It never rains but what it…

November 8, 20112 Comments

… POURS! As in water gushing from the water main, and the geese are screaming like they are under attack, so you rush out the door to find them flapping their wings and paddling in the puddle it had made!

Glad they are enjoying it! We just spent over $1,000 to replace the electric water heater last month! Since this is the third break in the line it seems prudent to replace it…

I asked the plumber if his company offered stock options. It took him a minute, then he chuckled and said,

“No.”

!!! 😐 !!!

PhOtO PhRiDaY: sometimes it simply defies description

October 14, 2011October 17, 20118 Comments

Recently on one of our Sabbath treks we stopped at a flea market and parked out back…

Like hidden object tasks? You will have to click the photo to find: a potted plant, tire, old spray can, three leering skeleton faces, a roll of barbed wire, a cactus, a child’s face laying in the grass (hard), two BBQ grates, and what would appear to be the skeleton of a baby… ew?

~~~

In retrospect, I think we were taking our lives into our hands by even entering this place. That aside, we poked around a bit and decided that if we stayed we might actually pick up a flea or two! So we left, but not before asking what it was originally.

The answer?

In the very early 1900s it was a bar. OH… yes I thought, there was that one little 10 by 14 room deep in the center of the building. And sure enough, it did have a counter with what I had thought was a display case behind it… Certainly the configuration would make it a bar in its former existence!

Yup, that made sense, but the rest of the place made Sarah Winchester look positively brilliant by comparison.

NOTE: If you have never heard of, or been to, the Winchester Mansion in San Jose, California, then please take a look by clicking on her name above. The official website tells a bit of the intriguing tale about the Heiress’ of the Winchester Rifle fortune, and the video below will help to clarify my last comment! 😉

Here for your viewing pleasure is a silly, but interesting video tour of the Winchester Mansion.

Once Upon a Time in the West: looking for just the right dog.

September 12, 2011September 13, 20119 Comments

I found my dog Tucker on the internet. I took one look at this little guy and knew I just had to have him.

It was the ears I think…

I contacted the seller and found that she lived in the Sacramento area. I told her that I really wanted her puppy, but that I would have to drive up to get him, and would she hold him till I got there. This is roughly a 400 mile trip one way! (Yeah, I’m nuts)

We talked a bit more and she asked, “Where do you live?”

I told her ‘Claremont,’ and she says, “Well, I’m going to be in Claremont in two weeks for a dog show, and I can bring him with me!”

He was meant to be mine, don’t you think?

Well, waiting was hard, but it was so worth it. When we met her there at the show she handed him to me. As I gently hugged him he tucked his little head in the crook of my arm, which is, if you haven’t guessed, how he came to be named Tucker. He was so tiny, and full of pistons and springs!

He still is

Over time we have learned that Tucker will eat just about anything he can get away with. Chicken and goose feed, pens, pencils, computer strap-tights, rulers, used tissues (gag) and CHOCOLATE, wrappers and all… Missing something? You’ll find it, in parts, under our bed!

BAD DOG!

We once found him under our bed with this stolen treasure… thankfully we got there before he had committed suicide by chocolate!

Well, the list goes on and let me tell ya, he is always gagging on it.

I recently noticed my little Tucker’s nose is going gray. Seems like he was a pup just yesterday. We had been under the delusion for quite some time now that he was only 4 years old…

The other day I asked my husband, “Why is his nose going gray already? He’s only four?” Then we sat down, and counting back, we realized he is 7 going on 8!

Where does the time go?

Like Children at the Mall

August 16, 20116 Comments

Image via Wikipedia

I imagine that most of us have stories of getting lost in the mall or department store when we were young. As children we were easily distracted from our parents warnings about getting lost, and could be stopped in an instant to look at the latest bright and shiny new toy. Then looking up we suddenly felt fear, followed by tears, and finally the joy of being reunited with our parents…

Early this morning I went out to let the geese out of the barn and being in a hurry I did not want to make a return trip to freshen up their bed. So instead I took the time to do it right then. Grabbing a flake of straw I quickly shook it out onto the remains of last nights damage. It took all of about three minutes. Then, walking out of the roll up door I see…

NOTHING.

Now the gate to the back yard and the path we take to the goose side of the world is about 20 paces. Each and every day I have to convince Polly and company to actually pass through instead of stopping to eat the goosegrass that happens to be growing nowhere else on the Farmlet but there.

(Picture compliments of Aggie Horticluture, click the photo to be taken to the site and learn more than you ever wanted to know about this species)

And so it was, that I mistakenly counted on them running to the goosegrass to keep them preoccupied while I put the fresh straw into their bed.

Silly me.

Listening I hear them out front on the lawn. They are busily grunting at each other and nibbling at some fresh new delight they have found. I walk towards them, they move further away. When advancing three more times produces the same results, I decide that divide and conquer is the best method. Circling a wide berth around them I single out Polly. Polly is so much more submissive and obedient than the Hueys.

Arms outstretched I heard her back around to the gate and watch as she casts nervous glances over her wing at the disobedient Hueys. She keeps waddling however and for her obedience I give her breakfast right away. As I turn to leave I hear some terrified squeals from the front yard. Seems that the Hueys have discovered they are lost!

I call to them, “Pip-PIP!”

Their reply in triplicate, “Honk-Honk-Honk – HEEEAH!” And although I can’t see them, I envision them running back round, wings outstretched, to find Polly and me.

Polly, on hearing the ruckus, has forgone eating for the moment and comes from behind the well house to find out what’s going on. Seeing them from across the yard she runs to them, with neck outstretched, giving a scolding and sounding eerily and every bit like your mother when you were young! The scolding elicits the same cries of relief and remorse from the Hueys, as similarly you’d have done on seeing and hearing the scolding mother gave.

When finally the scolding and remorse have subsided, the four of them turn to waddle into the goose yard and to their breakfast which is waiting.