Overwhelmed

I truly can't thank you enough for your kind words of sympathy and support about us losing Miss Kylee.

We have spent the past few days reorienting ourselves to life without her, and I have to say that it still feels weird to not have her at my feet as I type, or to not need to take her out or give her the various medications she was on for the past 6 months.  But we are getting there, and we know that she is free of pain and happy. 

This week has been one filled with emotion starting with putting my parent's house on the market, losing Miss Kylee , and then my sister "K" unexpectedly had her gallbladder removed yesterday after suffering a bout of pancreatitis on Wednesday.

But even with the emotional lows that life sometimes presents us with, there are always rays of sunshine that find their way through the darkest cloud filled skies.


 

No matter how sad you might be one moment, there are always things to lift your heart and mind if you just look around you.  Like bluebirds and sunshine...warm breezes and flowers...and hugs from your family or wet puppy kisses.  Life goes on, and we learn to cope with the losses we experience throughout life.

To those of you who have helped brighten my day with your wonderful words, I want to tell you that right now I'm overwhelmed.  But I'm overwhelmed in a good way, and for that I am forever grateful!

No Words

Today we lost a beloved member of our family, our sweet Miss Kylee.  She was smart, loyal, crazy, energetic and always loving.  We will miss her dearly, but in her all too short 10 1/2 years she imprinted herself on our hearts so that she will never be forgotten.  

There are no words which can fully convey the depth of our sorrow, but we know that she is in a better place with all the tennis balls she wants!  Love you girl!

Somebunny Loves You

Thank you everyone for your sweet comments about my cherry blossom photos from yesterday's post.  The cherry tree actually belongs to my neighbor, but she kindly lets me snap away at it each spring.  Her yard is so lovely, and we benefit from her master gardening skills.  We also feel a little bad about not reciprocating by having our own lovely gardens.  She says she's content to watch the dogs run around, so at least we offer her something besides weeds to stare at each day!

Several people asked how I got the blossoms to look so soft and delicate.  The truth is that those shots, except for some minor cropping on a few, were straight out of the camera.  The reason they looked so ethereal is that it was actually pretty windy when I was taking them, so that subtle motion was captured by the camera and gave the shots a softer look than I normally achieve.  I also shot them in AV mode, with the lowest aperture I can get with that lens, around 4.0 to 4.5,  and as always in RAW format.

You all may not know this, but I have a thing for bunnies.  I love them, and have quite a collection.  Besides my Beatrix Potter bunnies, I have all sorts of bunnies tucked around my house.  Some only come out during Easter, while others find a home all year long.

The cute little bunny above was a gift from my daughter Angelfish a few years ago and I love how pudgy and simple he is.  Somewhere along the way I decided "he" was a he.

We've had crazy weather here for the past week, with sun one moment, only to be replaced by thunder and lighting a few minutes later.  But I ran outside today between rain storms and snapped a few pictures in the sunshine.

I received Fifi's wonderful book, Romantic Prairie Style, a few days ago, and I plan to do a full review on the book next week, but it was so inspiring that I felt compelled to create a little prairie style of my own today!  The book really embodies all that makes life in the country so wonderful...wide open spaces to live in and enjoy...something I've always loved about being a country girl.

When you live in the country, you can haul your wicker out into the new spring grass and sit and read a book, or use it to photograph a bunny and some tulips.  Out here where I have very few neighbors, I am free to do these sorts of crazy things without people thinking I'm crazy.

Being crazy in the country is kind of expected, and I love that about growing up with land around me and getting back to my roots again. 

As kids we wandered the fields and woods all the time, letting our imaginations run wild.  I find now that I have lots of space around me, I am able to unleash my imagination once again and for that I'm very thankful!

It allows me to focus on the simple things in life, like the beauty of a few fallen petals on an old wicker rocking chair.

Or the graceful petals of a nearly perfect tulip that will soon begin to fade.  Slowing down and enjoying life is the premise of Fifi's book, and it's the way my family and I have chosen to live out this stage of our lives.  I just wish I'd done it so much sooner.  I'm glad my children had the neighborhood experience growing up too, and they were fortunate to have my grandparent's farm to wander and play on as children, so they had the best of both worlds.  But out in the country, far from stores, traffic, and often people, is where I feel the most at home. 

Miss Kylee agrees, she's happy somebunny loved her enough to move to a place where she can run free too!

Spread the Love...

