THE BIG BROTHER?

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Of course the camera died… but let me describe it for you. The squirrel was teasing the collies and as they ran around under it letting it know they were watching.  Then, it ran down the tree onto the ground and five collies lunged at it and up the tree it went just out of their reach…… Oh.. the howling was loud and stong then and the squirrel ran as the collies tried to climb up the tree to get it.

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A split second quicker and that squirrel was done for…..

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Go Get Your Big Brother!!!

That will teach that squirrel to come in our yard!!!!  Yeah, you bring back your nutty big brother squirrel, he will get the bat treatment too!

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Happines, Sadness and a Memory

Yesterday was Mick and Hallie’s birthday.. YAY!! 6 years old!  The day before was the 6th year since their grandmother Hallie died… 😦

 

Well, on the full moon I decided since it was in the 40’s and the wind still we would go for a walk across the fields in the full moon.  So, I put the collars and leashes on Trevor and lil Hallie and grabbed a flashlight, a phone and protection.  Now, I take a phone just in case someone gets hurt, protection to protect us from either a pack of coyotes, rabid animals or what have you out there.  The Flashlight so we can see, can check out movement in the fields and for our first round of protection. You see, if you shine it in the eyes of animals and make loud noises and they can’t see nothing but blinding light they will usually go the other way.

So, we step out into the night and head into the fields.  We could smell the dampness in the air and smell the earth of the field as we walked across it. The rising full moon illuminated the field slightly and as we walked it became brighter and brighter until we could see almost across the field.

As we walked along in the cool night air Trevor began to make his twinkle toes  power walk and we walked for a brisk pace for a few minutes as lil Hallie strutted haughtily across the field.  We found the trail and began to go up it making wide passes around the mud holes and enjoyed the silence of the night and the silvery moonlight as we walked.

Suddenly I saw movement and pulled out my flashlight and turned it on and it hit flashing eyes as I saw several deer looking at us. I quickly shut off the light and stood still as the deer slowly turned and meandered further off across the field obviously not too concerned about us but making sure we were kept off at a safe distance.

We took off and wandered along the field enjoying the beautiful night and a few minutes later I saw something moving nearby.  We stopped and it stopped obviously facing towards us but it was in the shadows so I turned on the flashlight and it stood up and I saw it was a raccoon.  He sniffed and looked at us and went down on all fours and wandered off in his search for food.

As we walked along we could hear the neighborhood dogs talking.  One dog would bark to the left and three would respond on the right and then several from behind us and then some in front of us and it quickly became obvious they were communicating and there was a method to their rotation of directions in responding.  Lil Hallie was listening and went to join in and I softly told her no and she went back to concentrating on her walk.

As we walked I looked up at the twinkling stars, listened to the roaring silence that was broken by the dogs barking off in the distance, by occasional cars driving by way down on the road and by the occasional rustling along the field by  animals moving about.

The soft glow of the moon increased and I noticed the white collars and leggings and paw on Trevor and Hallie glowing brightly in the moonlight.  I could see the corn stubble and see the outline of the trees along the field.

We circled the field and headed home hearing an occasional animal running off in the darkness and as Trevor and Hallie walked along I smiled as they strutted along happily.

We finally made our way back home and as I looked back I saw the moonlit field glimmering and shimmering in the silvery light of the moon.  What a beautiful night. What a beautiful walk!

 

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Ginger’s New Guards

-PAPERS PLEASE!!!!

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-Now all I got to do is to get them to run over the old guy… muwahahaha

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She had fun!

Since it was warm and above 50 degrees the collies got to play.  Wanted to walk Hallie but it was to wet and muddy, used to g in it, but I dont anymore.   But, she liked her ride in the truck yesterday and we had fun walking around the property. 🙂

IT WAS FUN!!!!!!

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Back!!

Hi everyone. We have been remiss in posting here which makes me sad for we worked so hard to get the number up.  But, tomorrow we get back at it. Looks like my illness is dying off now …. so that is good!  Now my mother has it… 😦 Lasts three months, plugs up your sinuses, makes your ear ring endlessly… drove me crazy.

So, today it hit 50 degrees, played with the coolies, took lil Hallie for a ride, got gas and drove the tractors and have energy left over for the first time in three months.

 

 

Finally, after a year of looking hard…. perhaps… keep your fingers crossed a tractor may have been found. It came out of the blue… um… I dont want to jinx it… but lets say this… its not Flambeau, its not green, its not red or silver…  okay that is enough of a hint. It also has 36 or 40 hp, weighs around 4000 pounds and will fit in nicely here….

 

HMMMMM… A LANDMINE OUGHT TO TAKE CARE OF THIS NEW ADDITION.. MUWAHAHAHAHAH

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Yes, I hear You Hallie!

-50 degrees tomorrow dad!!!!  Walk? Walk? Walk? Walk?

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Lil Hallie Figures It Out

Warmer weather is coming?  WALKS!! When can we go dad? Now? Now? Now?

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Snow BLues

The weather warmed up into the 30 degree range for two days, snowed and then is plunging down near zero again tonight.  But in two days it goes back up into the 30’s with a projected 40 with sunshine next Tuesday!  Nevertheless the collies and I played today and I then plowed snow, did some reading and then poured over listings for a tractor.

 

For those who read my blog and correspond with me do know I will pick back up on my email exchanges with you today.  My apologies to you all and thank you for your patience as I have endured this near three month illness I have had.  I am getting better by the day… and today with no snow plowing I know I will feel up to writing. 🙂

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-Waiting to chase their toys!

