Snowy Daze

We had a nice snowfall at home here. Now, the sun is out and it's just beautiful outside.

Mattie

Can you find the Smithfield Sheepdog in this picture?

Scott - not listening to me again.

Scott got caught with snow on his nose


This looks like an ant to me

Japanese Maple branches

Snowy branches up close

Backyard facing East

Snowy Chicken Yard

Snowy fence - isn't this the most beautiful thing you've ever seen? I love my new fence.

Snowy house.

Snowy neighbor

Snowy road

Snowy spaniel.

Snippets and Snowflakes

For some reason I've had a hard time finding free time to do things like update blogs and such, so here is a quick overview of the past couple weeks.

Easter came on Sunday. We had it at my house - 7 adults and 1 four year old and three dogs. A little hectic but ended up being a good time.

It snowed today - that's pretty crazy considering it's Mid-April! My camelias are not going to like this one bit. I hope my budding tulips will be okay...

Scott on our walk in the snow this morning

My flowering cherry trees and pink camelia bushes, in bloom with snow on them. Yikes.

I hope the snow melts off the Hybrid before I have to go out tonight!

Last week, for work, I drove to Spokane and back to give a 10-minute 7 am presentation to the Customer Service group over there. I stayed at the Davenport Hotel in downtown Spokane, which was a really nice place inside, and it's close to Nordstrom and allows dogs to stay there for no extra charge, so I took Lucky with me. The only thing is that the streets around the hotel feel like the U-district with regard to the personalities roaming around, and this happens to be in the "nice" area of the city. I'm a bit of a tough-nut when I travel alone so I don't get bothered, or haven't yet anyway, so it was all good. There was a great coffee shop next door as well who served great lattes - Blues Brothers Coffee I think. Here are some pics from that trip:

Lucky sprawled out on the King sized bed. He settles in quickly.

This is the view from my hotel room. Yuck. The FOX tv station sign was rotating right in front of me.

On the drive home through beautiful Eastern Washington. Sunny skies but still only about 58 degrees outside. Better than snow I guess.

A few Saturday's ago I helped Diane out with "processing" the new lambs that have been born this Spring on her farm. Basically, I was the lamb wrangler. This involved stalking them, grabbing them, holding them on my lap for their first immunizations, flipping them on their backs for their first toenail trimming and tail "banding" and then a hold-up for a nice spray of paint on their backs (red for girls, blue for boys). I did this 33 times and my muscles were sore for days. It is a total work out. The weather was great though and we didn't rush the process so it was actually fun! I fell in love with the littlest hair sheep she has there at the moment... so cute. And, one of her Doerfler sheep had a all black sheep too this year. I love black sheep and I beleive every sheep farm needs one black sheep ;)

This is a Katahdin hair sheep with her twins

The baby white sheep in the back is the Precious one. And you can see Blackie the black lamb in the foreground here. Maybe Diane will name them Yin and Yang ;)

Spring Snow

It's March 29; nine days after the first day of Spring, and we awoke to snow this morning. It's now 9 a.m. and starting to melt/rain. However, I was able to get outside and get some nice shots.

These are the woods we walk through every morning and night during our Scott/Lucky walks.

Daffodil

Flowering Cherry


Flowering Cherry Blosson - this bloom will be ready to burst in about 4 days I would bet.


Daffodil - next to house.

I also got some pictures of Scott and his neighborhood girlfriend - we refer to her as "Chow Chow." She is our neighbor's dog - she is 12 and deaf and as a typical Chow Chow is, not sociable to people. She does like to greet Scott though, and Scott always perks up to say hi to Chow Chow...

Scott & Chow Chow
Scott posing for a nice picture in the snow

Our road we walk every morning and night

Snow Insanity

You know, I really don't think Scott is liking this particular snow storm. He's here at the end of driveway, looking for a place to mark probably, and he's can't find anything. There is about 5-6 inches on the ground at this time (about 10 a.m. this morning).

I took both sheep dogs outside at the same time - Mattie on lead of course, just in case another dog in the neighborhood decided to go out too. You can see the size of these flakes coming down - it's insane.

Looking down our road... We live on a hill, and then our driveway is also a little hill. We have the most excellent sledding hill in our backyard. I'm sure Jerill and I will be out there tonight!


YakTraks are $25 rubber/steel things that you stretch over your shoes to prevent slips on ice. These were quite the investment as neither Jerill nor I shovel snow.

I've been simmering a lamb leg all day - I hope it comes out good. I didn't use a recipe, just sauted some onion and garlic, added broth, added some old tomatoes I had, a 1/4 cup of port wine and a tablespoon of English Mint Sauce (not jelly but watery, vinegary, minty stuff). I've peaked a few times into the pot and it smells/looks delicious. I'm going to also put a risotto together.

