Ann’s Weblog

Well, now, it has been a few days since I checked in with you. Pictured above are the crocusses (crocii) which are in bloom right now, with many daffodils, tulips, and other spring bulbs emerging, and perennial plants showing signs of life. I have some nursery stock “planted” in the main vegetable garden, and most have those trees and shrubs have survived. I placed an order for other items, and that is exciting. However, I was under the impression that I had faxed my large list to the wholesale nursery in November, and found out last week that I had folded it up and put it away with the catalog. When the company phoned, concerned that they had not heard from me (what great service!), I discovered that at this “late date” I cannot get all the things I wanted. We did a fairly good job of “damage control” on my want list, substituting where possible.

That handsome golden retriever is boarding here for the first time. He exhibits such joie de vive that a person just has to smile while around him. We have eight other dogs, two cats and a hamster boarding at the moment, most of whom you’ve met here in the blog! There are three more cats and at least two more dogs coming before the weekend; they say “do what you love”, and I’m loving every day of it.

Have been grooming dogs and too pressed to take portraits of all. I’ve been trying to pot up the perennial plants. I took a picture (above) of the piles of WONDERFUL horse manure which is on the garden now, and it will be turned under when the soil dries out more. Gary and I managed to re-erect the greenhouse and pull the plastic back over it (did I write about this previously?).

Gary went skiing in Jasper today, getting the best he can out of his season’s pass. He went with a beautiful young woman who grew up with my daughters… I imagine heads turned at the ski lodge!

This is all for now. The horses need feeding (they are fat, but start calling at this time of day for more hay). I’ll do the rounds at the kennels… feeding, water, walking, meds for a darling epileptic dog, and custom loving.

Hope everyone is having a good Spring, or Autumn in Australia and NZ. Love you for visiting; I feel like you’re at our house! ~Ann

You’ve met Zoe, the teeny Yorkshire Terrier, and Mindy, this dear little poodle, before. It was my privilege to groom these delightful dogs today. After they went home, I had one dog come by just for toenail clipping… she is a rottweiller cross. “Poppy” has a severely split toenail which has caused her some pain: I cut it as short as I dared and used Vet Bond to attempt to glue the halves of the nail together so that it isn’t as uncomfortable as it grows out.

This was the raisin bread that I baked on Sunday night. I didn’t feel like driving into town to buy bread; there isn’t much left of THIS now.

It snowed this morning again! Seems like we’ve had snow every other day for a week. Yesterday was absolutely gorgeous, sunny and warm, but I was in a bit of a funk. I’m sure I will get my motivation back when Spring is really here.

Rambo went home. He’s a happy little guy while he’s here, but he’s overjoyed when his humans return! That’s about the only change among the Pet Hostel guests, but this weekend is the start of Spring break, so we’ll have a full house again.

Made hubby a banana creme pie (again!) to go with a “planned-over” meal tonight. That was pot roast from yesterday, with rice and broccoli with cheese sauce.

Gary’s going skiing tomorrow in Jasper; he has managed to ski almost every week since the start of the season, and I’m completely supportive, of course. I don’t go because I don’t downhill ski; am content to hold the fort here.

Love you all for reading my blog. HUGS ~ Ann

This afternoon there was a mule deer in the yard, on the other side of the house from the kennels. The animals are quite plentiful in the Valley, and sometimes they are a pest to farmers and a hazard on the highway. So far the deer and moose have left our gardens alone. When we had 3000 strawberry plants “out back”, the deer caused considerable damage; now that the area is a horse paddock, we can share the space. They stroll through the yard as if it is their own and really, it is. The picture above was used with permission from a better photographer.

Today, I did some raking and tidying in the kennels, played with dogs too. Some canine guests arrived and others went home. Oh, I did some work in Photoshop so that Gary can give his mom some photo collages for her 75th birthday, coming up soon. During the same week, my stepmother turns 85.

Hubby and I went out for lunch, which was a treat. We went to the “Chinese Restaurant”, and ate big lunches, so we kept dinner simple.. just omelettes and toast. I delivered a large jar of homemade horseradish to a friend today; he wanted to pay for it, but I wouldn’t hear of it. When we picked up the mail, I found a parcel that was mailed to me by a treasured friend from “chat” !

Hubby rented the video “The Departed”, so we’ll watch that tonight; I have a feeling that’s one I need to concentrate on, instead of trying to chat-while-watching.

Bye for now. Take care all. ~ Ann