*HaPPy NeW YeaR*

Wishing all of you a Happy New Year!

May you each find happiness with each new day, good health, and a desire to love and be loved. May you be quick to forgive and quick to ask for forgiveness. May you take time to hold a hand of someone dear and listen with an open ear. May your troubles and sorrows be few and may each of your days end with a smile and a prayer of thanks.


I have a few journals scattered throughout my home with no daily writings just tidbits of things I want my children to read one day, random thoughts, ponderings of what has been on my heart at different times in my life.

As I close the final chapter on 2010 I feel as though I've reached for a book with clean white pages and it's waiting to be filled with what the next 365 days will hold. I know not what will be written it's a mystery what all the tomorrows will bring and so let the new chapter begin with as my dear lil' Sloan would say.....Once Upon A Time!

Happy Trails.....Ginger

2010 Last Blog Entry

This morning Huachuca Mountains showing first snow for this winter season. Snow at the house melted very quickly yesterday then later anything wet froze solid. Today is bitter cold with flurries and wind. The cold front is sitting instead of moving like predicted.
A pat of alfalfa made all the hens and roos happy. There is ever vigilant Elvis.
Hens were curious when I pulled the ice from one of their water troughs. Peck, peck, peck at ice. Silly chickens.
Warm spring like weather the past few weeks tempted a creepy crawly to come out. No idea what crawled out the 2 inch hole but I'm guessing it's frozen now.
Gate watchers, only Chelsea is allowed to barn this morning. Too cold to keep track of others if they decide to run off. Tumbleweeds keep piling at this gate.
Horses staying in blankies all day. Wind chill is still around 27 degrees. The stalls have thick rubber mats but I sure wouldn't want to lay there without something to wrap up in.Yikes, this cold is no way to ring in the new year!

Let It Snow AZ Style

That "Let It Snow " snowman door decoration took me seriously. It was only 40 out and rainy, windy. A little while later.... wet heavy snow flakes.
Empty hen yard. No lounging and dirt bathing today. Hens took refuge in the smaller coop.
There is a heavy clear plastic under sun shade cloth on back wall. Maybe why they like the lighter coop for daytime roosting. Silly Silky Elvis eventually ran out to check for straggler hens. I filled a small feeder with scratch and gave them a water bowl inside. Funny, there is no hen squabbling going on.

Poodle play! No mountain views today.
Chel doesn't go with others.
Looks like Chelsea has had enough of this wet snow.
Wonky still seems excited to play.
View from coop. Mouse is high-tailing inside. At this point, so am I !!!

Weather report shows clear and sunny by Tuesday, temps around 60.

More gfawing

Jackson's mom went out yesterday and bought him a set of booties so his feet wouldn't get wet when he went out - WHAT A WUZ!!!!! He stood there in his new booties too scared to move and when he finally did he looked like a duck waddling! I have never laughed so much it was just so dog-gone funny. As for Maggie and Mitch mistakingly calling me queen of the house, you have adding insult to injury by now calling me the femine version of my name Riley - my name is Reilly. It is just lucky I have a soft spot for you two, so I forgive you :)

Jazzi's Gift Exchange Surprises!

Today we went to the Post Office and picked up a package that arrived while we were in Seattle for the Christmas holiday. (*Actually two packages from Rockford, IL...long story for later.) It was from our buddies in Jazzi's gift exchange, Lil and Angus!! Lil and Angus are Scotties and they sent BabyRockegtDog a large stuffie duck and sent me a giant, white, furry moose. Most excellent!! Baby desqeaked and destuffed her duck immediately, so it is now awaiting the stuffie fairy for reconstruction. Actually I ended up helping her by playing tug of war with it. BUT, when I opened my stuffie I wouldn't allow her to come near him. He is so soft and squeaky and mine all mine!! There was even a gift for Mommy from Evil Ed the Basset, Lil and Angus's brother's pooch: Fancy jewelry with hearts and a Scottie. WooWoo!! And last but not least, there were 2, yes, TWO jars of homemade doggy treats (with fancy paper plates and matching napkins!!!). Oh man we're in poochie heaven!! Gotta go now. My moose needs me to hug him some more.

WelshieKisses & Hugs,

Hootie

ps-*BabyRocketDog hopes to have a post with pics in the near future too.

Gfaw gfaw

Chuckle chuckle tee hee - Jackson called mom GRANDMA today!!!! For some reason she didn't seem very impressed. It is pouring down with rain here today and Jackson has stepped up "one" in my opinion as he doesn't like getting his feet wet either and any dog that dislikes water as much as I do can't be all that bad - that being said he still has a long way to go before I will accept him as part of MY family. Oh and I must point out to Maggie and Mitch that I am KING of my home not queen!!!!! Please, it's bad enough that humans think I am a girl but my furry buddies doing the same - sigh!

Ready for Predicted Cold Weather

Horse stalls clean and blankies at the ready.It does not get anywhere near as cold as it did in WA state but Mooser is getting older now. Want to keep both geldings comfortable.
Some spilled hay scooped up to put in Bachelor roosters coop.
The white Silky roo sleeps on floor, others sit on roost pole. Oops, there is Rowdy roo in the fresh hay tonight.
I think when hens lived with Silky roo they made him stay on the floor and it became habit. LOLChicken feed station. Scratch bucket, shavings and kibble cans. Neighbor gave us a couple of pumpkins and the chickens love that pumpkin. I give them a big slice every couple days. They stuff on the flesh and don't even want their scratch!
The little Bantam Frizzle wants to sleep on coop floor. She is in the smaller coop with just three others that roost there. I'll get her some hay piles, the shavings are not deep enough to keep warm in.

