~~~INQUIRING MINDS ~~~

In the short amount of time we have been blogging, we have acquired a few questions in the comment section. We thought we'd try to answer those questions this morning.

From yesterday's post - TRUE COLORS - RAINBOW,
Jake and Fergi - Two Special Wires and
Maggie and Mitch the Airedales
asked the same question regarding our stenciled porch.
"Do we get to see the finished porch?"

We have to say the picture you see in the original post is probably the best one we have of what it looked like when it was newly done (about 4 years ago). Since Mom painted over treated wood, the paint (even though she used Kilz) did not adhere very well. Also all of those little Scottie nails going over it every day tended to make it wear off. Mom has decided that as soon as she can get Dad to do a few porch patches, then she is going to repaint it - we think it will be a solid barn red color this time. Now the porch looks like this:


She might leave a smidgen (if she can make it into a small rug) of the stenciled porch in front of the parlor door (we Scotties don't go in and out that way so it still looks pretty good)

On our WHEELY WEDNESDAY FARM TOUR post,
Baby Rocket Dog and Hootie asked,
"What do you grow on your farm, or is it a dairy farm?"

We grow organic Black Angus Beef Cattle on our farm and they are really tasty. We also have a few acres in pine trees that will probably be ready to harvest in about 50 years - we won't see them mature, but maybe our great (who knows how many greats that will be) grandchildren will. Mom and Dad usually have a vegetable garden and Dad grows a few flowers so that Mom can have some cut flowers. We also have started a lot of fruit trees and so far they have not produced too much - this year we think they will have more than the past years. There are two old Johnson Winter (York Imperial) Apple trees that have been on the place for over a hundred years - it's amazing how much 2 trees (that only have shells of a trunk) can produce.

Our great grandmother's Jelly Apple tree still produces very well and Mom always makes apple jelly and apple butter every summer.

And we like to produce 2 high quality litters
of Scottish Terrier puppies every year.

From this same post, Jake and Fergi also asked,
"Do you get to run loose sometimes?"

Well, Java goes off leash all the time - he either stays in our yard or on the drive way (0.6 of a mile to the main road). He has excellent recall skills and listens to almost everything Mom and Dad say. We Scotties are always on leash unless we are in our pen. As most of you know, Scotties are famous for their hunting skills and to the breed, the hunt is the most important thing in the world. Occasionally, Mom will let Carrleigh run off leash from the pen to the front door because Carrleigh is more interested in food than anything else and she knows the food is in the house. It would totally devastate Mom if one of us ran away so we just walk on our leashes like we were city dogs.

From A FISH TALE, Khyra asks,
"Can your Dad make THAT evil place go away?"

We're not sure, but we believe he can try, but if by 'evil place' she means Walmart, we don't know if it will ever go away - it just seems to grow larger and suck up small towns as it grows. In our opinion it has killed small town America. We try to support as many local businesses as we can.

The OP Pack asks, "Will the cows eat them?"

If you've never watched a cow drink water, you'd be surprised to know it inhales it through it's mouth and we think a fish could get in that stream without the cow knowing it. This is an experiment so we'll see. Dad saw one of the fisheys swimming on it's side in the bottom of the trough yesterday - not a good sign.

From FIVE THINGS ABOUT THE ARRROOO CREW,
Khyra asks, "Is that an Xterra I see?

Yes it was and Mom and Java loved it Like you, Java saw it as his personal vehicle. When they moved back to the farm, Mom and Dad needed a 4 wheel drive vehicle. Mom wanted another Xterra, but Dad wanted a pickup - they compromised and got a king cab Nissan Titan. They both think it's the greatest vehicle they've ever had - well maybe not better than her Miata, but Mom still really likes it.

From TRUE COLORS - BLACK AND WHITE,
BRD and Hootie left these comments:
Wonderful black & white day!
I'm glad Lily didn't show her teeth.
It would have scared Hootie. hahahahaha.
Smooches, BabyRocketDog

Very funny Baby.
Lily wouldn't scare me.
In fact, Scooby is still actively looking for a galpup for me.
Maybe Lily likes younger men??
WelshieHugs, Hootie

Lilly would entertain a dinner date with Hootie, or any other doggie who would spring for the tab, but Piper wants to let everyone know that, "he's the only rooster in this hen house". Shhh - don't tell Piper, but Mom has other plans for Lilly when fall breeding time rolls around!!