Vintage Gal

The Frick and Frack Show

Everyday, in fact several times a day, this is what my backyard looks like.  Our yard transforms from its normally quiet haven for birds, squirrels, and the occasional rabbit, into the puppy WWF, or as we like to call it, the Frick and Frack Show!  

The wrestling moves Mr. Quinn and Misty Belle engage in are in no way harmful, but they are far from gentle.  I have to constantly remind them to slow down and "be easy" with one another, but it mostly falls on deaf ears!

Sometimes their ninja like moves are hard to even capture with the camera, they move that quickly!  In the photo above Misty Belle is doing her best imitation of a scene from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.  I'm pretty sure if I took a video of them I could set it to the soundtrack from a Kung Fu movie and it would fit quite nicely!!

Miss Kylee sometimes joins in, but mostly she stays out of the fray and I can't really blame her.  She looks on like the grandmotherly figure, and I'm betting if she could talk she would smile and say "kids these days!"

I can only imagine having these active dogs in some sort of apartment or even a small lot neighborhood setting, no wonder many of them end up in rescues across the country.  They need this crazy play time and they let you know if they don't get it throughout the day!  They could care less if it's sunny, rainy, snowy, hot or cold, they want to be outside and I always accompany them when they are out.  It's good for all of us, and I crack up whenever I watch them play because they are so full of energy and find joy in the simplest of things...even a stick shaped like a wishbone!

Oh, and if you are wondering where the term Frick and Frack comes from...click HERE...who knew?!

I'm glad you all enjoyed the bird photos from yesterday, I tried again today to get some more swan pictures, and I think I may have gotten some by George!

Have a wonderful weekend my friends!

Birthday Girl and A Winner

10 years ago today, a tiny little tri-colored Border Collie came into the world.  She was just one of 3 in her litter, born on a sheep farm in northern Pennsylvania in the dead of winter.  She came from good herding stock, Welsh and Scottish, with champions on both the dam and the sire's side, but she was never meant to be a herding dog.

She didn't have what it takes to make a good herding dog, so she was sold as a pet.  Although I grew up with herding dogs, and we had just recently lost our Aussie, I wasn't sure we could handle the intensity that "is" a Border Collie, so I did lots of research and consulted my vet, and anyone else would would talk to me about Borders.  In the end, we decided this breed was a good fit for us and my parents and I drove the 4 hours to meet the breeder and pick up our new bundle of fur.

Everything you read about Border Collies is true, they are loyal, intense, driven, and very type A.  They live to work and work to live...think Martha Stewart meets Donald Trump!  Miss Kylee may not have been suited to herding sheep, but she needs a job and thrives on knowing that in life she has a purpose.  Sometimes we don't exactly get what that purpose might be...it may be something as simple as herding sticks, yelling at the other dogs when they sneeze, or telling us, by hiding under anything within reach, that the sky is falling anytime she hears thunder...but in her head she knows why it's important to do all of the crazy things she does!

*Soapbox Alert*  In my not so humble opinion, these dogs should never have been allowed to be bred as "Show" dogs!  This is something I feel very strongly about, and I don't mind being politically incorrect in saying so.  It breaks my heart to see people selectively breed out the smarts of these amazing creatures in order to create black and white fluffballs to suit the fancy of a collector!  In the real world of farm dogs, Border Collies come in all shapes and sizes, there is no "look" that a sheep farmer breeds for, just an incredible ability to do a job, and one the dog dearly loves to do.  Even when you take these dogs out of the farm environment, they want and long for that job and they are a thing of beauty to watch when they are giving their heart and soul to their profession!

*Back to our regularly scheduled happy go lucky post*  Even with her recent diagnosis of congestive heart failure, and at an age when most larger dogs are only interested in lounging around all day, Kylee will be the first one standing by the door, ready to go out and play.  

She's not as fast as she once was, she's also not quite as crazy as she once was, but she still loves life and tries to make every moment count!  She keeps her brother, Mr. Quinn in line and tells little Misty Belle a thing or two from time to time as well, she is the matriarch of this doggie family after all!

So Happy Birthday Sweet Miss Kylee, we love you bunches!!!

Now on to the winner of my Springtime Giveaway, it is #51... Rachel Lynn!  Unfortunately, Photoshop ate my Random.org screen shot and it's also disappeared from my Clipboard, so you'll have to trust me when I say that Rachel won fair and square! 

