Goodbye 2010, Welcome 2011!

Wow the last post of 2010! What a wonderful year I had, so many wonderful things... BUT the most important was having my Beli boy for another year! Always my heart dog and best friend but also the longest living dog I've ever had and in FABULOUS shape still, I feel like the luckiest person alive (and maybe I am:-))) Otherwise, I finished my 4th HX dog and second BBE HX, Abby, who also produced a lovely litter that I am so proud of at 4.5 months.

Remy (Raglans Ratatoullie) while he is going through some funny growth stages at the moment I just love him. Wonderful temperment and such a fun guy to be around.

Remy front 4.5 months, what a pretty boy!

And then there is Dory (Raglans Just Keep Swimming) Lovely girl who is so much like her mother, yes she is having a bad hair day:-)) So balanced and nice she had to stay though.

Dory front 4.5months

Rosy also made her mark on the year with her BBE 1st at the 2010 CWCCA Nationals. While I was not able to trial her this year, next year will be her year in the herding arena. And then there is my little Sally, puppies were not in her immediate future but she has taught me why I enjoy my dogs. She has reiterated again and again why I enjoy breeding, training and exhibiting Cardigan Welsh Corgis! I love that little bitch no matter how many times I have to tell her not to eat live chickens:-))) Evy turned 7 this year which is a milestone for me as she is from my first litter and is my first BBE HX, while she never finished her Ch she has proven her worth on the farm and continues to be an enlightening dog in herding training;Evy certainly inherited her fathers heart!

I did have to say goodbye to Laura and Wish and of course LauraXBeli puppies and AbbyXTigger puppies but they are all in such wonderful homes!

Of course there were a few disappointments such as another year without starting school and loosing my Grandma Hill recently. A new year brings hope and closure though. I have a lot to look forward to in the New Year, school, the CWCCA Nationals in Houston, trialling my dogs and who knows what else!

So after this long winded post.... HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone! I look forward to a wonderful and fruitful 2011!

Good News, Bad News

Well bad news is that my paternal grandmother died today. Not unexpected though sad none the less. We honored her during our dinner this evening remembering all the wonderful times that we had together. This picture was taken just over 1 week ago, my sister, Lauren on the left and my mom in the red sweater. We sang Christmas carols and visited for as long as she was able.
The good news is that Nemo has a new home! He left with Amy and Jay this afternoon with his new friend Jackson, the Pembroke. I will post pics when I get them.

More snow...

So this has been our third day of snow here, I think we are up to about 20" though its probably more in some spots. I got my camera charged and am still trying to download some videos I took yesterday.
Remy going after someone ...

Cardi train :-))

Nemo posing in the snow

The stare down...

Evy watching snowballs

Dory and Remy coming up the trail

Evy and Rudy fighting

Snow weasel

Abby and Dory playing

Beli with the babies

A Very White Christmas

I travelled all day yesterday and got up to our home in NC late yesterday evening. We woke up to a VERY WHITE CHRISTMAS! The dogs had a blast in the snow running and playing.

Remy, yummy snow...

Dory and the stick, Remy fell in a hole behind her too:-))

Dory on the road during our walk.

Dory ready to pounce

Sally listening to the deer in the woods

Rudy watching the puppies play

Remy and Nemo running amok.

Evy on lookout

RAR! Dory says:-))

Remy and Nemo fighting over the stick

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! The dogs had some wonderful gifts from our friend Michelle and our Cardi Claus box, they loved everything!

Family

Beli, Remy, Dory and I went down to Ritas to visit for just a bit before she moves on Sunday. It is very bittersweet to say goodbye, I know that Rita will have a blast with her new property and home but I will sure miss her being around!
Rita and I with Beli and Shimmer, who will be 13 in January...

Rita with Beli and Shimmer

Belle(Cornerstone Fairysteed Belle ROMs). Belle is 14+ and doing so well! She is the Greatgreat grandma to Abby's litter.

Belle with her GGgrandpups:-))

Beli letting me know how much he disapproves of my taking pictures of other dogs:-)))

So the dogs and I both got to see and say goodbye to part of our family today.

Burrrrrr!

I do still live in FL right? I cannot remember it being this cold in FL this early in the year ever ( I was born and raised here). I had to break 2" or more of ice on dog buckets and water troughs this am! The ice stayed there all day too, I don't remember that happening other than this January. The dogs are staying cozy in the house for the most part but I did slip out and work a couple this afternoon. Dressed out in my snowman gear of course:-))
I had Evy and Abby adjusted a couple weeks ago and they have both been a little off since. Abby is still lame on her front but Evy is sound for now. I worked Evy for almost 45min, she would work until she dropped so I had to drag her away kicking and screaming from the sheep. She did a great job on my light whethers, I hope that she behaves like that in the trials this Spring! Rosy also got worked but she is being a really pushy little bitch these days so most of my time spent is walking her down to reinforce the lie down, sigh... We did get some good work done but the better part of it was a fight... Sally got to feed with Beli this evening so I'll try and work her tomorrow. No pics right now since my cold weather gear doesn't allow me much freedom for something else to carry along!:-))

Rosy's show pic- Ocala

We finally got a pic I like:-)) The judge was a little grouchy since we had to redo the photo several times (photographers fault) so I chopped her out.
I think that gives her several points now, I'll have to check this week.

