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

[Bunnylady]

We had a dog that loved to pick her own blackberries once; never knew they might like peas! I love to eat them right off the vine, too (my family think I'm weird, I just think they don't know what's good).

Interesting thing about the white hair and deafness in dogs. There is one spotting pattern in horses that is associated with deafness (I know, I know, you weren't talking about horses, and some of us will twist any conversation around to them any which way we can). If a horse has a lot of white on its face, and the white gets up near an ear, the horse is likely to be deaf in that ear. There is a famous reining horse (Colonels Smoking Gun, known as Gunner) that is deaf, and a lot of his offspring inherited not only his splashy white markings, but also the deafness.

 

[drumstick diva]

I know white boxers (called checks) and Dalmatians, predominantly white breeds can have hearing issues. The neighbor had a pure white German shepherd like that.

 

[CanuckBock]

Heel low:

Stoggar showed all the dogs here how to pick wild strawberries in the pastures too...amazing what treats the dogs like and hunting for sweet treats, yeh, they are no dummies, eh!

July 29, 2014 - outside the Orchard

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The Saskatoon bushes get raided too! But I am guilty of hand feeding the dogs those before the wild birds swallow them all...hee hee...

Have a Saskatoon berry Fruity...you'll love these!​

http://www.asca.org/advancedarticles/whitedeafness



Australian Shepherds have deafness too...and the ugly double merle issues (Cattle Dogs don't have merle)...ugly on a stick the doubling up of merling in one dog...agh!


With the Boxers, Dr. Malcolm B. Willis who wrote the great book Genetics of the Dog talks about the phobia of WHITE Boxers...he considers it unfounded even past the incident of deafness (it is not a guarantee, more a "hmm" could be an issue thingy). Breeders of Boxers decided too much white was not their thing.


What I find tres interesting is that the "blue eyes" linked to deafness is there because to have blue eyes, you have a beast that lacks pigment...so can have blue eyes because it lacks alot of melanocytes (colourations/pigments) which I already said, were needed for developing pigment cells to eat when being formed.

www.usask.ca/~schmutz/dogcolors.html

Dr. Sheila Schmutz of the U of Saskatoon, has an awesome dog coat colour website...at this university, there is my most fav colour genetics painting of Highland cattle...the colours of them just left to breed are so amazing! Helps that there are dogs in the painting too.

Highland Cattle By the Sea - painted by William Smellie Watson of Scotland, 1872​

I don't mind at all talking about animals. It is fun because what we learn about one creature may often be transferred over to many others. So we get to be more efficient...learn from one, carry over to others.

Sept 6, 2014 - "May I enter your gardening domain pretty please? I will be a GOOD dog!"​

DD, isn't it ever so cute you now associate "peas" with Fruitcup and now with the pups too (Eat yer peas, eh!). Yes, indeed, the peas will be in full production for those mayhem mischief-makers. I know for a fact, they will race about and I will get disgusted right quick with them young puppers in the Veg Garden! It took Fixins many years to be calm enough to be even allowed in there. Mommy Makins was very good about staying on the pathways (see, raised beds rock...method to my madness to have that technique!). But I have also mellowed out quite alot over the years and being uptight about some dog dogs racing thru a full growthed out garden...ah...whatever! LMBO

I do however have my tolerances too...I know I chased a few dogs out that had no manners about asking for permission when say the veg beds were just seedlings that could be pawed into oblivion. They learn..."What's with her...awful uptight!" as I run madly at them with my hoe raised like a cleaver..."She's lost it at last; run fer yer lives!"

Sept 6, 2014 - A very good dog that Fixies...toodling about, on the pathways...YAH!
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I am glad I take photos of the growth of the veg garden over the years...gives me an idea how things are progressing from year to year, to year.

Last year, we did not get as much rain as we have this one...not later in the season at least from the evidence pictured below. Add in that I have been making directed efforts into adding more fiber and crapola to the dirt...better retention of moisture in the plans too. I get to battle the weeds, but eventually it slows down to a dull roar one hopes!

Veg Garden - Ready to be watered July 29, 2014



Garden - July 27, 2015; NO wonder I can't keep up with the weeding...​

More like the tropics with the rains every day or so...now we are into some heat coming on and well, look out, eh! I can do a visual comparison of the zucchinis ... and the one by the gate I planted in 2014, that was September, the one above on the right thar...that is end of July size. Yeh...gonna be swamped...maybe the girls need to tromp some of this back and save me from some of the harvesting chores, eh!