Have a fabulous Friday,
XOXO,
Lilly, Piper, Carrleigh and Java

TRUE COLORS THURSDAY - RAINBOW

Today is True Colours Thursday and this weeks color is RAINBOW - we must admit that last weeks color, which was RUST, was so much easier for us. Should you wish to play along, just go over to Blue's blog and let her know you're playing. Next week's color is CERISE - bright pink.

Here's our friend, Miss Donna,
helping Mom paint the porch.
When Dad repaired part of the porch,
Mom and Donna decided that a quilt would look nice on it.
Donna came over early one morning and
by night they were having margaritas in the yard
as they admired the finished artwork.
Mostly Donna did the painting and
Mom just supervised as she did other jobs
like paint the swing and hang out the laundry
(and making the margaritas).

We probably don't have to tell you
where this window is located.
A few years ago when Mom and Dad only had one dog,
Donna took care of Java while they went
to Paris for their 25th wedding anniversary.
Dad took this picture in Notre Dame.

When Mom and Dad were visiting in New York City,
they saw two beautiful dogs.
What they really went to see was The Gates Art Exhibit.
Mom calls the picture below "Skates and Gates".

This is the "Rainbow Over Rocky Creek Farm".
The artist is God.
The photographer is Dad

Happy Thursday,
XOXO
Lilly, Piper, Carrleigh and Java

PS - Please think good thoughts for our Mom - she has rainbows in her head today. We have to take good care of her because of the migraine.

WHEELY WEDNESDAY

Since we don't have an alter ego wheely,
we decided to take you on a short tour of part of our farm
on our "wheels".

Everyone get aboard the Rocky Creek Polaris.
Meet your driver for the tour - Dad.
If you can't get a seat in the back, then jump on the trailer.
All AAABBBOOAAARRDDD!!

First stop is the lilac bush.
We all need to pick a few so that
we'll be able to send them by Aire Ruby
to Myrna and Gilbert for their wedding.
Isn't their fragrance heavenly??

On your right side, you'll see our old barn
with Dad's "Flintstone" tractor sitting out in front.
That barn was built before our house which was built in 1898.
We don't know what year that old tractor was built,
but it will start when the others balk because of the cold, etc.

If you'll take a look at the cliffs on your left hand side,
you'll notice this lovely pink flower
is growing right out of the rock.
The leaves look like a cross between cilantro and carrot -
we have no idea what this delicate little flower is called.

Take a look down at the ground and
you'll see what Mom calls, "Rocky Creek Seahorses" -
they are really ferns that are just starting to grow.
Wild ferns are everywhere this year.
(If you biggify the picture, you can see the little seahorse on the right)

If you'll be careful, you can walk across this old tree
that has fallen in the forest.
Sometimes trees with moss growing on them are slick,
so be careful and dig your toes in.

This is our house from the north side.
Unless you go on a farm tour,
you never get to see this angle.

And now it's time to end the tour and
go in the house for dinner and get ready for bed.

Thanks for going along with us.

XOXO
Lilly, Piper, Carrleigh and Java

A FISH TALE

If you haven't had the opportunity to visit our website - www.rockycreekscotties.com, please go by and visit. We have some pictures on there and Mom's breeding philosophy..... But there is a story on there about Mom's childhood dream of breeding Scottish Terriers and how Dad made that dream come true. Well he's done it again - a veritable Prince Charming he is..... and this time no Scotties were involved!!


Mom, like most kids, always had these things in her mind that she wanted to do. And a lot of them were things that her parents probably never realized. Probably unbeknownst to her parents, Mom always wanted a gold fish. She was always envious of those little kids that she would see in town on Saturday morning - the ones carrying the gold fish out of the Ben Franklin 5 & 10 Cent Store in plastic bags. The things that human kids want is strange to us dogs.


Dad told Mom yesterday that he was having some trouble with some of the cattle troughs. It seems as if there is an algae problem. He has tried bleach and that didn't work at all. One of the Home Extension Agents told Dad he needed to put a couple of gold fish in each trough. Dad asked Mom if she would go purchase a dozen gold fish for him today - well Mom went to Wal-Mart to get them (Ben Franklins is long gone - probably forced out by you know who). Mom got so excited when she saw the fish were only 38 cents each that she bought 2 dozen and the sales girl threw in a few just in case. Unfortunately there was no one there to take Mom's picture when she came out carrying her gold fishies in the plastic bag. She was afraid the bag might burst in the car so she also got a gallon pitcher and then seat-belted the fishes in so they wouldn't slosh around too much - hehe!!