Playtime!

Finally remembered the camera when I took the dogs on a walk last week... So for a change I have new pics of most of the dogs.
Lily finding snacks in the field

The boys out for a jaunt in the field, whos knows what trouble they were looking for:-)))

Rudy waiting for Evy to come back around

Remy grabbing Dory waiting for her to react, little rascal.

Remy coming back to join the fun where I was sitting.

Goofy Nemo laying on top of me:-))

The old guy coming up for a big pet.

Evy and Rudy playing, big GRRRRR!

We must have been good this year!

This huge box was waiting for us at the gate after work! Hmmmm what could be inside???
Looks harmless enough but suspiciously like a Cardi Claus package:-)) Yippee!

All of this was inside!!! Yummy Merrick sausages(for everyone), tennis balls, lamb snacks(they love!), their favorite fleecy toys and a beautiful ornament (from DC), chocolate and hot cocoa for me:-)) Wow what a wonderful treat for us! HUGE THANKS to Claire Ward for our lovely and very generous and thoughtful Cardi Claus treats. I especially love the card:-))

The dogs knew something was up but I opened the first sausage and they went crazy! Notice the pug even awoke from his deep sleep on the couch to come for a taste:-))

**The funniest thing was there is a map drawn on the box to find our house and stickers all over the return address, so I really didn't know where the box was from:-))

Down to the wire...

Cardi Claus is on her way from FL tonight! I've always been a procrastinater so its really no suprize that our package just left today... Should be there by Wed next week. My dogs were so sad to see it go, they thought it was all for them!:-)) I hope the treats are enjoyed by the lucky northern fur kids!

Happy turkey day!

We've just finished our yummy Thanksgiving meal, very tasty if I do say so myself. We had Roast Turkey, Mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, homeade cranberry, pumpkin pie, corn casserole, rolls, gravy, and of course cranberry cornbread stuffing. Everything turned out well even though I had to do most of the cooking since mom is under the weather... The family is all fighting and watching football now:-))) The dogs and are going for a walk.
In the spirit of giving thanks, I would like to say how thankful I am for my life and friends. All of my friends, family and extended family, I thank you for being you and for being part of my life!

Cute video

My good friend Carol found these old movies using all dogs, made in 1931. Very cute idea:-))

Tired...

Its been a really busy weekend! We did the Ocala shows the last four days, not really much to speak of. Rosy showed well the first two days was WB(1pt), RWB and then dumped the last two days. I'm glad I did it, we certainly weren't ready for her to enter a herding trial with her new found girly hormones! Lily was entered today just for some experience and she did really well. Especially considering when she came here almost two months ago, her world was rocked and she wasn't real sure she liked it. Everyone was suspect except for me after the first couple days. She did a wonderful job and I'm happy with that! So we are back to the grindstone tomorrow and a BUSY week ahead with herding lessons and Thanksgiving ( have to find a BIG turkey tomorrow) Can't wait I love this holiday because I love tradition and tradition in our family is often food. Cinder (now Bella) is coming for a visit and I get to see Buzz (still Buzz:-)) so it will be a fun but very busy week. Now off to bed!

Remy

Since I didn't get any useable pics of Remy the other day I took him out for a "photo shoot" this afternoon after the dog show. He had fun running around with leaves and my camera cover He says " These huge leaves are the best for playing keep away!"

Are those chickens over there?

I'm taking my leaf and going home.

What you got? Is that food?
** PS Rosy was WB, BOW, BOB, though most of our entry didn't show. She did get one point, hooray! Maybe tomorrow we'll have a better showing?

Uncooperative puppies

I guess that is the story of my life. I would like you to notice the tape on the ears. I finally had enough of floppy beagle/hound ears and thought "these ears are going to stand!". See
picture two... What is this puppies problem, crazy perhaps??? Note pic #3

Puppy (Nemo) has made a new record for tape removal in less than 36hrs, but he would like to give some credit to his fellow puppies (in pics to follow, should be mug shots!).

Abby having a good roll before it was rudely interuppted by devil spawn!

Evy laughing at Abby since there will NEVER be more Evy spawn!

Dory says "Hey mom I've been looking for you, I have been such a good girl not doin nuthin wrong!"
Again Dory looking on at the evil boy childs getting into trouble!

Abby says " I've had enough of this terrible behavior out of all of you! I'd put you in the kennel myself, if only I had opposable thumbs" THE END, for today anyway

There were no puppies injured in the shooting of these photos:-)) Matter of fact I think they had a big time.