Showing posts with label rural. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rural. Show all posts

Sunday, June 8, 2008

heat wave in effect



I like comments, so feel free to leave some. And don't forget to ask around if you know someone who wants to adopt Duke.

Here is the folder with all the videos.

The following needed leashes or for some reason are not in the blog: Berna... Captain...

Group one is Lucy, Lila, Moki, Cleo, Rocket, Clarence, Sophia. Here they come past the garden, my wife shouts that I have too many dogs out at once (which 7 is a lot with mine, makes 9 but I can't worry about that now!). Here the group goes through the hay field to the pond. This one is embedded above: who will swim, who wrestles for a stick. Now we are heading home. This field is not plowed so those are weeds you see there.

Lila notices the ducks across the pond in one of these and it's time to go.

Here you get a sense of how hot it is although this video is from about 7:30 am. These girls remain calm even when they see a whole pack of dogs.

Here my daughter gets in a puddle. Then we chit chat about Moki. Ollie comes by...

Here we have Macky, Shiela (who runs over to bark at horses), Sola, and Daisy. Sola hurt her foot breaking a fence this morning... she was trying to get INTO another area. Persistent. She's okay. Shiela does not like horses.

Same group as above with the whole family in on the Shiela chase. And Daisy takes an inopprotune poop and raids the food closet.

Sola is the last one home. Here, with whole family.

Olive, with Ollie riding his like-a-bike. Here. Some confusion between Olive and Oliver.

Duke, Olive, Ollie. More here.

Olive eating grass in the rose bush, Duke rolling, Ollie talking about fishing gear. Here.

Saturday, March 8, 2008

spring

Don't forget our dogs for adoption. Here. We've got more of wonderful Duke here. I like him, I tell you, nice dog.

To see all the movies, go here.

This is the video of the yard with Bill wrestling and all the others of course.

Maddox, Finn, Misui and someone else out for a toot. Here.

Some notes on our current residents first: Luna still hates me. Well, she at least doesn't like me. She doesn't, apparently like men in general, but that is hardly an excuse. I have to get Ollie, my son, who she likes just fine, to take her out for a photo shoot this morning (no school) so her people can see her not looking scared, which she does when I'm around. Although she's getting better.

Misui: I didn't trust him because he's a husky but his owner swore I could let him off the leash. As you can see in the videos below I did. What you can't see is that he proceeded to run off down the driveway and disappear. I put everyone else away, jumped in the car, headed to the road, called him. I heard some ice cracking on the pond and thought he might be out there. No luck. I stood around trying to decide what to do next when he appeared in the middle of the road only a few feet from me. I don't know how he did that. He was as happy to jump in the car and as happy to join the other dogs as he had been to run off.

I think roaming a mile or two is not running off to a husky. I think they have a bigger range mapped onto their heads than most dogs and that they don't mean to run off, just establish a range suitable to their aspirations. Unfortunately for their aspirations, their brain-map includes a range with streets, cars, neighbors, horses, cows, tractors, chickens and other stuff that they are not allowed to inspect.

Breed discrimination confirmed. No more huskies off leash. There is another dog camp that I saw online that doesn't take huskies. That's for fighting I think. That hasn't been a problem for me.

You know, I never read a book about dogs. I keep getting books for Christmas and birthday and so on... but the last thing I want to read about, frankly, is a dog. And the books are either 1) about dog behavior, kind of assuming you have to deal with them one or two at at time (not 20), or 2) about the dog business. The dog business books tell me I can't do stuff I want to do (leave them together or pick them up in the car with the others and expect them to behave) or talk about a lot of things I'm not interested in (bleach, concrete, etc.). I'm doing it all wrong. I can't do what I do. So I solve the problem by not reading!

But honestly, no one seems to do what I do, at least locally (free pick up and all that). Or do they? Anyway, there are 1.5 million dogs in my pick up area and I can handle a maximum of 50 so I think I will survive the coming long and awful depression. Keep on traveling folks!

And then if the dog thing doesn't work out, there is always... what's a good business to be in during a depression? Portfollio manager? Dairy farmer? I know: mailman.

And anyway, when it comes to pack management, their is no substitute for experience. I made a lot of mistakes over the years. I will definitely make some more. But I'm better. I haven't figured out how to train someone else, which would be the next step.

But I don't really know anything. My instincts are better. And I know most of the dogs.

And I still have 10 fingers.

Okay, more on the dogs here. Duke is still for adoption. He's a real winner. I like him a lot.

