And the Winner Is............

This cow won the "whose calf will be the most flashy" contest this morning.  That is so far.   All of the other calves just have white faces and maybe a few white feet.   Little Nellie is a real flashy little heifer.

We have nine calves now.    Eight were born since last Thursday including one who was born this evening.    Today is the first double day.   The other interesting fact is the sex count.   There are seven heifers and two bull calves.   Six are red and white and look like their daddy, a Hereford.   Two are black and white.    And....of course, there is Nellie.   There are nine more cows who could calf, but at least one is not pregnant or not very far along.   The calves are adorable and fun to watch.

There are five of the new calves in this picture.   Four are easy to see, but the fifth one is laying down behind the calf that is standing and is nearly invisible from this distance.

May Day

This is what the first day of May brought to the ridge........our first real Hereford calf.   Willy was here when I went out to feed this morning.     He was a bull calf, darn, but is doing well.    His mom is one of our new cows that came to us already bred.   His name (I still name most of them.) will be Willy Mays in celebration of his arrival date on May Day. 

Yesterday I found and bought a new toy for the boys to have in their backyard.    They seem to like it.   They don't know yet, but their backyard is going to grow next weekend.    I found a  place to buy wire that matches the kind they have around the yard, so we will enlarge their play area.    They should appreciate having more room to run.  

They are not easy to photograph.    I don't know how the Cardi people do it because they get great pictures of their dogs.    As you can see Little Beaver is growing.   He is five months old now.    Zippy is doing a tremendous job of bringing up his puppy.   Jake just can't believe how easily Little Beaver has fit into our household.     He sleeps on our bed and has for about a month.  He now is left out of his crate when we are not in the house.     Today we were gone for seven hours, (not planned), and the only surprise we found when we returned was one unstuffed toy.   Someone sure did something totally right with this puppy.    Let's hope his adolescence is just as easy as his little puppy hood  has been. 

The month of April was totally wonderful "weatherwise".    It sure was nice to have good weather.   I am back to mowing the lawn and the few flowers that I have are blooming.    Jake is plowing and planting.    We are preparing for some surgery for him since he needs a total shoulder replacement.   I think it will be done at Mayo since they don't do it at our hospital.    He needs to have that done before he gets "new" knees.    They also need replacement.     He will be out of work for three months more or less with the shoulder.    It should be interesting. 

Happy Easter

 Hope that everyone has a wonderful spring weekend.    Here in WI we are still looking surprised that the weather has been so warm all the way through March and now into April.     After we got a few drops of rain last evening, everything looks twice as green this morning.

As  you can see, the Beave is a fast mover whenever he choses.    The two Cardis  aka  Beavis and Butthead  are enjoying the green grass and warm temperatures.     So far they have not been naughty outside.    I am sure that will not last, but I am enjoying it while it lasts.

We won't be having any lambs this year, and our shearing got done a week ago.    We are expecting calves near the end of spring.    Other than that there are fields to ready for planting and much to do to remove the debris left by the winter.   Taking the dogs walking on the road and on the path around the farm are also priorities since I value what sanity I have left.    Evenings are much too wild when we cannot get out and get our exercise.

Growing Up...........

Hi,  Everybody,.........................Little Beaver here...........

Mom said I could tell  you my news.    I am growing up!!!!    I have lost at least two of the teeth that Mom calls my "pincers".     She says they pinch her arm when I give her "love bites".    What do I know?

 How do you like my "arrangement"?    It has everything that I need............ toys, a place to sleep, steps for me to climb.    Mom laughs real loud when I climb up there and dig for the toys that I want to play with.    I was digging when she got her camera, but I knew that I should pose for a really good shot.   I wanted you to see how I am growing up to be a handsome lad.   I am even bigger now because this is already eleven days ago, and I grow fast!!

Again........No Picture

On our second walk today, we had another highlight.    We were on our way back home walking on the road when a bald eagle flew over us toward the house.      At the house, he turned around and flew over us again.    Wow!!!!!    That was cool!    We have seen lots of eagles, especially by the Missisisippi, but we had not seen one around our house.   The eagle was quite low about twice the height of the utility lines.  

I hope he didn't think that Little Beaver looked like lunch.

What did you expect?????????

Well, duh!!!!   Anyone knows that if you go into the fields tooooooo soon--- all  you get is mud and water.
BUT...........I just couldn't stand walking on the road anymore.    When we got to the corner on the road, we took off into the field to return home.     It was muddy, but we have been muddy before.    We kept going until we got to the area where the berm was located to direct the water and hold the soil.    Long story short........Scooter and I both were forced to ford the ditch which looked frozen.........but wasn't.   Lucky Cardi's, they just kept going unto the high ground mostly on top of the snow/slush.    Scooter, Mr. Timid, had to continue across the ditch through the water to get to where we were.  Little Beaver even ventured out a few feet to encourage his big furry friend.    Scooter got over it.     I was up to mid-calf in quite cold water, but laughing all the way.     It was so good to get out on the land again.   

