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

[CanuckBock]

Heel low:

Thanks for all the kind words...

So very happy we bring pleasure to our faithful fans.

Way, way too busy but not too busy to post one pic taken today...as you can see, no snow here...few flakes fell this morn but nothing more than that.

Nov 11, 2015​

And lest we forget, to pause today and remember all those who have fought to keep us free.

Doggone & Chicken UP!

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

 

[scottcaddy]

I do Remember!
Scott

 

[drumstick diva]

So do I.

 

[Wisher1000]

Me, too!

 

[CanuckBock]

Heel low:

Got snow that stuck...took a ton of pics but not got round to sorting thru yet...

Still got a back log as it is.

Emmy out fer a stroll in the Ram Pasture on the 11th

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Beauty Lacy.

Fer fun...
Jest add water (and freeze!)

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Got five hanging around here now...FIVE!

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Grouse​

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And a few fly by's, stop & eat a bit and then move on.

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Pine Grosbeaks - Pinicola enucleator​

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Doggone & Chicken UP!

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

 

[drumstick diva]

Tara, the ladies are jest gorgeous, and the birds very nice. I have never seen a grouse.

 

[CanuckBock]

Tara, the ladies are jest gorgeous, and the birds very nice. I have never seen a grouse.

I am not that familiar with the grouse either but they do make the cutest noises. Rick said he got to see what we figure is a male doing the drum drum dance for the girls...who he said just laughed at his advances... "It's WINTER stupid!," so say the female grousies.

Snow scenes from this weekend.

Lovely thing about snow...can get a mouthful of a drink ANYWHERE's!​

Snow noses...snow noses abound!

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All the current rage this season! Get yer snow nose!

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Only issue with snow noses??

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End up with chapped noses...

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Ain't a dawg alive that can resist licking off an icey snoot!

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Such calm serene winterest images. Good

I said CALM....

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There, there, much more pleasant...nice nice now...

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Almost think they liked each other??

But then again, is it love or is Emmy getting snow off Lacy to refreshen with?

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Sure can see how dark the fur is getting on the top of Lacy's head...dark red between those grouse detectors...

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ACD's bull<<cow>>dozing snow...

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And jest so you don't end up falling asleep...you'd die out in the elements if'n you fell asleep with snow on the ground. So here's another savage ACD moment...brought to you by them girl girls!

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OK...enough images of dogs and snow fer today, eh.

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OK OK...end with just one more...END with snow on the end...of yer tail! Is nothing safe from sticky Coast like snow?? NOPE!

Doggone & Chicken UP!

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

 

[drumstick diva]

Weather guys are forecasting some snow this weekend - not ready yet

 

[CanuckBock]

Weather guys are forecasting some snow this weekend - not ready yet

Some weather persons are saying -17C (1F) fer this week sometime. I think because winter has drug its showing up out for so long...none of us are ready or welcoming any of it. In fact, I figure maybe this year, skip it altogether since preparing for such a short stint is a waste of precious energies and resources...I vote it be gone for this year, even tho I DO love the snow.

A bit of cold is OK though...the dogs SO love the ice!!

This set of photos is from Oct 28...I said I would get to posting the fun with ice when able and I guess my service provider is cooperating so we are ABLE!

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Ice in dog bowls is thick...but fun when I take the frozen bits and toss it out for them.

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Emmest was the first to find the fascination in ice...

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Great joy to a puppy to crunch a muncha the crystaline H20

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Lacy was quick to catch on though...

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She almost looks guilty...caught in the act!!

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Lacy luvs to toss items...get all puppyish on yah!

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Pouncy paws it...what fun!

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And of course...the fun of sharing in a bit of ice cubes between fellow puppers.

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Eye closing savouring...

Yeh, just add water and freeze, eh!

Doggone & Chicken UP!

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

 

[CanuckBock]

Thank YOU Tara!

I may not say much but I still read every post and thoroughly enjoy them … a colleague was telling me that now he has purchased his own property he is thinking of buying an ACD .. I found myself telling him about my friend in Canada who imported two … isn’t it amazing to think that while you were probably sleeping, you were influencing the conversation of two people over 14,000kms away?!

I love the honesty, I love the silliness, I love the obviously wonderful relationship you and Rick have and of course, I love Emmy and Lacy, they are adorable! I am in awe of all you and Rick have achieved … the Rat Ranch is beautiful as are your birds.

As long as you keep posting I will keep reading

My Dear Tara, it's the story that has us still following this thread!
You, Rick and, all of your critters (Yes them Puppers are the stars)

I'm always hoping that you have at least an half-a*ssed internet so I can get the updates, I do check a few times a day ya-know!
Scott

I am always checking to see if there are updates on here. Sometimes I just have enough time to read and have to reply later. But, I HAVE to visit this one first, no matter how many other threads are calling me.

