterrent. In short their life up until they are rescued has not been ideal. This particular breed of dog is equal in intelligence to a 7 year old child. Our last Shepherd (Ben) could tell time, count, knew his left from his right, had an unbelievable vocabulary. Most people humanize them but the fact remains they are highly intelligent (sometimes more so than their owners) and they are viewed by some 'just a dog'.

Then there are the exemplary adopters. They are all about putting the welfare of the rescued dog first and giving them the very best home possible. Those people don't always have the greatest home, biggest bank account but what they do have is an endless love for the dog they rescue. It could be a mutt from the pound or it could be a specific breed of dog like the GSD. It is best to understand first and foremost the characteristics of the breed or mixed breed they plan to adopt. Many choose a breed like they would a new car. They choose the one that looks good to them or that they would look good in, not the one that may because of its characteristics be best suited to them.

Since it is nearing the holidays where people want a dog for a child because it is cute or someone to occupy that child it was time to post this topic. So I posted my blog today and if you want to see it go to: http://www.motherearthnews.com/the-happy-homesteader/so-you-want-to-adopt-a-dog.aspx

If you are thinking of adoption, consider that the dog will be with you for many years to come and consider if the breed you are interested in suits you or is compatible with your lifestyle. But most of all are you ready to devote the time required to give that dog a balanced, harmonious, loving home. If your reasons are any where near selfish then don't do it. Some people tell me they want the dog to love them, and 'they' want companionship. That is a given with any dog but you get back only what you personally invest. Make it a major investment.

Mule Deer Coping With Winter

2011-11-17T06:24:00.002-07:00

Here are some additional photos from out back that depict the mule deer coping with snow and stormy conditions. We are seeing fewer and fewer mule deer now and that is an indication that they have headed down the mountain for greener pasture. Gets pretty harsh and food becomes pretty scarce at 9,750' this time of the year. It may be officially Fall but Winter is here for sure and it looks like it will be hanging around for the next 5 or 6 months.

If you click on the individual photo it will enlarge for better viewing.

2011-11-14T16:08:00.002-07:00

Telephone not working today, but finally just fixed. When you live where we do it is always a challenge. Saturday night the electric was out until Sunday night. Had to hustle to keep the food from spoiling, but thankfully we have plenty of snow banks.

When we have hurricane type wind it has a tendency to knock the utilities out, sometimes for a few hours - sometimes days. You learn to adjust and roll with the unexpected surprise and thankful when the utility is restored. The high wind also cleans out the trees and removes the weak ones, leaving an on going supply of fire wood or lumber when I get the wood mill out next spring.

Snow Maze

2011-11-10T14:53:00.004-07:00

So what would one do with a back yard of deep snow? The dogs have long legs but not that long. Thus far this fall we have received 60" of snow that has not melted away but thanks to the sun it has compacted some what. We do have an abundance of snow so why not put it to good use?

What we do with it is instead of trying to throw it over a 6' high fence is we shovel it in rows which creates a maze where the dogs love to play chase with each other. Bozwell who has the really long legs can vault over some of the smaller snow rows which gives him an advantage. It is like a snow maze playground for the dogs. Only Gypsy who doesn't run any more (she is 14.5 years old) just ambles around out there and we have to keep a close eye on her so she doesn't get confused and upset or worst, lost. The other dogs love to run around the piles playing doggy tag that only they know the rules for.

This is also the favorite time of the year for them when it comes to ice cycles hanging off the roof. That is doggy candy of the highest grade and those ice cycles are coveted by all four dogs. They also like to roll, burrow, face plow in the fresh snow. This is one of their favorite times of year and lucky for them it can last up to 8 months in duration. Not quite so lucky for us though as if we achieve our average snowfall we only have 204" to go. When we are done with the snow we will have 8-10' high banks along the driveway and 6' high snow rows in the back yard. Lots of work for us and fun for them. As soon as the sun hits those snow piles they will get hard and the dogs can walk along the tops of them. Another fun element to playing dog tag in the back yard in the back yard.

Last Photos Before Taking Trail Cam In.

2011-11-09T08:18:00.004-07:00

Out of all the photos that the trail camera took some are better than others. Here are two of the good ones and more will be shared later. The deer are all gone now - down to lower ground. We have had a total of 60" of snow and most of it remains on the ground.

