Sadie Says

Another weekly installment of "Sadie Says" coming right up! Been a couple of weeks away from the keyboard . Where to start? Mom has been working outside more lately. She is starting to take me with her when she is in the yard close to the house. Have to get used to following her around. The decision to pick some raspberries at the edge of the yard left me to sit, OR to expend some of my energy. Did a little bit of both. For a few minutes I picked raspberries off the canes closest to the ground, while Mom got the berries at the top. Then it came to me to make a game out of the whole thing. I became an explorer. Dense weeds and brush - no matter! Didn't get to far away before I lost sight of Mom. (not to hard I'm still kind'a short) Really don't go very far yet , need my Mom to keep me happy. One of the bad things about heading into the weeds. I have to sit still and let the hairbrush take out all the round little seeds I got stuck in my ears when I get back into the house. EEEEK! Hate that thing!!! After a full day of keeping Mom occupied, time to stop, and enjoy the sunset...Hope you all have a few minutes to stop and enjoy what nature has to offer. Be seein' you around. ;)

33rd Wedding Anniversary

On June 28,1975, at 2:00 P.M.. In a country church called Noble Center United Methodist Church, located on rural southwestern Iowa Highway 71. Hubby and I exchanged vows to become partners for life. The joining of country and city. It was an unforgettable day! Hot and Iowa humid, where the moisture collects and runs off. Here's a likeness of the "Get Away" car.

I sure am looking forward to seeing what the NEXT 33(?) years have to bring... ;)

The Hunt is On

Hunt ? What Hunt?!? Well, for the Wild Gooseberry of course! In about three days the Wild Raspberries will begin their period of supplying my demand. The Mulberries are ready too if you enjoy their flavor. The floor of the timber has some pretty dense weeds, invasive honeysuckle, fallen limbs, trees and a myriad of other obstacles to get around. Fun all the same! If you ask me. Getting a little steamy out there! The Deep Woods Off! isn't lasting more than two hours with skin moisture dilution. Mosquitoes just hovering in wait to take advantage once the deet goes away. The berry picking for me means that half of the year is gone and the slide to the end is picking up speed. Other types of hunting getting closer and closer. I have had my trusty boots for 7 years now...gone through lots of stuff. Wear them when I am off to the timber to avoid thorny brush in the feet syndrome and those little squiggly green snakes babies I have seen in the neighborhood as of late...

Sadie Says

It is I ,Sadie, the wonder dog. Back again for another what's going on at Timber Life with Mom and me.

Can I say whew! The life of a pampered puppy can be a challenge...

Mom is keeping busy with my antics for sure and trying to work on online independent study in the Medical Coding and Billing field along with other summertime activities). Right now she is working on the Computer Literacy module. It is divided up into 15 weeks with 3 days scheduled in each week. She is able to move as fast or as slow as she feels comfortable. Mom got started the last part of March, and wants to finish before the 15 month deadline set by the educator. Oh, the educator is understanding if you request additional time, but like always she has a drive to "Get 'er done." "Lord Help Us All!" Did I say Antics? Lets see now. At this house there are all kinds of cords for computers and phones. You know the kind of place, where they have gadgets. Yummy carpets to chew, doors you can push against and they will open...Just the regular kind of puppy stuff to keep things lively. My Mommy still loves me even when I seem like a pest. I must say I have my heartwarming qualities too. When I want a treat I will sit and do my dance trying to decide which paw I will present to shake. Mom points to the paw she wants, sometimes I slip the other one up for some affection, and a super tasty piece of a Science Diet puppy treat. Let me tell ya if this is all I have to do to keep 'um happy around here I have it made in the shade...Talking 'bout shade. Ahhh, I'd better leave that for another day. Sadie Says have a great day everybody. I know I will!

Sadie Says

Time for my weekly installment. I really do have some opinions on items made for the canine crowd. In my puppy days I have been found to take off with Mom and Dad's shoes and boots, to have a nibble, until they are found to be missing from the designated holding rug by the door. Wouldn't you know it? Mom decided that she was going to try a product to stop my inner wishes everytime I was tempted. Maybe you have even tried it to keep your little angels from ripping apart your footwear. Here is a product called Pet Odoban. Supposed to be a "No Chew Spray", Tea Tree oil,a bitter barrier. Hmmm, no chew, huh?!? My Mom would totally saturate the surfaces until the liquid was running off the shoes and some furniture I found to be particulary of interest. Boy! The first couple of times it made me shake my head when I lapped it up. After while it didn't make any difference... So, Sadie says, not every dog may have the same results of being offended by the flavor provided by this product. Don't count on protection. Better luck next time 'round Mom!

