End of an Era

Today we'll say good-bye to an old friend and an era in my life. As a child, I dreamed of owning a horse, learning to ride, and showing at a horse show. Zeke, an Appaloosa, made all those dreams come true for me. He and I learned dressage together, he an 11-year-old green-broke cow horse, and I a 26-year-old city girl. At first sight, he reminded me of a camel - making funny faces over the wall of the stall. Definitely NOT the horse of my dreams. But, he was affordable, and quickly won my heart. Zeke did not like to work, so he used to pretend to be lame every month when the dressage instructor flew in from Michigan. Silly boy. Soon, Dan and I made over the dairy barn on our farm to accomodate Zeke, and many hours were spent pounding nails and fence posts. Zeke was soon joined by Buddy, Dan's aged quarter horse, and then Rhodes, my Holsteiner show horse. Over time, Buddy went to the Rainbow Bridge and Rhodes to a new home, and our Zeke was left to grace our pastures. He was a friend to the barn cats, snurffling them with his big nose, and loved to tease the dogs. His pasture paralleled the dog run, and he loved to lean over the fence and blow on the dogs. There are very few things that felt as wonderful as seeing him trot in to the barn when I called him. Today the vet will come and we will send him on his way to join Buddy at the Bridge. I will miss him - and all he represents. My first horse...and my last. Love you, Big Guy. Run free.

Blessings

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect upon the many things that one is grateful for. It is probably the very best holiday of all, because it is a chance to spend time with family, and express the gratitude that fills our hearts. I am so fortunate to have so many blessings - my husband and partner, my mom and step-dad, students who have become my extended family, the cutest heart-dogs in the world, a gorgeous place in the country to live, the opportunity to share my home with the sweet aged souls of the senior dogs that come to live with us, ample food to eat (sometimes too much!), and a great education. I feel lucky every day for what I have - and will continue to strive to do better and be better.

Yahoo!

Our donated basket went for $51! Yay for Fluffy Butts!
Today was a gorgeous day, with the mist rising from the fields at Hundenruhe Haven. After a glorious walk in the warmer-than-normal morning air, I headed off to have lunch with my mom. I am so lucky to have her in my life! We had a lovely talk and it reminded me of how much I have to be thankful for. I have the very best possible partner in the world - my husband Dan. And we get to make a difference one dog at a time - getting to know these amazing old souls and receiving their sweet wisdom and spirits. During the week I am blessed with a job where I can inspire and be inspired by the most unique and cool kids on the planet. I live on a fantastic piece of land, where the delights of nature are at my doorstep every day. We have plenty to eat, and fairly reliable transportation. Though we don't get to have many frivolous items in our lives like vacations and big TV's, fancy cars, or expensive clothes, we are blessed with what matters. It is enough.

Bid on Cool Stuff!

Fluffy Butts Rescue Resort in Iowa is having its annual auction to raise money to rehome the many animals that come to them in need each year. This is the organization that sent us Roody, and Chris is an amazing person, so I'd encourage you to support them in any way that you can. The auction starts on November 15, but you can register beginning November 14. Go to Fluffybutts.com to find out more. The basket in the picture is our donation to the auction and includes: a snuggie sack dog blanket, gourmet doggie treats, handmade notecards, a cute plaque, and a toy basket. Bid high! I finished making the snuggie sack today, and made our pups an extra one because I liked the rubber duckie fleece so much. Skylar is testing out our blankie now and has declared it comfy and warm!

Pupdate

Well, at the risk of jinxing ourselves, it seems the storm has passed. All the pups are feeling much better. Roody is still having some tummy issues, but the liquid leavings are thankfully a thing of the past. Rudy gets his stitches out on Saturday, and Mimi gets her three year rabies shot. I hope that we are through at the vet's office for awhile!

It's that time of year again! I just signed up Baci, Olive, and myself to ring bells for the Salvation Army over the holiday season. We'll be ringing bells outside the Manitowoc Shopko every Tuesday evening beginning on November 24th. Please stop by and put some money in the kettle - its a great cause that really helps a lot of people. It is always chilly and every year I wonder why I am standing there freezing, but I meet the nicest people! Baci may even give you a kiss if you stop by!