Had who we thought might be a poacher come down the road a few days ago and had to turn around and go back the way they came. Kept their face hidden so we couldn't see them as I was standing out in the yard watching them. Has to be frustrating for a poacher to not be able to poach on our road due to the deep snow. Awwww breaks my heart that they can't carry out their illegal activity due to the snow.

Mountain Chickadee Up Close

2011-11-06T11:16:00.001-07:00

When I went out to take a couple photos of the snow storm the other day as I turned around with the camera still in my hand this Mountain Chickadee was right in front of me. This was taken with the normal setting at very close range. I thought it was pretty cool and something to share with other bird lovers

Not To Be Put Off Until The Future

2011-11-05T08:59:00.003-06:00

We have learned living where and how we do not to wait for tomorrow for what we can do today. That is especially true for cowboy breakfast. Snow is forecast for later this morning and in fact flurried almost all the while I was cooking breakfast outside. It would nave been nice to cook breakfast outside for Carol's birthday but we have several days of snow forecast between now and then. I don't want to shovel out the cook stove more than once a week.

Therefore we had my special potatoes, fixed just right and fried spam and eggs. Pretty hard to cook outside when the air temperature is freezing, in snow flurries, and the wood stove is cranking out as much heat as it can. It all worked out well though, and breakfast was especially good even with the cold and snow. Hard to tell when we will be able to do this again, maybe if we get a break in the winter weather it is possible, or then again, maybe Spring.

Takes a lot of work to shovel out the heavy snow around the cook stove. It also helps if you don't want an early lunch to get up and get going on preparation around 4:30 AM. Doing breakfast outside this time of year (even though we eat it inside) is a real labor of love. When we had friends recently in order to have it ready I had to get up at 4:00 AM in order to have it ready at 9:00 AM. Wish I had a scratch and sniff feature on this blog so all could at least enjoy the aroma.

Snow - Blizzard Style at 9,750'

2011-11-02T09:26:00.006-06:00

Today is an inside day as long as the blizzard rages on. We woke up to snow this morning and so far have approximately 14-15" of the white fluffy stuff. We have a friend - Deirdre - who can use poetry to string words together to make even the most nasty snow storm sound beautiful and lovely. We love to read her posts with the word beauty as seen through her eyes. Carol commented earlier how beautiful it looks outside too, with the operative word being outside. Sitting inside I have to agree with that observation. I hope the photos will reveal the delicate beauty of this fresh snow.

But then there is the reality! ... the fact it has to be moved/cleared.. Having an A-Frame house means that the snow piles up around the house several feet deep due to the steepness of the roof. Unfortunately the snow thrower won't reach these areas so we have to shovel it away by hand. You don't want to be under the roof when it lets loose either. Snow down your collar is nothing compared to hundreds of pounds of snow knocking you over. So when we get over a foot of fresh snow we can get the bulk of it with a snow thrower but there are days of shoveling involved too. The snow thrower also takes time to warm up - about 3 degrees per hour when the block heater is plugged in. So when it is 14 degrees out like it is presently that means about 8 hours of being plugged in just to get it going. As to the follow up days of shoveling, you just approach it one shovel full at a time until it is done. If that takes 2-3 days; that is just a fact of life in the mountains.

So that leaves us inside today and when it stops snowing and blowing (wind is about 30 MPH - wind chill -7 degrees) we just hunker down inside and wait for it to stop. Everything has a good and bad side and the good side is that we only have 6 more months to go and it will all melt away and we can move freely outside. No more clumpy boots, and bulky coats. The bad side is we only have 6 more months to go. Living at this elevation also means that there are more storms yet to come and we usually get at least one a winter that dumps up to 4' of snow on us all at once. The good is that now there is plenty of room to move it around. The bad news is that as the snow season grows on we will have 10' snow banks along the drive and around the house and it just falls/slides back down into the driveway. We have two seasons here, snow season and no snow season, with the snow season being the longest of the two.

