Emma 5 Months, Starts CGC, Willow in 2nd Rally Session, Retirement ;o)

What a Pretty Girl ;o)

The Geraniums have lost their summer blooms and Emma is almost too big to photograph on the picnic table, but we'll see how it goes!

Emma 5 Months

Willow & Her Toys ;o)

Emma had her 2nd week of "Canine Good Citizen" class this week and Willow is about to start her 2nd" Rally" Obedience class this week ... maybe prejudice here, but Emma seems to be fantastic in all our training together and we're continuing to LOVE working together ... on the other hand, it's taken Willow and I a little longer to mesh as a team and get the moves down ... in Rally, the team walks along a course with sign markers that tell you what to do ... "Halt, Sit", "Reverse Direction","270 degree Turn", "Weave Cones", "Halt, Down, Forward, Fast" etc and the moves get increasingly more difficult and complicated as you progress! We were entered in our first Rally trial in October (OMG) but had to drop out hours before the closing hour because we couldn't get a motel room in the area (dog show/leaf peeper reservations) ... considered car-camping, but the nearest campground was miles from the showsite and heaven forbid if it was really cold or it rained with 3 dogs!

Emma & Margo Gang-up on Willow!!!

Willow is Such a Good Sport ;o)

   Foster Margo continues to enjoy visit time with us and as you can see the "playtime" is non-stop between the almost one year old, the 20 month old and the 5 month old ... lots of fun retrieving and swimming at the pond, running & chasing thru the woods, plus helping with lots of property chores ;o)

Who Dug This Hole?

Then there is this unappreciated project of theirs ... digging of a hole under the porch to get a mole ... and by golly, they got it and killed it ... "Good Girls" I guess ;o)

Emma & Willow At Day's End ;o)

Cute Pup & AK9C Pumpkin ;o)

Apple Pickin'

Catchin' a Nap With Sutter ;o)

But no matter what adventures the day has brought ... there is always a sister-snuggle to end the day ;o)

 Oh ya ... RETIREMENT ... it's now only 5 days away and we're all very happy about all the upcoming time home together at GOLDEN EMBERS ... without a schedule and with the freedom to do whatever comes up ... YIPEEE!!!

ONE CHAPTER of LIFE CLOSES and ANOTHER ONE OPENS ... bring it on  ;o))

Emma Graduates, New Computer Arrives & Retirement Appoaches ;o)

Emma 4 Months Old

Hey, What's That?

Many changes are happening at Golden Embers as the leaves begin to turn to their Fall colors:

•  With all the heavy Summer rains, the Beaver continues to overflow the pond into the meadow and put trees/bushes under water ... with a portion of the "Invisible Canine Fence" now under water, he chewed thru the wire and the 10 acre protection was lost (just as Emma had a "crash course" to respect the electronic fence boundries) ... it's still a daily battle to keep the spillway open but the kayaking is great!

Overflow Into Meadow  ;-(

As Emma turned 4 months and has grown way too fast, she graduated with flying colors from her 7 week  "Basic Pet" class ... now it's on to CGC "Canine Good Citizen" class next week and we're loving training together ;o

Emma Graduates ;o)


• Sutter is on continued training "hiatus" until her favorite instructor finds another indoor facility where she can successfully train without "zoomies"

Emma, You Can Swim ... TRY!

 

• Willow is in the middle of a "Rally" (type of Obedience) class as a break from her Agility training ... still trying to find something that she is excited about ;o)

Girls Free-for-All ;o)

• With some persuasion, I decided to go satelite/wireless with a new HP laptop computer both to increase memory and speed, but after failed attempts to go thru "Wild Blue" and a desk top mobile "Hot Spot", I am having problems with satelite reception for opening emails and posting photos to this Blog ... so unfortunately until resolved, posting updated photos continues to be a real frustration and I can be seen walking around the yard with laptop & Hotspot trying to get reception ;o)

Bringin' In Kindling for Woodstove!

• In less than a month, Retirement becomes a new way of life ... the work stress will be gone ... "I can't because I'm working" will no longer be limiting what I want to do ... it's been 2 years in thought and 3 months in active planning ;o)

Home Sweet Retirement ;o)