Tuesday, August 30, 2011

There is no greater pleasure

Today a gentlemen asked me about dogs we board and I told him about Sheba. Sheba is a Rottweiler and she is the sweetest dog, her owner is very sick and need to send her someplace for awhile but didn't have the money to pay for board. I decided to take Sheba for a month to help out because so many times good people have helped me out. The gentlemen called me a sucker. Sheba's owner will not be able to take her back so I am going to foster her until she can be placed in a new home.

I wonder in my heart who is the sucker here. I know what is like not to be wanted, to feel helpless and alone in a not so nice world. But, I made up my mind a long time ago that my life would have purpose. I want to leave this world someday knowing I helped, I did something to make it a better place. People who live only for themselves are really the suckers for they miss out on the beauty and the good. It seems that so many hold on to small and petty things and never see the brilliant daybreak of giving and sharing.

I've been blessed in my life in so many ways and it's like throwing a stone into the water just watching the ripples when one life is changed, even a dogs life. I won't accept the ridicule but instead go to sleep at night feeling good about the labor of my days.

Today was a good day and I sat with Sheba and let her know I loved her. I am excited for her to have a special person to take care of her for the rest of her life. Will is recovering from being neutered and I am going to walk him tomorrow and start working on basic commands.

I hope to ride my horse Cody tomorrow because that always makes me feel really good. My dogs are here with me now content to sprawl out for a good sleep. The parrots are all asleep in there funny way with their beaks tucked under their feathers. Bunny is awake of course and hoping for a night time carrot.

All is well at Kindred Acres Farm with a rag tag group of people and animals. Things are as they should be. 

Aubrey and Pony


Sweet William - soon available for adoption


My Darling Daniel


Sunday, August 28, 2011

Being part of the big picture

Monk got a great home and Chewy is on his way to a new life. Will came back for training. It feels good to see things come together and along the way some very special animals get a better life. God has allowed me to have a place where people and animals can interact and grow. Sheba has a place to stay while her owner is in the hospital and Chloe will have some much needed socialization. A regular is Scrappy who is a very sweet dog who I look forward to seeing every Thursday.

There are dogs that come here who are afraid to have baths and be groomed and I let them explore and relax in between bathing and drying. I love it when they warm up to me and give me kisses and wags. The horses have their routine and the security of being able to go out together. I love them all. 

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Finally things are shaping up

Today I groomed a very nice dog and took in a boarder for the weekend. After working till the afternoon I came in the house and got some much needed cleaning done. I feel much better and only have to weed wack around the buildings to feel like everything is in order. I stress when things are all unorganized and so this is bliss for me.

Kylie is sick and recovering from a cold or flu bug. The weather is cool and sunny and I am grateful and really feel for the folks getting hit by the hurricane. The horses are all feeling good as they can graze without getting eaten up by a bunch of flies. The grass is nice and green and so it is a good August even though it feels like fall is setting in to soon.

I have business calls to make next week and some regular customers coming back. Business is picking up and I get the chance to meet many nice people and great dogs. I have to get some of my clipper blades sharpened so they will perform better but my little shop is great to work in and I have everything I need.

I'm feeling restless tonight and would love to go out for awhile but my friends are busy so I guess it's blogging and TV tonight. 

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Getting things done

This morning started with a nice breakfast with friends at an area pet professional meeting and I gained some valuable information and enjoyed the company. I moved on to a doctor's appointment and received a referral for some tests to check out a lump. I hate doctor stuff so my brother is going to go with me for courage.

Later in the day I did some chores and Kylie and I had a talk about getting more things done. Kylie is 14 and a great daughter but the work is hard here sometimes and she needs to help more. Tomorrow her school starts online so we will have to get things in order so there is time for the studies.

I got the basement completely cleaned and am ready to start on the rooms on the first floor. Heavy stuff got moved with a little help and I feel better now. I always start to freak out when the house gets to messy. I like things to be tidy after working all day. Of course, with birds and feather dust, four dogs and a busy schedule (did I mention the 14 year old to) it is a challenge.

