"Fawna"

Contributed by member, Nonoma

My Fawna is now 12.2 lbs., almost 16 weeks old, and is losing her first teensy front teeth.  I want one but wiggling them grosses me out.  She swallows them of course.  She has lost her cute puppy fuzz and is developing Sheltie fur, mostly the ruff around her neck and a bit of a skirt on her rear.  See how long her nose has grown.

Yesterday we were out by the blackberry patch and Fawna was sniffing around happily.  We unknowingly disturbed two browsing Sandhill Cranes who suddenly screamed out ear-splitting, non-stop "caroooooo-carooooo-caroooooo's."  Fawna came straight up in the air (me too) and flew back a yard or two, then sat down to thoughtfully observe and contemplate. 

Fawna has tons of toys and her own heavy-duty toy box.  It is a sturdy plastic restaurant clear-away tray.  There are particular toys she always keeps in the box.  If you take one out, she will return it to the box when finished playing with it.  Other toys are always to be outside the box (her favorite ones).  She spaces them equally across the floor.  That gives her room to run between them I guess.  I think she is particularly neat and precise.  A girl after my own heart!

Fawna has a delightfully sweet personality, loves everybody, and is almost perfectly housebroken.  She has trained me to take her outside when she barks at the outside door or at the upstairs gate.  Like most Shelties, Fawna has a mind of her own, knows what she wants and isn't afraid to go for it.  She knows the command "sit" well.  "Come" she recognizes when she feels there is something worth coming for.  "Wait" is something she recognizes as a brief pause.  "Stay" we are still working on.  Of course all the commands depend upon whatever else may attract her puppy-butterfly attention span.

 I am happy to be a puppy mom (although I never get any housework done).

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REMEMBER: Doggy Tales is Reader Contributed! If you have, or have had, a furry, finned, or feathered friend you were fortunate enough to share your life with, we want to hear about it! Contact Miss Mae via the email on the Profile Page and your article will be featured in a future Monday segment.

Rachel Rossano

I never knew how simple I had it before children. The convenience of stopping by the grocery store after work, hopping out of the car, grabbing my purse and organized coupons, and walking into the store seems like a luxury these days. Why? I have three children under three.

I wasn’t tossed into this life. I wanted it. It sort of crept up on me, but I wouldn’t trade my life with anyone for anything.

Hubby and I wanted kids. So, long story short, we managed to have one. He was a delightful baby, beautiful, sweet-tempered, and a joy to be around. We were so infatuated with our wee lad, we decided we wanted another. Same long story later, we were blessed again. However instead of one little babe,we had two, a lass and a lad. We went from a trio to a quintet in a day.

Our twins are very like their older brother, delightful and sweet tempered (usually), but there is one thing I have learned with absolute certainty: three children are a ton more work than one.

I am a stay-at-home mother (who stays in the house very little). My hubby works full-time and takes masters classes. So, if I don’t do the shopping with kids, it doesn’t get done.

A typical trip to the grocery store begins with a list.Without it, I would forget half the things I wanted to purchase and spend the following days making do without as a result.

Next, I prep everyone for the outing. A potty trip, two freshly changed diapers, shoes times four sets of feet, bibs for two, milk cup, purse, keys, cell phone, diaper bag, list, and, of course, wallet are all essential. If I manage to check my clothes and hair for neatness before getting out the door, it is a good day.

I load it in the car in three to five trips depending on how ambitious I feel that day. On one occasion, I went back to the house six times. I kept forgetting something.

The drive to the store is usually short, ten minutes or less. The unloading is another matter. The milk cup and diaper bag stay in the car. Don’t need anything extra to keep track of while in the store. Besides, the milk is usually gone by now. My firstborn drinks milk so fast he sloshes when he jumps around.

Then, pulling the cart (toddler secured in the seat) and pushing the double stroller, we enter the store and begin selecting our groceries.

Since becoming a mother of twins I have discovered that almost everyone is a twin, knows a twin, had twins, or is somehow related to twins. It would be an interesting study to see what percentage of the population falls into each of those categories. But I digress.

Our caravan creates a sensation no matter who we run into. From old to young, almost everyone wants to smile and wave at the babies. Among the oohs and ahs, I frequently get questions.

“Are they twins?”

On the twins support website the suggested witty responses to this one are plenteous, but I try to avoid being clever. My daughter is currently four pounds lighter than her younger brother and almost an inch shorter. So, it could be a reasonable question.

The next words out of the spectator’s mouth are usually the first indicator of how the conversation is going to proceed.

If they ask, “Are they identical?” I know for certain I am dealing with someone not closely related to a twin. (For the non-twin-savvy, identical twins have to be the same gender.) I try to tastefully explain why they are not.

If the next words are “You have your hands full,” I usually reply “Yup, it is a lot of work, but a lot of fun too.” We then exchange reassurances that this precious time of life will pass too quickly.

The most encouraging spectators, though, are the ones who have been in my shoes. It is nice to see experienced mothers and fathers of twins who tell me their two are in college or doing such and such. I especially enjoy the ones who tell me about their two with a wide smile on their face. They frequently assure me it gets easier. However, there was one mother who told me it would get harder as they grew. I am an optimist. I choose to believe the ones who say it will get easier.