Little Beaver had his first time really off leash.    His recall is pretty good.     He follows Zippy like a little black and white shadow.     Just as we had gotten back, almost to the lawn and the baby forest, they both took off across the alfalfa field after a bunch of birds.    When the birds flew, they returned to my call.   (Thank heaven!!)

Now my shoes and pants are in the washer, and the pups are wiped off.    Why bother with getting them sanitary??.................we drag mud and sand in here all the time in the late winter

AND................there were red winged blackbirds on the wires when we were walking on the road.    Spring is almost here.

He Ain't Heavy........

He, ain't heavy, he's my brother.      When Zippy literally flopped down on the rug,  Little Beaver decided to join him.  They were tired from a wild run that they had around the house and through the furniture and the tunnel.   I guess they are getting along just fine.  LB is three months old. now.

I'm Handsome, Too!

Hi, Little Beaver here,

Mom said that this is the High Ridge pin-up pose.    I think that I look just as sexy as Zippy did in his photo.    I am now almost three months old; I have ears that stand up; and I have that come hither look in my eyes.     Life is good around here.     This weekend we are having a party because Zippy is going to to have a birthday.     It should be fun if there is extra food.    I really do like to eat and run and play fight and sleep.    Like I said, "Life is good for us dogs at High Ridge!"

Room for Two?

 

Both of these two dogs have taken to sleeping in Jake's recliner, but I never expected to find them in it together.     I was totally surprised this morinng expecialy since Scooter often vacates anyplace when someone decided to join him.   Guess they get along quite well

Time for Westminster.    Got to go!     Hooray for Harvey, Scout and Sax!!!!!

Ears?

 

Hi,  Everybody,

It's me, Little Beaver.    This is the first time that mom has let me write some stuff on this thing she calls a blog.   Now, we, ....Mom and me,  were having an argument.    I say my ears are near perfect now.    She says we might have to put that horrid tape on them again.     I am appealing to all of you to set her straight and tell her that my ears will stand up more straight if she just loves me a lot and lets me lick her a big bunch.     It is up to you all to tell her how it is.     I am a real big boy now, and I can take it if you give her the wrong answer.   You won't will you?   

Oh, by the way, she says I am going to school tomorrow night.    I hope it isn't as bad as the ear thing she told me was going to happen. 

 Thanks,

The  Beave

Red Ryder and Little Beaver

I was doing dishes just now, and when I turned around, there was Little Beaver with his head resting on his new best buddy, Zippy.    At that moment, nothing could have made me much happier.    Scooter loved to sleep with his head on Suni, our cocker spaniel when they were our two dogs.    The two Cardi boys play hard and run hard, but I guess Little Beaver doesn't mind if he is willing to sleep with his friend.

Little Beaver got his ears taped last night.   He sat and took that like a trouper.    The tape takes a beating in their play, but Zippy isn't bothering it.    I was worried about that.

Right now everyone is taking his afternoon nap.    Zippy is on the love seat and whimpering in his sleep.

Scooter is out flat on the floor behind me.    Little Beaver is taking his second nap outside of his crate.  He was curled up on the blanket like the photo shows, but now he is is laid out on his side.    It is quiet now,..................but it won't be for long.

This little guy is photogenic; who wouldn't love a puppy that looks like that  picture.

Garrett Could Be Right

 

Now, is that adorable or what?   Garrett gave him his blue blanket, and Jinnie contributed the blue collar.  I would say that he looks good in blue.   Right now he has discovered the cats to bark at and that a Nylabone can be fun to carry around.   Unfortunately, the cats are bigger than he is .........now.    The bone looks kind of funny, too.    All three dogs had a good run back and forth in the house a while ago with Zippy in the lead.    Little Beaver did not make the whole loop each time, but he got some running done.   Even Scooter got going.  

I can already see difference between the two Cardi's.   This one seems to be more of a people dog although the circumstances are different.    He is sitting under my computer chair right now.    Zippy never did that.    And, he can't  hold his licker at all.    Zippy is not a licker except when he first gets into bed at night.     Little Beaver  runs is tongue 24/7.    It will be fun to watch them grow together.