And if you love snickerdoodles, be sure and stop by Rachel Lynn's blog where she is featuring a great muffin recipe...yum!!!  Click HERE to get the recipe!

Congrats Rachel Lynn, simply email me your mailing address and I'll send out your package right away!

And just in case you think sheep farmers don't have a sense of humor, watch this!  Really, you gotta love a group of men who call themselves the Baaa-Studs!!!  

Sick As A...

Thanks everyone for your wonderful comments about my 1 year blog anniversary, reading them has been better than a big bowl of chicken noodle soup!

And speaking of chicken noodle soup, I could use a whole vat of the stuff!  Both my son and I have come down with some sort of nasty virus, the kind you get after spreading yourself too thin during the holiday season.  The kind that sneaks up on you and makes you say things like "I feel sick as a dog," and makes you wish you owned a big red water bottle with its very own sweater!

Thankfully, these guys are not sick as dogs.  And also thankfully, Mr. Tide has been around to help out by doing EVERYTHING around here, including answering my work emails...I have to admit, he does make a pretty cute secretary!

For now I'll be snuggling up with these guys under warm blankets, drinking copious amounts of tea, and wondering how people can subsist on daytime television??!!!  Maybe tomorrow I'll feel good enough to fire up my laptop and catch up on what's been going on in the world...maybe.  For now I'm headed back to bed.

I hope all is well in your world, and that you stay healthy!

Out Of Pocket

Miss Kylee:  Ok, so here's the deal.  Yesterday our company left and that makes me sad because those other people who were here always give me extra belly rubs.

Misty Belle:  I agree Ky, those people who I think are Daddy's parents were nice and even held me sometimes.  And I was a good girl and only jumped on them some of the time...ok only when I knew my paws were really wet and snowy!!!

Mom says the creek is really frozen, more than it's ever been since they've lived here.  Bugs left his fishing stuff outside, I guess he's going ice fishing sometime soon.

Misty Belle:  This is the frozen stuff they keep talking about, it's called ice.  And I really liked trying to walk on it which kind of almost gave mom a heart attack, so a few days before Christmas they called in the fence guy and now I can't get to the water anymore.  Mom is happy about that, but I am NOT!

Over Christmas we had lots of yummy food, but it was really cold and snowy and the winds were ferocious!  We did get lots of great presents though, all of us dogs got treats and new toys, and the humans all got really cool stuff for me to try and chew on!

Mom and dad took us for lots of walks in the snow and that was fun, but very cold!

Miss Kylee:  It was cold Misty, and very windy, I agree.  But as you can see behind me, a lot of the snow has melted and the temperatures are rising.  By the end of the week it will be 50 degrees.!

Mr. Quinn:  Today mom is doing laundry and cleaning up the house...we shed a lot!  And she hasn't been doing anything on the computer, which has been nice because that means she's been spending a lot of time hanging out with us.

 And letting me do lots of this, which I love!  Snow is delicious!

Really...I hope it doesn't all melt too soon.  I like having my very own icy machine in the backyard...

Misty Belle:  I hope everyone out there had a great Christmas...we sure did, well except for one small problem.  It seems that mom and dad have developed a little bit of an addiction to the show Ugly Betty.  Angelfish brought home season 1 for us to watch and now mom and dad can't stop watching it!

Actually I don't really mind, I like it too, as long as I get my food I'm ok with them watching it.  So Angelfish could you PLEASE come home this weekend and bring season 2?!  If not I think mom and dad might start going through withdrawals...thanks a bunch!

Oh, and one more thing...

Mom's photos of the Ekster Barn Sale are featured in Romantic Country's story on the best barn sales across America.  She's super excited about how the spread turned out, and loves the whole Spring 2011 issue, the magazine is available in stores now!!

You Raise Me Up

The last few days have been rough here at LTHS.  Tears have been shed, bonds have been formed (some faster than others), and time marches on.

Thanks to Connie, Susan, Audrey, and Dianna, who listened to me sort everything out during my rambling phone calls, we have turned a corner. 

I know many of you know that Miss Kylee is ill with congestive heart failure, but I'm happy to report that she is doing much better thanks to some adjustments to her medications!

When I decided to end my blog I was overwhelmed with an older sick dog, and a new puppy who wasn't exactly welcomed into the pack at first by a certain Mr. Quinn.

I was in tears at the thought of having to take this sweet face back to the breeder.  It's amazing how one little puppy can steal your heart in such a short time.

