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

[CanuckBock]

But, My Dear Tara, it is so nice and warm NOW!
Gotta get started soon so things have enough time to do good.
Scott (who is working in his garden)

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Got a snow shovel Scott?

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That's about the only way I'd be working in my garden...

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A good rule of thumb for us to know spring has really truly sprung...you see that top of a plastic 45 gallon drum? Lotsa years ago, Rick dug that out, filled it with gravel, put in a culvert that had been drilled fulla holes...our version of a French drain (sorta...had real types we put in when we were on the WEsT Coast). We know the spring thaw is serious when water accumulates around this low spot and we can pop a small pump in the culvert and get that run off water outta thar.

Course things are messing with my mind...like the return of the Canuck gooseys...and them Starlings...not a fan of those ones.

City Starlings​

Last weekend, saw both geese and the Starlings...today, saw Starlings and yesterday, Canuck goose V formation. Loud and noisy to announce "We're back--did yah miss us!"

Gotta continuous melt on the go...

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Driveway is being dewintered by Chinook winds and warmth. I truly hope we don't regret this warmth in the case of fire season and drought later on this year...but who knows, eh.

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Had to chip out the New Orchard gate because the water that had melted yesterday, had frozen up thick enough I could not easily lift the frozen in gate.


So melt is heavy on but still got this potential...

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March 8, 2016​

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Rick got me to click some pics we could have made into photos (got more of them still to do)...of course I had the dogs milling about and a few of clicks happened with them and both dog buses...well enough to remember to include the starring personalities.

Summer Dog Bus


Winter Dog Bus​

Supper last night...them burgers and home fries! ​

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Over the weekend, Rick found a moment to do something that was planned, some time ago...hang up a bird house on the Parking Building. I mean we all know I ribbed him about his forward planning, but also makes me smile when he uses and old faucet to weigh the house down...recycled...yuppers. Like the birds will mind.

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So yeh, there is SPRING in the air, but we don't dare go too far...not quite yet, eh.

Doggone & Chicken UP!

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

 

[scottcaddy]

Good Morning Tara!

What kind of wire was used for the bird house?
Nice pic's.
Scott

 

[CanuckBock]

Bit yah in the throat!! Crushing yer jugular ... crushing it!!​

One plus about going to the Vets on the weekend past, I have been seeing the girls as the same size which is obviously EVER so wrong...Lacy weighs 19.26 kg and Emmy weighs 14.0 kg...so Lace outweighs Em by 11.6 pounds...considering Em weighs 31 pounds compared to Lace-a-lot's 42.5 pounds ... yeh, big dif.

You can SEE the sizeable dif in size of the two girls...thank heavens Lacy is a lovebug, eh...she could tye some lickin' on Em​

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I guess I am at fault because I see the girls as equals and well, that ain't so right now is it?

Rick has been talking about how Lacy could take Emmy out, and steal the toys he throws but Lacy is a love bug...she has no worries about caving and letting the Emmest WIN.

Emmy might be smaller but she sure uses her psychological weight to push Lacy around...
"MY toy...get me Red Brutus?"​

See the Haggy Emmy...she bluffs her might over Lacy and Lovebug Lace is all good about it,
so much so she is even licking her own snout..."Nope, I don't REALLY want that toy...not now that YOU do!"​

But all said and done...the girls are still puppies AND still ACD's...so good to a point, point being they are HEELERS and well, that's a word many here have come to know well...for the antics...for as good as one dog is, as bad the next second the one use to be good dog can be!

"So little Emmy...how sturdy are you little girl?"​

"Ah now Em...I'm only joshing with yah...making fun...come on Girl...kidding here!"
"Jump on moi like a foot stool, eh!," growls the Emmest​

See...what Em lacks in size, she makes up for in attitude!
Lacy knows she's gonna get it...and bracing for it

Quote:
Originally Posted by scottcaddy

Good Morning Tara!

What kind of wire was used for the bird house?
Nice pic's.
Scott

So now you have me curious...why what kinda wire?

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I think Rick refers to this as "aircraft cable" but I consider it wire rope. He has crimps for it too. We have had this aggravating roll of wire kicking around for the past 30 or so years...aggravating because the roll has a side blown off, no wheel rolls nice with a chunk outta it.