We are ready to Hit the Trail

Garrett's Crockett became Little Beaver about 12:30 yesterday afternoon.    We all survived the ride home and the first night.   Scooter is learning about having a little brother.    Sometimes we have to declare a time-out to let LB recover his dignity, but they have had moments of playing together correctly.    LB quickly learned that chairs were his friends.    They are a good place to hide from the monster corgi.   The uber-monster collie hardly knows that the puppy is here. 

 

As I write this the two big dogs are outside.    Little Beaver is doing his first wind sprints at his new home complete with toy in mouth.    He shouldn't want for toys.     We have a boatload.

I took three pictures which are not great.    Better ones will follow, but Blogger says I have met my picture limit for this post. 

The Wild, Wild West

 

Well, if you are old enough to recognize this image, I can connect with you.   Little Beaver arrives tomorrow to join his big pal, Red Ryder and his sidekick Buckskin.    Some of  you might recognize the name Red Ryder from a Christmas movie with a BB gun.  We kicked around lots of names, but finally settled on Little Beaver, who was the child sidekick of Red Ryder.    The three of them will be our version of the Wild, Wild West in Wisconsin.    If what Cardi breeders say is right, it should be wild with two Cardis in the same house.    It will be nothing like the homes with multiple Cardis, but Zippy will be so happy to have a friend to play with again.     Scooter mostly supervises.   Hopefully, Little Beaver will be a happy playmate and conspirator for Zippy.    He surely needs that now that Libby is gone.    This weekend Zippy was so happy to have his doggie cousins, Birch and Rover here for a day.  Then to top it off..........Sadie, the sheltie,  came on Sunday.    He was so happy to have doggies to play with again.    Now, Little Beaver should take up the slack in that category. 

  

Waiting for Little Beaver 

 

Spring?

 Look carefully and you will see the pussy willows that are sprouting at my house.    I am almost as lucky as Michelle in Oregon.   ...........Sorry, it was just a way to keep my spirits  up.     It really did remind me of pussy willows.   All it was is the frozen fog we had for several days this week.

To all the wonderful dog people out there that might read this simple blog:    Would it be a bad idea for me to get another male dog?    It would be a Cardi, and it would be neutered as soon as possible.    The other two are also neutered.    Although the loss of Libby eats at my heart, I know that Zippy needs a playmate if I am to retain any semblance of sanity.    Scooter doesn't play with him like Libby did, and even though we went for two long walks today, one through deep snow, he was still going to eat my catalogs after supper.    And that was after he had run  many wind sprints from one end of the house to the other.     He just stands outside now .   Before he was always on the move.

Do you think I need to get one sex or the other?     I would love your input.    Jinnie told me how she feels about it and I value her opinion.    I just wonder what some of the other dog people think.

Frosting on the Dogs

We are having a period of frozen fog.    The dogs couldn't wait until it cleared today, so we went for our walk in the fog.     We all got frosted.    The dogs looked just adorable with their icing on their fur.    Scooter got a whole lot more than Zippy did.    It also frosted their leashes, my gloves, and my hair,too, I think.

Zippy needs much more attention since he doesn't have his Libby to take care of him.    He gets into things he has never even noticed.   I guess I sure didn't realize how much they took care of each other.    Scooter only allows himself to play once a day whether he needs it or not, so he doesn't help much with the babysitting.     We will just have to make this work until we can get a new playmate for Zippy.

Thank  you to everyone for your kind words.    Somehow this loss is the worst animal loss I have suffered in the 40 plus years I have lived with my furry friends.    All the other times, I knew that I would be losing my dog in the near future.    This shock just knocked me for a loop.    Scooter and Zippy probably don't mind he extra lovin' though.

Libby

You certainly never know what life has to offer you on any given day.    We lost our Libby today.   The snow was very high by the far end of the fence.    It was difficult to dig out because of the layer of ice that was about half way down.    I had started to dig a mote so that she could not get up to the fence.    She was outside by herself.   The mailman must have gone by and she jumped the fence and chased after him.   He followed him up our road and to the coutry road where our road ends.    She turned west and got killed just up the road a piece.    Jake found her in the middle of the road and brought her home.    I still can't stop crying.    She had a fenced back yard, and I knew that she hated moving vehicles of any kind.    I can't help but feel responsible because  I didn't bring her in with the other dogs and because I didn't dig a mote around the fence to keep her away from it.     I have never lost a dog in an accident in the 40 years that I have dogs.   I have never even had one hurt on a road.    My poor baby; she seemed to have an obession with moving vehicles. and I didn't work hard enough to help her overcome it.    Other than that she was a sweet dog and a wonderful playmate for Zippy the corgi.    She will be sorely missed.    Jake said that she could not have suffered as her injuries were extensive, and she was dead when he found her.  

