Catch up !

As much as I admire many other blogs for the their creativity , etc The Pioneer Woman , Hooves and Hounds, Farmer's Daughter to name a few, I am afraid that my blog will remain a chronicle of day to day living. A virtual diary as it were. I don't ever seem to find much time in the day to do blog type stuff or perhaps I am just not of that ilk. So here it is read it  and weep or laugh, it is nice to know that others get a giggle or a tear out of life here at Walnetto Farm.

We had kids on Saturday the first LaManchas born this year. The Nubian kids of a previous blog are almost 8 weeks old. Berrie their dam is just about at the "if I have to spend one more day in this pen with these children I will scream" stage. They all go out during the day to a larger area and it is a hoot to watch the four kids trailing behind Mom like ducklings heading for their day out or night trip back to the safety of the barn. I will make an attempt to remember my camera tonight to get a picture for this blog. Ears flying , leaping like tiny reindeer they are a sight for sure. I often think they resemble a field trip with group of 5 year olds and I am tempted to attach name tags and give them a length of yarn to grasp so they won't get out of line!

Only 1 more doe to kid this year another LaMancha due in mid May. I bred very few this year anticipating moving by now but with the escrow ending in no sale we are now once again playing the waiting game. So this marks the least amount of kids born on the farm in years. But with less comes more and I will be going to a few shows this year the first one next month in Red Bluff, not far from where we are moving and I am really looking forward to it. Oh and when I get photos of the "field trip kids" I will get one of the new additions a buck and a doe with the boy looking just like his sire Walnetto-Farm NRKM Longfellow.

With all the updates I am now back at the clinic working 2 days a week. They called mid February and asked me to help fill in at front desk (reception) and some days in back as nurse. It is really different as I don't have the responsibility of being there daily and I appreciate that. So I will continue until we get relocated the extra $$$ are nice and I enjoy seeing the clients and their critters. My plan is still to begin a commercial artisan cheese production when we move. I will not give up the dream so if anyone out there knows of someone looking for a nice little spread in Mendocino Co. at a more then reasonable price have them look us up!

My girls came up over Easter vacation. Emily and Claire (now 11 and 8 ) the week before Easter. I love this photo of them in particular Claire on the right who has such a classic look about her in it. They love to knit and Em is getting pretty good on her own now. The girls are a study in genetics as Em looks very much like her Dad and Claire is identical to Annie, my daughter her Mom. I will never get over how it all comes together. As when we have all four girls together you can see the similarities and still the individuality.

Aubrey came the week after Easter and we enjoyed her very much. She is maturing fast, will begin Jr. High this Fall. I am sure her parents are thrilled about that prospect! The group photo from Christmas time last year in Fresno has Emily (the tallest of the bunch) Aubrey on the right (the oldest of them) Claire to the left and Genna pretty in pink.

We are getting more rain today and we are loving it. After rationing last year it is nice to have more and even tho we need another year or two like this to put an official end to the drought having an above average year is 

wonderful! The clouds last night were just begging to have their photo snapped. Off to the barn. Have a wonderful day!

Spring , always a good thing!

Well out of the dark has come light. To be accurate more like a 2000 watt bulb and here she is.

 Now don't let this sweet profile fool you. Under the soft English Setter puppy exterior lays the heart of a masterful, high energy canine!

As you can tell by the thoughtful pose the little vixen has assumed in the photo below. Casual to lure one into a false sense of security but all the while planning her next move to steal her way into your heart.

I am ignoring you because you are stating rude and unfair things about me, a small innocent puppy, well I never!  And she has progressed since these photos were taken about 2 months ago. She is now 5 months 

and full of it. A bit more doggie, the awkward adolesent stage is beginning. And she has discovered the water at the lake and the ocean. She is the only one of all the English we have had that has delighted in water somewhere other than in a dish. She hops like a rabbit and growls at it. Rolls over on her back and wiggles. Attracting much attention from the folks who have made the trip to Lake Mendocino to appreciate the wealth of water we have this year.

I will get some more recent photos of the "child" and make a good effort to update her progress in the months to come.

And tonight we celebrate life!

 

I present Walnetto Farm Logan's Berrie and her 3 hour old kids. Two bucks and two does. Healthy, happy and just what we need!

 

Kelsey 1/2004 - 1/2010

I thank you my "little dog" you came to do a job and when you were done you left for home.

You won my heart you saved my soul and you will always be my"best girl". 

God's speed Kelsey see you soon.

THE DANCE 

by Garth Brooks

Looking back on the memory of The dance we shared beneath the stars above For a moment all the world was right How could I have known you'd ever say goodbye And now I'm glad I didn't know The way it all would end the way it all would go Our lives are better left to chance I could have missed the pain But I'd of had to miss the dance . Holding you I held everything For a moment wasn't I the king   But if I'd only known how the king would fall. Hey who's to say you know I might have changed it all. And now I'm glad I didn't know The way it all would end the way it all would go. Our lives are better left to chance I could have missed the pain But I'd of had to miss the dance. Yes my life is better left to chance. I could have missed the pain but I'd of had to miss the dance.