Rick "roped" the bird house off on the frame of one of the 1936 Maple Leafs in the Parking Building...
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Yeh, jest in case BIG BIRD decides to nest in little bird house

@Teila Cooee Woman! You would have been thinking exactly what I was thinking yesterday evening...

We are working at socializing the girls...for dog show and my thoughts are, you start out slow and steady. First trip to the local village, to the playground, dogs there with me, Rick waits patiently in the White Dog Bus. We go to a strange place and the dogs were pretty cautious.

Picnic ham and Scallops​

Yesterday, whilst the above dinner cooked in the oven...we made the second time round to the playground and the girls are a rather quick study. Em and Lace are running between the tires, walking on the slide (slide scared them the first time but second time...HA!...old hack), pretty much saying to me in dog speak..."We been here already, we done this...what's next?" So Rick says, go to bigger town and get the paper, some fresh bread for lunch; he's so good at making up an excuse to justify why we can take the girls a little further since the close to us playground was pretty quiet...unlike dog shows which are HUGELY not quiet.

So laugh, brochure for Suburbans mentions there is room for "Nine passengers and their luggage"
Not quite sure they meant luggage as in DOG GIRL crates, eh

So drive, Rick gets a Tim's, we stop at the grocery and I get some goodies. Then dogs come out.

Lacy caught on right away...PEOPLE...LoveBug Lacy and people...tails a wagging, when she realizes she can lean up against me and SEE the people coming outta the store before they come thru the doors, Lacy's totally sold on this is great...people to wag about and give kisses to. Emmy, she's the thinker and she's thinking about this. Not quite sure this is all good...she is the one that we have always known will be more Cattle Dog like than the Lace is. Emmy sat on my lap and looked rather Sphinx like at the people--hauty "I don't require attention, lavish that on the red one there." She never wagged or gave out kisses but I suppose between the two, one should be more ACD like and be suspicious of strangers. Lacy, she just had the people melting in her paws. I was quite surprised as the people were thanking US for being there...ha ha ha...so good thing, all round.

Here's why I called out Teila...suddenly this fella walks up from the store and he's practically gushing. You can hear he has a slight accent and BINGO...he's gushing to the girls and I about how he's from Australia and he had a Blue that use to bite him constantly as a kid and did I know these dogs needed a job and were lots of work and that the people inside the store looking out at the dogs and I sitting on the bench (for the smokers and taxi waiters), were calling these dogs some sorta "Ozzie .... " but he forgot the breed but the ones from California but not Australia and I finished the sentence for him...Australian Shepherds. And how he knew these were not those and on and on. He was there for maybe two minutes and his partner came out with a smirk on her face and the groceries he had obviously abandoned and had her pay for and carry on out because, well uh, he seen ACDs. Totally made his evening I suspect. He left grinning and happy and like the others, thanking us and I am saying, "No thank YOU..." and it was all fun. I found my butt frozen to the metal bench and then Rick came out and said, time to go (he'd long ago finished his coffee but knew we were all having a wing ding of a time)...it was afterall a week night and we both hafta work in the morn. He referred to me and the dogs as being oblivious to the time flying by but all good.


So yeh, plans to do this again this evening are already in the making. Dogs were fed early (still not travelling too good in the crates, like bit sick but I see where they are getting better and better with it) and I have the crate pads in the wash and we'll go to town again after I drive bus.

Doggone & Chicken UP!

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

 

[perchie.girl]

aircraft cable.... guy wire.... control wire.... All sorts of uses. and yes wire rope. If it were Wire rope though it would have a fiber center.