Betty Lou: she's not crazy about me either. We're getting better and I'm going to try some chicken on her this morning. We'll see if that finally makes her my friend.

Maggie Blue: She repeatedly dropped her tennis ball in the hole between the wood and the chain link fence and could not get it out. So she tried to eat the offending wire. I think wire should go nicely with that sock she ate the other day. The four basic Maggie food groups: socks, wire, drywall, and plywood. She's a healthy girl.

Bill: I'm worried he'll turn nice play into a fight. But he's having a ball wrestling with Gustov, I just have to let them go. The more they do it, the less likely it'll go bad... and they're having a ball.

All fine: Finn, Daisy, Maddox... good moods. Because it's srping. Unless it's me in a good mood imagining they are.

So Spring. It's early Spring, but it's Spring. For the first time I can remember, certainly since we've lived up here, I will miss something of winter. I think it's that I've been taking pictures and thinking about taking pictures in the winter and it is DYNAMITE for that. I mean winter. It looks great. The red barn look tremendous when there is no other real color around. And people look good in the winter, they stand out of the landscape. And sound: no birds. No bugs. Austere and only occasionally harsh.

But Spring is better. Ollie was not convinced by my color and sound argument. Here.

Thursday, February 21, 2008

perfect day

Scroll down and consider the dog for adoption below. Check out the skating video, which will not be available until noon EST. Schedule for dog pick up coming soon.

The full moon and eclipse were great. What a clear, beautiful night. The other day I went out to the wood shed at night, must have been a week ago, and got a load of wood, picking up some logs, when I heard, "Grrrrr..."

It was low. Kind of deep. The way it resonated, it was something bigger than a dog, or about that size.

You know what it was? No? Me either. I dropped the wood and high-tailed it back to the house and turned on the oil-furnace for the night. I don't like to send my money to Hugo Chavez or the King of Saudi Arabia to the extent I can avoid it but I also don't want to mess with some large-growling creature hiding somewhere in the wood pile.

I mean, it took 60 million years to make that oil but I only have two hands and need both of them. I picked the lesser of two evils.

Anyway, the moon. With the moon last night, I could confidently go out in the middle of the night and get some wood. It was like day, in Sweden in the winter anyway, with strong moon shadows and clear light.

And now today the birds are chirping, the sun is shining. The ice is still solid. The dogs are all in a good mood and have figured each other out and are down with the system, everything is going smoothly. The baby is sleeping in her crib now, my son seems to like math. A German magazine just bought a domain I registered in 1997 (and paid $15 a year since) for $5000.

Yikes, I'm about to jinx something.

John McCain can't keep his girlfriends out of the NYT. See, Barack can keep things quiet. He'd better, Michelle seems like a tough cookie. And they say he doesn't have experience! McCain is an amateur compaired to Barack. If he can't manage his extra-marital affairs, how can he deal with Iran?

On to the dogs.

Cedar, Boon, Daisy and Molly went skating. Here.

Bear didn't come... jumped in a car and sat there until we got back. Princess (1 and 2), Moki, Petra, Fletcher... anyone else? Here.

Here is old Dusty with the horses. Hear the birds?

Malachi: he goes for a walk every day and I might let him in general cirrculation... or not. We'll see. And he's a little skinny these days, maybe staying outside so much, as he likes to do, so he get's extra breakfast. Here.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

birds here, looking for spots already, even if there isn't much to eat

Today's story lines: Chachi (in the small dogs group) and Boon (in the big dogs) seemed out of sorts, kind of down or something. Chachi didn't leap off her bed and make it to the door first in the morning. She went back to bed. And Boon didn't follow me around like usual. So I decided those two need a little extra attention and they are now next to the house and spent a lot of time with people this morning...

Everyone else seemed fine. And both of my special cases seem to like things as they are now... they needed a break from the pack for awhile maybe.

Here are most or maybe all of the big dogs. Lulu was in a particularly good mood. Fletcher was up for some fetch. Then I wander in the house to check on Boon (and see above...)

More inside, big dogs. Here.

Now little dogs. Here. Jasper has to protect his little charge. Birds are back, even if there is nothing to eat yet.

Here's a good video:

Now Chachi and Boon and Dusty. Gustov takes Boon for a walk. Pretty funny, you should see this. Also, horses, lay of the property, my son banging on the window saying "Wolf!" meaning Boon looked like a wolf to him. Dusty is 15, blind and deaf. But he's doing great this week. Amazing.

And here are the laggards enjoying the sun, birds, and barking at the horses.

