Ann’s Weblog

I went to Calgary last weekend, and had a wonderful visit with my three daughters. Of course I did spend some time with my stepmother, who is now in a nursing home; that is somewhat saddening, but we did find some bright moments.

There is some very rugged country en route:

These are views of the Banff-Jasper Parkway, which is majestically scenic at any time of year, but which can be treacherous and subject to sudden changes of weather and road conditions. I was very lucky this trip, as there was compact snow on the road in places, but mostly bare and dry or bare and wet but not icy. And, as I’m fond of saying, there were “not too many OTHER idiots on the road!”.

Every time one stops along the Parkway, one is greeted by a raven looking for a handout; now I plan for it, though I’m not fond of ravens. This one, as large as a housecat, received a brownie:

The Pet Hostel is not too busy at this time… it’s a little break from the pace. I’m glad that the garden and garden centre have been “put to bed” for the winter. In some ways, it would be nice to grow vegetables and flowers all year ’round, but I would have to give up something in order to “keep up”. As it is, I’m thinking that the summers are too hectic, but this year the weather was wonderful and the bugs, very few, and the memories are precious. Shelly’s and Merv’s wedding, along with the party here in August, and the associated time with family, were all high points, of course.

I’ve had a few dogs to groom this week, and have neglected to do photo shoots after most of them. This is a darling wee puppy from Valemount, a new customer for me, and related to some shih tzus that I groom regularly. This is Daisy:

I really have to run along and work again now… I just have a beloved regular client to groom today, “Mickey”. I have fallen behind on Raggedy Ann doll requests and MUST get sewing again this winter, along with catching up to bookwork and taxes.

Take care, my friends, and have a good day. ~ Love, Ann

Okay, it’s really never too late. This morning I had my very old dog put down; he had suffered some strokes. Although he seemed quite hearty for a guy his age (about 18 years), we knew he would have a miserable winter. I dreaded that one day there would be an emergency, where Buddy simply couldn’t get up or otherwise appeared to suffer. I’ve second-guessed myself a lot since I made the appointment for him, because at the time he was staggering and falling, then seemed to recover somewhat since then. But the deed is done now. He was a dear dog who was cheerful and well-behaved his whole long life.

BUDDY

I’ve missed a bunch of days (weeks) that I was quickly going to make a post “Life is wonderful…” or some such. Life IS wonderful and has been great around here…. lovely summer, enough paying work and other work, great relationships including a good man (BEST, in my book): all has been well. Even so, I’m thinking that this might be an autumn or winter of “loss”… I had an 18 year old dog, and have a 23 year old cat, an ancient guinea pig, and a number of treasured human friends who are unwell. It’s better to be optimistic even about these things, but surely it’s alright to feel prepared.

This morning a dog went home (Max, a large yellow lab who was a DARLING) and a fine old boy, Rowsah, arrived. We also have Pilot, a golden retriever, and Razz, a chocolate labrador, Bella, who is Susan’s foster dog from Calgary, and Sophie, our good friends’ border collie cross. As well, we have Bodhi, who has stayed with us many times and is very content, although he cannot be loose when the cats are about.

Last week, a friend brought an injured kitten to our house, late in the evening. It was hard to tell how badly hurt the animal WAS, as there was blood obscuring its facial features. There seemed to be no broken limbs nor other injuries OTHER than to the cheek and lips, which seemed very odd, since the kitten was found in the middle of the highway. I offered to take the cat overnight so that it could be contained and kept warm, and we could decide in the morning what should happen if it lived the night. I’m not a vet and usually decline to have any part of this kind of incident… it is no help to an animal to delay treatment by a professional OR euthanasia if that is what is indicated.

However, this story has a great ending! We kept the kitten in a large airline kennel while it started its recovery and I gave it penicillin, and in a few days, he was eating and wandering around the house soliciting affection from Lady. Yesterday the friend who found the kitten came to adopt him.

