Dottie has Company

Dottie here.....mom is busy so I thought I would jump on the keyboard while she isn't looking.  I think this computer stuff is kinda cool for a dog!

I HAVE to tell you about my day!  Today, my foster mom let some other dog in the house!  I jumped up on mom's lap and told her I didn't want a sister and she said that 'Jessie' was only here for the day and for me to play nice with her.  Something about boarding?  

I don't know about this Jessie dog.  I mean......she came with her own blanket, toy, water and food.  That sounds like she's thinking about camping out here don't you think?  

 And now that 'other' dog is putting my toys on her bed.  I don't really play with my toys but hey....those are MY toys!!  Mom has even been taking us outside at the same time.  Jessie, like me,  seems very interested in those birds in my backyard.  Mom says it's because I am an English Cocker Spaniel and a member of the AKC Sporting Group and that Jessie, is a Beagle from the AKC Hound Group.  Soooooo.....I guess we have something in common cuz we both like to hunt.  

HEY wait a minute Jessie!!  Where you goin?!?!?   Well I guess my foster mom wasn't kidding that she was only staying for the day!   That was kinda fun!  Maybe she will come back and we can play.  

Gotta trot off, here comes mom!  Happy Paws!!

Dottie

Ice is for the Birds!

Hi....it's me Dottie!  I'm checking out my foster mom's computer while she's not looking. 

Another day in the Valley of the Sun.....but hey what's this thing in my new backyard??

I heard my foster mom tell her dad that the water fountain was full of ice!  I wonder what 'ice' is???  I don't think they have this kind of 'ice' in California?  I better check it out.

Oh wow....that's cold!  

So.....that's what ice is. 

That explains why I saw those birds walking on the water this morning, boy I bet they were sure surprised when they couldn't take a bath in there!

OOOOOPS  I better go, I hear my foster mom coming.  Shhhh don't tell her I was on here ok!

She's Here!

Meet my new foster dog, Dottie!

I have yet to get any really good pictures of her.  It's hard to hold the lead and try to take a photo, but I keep trying!

 

This is the best picture I have of her taken before she came to me.  Dottie is the black white and tan on the right hand side while her brother Tucker, is the darker blue roan and tan.  Both came into rescue when their owner unfortunately passed away.  Tucker has been adopted.

Dottie and Tucker are English Cocker Spaniels.

She came to me last Sunday night from California so she thinks it looks really weird here!  

Hey....where did all the grass go???

What the heck!  These are rocks....you expect me to go in rocks!

GRASS!

Whew, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do and right now, that means chillin!

So.........from FenceRow Farms West, in Arizona  

(as opposed toFenceRow Farms, East in Indiana!)..........I'm sure Dottie will have more to say on her recent move to the Valley of the Sun.  

Stay tuned!

Frame Works?

Here is a picture of my rug hooking current project.  As you can see, I'm still working in the wrong season!

I am planning to do the border in a primitive black to complement the crow.  Not sure how I will finish it but most likely will whip it.  That seems to be my finishing of choice.  This rug will be approximately 18" by 24"
when done.

I've always used a large quilting hoop but recently purchased my first real frame and thought this would be a good time to talk about it. 

  

It seems that I have pros and cons about this frame.  I LOVE how tight the grippers hold the rug in place compared to the quilting hoop.  However, I don't seem to have the flexibility I had with a hoop.  First let me say, this frame turns every which way, 360 degrees, however, I just have a lot of trouble making good circles with it.  I can't seem to turn it as easily as the hoop.  

Additionally, I am starting to think the frame is too large for my lap.  Perhaps, I should have bought the floor stand along with it.  I don't have the best chair to sit in here in Arizona, it's a small RV type recliner/rocker with an unattached footstool.  Rolling up a throw blanket and placing it in the small of my back in the chair seems to help me sit up straighter and sometimes seems to help the angle of the frame.  

I have also noticed that there is a lot of rug on the frame in an area that really can't be reached easily, hence I'm thinking smaller!  Not sure if I am going to invest in another frame yet, but am thinking that maybe......less is more?

Hope you had a beautiful Sunday!

Karen

Number 30 and Other stuff!

I was excited to find that as of today I have 30 followers!  YAY!  I really didn't think I'd ever have anyone who would want to follow me when I first started this blog but, I was wrong!  My original goal was to just write, to vent, to journal so any followers for me is a BIG plus!  Now I find that I am accomplishing those things and meeting some great new people, reading wonderful blogs and learning many things as well. 

So......help me give a big Country Girl welcome to #30:  
http://hannahspinkeep.blogspot.com/ 
It looks like she has some wonderful stuff to make primitive goodies if you haven't found her yet. 