And I think I was just overwhelmed in general by trying to keep too many plates spinning in the air.  When you do that, some are bound to come crashing down, and they did last weekend.

Your emails, offers of help, and prayers made all the difference for all of us.  I'm happy to report that everyone is now fine in this family of 4 plus 3 dogs, so Misty is here to stay!!!

I also realized some things over the past 5 days...I'm not superwoman.  I don't have a cape or cool gold bracelets and I can't be all things to all people.  I have to take care of my pets first and foremost right now, so blogging will be a sideline, not my life as it's been for the past 10 months.

I think that those of us who enjoy and take pride in our blogs (and I would have to say that that is 99.9% of those who do blog) sometimes find ourselves a little stressed and stretched.  We want to reply to each and every comment and feel guilty when we can't...even hunting to try and find someone's email address when we get the no-reply comment thing.

We put pressure on ourselves to craft, create, and produce quality posts...sometimes at the expense of ourselves.  We try diligently to visit other bloggers and comment on their wonderful posts, even when we don't necessarily have the time.

But this face needs me, and so do the other two furry faces in my family at the moment.  So I will try and undo the past almost 47 years of woman training.  The training that makes some of us put ourselves last and feel bad for not being able to be all things to all people.

I came to all of this because you all have raised me up over these past few days and reminded me that you won't be upset if I can't comment on every post you write, even if I do read them.  That you'll still be ok if I don't post as often...because you are me, you've been in my shoes, and you understand! 

Your wonderful emails and comments let me know this...so thank you to each of you for that wonderful support!!!

Mr. Tide is an amazing man, and when I shut down my blog he asked me why I was doing it.  I told him that I needed to concentrate on real life at the moment and although he knew it was true, he said "but you love doing your blog, so I think you should reconsider and just not post as much."

I was adamant that if I couldn't do it all the way, full force, and put everything I had into it then what was the point?!  Can you say "Type A" to the max?!

I mean the holidays are coming, there are things to be done and a lot on my plate right?!

And then I got a lovely package in the mail today.  I had been expecting it and was anxiously awaiting its arrival from Wales.  I had purchased these lovely handmade tags from my dear friend Sam's Etsy Shop!

Sam, who also has the wonderful blog The Nest,  had sent me an email letting me know that she had shipped these wonderful tags, which I can't wait to use on a special tree this year, and she also said there would be a little surprise coming as well.

An early Christmas present of sorts, and she told me that the surprise wouldn't be for me...so of course I was intrigued and couldn't wait for the package to arrive.

When I got home this afternoon there was the package waiting in my mailbox.  I raced inside to see what the surprise might be.  Inside were the lovely tags I had ordered and several packages wrapped in brown paper.  There was also a sweet handwritten letter from Sam telling me that when her children, Seth and Lily, had seen the pictures of Misty they wanted to send her something.

The note went on to say that they couldn't just send Misty something without sending something for Miss Kylee and Mr. Quinn. 

So there they were...three packages with darling handwritten tags from kind and caring children who had never met my dogs, or me!

There was a pig for Mr. Quinn, that actually sounds like a pig when you squeeze it!

And a duck for Miss Kylee, which sounds just like a duck!

The last package was for little Misty Belle.  It was a soft furry duck or maybe it's a goose, who cares which it is, all I know is it was the cutest, softest puppy toy I'd ever seen in my life!!!

It brought tears to my eyes and for the first time in 5 days I felt like everything was going to be ok...not just ok, but back to normal.

Some people may unfollow, or not comment, or even get mad when I can't reply or visit their blogs, but you know what, that's ok!  I have this face...

And this face to remind me that true friends are there no matter what, they truly do raise you up when you need it, and they are unconditional with their support and love.  It took two wonderfully generous children, (thank you Lily and Seth), who are miles away from me, and a deluge of support from wonderful blogging friends and my family to remind me of how very fortunate I am! 

I have also had some dear friends and fellow bloggers offer to guest post in order to keep the cobwebs at bay here on LTHS while I'm off tending the home fires...and I can't wait to see what wonderful things they'll create!

So if you're feeling a little stressed out, over taxed and guilty due to blogging...I highly recommend getting a puppy...it works wonders!  But if you aren't really up for the whole puppy thing, just learn to let some of it go, and wait to see who raises you up...it will amaze and surprise you, I promise!

Until whenever my friends...