Blowin' in the Wind

When you hear the words "Blowin' in the Wind", what do you think of? Bob Dylan's song? Certainly one thing that could come to mind when that phrase is used. When I use it, I am going to refer to the pollen I saw being released in the breeze last night around 5:00 p.m. . Looked just like smoke blowing across the tops of the tall grasses.

This is the part of the spring I dread. I react to all those little floating particles that pop out. This has been an absolutely great year for healthy grass

growth so the pollen seems extra abundant.

Wishing all of you that experience allergies through the Spring some relief shortly...

Family Fish and Game Magazine Review

Recently I received this magazine in the mail. Until then I was not familiar with the publication. Reading the Featured articles list I found topics ranging from "Love Those Family Vacations" by Steve Weisman to "Bowfishing For Beginners" by Tracy Breen. A good mix of male and female authors. The advertisements were focused to the well rounded sportsperson. Going from trapshooting needs,a device to lock a handgun for safety, fishing/ hunting needs,hunting trips,training seminars and much more. The publishers of this outdoors magazine hale out of Fort Dodge,IA. You can see more information about submitting your own hunting and fishing stories on their website at Family Fish and Game . Become a published author in your own rite. Don't forget to checkout the stories and pictures by the kids... DISCLAIMER: I donot receive any financial backing for my opinion,or positive view of this monthly magazine. However, I do feel it would be a good value...

Sadie Says

Hi folks! Some of you already know who I am. My humans cal me Sadie. Like all moms , CDGardens has added a middle name to give her more "blah, blah, blah" when she gets upset with my behavior. I guess in human speak it is "Sadie Sioux." Thought I would take some time to check -in with you. Been at home for a month now. I truly have been through a whole lot of learning. It has recently been discussed between mom and me that I might get to have my own column once a week. The idea arose when mom caught me sitting in her chair with my paws not very far from the keyboard. I wasn't looking for a job other than maybe becoming a hunting buddy, but here I am, graduating to the world of the Internet at the tender age of three months.

If you want to know what I was actually up to ...I'll tell you. My mom has paper here and there, a kleenex box sat on an end table until I started pulling them out a couple at a time to chew. MY of ALL the fun I have ripping things up when she isn't in the close vicinity. Yes, I learned to climb chairs, couches, or whatever to get what I want off the counters. Mom's computer chair is a great place to take short rests - climbing made the world around Timber Life a whole lot smaller.

Not to worry - mom doesn't think I will have to put in too many hours so there will be plenty of time to PLAY or hunt....Is there a difference? ;)

Hope you will all come on back once in awhile to see what I'm up to.

Vistor from the East

We have been having some pretty intense storms the last three or so days. Enough wind, lightening, and thunder, to make your hair curl. Setting the stage I must add that on one of our walks Sadie and I came pretty close to some lightening with the clap of thunder right over our heads. We scurried for cover so as not to tempt fate with a second strike of lightening. How often do you see unusual sights when you are out walking in the Timber or your own yard for that matter? Here is what we saw on one of our trips around the yard Anyone venture a guess to what it might be? He is related to the local bird to the right.

If you guessed Peafowl you were correct. Pat yourself on the back. We are guessing it is a Peacock with trailing feathers trimmed. A tended group lives about 2 1/2 miles due east of us. He got away from his enclosure in the storms that have been causing some high anxiety for birds, beasts and beings ...

Spring's Alive!

Spring is coming alive here at Timber Life. The Weigelia shrub is in heavy bloom and becoming an attraction for the hummingbird population. Hubby got me a Gift Card to a local Garden Store eight years ago for "Mother's Day" ; this was what I chose. It comes back year after year, blooms heavily in the spring ,with a second bloom in the late summer. This one has beautiful red flowers... Yesterday, as Sadie and I were taking one of our morning walks the first fawn of the season was sighted in the middle of the pasture to the right. The doe sipping at the puddle has been hanging around the yard. I can only speculate it is the same one that was watching me mow last year when I found a young fawn - posted on June 11,2007, in "Bambi Alert!" The turkey was having a fantastic time playing in the mud. Jumping in and out like a little kid, scratching to see what it could find. Seeing and hearing at least one close by daily has been a change. The population expanding they may become more and more visible. It has been 16 years since we moved here on June 12th. With each passing year it seems as though we are be assimilated into the wilderness surroundings - the wild life coming closer, to call it their home as well...