When Mom got home she separated the fish into sandwich bags and Lilly checked them all out.


Mom and Dad then took the fish around and put the baggies in the cattle troughs so that the fish could slightly adjust to the frigid temperature of creek water before they swam in it.


Then after about 30 minutes they were let go in the yucky water.



Just had to add a picture of our twin calves - 2 sets of twins have been born this year, but one of the first set didn't make it.


Have a Terrific Tuesday,
XOXO
Lilly, Piper, Carrleigh and Java

A BUSY SUNDAY

Most Sundays, Mom and Dad start the day out with coffee and then go to church. This Sunday was no exception.After lunch and Mom's Sunday nap, we went out to help Dad plant a new Bing Cherry Tree. First we checked out our new little Yellow Transparent Apple Trees to see how they were doing.

Then all of us Scotties had to take a break in the Polaris.

And then we decided we might take Java along for a drive if Dad would give us the keys. Piper was planning a trip to pick up all our blogging buddies - He had already calculated how many we could get in the back - and if we put on the trailer.....

Dad said that was enough playing around, so Piper proceeded to supervise Dad as he dug a hole to plant the tree.

Have a Marvelous Monday.
XOXO
Lilly, Piper Carrleigh and Java

BUSY BUSY BUSY

Good Afternoon,

Yesterday morning we thought we might sleep in, but this bird (Mom says it's not a traditional woodpecker) had other ideas. He was knock, knock, knocking on a stump outside our bedroom window. Do you know what it is??This got Dad up and he got us up and then he and Mom started running around and for the most part we stayed at home. They went to the famous Hillsville Diner for breakfast. It is one of the few diners of it's type that is left in the United States - at one time all little towns had these types of diners.
After a trip to Tractor Supply, Lowes and Walmart, they came home and Dad started getting our lawnmower ready for summer - sharpening blades, changing oil and replacing a belt - OOPS!! - the man at Tractor Supply gave Dad the wrong belt so mowing was out of the question and our grass is so tall, Mom can't see when we squat to pee - short legs!! While Dad was working on the lawnmower, Mom was stripping and clipping on us. Piper got a full clip today - Mom says since she's not going to show him, he might as well get clipped instead of stripped - we girls know our day is coming.He looks so handsome with his "grown up" haircut. Check out this (3 gallon) bucket of hair -it's about1/2 full. We then had to help Mom start her seedlings for the garden - when what a bunch of dirt she moved - and we didn't get to dig in any of it - just supervise!!
Gotta run - see you tomorrow.

XOXO
Lilly, Piper, Carrleigh and Java

Saving One Pet

Good Morning All,


Yesterday, Mom received an email from a friend of hers who is always passing on pictures and articles about shelter pets that need adoption. On the bottom of it was this quote, "Saving one pet won't change the world... but surely the world will change for that one pet." Mom can't take any foster pets right now because we are overcrowded as it is with the four of us, but she does offer her assistance to the local humane society by helping out if they get any Scotties or small terriers that have grooming or skin issues and financially when she can. Occasionally she attends a pancake breakfast to help support them and they don't let dogs come!!


Many people where we live are having to ask for assistance to purchase pet food due to the economic downturn - so many don't realize when the purchase a cute puppy at a pet store or adopt one from someone in a Wal-mart parking lot that they have a responsibility that could last for about 15 years. Mom says, "I know "I'm preaching to the choir" when I tell this to all of you because you are all responsible pet owners - I think I just had to put it out there this morning."

Many of you are rescue pets, and many of your peeps help out in rescue crisis and we surely do ARRROOO that. To see the horror of what goes on in puppy mills, please go over and visit Jake and Fergi's blog. Fergi recently escaped the horror of having litter after litter of puppies in a puppy mill. She celebrated her "bust-out" birthday just this week. To see the videos regarding puppy mills and dog auctions, click on the links at the top of our sidebar.