So, it's obvious by my picture taking and my evening dinner simmering on the stove that I worked at home today. I just didn't want to struggle to get to work in traffic and snow and potentially get rear-ended in traffic or slide into a ditch along my own road (how embarrassing). I'm staying in.

I discovered a new cocktail this weekend though that you should all hear about: the Sidecar. OMG these are yummy. Check out this site for history of the drink and how to make it. http://www.esquire.com/drinks/sidecar-drink-recipe (and no, I wasn't reading Esquire.com,it just happened to come up close to the top in my Google search on Sidecar Drink Recipes).

Another thing as the snow continues to build outside, I thought itwould be a hoot to share my dogs' astrological forecasts with you. I just learned this weekend that Scott is a Gemini (born June 6, 1999). Well, this was quite a shock for me since Mattie is a Gemini too (and I'm a Gemini as well which really means we have 6 personalities between the 3 of us). Lucky, the little stinker, is a Virgo. Here is what the Internet says about my dogs and their astrological destinies...

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Gemini: The Yapper
The Gemini Dog will be restless, versatile, exuberant...and many other things as well...all at the same time. He or she is easily able to communicate feelings (whatever such feelings might be) and will soon have any owner well-trained. This split-personality dog is, in essence, an eternal puppy, quickly bored and requiring constant attention. Physically, the Gemini Dog is likely to be slightly underweight due to the fact that he or she goes everywhere "at the double." An alert and graceful creature, the nervous energy of the Gemini Dog enables this canine to keep going all day, should the need arise...and even when there is no need. However, the minute the Gemini Dog is asked to undertake anything boring or mundane, he or she will be overcome by nervous exhaustion and collapse into a shivering, twitching, hyperventilating wreck. A puppy governed by Gemini is sure to bring chaos into any home. To this little soul, everything will be new...the house, the people, the garden...and the happy pup will be more than content to explore, anxious to learn everything about his or her new surroundings and those with whom he or she is going to be living. The length of this "Indian Summer" will depend upon every variable possibly imagined...the number of rooms, number of people and size of the garden, to name but a few. In short, a Gemini Dog oozes charm and it is not long before he or she will have the entire family (and most of the neighborhood) wrapped around his or her dew-claw.

The Gemini Dog is difficult to train, firmly believing that he or she knows what is best. However, if the impatience of a Gemini Dog can be overcome, then an owner will soon be able to teach this canine an entire battery of tricks...anything from "playing dead" to somersaulting through flaming hoops, for this is a dog who loves to "show off." With fleet-footed Mercury as his or her Ruling Planet, the Gemini Dog is one of the Zodiac's fastest runners and, not surprisingly, any Greyhound born under the influence of this sign is likely to enjoy much success at the race track.

It is important to note that the only time an owner will be absolutely sure of the whereabouts of the Gemini Dog is when he or she is attached by a leash. The remainder of the time, it will be anyone's guess. Much like the "Elephant's Child," who always wanted to know more, this canine will be inquisitive and enquring. The Gemini Dog thrives in new environments and will love it if the owner houses he or she with a friend for a few days. This is, however, a dog which tends not to be overly-faithful and, given the opportunity, may run away forever.

It takes the strength of personality found in a Leo native to help the Gemini Dog become more decisive, and a natural sympathy between the two usually ensures compatability. Aquarius owners, being broad-minded enough to allow things to follow their natural course, will also find the Gemini Dog to be a suitable pet.

Virgo: The Helper
The Virgo Dog is a genuine domestic creature, more resigned than any other Sign of the Zodiac to play the role of pet. In fact, he or she will feel totally comfortable in this position and accept it without a single murmur. This canine will be in his or her element as a friend and companion living with humans, and will strive to be the perfect pet. The Virgo Dog considers being told what to do as a pleasure...it also saves him or her the trouble of having to think up something. There will be no unpleasant surprises for an owner who returns home to the Virgo Dog since this canine is the cleanest and most hygenic of the Zodiac.

Physically, the Virgo Dog is strong and muscular but requires a lot of exercise when in good health. Unfortunately, this canine is also the hypochondriac of the dog world...a single flea, for example, and he or she will be convinced the pesky parasites are covering the entire body from head to toe...or a simple stomach upset, and the Virgo Dog will be certain that he or she has salmonella poisoning. The Virgo puppy will be easy to handle in the beginning, but as he or she gets older, trouble is bound to start. This canine is determined that his or her life be filled with beauty and nothing but the best will suffice...the most comfortable chair, the most delicious of food, the most luxurious of surroundings. The Virgo Dog will never be found sleeping on a hard floor and is sensitive to discomfort in much the same way as the fairytale Princess was to the irritating pea. The Virgo Dog tends to spend a great deal of time in the garden, communing with nature as he or she weeds, digs and generally makes a mess.

