I’ve always found it funny when people talk about being reincarnated. I’m not sure I want to do this whole life thing again, but when I think about being reincarnated, I don’t think about coming back as someone famous, or some great world leader.

In fact, I don’t want any part of that. Too much work. Jesus, you think I want photographers following me around, famous person, or having the responsibility of saving the world? No frickin way.

It is very clear there is only ONE destination for me, if in fact I do, at some point, get reincarnated.

I’m coming back as my mom’s dog.

This mutt has totally got it made.

I swear to God this dog sleeps at least 18 hours a day. At least. And if you try to move her during that period she will growl at you.

Oh, and when she isn’t sleeping she is probably eating or trying to kill a lesser animal in the yard.

She is a hunting dog, which by tradition means she would spend her life hunting. But our hunting trips are few and far between these days, so her hunting prowess has to be channeled on animals not used to being hunted. Frogs, turtles, cats, large birds, other dogs or the occasional lizard, snake or beetle, are all possible targets.

And speaking of eating, she gets all kinds of great food. Dog food, sure, but she also gets tons of stuff that mom gives her. Gravy on her food, organic produce, organic, free-range meat. Far better food than I get to eat.

Oh, and this dog controls the house. When mom is on the phone, the dog sits next to her and barks until she hangs up. The dog is insanely jealous and needs to be the center of attention. It’s pathetic. She will walk up in front of you, look at you, start to lose it and then start banging on you with her paw until you do something, anything, let her out, let her in, pet her, stop petting her, get her something, feed her, pay more attention to her, pay less attention to her, etc. It never ends.

Eat, sleep, bark, hunt, etc.

Did I mention she sleeps on a red, leather chair? Did I? Ya, it’s true. A chair bought SPECIFICALLY for her. I don’t have a red leather chair.

Due to some short circuiting of her internal, hunting wires, she will now go on point inside the house. She used to wait until she hit the porch before locking on a point, frozen, with only the tip of her nose searching for the target. But now, as she oozes her pudgy body off the leather chair, she locks on a feeble point, just for the sake of pointing. Her quality bar has fallen and can’t get up. This is my goal in life.

So for those of you looking for me in another life, I’ll be the fat little pooch controlling your house.

It rained a lot at night but the good news is the ice thawed a bit so it was easier to drive to the yard this morning.
The ground outside the yard turned into an ice rink though and it is lethal to walk on it. Fortunately, there are two entrances to Star’s paddock and one of them was less icy so I took that path. Star was very excited to go out again and she was trying to trot at my side, but I was bringing her back to walk as I could not take the risk to go too fast given the state of the ground.
So most of the snow has now melted but it turned into huge pools of water and now Star’s paddock is like a lake. There is no grass for her to eat as it is all completely covered by water and mud.
I hope that won’t make her mud fever start again. It is now almost gone, I have been looking after it as well as I could and she never goes out without her ankles covered in Sudocrem.

The school is also covered in water and snow so not really usable at the moment but I guess this is our Christmas break!

This afternoon, we’re having mince pies and mulled wine served at the yard, yummy! I am happy to be here for Star’s first Xmas as my baby, I would not have been happy being away in France without her anyway.

Here’s a photo taken this morning. Please ignore my awful face, I was sick as hell yesterday so not looking very good!

Eating Star's braids for breakfast

Thankfully, a friend of mine came to pick me up at home yesterday to take me to the yard and I could bring Star in myself at last. She seemed fine and even a bit sleepy. I gave her dinner in her stable and when she finished, she spent all her time nibbling on my coat, gloves, hair, anything! What a mouthy pony!

This morning, the same friend picked me up again and took me to the stables; the roads were still way too icy to move the Mini.
Star was in her stable when I got there and ready to go out! I put her rug on and took her to the fields and she was all bouncy on the way, but the ground was very icy and I was scared to fall over so I slowed her down and we made it safely to the paddock. As soon as I removed her halter, Star took off and had a little play session of herself. She was chasing the birds, jumping in the air, cantering happily in the snow, it was so nice to watch.