Bear with me please

I will continue my ramblings at a later date. For now I am begging off due to Kelsey in last post is very ill. She has a compressed cervical disc and since we cannot afford the 5-7K surgery we are working with her on bed rest and pain relief and sedation.

I can honestly say that at this point the out come is not rosy. We had the first acupuncture treatment yesterday and the next one is set for Wednesday. But today she is not doing well as she was yesterday. I really don't believe it was a lack of effectiveness from the acupuncture but the pace of the pressure shifting. I see small signs that she is better but more ataxic (think of a drunken snake walking) then before.

We are praying, wishing, hoping. This is my "little dog" well not little as she is 59.6 #. But I got her when I was in tech. school 6 years back and she is my "pick up truck" partner, my all around farm dog and damn nice companion. She got me through some very rough times in life when there were huge family issues. So I am doing what I can do while still allowing the thoughts that enough is enough and she will not be stripped of her dignity.

So good energy, prayers, thoughts, dpns whatever please send one up for this dog "my best girl" tonight. See you later.

I'm back

Where oh where to begin?

I guess an update on Miss. Sherry and Lobo is first up. Missy (as we call her) is doing fine. Sutures out and healing as we speak,er, type. Lobo is coming along nicely also and his foster mom Debi told me yesterday that he is getting a new collar as the one he had when first coming to them is too small. Yeah he is getting healthy and gaining weight. His ears are cleared up and he is wallowing in the luxury of having good care. Debi also shared that he greets her by talking to her and giving kisses. He still has more weight to gain and his treatment for heartworm but sooner than we know he will be ready for his forever home.

This entry may be discombobulated (is that how it is spelled?)! I guess my mind might work better if I began now and work back to Christmas.

This has been a tough month so far here at the farm. On Wednesday the 20th we sent Lexi our almost 14 y.o. English Setter (and our last) to the Bridge. We had spend a rough night before up with her and we were grateful that I had access to some serious drugs so we could keep her comfortable until Adian our vet came the next day.   I don't have a recent photo handy but Lexi was Micki's sister. They were both Blue Beltons and lovely show quality bitches with great personalities and very loving ladies. If you will remember Micki passed in the Fall preceded by Skittles our orange girl. We have had many English over the last 25 years and Lexi's passing leaves a huge hole in our hearts. Also in our home as when we moved to Mendocino Co. in 2006 we brought with us 8 dogs and we are now down to 2 Kelsey and Spinner.

That same day we had Adian assist Fannie our 10 year LaMancha doe , grandmother of almost every LaMancha doe in the barn, to the Bridge also. She had begun to go down after that intense arctic weather we had in December and just never bounced back. It was most certainly time for her to go where all good goats go. The photo above was taken two years back and is the last we have of her. Fannie earned her SG title from American Dairy Goat Assoc. which stands for superior genetics. We are very happy to have her three year old daughter Walnetto Farm Fannie's Lucky Penni in our herd along with many granddaughters sired by her son Walnetto Farm Nite Rider. Rest easy Fannie.

And if that all wasn't enough on Thursday I began to notice that Kelsey , 6 year old Border Collie/Aussie X, was beginning to exhibit subtle neurological symptoms. As they became more pronounced I called for an appointment with our vet. in Santa Rosa and on Saturday packed her and I into the truck and headed out down the hill. We spent 3 hours there with blood work, films, exam and so forth. The bloodwork is to be back today. And so far all results are negative for  anything from spinal myelopathy on down. She has been on Robaxin, Tramodol, Metacam plus herbals and seems to be doing better. We are hoping that she just tweaked something between the L3 to L7 doing something stupid with her barn cats. We are guardedly optimistic at this point in time. Photo from event two years ago with foxtail but she pretty much looks the same only no lampshade!

When getting ready for Christmas I managed to snap this photo of Tabby Tabby one of the barn cats. Evidently she was in a birdie mood that day.

Then Christmas happened and we weren't even looking for it. We didn't have a "real" tree this year as I was leaving the day after for the "Berg" and we had been working our fannies off to get the house in shape for a change of venue. Which reads "new relator" so we had a wonderful little tree that Geoffrey's Mom had in her collection. Made by someone unknown from New Jersey. Enough said!


That is all for now folks. It is getting late and I need to get supper going. More soon I promise. Stay tuned for the trip to the Berg and the big storm that will float California to ????

Help needed

I have been very busy and with family. I promise a blog with lots of news this week. Right now we have a huge need for help with two of our rescues. I am the co-chair and a director of Great Pyrenees Rescue of Nor. Cal and I am putting out this link in hopes that those of you who depend on this awesome breed to protect your herds and flocks will help these two who have given all. http://www.gprnc.org/

I realize we are in a time where time and $$ are of little to spare. But please if you have ever had a livestock dog of any breed or a K-9 companion search your hearts and pockets to help these two. Miss Sherry was picked up by me on Tuesday last and fostered at our farm. Lobo is the epitome of a dedicated working dog while even starving continued to guard the flockless farm where he lived. IF NOT YOU , WHO????