Wireco is now http://www.wirecoworldgroup.com/

VERY big world wide company

Oops I was wrong about fiber center.

http://thecableconnection.com/cable-construction.html

They can all be considered wire rope.

deb back to lurkdome now

 

[Teila]

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Here's why I called out Teila...suddenly this fella walks up from the store and he's practically gushing. You can hear he has a slight accent and BINGO...he's gushing to the girls and I about how he's from Australia and he had a Blue that use to bite him constantly as a kid and did I know these dogs needed a job and were lots of work and that the people inside the store looking out at the dogs and I sitting on the bench (for the smokers and taxi waiters), were calling these dogs some sorta "Ozzie .... " but he forgot the breed but the ones from California but not Australia and I finished the sentence for him...Australian Shepherds. And how he knew these were not those and on and on. He was there for maybe two minutes and his partner came out with a smirk on her face and the groceries he had obviously abandoned and had her pay for and carry on out because, well uh, he seen ACDs. Totally made his evening I suspect. He left grinning and happy and like the others, thanking us and I am saying, "No thank YOU..." and it was all fun. I found my butt frozen to the metal bench and then Rick came out and said, time to go (he'd long ago finished his coffee but knew we were all having a wing ding of a time)...it was afterall a week night and we both hafta work in the morn. He referred to me and the dogs as being oblivious to the time flying by but all good.

 

[drumstick diva]

Tara will Lacey the lover, be penalized in the show ring for being too lovable? I would imagine the breed standard prefers a reserved demeanor like Emmy. How does Emmy behave at the vet's?

Like you I always felt Emmy was very close to Lacey in size, really shocked at the big difference in weight. No wonder Emmy can get airborne so easily. Also some photos look like Lacey is getting redder on her back etc. - other photos she is very light . Or my mind is playing tricks on me.

Seeing you and the girls have a new post, always brings a smile to my grumpy face. Thank you.

 

[scottcaddy]

Tara, I was wondering about the cable because like Rick I have a small spool of it, it has many uses.
I thought that the wire on the birdhouse looked like mine.
Scott

 

[CanuckBock]

Heel low:

Hmmm, oh the house smells ever so lovely...if' n yer a dawg...

Baked Liver

Melting continues...

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Places like the Man Porch are looking more and more inviting...

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It is SO hard to behave and realize, could get whomped with forty below if we are not careful. Ack...

aircraft cable.... guy wire.... control wire.... All sorts of uses. and yes wire rope. If it were Wire rope though it would have a fiber center.

Wireco is now http://www.wirecoworldgroup.com/

VERY big world wide company

Oops I was wrong about fiber center.

http://thecableconnection.com/cable-construction.html

They can all be considered wire rope.

deb back to lurkdome now

See...women and men, not the same...gotta love men though. The devil for women is in the details. From what Scott typed...I "think" the wire Rick used is the same as he has, but not completely certain.

With Deb, one knows she has turned this topic upside down and backwards, inside out even and studied the dickens outta something that caught her fancy.

Sure, there are yappy persons of both genders, but often I find the men folk will reply in single worded replies like "yup..." Often when Rick is tired from work, he will reply in one syllables...often because as he will tell me later when he is better rested...more words than one are just asking for a discussion and oft times, he's too tired to talk much.

I found out later that he really did want to go to a bigger center than the small town near us that had the playground...he felt it was gonna ace us more exposure to goings on of people (more dog showish than a quiet playground out in the boonies) but he chose to follow my lead and agree. Now that he's had a few days to rest a bit, he's all game to go in the opposite direction to a bigger town and then on to a city with the girls. Me, I just wanted to start off slow in case this turned out ugly for the girls. Thus far, Lacy loves the excursions, Emmy not as much. Last night before we left (45 minutes--long enough), Emmy started to drool...not the anticipation of food drool but more likely "can we go home NOW?" type drool.

Knew you'd getta charge outta that tale of tails...

Pic of the Em from this morn...so many more pics of the Lacy on this thread today...fair is fair! ​

Tara will Lacey the lover, be penalized in the show ring for being too lovable? I would imagine the breed standard prefers a reserved demeanor like Emmy. How does Emmy behave at the vet's?

Like you I always felt Emmy was very close to Lacey in size, really shocked at the big difference in weight. No wonder Emmy can get airborne so easily. Also some photos look like Lacey is getting redder on her back etc. - other photos she is very light . Or my mind is playing tricks on me.

Seeing you and the girls have a new post, always brings a smile to my grumpy face. Thank you.

Thanks back to you DD...ever so glad to turn that frown, upside down DD!

=

Yeh, the difference in the sheer size of the two gals...pity we sure have been BLIND...ha ha ha...so love goes, eh!

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It is not so much her back that is red, that part is white...