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-So, as some of you have noticed there have been a few days I have missed after years of not missing posts here.  My apologies we are not back on schedule to get back to our pace.  But, back to tractors.  As those who have read here for years know my littlest farm tractor, a 1944 Allis Chalmers B plows ours and the neighbors drives.  The tough 2,000 pound tractor gets it done and easily handles most of the snow dumps we get.  However, when we get a 20 mph west wind with 8 inches of snow our drive drifts the entire length from around 5 to 6 feet high.  Old Allis handles it, but she has to work a bit and while that is what she is made for I dont like using her like that for she is 71 years old and secondly I just do not want to put in a clutch or any other parts due to excessive hard work.  Plowing the light to medium snow she would probably never need another clutch in my life…. I hope… LOL…

 

-Um… is this going to take long?  If so I love the taste of Maple and I will chew up another stick….

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-So, after much thought and consideration I’ve decided that I want a “monster” to handle the big dumps we get here. What is a monster? Well, Old Allis is a 23 hp 2,000 pound tractor which is small for a farm tractor.  I’ve decided to go to a 6,000 pound area size tractor with near 50 HP.  I am not fooling around.  Three old tractors come to mind in this class.  A Allis Chalmers WD45 is one. I have a WC which is a 29 HP early version of the WD45.  Great strong tractors.  However, the clutch pushes like a brick wall and it is too far forward for the average size guy.  Plus I do not want another version of a model I already have.

The next choice is a Farmall M.  Big, burly, tough and the flagship of Farmall for years she is a good choice.  Problem is I am not a Farmall guy. But, at 35-49 HP (depending on the year) she is a choice and one I like.

My top choice is the Case DC.  With the chain rear drive, more low end torque and with 35-49 HP depending upon the year) this is my top choice.  I drool every time I see one.  But, they can be hard to find so I’ve decided although I am a Case guy I am going to buy a DC or a M, whichever comes first.

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-This a Farmall M…. my second choice…

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I tried to find a film of a DC plowing snow, but couldn’t. But I did find this film of a a Farmall M plowing. Now, if they had it weighted down correctly it would’ve pushed a bit easier and it does have a bucket on the front which is harder to push snow with than a blade…. however this tractor is pushing 4-5 foot drifts and she is getting it done despite  having obstacles to overcome… watch her and look at that snow and listen to her… can you figure out why I call them monsters?

 

 

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In Her Own Way

We picked her up at the age of 6, her show days over and in need of a good home.  Sadie was stubbborn, food was her life, she had attitude yet she was funny and despite her toughness she had a soft side that surprised us all.  Sadie was funny and would pull Ginger like antics and follow it up with attitude.  She made her own decisions in her life and it was she that retired herself from walking by running to the bedroom and taking a nap when asked if she wanted to go for a walk.

She loved food…. any food… even stuff that wasnt food! LOL….  Her favorite trick was if the kids were on the couch eating a sandwich she would rub down the couch and as she passed by she would, without turning her head or without blinking or without stopping rubbing she would walk past and snatch the sandwich and keep going like nothing happened! LOL….  She once came up by the table as I made a ham sandwich, she pushed the top piece of bread up with her nose and with her tongue snatched the piece of ham out and walked away eating it as she looked for more food.

When we brought Teddy home as a puppy she adopted him and raised him as her own puppy. She would play with him roaring like a dinosaur and when she had enough she would head butt him and he would slide ten feet across the floor as she strutted off for a nap.  She loved naps…. she loved food, she loved sassing, she loved being alone at times.  Every night she would snore and I would tell her good night Sadie,,,, she would snarl and growl and I would call her our tater pup and she would snarl more with her teeth showing… We laughed for she wouldnt bite anyone but she hated her sleep being interrupted and she had attitude.

Sadie had expressions of disgust, anger, snarling that would make your blood curdle, unless you knew her and then you would laugh.  She loved to bark when outside… bark at the clouds, the birds, a dirt devil swirling by, ants, butterflies, the wind.. you name it and she barked at it.

She hate being brushed, she hated having her toenails trimmed, but would tolerate it as long as she got a steady stream of treats.  Rowdy, loud and naughty Sadie was funny and fun to be around for her antics always made us laugh.   When called to come in, Sadie would think about it… then slowly walk the other way and go around the yard slowly till she got to the door going as slowly as she could.  LOL…..

One of our favorite memories is of her when she was older and her eyes were not very good…. she walked up to where the fence was… well used to be for we were putting up a new fence so there was no fence at all there.  She stopped where the fence had been… looked for about 5 minutes across the field and barked sassily and walked back to the door…..  she never realized the fence was gone… 🙂

We all loved Sadie, but she never had a human she adopted…. she loved food more… LOL…  She was a delight to be with for she could have fun…. but only as long as she wanted to have fun…. then it was bedtime and God help you if you tried to stop her…

Sadie lived to be 16 years old….. dieing of old age surrounded by those who loved her.  We will always remember you Sadie, daughter of the great Champion The Meadows Notorious, a cousin of our Niamh and we will always love you and miss you for you were one of the more interesting and lovable collies we ever loved!

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Sadie is on the far right…
Niamh is in the center and Niamh’s Father was also a Champion, Champion ROM Twin Acres Concert Master, Teddy is on the left… bloodlines past parents unknown…. 🙂

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Sadie giving Laddie the stink eye… LOL

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Happy Sadie….

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Sadie with Teddy….

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Sadie with Niamh and Teddy…

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Tater pup was only two points away from becoming a Champion in her own right.  Born in 1994 Sadie had puppies and was to enter her last contest for her championship when it was discovered she was a carrier of the Collie eyes diseases… and her puppies had them…..  So, Sadie was never made into the Champion for part of the reward for Championships are selling Championship puppies…. instead she was given a great life for a couple of years and then they searched hard to find her a good adoptive home and that was us. She lived a wonderful life here and enjoyed every minute of it in her own way…. One of our more interesting characters …. We miss you and love you Sadie….till we meet again old tater pup…… til we meet again…

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