Good Morning...

When I woke this morning, the sky was starting to lighten in the East, and a new day was beginning.  Before the sun had a chance to peak above the horizon, a light show was dancing on the clouds with its rays spreading every color of the rainbow.  

What a beautiful day it was going to be, and I knew it.  I grabbed my coffee that was set up last night along with some Almond milk and headed down the stairs.  Reaching the bottom step, I picked up my beach chair and headed to the beautiful white beach along with all my essentials that would be needed for a relaxing morning before everyone got up.  While I am an early riser when I'm on vacation, I seem to get up earlier to enjoy the day to its fullest because I don't want it to end.

Today was going to be a fun day, not only were going to rent a pontoon boat and explore miles of coastline, we were going to eat out at some local seaside restaurants.  After my morning time staring at the waves crashing on the shore, I packed up and headed to the apartment to catch up with, Brad, Angie, my Daughter-in-law and Maddie, my granddaughter.  After a great breakfast of fresh fruit and a stop at the Donut Hole, we were off. 

I counted the days off before I left in anticipation of going.  Elaine agreed to watch the dogs while I was gone, and this is something we do because I watch the dogs for her when she visits her Grandkids, and it seems to work fine.  Up until now, it has been a wonderful vacation, plenty of beach time, and places to visit.  Earlier in the week we went to an outdoor first run movie on the lawn and sat in our beach chairs.  The last few days were a blast to live, and so many things happened and much more to come, much more and...

In a split second, my eyes opened, the weight of the farm was on me again, and I was home.  I had traveled back in time to my vacation, sitting on the beach and watching the world pass by in my dream, and now I was living in my real world again.

dream   /drēm/

Noun. A series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in a person's mind during sleep.

As I stirred in bed, as always, JoJo came to say Good Morning by burying her snout in my underarm and Whiskey licked my ear.  Both are constant companions in my bed and have always been.  It is enjoyable to reach out in the middle of the night and feel their presence.  As I lay in bed, pondering what the day is going to bring, I'm reminded that the grass had not been cut for 10 days after constant rain.  Storm clean-up needs to be picked up from the torrent of rain we have had, and weeds needed to pull.  One thing about being on vacation, you're not continually thinking about the things that need to be done, but it is a reality when you come back home and always will be.  

Until again and I walk the sands of the ocean and sit pondering my life looking into the vastness of this paradise again, but now someone needs to clean the dog poop up off the driveway…  Ken

If you have...

... ever sat down in your favorite chair just to relax and a dog was in your lap within seconds or if you ever felt like a human dog bed that moves from spot to spot, only for them!  Then you have a Border Collie!

If you have ever sat the remote for the TV down while you were seated and the dogs hear the noise it makes, and they know they are going outside, and they run to the door!  Then you own a Border Collie.

If you have ever picked up your shoes, and it started a frenzy of dogs scrambling for the door, and while you were trying to tie your shoes, five tongues were washing your face while four others were turning circles at the door because it was time to play!  Then you own a Border Collie.

If you have ever tried to write on your computer or laptop, and a cold nose pushes your hand up off the keyboard over a million times, and you learn to type with one hand just so you can rub their head!  Then you own a Border Collie.

If you have ever turned off the TV for bed, and the dogs wake up from your lap or dog bed and beat you to the bed, and you shake your head and wonder where you are going to sleep!  Then you own a Border Collie.

If you have ever been woken from a deep sleep with a tongue trying to clean your nose whether you needed it or not!  Then you own a Border Collie.

If you have ever had a snack and been surrounded by several dogs, wanting their share with you!  Then you own a Border Collie.

If you have ever gone up or down a set of stairs and been nearly knocked down by a pack of eager dogs trying to win the race!  Then you own a Border Collie.

If you have ever been down in the dumps with the world against you and you feel no one cares about you, and you needed someone to talk to and hear your problems without passing judgment, and your dog is there!   Then you own a Border Collie.

If you have ever had looked into the eyes of your dog and seen their soul along with love, compassion and, kindness and noticed that all is good in the world and it just can't get any better!   Then you own a Border Collie.