Now I fear that no one will ever sell me another dog because I was careless and let this dog escape from her fenced yard.    

Libby................run free whereever you are and remember that we loved you and that you were a beloved member of our family.

Junior Poses for a Picture

Junior has discovered that there are outside cats living on the porch attached to the bedroom.    (also the way the dogs get out to "their" yard.     He sits and watches them when he doesn't have any other pressing things to do.

I guess I will do this one picture at a time.

The new year

The birds are very happy that I filled the feeders this morning.   The picture is taken from the kitchen window and is blurry because of that and the fact that is it snowing.   The Christmas tree is providing some shelter particularly to the cardinals.  I am glad I put it out there yesterday.   Earlier there were seven male cardinals around the feeder.   They are so brilliant in the snow.   This picture only captures Mr. Flicker just above the snowman's hat.  The cardinals fly in and out to the big fir tree in the background.    The road is not visible in the top of the shot because of the snow.   Isn't it nice that all of us in the U.S. can share in this horrible weather.    I am just kidding, but we are sure "united" in our misery.

Second picture is Zippy and Junior resting on the wool roving rug in front of the stairs.    Zippy often rests there.  

Short post since Blogger will not let me add any pictures.    Maybe more later.

Greetings

Happy New Year to everyone!

Life is quiet, just like I like it,  up on the ridge.    It is "big time" winter.     The Christmas storm left a thick layer of ice which has been covered up with a few inches of snow since then.    The day after Christmas we went down to Kenosha.    What a mistake!    It snowed half the way there and all the way back.  But it was great to see Jake's family.    I guess the science of meteorology still needs some improvement.    Libby and Zippy went along with us, and Scooter stayed  home.    He just wouldn't come to us to go and get into the car.    He really doesn't like riding in the car.   The other two were just fine.    Tonight and tomorrow are just quiet days ------ only special because Jake is home.

Blogger won't let me add any pictures or change the side color, so I guess that's it for now.

White Christmas

We are having a blizzard.     It is expected to last through Saturday.   One time today the wind speed was at 40.0  m.p.h. when I looked at it.    The cows are in their lean with fresh straw and three round bales of hay.     The sheep got fed in their sheds tonight.All the outside cats are in various protected places either in the heated milk house or on one of two porches.   Todd is enduring the second blizzard already this season.......not happily, though.   Jake will probably have to work on Christmas.   Even the dogs don't go out to play tonight.......it is tooooooo windy and snowy.  

(Garrett thinks this if fun?)     At least we don't HAVE to go anywhere tomorrow although Todd has to go to LaX for a doctor's appointment. 

We are all warm and safe.    Merry Christmas to everyone and stay safe if you are involved with this storm.


P.S.  Thanks to anyone who sent birthday wishes to me in November.    I can't write to my FB account.   I don't have any idea what is wrong.     Any ideas?

The Upper Crust

Or.............Why We Live in a Gated Community.
                                 

We have found that our culture forces us to live in a gated community.   We just couldn't exist if we were forced to live in a home where all the "riff raff" mingled in one messy group.    The  pictures should explain our predicament.    Here Libby is locked in the living room.   This is unusual for her since she is usually locked out because of her barking at the big window

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Then we have the bedroom.   Sometimes no dogs are allowed to be in the bedroom either.   Usually Zippy is on the other side of this gate in the dining room.     The restrictions from these two rooms is usually because of wet feet.

 

Then there is the gate into the kitchen where the dogs get locked now and then.   They also get separated twice a day when they get fed because Scooter is a FINICKY eater, and everyone finishes before he does.

In the kitchen is the stairway.   It has two gates mostly to keep Zippy from climbing the stairs since the collies don't do stairs which is OK with me.    The cat "stuff" is  upstairs as is my quilting machine, so I really don't need dogs  up there.  The gate in the front swings over to separate the dining room and the kitchen.

 

Lastly, there are the two extra gates which help with any other riff raff that may show up.   One needs fixing, and I think that will be tomorrow's project.

 

Here is some of the Thanksgiving riff raff that showed up with my son Dave.    Zippy really had a ball with the dog on the right, Rover.    We really had the long and the short of it because one of Rover's parents is a Bernese Mountain dog.    They were fun to watch and provided comic relief all weekend.

What next?

