One of my new buddies
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Still alive......just busy
One of my new buddies
Friday, May 1, 2009
Pups on the move.....
Monday, April 20, 2009
Canoe Season is Here?
"Imagination is more important than knowledge." Albert Einstein
Thursday, April 16, 2009
A Badger of a Day
Once released I was able to remake the set again after a lot of back filling and smoothing. Then it was off to my next series of sets 10 miles North. As I parked the truck and strolled towards the next location it was Deja Vu. Same scene, only this time Mr. Badger was not sleeping and did not appear too happy to see me from the get go. After a rather lengthy conversation about keeping cool while I let him go and with a little help of a strategically placed log I was able to pin the grump long enough to get my trap open sending him on his way. Standing back watching both these guys run through the woods as we went our own separate ways I was reminded like every time I see a Badger on the move, looks just like a pancake flopping its way through the woods. Always brings a grin to my face.
So all in all a fun filled day at the office playing with these cool critters and getting some valuable data for the Tb study.
This evening I had the pleasure of my good friend Sherry's company for a bit of conversation. Sherry is the one responsible for this lifestyle of dog sledding I have gotten myself into and coming over to see the pups for the first time was like a proud grandmother visiting her new grand kids. And as always Sherry came bearing a gift. This time it was some blueberry preserves she picked up at her latest visit to Amish friends in Claire. Cannot wait until morning toast to try some out.
“Live like it is heaven on earth” author unknown
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Crazy Chickens
The "newbies" here are almost 2 weeks old now and came from McMurray Hatchery in Iowa. Pretty cool deal. All you do is leaf through their catalog or online, decide what you want, call it in and BAM! a few days later they arrive in the mail. Pretty cool getting a call at 7am from your friendly neighborhood postman informing you your chicks have arrived and you can come to pick them up even though they are not open until 8, "just come to the back door and ring the bell".
Anyway I boogied in to pick up my order of 25 barred rocks. The reason I picked this particular breed was because of their hardiness to the cool climates of the north, their ability to lay nice brown eggs, and the sentiment that they are one of two breeds we had down state when I was a youngster (the other being road island reds....fyi). Besides the 25 Mcmurray threw in 1 extra B. Rock in case one did not make the transit in good health as well as what they call the "Free exotic chick". This is a bird of no specified type, just that it is exotic and you have to wait for it to grow up as kind of a surprise. I think this is excellent!
So the chicks are all doing well. I have a coop constructed, just waiting on some nice weather for a coat of paint. I snagged the old hen boxes and large tube feeder from my folks since they no longer have chickens and in just a summers time I should get some return in my investment in the form of eggs.......by the way anyone in the area who desires farm fresh eggs (27 a day is a bit much for one guy) I am hoping to set up a weekly delivery route Saturdays on my way to town for folks interested in some super tasty free range eggs.
Pups went on their first official puppy walk today. We did not go too far but made it past the kennel with the big dogs successfully and even had them running the last 100 yards home to the puppy pen. Sure is fun spending time with these guys.
Tomorrow looks to be another amazing day and I hope to get an early start again to the day so I can spend the afternoon here at the kennel....or on the river.
"Love the Madness" Moosejaw
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Spring, Pups, and Running the Roads...
Monday, April 13, 2009
Mondays.......gotta love them!
This is what happens when you get up to grab another cup of coffee at Dream Catcher Kennels....move your feet......lose your seat......
OK here we go with this thing. For a couple of months now I have been getting asked about the frequency of my journal detailing the happenings at Dream Catcher Kennels. To be honest the way I had things set up made it a pain in the butt to update leaving me at best a weekly post. But after some advice from a friend, I figured out what this whole blog thing is all about.......
Lots going on here at the DCK. Chickens arrived last week (more on this to come), puppies are growing like weeds (now 5 weeks old), USDA work is in full swing, temps have been reaching the 45 degree mark on a regular basis, and the days are getting longer. You just gotta love Spring in Northern Michigan!
Today is my favorite day of the whole week. Most of you probably think I am crazy to love Mondays but I see them not as a dreaded return to work but as a step towards progress in my life. I always seem to wake up before the alarm on Mondays ready to get the week started and accomplish something, anything, just be productive. Today was like all the others, turn over in bed glancing at the clock to see I could stay under the covers for another 45 minutes before the buzzer sounds, OR spring out of bed, make that pot of coffee I cherish so deeply and settle in the big arm chair with a note pad and pen scratching out the list of things to accomplish for the week.
Now "The List" is a multi use list that I carry with me the entire week. One side has work related tasks and goals while the other has projects around the kennel I see in need of completing. Then in various random spots throughout the margins I always seem to scribble a random thought or two, maybe a song, or a movie title I want to check out or a quote needing remembered. By the end of the week it is amazing the stuff I have accumulated there. But the best part about this list is fast forwarding to Saturday morning when I can sit back with that same cup of pre dawn coffee and look at all the scratch marks crossing off completed tasks. Sure makes that Monday morning planning session all the more meaningful.
Well here's to Mondays, and may your Tuesday be just as amazing.
"Dance like nobody is watching" author unknown