We hope we can encourage all of your peeps not to fall in love with that pet shop puppy - unless he was like Java and 4 months old - the biggest dog in the store and no one wanted him - everyone wanted little puppies, but Mom and Java "looked into each other's soul" the minute their eyes met and Mom knew she couldn't leave him there not knowing what his fate would be. And Java was even "on sale" - at a very low cost - we can't imagine the store wasn't making some profit on him. Our friend, Mitch, was rescued from a pet shop in the same type of situation. For the most part purchasing pet shop puppies encourages puppy mills to produce more and more puppies because most puppies in pet shops come from puppy mills. There are a few responsible pet shop owners out there that purchase from responsible breeders.

We encourage all of you to tell your stories, whether you are from a responsible breeder or whether you are from a pet shop or puppy mill. We know that by being with your caring people, all of the stories will have a happy ending.

Abolish puppy mills,
XOXO
Lilly, Piper, Carrleigh and Java

~LOST SCOTTIE - WINSTON SALEM, NC~

We hope someone out there can help Meghan who has lost her dear Scottish Terrier.

We're doing our best "Scottie Stand" for you

in hopes that you can help us

with finding this lost dog.

We feel so sorry for him -
lost and alone and missing his peeps.

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Winston-Salem Journal, N.C., Scott Sexton column: With injuries healing, victim of car wreck wants her dog

Scott Sexton
Apr 21, 2009 (Winston-Salem Journal - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --

Slowly but steadily, Meghan Nicholson is recovering from the injuries she suffered April 10 after the rental car she was driving skidding off a rain-slickened Interstate 40.

The bumps, bruises and cuts she suffered were bad enough to require two days in intensive care at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.

In time, her injuries will heal.

For now, Nicholson is more concerned with finding her beloved Scottish terrier, Jack, than any lingering physical pains. The dog ran into woods near the scene of the wreck near Mocksville and hasn't been seen since.

Jack was a gift from Nicholson's father, Frank Cole Nicholson Jr., who decided that his daughter needed a dog to protect her when she moved into an off-campus apartment when she was a senior at N.C. State University.

When her father was struggling at this time last year with the end stages of prostate cancer, Jack became more than just a companion. He became a cherished link between father and daughter, one final way for a dad to look after the safety of his not-so-little-girl.

Frank Nicholson died April 27. He was 62. "Dad loved that dog from Day One," Nicholson said. "We're huge dog lovers, my dad and me. Jack was his little buddy."

Reconstructing the accident

Heading into Easter weekend, Nicholson was excited. She was going to spend the weekend at her family's home in Clemmons, and was looking forward to spending time with friends and relatives.

A friend had a bridal shower scheduled the next day, so Nicholson was focused on something besides her final year at the Charlotte School of Law.

A steady downpour and the fading daylight combined to make the drive treacherous. Nicholson's mother was worried and called to see what was taking so long. She was maybe 15 to 20 minutes from pulling into her driveway when she crashed.

"I'd just got through talking to my mom telling her where I was," Nicholson said. "Jack was sitting there beside me. And that was the last thing I remember."

The rest of the details were filled in for her in bits and pieces over the next few days.

The rental car she was driving -- she had taken her car to a shop in Charlotte and the repairs hadn't been finished in time for the trip -- hydroplaned on I-40 as she was nearing U.S. 601 in Mocksville. She clipped another car and careered into a guardrail.

Nicholson's relatives told her later that the driver's side airbag failed to deploy and that her head broke a side window. In the confusion, Jack ran off.

"He tried to bite one of the firemen, which he usually doesn't do," Nicholson said. "I think he was scared of all the sirens and because there was something wrong with me. So I know he survived the accident, which was good."

Determined to find Jack

A few hours passed before Nicholson realized that her dog was missing. While she was being treated in the emergency department, she kept asking about him, but nobody answered her right away.

"Finally my mom told me that he'd gotten away because I kept saying 'Where's Jack? Where's Jack?'" she said.

Nicholson has been out of the hospital for about a week. She's moving very gingerly, but she's determined to help in the effort to find Jack.

The family has posted fliers and made the rounds at area animal shelters and humane societies. A man called with a promising lead about a black dog he had found near Mocksville.

It turned out to be a border collie.

Nicholson and her relatives spent another 2 1/2 hours Sunday afternoon looking for Jack. She remains hopeful that the fliers and the canvassing will pay off.

