Happy Halloween

As promised here are some pictures of our pumpkin. Unfortunately we carved it too soon because now it is just a mushy, moldy mess. It was pretty cool the night we carved it though. Plus we don't get any trick or treaters where we live anyway so I guess it doesn't matter.

And here is a picture of the graveyard cake I made to bring to work. I thought it turned out pretty cute

Bonfire

Here are some pictures from the annual All Creatures Bonfire held last night. Although the fire was significantly smaller than last years (which apparently burned for like 3 days) it was a perfect night and we all had a good time.

We were however a little late to the fire due to the picture below. While I was gone last weekend Jerry decided to replace the globes on the ceiling fan in our bedroom. The new ones looked really good and so he decided he would like to also replace the ones in the dining room chandelier. However they don't make any that fit the dining room light so we either had to do nothing or replace the whole light. By this time we had convinced ourselves that we hated the dining room light and thus purchased the lovely light you see below. We were late to the bonfire specifically because the estimated 30-40 minute assembly time in the instruction manual was a severe underestimation. But we did get it up before dark and it looks great-at least we think so!

More specialty pics

Here are some pictures that friends took at the specialty. Check out Legend running the sheep in the herding instinct test.

Above is Legend having fun in the agility ring and here is Zodiac lounging between agility runs.

The results are in....

... and I couldn't be more proud of my little girl! Legend qualified on ALL FOUR of her agility runs her first weekend in the ring. She actually took first place in her very first class with a clean run on the standard course. She went on to get another clean run, a 90, and a 95, which placed her 2nd in her other standard run and a 4th in jumpers. All of our faults were handling errors on my part-she did great! She also placed first in Rally Novice with a perfect score and finished her RN title. Plus she passed the herding instinct test. We also competed in obedience but she apparently forgot how to heel by that time, but who can complain after what she had already accomplished.

Zodiac did not seem to feel well during agility so we will be working on that last MX leg again at the next trial. However he did have another lovely performance in Rally and got a perfect score to place first and get his second RA leg. He also competed in the Performance Titled Conformation Fun Match and won his class of multi-titled dogs. At least one of the dogs he beat actually competes in conformation so I was very proud of my handsome rescue boy. He also participated in the Rescue Dog Parade so everyone could hear his story and all of his accomplishments.



Overall we had a great time and some good success. The pictures below of Legend are courtesy of Pup Art Photography. I'm sure I will have more pictures later on to post as well.

Wish us luck...

Zodiac, Legend, and I are off to the Border Collie National Specialty! We will be leaving tomorrow and will be there the rest of the week. Hopefully we will have lots of good results and pictures to share when we get back. Here are a few pictures of them practicing for the agility competition!

Football Fun

Here are some fun pictures of Zodiac playing with his football. I love the one on the left-doesn't he look silly? You may not be able to tell from the pictures but it is of course a Mizzou football-go Tigers. Jerry won the football for the dogs at Celebration City earlier this year-it's the second one they have had, the first has died a slow and painful death. Tomorrow I am the guest speaker at the Pet Therapy of the Ozarks Meeting. I will be speaking about Veterinary Medicine in 2007. Zodiac is a current and Oreo is a retired therapy pet with this organization. We visit an assisted living facility here in Ozark.

Here are a few cute pictures of the dogs because I have nothing else to write about. We did carve a pumpkin last night but I will post those pictures closer to Halloween. And we mowed our lawn for the last time this year. No matter how much it might grow again I don't think we will bother to mow anymore until spring. Also we are still waiting on our furniture :(

Look at this!

I actually got a good picture of Zodiac without his football in his mouth. I am sure he is thinking about the football I am holding in my other hand however!


And here is Legend in her "Hillbilly Rock Star" t-shirt. If this doesn't make any sense to you then check out the lyrics to "Living In Fast Forward" which is her registered name. I know-we don't actually have any papers on her but you have to list your dog with the AKC (and NADAC, etc) to compete in performance events, and isn't that the perfect name for a Border Collie?!









Now-how cute is this picture of Oreo I took out playing in the yard today? He still loves his ball and frisbee!

Candles and Cats

Here are few more pictures of Icy hanging out in places we wish that she wouldn't-but what are you gonna do? She's just so cute.

While we were at the Ozark Craft Fair this weekend we bought a candle from one of the vendors. When we got home I looked at the business card they gave us and found out they are our neigbors! So check out Guffy Creek Candles for some neat stuff!

Trail Ride

Several friends from work and a few other assorted people got together for a trail ride today. Despite a late start we had a good time and Squirt got to enjoy his first big ride since his injury last summer.

Below are Tamara, Jan, and Courtney, and to the right is Linda with the creek in the background. This was Jan's first trail ride on her young horse so it was big day for her too.






And here we all are riding home. You may have noticed that I am the only one in a helmet but I would rather be dorky than in a coma should I fall and hit my head!

More Home Improvements

We bought this flower arrangement at a craft festival to hang where we have a wall that meets our vaulted ceiling. It will match our new living room furniture (which we ordered in May) if it ever gets here!
My mom made these new curtains for our front door sidelights. They will also look nice with the furniture and match the dining room and kitchen wallpaper. Someday however we would like to replace the whole door ensemble!
And finally, after 3 years of bare walls in our guest bathroom we bought these lovely paintings at Silver Dollar City to make our bathroom look lived in!
I know this blog was supposed to be about dogs but we have not done much lately, however the fall and winter shows are fast approaching and with any luck we will have news to post!

Here is Icy using our new automatic waterer (which I love) as a stool. She have several other options to choose from if she wishes to look out the window but of course the waterer is her current choice. Had I known we could have just bought a bunch of waterers.

My friend's son runs high school cross country and so I went to his meet today. It was sort of like a trip back in time. Maybe I will be inspired enough to start using my treadmill again!