July - Please tell me where this month went
While Beth was here we met up with Fred and Marnie at Coutts Coffee Roastery & Cafe in Perth. This was another great outing for the Gherkins
Big Gherkin also had his first show ring experience and received some very nice compliments from the judge.
Beth left with Big Gherkin a.k.a Chewbacca on July 8th. Chewbacca handled the 16 hour travel day like the trooper he is. He is settling in and working slowly and carefully with Beth and Tony's help to win Loki over.
Less than a week after Beth left, we were off to Noteworthy Farm, Cross Creek NB for the Miramichi shows and sprinter trials, BTC Regional Specialty and Earthdog Tests. A truly hectic but productive week with several geocaches on the way there and back.
I cannot recommend this site enough and the food at the Saturday night Kitchen Party was REALLY good. Definitely a site to watch for any events they offer. Great people as well.
It was good to get home, weather is still unbelievably hot and dry and the garden has paid the price.
Birthdays in July were celebrated by Ivy and Scout who hit double digits turning 10 on July 11th, Pippa's Rupert celebrated birthday 11 on July 17th and Tiago turned five on July 27th.
Fells was keeping an eye on his garden
is that tomatoes and strawberries we see
A few memories from our trip to Noteworthy Farm, Cross Creek, New Brunswick.
And back home once more the adventures continue
June - Once again, busy at home and away
We had barely caught up from our Specialty trip and house guests before Anna and I were off to New brunswick to help with the set up of a brand new earthdog site at Noteworthy Farm, Cross Creek NB.
This is a fantastic location with brand new Joe Schrimpf style liners and fenced den areas.
The first tests at this location will be held in July in conjunction with the Miramichi Kennel Club Shows, featuring a BTC Regional Specialty, nine Sprinter Trials and a host of other activities.
While Pickles and I were away with Anna, the Gherkins and Digger stayed home with Chris and had a great time enjoying new freedoms.
We had a fantastic visit from Debra and Graham who came to meet Little Gherkin with a view to taking her home at the end of August.
The month ended with Beth flying out to decide whether Big Gherkin will make a suitable not-so-little Bro for Loki
In between we worked hard to promote the New Brunswick Earthdog Tests
The only birthdays in June were Jane's Didi who became a veteran turning 7 on June 6th and Shawna's Tink who turned 9 on June 23rd
May - With two Specialties, Earthdog and so much more, May was a humdinger of a month
To say that May was busy is a total understatement. With last minute preparations taking up most of the first three weeks of the month, then the Specialties both amazing events despite less than optimal weather. The earthdog tests were a great success and blessed with much better weather. Frank. Camilla and the [very well behaved] Highdyke crew visisted for a few days as did Anne Geall. It was a truly memorable May
The Specialty trip was the Gherkins first trip in the camper and they ahndled it like pros. They remained quiet and content in their crates for long periods and played hard when they were given the chance. Such troopers and seasoned travellers.
Jansim family successes at the specialties and ED tests can be found on the brag pages of Olek, Lola, Felek, Fergus, Keltic, Spike and Pickles. But I must also mention Spikes housemate and friend of the family, Tink. Not only was she best in Veteran Sweeps and Best Veteran in Specialty at the BTCO Specialty but she also completed her CKC Master Earthdog Title and earned a bonus leg. Tink is an absolutely awesome little dog.
We thoroghly enjoyed having Camilla and Frank visit for a few days after the Specialty as well as Anne who came to stay after helping Anna out on the lead up to the Specialty.
Frank and Camilla's dogs were just the best canine house guests and the pups especially enjoyed Anne's company.
While they were here Frank and Chris visited the CAF Museum in Trenton and the SS Keewaytin boiler room right here in Kinsgton.
Camilla and Anne also took the Kingston Trolley tour and it did not disappoint.
At the end of the month I had the priviledge of volunteering as ring crew at the AAC Regional Champiuohsips just up the road in Harrowsmith. It is alwasy grounding to see great dog and handler teams perform at the top of their game and also make a mess of things occasionally.
Birthdays in May included Spike who celebrated his third birthday on May 12th, a birthday shared with Anna and memories of Blue, gone far too soon
Amanda's Cole turned 9 on May 18th and Lexi turned five, also on May 12th.
April - Hopefully, spring will come back
Start of April saw mixed weather yet again. Snow on April 2nd then sunshine and well above freezing on April 4th!!!
The month really got away from me with the pups and everything else.
Pickles was well and truly over being a mom by the time the Gherkins hit 6 weeks and there was much to do to ensure that they received all the appropriate attention.
The very best part of the month was that Pickles, with mom duties done and suted, accepted Digger back into her life as if nothing had happened.
The only birthday in April is Helen Blake's CBTW adoptee Ringer who will be 14 on April 15th
March - Spring is sprunging
Despte a few on again off again snow squalll, the changing of the clocks seemed to suher in a sense of spring around the cornere
Pickles is still struggling with the responsibilities of motherhood but we are making baby steps in the right direction
March certainly went out like a lion with an ice storm that spared us but did a fair amount of damage elsewhere.
Birthdays in March:
Gryzia became a teenager on March 7th turning thirteen while Salem celebrated his 14 th birthday the same day.
Our son Robert celebrated his half century on March 8th
Rosie turned 9 on March 15th and Olive celebrated her 5th birthday on March 21st
February - Sadness, Challenges, Friends and more sadness.
February started out with the sad news that Lee had to say goodbye to Jinx just three weeks short of her sixteenth birthday. Jinx passed peacefully at home with those she loved and who loved her. She was the the last of the 2008 Molly-Zeke pups. The end of an era!!!
Cold weather set in early making my committment to keep Pickles in shape much more challenging. Thankfully she was able to complete her last set of agility classes.
Shawna, Anna, Chris and I continued our our weekly or twice weekly get togethers for supper, either at Anna's or our place. up until a week or so before Pickles due date.
Birthdays in February:
With the passing of Jinx, we would have been left with no four-footed birthdays in February except on February 26th, Pickles gave birth to three "gherkins" at the vets. Sadly, the first little girl could not be revived. RIP Littlest gherkin. You can follow the progress of the two remaining gherkins here.
January - What will 2025 bring??
January started off with our annual "goodbye to the Turkey with "Paul Hollywood's leftover Turkey and Ham Pie" shared with Anna and Shawna. I feel so blessed to have such good friends within 15 minutes of our home, We have shared some fantastic meals and conversations, extending beyond dogs.
There was group discussion on various plans for 2025 and it promises to be a year with some exciting trips and hopefully its share of get togethers.
Thanks to the absence of any real snow fall we were able to avail ourselves of Shawna's lovely back yard for a game of "chuck it" with Digger and Pickles the first two Saturdays in January. Pregnant or not I want to keep Pickles in really good condition, either for whelping or running agility!!!
On January 27th Pickles was confirmed pregnant via ultrasound at Grahame Animal Hospital, three little Digger buns in the oven. Now the planning and anxiety really starts.
The trip back from Grahame was highlighted by a late lunch stop in Port Hope where we enjoyed an amazing burger from The Railside Restaurant and Chris found a geocache in the parking lot opposite the Restaurant. All in all a long trip worth making.
Finally, on the last day of the month we were able to get together with Fred and Marnie at Coutt's cafe in Perth. It was a bit too chilly for Fred and Chris to find a geocache but maybe next time.
Birthdays in January:
Sarah M's Neville turned five on January 12th and Olek and Fergus celebrated their first birthday on the same day.
David and Lisa's Jessie hit double digits turning 10 on January 19th and Anna's Felek will celebratet his 12th birthday on January 24th