The Virgo Dog is never happier than when he or she is doing something for the owner. This canine will take over some of the many chores which pile up during the day...bringing in the laundry, counting the socks, clearing the table, for example. However, this truly helpful dog does not always get it right. As a creature of routine and habit, this canine will expect to be fed and walked at the same time every day. Generally, sheep dogs and working dogs governed by Virgo thrive very nicely, working from dusk until dawn and content in the productive nature of his or her employment. Since Virgo traditionally rules small animals, however, even toy dogs such as chihuahuas tend to flourish under this sign.

All Virgo Dogs are loyal and expect the same steadfastness from any owner. It should be noted, however, that this dog does not take kindly to small children. Being trodden on and grabbed does not suit the Virgo Dog one bit. Neverthless, he or she will be receptive to cats...a creature this canine appears to adore regardless of shape or color. Indeed, the owner of a Virgo Dog would be well-advised to bring a feline into the home.

Natives of Taurus and Capricorn tend to make the best owners for the Virgo Dog, sharing some of the earthy elements and even the penchant for cats. Basically, however, owners born under any Zodiac Sign will enjoy the company of this canine...with the possible exception of Scorpio subjects who tend to perceive the Virgo Dog as a tedious flatterer.

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Okay, the stuff about Gemini Dogs being hard to train because they think they know more than their handlers but they are fast and exceed at everything and anything you want them to do, and their "roaming" nature is true to the core.

And for the Virgo dog, I honestly couldn't have described Lucky better here! It's dead on. Especially the part about being a hypochondriac, getting salmonella poisoning, staph infections, hives... and I just love the bit about Virgo sheepdogs/working dogs are really great workers. Lucky does do flyball and although his knees give out on him, he still wants to keep going - perhaps that is what they are talking about here?

Here is the website I lifted this from: http://www.astrologyweekly.com/sun-signs/dog-horoscopes.php

Weather or not

CRAZY snow! I thought last year was snowy but this is crazy. The Premera MLT campus is closed today, but I'm still working at home doing some teleconferences and programming a questionnaire. It snowed much of the weekend here in the Valley (and in the Big City of Seattle). Plus, we had some major wind-action as well with 50-60mph winds and 75mpg gusts. Thankfully, all of the trees in our neighborhood stayed upright.

Saturday was actually the best day of the week to go out in the car, so I took off for downtown Seattle to get some shopping done, but most importantly, to get to my hair appointment at Mode. I love my stylist, Molly. She and I click and I think she enjoys me as a client as I let her do some fun things with hair. So, I'm sporting a chic asymmetrical bob, flat ironed out, with BRIGHT red on the top and dark underneath - it blends beautifully. In fact, I have a picture that Jerill took because we are using this pic as my ski-pass pic...

Poor little Hybrid... the car hasn't been driven in a week now. I did brush all the snow off it after taking this picture as I felt bad for it. In this weather, I'll be relying on my Honda CR-V to get in and out of our driveway! The CR-V does great in the snow actually and I'm very comfortable driving it in this weather.

Poor Hybrid

Here's our main backyard

And our house, all snowy

Lucky has been having a hard time getting around in the deep snow (about 9 inches now and over a foot in some drifts!). He gets stuck and then starts to get a little panicky. I've been carrying him out to the road where it's not too deep. Mattie is in heaven with the snow; however, she gets really snow-bally and then melts out in the house. Scott gets little snow-balls stuck in his paws but that's really all that he has happen to him.

I groomed everyone this morning - brushed and trimmed Lucky and Mattie and brushed Scott out too. They all seem to enjoy their grooming times now - Mattie doesn't snap and growl anymore... she seems to go to her "happy place" and even gets a little cuddly.

Challenge

I was just given a blog-challenge from www.deltabluez.blogspot.com.
Basically, Here are the rules of the challenge:
1. You get selected
2. Go to the 6th folder and get the 6th picture
3. Post it and spill the beans
4. You pick someone else

Well, it turns out that my 6th folder in my generic PICTURES folder is "Mattie & Kuro Movies." And, in there were only 4 movie files, so I chose the last one, which is 50 seconds long and titled, Mattie, Kuro and the Bee.