Therefore if you don't like snow and lots of it, plus having to deal with it for months at a time, living in the mountains might not suit you. Much has to do with how you perceive snow and we look at it as providing the needed moisture in a semi arid environment. 25+ feet of snow per season is far better than a wildfire. Also the exercise it provides. Reality at 9,750' elevation can be sobering and harsh, but what extraordinary beauty we have. When the sun comes out again the snow will be blinding bright and sun glasses will be needed. I'll probably be posting several photos of snow over the next 6+ months. As the weeks and months go by I hope I can remain objective and civil about all the snow we get. It can generate a lot of work but it is part of living here too. We will deal with it for as long as we can.

Our primary source of heat is the wood stove so with sufficient supplies of firewood on hand it looks like we are good to go and the snow is only a temporary annoyance. A very long annoyance maybe but when you take it one step at a time - non snow season will be here before we know it.

Christmas Cactus

2011-11-01T09:24:00.003-06:00

This blooming cactus is beautiful enough to share. It is called the Christmas Cactus but here it is November 1, and it is blooming. What is really amazing is that for 11 months of the year it looks every bit the dead plant. No sign of life what so ever. It sits there in the window looking like it should be thrown out. Then suddenly it comes to life again. Dead one minute and then alive and beautiful for a time and then it goes back to dead again.

We have learned over the years that if we give it a few drops of water every once and awhile, it will return to life at some point. Then it will be beautiful for a time and then the cycle starts over. So this is resurrection time for our cactus. The beauty of the flowers makes it worth waiting for. So thought we would share this time in the cactus' life with viewers.

Another Cool Photo

2011-10-29T16:40:00.002-06:00

Is this a really cool photo or not. Looking right at the camera.... more to follow.

Bull Elk Bugling

2011-10-28T16:40:00.003-06:00

Here is the photo of the elk bugling. Note him facing the camera in the background. If you click on the photo's they enlarge. Imagine having this activity in your back yard. The animals seem to know they are safe here and therefore they come right up close to the house.

Back Yard Activity In The Last Week

2011-10-28T16:05:00.005-06:00

It is okay now to post more photo's of the visitors we have in our back yard. We dumped the hay from the hay rides out back and one little bale provided a lot of food for elk and deer. It is safe now to post these photo's because there is a foot of snow on our road, an aspen tree broke off and is laying across the road and the markers that were put up by poachers are scattered and covered with snow.

So enjoy our visitors. There were a total of 205 photos and one of a bull elk bugling. As soon as I can find that one again I will post it.

Is Smaller Actually Better?

2011-10-27T12:24:00.004-06:00

Can smaller be better? When we purchased our replacement wood stove it was about half the size of the Vermont Castings Resolute that we felt was getting to old to use without a full overhaul. We wondered if the new Yotul would be equal to the job. We have now had time to give it a fair test and we have found it measures up in every way so far.

It is much simpler to operate, it seems to put out more heat, easier to clean up, and when we get up in the morning there are still live coals in the firebox. While it is difficult to say with certainty we believe it may use less firewood than the old stove. We have not had those minus 20 degrees yet but so far it sure looks like it will do just fine.

We have noticed that it also seems to heat the house up faster than the old stove. That is definitely a plus when it is a main source of heat. We know in Europe that they downsize frequently and now I can see why. If you can get the same result out of a smaller unit, it doesn't make sense to have one twice the size. This is just an interim report and we will have to wait until it gets down to 20 below and the wind is blowing 60 MPH outside to see how well it will really function. If it stands up to that severe cold it will truly be worth the price. The old stove kept up with the severe cold but never fully. Perhaps this one will do as well as the old one.

Back Yard Visitor

2011-10-26T14:51:00.003-06:00

More photos of back yard visitors taken several days ago.

Back Yard Camera

2011-10-23T20:23:00.003-06:00

I am going to have to either back off or not post current photo's of the animals that visit us. It appears that some poachers may be looking at our site and using it to work our area. I observed who it could be earlier today and if that is the case it wouldn't go anywhere anyway since they are friends of those who are in charge of stopping the poaching. We found evidence on our recent walks that our road which is on the perimeter is getting suspicious activity.

Posting current animal photos where the poachers can access our blog site is giving them a menu to use. I'll post photo's after the hunting season is over.

Just Hanging Out

2011-10-22T17:16:00.005-06:00

This guy has been hanging around since I parked the hay trailer out back. He will stand right there and let me walk up within 20 feet of him. More back yard photos of backyard activity.