I think the tiny brown egg is Frizzles since she is now old enough to lay. A tiny egg shows up about every other day.
Zoey needs cleaning up! But will just clip face and feet then scissor body hair, too cold out now for shaving down.
Ok, all is ready for coming freezing rain and snow by Friday. (((sigh))) I cannot complain because we've had weeks and weeks of mild temps.

Meet Jackson

May I present the latest addition to our family. Meet IT - oopps I mean Jackson. As I mentioned before he is a miniature wire haired dachshund of about 7 months of age and weighs 8 pounds. Now even though he has the tiniest legs I have ever seen, don't be fooled for this little guy can move. He is like a speeding bullet, he runs around like crazy! As you can see in the photo, his tail never seems to stop wagging either! Mom can't help laughing at him as he has of gray fur on his head that looks like a little mowhawk (what ever one of those is). She says this will get more pronounced as he gets older. He is a spunky little guy and not at all phased about me - I on the other hand am certainly bothered by him and this constantly wanting to play business. It is kind of fun and kinda scary too - and can you believe it MY DAD called me a "wuz" because I keep running away from Jackson. I mean to say - who knows what damage those sharp little teeth could do!

We Are All A Little Tired

Lazy day today. I put some swapped blocks on the wall. These are from Bonnies free patterns- Bricks and Stepstones. I just love a scrappy quilt, especially if it has black and white.
For Christmas I get a Poodle Calendar every year and use it to keep track of all things poodle. I look back at birthdates, who was coming and going while fostering, etc. I see Chelsea and Mouse are due for vaxing in Jan.
Mouse and Dodger snuggling. Our weather is getting colder, freezing temps in a day or two.Not looking forward to being outside. Brrrr, hafta find gloves and knit hats.

Sisters ....My Forever Friends!

I truly hope each of you enjoyed a Happy Christmas. I'm still watching Christmas movies they are my favorite shows. I managed to get most of the decorations boxed up and just need to get them back in the attic. Just need a lil' help from Danny!

I've pulled the last loops on this scrappy rug now just need to get it steamed and BOUND. Looks like one more scrappy rug will be made since I still have a basket full of worms.



I must say I'm so blessed to have 3 sisters that live close. We enjoy almost every holiday together along with our families.

It's almost time to ring out the old year and ring in the new! Did I accomplish much in 2010....I sure did! Something that both Danny and I did was read our Bible completely through. I must say it was quite hard but I did learn a lot and realize I have a LOT more to learn.

I'm not sure what 2011 will hold but I'm going to try and CHERISH each day, tell those around me I LOVE them, try to have more PATIENCE, PRAY more often, and ENJOY my friends and family, and COUNT MY BLESSINGS large and small.

Happy Trails.....Ginger

What a day

What a day I had yesterday. First I had a bath, then I got blow dried all over. After that mom trimmed the fur on my feet, around my little boy bits and under my tail. THE INDIGNITY OF IT!!!!!! Then mom cut my toe nails and dog oh dog did she feel bad when two of them started to bleed. They bled for nearly hour and mom was getting quite worried. Now admittedly it was my own fault as I tugged my foot just as she went to cut them but we are not going to let her know that are we. Mom put some gauze and a sock over my foot after she cleaned it all as I was leaving little bloody footprints on the carpet. Of coarse it finally stopped but I had to take advantage of the situation and kept giving mom my best "you hurt me" look which also means "you had better make this up to me by playing" Isn't it wonderful how expressive our eyes can be and what we can get when we use them to our advantage :) This morning I am just fine but I will remember that trick next time I want something. Oh, mom did put styptic power on my toes (which is suppose to stop bleeding) but it didn't help at all.

Christmas Get-Away

Wishing all a nice holiday.... We made a dash for the mountains and landed just in time for Christmas Eve sundown.... This little tree seemed to like our few ornaments.
Dad and I played the "it's snowing" game! Of course, I try to eat all the chunks of snows heading my way :)

Oh....and a pressie appeared in the little Christmas branches..along with a Milk Bone Ornament gifted to us by a neighbor who works at Sill Life Gifts. They make some amazing pieces.
Can you see the golden bone?

It was a pressie for mom....can you guess what it was? Hmmm...think think think.

No gentle-wrapper opening for this pressie....

Of course I helped manage the paper! Still guessing? From photo no. 5 in this post... Mom got a tripod! Happy mom :)

After lots of camera play, we headed to dinner at the Kirkwood Inn, and then to the Community Association for a Christmas Service that included much caroling. It was a nice evening, and I was even a very patient doggie during the service.

Saturday dawned with tremendous winds. Not much downhill skiing happening, so we found walks to do and things to check out. Above we see frozen ice and falls in the Red Cliffs area.

Inspecting the snow pack. Yes, there's lots of snows here.

We had our fun in the meadow at the base of Kirkwood Resort...

Watching out for Mr. Get-out-of-my-way!

Love this game! "Find It!"

Still lookin'!

Heehee! Up for air :) We didn't lose any balls this trip, whew!

Oh...and more smiles for mom. Dad gave her a new little super cool camera. The Panasonic Lumix. So much fun taking photos. And, so convenient for a pocket!

Lots and lots of mountain photos. Sunday made for a more pleasant ski day. About 12inches of new snow fell overnight, and much less winds. Mom and dad got in a few runs on the ski hill.

Dad in grey below...pondering his next turn. I was always ready for more rolls in the snow and "find it" games! The weekend was again over too soon....and we made our way safely and slowly down the very slippery mountain towards home. Ahhh... Have a nice week pals!