National Train Your Dog Month

So I'm a little late to the party on this. I mean... I'm not personally, but I'm a little tardy when it comes to telling you guys all about it. January is National Train Your Dog Month and is brought to you fine people by the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. 

It's a fantastic program, and I'm a total slacker for not sharing this information earlier. I'm always in favor of encouraging folks to use positive methods to train their dog. And since I get to work with one of the best trainers out there - Teoti Anderson at Pawsitive Results - I can personally attest to the fact that training - good training- makes a world of difference in the lifelong relationship you build with your dog. 

There is a wealth of fantastic information on the National Train Your Dog Month website, and I encourage everyone to check it out. And please also make sure to check out the FREE webinars provided on the APDT site for non-trainers. They cover topics ranging from housetraining to separation anxiety, polite walking on leash to dealing with crazy adolescent dogs and much more. 

working girl

Clementine is finally earning her keep!

All of my girls gave me their first eggs in early October with the exception of Miss Clementine, my Buff Brahma. In her defense, the larger breeds of chickens mature more slowly (she's a big girl), so I had expected her to be a "late bloomer." But as the weeks went by, I began to think she might be a "never bloomer." But finally, at 41 weeks of age, she gave me her first egg. As you can see below, it almost looks pink, and I'm hoping the speckles stick around as she begins to lay in earnest.

new threads

So I've gone a little bowtie crazy the last couple of weeks. All of these are new styles and are available for purchase in the shop. Apparently I have a subconscious desire to increase the number of dapper doggies in the world.

a love affair with a hose

First things first... if you're not into gardening or puttering around your yard, just go ahead and stop reading now. Because you're not going to understand why a sane human being would devote an entire blog post to a water hose.

But if, like me, you enjoy spending time in your yard, you plant things and grow things, and use a water hose on a regular basis, I'm about to rock your world.

Through the years, I have bought many a hose. Early on, before I knew any better, I'd buy the less expensive versions. But as surely as death and taxes come, so do the cracks and kinks in those cheap hoses. So I wised up and started buying the more expensive "Never Kink" hoses. And while they certainly last longer and kink less frequently, they also weigh a ton, and I would regularly decapitate my smaller plants and flowers as I tried to drag it around my yard (and they still kink from time to time).

So I was a jaded soul when I finally broke down and ordered a Water Right hose last year... expecting it to fail me like so many others that had come before.

But holy hoses... this thing is magic. It weighs like... nothing. Seriously. Three pounds for a 50 foot hose. And you can try and kink this sucker, and it just won't kink. And most important - it's pretty. It comes in the loveliest colors. Plus, if you're like me and absolutely loathe the sight of a garish hose strewn across your yard, you'll be happy to know that the olive version blends almost perfectly into it's surroundings.

I will never - not ever - buy another kind of hose again.

It's not inexpensive, but if you water and take care of your yard on a regular basis, it is worth every penny. It comes in four different lengths and several different colors so there's really an option for everyone. 

brrrrr!

This Southern girl isn't build for cold weather, but my chickens seem to be doing just fine. Now, if you're reading this at a computer in Wisconsin, you're going to think I'm a big baby complaining about weather in the mid-30's. But please keep in mind that I come from a long line of Southerners, and it is my firm belief that through the generations, natural selection has been at work. As a result, I am now less adapted to cold weather. That sounded all science-y and reasonable, right?

This is my first winter with hens, and although it's been difficult (for me), I've intentionally kept myself from providing extra heat for the girls as the temperatures have dropped.

The truth is - and I know seasoned chicken keepers will agree - that chickens can survive just fine in the colder temperatures as long as they're protected from drafts and they have good ventilation. In fact, my girls are much happier on these chilly days than they are on our steamy, 100+ degree days we have here in South Carolina. But that doesn't stop this gal from having the urge to round them up and bring them in the house so they'll stay nice and toasty warm.

The dogs, on the other hand, want nothing to do with this freezing weather. Clearly they take after me.