My mom was brutal about a clean house and I guess that stuck with me but not to the extreme it was growing up. I do feel better though when everything feels clean and fresh.

Tomorrow will be more cleaning and maybe some work outside here and there. I hope to have a quieter day tomorrow but we will see. Tornado watch tonight with thunderstorms, I hope it passes us without turning into something big. I hate late night drama. 

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Another day with no end

The day started with Mike building up a wall for Aubrey and bringing us railing for the stairs in the barn. It will be a real project putting them up and I won't get it started till the end of September. The usual chores of course today with a little shopping for dog food and some things around the house.

Laundry was done and hung out to dry which I love to do but we don't really have a choice right now since the dryer died. I took care of Sheba and Will and hung out with Diane and Shirley while the rescue dog Monk and Shirley's dog Rocky got acquainted.

I then went to work on taring down Kylie's old bed and struggled to put together the new one. I also worked on the basement cleaning the room we are going to use for storage.

I started at 8 a.m. and am now just sitting down. Tomorrow will be another big day because I have a meeting to attend in the morning, a doctor's appointment, and a dog wash. I have to finish fixing Will's fence and get the stuff moved off the front porch. Did I mention the usual barn chores and dog walking in between?

It feels like the work is endless and nothing gets done but that isn't true. Slowly things will get done I just have to remember there are only so many hours in a day.


Monday, August 22, 2011

August 22, lots of catching up to do

Lets see, this month has been rough and fast paced. First the brakes on the truck, the air conditioning in the house and then we lost water for a day. All very difficult but the solutions came reasonably well and I thank the good Lord for that.

We have been busy with multiple dogs because it is vacation season. I am happy to have good business and to enjoy all the wonderful pet personalities I get to meet and get to know.

Will is going to a foster home on Thursday and he has been with us for two months now. He's ready for the next step in his journey for a forever home. We had two dogs that came in that might of ended up rehomed because of behavior but one is going to be kept by the family and the other is going to a good home where he will be better suited to the environment.

I also have a lovely rottweiler we are caring for while the owner is in the hospital for a month, her name is Sheeba and she is darling.

Tomorrow, Mike one of our boarders is going to help me fix the area where Aubrey is so that he has more privacy. I have a new bedroom suit for Kylie and we are in the middle of cleaning and moving things around in the basement and taking her old bed out so the house is a mess for this week.

The past weeks I have been able to organize and fix some things in the barn and in the back area of the property. I will be weed wacking most of this week to get things shaped up to make things look more appealing. I didn't do much of the weeding while it was so hot but now I am ready and I did some spraying too which will hopefully help for the rest of the growing season.

Griff fixed Kylie's bicycle and gave me one and so we will all be riding around getting some exercise. He picked up a go-cart that needs work and it will be fun here on the farm to ride around in. We all went over to Marcie's place for pizza last weekend and Griff gave my brother a gas grill he had and Uncle Gregg was surprised.

Kylie got to go to Cedar Point twice in one week which is nice because she hasn't had a real vacation and she works hard on the farm most of the time and I was glad she had fun. She is also riding Aubrey almost every day now and they are both doing very well.

I visited a fun alpaca farm over the weekend and got to pet them and see some babies. I have pictures and will post them soon.

It's been a fast summer and soon Kylie starts school again. I hope to be making improvements in the kennel when Will moves on and continue to make space for dog boarding. My dogs are really enjoying the socialization they give to other dogs that visit the farm when they need it.

Shirley had company for a week and a half and was slacking on her barn responsibilities but is back to business now. She is being very brave by considering fostering a very special needs Saint Bernard. This place does bring people and animals together. Kindred spirits together here at Kindred Acres. The name didn't mean as much when I chose it as it does now.

I am rich in good friends, fun and treasured creatures!

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Birthday Summary

I had a pretty good day on my birthday yesterday in spite of the weekend of drama. I got lots of hugs, a great kiss, a new rod and reel, a tractor pin and I found out my hydraulics work on my tractor (it has a leak). We had a huge hail storm but it cooled things off and the house wasn't that bad last night.

We are truly blessed here and I am so happy to have such good friends and family!

Kindred Acres Farm