Longer fur, more like a dorsal stripe...​

As to Lacy getting redder on her back, more her sides or extremeties...more like Siamese C@ts, eh....colder extremeties in that breed are darker and I still figure sometimes the dogs are seasonal fur colour expressers too.

She is EVER SO lacy...Chantilly lace...​

Strictly speaking, in my opinion, Lacy should be judged at fault for being too lovey, BUT when judges are humans and have been bitten by mean dogs...you can emphasize with them on them like friendly, kissy, hug me love dogs. I mean I recall tales of people showing ACDs in Oz and the judge having a stryafoam cup in their hand to jamb down the ACD's awaiting jaws so the judge can speedily touch head, withers, and butt...there, I touched the JAWS welding monsters.

The Australian Cattle Dog breed Standard states:

Lacy has one eye with red eyelashes and now, the other eye has a mix, not just light eyelashes...blink blink...ever so SWEET!​

The ACD breed has not been commonly put up as Best in Show and quite likely because they have that "screw you" look about them. One of the reasons why yellow eyes is a disqualification in the breed, in my opinion, is that last thing you want on a dog like this is eyes that pierce right thru you and add yellow or say some I've seen in blue eyes...good gack...intimidating to the point it leaves your average human shuddering in their boots.

Which dog will be placed over the other...I mean it could boil down to the superficial opinion of preference over each colour variety...there are advocates of the blues, of the reds--based on nothing more than the person prefers THAT colour over the other. We are afterall only humans, eh.

Girls this morn--double trouble​

I mean upon first viewing in the breed, the Blue, Black & Tan ACD is incredibly stunning...and oft not, the reds, well they are more an acquired more subtle taste. Yes, Rick and I wanted a blue as our first ACD (Makins) but holy Hannah...the red colour did grow on you and we had our second purebred ACD HyBlade as a red and then Makins' daughter Fixins (a stunning dark rich not often seen red).

One of my fav parts on the Lace...them hoppy bun-bun bunny back feets

...the light markings on those dark footsies!​

Lacy's sire was one of those dark reds too and you can SEE that coming out in her as she colours up as she matures. That dark rich red. I had one judge comment on Fixins as a red that is not often seen as much as it should That judge obviously is human and had preferences. It is like not going for the flashy colours as you gain experience and understanding that sometimes the less common is to be appreciated based solely on the fact it is less COMMON.

SEE the red peaking thru even oh her tail?
She's getting richer red it seems every day now...​

Lace has been darkening up ever since her arrival...mostly a white dog when she came here...she is colouring up ever so nicely.


Anyway, there are always pros and cons and I guess whatever judge tallies up using their own scale of importance, that in itself is why you pay your entry, show your dog and accept the opinion of that judge at that moment in time. In the scale of importance, don't give a fig of much of anything as both girls are loved and the same spots are held for both of them. Fair is fair, and as dog kids, both are beauts. As with all things I have ever done in regards to showing...we show up with the VERY BEST and we go home with the VERY BEST. Some of the most butt ugly beings have made the greatest impact on my life...Standards of Perfection aside...

Quote:
Originally Posted by scottcaddy

Tara, I was wondering about the cable because like Rick I have a small spool of it, it has many uses.
I thought that the wire on the birdhouse looked like mine.
Scott

I believe it is not something one likes to purchase are current price but finding you bought some as part of an "Auction" box is always bonus. Not sure where we got ours but I expect, last you a lifetime.

He did purchase a bigger cable for the tarps for the Parking Building, but think it was not too terribly dear cost wise.

Doggone & Chicken UP!

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

 

[CanuckBock]

Heel low:

Getting to be a whirlwind of a time, eh.

Thought I better post today as who knows when I'll find the time again.

Mmmm...yummy...like chopped liver only BAKED! ​

Dogs are entered officially for dog show in April. Was a bit tedious as I had to send corrections in twice--twice because it took that many times to get the two corrections done up...kennel name wrong for Emmest's sire (same prefix on all the dogs...oh well), and Event Secretary had entered Lacy (named LADY) as a male...yeh...not sure on that but when is a "lady" a male but people do name dogs strange things I guess. As said, tedious but I <think> the girls are entered properly--senior puppies. Have a pre-paid catalogue ordered for the show too. Judging schedule will be mailed after entries close this week. Expect early on Saturday, afternoon on Friday and Sunday...but never wanna guess on that. The judge on Sunday judged the last ACD Club of Canada National Specialty...so should be interesting to see his opinion.