After all, Nicholson is searching for more than just her pet. She's looking for the happy, tail-wagging connection to the father who picked him out.

"Even when he was really sick, Daddy just loved that dog," she said.

Scott Sexton can be reached at (336)727-7481 or at ssexton@wsjournal.com

XOXO
Lilly, Piper, Carrleigh and Java

TRUE COLORS THURSDAY - RUST

Good Morning Everyone,

It's TRUE COLORS THURSDAY and today's color is RUST. Next week the color will be RAINBOW - that should be almost as easy as RUST. Should you wish to play along just go over to Blue's blog and make a comment letting her know you are participating and you are in - it's that simple.

We had to be really selective about what we choose today because our Mom is loves RUST and peeling paint so we have a lot of it about - we also live in a 110 year old farm house that has older outbuildings - rust abounds!!

Last summer Mom and Dad went to the
Carl Sandburg house in North Carolina.
While there Mom took a picture of this RUSTY faucet -
can you find the snake in this picture?

This is Freddie, Dad's business partner.
He and his grandson, Donnie,
are on their way to feed the cattle.
See the beautiful autumn leaves in the background.

Mom went on a mission trip to Haiti last October.

There is a lot of rust in Haiti!!

When Java goes outside
(alone and off leash - how cool is that??)
he rings this old cowbell to let Mom
know he's ready to come back in.
It has made grooves in the door behind it
from him pushing it with his nose.

This is Mom's garden shed.
When her Dad was little, it was the smokehouse
and Mom can remember the racks hanging from the ceiling.
But her Dad made it into a playhouse
for her when she was little,
complete with an icebox!!
Now Mom and Dad use it
for their gardening tools and pots.

When Java moved back to the farm with Mom and Dad,
Mom asked Dad to take up the yucky gold carpet
from the 1970's remodel
because she knew there was a cork floor underneath.
After not doing it for several years,
Mom decided to start the job one day when Dad was at work.
Piper is checking out what was underneath that awful carpet.
We love this floor!!

This is a shelf that Mom wants to make - wonder why??

Have a Terrific True Colors Thursday.

XOXO
Lilly, Piper, Carrleigh and Java

PS - to see some beautiful pictures of flowers and a rust colored dog - visit Golden Samantha.

Or if a rust colored cat is your preference, Ginger Jasper is available.

EARTH DAY and AWARDS

Foster Falls, VA - New River

Good Morning All,

Today is International Earth Day. We think everyday should be Earth Day. We have such a beautiful planet to share with each other and we try to do our best to help it out as much as we can. Mom is very good about recycling and Dad always picks up any litter that he can. This weekend he and Mom will be picking up litter in our community as a service project through the Ruritan Club.

We received 2 awards today from Baby Rocket Dog and Hootie. They, along with their Mom, Cassie, are some of our best blogging buddies. We've seen that they are kind blogging buddies to a lot of you too. We love their names!!


The first award is the PROXIMITY award. This blog invests and believes in the PROXIMITY - nearness in space, time and relationships. These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement! Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this clever-written text into the body of their award. (All this prize requires is to pass it on!)

The second award is Neno's Award: ~As a dedication for those who love blogging activity and love to encourage friendships through blogging.

To seek the reason why we all love blogging.

~Put the award in one post as soon as you receive it.

~Don’t forget to mention the person who gives you the award.

~Answer the Award’s question by writing the reason why you love blogging.

~Tag and distribute the Award to as many people as you like.

Remember to notify the awardees and put their links in your post.

To answer the award's question, we love blogging because it gets us out of our living room into the world. In the short time we have been blogging, we have met many dogs and bipeds who we now call friend. We don't know anything else we could do that would give us so much joy and meet so many new friends without leaving the comfort of our own home. Thank you dear friends for supporting our blogging endeavors.

We would like to pass these awards on to Khyra, Maggie and Mitch, Asta, Lucia, Hercules, Karensbrae Terriers, Footheel Sock Knitter, Madison and Two Special Wires. Most of the folks we know have already received the award. If you haven't, please feel free to take it and leave a comment letting us know you did so we can link to you in another posting.

Mom is in a hurry today. We have to go up to the Forestry Department to pick up some trees for Dad.

Happy Wheelie Wednesday,
XOXO
Lilly, Piper Carrleigh and Java



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