As I negotiate the aisles, I attempt not to knock over the end displays. Since the babies have grown I now have to keep an eye out for the four hands that randomly reach, fingers splayed like a starfish, to grab anything in range. I also spend a great deal of my brain power keeping up with my firstborn’s chatter.

“Look, Mommy, a fish! What kind is it?”

“I don’t know, sweetheart. Maybe a tuna?”

“I want to see the big M&M!”

“We passed it already.”

“What is that?” He points off in the general direction of a third of the store while I am trying to find the cheapest bagged salad.

“What is what?”

“That!”

Four repetitions of this exchange and I figure out he isreferring to the lobster tank. As we move away from the tank, I am desperatelytrying to come up with a reasonable, honest explanation to his question of “Whyare they there?” without traumatizing him.

When we finally manage to reach the other end of the store, I check my list for the fourth time to make sure I haven’t forgotten anything. On a good trip, I only make one journey back across the store for an item I missed on the first pass. Then we finally head for the check out.

I gave up on coupons. Superwoman, I am not. The limits of my abilities demand that I cannot do it all and coupons were the first casualty. The second was bottle returns. About ten dollars of five cent bottles lurk in my basement waiting for a kid-free grocery trip.

Checking out involves quite a process. Stack the groceries on the belt. I then field a request for candy from child number one while digging out the store card and credit card from bottom of my purse. I push the cart through so the bagger can load it for me. (Have I mentioned that I love baggers?) The delicate task of pushing the stroller through without smashing fingers takes a bit more time. Then I pay. Finally we are on our way back to the car.

I am a lot less energetic than when we started, but we have the food we need to keep everyone healthy and happy for another week. As much as I am longing for the coming naptime when I can get back to my computer and my latest novel, I am also smiling about another successful trip almost finished. No tears, usually, and everyone is still safe and relatively happy.

Motherhood has taught me that each day is an adventure. A simple trip to the grocery store can be the highlight of my children’s day and mine. I have learned to approach these outings with patience. I cherish the little things like discussing lobsters with my son, explaining what goes into chicken pot pie, and figuring out together what a new fruit is called. What really delights me is when my children brighten up someone else’s day too. They are a blessing and I am thankful I can share just a bit of the joy they have brought me with others.

Disclaimer: Now, just so you don’t think all of my shopping trips are idyllic like the one described above. My children have had their share of tantrums, attacks of the give-mes, disobedience, arguments, and boo-boos. I have even managed to break my toe in the parking lot on the way back to the car. Once I walked off without signing the credit card receipt. Now that was embarrassing!

What is an adventure without a bit of difficulty? Dull.

My life is never dull.

Rachel's Blog

Hey everyone!  I just thought I would tell y'all a little about my life here on the farm. My family has been here on this farm for over 100 yrs. It is made up of a few smaller home sites that was bought over the yrs as families moved away. My family has deep roots in an old mountain tradition, lets just say it is the one that got Nascar started. But that is in the past where it needs to stay.

Now a days we raise a few chickens, about 80,000 total.  No, these chickens don't lay eggs. They are what you buy in the grocery store for your Sunday dinner. My son and I stay at home and look after them, while the rest of the family works off the farm during the day.

We also raise cattle. We run a cowcalf operation. Most ask what is that? Well I'll tell you. We have bout sixty moms and two dads. We sell the babies when they are about six mounths old. They then go to a feed lot and the next thing you know they are at the grocery store. 

I also raise a few Quarter Horses. We don't use them on the farm, they are just for my pleasure. I don't know what I would do without my horses. I have had horses all my life. I raise them and train them myself. They really help me keep my sanity. Nothing like having a bad day and then having a horse that weighs around twelve houndred pounds lay his head on your shoulder. It is better then any therapist.

As you all can see we have a lot to feed in the winter. So on top of them working off the farm, my dad and wonderful husband cut and bale the hay. They start around the middle of May for the first cutting. It takes about four days to do a field and get it in the barn. This yr we are trying some corn too. It will be a new experience for me and my husband. I can't wait for this fall when it will be ready to harvest.

Well, I hope I have not bored y'all to death with what goes on at the I-6 Farms. If y'all are ever down this way, stop by. Jesse and I are always around. Y'all come back now, ya hear.

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Kay at FaceBook

"The Person Behind the Author"

Thanks, Miss Mae, for inviting me to share some of my personal foibles and traits. Many times folks online know all about our writing, our opinion of books, and see our promos, but they don't ever learn about the real person behind the words.

I'm a wife, mother, daughter, and grandmother. Like most everyone, I have lots to do and not enough time to do it.  I love Dr. Pepper (not Diet), Hershey's Chocolate, and very aromatic coffee. My very favorite gifts to receive are a box of Pot of Gold Chocolates or something handmade. My favorite place to be is the beach in the off-season when it is quiet and cool. The salt air is like a tonic to me and makes me feel like a kid again. I enjoy cooking and crafts, particularly crocheting, but seldom have time for the crafts anymore while the cooking is a necessity.