That's it for dogs. Now here are my kids. We let Ollie watch movies, but only these old Swedish versions of Astrud Lingrid stories dubbed into German. They are slow, long shots, quiet and in German. So much better that this trash Hollywood churns out. I could go on with the poison they dump on us but I will spare you. Anyway, Ollie likes to get Lotta to enjoy the movies with him, some company. And here they are again.

Sunday, February 17, 2008

ice skating, maybe for the last time this winter




It's about 9:15 AM EST and the videos will be up in a few hours... if the links don't work by noon EST let me know. Also, you can go to the main folder:

http://glencadia.com/videos/08feb16/

Look for previous entries if your dog isn't here. Also, you can always post a comment, like WHERE IS MY DOG? Then I'll make sure to get yours in the next one... worked for Scout's people. I like to know who's looking.

Hey guys, leave the poor old horse alone. Here.

Ducks or dogs? In this area by the pond. I could order a couple ducks online.

Cedar, Lucky, Princess (x2), Scout, Molly, Remy, ice skating, finding some dead stuff, eating manure... it's a party. Here.



Hay bales. Rocky, Boone (make a reservation in the system if you want your dog back one day! I have no info on you... nothing, not a phone number, nothing), Misui, Trouble, Fletcher, Sally. Here and here.

Saturday, February 16, 2008

coyotes

If you can't see quicktime and need something else (another format) let me know. If the links are broken try the main folder:
http://glencadia.com/videos/08feb16/

And leave a little comment at some point. Thanks to those that did.

I took some video this afternoon then forgot the camera in the barn. After getting the baby to sleep, I ran back out to get it and managed to get in and out of the barn without waking up the dogs, who were all quiet. I stepped out of the barn and heard a racket, all the dogs waking up and howling and barking. Damn, they didn't hear me come in but they must have heard the barn door on the way out. Then I noticed that a lot of the noise was coming from somewhere else. Some dogs across the field in the village? All the dogs in the village? Sounds like a lot. No, it was from the opposite direction, the woods. Coyotes. A lot. Yipping. Now that I had a chance to listen, it didn't sound like dogs at all. That's what riled up the dogs, or the dogs riled up the coyotes.

We're not in a real wilderness here. I think that is the second time in 4 years I heard that. I've seen the odd coyote --saw one walking in broad daylight by a farm south of here driving by, not far from the house too. Kind of cheeky. And my neighbor hunts them. I don't know what she does with them but there is a dead one in the back of her truck from time to time.

Anyway, 40 dogs and about the same in coyotes had a little shouting contest tonight.

Then my cat, who lives in the barn, high-tailed it to the house. She never wants to come in the house, has to be much colder than this. I think she didn't like the sound of those coyotes.

Now, comments. I got only two. If I don't get more comments, I will assume no one reads this and give up for awhile... up to you.

Jasper and Chippy reunion here. Miles, Macey, Teddy, Cloud, Wellington in here too.

Same as above plus Jake. Here.

In the house here. Yikes: what a pile of dogs. Cedar, Scuba, Princess, Moki, Molly, Jasper, Rocky, Misiu, Trouble.

Fletcher, Lucky, Princess, Molly, Trouble, Moki, maybe some more here.

Ollie and some cats. Here.

Chachi, Cloud, Teddy, Jake, Wellington, Chippy in a coat with Ollie at breakfast. Here. Jake growls at Ollie, it's okay.

Same bunch of little ones. Picked Teddy up and got scratched. This is turning into a disaster! Here.

Chirrpy and Ollie skating. Here. Horse watching. More here.

So many GOLDEN RETRIEVERS I can't keep them straight. Plus Remy, Misui, Scout, Edith, Norman, Molly, Ruby, More Goldens. Some fetch and then run in the house.

Cloud, Moses, Macey, Jake, Trouble, Harley, Miles, Chachi, Chirrpy, Teddy, Sawyer. Here.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

post storm blog entry

It snowed, then hailed, then rained last night exactly as predicted. Quite remarkable, the detail of the prediction and it's accuracy.

Here are the dogs that won't stay in a fence.

Here is my big old red barn. It's a 100 years younger than the house... and amazing. Built high to accommodate loose hay around 1900 with trunks that are incredible... especially for such a late period. They might have recycled older beams and re-hewed them because they are machine cut... anyway, it's a great building. I hope it's happy to be in use again. The roof leaks. I fix it and it leaks again... this summer I will patch it when it's hot and dry and that should be the end of it. Famous last words. The roof is 75 years old.