Some great findings!/Carol

2011-10-22T14:49:00.000-06:00

I don't write too much on here anymore. Seems as though I am pretty busy with my other blogs and my participation in Global Media Outreach. However, here are some things I found today.

Last night I read an article in GUIDEPOSTS and found a neat blog at thedoggydiary.blogspot.com. The entries are written by dogs! Very clever and enjoyable. While there I found another thing...a place where you can sign up to get an email when Bruce or I post on this blog. It is right over there in the right column. So sign up and you will be notified when a new entry is made.

I can get lots of stuff done on here when watching college football!

Blow, Blow Blow Your Coat..

2011-10-20T07:59:00.003-06:00

As is evident in the photo above we have four dogs/children. Our lives are kept interesting with our family even though 4 are of the canine variety. One of the more interesting aspects is that German Shepherds have a tendency to "blow" their coats twice a year. In regular terms that means an 80 to 100 pound dog will shed its undercoat two times per year.

Now you would think that being the same breed they would do this shedding all about the same time. We won't include our 14.5 year old Border Collie - Australian Cattle dog mix, Gypsy in the routine as she sheds all year long. We measure her by a different standard, how many bushes we have worn out brushing her. But the German Shepherds are considerate enough to all shed at different times.

The German Shepherds only blow their coat twice a year. We can tell whose turn it is by checking the rug in the photo above. If it is light grey and evenly spread over the carpet it is Sarah. If we no longer can see the color of the carpet or its design we know she is at the height of her shed. If we see clumps of white dog hair then we know it is Bozwell and if we see grey clumps of dog hair all over the house we know it is Echo. We wear out vacuum cleaners cleaners (industrial grade) often. If it gets too deep we use a rake or broom to get it into manageable piles.

We therefore have a system worked out during the shedding where we only vacuum the carpet two times a day. We don't have dust balls we have hair balls. BIG hair balls. So why do we do this? Because most of all we love each of our dogs dearly. Second it only happens two times a year, per dog. That means when Sarah is done that Echo will most likely start and then when Echo is done Bozwell will start. Then in between Gypsy will be continually shedding. Her coat is different and we don't know what is really under all that dog hair anyway.

So if anyone has a use for tons of dog hair or how we can market it we are open to suggestions. It is clean dog hair as bath day for 4 dogs is what would be called an event. I guess you can see how much we love our dogs as many people wouldn't put up with having to snow shoe across their living room due to dog hair. The benefits we derive from them far outweigh the minor shedding problems. When all 100 lbs of Bozwell gets up in my lap for some one on one time together - that creates memorable moments. Or when Echo gets part way up in my lap and lays his head on my chest, or when Sarah gets in bed and snuggles tight up against you, or Gypsy who give you a little kiss on the chin. These are tender moments. But the most rewarding is when they give you their complete attention and try to do exactly what you want them to do or how you want them to behave. Like yesterday when we had friends from Vermont for our cowboy breakfast. They conducted themselves excellent and were the perfect well behaved hosts. When you come to our house you don't need to worry about what you will be doing. You will either have a very large dog curled up next to you our you on the sofa or will get carpal tunnel petting four dogs constantly.

So shedding time can be a bother sometimes, but the rewards of having a canine family out weighs the worn out vacuum cleaners and shag carpet by far. I guess you could say we love each of our family members very much. Hmmmm, time for our morning dog walk...more later...Off to another adventure -

More Backyard Photo's

2011-10-17T09:35:00.007-06:00

Here are some photo's captured by the trail camera. After we had taken our hay rides we parked the trailer out back and it seems the deer and elk like the alfalfa grass. They would eat it regardless of where I put it anyway so I set up the trail camera to capture them coming in or leaving the hay.

Internet -( what a unique and wonderful place to go)

2011-10-14T08:05:00.004-06:00

Every once and awhile I Google my name. Seems when you get as old as I am there are more pages than I can even keep up with. This morning I checked myself out on the internet and found an interview that I had done in 1978. I don't even know that the internet was around then but check out my interview in the Daytona Beach Florida newspaper. http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1873&dat=19781104&id=dnYpAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8tIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2490,1484627

If you have never checked to see what is available on yourself, type your name into the search engine and click on search the web and you may be amazed. One time when I checked I found over 24 pages on myself and it is probably more than that now. I have never had time to go all the way through each of them but like this morning - it will take you down memory lane.