Love the silliness, we all need that to get through this thing called "Life," I also love the factual information - some of which is actually retained by my brain. Can't get over how much work you and Rick are able to accomplish in a day, then repeat the next day and the next. I would be flat out on bedrest. Also so glad the puppers are acting out at your place and not mine. It's much easier to enjoy with many, many miles between us. In a few more years will the girls be settled down enough to just want you to throw their ball.?" Didn't think so.... Love you guys

Love and virtual hugs all round. Group huggins' from the Higginses!

Now I didn't want you to all think I would not appreciate the words of kindness and your genuine interest in my silly posts.

What I normally try to do is keep on the sunny side and make things happy, happy / joy, joy but for the past few months (yeh, days have turned to weeks and weeks now to months!) Rick and I have been suffering thru a very un-normal bout of ill health. All linked to my bus driving and the conditions this part time job exposes one to. We are NOT getting completed what we normally do in a day and I have been managing to complete maybe one extra task past part-time work and regular farm chores along with the regiments of general house keeping.

At the end of September, I contract strep throat. I have NEVER had any of these kinds of health issues and it quite surprised me. I almost did not go in to the doctor but under Rick's insistence...to find out, a regiment of antibiotics was necessary to kill that. I got over it with medicine and then...then found myself back in the doc office with the exact same symptoms as I had two weeks prior with the strep throat. Not as serious, this time it was a flu that took another three weeks to go about its course of ravaging. Fine, I get where I get this from driving part time on the school bus...but here has been the past two months; strep throat, killed it with medical intervention, then flu which gobbled up three weeks and now, the piece de resistance...the morning of my b-day, Rick goes to ER because he has a full blown case of pneumonia! Good gack eh! Never had it before and there he goes and has it. I went in last Thursday to ER because the doctor's office could not see me at a regular appointment and they did not want me waiting over the weekend to get progressively worse.

People our age DIE from pneumonia...more likely men than women get it and I can understand why. Out and about more often in the cold wearing themselves out in the elements. So Rick demanded I go in but thankfully we were told mine was not as bad as his was...but to watch it carefully for any sign of a down turn and if that happened, they wanted my butt back in there pronto.

We are ever so use to sucking it up Buttercup and just getting thru it with some rest, fluids and such. Well not so lucky this past two months. I guess I am a tad bit grumpy over this all. The version of strep throat is highly horrid...one lady with it had her face swell up and near lost the ability to breathe before she went in to have it diagnosed. Pneumonia is nothing to laugh about either. So while we have been busy...we have been more recovering from all these attacks of illnesses than getting what we had hoped to get completed with this unseasonably nice weather and all. I suppose winter like conditions KILL nasties and that in itself makes me ponder what good all this non-winter like weather has been happening for. See, told you I was a tad grumpy.

Tarps are hung, lighting inside done and useable...so many blessings, eh.​

Rick has mentioned that his happy state of mind has been eluding him and I do hafta agree....I am more monotone than norm and yet surrounded by completions like the Parking Building and the power upgrade happening without nigh a hitch...amongst so many other fun accomplishments. My glass is usually half full but with these illnesses melding from one to the t'other...it has been more difficult to avoid the dull and deluge it takes outta yer soul to keep on trucking along with some silly smile plastered on your mug.

I do have to say though, the girls have been a dogsent...truly! No matter how beat up inside I feel, the dog time has been a salvation and I find myself clicking pics and laughing (sometimes having to pay homage to a coughing fit but heck, like I care!) like I was wholly well and good. That is the thing about our beasties, never a question about having a reason to rise and shine and get at it. They depend on you and you step up no matter what.

Nov 10 2015​

I like that you all like my posts, that I have some small sense of helping others by posting visions that bring what I hope is even more joy and happiness. There is NO distance between homes of our friends, eh. Them silly dogs do make you smile and being able to share them with others right from the comfort of my dirt to yours, does make it extra special. In times like now, I have a small purpose to click and share these dougals. As ever, I thank you for that.

Nov 14 2015 - view from the lawn chair​

Maybe winter does need to happen and hurry up at it and detoxify that petri-dish on wheels as Rick calls it. Jest yesterday morn another kindergarten child was sent on the bus coughing up a storm. Even heard the other students saying to them, "Hey little Buddy...that's some coughing you got going on!" Oh well, what don't kill you outright, makes you strong and man alive, if I ever get shipped off to a nursing home...even tied up in my chair I'll have the immune system of a raunchy dragonish gator...won't get nothing because I already HAD it all now. Sadly, it makes me laugh...whatever...

See the humour in all this too...absolutely NO worries my currently multi-infected racked body will transfer one shred of illness to any of the readers of this thread...that in itself is a good nuff reason to laugh...a good hearty laugh and think,

"Thank frig, eh! Thank frig!"

This too shall pass...and soon enough, we will have had all there is to get ill over and some sense of normality and wholeness can begin to settle back in. I have squeakies to go run...and run they shall...away with my heart and keep my health on the upswing.

"What you doing...taking MORE pics...waz that all about, eh?"​

Happy B-Day Emmy; 6 months old and full of attitude!

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"Let me freshen up my snoot, eh!"​

Doggone & Chicken UP!

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