Mattie, Kuro & the Bee: Kuro is Diane Pagel's (my herding instructor) gorgeous Scottish bred Border Collie (he is nearly 1 year old now, and probably 7 or 8 months old in this video). We took care of Kuro for a few months in the Summer while Diane underwent some health events. We LOVE Kuro and, as you can see in this video, so does my dog Mattie, the Smithfield Sheepdog. Mattie and Kuro would play like this for at LEAST 45 minutes every night that we had him with us. In this particular footage, you can see Kuro taking a bit of a whoopin' from Mattie, and his desperate attempts to find his magical "Busy Bee" in the basket of dog toys which, I seem to think, he believes will stump and confuse Mattie and make her go away. Or, he was inspired by the pest control "Rid-Ex" commercial on the TV, playing in the background. Kuro is one smart cookie!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4x4mkAH5IA&feature=channel_page

So, we are having some significant snow event right now - about 6 inches of snow has accumulated thus far (probably will end up being around 9 inches by tomorrow morning). It has been very cold for over a week now. The ground outside is frozen - I don't believe the dogs have ever experienced Perrma-Frost before (well, maybe Scott has since he lived in Canada for 6 years). I've been feeding my wild birds and squirrels a variety of breads and seeds today - it disappears in about an hour. Very hungry little forest creatures!

I took a glamour shot of Scott out in the snow today...

Here Scott is running up our sledding hill yard...

Mattie & Scott

I want to get my skis out. Yes - I got a limited snow-skiing pass this year, it's my very first one ever. I have skied probably 9 times now in my entire life, and 8 of those times were over 10 years ago (excluding Cross Country). I do have my own equipment now and a great support team comprised of Jerill, Andy, Amy, Liz and Laird. I just realized I really should be getting in shape physically actually in order to not hurt myself up there!

It's my father's Birthday today so we are going to the Casino Buffet for dinner - Snow or not, nothing will keep Pops away from all-you-can-eat crab legs and prime rib!

Perspectives 1

I'm not one to complain, too much. Sure, I have a tendency to whine a bit and my voice will go into that screechy tone once in awhile, but there are some things that just demand a good bitching. For instance, let's take neighbors who let their little, ratty dogs start barking EVERY morning at 6 a.m. including weekends. What is up with that? Doesn't it bother them to the point they will try to get their dogs to shut up? When my dogs bark in the house it bugs the crap out of me and they get a correction. Shame on those neighbors who let their cougar-bate sized dogs run around unsupervised and letting them bark, chase people, bikes and cars and bark at ME when I'm in my own freaking yard.

Now, because it snowed this weekend, let's get started about the drivers around here.

Has anyone ever heard of "keeping a safe distance between you and the car in front of you?" Why do retard drivers cut into that space then? In situations where I'm around these types of morons I tend to always have the same fantasy - it's about me behind the wheel of a 1987 Ford LTD Crown Victoria coupe and just running, no... make that drifting carelessly, into people who really deserve it. Cutting me off in a snow storms tells me you want to get hit hard. So, in my magical Ford LTD (did I mention it would be baby blue) I would be safely nestled within 3 tons of steel - while you, in your rattle-trap 4Runners, X5s and Dodge Ram pickups (the last of which may pose a bit of a challenge for the LTD) would heed the power, the stability and the sheer, raw brutality of "Baby Blue" - so aptly named.

See in the picture below how it doesn't even fit in the parking spot? The LTD may be ugly but it is a very awesome piece of machinery I have to say and it's super comfortable. I've actually driven a late 80's LTD before so believe me, I know what I'm talking about when I say the car is totally kick-ass...

Picture courtesy of Wikipedia.org

The snow storm at our house pretty much sucked. We didn't get too much snow compared to the lower valley or even in the Eastgate / Seattle area. I drove the Hybrid into work today and we did just fine.

Herding News: Saturday morning I had my 2nd herding trial ever. The drive to Long Branch, WA was tedious given the snow storm, fallen trees I had to drive through (wishing the CR-V had brush guards for that!) and the stupid idots who follow too closely, but I made it on time. I ran Scott in Pro-Novice and in Ranch again. And, my trainer was also at the trial (she is in what's called the "open" class - where the experienced handlers go with their experienced dog. Scott is an "open" dog, and I'm the novice handler, so that's why we're in Pro-Novice classes). Anyway, Scott and I didn't do so well - we got fourth out of five dogs running. My trainer went over where I went wrong though and we'll be working on that stuff for the future. But get this, after my trainer ran her own dog, Tess, in the open class (and she didn't do so hot), she let me run Tess in Pro-Novice. I haven't worked with Tess in months but she is an excellent, forgiving dog who knows her work. So, with Tess, I got first place! And, I ended up beating my trainer's own score with her own dog! It was surprising but felt very nice to win something! Now, I just have to start winning with Scott since he's technically my dog now.