What a unique and interesting way to see things you may have forgotten. I had forgotten this interview but do recall speaking to various groups in Central Florida. I was booked two years in advance and when I would go to speak and eat that rubber chicken dinner I never knew if I would be addressing 5 people or 5,000. Sometimes I would go with Dave Cox the Florida State Biologist and we would do a dog and pony show about the perils of the St. John's River.

Ahhhhh, the memories...

Winter In The Mountains

2011-10-08T17:00:00.005-06:00

The above photo shows how beautiful it can be in the winter with fresh snow.
The above photo shows the corner of the garage and the contrast of trees and color left from autumn.
The above photo shows the stone wall on the side of the house with all the best efforts of winter displayed on it.
And this one is my favorite. Thankfully the birds have already vacated and headed South for the winter.

Aspen Gold on snow!

2011-10-07T09:35:00.003-06:00

Winter In The Sangre De Cristo Mountains

2011-10-06T16:45:00.002-06:00

Winter comes fast and hard at 9,750' in S. Colorado. Earlier today I was working outside in shirt sleeves. In fact it was so nice that the area I cleared off I planted grass seed. I felt the temperature dropping and the wind picked up to 50+ MPH. Then the usual happened and the electricity went out. Then out again, and again and the wind didn't slow down at all and the snow started to fall. So I'm going to post this before the electricity goes out again. Only about an inch so far but it has not slowed up at all.
So this was a short fall season which is why I took so many photos when I had the chance. Earlier today Carol asked me to bring in the trail camera as we have had deer and elk out back for a few days. I'm not sure I can even find it now. I don't feel real bad though because Carol said she was going to pick the rest of the spinach and swiss chard and look at it now. Might be just a little late this year unless she feels like picking it during a blizzard. We do have a short growing season here. We actually have two seasons - one is the season without snow and the other is the snow season. We are quickly back in the snow season.

Counting down - only 8 more months to go until the next season starts..

Gosh, I just put the snow shovels away in June and now 4 months later winter starts all over again. Even when you get old and your memory starts to fade there is little chance of misplacing the snow shovels because they are almost always in use.

2011-10-05T08:40:00.002-06:00

Here are two photo's of Junior our good friend the deer. Junior adopted us and has been around every year since he was a fawn until this last year. These photo's were of Junior sleeping at the edge of the fence about 20' from our back door. He would use our house as his base of operations in his quest for suitable females. He would be gone for a few days and then come dragging back here, get our attention as if to tell us to watch out for him, and then he would sack out where he is located in these photos. He would sleep for a day or sometimes two and then after recovered he would be off again in pursuit of the ladies. He trusted us so completely that he could sleep soundly like he is here.

We could walk right up to him and he wouldn't move. He trusted us that much. Our relationship with Junior over the years was not only unique but very special. I would rub his nose and he would make mewing sounds and he would hang around for long periods of time just to be near us. Junior would come around and hang out in the summer and when the snow got to deep in the winter he would move on down the mountain. He would stand and listen to me as long as I would talk to him and I actually believe he understood much of what was told him. He especially liked the part about being told how special he was and handsome. We would talk about things like how to be safe crossing the road or how to avoid hunters.

Junior we fear is no longer alive. He would be very senior now and while we thought we saw him last fall one time we can't be certain. It is hard to understand why he chose to adopt us but he did. Our lives were changed forever by his willingness to trust us like he did. He would walk right up to us without fear. He liked to eat apples from our hand but preferred the Fuji species over all others. We always kept then on hand for him. If anyone else would come around Junior would vanish instantly. Not sure how he did that but you would look around and he would be gone.

