Jest Another Day in Pear-A-Dice - Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm in Alberta

[scottcaddy]

Boy, am I stupid. Just realized Wisher's avatar is Jiminy Cricket "wishing on a star." What a DUH! moment for me., with many more to come

At least you didn't have to be told by a nice lady that it wasn't just a chicken snack.
Scott

 

[Wisher1000]

Now, Scott, you aren't sore about that are you?

 

[scottcaddy]

Now, Scott, you aren't sore about that are you?

Nope not at all, I just didn't see past the chicken snack to the 'Wishing part'. I think that I'm getting a bit of a one track mind.
Scott

 

[Wisher1000]

 

[CanuckBock]

G'Day Tara

I have sent you an e.mail ... if I can do anything to help with your dream from this end, shout out

Cooee cobber and it is a good day indeed!

Thanks for the offer of assistance, much appreciated! :-D

I posted more on the dream becoming reality in Issue 5...2nd litter just happened and has...and has, <<oh we are so bursting with this news!>> FOUR more ACD gals on the ground...yee haw and slop the chooks, eh! It's a happening...

Quote:

I must say, I am feeling left out of "news" that is coming out on email. I wish (there I go again) that you would cut and paste just the text here so those of us who spend most of our time here could still be in the loop!

Whole idea of going to the personal e-mails was to save me time and those substantial outrageous data charges. Do up one post and send her on out--working very well. No saving time (and more data) by double posting even if it is just the text. I am being honest as there is no time when it warms up here to do much fussy work...need less inside work because I stay out way longer because it is light out, things need doing and get done so much easier with the warmth...lovin' it. Even rest time is being spent outdoors in the lawn chairs a sippin' the sweet teas...sitting watching the swan pairs take dips, letting Foamy run around, watching the windsocks be winded. Ever so relaxing enjoying the good weather--short seasoned but we push its limits to the MAX!

If you want to subscribe, send me an e-mail address and I'll add you on to my list of receivers; no problem in adding a name or three but no way am I doing double posts this time of year. Barely finding time to post what's up the once via e-mails, eh. Besides, without the pics, the 1,000's of words I type are not complimented with the photos (worth 1,000's of words themselves!). The joy is probably 3/4's hinged on the view...view from the shoes as my friend Cynthia would quip.

Got a booster plugged in that lets me get more of our share of access to the server...but not enough to post piccies on this forum (still craters midway during an upload of jest one photo--icrumba that's costly and time consuming!). Maybe October or November if at all will see the warm weather residents vamoose...service company more or less offered no fix to them overselling their services. We are doing fab but for the majority, there is no sign of the economic downturn for many improving...new political party voted in and they muttered something about upping the corporate and oilfield tax rates which does nothing to incite those sectors to be hiring on. Those ones ducking out on paying their indebtedness by residing in the bush here may become permanently stuck living this way.

I don't have a cell phone so I don't see any.

No cel for me either; have yet to find a single good reason for being tethered to one. Reminds me of being hospitalized with an IV...some thingy tugging at your attentions to be mindful of it. NO freedom in that now is there? Saying of which, I just need to see if I can send this and then...and then...

I am FREE now to get the heck on BACK outside and get on that raspberry patch revamp...whee hee hee...

<<<assortment of cane loving crapola floats in the air--we need the RAINS to swing by and make an appearance!>>>

Doggone & Chicken UP!

Tara Lee Higgins
Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm, Alberta, Canada

 

[drumstick diva]

I've got cattle dog puppy girls fever - I'm sure like you and Rick. Will they send you photos(

) or pick them out for you.(

)

 

[drumstick diva]

Tara - got your mailing and the photo of the sheep is unreal, they look like blocky lawn decorations or hay bales with heads- they do need a haircut. Do you spin the yarn?

I just knew I would hear from you today, could feel it in my bones. They crackle with excitement.

 

[CanuckBock]

I've got cattle dog puppy girls fever - I'm sure like you and Rick. Will they send you photos(

) or pick them out for you.(

)

Yah...it is a sickness and it IS catching! LMBO Sickness preceding wuppy puppy breaths!

You get photos, from day one, of the whole litter and onwards...with Makins we got video taped weekly episodes, we felt like we got to see her grow up! ACD pups when first born, they are like white sausages...born white with dark patches (black for blue and brown for the reds--paw pads same colours too) and colour up as they get older. There is Dalmatian in the development of the breed which helps explain why they are white babies that colour up.

The breeder's job is to know the litter better than any other human. They get to know you too and one way is to fill out a puppy application with their pointed questions. This breeder has known about us for years...not in the sense of a puppy purchaser (who knew eh! Dreams do come true!) but she knows we herd, work the dogs daily on chores, how we live, that we test and we show and trial the dogs. The fact she has been doing this for decades helps too...you learn how to place the pups in the homes that best suit them. Not an easy job but sure the heck easier than L00King as some photos and going, "THAT ONE!" Dogs have way more going on than just skin deep. There is a leader, the followers, the lagger, the one that is into everything, the one that is curious, or shy or...for all the dogs we have had in our lives, think of how they would have behaved as puppers. Tough job I don't envy. I do know...the moment our eyes lock, Rick and I are doomed to love them unconditionally fur ever and ever.

Makins was the puppy that barked to be picked up and near wagged her tail so hard she near swept herself off the table. She latched on to the sweeping corn broom like a leech...she blue with a half mask and eye spot (cutester beyond measure!) and she was the dog for us that the herding judge breeder shower sent us. That match was made in heaven and we loved her for all she could be. Sweetness that one...sweetness!