Some PEOPLE should be euthanized. We decided that the most likely way that cat incurred the injuries it did was if it was THROWN from a vehicle on the highway.

The garden is all “done” except for Gary’s planting-of-the-garlic. We had wonderful crops, even corn, during this warm summer. I wish we could start from Spring again… everything worked out so well right from my buying trip with Eunice (for trees and shrubs), through Shelly & Merv’s wedding in Newfoundland and the celebratory garden party here, to the Farmer’s Markets and all. Seeing my daughters and Gary’s daughter more than usual through the summer was terrific!

I’ve  sold almost 500 jars of jam this year so far. Thanks to Donna at the local coffee shop, “Beanery 2″, I continue to have requests and sales, and I keep up the best I can using frozen fruit.

An elderly friend died yesterday, or more specifically, the husband of a dear lady who is a good friend. Although there will be MANY family members visiting the house in the following days and weeks, I did manage to get over to show my sympathy. I took jam and flowers (the very last of the blooms) yesterday, baked bread last night, and delivered it this morning. They will be feeding a lot of people, and though I know they can afford anything they need, the home-made goods seemed appreciated.

Bodhi

Sophie

View from driveway '09

Ginger & Turbo

Rowsah

I’m finding the blog program and/or the browser I’m using to be quite quirky at the moment, and I don’t have the patience. I was trying to “line up” all the thumbnails, and I keep accidentally deleting pictures I wanted to change the position of, and other mysterious feats. It used to be, in this weblog service, that a “Thumbnail” could open into a picture that was the original size. Am going to leave this for another day or week. Gary is home now, and we are going to go perform burial rites.

Love you all for visiting. Thank you for your friendship. XXX

This is a handsome malamute who I had the privilege of babysitting for a couple of days. His owners came up from the lower mainland in order to hike the Berg Lake Trail, on which dogs are not allowed. Gryphon was as good as gold while he waited with us, and in the photo he is overjoyed to be back on the road …

Today is the occasion of the Fall Fair in McBride. I went to town to watch the Parade, which was well appreciated by crowds. Afterward I went to a yard sale, took in the displays at our community hall, and passed Gary in the foyer (got my greeting and a kiss…). Then came home because I expected Gryphon’s owners to be picking him up. Now I’m off to view the Quilt Show at the local Pub, where refreshments will be served… “yay” to both. There are other activities associated with the little town Fair to check out.

We have “medium” occupancy at the Pet Hostel… there are Ranger and Annie, Chester and Beowulf, Dawson and Tak, and Keesha. Night before last, absolutely everyone who was boarding outside was barking furiously for a while, and they would not be comforted or shushed. In the morning, Gary found BEAR poop behind the house, just by our hay shed…. far too close for comfort!!! That would be the cause for the dogs’ fuss… sometimes we just have to trust that THEY know they’re barking for a good reason.

Okay, onward and upward; I have been no help to the wonderful volunteers who host the Fall Fair. The least I can do is attend and lend praise for their efforts (and buy food!). I might get back here later, or another day. Thanks for checking in to my blog.

Love, Ann

This morning it seemed as though someone had just reached over and switched off the summer! There is new snow on almost every mountain top that we can see from here, and the temperature has dropped dramatically. It rained a lot last night.

I haven’t spent much time blogging, but have had a TERRIFIC summer. We had more visits than usual from all of our daughters, and of course the highest point of the summer was the marriage of my oldest girl, in Newfoundland, in July.

For the wedding, we were together as a family… daughters, inlaws, outlaws, ex-laws, new family and friends too. The weather in Newfoundland during our too-short stay was wonderful… just warm enough, with lovely breezes off the ocean and bays. We also managed to fit in whale-watching with Gary’s daughter and her man, and we stood at Cape Spear, the most eastern point of the continent. We all had some fantastic meals in the various locations, including the wedding feast. There were 19 of us who were “Screeched In”, that is, we survived the ceremony which made us “Honourary Newfoundlanders”.