This is a picture of the excitement that exists on a Saturday night on the ridge.   A few seconds earlier the cat and dog were touching as they slept.      BUT..............would  you believe that is the same dog that locked his family out of the car with the keys in the ignition at the gas station this morning?    Well, it happened.     Love those automatic locks.     He just stepped on the lock button as I was finishing the gas fill, and Jake was getting some soda in the store.     LUCKILY........Jake had his wallet on him with the OnStar card in it.     One call to them and the fact that there was a dog in the car produced an  unlocked car as soon as they were sure who I was.    Thank heaven for OnStar, and I will never leave the keys in the car when the dog is alone in the car.    That could have happened any time that I was filling the car and had the dog along with me.    Then I might not have my cell phone, and I certainly would not have my purse since I  use a credit card to get gas.          Oh well...............learned a new lesson today thanks to Mr. Zippy.   

As a reward we took him to his favorite store, TSC  (Tractor Supply Company) so that he could comb the dog food aisle for treats besides getting treats from his favorite store employee.    He really loves that store.

For Michelle

Here are some pictures of the bullies.    I can't get good pictures since they come running to the fence when they see me.    I will have to think about how to produce better pictures of them.   The first one is Sammy as he is approaching.   The second one is Sammy being naughty.

 Here are two bullie faces trying to figure out what the heck I am doing.

 

Last but not least are the three dogs in my backyard looking at the house that Jake has spent a week of vacation trying to save.    His vacation is over Monday, and the house is a wreck.  It is an old one room school house that was moved to this property.    The former owner was not a carpenter, and the house is sinking into the ground.   Jake is madly jacking parts up and replacing beams under the house where there is a hole.    Water flowed under the whole thing and caused a lot of rot.    Luckily Todd doesn't HAVE to come home  until Wednesday.    By then, I think, Jake will be able to get the house closed up so that it is "livable" again.

Through the Spinning Wheel

Well, I don't have a picture of this, but I will do my best to describe it in words.    It was just a few brief moments while I was spinning last night.    I was sitting on the couch with my wheel in front of me.    Spinning is new to Zippy.  All of a sudden I looked up from my drafting, and there was a little Cardi head going round and round on the other side of the wheel.    He did it long enough that Jake was able to see it.
You know how a dog will follow motion with his head?   Well, this one was going like around in time with my wheel.    It sure made for a real funny "Cardi moment".  

The funny moment may have been to make up for his trick in the morning.   As I was sitting at the computer he went over to the wheel and jumped up on the couch and took the whole ball of roving I was spinning from and treated it like one of his toys.    Luckily I caught him before he had torn up the whole thing.    It took some time last night to pull the ball apart so that I could salvage the parts that had touched the Cardi lips.    Very little was lost, and the act last evening more than made up for the mess in the morning.

Sunny, frost, and calm up on the ridge this morning.   Looking forward to some mild temperatures today.
Time to go for our walk.

I just went and did it anyway!

Hi, Everybody...................Zippy here!

Just me hanging out on my new playground equipment.

My UN mom knew better, but she put up a bell for me anyway.    She tried to teach me to ring the bells when I wanted to go outside.    Yahoo!!!!   This is great!!!!    I learned just like she wanted me to, and I ring those bells whenever I want to go out...............whether it is to play or to do my "business".    She had been told not to, but I am glad that she did not pay any attention to what other people said.

As you can see from the picture, I have a good time when I go outside.   Libby is the greatest playmate.   I can almost keep up with her now, and we have fun chasing in our yard.

Now, Mr. Scooter just doesn't always know what we are up to.    He  usually just stands and watches us run all over the place.    Sometimes he even joins in.    That is real  fun.

I thought you would like to see my second favorite playmate.   It is a cat, but I pretend it isn't.   We just play like two dogs.    BUT.......I have to be careful when he swats at me because his nails are sharp.

UN mom says she has a surprise for me one of these days.   I have no idea what she is talking about because she keeps talking about something called "snow".    Oh, well............I will just let her have her fun.

And the Dogs

The dogs are enjoying the fall except when it rains, and we can't go for a wal

Libby looks kind of put out with me.    She really was having a good time.

And Zippy got a new toy to play with.   My sister-in-law told me about these toys for dogs, and we finally found one.   So far he jumps up into it, and today he has used is as a place to get drinking water since a few puddles form where he is standing.

And I am learning about this new form of Blogger, so I am sorry about the poor organization.

Sheep and ........nothing else right now.

The sheep come running when they see me or hear me.    I know it is only because they expect food, but it is fun anyway.

Looking for cookies.

That is all for now since Blogspot won't let me download any more pictures.

Fall Update

Well, Jake has been installing our new corn stove/furnace. We sold the wood boiler and bought this new one that burns corn or wood pellets. In the picture you can see how it looks now with the grain bin set up alongside. The second picture is just getting it set up. The third is self explanatory and depressing for October.

The day it snowed like this left no evidence after it was over.