THE WEEKEND'S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE...

Unfortunately, I didn't arrange the photos in the order they should be, but I think you can follow the Adventure and select the one that fits....

It was Sunday, and time to get outdoors again and snoop around the property some. I could spend hours watching 'Joey' as he goes about his frolicking...picking up his tennis ball in a sock...carrying it somewhere...then a stick, then a chew bone...then a toy. He is certainly a 'retriever'...and every once in awhile he will go about finding all his toys and take them to the porch and lay them near his bed. GOOD DOG!

Part of the frolick comes from annoying the goats, but you might notice that Joey at 3 months old is almost as big as Tommy now...so he will jump at Tommy in play, and Tommy usually is laid back about it...but if he gets too annoyed, he will butt Joey and send him rolling down a hill.
Tommy and Jordan like to jump up on any cliff or high ground...and Joey has to try it too...but usually this results in a good roll down a hill...but never fear, Joey is up and going on to something new. When it turned kind of dark and overcast, the Goats started baaahing because they think it is night time...and that is when they are given the frosted shredded wheat yum yums as a desert and reward for their hard day of 'eating'....so Allen takes them to their new 'condo' he built to make sure no mean critter wants to eat them for dinner when it is dark.

Anyway, they have the pen and their condo, but unless they are really tired...they like to be on top of their condo...so Allen puts some alfalfa on the top...and they are in seventh heaven. I noticed that they had cleared out all the overgrown berrybushes from the backyard of our home and that we could now open the gate to part of the pasture. I know there is a small island down the hill from the back driveway...because I hear the water...but couldn't see the brook or pond that goes around the island because of all the brush.

So, Allen said he would show it to me, as the Goats eat all the leaves off the berry bushes, and then Allen or Paul (our field hand) use the machette to cut the stocks down and get rid of them.
After I went through the gate and got a glimpse of the pond I noticed a trail and wondered where it went.

So off we went to see where this trail would lead...or go as far as we could before we were blocked by brush or some other natural barrier. As the trail wound it's way from the house heading North, I noticed the brook on our property that I hadn't seen yet...called Little Beaver Creek located north-west of our home. Then the trail took a turn to the east and began to get steeper...but we went on to see where it ended...if we could.

Of course, Joey was running up ahead and then realizing he was alone...came barreling back only to slide and roll and cause us to laugh like crazies...then he would pick up a stick and have that hanging out of his mouth...and then a twig and then a big limb he could barely lift...then he would dart into the ferns and then out...and he was just 'busy' all the time. Reminded me of my Grandson Ean when everyone got home from work...just non-stop...then I remembered that Joey is a baby...and like all babies...the energy never stops....and neither does the laughs as we observe their antics.

Finally as we rounded a bend I noticed a large open area of leaves and recognized the spot as being a big open area near the tackroom where three trails forked off the main trail...and the one we came up...we hadn't taken a trip down yet. I was delighted as it was another adventure to be had on the Quads once all the large branches were removed from the trail eventually...but, exploring new regions of the property is always exciting to me...because it just doesn't seem real OR POSSIBLE at times that all that land and trees and ferns and forests and flowers and brooks and wildlife belongs to US. It sorta seems like a magical forest with all the moss and ferns and leaves on the trails.

Toward the top, Allen saw a female pheasant...but I was taking pictures, and we have seen quail and ducks and geese and deer and rabbits...but for the first time, I also saw a cotton tail rabbit running for his life from Joey....and suddenly he jumped into the berry bushes to save himself! Little did he know that Joey would be fascinated with him...but any sudden move by the rabbit would have Joey leaping back and rolling all over himself...wondering what in the world is THAT????

Then we walked down to the shop where Allen is building a wall to protect it as the rains come down this winter...and we talked about how we are going to bring electrical in to serve the power tools etc. in the shop this winter. Right now, it's a 20 watt box that barely handles a lightbulb!
Then it was back to another area where I said I wanted all the berries and weeds and everything but grass taken out, and then I want that area leveled out into a nice sloping grassy knoll as I want to put a bunch of play equipment there for my Grandkids...like the tire on a rope, and the monkey bars...and a sort of balance beam etc. and where we can put some of the benches we have in the front yard now.

As we meandered back toward the house, we stopped at the Goat's condo and Joey had to check and make sure they were still there...and they were...but he stared through the gate for some time then wiggeled himself through one of the square fence holes trying to find a way in with the goats from the back of the goat condo...and then as we finished talking about painting it red like the barn and making another shelter...before next spring...and started walking toward a resting place...Joey forgot about getting in the condo with the goats and sped up ahead to beat us to the bench...where he got some more pets and scratches and loves...as he did here and there during the whole adventure.

Now the ATV's are generally parked up at the red barn, but the next morning it sounded like they were nearby for a long time which was unusual...but later I found that Paul and Allen had taken them up the trail we discovered the day before and wacked the limbs off the trail that would or could harm a driver or the ATV's going up it. So, now we have another trail for the ATV's to explore...and ask anyone who has driven them...it is a kick in the pants to ride those four legged beasts to hell and gone all over the property...so when we find another good 'riding spot', it is sort of a thrill...and that makes it a real adventure. To explore and then to find something to enjoy and share with the kids when they come up for Christmas.

Well, Joey ended up getting his weekly bath, so he was all proud and happy...and as a Lab he has no problem with the water, as you can see...but just before he crashed into his bed for his afternoon nap...he posed to show you all how handsome he is getting and some other piece of something he 'retrieved', which is hanging out of his mouth.

We are training him to have good manners though...as there is a time and place for freedom and frolic...and a time to be calm...and when Mama or Aunt Faye is around, that is the time to be calm...so we don't allow jumping up on us...or frolic around our feet...and he now has been trained to sit (but not stay long so far), and he will shake hands as well. He understands down, and NO...but NO doesn't always get the response we expect yet either.

In otherwords...we have a baby to dote on, marvel at and spoil...who is thrilled to see us at anytime of the night or day (even Faye says he is a really good dog...and very smart)... and he wants to please us very much....but he is happy sleeping in his bed on the porch at night, and doesn't whine and bark at the wrong times...and doesn't try to follow the cars down the road past the shop. If he ever grows into his feet he is going to be a very big boy...so you don't want some huge dog knocking you over...so it is good to start early getting them trained....but he is already trying to ascertain and protect his territory...and a strange sound will get a gruff and a bark...which his pretty high pitched right now...but give him six months and that voice will deepen and that bark will warn the large and the small that there is a dog on duty...and it is best this home not be messed with.

Everybody works on a ranch...even the dog. The reward for the work is being able to walk through a park...with a purpose! An excellent adventure...although a simple one.