Hound Dog Adoptions

Gene saw the ad on craigslist - hound dog needs new home - the young couple from NYC welcoming their first child needed to rehome their large dog.  I offered our farm as it's new home if they were unable to find suitable adoptees.  They jumped on the chance to put Buckeye "DJ" on the farm.

We have been adopting hounds for 25 years.  My first one was a stray "treeing walker" hound on the streets of New Jersey.

Here is "DJ" with Robin (a beagle stray. and Bucky, a rescued "puppy mill" hound.

This type of hound looks like a large beagle.  That is what they thought they were adopting as a puppy - it kept growing and growing.  They took great care of the dog for 3 years!

full moon

Full Moon Dates 2014

• January 15, 2014 at 10:52pm
• February 14, 2014 at 5:53pm
• March 16, 2014 at 11:09 am
• April 15, 2014 at 1:42 am, Total Eclipse
• May 14, 2014 at 1:16 pm
• June 12, 2014 at 10:11 pm
• July 12, 2014 at 5:25 am
• August 10, 2014 at 12:09 pm
• September 8, 2014 at 7:38 pm
• October 8, 2014 at 4:51 am, Total Eclipse
• November 6, 2014 at 4:23 pm
• December 6, 2014 at 6:27 am

Year in Review: 2013

...welcome to photos taken in 2013, plus paintings,  and photographs of memorable moments with family that remain forever in spirit.

Animal Care: Horses

Nurturing the Creative Spirit and Talent

... I celebrate every person born with a creative spirit ... a special talent... because those people enrich & elevate our lives with their work.  

We, as a society are stingy in nurturing these talents - we withhold encouragement and support because they often do not reap monetary rewards.  We are more likely to nurture the athlete, the model, the scholar.  Talent in the arts -   the arts of music, drawing, painting, writing - retain an everlasting mark on human history - a mark that goes beyond materialism.

Some families, like my own, demonstrate a supreme talent in the arts - which persists through the generations - luckily.  We have often overlooked these talents to provide for our families - and in rare cases achieved a symphony of the both industry and creativity.

I have tried to be a patron of the arts in my own limited capacity.  As we approach this "gift giving" season, I encourage consumers to seek out this talent in the arts - look to your own circle of family, friends, neighbors, and co workers - or online - and purchase that artwork - thereby showing support for the artist - and giving an everlasting gift of love to both the artist and the recipient.

Animal Memories: Warm and Cozy nights

I am starting to make videos to load on the blog.  We only have a phone right now.  same for the photos depicted.  We have so many animals that are great to interact with.  The blog is designed to be both entertaining & informative on topics such as animal care, modern farming, mother nature, and fun!

Animal Memories: Spot and Navejo

Both animals reached the top of their lifespans - a great feat!  They both died naturally.  From the first day they are unable to eat, walk, and interact,  it will generally be 24-48 hrs before they die.  I give them warmth and comfort at the end, many times holding them in my lap.  I pefer to give pets palliative care until they die naturally, as in human hospice.  Right now that is a movement only starting to take hold.  Pain meds and anti anxiety meds are optimal at this stage and generally requires Vets to deliver the meds.  a good article on the subject is in The NYTimes dtd 12/1/20013. "All Dogs May Go to Heaven. These Days, Some Go to Hospice"

Spot : 1999-2013
Spot lived a full life on the farm - he was the longest living - 15 years - of the mixed hound litter of 6 dogs that we bred unknowingly.  Our respective dogs - Molly and Buddy - STRAYS - ended up mating. We did not know Molly was not spayed.  We spay and neuter all our dogs and cats we have adopted over the years. This was a timing issue.  The 6 puppies were Lucky boy, Haas, Lil Joe, Cherokee, Serenity, and Spot.

Spot was one of the amazing dogs - he was a really good hunter - catching alot of woodchucks - not by my asking - but on our runs over the years.  Also, one time he found a wounded deer for hunters that had requested they walk our land to find her.  Spot took me right to the deer.

He was slim and active like most hound dogs and he lived to the maximum lifespan of this breed which is always nice to see.  Good bye Spot. We'll miss you on the farm.

Navejo: 1994-20013

This cat was fiercely independent - quite good looking - and very old when she died last week.  It was good to see another animal live a full lifespan and have a good life on the farm.