Here all the dogs. I had a video of Malachi not liking to walk on ice. I don't know what happened to it.

When the horse meet up in the morning they kiss and say hello. Here or here.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

dog camp and the environment... and a proper blog entry finally

http://glencadia.com/videos/08feb09/

That is the right link for the old videos. But today I will do a proper blog entry, with dogs named, write ups and clear links. Sorry for the delay in getting something nice and clean... if I can finish it before the school bus comes. The last videos are exporting now.

By the way, my old van is back to life. Still need a new one for the summer, though.

1. If you dog got picked up Thursday, 7 Feb 2008, I have your leash. I'm not supposed to have your leash. But I'm leaving them all in the car and hopefully I can get them back to you... but there will be two cars on Valentine's Day, so we'll see. You see why I don't want the leash...

2. Trouble is a terrific dog and no trouble at all... except that she can jump over the fence. She somehow uses the handle for leverage and it doesn't seem to be an athletic achievement, more a problem solving triumph. This is a wood fence 5 feet, 10 inches. I wanted at leash 6 feet but Dan wanted to cut it to make it even... and Trouble is taking advantage of her superior analytic abilities. The other dogs have seen her do it (I haven't seen it) but they can't copy her.

3. Olive, on the other hand, can get of the chain link fence. This is more of an athletic accomplishment. And I've seen how she does it. She uses the side of the barn for leverage and climbs the fence and she can only do it on one spot. Then she gets stuck between that fence and the next one.

4. Malachi was not playing nice so he's by himself. Also, he completely destroyed his bed before he got here, in the car on the way up. I hate dog beds. They are stuffed with this plastic crap, not biodegradable, and if I put them in the barn and they get shredded, the plastic gets mixed with the dog shit, wood chips and other crap in such a way that I cannot dispose of the waste in an environmentally friendly way (dump it in a hole in the woods and let it rot). So biodegradable stuff ends up in landfill. This is another reason to resist people giving me plastic stuff, chew toys, beds...

RANT: Dogs should never touch plastic or get factory produced presents. Give then old shirts, rags to rip up, dog beds of old sheets. Recycle! The dogs like that stuff fine. Don't but stuff for your dog! How about a can, or a used plastic bottle, or anything. They love hay, manure, wood chips, sticks, cans, blankets, wool, cotton... then dump it in the woods and let it rot. Okay, enough on this rant. And I like tennis balls to, old ones that are no good for tennis anymore.

Well, one more environmental issue. I think about how much driving I do with the dogs. One thing in my favor is that if everyone drove here, if I was doing dog boarding in a suburban or rural area, if would be more miles driven per dog than the way I do it. And I try to use the most efficient vehicle I can. That's why I drive the car when I don't have a lot of dogs: it gets over 30 mpg. The van sucks but it's better than a full size van.

Still, it is probably better for the environment for people in the city to take their dogs to a regular kennel with little space and have them pace back and forth on concrete when they go on vacation. Or even better, not have dogs. Or even better we could all stay home and not travel.

And eventually this would end up with misery for all.

5. Old Moses is 15... I think. He keeps on trucking. He didn't seem to like the car ride even though he got to sit up front. He seemed a little woozy. But he's fine now.

6. Charlotte and Freddy are awfully cute with each other. Freddy (the Boston Terrier) won't come when I tell them it's their turn to go for a walk or when I try to get them to go into the warmest room and sit under the lamp, so I get charlotte to do it and then Freddy follows. They have to be together. And they act a little nervious sometimes, both at the same time, so I thought they might take off and run away. They won't, now I trust them off the leash. They are tremendously loyal to each other... maybe Charlotte more to her little friend. Touching.

Okay, let's get to the videos. Here are all of todays in one folder.

Wait, this has no dogs in it. But some good stick to it ness in here.

Here's what I mean about the dog bed. Plus Scuba, Freddy, Hanu, Sawyer... And I get a stick right in my eye, Freddy get's taken for a walk by my dog Gustov.

Same as above... of course if Freddie is there, so is Charlotte. Here.

Hanu, Sally (chasing horses), Moses, Lucky, Sajj... Here. Hanu made himself scarce when the first group was going home and managed to go out again with the second group. Nice work.

Sajj, Scuba... these guys are just too angelic to get write ups. What's interesting about perfection?

Lucky has a flaw, so there's something interesting to write: He likes to be the boss.

Same group as above. Sally as naughty as before. Here. Again here.

Last but not a bit least, Olive, with no fence to jump, as she likes it. She really doesn't like to be on the wrong side of a fence. So she has to do this.