If you have never experienced the trust and love of a wild animal you probably don't know the feeling and bond you have with that animal. Some mornings like this morning when I get up I miss Junior terribly. It is hard to sit here and share his story and not shed a few tears. So if you see a few mistakes it is because the computer screen gets a little blurry at times. He was not only a very unique guy but he had a unique personality as well. I think of him almost every day but sometimes like today I really miss having him drop in for a while. I sometimes see a young buck with his distinct markings and know that his little foray's were highly successful. He had distinct markings different from other deer and I strongly suspect that the young buck's or doe's with those markings are direct decedents from Junior. If you have never been adopted by a wild animal and I suspect most have not, then trying to explain that unique relationship is next to impossible. Junior was consistent, reliable, gentle, and most of all loyal. I learned much about life and wildness from Junior. I have seen him lock horns with other bucks and push them around but with me he was gentle as could be. Needless to say I miss Junior and will never forget him. Writing about him keeps his memory fresh in my mind so I hope you never get bored over hearing about Junior the most remarkable buck deer/loyal friend I have ever had the pleasure to know. You taught me so much about your species and yourself. RIP

Fall And Preparation:

2011-10-01T07:09:00.003-06:00

I don't often cross post on our personal blog site my blogs for Mother Earth News, but thought I would on this occasion. Here is the site to check out how we have to get ready for winter which looks like it may soon be upon us. City and urban homesteaders can call for various services to get pipes drained, sprinkler systems serviced but we are left for the most part to do it ourselves and it is time consuming.

Here is the link to my Mother Earth News site on preparation: http://www.motherearthnews.com/the-happy-homesteader/autumn-is-a-time-of-preparation.aspx

Hope you enjoy the effort it takes to be prepared here in the mountains.

Also, the photo above is from our trail camera out back and we just never know what may pass through its lens. In this case elk...

More Backyard Trail Cam Photo's:

2011-09-30T09:17:00.006-06:00

Juvenile elk licking that stump where there used to be a salt block. It mist have leached into the stump because it has been gone for several years. We never knew that these animals were in the back yard, but thanks to our trail camera we discovered they must come and go without our ever knowing it.

The above photo shows them leaving the area, and we must have startled them without even realizing it. The top photo shows a nice looking buck looking directly at the camera. Pretty amazing how they can come and go and we are not aware of their presence. They like to come and browse on the foliage over the septic tank drain field, adjacent to where the camera is positioned.

2011-09-29T11:03:00.001-06:00

2011-09-28T15:45:00.003-06:00

Photos From Our Front Yard

2011-09-28T07:04:00.005-06:00

Back Yard Photos

2011-09-25T12:15:00.005-06:00

Here are some photos downloaded from our trail cam that is set up in the back yard. We were hoping to see some elk or bear photos, but all we obtained were deer photos which are good photo's. If you click on the photo it will enlarge for better viewing.

First Day Of Fall

2011-09-23T10:30:00.006-06:00

A short bicycle ride down our road reveals that this is indeed the first day of autumn. The leaves are just starting to change and the aspen trees are getting yellow. The air is crisp, smells of fall, and I thought I had better get these photo's now as I recall in years past when I waited it was regretfully late. Either the wind will blow all the leaves off the trees or the snow will cover them up.

So here are some photo's of our road on the first day of fall. The colors are forecast to peak in two or three days. When they do it is breath taking here in the mountains for as long as the snow holds off. Some area's of Colorado mountains has already received snow fall, so you never know what tomorrow will bring. Or for that matter what later this morning will bring. We enjoy the color change while we can because sometimes it is very short.

2011-09-21T06:36:00.003-06:00

Our first cowboy breakfast of the year. Previously it has been so dry that it was less than safe to have an outdoor fire - even one in the cook stove with the super spark arrestor on the chimney. With a little rain recently and the ground wet it was the right time to cook outside. The potatoes were seasoned with spices that came from Syracuse, NY - Dinosaur BBQ company. The eggs were lightly seasoned with Dill which gives them a unique flavor. The Spam, well, spam is spam but cooked outside on the grill adds a flavor that compliments the potatoes and eggs and makes for a good breakfast.

There is just something about eating a breakfast outdoors on our picnic table which was built from lumber milled off our own property that makes the experience special. There was a slight breeze rattling the aspen leaves, a doe with her two fawns browsing in the back yard, the elk bugling up in the woods, and the early morning sunshine coupled with the wood fire carefully built in the stove that makes food taste especially good. When you add Carol and the chance to sit down and eat together it all makes for an excellent start of the day.