HyBlade was one of the two Reds from two Blues and his breeder knew we herded, showed and did testing. DNA profiled, we knew he was not a mismating, so when we got him, we hurried up and went and had him DNA colour tested (B/B e/e) to explain how recessive blues produced what should have been a dominant colour as in a"y" red...he was Golden Labrador yellow/red as in e/e extension). HB came to us on a co-ownership (as a gift) on the grounds he was to be conformation titled and she'd sign him over to us as full owners. He was magnificent to show...one weekend he won three majors and six of the ten points required to finish. He finished with 12 points; easy peasy that boy. My big booby boy...he was a ton of fun and well suited for our family.

I think I should broadcast it out there that we are looking, or at least "I" am looking for Western themed names for the two girl dogs...Australian Cattle Dogs. I warned Rick he has to come up with two goodun names but not sure he has really begun the process. I expect he may drag his feet until he has them here...but I like to stew on this for a time, need to get on this but not sure he is too serious or very inspired.

Makins - What a cowboy uses to roll his cigarettes with; a pouch, papers, tobacco...."Hand me my makins, I need to have a puff.
Stoggar - Useless hired hand..."Go stoggar that away, eh?"
HyBlade - What a grader operator does when he is NOT working...high blading down the back roads...NOT rolling them rocks or moving snow. "Dang MD grader is hyblading down the road again!"
Fixins - What a cowboy considers grits, his food, "Making up some fixins for dinner."
Styra Foam - She ran so hard when she first came here, she was frothing at the mouth...Rick called her Styra Foam like the coffee cups...not so western but totally suited her.


Fixins has a full litter sister by Makins called "Java" and that is for slang coffee...very important to have that round the campfire to wake up!


Rick has threatened me over the years with TWO names <<shudder>>...near had himself hit over the head with one of the items for continuing to suggest it...

- Skillet...not happening...no dog is getting labelled "Skillet!"
- His second choice was for Stoggar who was dumped at a kill shelter preggers with nine pups..."Miss Kitty." Nope, not happening...no dog is getting called "Miss Kitty!"

So you guys better save me...save me from Rick's two above starting choices fur names for the two girl Australian Cattle Dogs.

No prizes offered sorry on that but if we can put a better idea in Rick' s noggin than Skillet and or Miss Kitty...maybe the dumb butt head will come up with a GOOD name...need two good names and you can be certain y'all be hearing these names repeated LOTS of times during the Pear-A-Dice conversations, eh.

No idea but most dog litters have theme names but we are so early in the game here with the litter just whelped and all...no idea yet on what may or may be the theme.


This has worked out well in the past...when we imported the two pens for the Black Swans...suggestions were Fire Ember (Emby) and Black Pearl (Pearla girla)...for Smoke Stack (Smokey) and Stove Pipe (Piper).

COME SAVE ME! SAVE me from Skillet and Miss Kitty...HELP ME!

Tara - got your mailing and the photo of the sheep is unreal, they look like blocky lawn decorations or hay bales with heads- they do need a haircut. Do you spin the yarn?

I just knew I would hear from you today, could feel it in my bones. They crackle with excitement.

Ask me why I said we are busy? LMBO...yes of course sheepies get trimmies. We get like -50C here and those woolly coats are great insulation fer them. Now that the good weather has shown up, EVERYTHING seems to need doing at once! When we use to do the May longweekend sheep pulling the covered wagon in the parades, I would have had the two rams sheared weeks ago and coated them for cold weather...when draft hauling the wagon, did not what them hot and bothered doing it. Best sheared and coated if needed.

Our Jacob lines have been chosen to make the hand spinners very happy...had the fiber on all my Jacobs assessed some years back. Each fleece sells for $100 which is a good return. I don't sell them all, and have had reoccurring thoughts about having them taken to a custom woollen mill and made into socks. Yeh...been to the mill twice and yeh, not enough time in a year to do all we could be doing!

Yes, so sheep shearing is on the list, they get a toe trim (ground is not rocky which is good but not good for trimming toes naturally, besides, sheeps have dewclaws like dogs do and those NEVER get worn down and need a trimming). I shear my own sheep and this ensures biosecurity and also that they are handled very gently. In my younger days, I would pre-wash the sheep before shearing and yup...sheep shake jest like dogs do when washed...it is hilarious! I would be washing them, rinse and stand back...shake shimmy no roll...then let then run back to the rest of the flock...bawling how I was EVER so mean to them. Yeh.

I do not spin yarn, or do any of the hobby things...no time for it. In another life, yes...that would be fun!

Glad you knew we'd be conversing today...the crackle part...not so good, eh??

Doggone & Chicken UP!

Tara Lee Higgins
Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm, Alberta, Canada

 

[perchie.girl]

I had a dog named Annie..... her full name was Barbara Ann Stries-hound.... because she ha a long nose her eyes looked a little crossed and she had eye liner for emphasis....

But Annie could also be short for ANNIE Oakley

FWIW we had a Boston Terrier once we named Kitty.... Because the land lord allowed cats NOT dogs.... when he would "drop in" my job was to scoop Kitty up and drop her over the fence in the neighbors yard. Kitty loved playing with their dog.

Or how about

Cat Ballou a movie set in the west

Cattle Kate Kate or Katie for short

Belle Starr either first or last name would be good


http://www.thewildwest.org/cowboys/wildwestlegendarywomen

deb

 

[drumstick diva]

I'm not good at names unless you want weird ones, Bertha Butts, Cow Patty, Salmon Ella, Faye, Pyewacket - see weird, just like I told you. Maybe if I sleep on it, I can come up with a great name or two - or not.