A Tale Of Spring.......and Mud......and Three Dogs......

 Ah yes....here are the three dogs in their usual lounging spot.....

And here is the mud.......so far so good.....

But wait!  What's this?? 

Which = this.... 

And we mustn't forget this.....as red clay goes so great with burgandy/mauve-ish carpet...

I like to keep a neat and tidy house............however, in the spring time, it certainly isn't a clean house.....due to MUD and THREE DOGS!

I'm not fussing though, because I'm ready for Spring!

Til next time.....

God Bless,

A Sad Day at Goodwife Farm..........

I didn't feel like blogging this until now, but............

We lost our little Brandy on Wednesday.  She has suffered from seizures for a couple years now and one took her that she just couldn't fight.  I'm glad she isn't suffering any more and that we were able to be here to ease her suffering instead of prolong it. 

I miss her.  She always lay between my legs in the recliner of an evening.  I keep thinking I hear her little bark and find myself looking for her.  I dreamed about her last night, that she ran into the living room, but I was the only one that could see her.

We'll miss you little girl...............you gave us 8 years of love and devotion and I'm thankful that you picked me.

God Bless...................

Some Excitement......Two Weeks Ago

When I went down to ride a coupla weeks ago (before the lost dogs incident), Champ was nuttier than squirrel turds and I was wondering how things were going to go.  I knew we had to really focus or it was going to be bad, so we worked on suppleness, and just walking calmly.  He spooked several times and I was wondering if it was just the wind and the weather change that was coming in.  He REALLY didn't want to go down in the back, and that was a bit unusual.  We hadn't had any issues like that in quite some time.  I noticed that my Ellie girl was the only dog I could find.  Champ and I went down the other side of the creek and I saw Ginger (boxer) and I started hollering for Annie (Lab/Bluetick Coonhound mix).  As soon as I hollered Champ spooked again, and then I saw Annie.  She had was all the way in this hole....

and she was barking. She was so far in the hole that her barks sounded like she was way down in the back of our property. I think the barks were echoing in the ground or something and that's what was spooking Champ.

I rode back up to the barn, unbridled, and tied Champ and headed down there to where the dogs were, where I found this.....

Ginger got in the hole so far that all you could see was her tail......Annie was frantically digging at the top of the hole, covering Ginger with dirt and Ellie was just looking at me wanting to know what I wanted her to do!  Ginger would NOT get out of that hole and Annie wouldn't leave it either.  They were barking and whining and I was getting worried that it might be a 'coon in there.  'Coons can really tear a dog up and I was concerned for my dogs faces!

I was headed to the neighbor's to get Sweet Teenage Neighbor to help me out when Ginger came to me.  I got her and Ellie locked up at the house so then had only Annie to deal with.  She was pretty tired by this point and was out of the hole.  That allowed me to get in there and see what they had cornered......

In case you can't tell it's a possum......

Before you get all jacked up thinkin' he's cute........possums carry EPM which is a killer of horses.  I don't want any possums here although they are pretty much everywhere around here.  I was just relieved it wasn't a skunk or a 'coon!

Where was Champ this whole time?

Patiently standing at the barn waiting to be unsaddled!

  God Bless.........

Oh Where Oh Where Have My Little Dogs Gone........

Oh where oh where can they be??  That was the burning question Sunday evening when we were cleaning up from working on the barn.  As I mentioned, Ellie seldom ever leaves my side. 

These two.....

Not so much.

After getting our left-over wood stacked in the hay barn and gathering up all our tools, Ellie and I got in Black Betty to go up to the house and unload.  It crossed my mind that I hadn't seen Ginger for a little while, but I didn't think anymore of it.  We got in the house and were getting ready to get in the shower when The Man said

"Where's Ginger and Annie?"

Dun dun duuuhhnn!  Where indeed?  We took Ellie and went for a walk down in the back, calling and looking for them to no avail.  We got in Black Betty and made "the circle" around the county roads circling our property, to no avail.  By this time it's dark and I'm worried about my girls being out in the dark with no supper.  All 4 of our dogs are house dogs mind you and I was concerned about them spending the night without the comfort of the couch!  I was also starting to panic because The Youngun wasn't home and how the holy crap was I gonna tell her her dog was gone!!

We came in, got our shower, and I started supper.  I turned the front porch light on and left the door open so if they came home that way I'd see them at the door.  We knew they'd gone the other way though, probably got down in our creek after something and just were following it.  Annie is half coon-dog so once she gets a snoot full of scent she won't come back until she's good and ready.  The Man went out to look in the pasture to see if they were at the gate waiting to be let into the yard.........nothing.  I was planning to call the local shelters Monday morning and get some flyers made up.