Stomp, Stomp -

<<two puppers>>

- Stomp, Stomp​

Rick came home from work last night and caulked the seams on his sheeted truss (end wall). He plans on coming home tonight again after work and rolling out the stain. Says one day to set and then Saturday morning another coating of stain. These newer stains are not like the old time ones...you did one coat of oil based stain and while it was longer to dry and often felt wet days later, there was that wonderful economical one coat coverage. We shall see if the new fangled stain measures up over time.

Then Rick builds up some frame work with 3x12's to support a set of trusses put together and it's crane er picker truck time. I personally am scared of all this massive construction going into this building. The Parking Building is a massive undergoing (60 feet long...cripers!) but hey, we got all those vehicles to park under it so, yeh. This will eliminate me tugging snow off canopy roofs and we did have a wimpy snow winter last one compared to the 2013/2014 one. So I need to shut my beak, quiver in the corner and let them do the lifting and setting of the trusses in place. Half the roof, then the other half. I will be EVER so happy when the roof is on and that part is long over with. I can quit festering about it--probably being silly but hey, when you are not the one in charge of the construction, you can be that way. I festered when he rented the man lift and cut the trees down to clear the area...me and the Fix...see her here...this is us coming down and she is..."Oh my...I was scared for you guys!" We humans are born with three fears; fear of bright lights, loud noises and falling...very primal that falling one!

October, 2013 - See her balooing..."BOW WOW...my tail is a blur...So glad yer down to the ground again...STOP stressing out the dog!"​

Had Foamers out and about to greet Rick when he got home. Laughed because Rick says to her..."Isn't it nice and calm right now Foamy?" as he stopped caulking the seams to give her some ear scritchies. She looked pretty peacefully pleased. Then Rick goes on..."Not like it will be next week when the needle teethers arrive! I am betting we will have to haul you outta yer safe surreal kennel and even then, you'll be telling us, "No, no thanks, no stritchies needed for today! Jest stay here, were it's safe and quiet!"" Yeh, gonna be different, no doubt on that.

Found one Mandarin sail feather last night doing night visit chores in the Taj...looked hard at the drakes for one sporting one sail feather left (get a matching pair) and then found the mate to it over in the corner. Not fully grown in, missing some white banding on the edge...so a strange year but they are moulting and growing in new suits for the winter. The wetter July might have them off too...but no matter, picked up the pair of sails and tucked them away in a safe container.


When I brought romaine leaves to the one pair, I checked the swan clutch of three eggs...they were nice and warm to the touch. So I will have to remember to candle them eggies and see if Piper did his job this time. Then at least I know they are both incubating with some sorta chance (er not...no worries if not!). I'll remove the three eggs if they are clears, that way this pair can enjoy the rest of the summer off the nest if there is nothing for them to be expectant parents of. Less stress and maybe next year there will be success. Got time, got lots of time with that species of waterfowl.

Think I am going to make a teeter totter later today. The plan has gotten way larger than the original...three month old pups...yeh, found a big broad board, now gotta go match up a chunk of roundy wood to match...coupla spikes and tada...done. Seems like no effort to complete but so it goes...inch by inch, getting her completed. Then gotta steer Rick over to the Ram Pasture (he's already mowed a bit, said maybe he'd swing by the puppy playground and touch it up...those softy pupper toes, eh), get Rick to do the final OK on the tuggy timber contraption. I always laugh at myself, dream up some ideal building thingy and he looks at it, passes judgment and often, it does not resemble the initial concept at all...hee hee...

Had one of the walls of birch wood topple over, guess they are drying out mighty fine and sometimes one takes a dive as it dries out and the winds give it some incentive to obey gravity. I just look for that when we drive by and then make a point to wander over back in the shade and pile it back up where it should be. Thinking as I was stacking the firewood back up, how I need to be careful to stack it level, don't want it falling on a puppy. Hilarious because falling on me or an adult dog would be just as nasty (probably worse--more parts to get damaged!) ...but that maternal stunned frame of mind is forming..."Must keep babies safe!" Good gack...might even disgust my own self if I keep heading in this direction...