In August we also hosted a wedding reception for Shelly and Merv… a “garden party” with all kinds of finger foods, a build-your-own-sandwich bar, and plenty of dessert. The newlyweds had a chance to show wedding pictures, and to visit with folks who couldn’t go to Newfoundland, and many with whom Shelly hadn’t seen in many years. About 70 came, during the day and half the night.

This is a photo of Gary and Rob putting up the party canopy (under which the party canapés were served…). There are many pics of the party itself viewable through Facebook; you can add me as a Friend, if you like. For some reason (perhaps because I was running around being a happy hostess, and also sharing the “spirits” of the occasion!) I didn’t get a picture of the party tent with its mini-lights on: it was magical!

There are pictures of the two occasions all over the place on the Internet and on various computers and discs. I think most people who know the happy couple have seen those, and other pictures of our beloved family members.

Last Friday was the last Farmer’s Market in McBride. A couple of people complained that the vendors should extend the “season”… the Market season, and I listened patiently, but remarked, “I’m TIRED…”. There is a lot of other work to be done before winter sets in, and between pet care and yard work, jam-making and harvest, I haven’t even begun to do what could be “getting ready for snowfall” preparation. The Pet Hostel is my dream work… if I am fatigued on any given day, I always think that I should cut back on something ELSE.

I’ve been blogging so irregularly that I’m not sure what pictures I have shared, without spending some time looking over my own blog. So maybe I’ll start at “recent” pictures and work back! I’ve also been very sporadic at taking photos of our wonderful pet guests, but that’s just the way it is.

I had a lovely visit with a young friend last week, and she helped me to groom a couple of dogs (not pictured), and then we had a little break on the deck. Rob-and-Ruth’s dogs are pictured with my friend, and Lady couldn’t be left out…

Last month I ordered chainlink dog kennel panels and we expanded our row of runs…

This only increased our number of runs by two (for over $2000), but it is convenient and efficient and I have wanted to do this for a long time. The new kennels are 5 feet wide and 20 feet long, manufactured by Phoenix Fence in Edmonton.

We were busy at the Pet Hostel this summer… it was not uncommon for us to have between 15 and 20 dogs. There is a limit to how many pets of any kind that I wish to have here, as there are only so many hours in a day for their care, including special needs.

Okay, now what else can I share with you? I’ve been picking and delivering big bouquets of large lilies all summer long, spreading the cheer like little Sally Sunshine. I do this for nothing, because it brings me joy. I sold almost 40 dozen jars of jam and jelly this year, between Farmer’s Markets and sales through my favourite coffee shop. Gary harvested nearly 600 heads of garlic in August, and most are already sold and the money put into general revenue (for house insurance, etc.). We had a fair bit of other produce such as cabbage, peas, beans and chard… and then this special gift from the garden… “Cheddar” Cauliflower that I grew from seed. It seemed tenderer and sweeter than the regular white cauliflower… and isn’t it pretty?

Pictured below are Cinder, a “Silky Pom” who has been featured before in my blog, and Pasha, a very special “special needs” cat who always used to have to wear a diaper in the house but who has regained her continence…

Here are Shelly and Merv shelling peas that Merv had picked. Oh, okay.. Shelly is working at her computer, but occasionally helping test the quality of the produce:

And I took a picture of the vine-covered arbour, with the sun peeking over it. This was constructed of rebar and old copper pipe with stucco wire over it, now covered with Virginia Creeper on one side and Traveller’s Joy Clematis on the other…

Sharps’ beautiful Havenese dogs, young adult brothers, Tucker and Jack:

Okay, I really have to run along now! Love, Ann

While I’m leading this full, fulfilled and happy life, I’m forgetting to talk to my friends in “blog”.

As we reach the end of August, things are as busy as ever. I keep thinking that I should “give up” something in the summertimes, but I simply don’t know what I should let go of… not the vegetable gardening and Farmer’s Markets, the jam making and marketing, not the giving of bouquets, or operating the Garden Centre. I will want to run the “Pet Hostel” until I’m physically unable… my life with pets (besides Gary) is paramount.