If you ever owned a farm and had a dog that lived to work and you couldn't make it without the dog because they were the most valuable item on the farm!  Then you owned a Border Collie.

If you have ever been loved by a dog without any questions and with ALL of their heart, but your world falls to pieces when you had to say good-bye.  You lost your will to live because you can't cope.  And everything in your house and yard brings back memories of the dog you lost.  If you can answer yes, then you owned a Border Collie, and you had a relationship like never before, and chances are you never will again because you owned the best, a Border Collie.   Ken...

A Job...

There is a very good reason dogs have been given the reputation of "man's best friend," so I thought it would be nice to acknowledge our four-legged friends for all the work they do, especially here at the farm.  We know our dogs will sit at our feet at any meal, bark when someone is coming to the door, and run by our sides when it's time for a jog, but they do a lot more than that. Every day dogs are trained and hired to be members of the professional world to help people. They have jobs too!  But the payment may be belly scratches, long walks, and sleeping in bed with me. One top position for dogs is a Guide Dogs: The first school for guide dogs was established in Germany after World War I to assist soldiers that had been blinded or injured during the war. These dogs act as the helpers of their handler's lives. Some breeds include Labradors, golden retrievers, and German Shepherds. There are nearly 20,000 active service dogs working each day.

I need a Job!

While I don't have certified working dogs, to the dogs, they do all the work around the farm and are the experts.  Just today, JoJo was the chief bug and grass catcher.  She appears to be an expert and will catch anything that flies in the air and even at times walks with me and the lawnmower catching blade of grass.  Her real forte is capturing and following butterflies as they dance and flock along the way, lucky for the butterfly she never catches them.  She is also the chief stick collector and will run through the woods with a stick in her mouth and the bigger, the better.  At times, Whisky or some other dog will join and help too.  JoJo is the Branch Manager, and Whiskey is the Assistant Branch Manager.  The bad part about this, she will bring them to the back door and leave them until she comes back outside and they add up on the porch.

Saturday, we had a new job develope at the farm, and "Snake Wrangler" is the new title, not to be confused with horse wrangler, it's with snakes.  As I was splitting wood from a pile, I said to myself, "this would be a good place to find a snake" and the next log I moved, low and behold, there it was.  A 4' Black Snake in all of it's prime.  Not a killer of most animals, I picked it up with a stick and lifted it up, but it kept getting off, so I grabbed it by the tail.  Off we walked to the woods, and I placed it off the beaten path, and it scampered away with the dogs not far behind.  The rest of the afternoon, the dogs held there nose to the ground following every move, the snake had made.

As I was out walking to get a photo of JoJo and the other dogs carrying sticks, Mr. Milk Snake decided to wiggle across out path.  Well, that set off a hootenanny of fun and searching for it, glad the snake can get into tight places.    One thing about snakes, Elaine and I have lived here 20 years, and I have only seen, at the most, 5 snakes, but this year, I bet I've seen 50 already.  All harmless and great mice and frog catchers.

There are many jobs that my dogs do, and here is a small list of what some of them are.

Dishwasher pre-wash cleaner
Toilet checker

Alarm clock

Stick collector

Mulch eater

Package opener and counter cleaner

Lawn cultivator

Plant waterer or any tree

Bed-hogger
Table cleaner

Water shaker in the house, especially when they just got out of the lake

Vomit cleaner, no matter who did it

Bed warmer

This list could go on forever, and I would be interested in what your dog's favorite jobs are.  No matter what, life with a dog is good.   Studies have found that:

Pet owners are less likely to suffer from depression than those without pets.

People with pets have lower blood pressure in stressful situations than those without pets. One study even found that when people with borderline hypertension adopted dogs from a shelter, their blood pressure declined significantly within five months.

Playing with a dog can elevate levels of serotonin and dopamine, which calm and relax.

Pet owners have lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels (indicators of heart disease) than those without pets.

Heart attack patients with pets survive longer than those without.

Pet owners over age 65 make 30 percent fewer visits to their doctors than those without pets.

While I believe all of this is true, the bond between my dogs and me is magical and serene, and when they lay in my lap, no matter what jobs they did that day have drifted out the window and all is good in my world.  Ken...