Some quirky things about me are that I like to paint my toenails weird colors, I wear funny-looking socks in the winter, and I never wear a hat unless the temperature drops below ten degrees. My pet peeves are rudeness, those who make cruel fun of others, and family members who sneak bites from my plate (I'll gladly share, but ask). I detest seeing people leave a restroom without washing their hands, scratching private areas in public, or have someone talking loudly (or cursing) into a cell phone nearby.   

I love animals and have always had an affinity with them, though I am now allergic to most. I once had a huge Tom Turkey do a mating dance for me when we visited a farm to buy a goat. The poor farmer was speechless. I thought it was sweet. When we visited a second time, the same thing happened. The poor turkey followed me all the way to our truck. Until I was in my thirties I owned and rode quarter horses. I miss caring for them terribly.

I have vowed not to grow old gracefully. I will go gray kicking and screaming all the way and refuse to let myself get old (at least in my mind). My Hubby will attest to that, as I still sit in the floor and play with my grands, pull childish pranks, and on many occasions I see the world with child-like, naive eyes believing there is good in everyone.

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Rebecca's Website

Well hello everyone. I have been a pet lover all my life. In fact it was our Dobermans who brought my husband & I together. We met at work and he had a Dobie and I had a Dobie and well, we'd get together to let "the girls" play! Those play dates became our dates and we just celebrated 30 yrs of marriage last month and in those 30 yrs we have never been without a pet of some kind.

One day my hubby was driving home from work and saw a raccoon in the middle of the road that was hit by a car. When he drove past it, he saw something small moving around on top of it. Yep it was the baby raccoon.Well there was only one thing to do. Scoop it up and take it home!!! So one summer we raised a baby raccoon. Our Dobie at the time quickly took over the role as it's mother. With four cats in the house to play with and a Dobie for a mom, that little raccoon grew up to be one happy camper. The raccoon ended up being adopted by some friends who lived way back in the country and he led a natural raccoon life out in the woods, stopping by to visit his family every once in while.

Then there was the time my hubby cut down a big pine tree for someone and at the very top of the tree was a nest of baby squirrels. Who knew??? Except the mother squirrel which took off and never came back. Anyway, in the nest were three newborn squirrels. So we became parents again. No one thought these squirrels would live because of how young they were. They still had the umbilical cords sticking out of there little bellies. Well we took a crash course on hand raising squirrels. The two males didn't make it, but the third one was one very tough little girl. Talk about a house full of fun!! She had the four cats to play with and of course "momma" Dobie was on duty again. Amazing how animals accept one another and take care of one another, no matter what species they are. After all, a baby is a baby, and all my critters wanted to be the mom!! That little squirrel would sleep on my calico's tummy, right after a thorough bath from Dobie mom! Did you know that a baby squirrel can climb from your shoe right to the top of your head in .02 seconds? As you can imagine, a house in town was no place for a squirrel either, so once again we were looking to find just the right environment for our little one (who was now almost full sized) to live out a natural life. We found a wildlife reserve that was only an hours drive away. We called and they said our squirrel would be a welcome addition to their woodland community of rescued wildlife. Once again a happy ending for one of our little rescues.

A few years later, two of our kitties and the last of our Dobies had left us for Rainbow Bridge and our house was way too quiet. Then out of the blue, we came across a Shetland Sheepdog that needed rescued.

He was crated day & night and didn't even know his own name. He had no focus what so ever, and when he finally got out of that awful crate, he would run in circles non stop until he couldn't go any more. We were asked to "doggie sit" for a while and we just couldn't give this beautiful Sheltie back to those people. So we adopted Riley! That's the name  we gave him. After a trip to the vet, we were told Riley would be a challenge for us because he would be very slow to learn anything if he could learn at all! Well that was enough incentive for us. We know LOVE conquers ALL!! Today, Riley starts his day by getting the morning paper and bringing it inside for us. At noon he walks me to the mailbox so he can carry in the mail. Riley also helps carry in groceries from the car and visits nursing homes to make lots of people smile!! He is the perfect gentleman at all times. Riley knows all the obedience commands by hand signals too. (And they said he couldn't learn anything) HA!! Riley sure showed them!

We also have Chipper, a long coat Chihuahua, who is quite the character, and Phantom, an Albino Corn Snake! Now don't think Phantom is isolated from everyone. He lives right in our living room and comes out to be held all the time and loves taking a "slither" through Riley's fur! And of course, our Riley doesn't mind a bit! Our last kitty, Maggie, left us last year at the age of 20! Riley & Chipper miss her as they were all sleeping buddies, (in our bed of course). Riley & Chipper joined the Dog Channel network a few years ago and since then, we've met the most awesome, loving people (in person) from all over the USA and Canada.  All through our beloved pets! They truly are amazing and share a very special place in our hearts.

So there you have it. 30 fun filled years of sharing life with the animal kingdom and loving every minute of it.

Pawsitively yours,

JulieCarr

Riley's FaceBook

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REMEMBER: Doggy Tales is Reader Contributed! If you have, or have had, a furry, finned, or feathered friend you were fortunate enough to share your life with, we want to hear about it! Contact Miss Mae via the email on the Profile Page and your article will be featured in a future Monday segment.