Sadie The Retriever

Sadie's first night home gave us some entertainment and little sleep. Not being familiar with each other, she found places to "Den", peeking out to observe the situation. As the evening went on she would sneak out from behind the chair and pick up one toy at a time. The first piece of furniture to become initiated by her tiny, SHARP teeth. Electric and computer cords have seemed to become automatic chew toys for her.

This puppy has one absolutely challenging habit at this age. Chew! Chew!! Chewing!!! Oh YES, Did I say C-H-E-W-I-N-G?!? Diverting her attention has been one thing. Holding her little mouth closed and telling her "NO" firmly, short time outs in the kennel, have been other methods of getting her attention. Another suggestion I have also read about is to place a bitter-taste on the focus of the teeth puncture wounds or ripping. Patience and being consistent will bring positive results. The first full day of being home,with trips outside every two hours, there weren't any potty problems...Soon to change in the next couple of days. I am getting to see what her cues are for us to be getting on our way out the door.

Particular noises around the house are becoming less of an anxiety trigger as we reach almost a week together come tomorrow evening.

At 9 weeks of age she is most definitely a sniffer ; catching the scents in the neighborhood.

-Some Good Things she has learned-

1.Going up and down three deck steps on her own. 2.Learning her name in a very short amount of time. 3.A free foot warmer while sitting at the computer. Sadie found a stick on one of our early morning excursions,on her second day home,and carried it very proudly like any "Retriever" would...

Sadie's Saga

In the beginning Daffy and Charlie decided to have a family together at Countryside Kennels in Madison,S.D. On Tuesday, March 18th, 2008 , Daffy gave birth to the litter from which a very special puppy to me would come to be. The thought of becoming a dog owner began late last summer. So began the search for the "Right" one. For a while I tried to put the need down. Trying to convince myself that it wouldn't be a beneficial decision. Reasoning away why it wasn't something I should do. In February, being stuck inside with some not so nice weather, the puppy looking began again. Found some possibilities in all four directions from central Iowa, but with them already being 9 weeks or so old already, not knowing when the weather would be conducive to retrieve them. The goal for a Spring puppy was set. Locating Sadie using the website Puppyfind.com it worked out just great to make our initial visit on our way to another commitment. The excitement of becoming the owner of a sweet puppy came to a fever pitch come May 15th. After a restless early morning I headed out the drive at 5:25 A.M. to make my way up I-35 north to I-90 west. Stopping at one of my favorite Rest Stops, just a beautiful location overlooking the West Branch of the Des Moines River. The headwaters of one of our major rivers here in the State of Iowa. The arrangement was made to meet Dorothy Sanborn at the Pilot Travel Center off N. Cliff. Ave.,in Sioux Falls, SD. , since she had a trip into town that day making my leg of the trip a little bit shorter. Our transfer concluded,I was back on the road with Sadie by 12:33P.M., reaching home about 5:15 P.M.. Almost a 12 hour day for the total trip. So begins the continuing story of"Lady's Timber Life Sadie"...

Diaper Confusion

Well, for the past 9 months or so I have been getting advertisement information from the PAMPERS people in my e-mail box. Finally yesterday I got a diaper called a "Swaddlers" for a new baby in the mailbox. Bet you know where this one is going! Hubby suggested I put it on Sadie - which is not a bad idea. They do make diapers for dogs. One brand I have found PetPeepers. Then to my amazement I found a website offering all kinds of aids for elderly or impaired pets. It is great to know at whatever stage of life we have convenient aids to assist in pet care. Hmmm, how did we live without them in the past????

Puppy Training Manual

You know what I have on my mind these days. No, Sadie hasn't come home yet, but it is only a day away. Hubby thought this would be a good way to keep track of all her milestones, her baby book if you will. Finding sticks and rocks to chew...teething on the rocking chair. Oh yes, and her first pheasant retrieval in the field. Everything that comes with bringing up a 4-legged little girl. I will probably have some grandchildren to entertain this coming weekend after our puppy finds herself apart of her "forever home". That is what I want though, for Sadie to know who the important people are, and for the grandchildren to have no fear of her...

Hubby's Weekend Plane Story...

When this happened... I was over the marsh Friday evening when the starter ring gear separated from the flywheel. The prop caught the bell housing parts as they flew off. I immediately shut down the engine and glided to the field just north of the runway. Ended up about a quarter mile away in the corn stubble. Normal engine out landing. No problem. Took the truck and pulled it home with Dianna and the neighbor's help. Took it apart Saturday. Only other damage not evident in the photo's is it chipped the rear main seal housing. I have another one. This happened because I was using the wrong flywheel. It couldn't absorb the harmonic resonance of the engine. I will try and find a replacement in a junk yard and have it balanced. The prop will be expensive. Don't know how much for the bell housing. I'm waiting for a response from the supplier. Obviously will not be flying to Columbia.Don't know about Gardner.Should be fixed by Oshkosh. C! Wife's Point of View : Oh Honey ! Are you alright?!? So, you were able to walk away from the plane... As a wife with a guy who will do what he wants to do. There could be some bumps, bruises, and broken bones along the way, as I've learned from a past experience. Hubby is working on getting the bugs out of the system. We are glad he was in the neighborhood when the parts decided to fly. Instead of on his way to one of the upcoming events... The kicker, he had only 48 more minutes until he would have been able to leave the 25 mile radius restriction. With changes to the plane he may have to start over at another 40 hours - to be determined after contacting the local FAA office to get their opinion. Sitting on pins and needles working on trying to get things all in order to be off into the wild blue yonder in the shortest amount of time possible once again...