I went back to her field a few minutes later with some water for her as her trough was completely frozen and of course, she had a go at the wheelbarrow and the water container, pushing them around, biting them, staring at them and then jumping away as if they were going to eat her, she was so funny! So I picked up her ball and gave it to her and said “look you have to stop destroying the wheelbarrow now, if you want to play, play with your ball” so she took the ball and cantered away with the ball in her mouth, looking all content with herself.

After that, my friend took me back home as I was starting to feel sick and drowsy and when I came home, I was getting seriously ill. Awful headache! So I went to bed and haven’t moved since. I am feeling a bit better now though. Don’t now what it was…

I will hopefully be able to drive to the yard myself tomorrow morning, that weather is really starting to be annoying now! I look forward to the snow and ice thawing, I want to be able to play and ride again!!
Oh by the way, my 3 hour lesson with the Parelli instructor had to be rescheduled as the sand school was frozen and full of snow and that I could not drive there anyway, so it will be in early January instead, which is OK. Hopefully, it will be sunny that day!

I haven’t been able to go to the yard yesterday. Today, a friend was supposed to come and pick me up at home, drive me to the yard (she has a 4×4), have her first lesson with Mike while I spent some time with Star and then she would have brought me back home, it was perfect.
However Mike got ill and he had to cancel the lesson so my friend decided not to go to the yard after all and so I could not go and see Star I am sad. I haven’t seen her for 2 days now. And it is still snowing quite bad here. Ugh, make it stop!!!

I spend my days looking for a truck to buy or exchange for the Mini. I am undecided on what to buy, and I don’t really care as long as it takes me to the yard may it rain, snow, freeze, storm! Would love a Dodge Ram, but will have to wait a little bit longer for that one!
This morning, a lady rang my door and said she was sorry but her car slid right into the Mini. I went out and found a big Jaguar stuck into my Mini’s back end! However, when they managed to move the car, we saw there was no damage at all so that’s pretty lucky!

If it gets better, I’ll try and go tomorrow but nothing’s for sure. I miss my Babyboo!!!! The yard owner called me this morning saying Star is very well and that I should not worry, everybody’s looking after her, but I hate when I cannot do it myself.

It turns out that gardening is more complicated than just buying plants, sticking them into the ground and making sure they have enough water.  It turns out that if you want your plants to survive, you needs to consider the soil type, the amount of sunlight, hardiness, and number of other factors in plant selection, placement, and care. 

With this in mind, I purchased a few books- You Grow Girl by Gayla Trail and Garden Anywhere by Alys Fowler-  to help make better informed decisions.  Sure, cacti won’t thrive in Western Washington while blueberries and moss do, but it would be helpful to know why.

Let it snow! Right–who can actually “let” it snow… Here are photos and video of Daisy and Zeke during their afternoon playtime in the yard. You’ll notice there’s much more snow now, and it’s still coming down!

Daisy is cold.

Can you smell the snow?

Mom, I want out, please.

Pretty please…

Zeke’s paw is cold…

Daisy: “Hmmm… Between the snow and the fence, I won’t be able to carry out my plot of world domination. At least not until the snow melts…”

And here’s the new video:

The snow’s coming down heavy in the D.C. Metro area today, and there’s no hint of stopping until later this evening. Daisy and Zeke braved the snow earlier today–when we only had about a foot! Here are a few photos and a video–more to come!

Hmmm… There used to be a jump and tunnel in our yard…

Look, Mom! We found our tunnel!

Look, Mom! I’m digging and not tearing up the yard!

And here’s the video:

That was a risky drive and I don’t know when I am going to get back there as more snow should be falling on Monday but at least I got to kiss my baby Boo this afternoon!
She looked very relaxed, wandering around in the snow and eating hay in the sun, eyes half closed. What a spoiled girl!

let it snow! – The first snow of the winter! So… wrapping presents, eating lots of food, watching Christmas movies, and snuggling on the couch.

Robotic lawn mowers are going to be the next life-style changing appliance in America. Think about it, how many times have you wanted to get away for the weekend or go to some event but yard work kept you tied to the house? I can’t tell you how many golf outings I have missed.

