A "Day Off"

Phoebe, almost 4 months and nearly 35#. Yes. I have lost my comfy chair!

That's OK, as I didn't have an opportunity to use it on Saturday. A rare day off from glass work has to be used wisely. I'm stoked up about getting so much done! Very cold weather is ahead next week so it's the last chance to work outside and not freeze.

There were hoses to drain, pumpkins to pick, and tractor work. The big box stall got cleaned and the hen house was shoveled out, fresh hay in the nesting boxes and the dreaded rat runs were filled with water, gravel and wadded up chicken wire. Phoebe found a dead rat and while gRoSs.... it was reassuring that the underground rat poison was placed in the right spot.

The young chickens are huge now and are just beginning to lay eggs. Unfortunately, they aren't keen on laying in the hen room so it was an Easter egg hunt to find their hidey spots. One of them held the motherlode of 10 eggs! They will probably like their clean nests now.

The hay man came to replace some bales while I pulled cobwebs and swept out the barn, loaded up the recycling and broke down boxes for the trip to the dump.....er, Recycling Center. 

The horses enjoyed the walk to their green pasture and it was a productive day, but, it didn't all get done so maybe I'll have another "day off" tomorrow.

Senior (Old People) Yoga

This has been a "do for me" project that is part of the University of Wisconsin-Madison study on the effects of yoga on the aging population. The idea is to prevent falls and that seems like a good idea for all. Our group of 15 has been at this twice a week for six weeks which puts us half way through the study. 

They gave us all yoga mats, duffle bags, water bottles and a Garmin fitness tracker which has been really fun to use. I heard from the first class that we are getting a new Garmin at the end of the sessions.

10,000 steps a day goal......piece of cake around here with 20,000 on my "day off". 

The Phoebe Has Landed

Phoebe at 6 weeks

Born on the 4th of July! Our little "Red Girl" (as she was named at the breeders with a pink collar!) came home on Labor Day Monday. Life has been VERY active since then and my eye bags now have eye bags with the late night trips "out". But no complaints here. She is adorable and growing like a weed.

Phoebe at 10 weeks

Speaking of weeds, this is what happens when you don't cut the grass for a month! But they are pretty. Spotted Lady's Thumb has little pink dots of flowers and the Little One took to them right away and finally settled for a pic with a very serious face.

12 weeks old - doing her best Weimeraner impersonation 

The cats have had an adjustment but other than the occasional thought provoking hiss or swat they are getting her trained in. 

The dark curly back on the Chesapeake is starting to bloom. Lots of changes to come! I'm just enjoying having a little 20# bundle that I can still carry around and snuggle while I still can. While she won't be as big a Maggie at 125#, she won't be able to continue lap sitting at the computer with me much longer.

Don's New Horse

Mr. Fuzzy Bear finally got a horse of his own! The Kioti ATV is just the ticket. He's wanted one for a while since the legs are letting him down. It gets him out of the chair and down the trails. Fresh air! Sunshine! Just the right food for the soul. It's got a nice bench seat with room for Mom (me!) and our soon-to-arrive Chessie pup.

The whole pup search has been long and circuitous. There aren't that many litters around without going out of state. We do have our limitations! We had one little girl waiting for us who, four days before I was going to get her, was emergency hospitalized with a serious intestinal problem. She died the same day. We were crushed and sad, but thankful it didn't happen on our watch!

The search continued and has us planning for a trip to Tomah on Sept. 2nd to pick up our new best friend! A baby pic of Maggie before she came to Catfish Corner......

Musky Bay Catfish Maggie

We LOVED this girl for her short life. It ended a week ago at the age of 8. No pain, no warning, and inexplicable. She was gone in an instant after having had a fun day in Chessie terms....some visitors, the UPS guy, neighbors. Chasing a stick. Just the general flow. We are shocked and the home is so empty without her. I have never had an animal companion just drop dead, but poor Maggie did.

This pic does her justice because it shows her dirty tongue from carrying sticks! So happy, so forgiving. Just what a good dog is. She could push my buttons! From being a little pup she had the Chessie attitude and it continued to her adulthood. Obstinate! Oh, yeah! As much as I had to admonish her for various misdeeds, she never held a grudge, never pouted, and was always ready to just throw a stick in my way so I could throw it for her.

Our neighbor lost their springer spaniel just before Christmas and it colored the whole season. It took until spring to unlock that mystery. All the time of wondering, hoping, PRAYING, before she was found along the shore of the Mississippi not a mile from home. Now our neighbor grieves with us over our loss. That's friendship over the lives of these four-legged wonders.

Our new best friend has yet to be born. She will come from Red Branch Kennel in Wisconsin Rapids. We will anxiously await the birth of the next Catfish Corner Andy's_______. Haven't got a name yet!

Something nordic and simple that can carry by voice over the creek that she will love to swim.

A New Year and Looking Back

Happy 2019, and we are still here!

Let’s take a look back on the past year……

Don’s Jan. 1st trip to ER, a morning so clear, 

An ambulance ride did not include CHEER.

February, March, April and May,

SHERRI’S in the Etsy shop slaving away!

Glass boxes she makes are shipped out each day.

June and July, the water’s so HIGH,

abundant Mosquitoes were  filling the SKY.

Phys therapy in AUGUST,  more in September,

THOSE were great days WE like to Remember. 

A lovely OCTOBER, so few pony rides,

Days growing shorter, The fun stuff slides…..

NOVEMBER we’re Thankful

 for friends near and far, 

who come for a VISIT 

since we don’t  travel by car. 

Now it’s December, time for family

and friends. And OUR hope for each one…..

Peace and Joy Without ends!

Don's continuing to literally make small steps toward improving his mobility. It's been a long road for him but he's a "never give up" kinda guy. Being able to work from home as been a true blessing. It still seems weird after having had many years of "retirement" here at Catfish Corner to now be so consumed with an online shop.

It was one heck of a year at SherriStudio on Etsy! The last weeks before Christmas were grueling but everyone with pre-Christmas NEED BY dates got their orders before the big day.

The shipping cart got a good workout while I sprouted a few more wrinkles and gray hairs!

Some very special creations were under the tree; in this "case" for a triple Golden Gloves champion.

A giant lidded box was designed for holding wedding cards, and later a brooch bouquet from the wedding.

The wood base display cases have been a successful addition to the shop offerings.

Three cuckoos were spotted in an eagle nest a the National Eagle Center in Wabasha, MN. That's just across the creek from Catfish Corner.

Lots of beautiful nature at work, as per usual! It was a good year!