Thank you all for your kind words regarding our book project. What the book represents to me is an acknowledgement of just how far my relationship with my mother has come since the days of my rebel teen existence and her school-teacher/careful-as-you-go way of living life. A bull and a china shop, Mount St. Helen and a tiki hut, Niagra Falls and a folded newspaper boat. You get the picture, I’m sure.
Anyway… to answer a question I get frequently, yes, my GIANT dog Ben and my smallest dog Rudi get along very well. Ben is an amazing animal, his size does not give him the impression that he should dominate. As a matter of fact, he still believes he can fit on your lap, and demonstrates this regularly. Ben now weighs approx. 195. lbs. Rudi weights 9 lbs. I do love my boyz, although Rudi still marks his territory, pissing on various things if I don’t catch him, the little sh*t. Ben has NEVER done this in the house. Ever. That would create a floodplain.
Big plans for the garden. BIG. Besides tripling the vegetable garden, we have ordered 10 blueberry bushes and 10 raspberry. My back porch has been transformed into a mini greenhouse, complete with heater. These are his babies, you see. I was given the task of watering the other day, and you’de think there were human embryos in there with the set of instructions I got. We are also going to build a roadside stand, so by mid summer we should have a nice selection of produce and cut flowers for passers by. We just filled out paperwork for the farm bureau, hoping to be accepted.
I’m excited for This Old House to become a working farm once again…
i love your boys !
and the thought of a flood if ben peed on the floor in the house….LOL
how fun it would be to buy fresh flowers at a farm stand! Great pictures of your doggies!
Very exciting. We're making gardening plans as well.
I'm giving away a bluebird house and bird feeder on my blog today if you want to stop by 🙂 Seems like the sort of thing you'd enjoy.
I love your dogs. That's a beutiful photo of them. Our 85 lb black lab, thinks he's a lap dog too.
Oh and we have blackberry bushes "will trade some for raspberry" LOL
Have a great weekend! It's my BFF daughter's wedding today, a practice run for my daughter's which is next weekend.
Patti
Big Ben has the face of an angel and Rudy looks like he could be devilish!
We have a small raspberry patch and I love it! I freeze the berries and use them all winter, love it! We've tried blueberries, but didn't have much luck for some reason . . . must try again! However, I don't go without, my neighbor is from Hancock, Maine which is the blueberry capital of the world and I buy 60 lbs from her and freeze them and use them all year!
Looking forward to seeing your farm stand!
What a very interesting life you have! Is Rudi the boss? If so, that is why he tries to mark everything in sight, so that he can remain top dog:) Love the picture of them.
My, you are going to be very busy with all of the gardening, I love it, don't you?
Both dogs are sweethearts! You have the best of both worlds with a large and small dog. Milo is 28 lbs, and Layla, 8 lbs. Hubby declared after years of having big dogs that he was allergic to them, I think it's the same deal, large and small. And little Layla likes to do a number in the house once in awhile if she doesn't go out often enough {my fault}.
I used to start my plants indoors in a sunny window but it just never worked. Maybe I needed a heater! It looks like your husband has a nice setup. I love your idea of having blueberry and raspberry bushes…I thought about doing that at the lake…still am. We have a farmstand just down the road though and she has the BEST fruit and veggies. Can't top her. But a working farm again…great idea, Karen. It sounds wonderful!!
Happy Weekend. It's raining and snowing here. Ugh.
XO,
Jane
I haven't been on blogs in a few days, so I must catch up and see what's going on in your world. I love those sweet dogs of yours! Hilarious to see this photo of them together. Good for you on the roadside stand!
Brenda
Hope you get the okay for the roadside stand. I can only imagine the stories you'll have to tell. Love it!
Gosh, I don't read for just a few days and I've missed all sorts of things! Congrats on your book…looking forward to seeing it. And can't wait…can't…to see the progress of your garden and road side stand! Very exciting!
THAT is a great picture of the doggies!!! Can't WAIT to buy produce from you! Will it be organic? Meaning will Mike be using organic fertilizer and pesticides? That is HUGE for us and would be a great marketing angle for you guys! Now I have summer fever!
That's one big honking dog, Karen. Amazing how Moms change and adapt after so many years, huh? Love your farm and the roadside produce stands are always a lure for my attention.
What a great photo of the two dogs!
Your pups can visit my pups anytime for a sleepover! Oh, and Opie too!! Cadence would love that 🙂
xo, misha
Fabulous pic of the two boys!!! I still miss my Big Guy. Sadly….Ben said…no more big ones. It is very difficult when they get older and neither one of us can lift very well anymore! It presented quite the problem for us while traveling in the RV. Your garden sounds wonderful and I'm still hoping to be able to see it LIVE!!!
Rudi Rudi Rudi… do I have to explain it to you AGAIN! Ha HA HA. What a stinker he is.
You know, our rotts that we have had over the years have never bullied other dogs with their massive size either. Just big old mushy personalities who think they are lap dogs.
Great shot of your boys together!
DI
OH, and I had the same relationship with my mom.
Your boys are lovely. Although the indoor-urinating one you can keep. Just send Ben over please;-)
I wish I could stop by your farm stand wagon this summer! So charming. Your dogs are so cute. Love their expressions.
🙂
Those puppers are so adorable and I love the yin-yang of it all.
I will be heading your way for some berries! Nummy.
They look like Mutt and Jeff–fortunate for the "little bit" they get along!
So nice to hear that you and your mom have reconciled your difficult relationship. It gives me hope! My youngest daughter and I had a difficult relationship in her teen years. She was the one attracted to other "rebels", she skipped school, moved out, wandered around, got pregnant….Our gorgeous, brilliant daughter seemed hell-bent on destroying herself. Now 25 years old, she finally seems to be settling down and she even seems to like me most of the time!lol
V
I LOVE big dogs. My Sheldon passed away last summer after being my best friend for 14 years. He wasn't nearly as big as your Ben, but weighed in at 75 pounds. His best dog buddies were always little dogs, he would play with them for hours, but was always so gentle. His instinct told him just how rough he could be without hurting them. I miss him so.
I can't believe how much catching up I have to do! You are one busy person!
Love your boyz! And I am excited that I live close enough to you that I may be able to check out your farm stand in person!…so keep on babying those babies!