Aside from those things, this summer has been one of joy and of milestones. My oldest daughter, Shelly, married a great guy from Newfoundland… we went to the wedding in that province, which was a wonderful adventure in every way. Just last weekend, we had a “garden party” here, and that too was fantastic fun.

Attending the party were not only friends and family members that we hadn’t seen in years, and new friends as well, we had ALL of the daughters here. Newlywed Shelly, and Susan, Kim and Beth all came… with a contingent of partners or spouses, and their visits were all too short. Once the last child left and the party tent came down and some of the trappings of the occasion were put away, I felt as if a vacuum had been created, and was quite “blue” for awhile. The excitement had been so high for so long (even including the weeks leading up to the wedding in July) that I guess a feeling of letdown and exhaustion was inevitable. Still, a summer in which we were able to see so much of the family is precious, and the memories abide.

I have a whole disc of pictures and I will share some with you… WHEN I get back here. Right for now, the dogs need feeding and the chutney is processing and some more canine guests are due to arrive. I’ll try to get back to talk to you tonight.

Love, Ann

Been busy again today, but not quite as frantically so as Market day was yesterday.

I did get 18 dogs fed, watered and walked, all hugged and some brushed. I ran out to a friend’s farm and fed their guard dog and came home. Then I picked a bouquet of O/T lilies for the Beaver View Lodge:

These lilies are about as big as a luncheon-sized plate, 8 or 9 inches across. In catalogs, Oriental/Trumpet lilies are often sold as “Lily Trees”; they are very tall lilies, not trees. But that’s marketing for you. I’m selling these in pots each with two bulbs, for a fraction of the prices in the catalogs. I should know, because I actually did buy myself some “lily trees” just to get a variety of colours, at the full retail price.

I’ll be back later… there’s too much to do. ‘Bye for now. XXX

Evidently there is a new server for this blog. For awhile I couldn’t get signed in, and I tried everything I knew how to do… changed browsers, wrote to the support desk (no response back), and requested a new password even though I had not changed or forgotten the old one. All that cured the problem was “tincture of time”; eventually I got an email to say that my blog had finished its “migration”.

I’m not a person who resents change per se, but sometimes I get upset at changes to something that worked very well for a long time, when the result is no improvement. Sometimes, a computer application or a website will be “upgraded” and cease to work at all. Come to think of it, computers and software are about the only things that push me over the brink in this way, at least the only things that come to mind at the moment. Ah well, using the technology is a choice, I suppose, and changes to it are either the prerogative of someone else, or performed of necessity.

At any rate, dear reader, I appreciate you coming back to this blog, and I will try to post more often. We had our most excellent adventure in beautiful Newfoundland and are back in OUR treasured spot in the world.

After 1 a.m. last “night”, my darling Susan arrived at our house, with her research partner of the summer (they travelled some remote areas of B.C. studying creatures). We directed them to their beds for the remainder of the night, but they had to rise and be on the road to Calgary by 5 a.m.. Susan will be back soon for a friend’s wedding, and for a reception later for her newly-wedded sister & brother-in-law (to be held here).

I’m going to go out picking raspberries now, and after that I might sit with Gary, drinking coffee on our new deck:

Putting the last nails into the deck.

I’ll be back tonight if I’m not too tired, and will share some pictures of Shelly and Merv’s wedding, and of Newfoundland.

I finally have managed to get signed in on the desktop; what an ordeal. However, I hope now I can upload pictures again and communicate with my blog readers.

The trip to Newfoundland was a dream, and the wedding was even more wonderful than I had imagined.

I have to run away to finish grooming dogs this afternoon, and will come back this evening to chat awhile. Both Gary and I have been very busy trying to catch up.

Will try to add some wedding and Newfoundland pictures later, too.

Love, Ann