How Sweet It IS!

The Orioles have made the return back to Timber Life.

Put out the feeder after I heard and saw the birds in the trees. Only a few minutes elapsed until they were sitting enjoying their sweet treat.

Tried to get pictures yesterday without success. Today, the guys weren't worried about that woman standing on the porch. They were worried about sipping nectar and chasing each other.

The male orioles don't seem to have a huge problem with sharing the oak trees as they feed. Sharing the feeder seems to be more territorial. In my observation I notice that a pair, male and female, will sit in the little tree close by. The female goes to eat and the male becomes the target of another male that comes swooping in to chase him away...

Mother's Day Present

Friday, May 2nd , 11:45 A.M. we located the Madison, SD., Countryside Kennel,where we met with Dorothy Sanborn co-owner,to visit with our soon to be English Springer Spaniel puppy "Sadie".

At six weeks old she was weaned a couple of days before we arrived. She and her siblings are still not very aware of the world beyond their little family cubicle. We had a great time visiting not only with our puppy, but all the little cuties being housed in the same building. Three of Sadie's siblings came to visit us as we were standing outside their pen. One of her sisters was really trying to escape the joint to explore the great huge world beyond. Then one of her brothers set up a howl, even at the tender age of 6 weeks and three days. What pipes the little guy had! Gave us all a chuckle for the day. Our visit concluded, Sadie, put back into her pen, she snuggled in for a nap with her family as we visited with Dorothy on our way out the door. Looking forward to the time we will be able to bring her to her "forever home",and the opportunity to share the outdoor experience as she gets older...

Milking Goats

Yes, this is me at the business end of a goat.... This past week was one of a personal enrichment experience. I learned how to milk a goat and to hold the legs while another person is doing the same so they won't lose the milk or get a rear hoof to the lip. Putting corn in the feeding tray of the stanchion helped to calm them until it was finished and keep them from trying to take off mid milking.

A neighbor lady of ours has gone through cancer surgery and her Dr. has started her on an 8 week course of chemotherapy - every two weeks. This past week her husband was out of town for his job. The oldest daughter who can be no more than 12 or 13 said she has been milking goats for 5-6 years. She has been the "Master Milker" while her mother is recuperating and father is out of town. Another neighbor lady, that lives across the road from me, and I went twice a day, Monday morning thru Friday morning. I ended my assistance on Thursday evening, and the other lady ended on Friday morning, since the man of the farm was to be back by the evening milking.

Friday morning we were off to Countryside Kennel at Madison,SD., to visit with our soon to be English Springer Spaniel puppy, "Sadie".

I'm SO Lonely...Oh So Lonely...

The song by the Beach Boys, "I'm So Lonely"... came to mind as I looked out the window and saw this turkey wandering around without any hens to accompany him in his ramblings about the timber. I snuck out the back door after turning the sound down on the television. Opened the door slowly, and made sure I didn't make a real heavy noise on the wooden steps that sit low for my short legs.

No!No!!! I didn't go out with a gun, or a bow. The camera was in hand. He had made another foray through the yard around noon a couple days before. Caught a glimpse of his side profile,then tail feathers as he was exiting. Must have heard me rambling around the house or saw motion by the windows. He is in a hurry now wanted to head for denser cover. To much attention from the non-turkey sector. It didn't take him long to get beyond my view. The weather remains unsettled ,but so far no more snow here. Just the forecast for more unneeded rain. It didn't come to mind in my hurry to get pictures, to try out my turkey calling skill, or lack there-of ,on this wayward Tom...

Garden Plant Update

The plants are liking their location by the window. I can see changes everyday. I am able to switch the plants around during the day to help make the stems stronger as they are drawn back and forth. The larger plants were seeded on March 19th. The peppers and eggplants were seeded at the same time, but it took them the normal 21 day range for them to sprout; their size is equivalent to the tomatoes I seeded on April 4th. I had some sweet potatoes left over from what a friend gave me last fall. They have been trying to sprout so I stuck them in a soil less potting medium. I broke one sprout off and placed in a plant cell, it developed roots very quickly. This is the first time I have tried this so I'm having a good time learning from instructions I have found on the 'Net.

We're Expecting!

We're expecting here at Timber Life. Not quite the same kind of news to share as Arthur, at SimplyOutdoors, and his wife,Jen, who are to become first time parents in October, but the closest I will get to becoming a parent to a little "crumb cruncher" again. I am keeping my eyes tuned to baby updates from lower Michigan... At Easter time I made the choice to start looking for a puppy - soon to be hunting companion. I have the "Gun Dog" DVD on the way from a purchase I made on E-bay.This is going to be a personal experience; to train and bring out the natural hunting talents of my little English Springer Spaniel as she grows up. Oh ! Did I mention she is a little girl??? Yes, we are going to pick up our puppy from Countryside Kennels located at Madison,SD. She won't be old enough to be separated from her dog family for another couple of weeks. So, you can guess how anxious I will be when the time finally arrives to bring her back to Iowa.

"I'll Be Back!"

I'll Be BACK!" Is what I heard last year when some masked bandits found it entertaining to sit at my sliding glass door, trying to shred the insect screen to gain passage into the great beyond. I'm sure it looked really inviting...So many things to get into. Even a pot of soil or two to dig through - bringing back memories of those DELICIOUS little grubs that are really tastey come that time of year. The light from the computer may have added a dimension of curiousity for the already curious characters. The raccoons aren't tiny anymore...I prophesy bunches of new babies in about a month. Hubby getting field camera's for me as Christmas gifts has given me some extra eyes to see what's passing by in the wee hours of the morning.