***

And now onto other topics!  One of my wonderful new blogging friends is Lauren from http://rugsandpugs.blogspot.com/

If you follow Lauren you know that she and I share a passion for rescuing dogs.  Lauren often writes about her foster Pug furbabies.  I was reminded of Lauren last night while watching the late News when a story came on about a retired Policewoman here in Phoenix, who was injured on the job when she was hit head on by a car while riding her motorcycle.  The crash left her with some irreversible brain damage in the form of seizures.  To make a long story short, this woman had a Pug service dog named Lucy who warns her of impending seizures!   Her Lucy will start an intense whining that tells her it is time to take a pill.  She has been seizure free since the dog had come to live with her!   I found it ironic that her dogs name is Lucy and our Lauren's Pug's name is......LOOCIE!!  

And while I'm at it, meet Wendell.  Wendell, an English Cocker Spaniel, was saved from certain death at a shelter last month in Indiana.  He came to FenceRow Farms, rescued with the hopes of finding a 'furever' home.  I really haven't blogged about it but, FenceRow Farms is my home in Indiana.  It's our kennel name and where we raised and showed Champion English Cockers, rescued Greyhounds, and operated a public boarding kennel for a number of years. 

 

Well it didn't take long for a wonderful couple to adopt Wendell and he is living the life of Riley now!!  They are in love.  Doesn't he look like he has lived on that bed forever!

My point here is that dogs are amazing creatures often going above and beyond what we humans think they are capable of.  So......if you need a companion in your life, someone to love you unconditionally, to be with you, to help you through rough times.....PLEASE consider saving a life and adopt a rescue dog.  It can make all the difference in the world to you and to that dog!

Hope you all have a warm and furry day!

Karen

Longhorn Cattle and a Bike Ride

I squeezed in a few minutes for a bike ride yesterday.  I needed it after grooming two dogs, looking after dad, laundry, yard work and cleaning up my grooming room.  

The wind in my hair and the bright blue sky was revitalizing.  And then.....I spied them.   Hidden among the scrub bush and cactus in the desert behind the 'back forty' where I ride.....were a couple of cows.  Longhorns to be exact! 


I'm sure some would say I'm crazy to get excited enough to get off my bike and take pictures, but that's me, and I did!

We don't have many longhorns back in Indiana so it was fun to see them.  Hearing them call to one another reminded me of the country living at home that I miss while I spend the winter here in Arizona with my dad.  Oh sure, our community does back up to the desert and the wild and sprawling Superstition Mountains are just across the street.  And we do have Coyotes, Javelina's, Bobcat's and so forth and true, this is a rural area compared to Phoenix proper, but I do have neighbors.  The houses are pretty close here.  

Anyway, I love it when I come across nature, wildlife and animals that are native to an area I am in.  Especially when I can be reminded of my rural roots!

Have a great day!

Karen

 

Dog Ear Wash Recipe

Had a dog in for grooming today with very yucky, yeasty smelly ears.  

Thought it would be a good time to post a homeopathic ear wash that I have used on my dogs for years!

“Purple Power Ear Treatment”

INGREDIENTS:
16 Oz. (= 0,47 litres) Isopropyl Alcohol
4 Tablespoons Boric Acid Powder
16 Drops Gentian Violet Solution 1%

Mix together in alcohol bottle and shake well.

NOTE – You will also need to shake solution every time you use it to disperse the Boric Acid Powder.

To use, purchase a small “Clairol”  squeeze type plastic bottle or a  baby ear syringe bottle to dispense solution to affected ears.

TREATMENT:   Evaluate condition of ears before treating and if very inflamed and sore do not attempt to pull hair or clean out ear at all.  See your vet.

Shake bottle each time before using. The boric acid will fall to the bottom and recipe needs to be well mixed for full potential.

Put cotton balls or similar absorbent material under their ear.

Flood the ear with solution, (gently squirt bottle), massage gently to the count of 60, wipe with a tissue.  Flood again on first treatment, wipe with a tissue,and leave alone without massage.

The dog will shake out the excess which can be wiped with a tissue, cotton ball, etc as the Gentian Violet does stain fabrics.  It's a good idea to do this treatment outside so when dog shakes his ears, staining in the house will not occur.

SCHEDULE of treatment is as follows:

Treat 2x per day for the first week to two weeks depending upon severity of ears
Treat 1x per day for the next 1-2 weeks
Treat 1x per month (or even less frequently, depending on the dog)

All of these ingredients should be available at a pharmacy or local Wal-Mart.  Wintergreen alcohol can be used for extra soothing especially if your d  Boric Acid Powder soothes the ear while Gentian Violet is an anti-infection agent.

The solution appears to work well on any and all ear problems from mites to wax to cankers.

After the 2nd or 3rd day you can clean out the ear with a Q- tip or cotton balls.

Happy Ears!!!