Happy First Birthday, WISH Litter!

OR : Curse You, Snapfish!! If you don't know Snapfish, they store your photos and make prints. That's good when your computer crashes, and you haven't put the photos on a CD (not sure why I don't do that...).

Anyway: Today's blog was going to have incredibly cute puppy photos of the WISH Litter (CH. Tri-Ivory Make A Big Wish x CH Ebbtide Fern), who were born one year ago.

So, here are the teeny tiny photos I'm able to "share" from Snapfish:

ok. I'm feeling really, really small here...

Well, live and learn: Who out there can help me with storing digital photos then using them on my blog? And it has to be simple. Really simple. Remember, I can't even do that Facebook thing well......(oh shut up.)

But, enough about me: The pups have all grown into lovely teenage Aussies with various skills, personalities, quirks and idiosyncrasies:

JJ (the best one ;-) thinks blowing air is weird, but is now over that, thanks to Ann's highly technical de-sensitivity training program (read: she gently blew on his head alot and praised him alot). But don't go blowing in his face every time you see him or I will smack you. Really. He can also leap small buildings in a single bound..must get a photo of that on the blog soon. But for now, enjoy this amazing display of JJ practicing for his Tracking Degree and an impressive recall. (You might want to turn down your volume.)

Yeah...amazing...I'm pretty blown away by all that, too....

Tim apparently (I haven't seen this) can catch a frisbee with one already in his mouth and have two, then, in his mouth at once. Wow. Karen: We definitely need video of THAT!

Dottie knows how to finish to heel position. nice. Thanks for that, #2 - Trish, her Guardian Angel and Trainer. Hmm. MY dogs never call me that...

Dottie (left) enjoying a kiss from Aunt Gotcha --- what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.

Emmy looks very cute riding in "her" blue (yes. as in merle) mustang. Actually, she looks pretty cute doing just about anything. Nothing wrong with looking cute - it earns high marks here ;-)

Cali - well, she's another one of those over-achievers that #1 has trained to do all kinds of things already: in fact, I was told she'd be in an obedience match this Sunday (ooohhhh). And yes, I WILL stand there and watch. With my camera. Time we train these dogs to work with me around. Are you listening, Spencer???

Beau remains one of the sweetest, calmest and kindest male dogs I've had the pleasure of producing - he reminds me of some of my old beloved stud dogs : Remy, Ebenezer and Blarney rolled into one. And he has, it appears, lived up to his puppy name of Andre the Giant.

Izzy has proved that his rapid assessments and natural doggy intelligence is quite useful in training certain beloved, unsuspecting people. A quick intro to the slip collar has made some nice changes there. A chain slip collar can be your new best friend, too ;-).

Capri (in snowy Wisconsin) is smokin' the agility class there as well as earning high, high cute marks in her outings to shows and training classes. Thanks to Ariela's brilliant training, many good things due from this one. And did I mention she's been herding sheep in her spare time? (ooohhh #1 has some serious competition, I'd say).

Panda and Nancy (Texas) made an impressive showing at Nationals and Panda keeps Nancy hopping, for sure. Nancy says Panda will be at the 2009 ASCA Nationals back in Greeley, CO in October. Roadtrip!!!!

Dash is Dr. Dash during the day at his owner's veterinary hospital in Santa Rosa and is also showing great promise on the agility course. He beat Mr JJ at the SVASC Specialty in Dixon last October. But we won't hold that against him ;-) JJ says "Bring it on" (You ARE an idiot sometimes, JJ ...)

So much for the Big Brag section I had planned for this post... N0 - we have real reports. Stay tuned. Send me your personal reports and I'll include update this post with them. And send big photos while you're at it...

Happy Birthday!

Extra! Extra! Read All About It!!

Click on the photo to see the details and read the caption.

Yeah. That's us - Big news in the SF Examiner! Me leading Cali (Ebbtide As You Wish) out of the 9-12 class 2nd place win, Judi and Emmy (Ebbtide Handful Of Wishes), 3rd. But really, reporter: "Owners and presenters " ? That would be HANDLERS, Ms. Reporter. sheesh. Uhmm, also check your facts: 1485 dogs entered. I guess that's nearly 2000...

And how fortuitous that my face has been cropped (thank you, very much!), Judi is BEHIND me and Sheila is in background....and, oh, dear, it looks like narcolepsy has claimed yet ANOTHER Ebbtide friend!

But what happened to those precious photos the reporter took of the incredibly photogenic Ebbtide pups and Mr. Spencer doing his famous "Pretty Please" sit up trick??? That, THAT, faithful reader, is front page stuff.

Thanks to My People #2 : Trish Maddan, and her mom & grandma, for finding, clipping and sending the pics. Yessirree: it takes a village.

Moving On - It's February! It's Citrus Fair Time!

Myers Improved Lemons in my garden today...now serving: Lemon Drop Martinis...ok, not NOW, maybe tonight.

Our local Cloverdale Citrus Fair http://cloverdalecitrusfair.org/ starts next week ... I usually build a Display Flower Garden, enter photos, advise my 4-H Gardening project with their Junior Flower Garden entry, organize the Junior Dog Show and help the Harvest 4-H Club with their food booth. Did I say I love fairs?!?! Well, I do. Let's roll back the calendar to 1965-1971 (!!) and see Ann showing her market lambs, dairy goats and rabbits at the Santa Clara County Fair while loving being a member of Foothill 4-H Club, Saratoga, CA. She also helped build the club exhibit in the Big Building. Thanks, June Cadwalader, community leader, for being a great listener, patient adult and always willing to give me a ride and feed me! Hmmm. Too bad for MY 4-Hers I'm not that nice...food for thought, Ann...

Speaking of food (nice lead..) this flowering cherry is in full bloom at my house and smells like cinnamon candy: What ever happened to smellavision?

sniff....aahhhhh

Back to this year's fair: Theme is "Once Upon A Time". awww. The 4-Hers are making a Rapunzel tower and garden. We're excited. (Right?) The garden club (I'm the chair for this year's garden) is making up our own fairy tale - and why not??!! "Once Upon A Time there was lots of water to water your garden...but now we need to conserve water" (but much better written). Ever the teacher, I will strive for an educational AND beautiful garden display. This year I have opted out of having my own professional garden display. No crying please.

On the dog front..it's all about rears: good smelling rears....Fern is in heat (7 days). JJ is finding his squeeky voice.

Does he look a little rattled....? He is.

Thanks to Previously Mean Judi - now known as Generous Judi - he will lower his hormones with Uncle Spencer and sister Cali on a luxury vacation in Sebastopol. Note to Spencer: It's not OK to bite JJ hard when he tries to mount you - just a little nibble please (for education, you know). Note to Cali: Rotsa Ruck.... and thanks Judi. Payback is hell.

JJ's packed his suckie toy and food. I better deliver him now....he's eyeing Turbo and thinking he'd make a swell girlfriend (Oh puhleeze). I hear a toy-size grrrrrrr.

Turbo looking just mahvelous, darling.