Putting on a nice ham leg (the kind you score the rind up and get cracklings from...very non-fattening...sure, sure-whatever...close yer eyes and zero calories eh!)...and big deep platter of scallop potatoes. Heat up the house but num nummy...should be grand and good. Leftovers are always nice, especially heading into a weekend. Carpet weekend this one...carpet and staining and preparing the trusses for putting together the roof...talking dogs often say..."roof roof!"

Holiday weekend, Monday is a holiday here, civic one called Heritage Day in Alberta. Need it to be calm and collected...I know I will not be able to sleep too good...way way too silly billy with the special day approaching...pinch me, is it here, almost...so fast, must be having those fun times again. Time flies and my summer is already half over. Where did it go...who knows, but I do know that running after two pups heading in two opposite directions, yeh, I'll be more than blinking and it will be time to don the work persona all over again...sigh.

Doggone & Chicken UP!

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

 

[scottcaddy]

Tara, does your Oz dog breeder know how many people are waiting on their pups and how many pic's you will share with the rest of us?
Scott

 

[perchie.girl]

x2

 

[Teila]

Tara, does your Oz dog breeder know how many people are waiting on their pups and how many pic's you will share with the rest of us?
Scott

x2

x 3

 

[drumstick diva]

Almost time - can't believe I've held up this long

 

[CanuckBock]

Tara, does your Oz dog breeder know how many people are waiting on their pups and how many pic's you will share with the rest of us?
Scott

Ha...you must be joking?

We all would probably scare the bits outta her if she knew the magnitude of this event! Even "I" am having flutterflies in my guts, the closer it gets to D-Day, eh. I am happy, scared, anxious, joyous; just an utter mess, but at least I can admit that I am totally messed up and go from there.

When Makins was flown in as a puppers, and Rick and I went to pick her up at the airport (she came from Oregon, AKC Herding Judge/breeder), I swear I had cravings for pickles and ice cream...no really! Bwa ha ha-->total nut nut!

I am ever SO trying to behave...but failing miserably...FAIL! Totally...

I caught Rick talking yesterday, calling the puppers by NAME...LMBO... Yeh, he's holding it together very well, but there are still tell tail small signs...hee hee. Good thing though that he is so together about all this...he's the driver, man at the wheel, chauffer to puppy girls and a most giddy useless wifey! So I am glad he is more stable and stellar about all this than I am...I have visions of me sitting in the second seat of the Dog Bus Suburban (not sure what we are taking yet, calling for rain storms on Tuesday evening) with Lacy and Emmy on either side, wearing their harnesses, me in the middle, all strapped in...

"AWAY...Head fer the Ranch...AWAY WE GOOOOO!"​

Just a total moron and not getting any better second by second either!

Help me, er not?? Hee hee...

Almost time - can't believe I've held up this long

I had faith in you that you would hold out jest fine Woman! It is SO worth it...like the biggest Christmas (not July but close), EVER!

Glad to have you along for the craziness, eh!


This is looking into the Dogs' Room...

So like you figure they will obey the command on the mat??

​

So the room is ready, well past the carpet part on one side...but I plan on putting newsprint down, so if we fail at finding a decent rubber backed industrial carpet runner we like on Saturday, no worries, we'll manage. I kinda hmm-ed and haa-ed on putting the newsprint down but I expect there to be accidents in the containment areas and Rick said, "Far, far easier to just roll up a mess than only option is have to mop it up," and I have to agree any messy messes would roll up in the newsprint quick/easy and get tossed far better if made ON top of newsprint.

We need to approach this as smart and educated as possible...plan for the OOPes and hope for the WINS! I wanted to avoid setting them back on potty training and to me, thought about how it says, "A-OK to piddle and poop on newsprint if it is there" to a young dog. Could be encouraging them to go backwards but I think it will be OK...see how it goes, eh! If I put newsprint down and they don't seem to be improving in a bit of time, can always not do it.

Girls have a set of really ACD proofed toys for inside their containment area, but then on the left thar...
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I put a black container on the floor, so they have a choice of toys that they can take into their areas. These are strong but not invincible to ACD Jaws so if we have to leave them for any unsupervised length of time past bedtime...those ones go back IN the black toy box. Jest to be safe instead of sorry.

​

So yeh, rubber carpet on the floor if we are able to find something good...otherwise, newsprint on top of these lino tiles and hope we eventually find what we are looking for...plan in the ready!

I am very happy...almost ready and the day is ever so close. Close I can almost...almost smell puppy breath on the winds. Eeeeeeeeeeeeee....

