So Far Behind! So Much Has Been Happening!

4 generations!

Life has just been crazy busy, I'll blame it all on that!  When last I posted we were in the midst of a very good syrup season and I was getting ready to head to Oregon with my mom to visit son Ian and his wife, Michelle, and of course grandson, Wilder.  We had a great visit, which of course included a trip for Mom and me to the Pendleton Woolen Mill Outlet, where I bought more selvedges for weaving rugs.  Mom also spent some money there and agreed it was a fascinating place.  While we were visiting, Michelle spent a good bit of time getting Wilder's bedroom ready so that he could move into his own room and out of theirs.  I understand he loves his room and is adapting well.  He was on the brink of walking while we were there and has just started to really walk within the last few days.  Just shy of 11 months old.

Sam stayed very busy with maple syrup production while I was away and once home from Oregon I jumped back into it as well.  He was ready for a break by then.  So this year we tapped trees on 2-9.  We collected our first sap on 2-13  and started cooking on the 14th.  Our final boil was on 3-11-19 after pulling the taps on the 10th.  Had I not been leaving on the 13th for AKC Nationals, I think we could have left the taps in and done at least one more good run, but we had reached our goal of 10 gallons and it is such a hard job for just one person.  The season isn't really finished until all the cleanup is done, however.  All the buckets, at least 40, are stacked on the back deck awaiting a day warm enough to get out the bleach and the hose.  Not my favorite job, but it's not bad as long as the sun is shining and it is at least 60 degrees.

Sometime during all this craziness, Sam had time to smoke a moose eye of round roast.  That was really good.  We had it with au gratin potatoes, salad and a Brut IPA Homebrew. It was excellent. He is planning to do a moose rib roast today.

So that covers the end of February, which we are always glad to see, and the beginning of March.  Grover and I attended a 2 day agility trial March 9th and 10th.  We had a fabulous weekend, Qing in 6 out of our 7 runs and adding 2 more QQs to our total toward MACH2.  So we still need 3 QQs, but a lot of points.  At the rate we are going, we may have enough points accrued by October. Really.  That is what I have calculated.  We are consistent, but not fast.  I know that.  I'm okay with that.  Grover is almost 8.  I don't think I can speed him up now.

I was home less than 3 days and  Grover and I were back on the road with our friend, Missy, and her 2 border collies.  We headed out Wednesday morning for Tulsa, OK.  We drove as far as St. Louis, where we spent the night, meeting up with one of our stall mates there. We arrived in Tulsa around 1 pm on Thursday, just in time for check in.  I had an amazing time!  We had a practice run and 4 other runs spaced from Friday morning to Sunday morning.  We Qd in our standard run Saturday afternoon and our Hybrid run on Sunday morning.  It was so much fun just being there.

Each dog had a banner!

On the road in windy Missouri

In addition to agility, there was a lot of shopping opportunity and also a chance for Grover to get his Trick Dog Novice title.  He really seemed to enjoy doing it.  It was simple stuff he already knew like rolling over, high five, getting in a box, getting in a crate, running through a  tunnel , etc.  Treats were involved and he had an audience, so he excelled.  He got a ribbon and they had a medal to photograph him with.  

With my "stall mates" in front of our stall

This was the view of rings 1 2 & 3 while we waited in the check-in line.  We were going to run there the next morning!  Our names would be on the big screen!  

My goal for this trip was to have at least one clear run, so I could get a ribbon from AKC Nationals.  Well, my little rescue Aussie and I got 2 ribbons and they are hanging on my display on Grover's wall out in my studio with his MACH bar and MACH ribbon. 

While none of us West Virginia teams(I train in WV, all my stall mates are from WV)  made finals, we all agreed it was a wonderful experience and we hope to all qualify again for 2020 which will be in Georgia.  A little closer to home.

And hard to believe, but I am heading out again this Saturday to meet my cousin in New Orleans for 3 days.  We planned this over Thanksgiving.  We only see each other a couple times a year and she will be on spring break.  I'm looking forward to it.  That will take us into April! Already!

Here is a photo of a rug I recently wove on commission for a customer at the Arts Center in Woodsfield.   They wanted purple. They got it.  It's alpaca and wool. 28" X 36"