Time to Garden

The weather had improved giving us some rain free days. Decided it was a perfect time to see about getting the Troybuilt out of the shed. Once Hubby did some spring time spiff ups I was on my way. I am the turner of the soil facilitated by the 8-HP Troybuilt Horse model. Love the way it works the soil for planting beds. The dirt between my toes. I start off with shoes and socks on, but if the day is warm I am not satisfied with walking on the tilled surface with shoes or flip-flops on. Wanted to mix up the little garden to start getting some of my plants into the ground. Planted 6 - "Burpee's Big Mama" sauce tomatoes, 2- of an antique variety called "Brandywine" that seems to be making a come back,6 -"Burpee's Big Boy", and 4- patio tomato(only they got put into the garden with the "BIG" tomatoes). Got 10 - "Burpee's Carousel Peppers" and 4 - eggplant put into the ground. They are very small so I might end up replacing them if the rain that is coming is extremely heavy. The sweet potatoes and basil will be the next to put into the ground. Not going to plant things real close this year. It hasn't been tilled or weeded for a couple of years so will need to leave room for the tiller to help out in the weeding direction. Because the garden sits on a incline I leave most of the soil unsmoothed so the water won't run it all down hill. Leaving some pockets to hold the water, at least until we get alot of rains. Then it has to be stirred up again. With prices going up in the store I needed to get my freezer stocked with tomatoes and peppers, to start with anyway. Progress reports to come. Here are some other bloggers you might like to read getting ready for the produce planting part of Spring. Jody at The Hunter's Wife has a really great little garden she is sharing with all of us. Then check out Windyridge over in New York. She has had some challenges with the weather click here and here. I am quite sure she will be ready for the weather to finally be ready for gardening. I will certainly be keeping my eyes peeled for more gardening updates from these two gals. Looks like fun in my book !!! ;) This is only a section of the 25X50 garden that has been worked first at my house.

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.

It's SHAKING!

Sitting here at my desk this morning after 4:30 I felt shaking and a little rolling of our house. My chair and desk were shaking,paper in the printer was vibrating...WHEW!!! I live in a mobile home presently and from one end to the other we have an elevation. Stacked concrete blocks were placed under the axells to level the structure. The first thought was that the increased ground moisture had made the blocks settle further into the ground under the weight of the building. Then the report came over the early morning local news that the USGS had reported a 5.4 earthquake at West Salem,IL. located on the New Madrid Fault line. My research on the USGS website revealed the exact locations that experienced the tumbler directly. SELECT EARTHQUAKE LOCATION DATE TIME MAGNITUDE 22 miles SSE of Olney, Illinois (ID hwb0418a) APR 18 2008 04:36:59 CDT 5.4 21 miles SW of Vincennes, Indiana (ID 2008qza6) APR 18 2008 04:36:58 CDT 5.2 19 miles SSE of Olney, Illinois (ID 851141) APR 18 2008 04:36:57 CDT 5.4 Hey Folks ! How many of you felt the earth move this morning???

Rapid City Cabela's News

According to the Rapid City Journal, Cabela's will be hiring as many as 150 sales associates to man/woman their new store. Beginning next week, Tuesday, April 22nd, thru Saturday, April 26th, anyone interested in becoming apart of the sales staff can apply. The store is going to be managed by the company's first ever female general manager by the name of Mary Bollock. She has been apart of the Cabela's experience since 2000 as an associate in the hunting department of the only other store in South Dakota , located at Mitchell. She has held various positions in her lifetime. Before starting with the Cabela's company she was a member of the air national guard and held the distinction of "first female weapons loader" in South Dakota. She worked with her husband in a family business before working as a supervisor for the Boyd's Gun stock factory in Mitchell. She is an avid hunter and fisher woman, bringing her hobby skills with her into the job, as do many of her co-workers. Mary, was quoted as saying"I am thrilled to be leading a team of dedicated employees in one of the most beautiful parts of the country." In my opinion she sounds like a positive influence in the world of the hunting supplier... Cabela's.