So Rick did come home after work and then waited fish pond side for the gravelled area to cool down a bit more. Then he got the one truss stained up nice.

Cut the window boxes in with a paint brush and use a roller with an extension for the rest! ​

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Lookin' good...

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Now for a second last coat tonight or Sat morn...and that part is completed.

He ordered the metal for the roof...that should arrive in a week er so...the Parking Building is definitely a going concern...yee haw, eh!


The teeter totter was easy...hillbilly easy...

Teeter Totter​

Two spikes, measure the plank to find center, pound the spikeys into the birch firewood round and voila...tippy tips for puppies!

Fishstxy - Golden Laced Bantam Wyandotte hen​

Shot some pics of a cute Wy Banty hen (her thigh feathers are much too soft and poofy, but she's not half bad on a second generation golden laced variety project bird--at least she lays good quality eggs). Then I posted one picture (above) as an entry for the 2016 BYC Calendar contest. I see Wisher has an absolutely AWESOME photo of her Campine cockerels entered...<<woot woot>>...photo composition is major kewl and the boys, well they are simply jest GORGEOUS...

Good job Wisher...GOOD JOB indeedy!!

I hope she posts a copy of that photo entry on my thread here...hee hee...selfish because in years to come, I can easily look it up here!

Scallopers in the makings​

Dinner turned out delish...

Ham and Scalloped Potatoes...

​

Yeh, it heated up the house but won't tonight when we reheat the leftovers...hee hee...evil master plan worked!!

So off I toodles...my coffee chats is over and done...

Later me fiendish friends. Later...

Doggone & Chicken UP!

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

 

[perchie.girl]

Tara look on line for a product called Stall skins. They are designed for horse stalls but are one full sheet without seams that is about 3/16 of an inch thick. it can be cut and seamed and even brought up the side of a wall for moisture containment.

Tough enough to handle horses with shoes too. If you layed it flat pups couldnt get their teeth into it to cause damage

At Valley Vet they offer free shipping on this

They are twelve by twelve feet.

deb

 

[CanuckBock]

Tara look on line for a product called Stall skins. They are designed for horse stalls but are one full sheet without seams that is about 3/16 of an inch thick. it can be cut and seamed and even brought up the side of a wall for moisture containment.

Tough enough to handle horses with shoes too. If you layed it flat pups couldnt get their teeth into it to cause damage

At Valley Vet they offer free shipping on this

They are twelve by twelve feet.

deb

I think we do have something very like this here already...a woven poly material that is an oilfield product--might not be as stretchy tho...it is woven like a rug and it allows moisture thru but contains stuff like dirt and definitely straw bedding. Another product too that we have here is a thicker one, it is like a felt liner...both these materials are here to line the water plant pond that will eventually go in the New Orchard area when we hire an excavator to dig some big holes here.


Thank you for the link...went and had a look...

Do not want the pee to drain thru the material we put down. Need it to contain the fluids and keep them off the flooring (crap tile like lino...not a full lino flooring but tiles with cracks between and on the very edges of the room, are lifting away...agh!...plywood underneath and I can only imagine what it could smell like if we let urine and poopies permeate into the subfloor...icky poo poo--oh yuck!).

Now I could haul the one huge and heavy rubber horse stall mat back inside the house-it is under the one pair of swan's pond to keep them from overly dabbling in the dirt and swilling up their water so quickly. We had that horse stall down for when Fixins and Makins both lived in the house. Fixins was not allowed loose (Makins was the trusted older one then) and Fix would be contained in the dog room with the rubber stall mat under her containment area--the industrial carpet was under our cat's pen but our son took the cat when he moved out and we dismantled that containment pen and just rolled up the carpet (ended up lending it to the kid for his old dog Glorp--which he has since returned for the puppies to use--that carpet has made its rounds, eh!).

Few weeks back, I asked Rick if we could do that again by using the rubber horse stall mat but he wants another carpet backed with rubber...his choice. I did warn him he could always help me haul the rubber stall mat back inside...it worked but I think Rick is forward thinking...in ten years' time, even BOTH of us working on it, a rubber stall mat (think it is like half to 3/4 of an inch thick...heavy!) would be near impossible for us to lug out, should we want to do that for whatever reason.

Need impermeable flooring cover to hold puppy generated "moisture" from contaminating the floor underneath.

Good to know about this product though...more info to stashed away in the brain because you just never know when you might have an application for it.

Thank you!

Tara