We ate supper and when we said grace, I asked God to keep our dogs safe.  I asked if it were His will to please bring them home, and if not for some nice person to take them in.  Right before bed I went out the back door and heard Ginger bark!  Whoo hoo!  Ellie and I walked to the pasture gate and Ginger was snuffling and whining to get through.  Annie was sitting in the barn door at that gate waiting to be let into the yard.

Needless to say they were happy to be home, Ellie was happy to see her sisters, and I was thanking God!  From now on Ginger and Annie can't go into the pasture..........if they can't be trusted to stay close, then they'll just have to lose that privilege! 

She looks the picture of innocence doesn't she? 

God Bless.......

What We Do For Fun............

Sometimes things can get a little boring during the winter here at Goodwife Farm. If we have all the critters snugged up, the wood cut, the baking done, and are just relaxing in the evening, we might need a little entertainment. That's where this little girl comes in

This is She's Branded Lucky, or Brandy as we call her. Sometimes she gets called Little Bit, or Fluffy Dog, but she is always good for entertainment.

Brandy had a rough start in life. She was one of two puppies and was born via C-section. Her mama almost died and the other puppy did die. She was a bottle baby and 4 months old when I bought her. The lady I bought her from said she didn't really like people, but as soon as I came in the house she ran over to me and begged to be picked up and she's been my girl ever since. She used to curl up between my neck and shoulder while I was quilting. It was her favorite place to nap. She's almost 7 years old now and is still such a little stinker.

So anywho, this is what we like to do when we are bored.........please don't turn us in to animal cruelty, we won't listen anyway.........

She so loves her pony tail holders. To this day if I have a pony tail in and she can, she will crawl up my body, grab the pony tail holder with her teeth and tug for all she's worth until she gets it out. They are her favorite toy!

The Goodwife's Fantasy.........

Sometimes I fantasize about a world................a world in which peace reigns.............a world where I don't curse and gnash my teeth...................a world of supreme happiness and joy. In short a world with no dogs!

I was out in the free-cockin freezin' cold last evening doin' my feedin'. The three big girls had all been outside blowin' the cobs out for about 1/2 a hour or so. When I went out to feed, one of them had had enough and wanted to come in. I let her in on the back porch while the other two stayed outside playing while I did chores. I came in to this............ps.....I have no mudderfudgin clue why this picture won't switch to the right way......but I'm tired of messin' wid it!!!!

Which dog did it? Was it this one? She really looks like a trouble maker!

Or how about this one? She appears to have some schmutz on her face.........

Or maybe this one? It's the little ones you gotta watch out for!

Nope..........it was THIS one........looking all casual here, although I do detect a hint of smugness about the eyes. And I'm pretty sure that she isn't nervously licking her chops, but actually sticking her tongue out at me. This is the same dog that gave me THIS little gift a few months ago.

Till next time.............GOD BLESS FROM GOODWIFE FARM!

Wordless Wednesday........

What a way to start the day.....

How do you get doggie diarrhea out a berber carpet, does enybaee know?? As I staggered out of bed this morning at 4 am as I do every morning my hubby gleefully declared from the bathroom...Boy are you gonna have fun this morning! This of course makes my eyes narrow cause I know my beloved far too well. I felt my face crumple as I said....What??? He says, Well Annie must have had a bit of a digestive disturbance last night......oh dear........this ain't gonna be good. See Annie is my daughter's black lab/bluetick coonhound. She is my daughter's love and she sleeps in her room, right next to her bed. My daughter could sleep through the burning of Atlanta and not wake up even as the fire brigade was dousing her bed to put out the flames. Evidently Annie really really really hadda go bafroom and daughter didn't wake up to let her out. Our room is on the opposite side of the house so of course we didn't hear her.

In case you are wondering where I'm at today.....I'm packing up the house. I've decided it will just be easier to move rather than clean this free-cockin mess up! If you have any fabulous ideas please email them to goodgraciousdogcrapisstinkyandmaybei'llhavetokillthisdog@pleasejustshootme.com
Otherwise, I'll let you all know my forwarding address!

Till next time......I've got my nose plugged but still unTHICKINandsoTHINNIN!

Oh the horror!

My darling Ellie has mange! *gasp, snuffle, faint, swoon* Yes it's true, sad but true, I have let my dog get mange. Well lets face it, I didn't let her get it. It's not like I went to her and said "look, you're getting older now and it's time you went out and got scroungy and got the mange" no nothing like that. Actually she's had it since birth. It's demodectic mange which is the kind that all puppies get from their scroungy mommies, but most puppies outgrow it or never even manifest it..............great I've got a SPECIAL doggie! So now she has to get dipped by the vet every two weeks until she gets two clear skin scrapings......such joys with animal ownership!! And the best news is that all of her hair might not come back because of skin scarring! Hooraaay!



She's really a beautiful dog when she has hair..............











Till next time.........GOD BLESS FROM GOODWIFE FARM!