Girls are acting funny now...Lacy is getting timid on the lead and Emmy is staying very bold. I am gonna work more with Lacy to get her all full of herself on lead...not sure what is up but work, work, work on thru it.

Have stopped treating Emmy's ear (yeast infection appears to have cleared) and toned back her portion of kibs. I am sure glad we went to the vet's and I got to weigh them...reality sets in that the food monger (Em loves her food, Lacy loves her hugs) needed to be kibbled back a bit. Not the same size, eh. Hee hee...teach me for treating them as equals.

Done lotsa trips with them girls in the White Dog Bus. Gonna go to the conformation drop in days too--get the noise, busy, smelly get use to it somewhat dog show atmosphere done. Hoping the weather works out well as forecast is for snow but not seen any yet today. The moisture would be good...not alot, 5 to 10 cm...but there is ramping up that it is too dry...unseasonable early spring usually does that though.

Not the larger dog crate​

Got one of my garden carts washed up and Rick filled its tires back up with air. Drug out one of our large dog crates and cleaned that up. Use that between showing times for the dogs at the drop in conformation classes. Rigged it out with fur throw, stainless steel water pail and chew toys. Got one by the Ram Pasture gate too...for us to practise where one dog goes inthe crate and waits whilst I run the other one, running silly round the imaginary show ring! Quite the helter skelter ordeal to witness; old lady, young dogs...yeh! Laugh already...yuck it up!

Past weekend, Rick took us for a loser lap with the dogs in tow so I could buy a pair of brown dog showing booties...so got me shoes now fur showing.

Anyone that has not read the Old Folks Home post wanna take a crack at which bootie is laced up proper and which is not...

tied correctly - left one or right one?

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You be cheating if you read the BYC OFH post...so no guessing if'n yah did.

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Melty melty...

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And with that, slippy slip...

Some sorta curling game perhaps?

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Love how Lacy just lets Emmy do the pickup...

Spring time = soggy doggy bellies, and games...games than must include the use of icy surfaces!

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Lacy is EVER so cute...she's decided that a spruce cone is worthy of play pup time. Watch as she extends and retracts those puppy ice cleats.

<<Fling>>...there it goes skipping along

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She picks it up gentle like...she could pulverize the cone with no effort! Just see it in on the right poking outta her jaws!

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Tosses the cone again...

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The puppy antics, the anticipation that this is FUN!

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Whoops...think I distracted her from the game by taking so many clicks and laughing too much!

"What??"​

Leave it to me to ruin a good thing, eh.

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More clicks...this time of the '84 Red Chev...not sure the light quite was right but Rick had her out...so I clicked away...

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Rick changed out the tail pipes to newer thicker stainless steel ones. These were backordered since middle of December...takes a while for some stuff to come in.

Did up the last of the order for LMC (nfi) and she's being shipped out. Had to wait on one item that was backordered...we pay huge amounts for shipping, duty and taxes but will be nice to see the stuff arrive so Rick can put the stuff on his trucks. Spring time, usually he gets to visit his vintage truck hobby a bit...that lag time between winter and spring break up where it is still not the best of CONSTRUCTION time...

Nice days though...sat outside until the sun went behind a cloud and then it did feel like winter...again!

Lacy sucking up hugs from Dad...

Until she notices that maybe Emmy might have something she wants to be in on!!!

Sliced and diced yesterday...did up "goop" as Rick coins it...usually something Chinese food type based with lotsa veg...

Course my two taste testers tried the carrot, sugar peas, celery...got told good!​

Had bought some chicken legs/thighs, huge package for $10.50 which I shake 'n baked in the oven, afternoon prior...so added two legs per plate and heaped on the goop...

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Tonight, I got me chicken wings to do Chinese chicken Wing thing with and add more goop. Should be good.

Doggone & Chicken UP!

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

 

[scottcaddy]

I am a just a bit surprised that you thought that a young sales person would know the product that they are selling.
They should know, but so few have been properly trained anymore.
Good luck with the dog show, a pic or 3 would be nice!
Scott