So having our cowboy breakfast outside on a beautiful day is truly a very special way to start a day. Sometimes we will have biscuits with honey or sorghum on them, or Texas toast, and a pot of fresh brewed coffee and juice. Add a little fruit and the whole breakfast comes together. Some times Carol will make pinch cake to go with the breakfast. We opted for the basics and slow cooking it on a wood stove adds an element that just gets one to salivating for the delicious flavor and outdoor experience of eating out. So when we say we are eating out it is most likely different than most folks idea of eating out.

Annual McElmurray Hay Ride

2011-09-18T14:08:00.004-06:00

When the air gets crisp, the smell of autumn is in the air it is time to hook up our small utility trailer to our small Kubota tractor and go for our once a year hay ride. We take the dogs with us two at a time and they actually look forward to this adventure. We look forward to it too. So today was the day with the weather cool and clear.

Back Yard Activity

2011-09-17T09:20:00.007-06:00

Some of the back yard activity over the past two days. This does not include the flock of turkeys that walked down the mountain just out of range of the camera. Life is truly exciting living in the mountains with all the abundant wildlife around. This is only a very small area of our back yard, and I'm thinking I'll have to try other areas as well.

Click on the photo and it will enlarge.

I had put a salt lick on this stump several years ago and it must have melted into the stump. The deer and elk seem to really like to lick that stump now.

Oh No, Not a Urinary Tract Infection - AGAIN

2011-09-15T11:34:00.004-06:00

Flash backs: Since I will be leaving shortly to take Echo in for urine sample analysis and a determination whether he has an infection or not I had a flash back to earlier times. The story goes something like this:

When my boys were young they said this young black lab was hanging around our house. I took photo's, made posters and posted them all over the area, put notices in veterinary offices and in all the local newspapers. The dog stayed around and I thought maybe it was going home to eat and then coming back to our place to play with the boys. Little did I know that my boys were feeding it, actually knew the owner who no longer wanted the dog and gave it to them.

The dog was not claimed obviously and since the had bonded with it already I told them they could keep her but should the real owner ever show up they would have to give the dog up - no exceptions. Here starts the saga that probably ruined a marriage. I don't believe in having a dog that stays outdoors. If it can't come in the house with the rest of the family - no dog. Since my ex wife grew up with dogs 'in the house' I assumed she felt the same. Nope, dogs belong outside. So I'd bring the dog in, she would let it out back where I had the back yard fenced in to keep the dog safe.

She had worked long and hard to be able to afford a Persian signature carpet that was room size and white with hues of beige and brown. I admit it was a beautiful carpet. I had let the dog in and it ended up taking a whiz on that special carpet we were not allowed to eat near and walk on. That was when I found out the dog had a urinary tract infection. It left a bloody spot on the carpet. I guess you can see where this went fast.

I tried to get an appointment with a vet but couldn't get the dog in for several days. My hunting/fishing partner and co-conspirator in crime neighbor told me not to worry his brother was a vet and he set up an appointment the next morning. When I took Aspen (the new dog had now been named) in he said I would need to obtain a urine specimen and gave me a large super size paper cup probably 10' high to collect it in. He then told me the next morning when I took the dog out to whiz not to get the first urine but let her go a little and get the sample in the middle. I later found out that cup was used to get urine samples in horses. Looked like maybe it would hold a quart of fluid.

So next morning out we go on leash and quickly Aspen squatted to pee and I let her start and then tried to get that bucket sized cup between that one inch space where she squatted. Aspen turned to look at me like I was a pervert of some kind, stood up moved over a few feet and went to try again. I was crawling around trying to get that huge cup under her for a sample each time. The process was repeated about three times with me on my hands and knees holding a big cup that was empty. That was when I looked up to see my neighbors mini blinds slitted open and them outlined in the window. That would be my good friend and fishing partner neighbor. I knew I had been had but good immediately and this had been set up with his brother. So when I took Aspen inside she promptly peed on the garage floor so I scooped it up and dumped it in the cup.

When I dropped off the sample to Ivan he said with a smirk it had debris in it so he would give her a general antibiotic to clear her up which it did. In the meantime the special carpet still had a pink stain on it. Aspen had managed to pee on the white part of the carpet where it was quite obvious. I had my very good friend Dave who owned a cleaning company and was also a chemist see if he could get the stain out. Nothing worked on that stain after weeks of trying. We finally put it back down and situated a table over the stain. It was shortly after that episode in which I found myself a single person once again. I never did find out if the carpet was a trigger point or if I had finally stepped far enough over the edge to where there was no recovery.

