bought 50 day-old chicks in Feb. Now they're almost all grown up. There is an interesting size difference between the largest and the smallest. They're all the same breed...Everything I read about the Red Stars before I bought them, said that they were peaceful, calm. I've had calmer, and peacefuller chickens. I know that they're going to establish a pecking order in each small group. But I wish they wouldn't be so serious about the pecking itself. I don't like the squawking and then finding that one is hiding in a corner and has bloody spots on her neck and head. I'd like some of that peacefulness.

finally. cool fall weather. and rain rain and rain. now the grass is green. roses are blooming, its lovely. almost as wonderful as spring when leaves finally appear on the trees. Mikey is now 5 1/2 months old and taller than Tiger Lily. And has got his Big-Dog-Bark. Pretty scary, really. Sounds like a HUGE BIG DOG. and I think when he does that, that there's bad guys outside, preparing to break in. But no, its just the neighbors' dogs wandering down the road---again.

October, finally. the temperature creeps up towards the 90's, and gets slam-dunked by a cold front. Then we have rain and rain and mud. but the grass is greening up again, and there are lots of fall wildflowers. It really is lovely. Tiger Lily is no longer my Big Dog. Mikey is only a little taller as of yet, but he looks a Lot bigger than she is-- he makes her look dainty. That's really something considering that she weighs 80 pounds. And the other thing to not forget is that he is now 5 months old. Meaning that he still has several months of growing to do. Remember, these two were the same size in mid-July. Its amazing!!

The weather has finally cooled off. We've actually had Fall weather. The dogs are Very Happy!! Ever since Mikey arrived here, its been too hot in the middle of the day. Since it has cooled off, I find myself coaxing him to come outside in the middle of the day. "Come on out, Mikey, its not horribly hot..." At first he wouldn't come. I'd have to put a leash on him, and bribe him with treats. He's getting over his belief that it is painful to be outside in the middle of the day. Poor thing, he sure did hate it. In fact today, I looked around and wondered where Mikey was, and there he was outside. All by himself, outside in the early afternoon.

It is always amazing to watch Mikey growing. Growing and Growing. He's not so clumsy as he was at 2 1/2 months, always falling down. Now, 2 months later, he doesn't fall so much. I was just thinking this morning about this fact, as we were outside walking. Just then, he took off running, and tried to jump over the Cocker Spaniel who was in his way. Crashed to the ground. It didn't seem to bother him. And he's not reluctant to cry if he's hurt. The Cocker looked at him and went trotting away, and a couple of minutes later, the same thing happened. Cocker in the way, 4 1/2 month old Great Pyrenees running, and jumping...crash. He lays there calmly looking around, gets up and goes lolloping down the path again.

big, borrowed ladder

I borrowed a 20' ladder the other day from friends. (They even delivered it!) Because of this I was able to trim the tree branches that have been brushing the roof all around the house. And it was so easy!!!! I have a 6' step ladder. I've always had to make a platform with concrete blocks, set the ladder on it and then climb up onto the roof. Boy, I was so excited to just set the ladder up and climb up there and trim those tree limbs. What is it they say about the right tools?

Mikey and training

I keep putting off training sessions with Mikey--now 17 weeks old. It always seems complicated, and I can't think what to do with him. A few days ago, I came home from work, determined to give Mikey a bath. After the bath we would go visiting --some friends, and then PetSmart for a Nylabone. Guess who is teething? On my chair, on the wall, on the edge of the doorway... I decided, further, to try to get him to walk up the ramp to the bathtub. {raised bathtub in the groom room} He wouldn't walk on that ramp. He didn't want to and wasn't going to, so there. No exclamation points with him, just: "the answer is no". So I finally lifted him into to tub. I'm thinking "I can't do this for much longer, I'm going to have to work with him". A few days later, I get out training treats, the ramp, a leash (etc). and took him outside to the car. Put the ramp up to the car's rear bumper, steered him around to the ramp. He went around it a couple of times, he could see the treat in my hand and was trying to get to it. I finally got him at the foot of the ramp and patted it. He immediately walked halfway up, and tried to take the treat from my hand. That's really all it took. I put another treat inside the back of the car, and he walked right in. (I had him go up and down about 3 times all together.) Now it'll be easy to get him into the bathtub. Once I've shown him something and we've done it a few times, he doesn't refuse anymore. That's nice. He now weighs 48 lbs (as of Thurs Sep3)