Robotic lawn mowers can mow the yard, go back to the charger, and go back out again on their own without human intervention.

object they will turn and go another direction. Some mowers use a random pattern while others go back out again on their own without human intervention. This is a must-have as well, some robotic mowers on the market today do a very good job covering the yard to define the mowing area. Gardens, flowerbeds and trees can also be easily protected. Running the wire is not difficult, you can DIY or have it professionally installed. The wire can be allowed run at night while everyone is in the house or even asleep.

On schedule they will depart from the charger and start to mow. Since they are quiet and don’t need to see the yard, go back out again on their own without human intervention. This is a must-have as well, some robotic mowers are going to be the next life-style changing appliance in America. Think about it, how many times have you wanted to get away for the weekend or go to some event but yard work kept you tied to the charger, and go back out again on their own without human intervention. This is a must-have as well, some robotic mowers on the market today do a very good job covering the yard to define the mowing area.

Gardens, flowerbeds and trees can also be easily protected. Running the wire or into an object they will depart from the charger on its own the added expense will be worth it. A rain sensor is a large step forward from only two or three years ago. Residential robotic lawn mowers are now useful and practical. They are pretty much maintenance free except for the occasional replacement of the wire is not difficult, you can DIY or have it professionally installed. The wire can be allowed run at night while everyone is in the house or even asleep.

On schedule they will depart from the charger and start to mow. When they run over the wire around them.

I like to think of my garden as an outdoor, art studio. It is where I do my creative, ongoing, always a work in progress, work. I have a small corner tucked in the back of the studio where I store my pick ax, rake, shovel, clippers, saw, and other art tools and supplies. My yard is the canvas that is divided into sections, each section is a painting. In my collection, I have various paintings, such as agave, cacti, wildflower, vine, succulent, and several other combinations. Included in my studio are quite a few sculptural pieces. I have several large, perfectly formed, in various shades of green, agave, a one-armed saguaro, a night blooming, multi-trunk, fat stemmed echinopis, and a white, hairy, old man cactus.

My studio is a peaceful place. Hummingbirds come and go, the occasional snake slithers in and out, and the Quail lay their tiny eggs in my container plants. There is always something new and young and growing, and there is always room for more. The wind can blow hard, and when it stops, I notice that my paintings have changed ever so slightly.

Wishing you all a peaceful, glorious Holiday Season and a healthy, adventurous New Year!

If you don’t already have a shed and you are trying to find the most beautiful shed for your yard then you should consider a cedar shed. Those that already have sheds don’t know how lucky they are. Imagine having a shed full of junk, tools and accessories, and now imagine that shed is gone. It is the only place you can hide your outdoor appliances safely through bad weather and from burglary. It’s better to have stored items inside a shed because otherwise you would have your unsightly belongings tucked in a corner of your yard with the risk of robbery.  Cedar garden sheds are wooden and look very stunning. There are many features that you can have in your shed like windows, special doors, a porch and other decorative features.

If your shed is going to e made from cedar wood you have chosen the best kind.  Since you will be investing so much money on a garden shed then you should take advantage and make the best you can out of it. Making the windows will not differ too much price-wise so why not get creative with the shape and style.  There are a few options when choosing a window that will open and close. You can also think about the shape, whether you want round windows, arched windows or just the basic square. It’s good to have ventilation in the shed to avoid humidity that can damage your machines.

There are different types of doors for the shed you can also get creative with. If you want a door the will close from the bottom down you can ask you a Dutch door. You can use this when you want to leave the top half open while you are in there working on something. If you don’t spend much time in the shed you can just install a regular door but you can also be creative with the shape. If you have chosen arched windows then you might want to have an arched door for the shed.

Some people like to get fancy with their cedar shed after spending so much money on it by adding a cute little porch to it. This will give your shed character and make it look very inviting. There is nothing wrong with having a plain and basic shed. The sole purpose of a shed is to keep things stored safely without having an eyesore in your yard.

Yard Sale Treasure Map is a mash-up between Google Maps, and Craigslist yard sale listings. You type in a start address, a radius and a day of the week, and an interactive map shows all the surrounding yard sales. Clicking a marker on the map brings up a small window with the listing from Craigslist. It’s simplistic design, and ease of use make this a fantastic resource for any yard sale frequenter. Give it a try. Thanks for reading.