What ever the case, in the divorce I did not get the carpet...or Aspen. Actually I did not get much at all except my personal items....... It did all work out for the best though and I sure hope when I take Echo to the vet today he doesn't hand me a large cup for a sample of his pee.....Our vet doesn't know this previous story and I would hate to see him get hurt. I guess I should mention that I am far happier being married to Carol now and don't want to toy with urine samples again. Once is enough.....

Turkeys

2011-09-15T09:27:00.002-06:00

Looking outside this morning and saw a whole line of turkeys coming down the mountain. There were 11 very large turkeys. If you click on the picture it will enlarge and you can see them much better. Thought it was a good enough event to share with readers.

Youthful Exuberance -VS- CCD

2011-09-13T08:41:00.003-06:00

In my last Mother Earth News blog I commented that I would not be boring readers with repetitive photo's of our dogs and that I would post updates on our personal blog site. So that is what I am doing this morning. To those readers in the US, Canada and Norway, Russia, Croatia, Newfoundland, Iceland and a host of other countries, here is an update on two of our family member dogs.

Youthful Exuberance: The photo below is of Echo our newest addition to our family. Echo is somewhere between 1.5 and 2 years old depending on who makes the age guess. Regardless, he is full of youthful exuberance. He will suddenly get a burst of excitement and jump around and do a circle or two with barks just to release that energy. This is the stage of development that alarms some people and they decide that the dog they loved as a puppy has something wrong with it or is out of control and they surrender it to a shelter or turn it loose.

The simple fact is this is a phase in a young dog's life and these sudden bursts of energy come on them and they race through the house as if they are out of control.

Cesar Milan the dog whisperer would say they need more exercise and maybe they do but they will exhaust that energy themselves and settle right back down. To them everything is play excitement and frequent energy bursts. Bozwell simply ignores these in Mr. Echo and if Echo gets to rough he lets him know about it and things calm down. Bozwell being the mature guy that he is, understands this behavior and mostly ignores it unless Echo gets to far out of hand. If Echo starts to get to rough either Carol or I will step in and correct matters which is simple using a distraction - like the bean bag toss. As you can see in the photo below, Echo, is ready for mischief and he had just returned from a long walk.

Now at the other end of the spectrum is Gypsy, age 14.5 years old. In human years that would put her at around 90. Gypsy has what many dogs have over 10 years old, that is CCD. (Canine Cognitive Dysfunction) That is similar to Alzheimer's in humans. She is a true geriatric girl who needs special consideration. Her hearing is diminished, she has cataract's on her eyes, and she also has CCD. She is frequently confused, distant or lost. She get the trembles or shakes even when laying down sleeping - which she does a lot of. She paces and wanders aimlessly at times. She will stare at walls or into space. She seeks less attention now than she used to. Sometimes she is more withdrawn. She has incontinence which is treated with medication. We used to think she had mini strokes but it is more and more apparent that she has CCD.

So while she often now prefers to stay home when we go on walks, some days are really good ones for her and she trucks right along with the other dogs. We usually let her decide on how much activity she wants. We make her life comfortable to accommodate her senior years. There is no cure for CCD and medication only helps a few dogs and not all dogs. At times it can be frustrating when she forgets her leash training, feeding routine or potty habits. She has more than earned the right to some slack in her life to make her senior years more comfortable. We also know one day she will no longer have a quality of life in spite of our efforts. But for now we will cut her as much slack as we can and the other dogs are aware of her failings and are very attentive to her.

So we have one dog at each end of the pole; different qualities of life. One totally enthusiastic over life itself and full of excitement and one slowly withdrawing from a full and happy life. I wonder, as she lays there sleeping, if she is dreaming of the time she jumped from the deck onto the back of a bear. I don't know who was more scared - me or the bear. I can only hope that her dreams are happy dreams...... And then I look at Echo who has had his experiences before he was rescued and still has ahead of him lots of happy memories. One light shining bright, one light getting dimmer. Life goes on but sometimes not without painful loss.