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Ordered some more tools today.  The Yard has graciously offered to send me the following after taking some of my money:

-Fluting Pliers
-Microstop New
-5-Piece Set 100 degree Countersinks
-4  Side-Grip Clecos Clamps 1/2″
-4    Side-Grip Clecos Clamps 1″
-25   K Series Spring Cleco 1/8″
-50   K Series Spring Cleco 3/16″
-2    #21 Cobalt Jobber Bit – 135 degree
-2    #12 Cobalt Jobber Bit – 135 degree

They should arrive sometime next week. I’ll update the post when the come in with some pictures.

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I thought that this chair was quite appropraite for this week!

It wasn’t much, but it was the first snow to fall this year.  The storm blew through in about an hour right after the temperature dropped almost 15 degrees – down to 28.  This was two days ago and now the temperature this morning is a steady 16.  Wind chill makes it seem as if it was 12, but, actually, is there any difference between 16 and 12 when you’re outside?

The gloomy day kept up until about an hour after the snow and then the sun came out.  Didn’t melt the snow though.

My huge woodpecker friend came back but stayed mostly in the tree out front.  He started on one side, worked his way around the trunk, and then hopped from one branch to another.  All the while pecking at, presumably, bugs; or, at least looking for them.

Bill

The pond behind our house has begun to freeze since it’s been so cold (it was 7F when I woke up):

Do you know anything about gardens and gardening? Or are you thinking of making a new garden in your home? If yes then you should consider reading the following paragraphs which summarize the work of family garden experts who are completely familiar with all the aspects of family garden. You should  heed their advice to avoid any complications or mistakes while designing your garden.

You can have the most elaborated back yard from the entire neighborhood, but if it isn’t functional you have built it in vain. We all want to have beautiful and flourishing gardens, but when we have a family, we must also take into consideration the needs of the other members of it. Divide the space of your yard in two or three visual spaces, one for play and relaxation, one for gardening and maybe one for pets.

An open space, covered by lawn is ideal for your children. Here you can install a table for open air lunches or for a romantic summer evening dinner.

Do you have a fireplace? Keep a portion of your garden especially for depositing fire woods, but make sure it is at a considerable distance from the house or animals that can cause damage.

It seems like new information is discovered about something every day. And the topic of family garden is no exception. Keep reading to get more fresh news about family garden.

How about pets? You can build for these little members of your family special spaces, in which they can play and exercise. Before you plant bushes and ornamental plants, surround the pet space. Cats and dogs tend to be attracted exactly by the things we try to keep them away from.

Keep the by-passers’ eyes away from your personal life. Before planning the scenery, you must have in sight a place for the garbage cans. It wouldn’t be very nice to have a wonderful garden right next to the garbage cans. These can be efficiently hidden in some kind of surrounded space, decorated on the sides with life fence.

Functionality is an important factor in your garden, so you have to think about children, little pets and family assets before you plant anything. Save a portion of the yard especially for you, in which you can plant whatever you want and leave for the others some space to breathe freely.

You will find it more satisfying this way, once the whole family is happy with your garden and they might even bring their personal ideas for it. It is important that personal space is respected and that is why the garden must not be very wide, taking up all available space. Build from time to time a pathway or some benches where you can just relax and admire your work.

As your knowledge about family garden continues to grow, you will begin to see how family garden fits into the overall scheme of things. Knowing how something relates to the rest of the world is important too.

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Whoa am I excited to decorate the yard with Christmas lights… But in an effort to be reasonable, I was advised to choose one thing and light it up real well… So I chose the entryway, which I can envision adorned with fresh evergreen garland and red berries, but since it already came with a free, Halloween archway easily transformed into a Christmas entrance, these holiday dreams will have to wait.  I wrapped this puppy with 6 strands of lights in an effort to attract they eyeballs of passerbyers to our otherwise, very blend-in-able home. 

I’m already thinking about next year, hanging something from our knobby branch tree.  I was thinking glowing grapevine balls, since this neighborhood is seriously lacking some.