Another Piece of My Heart, Claimed!

Hello, Friends!  How about this crazy Northeast warm-up?  It's not even March, yet!  It feels strange to me, not to be collecting sap right now.  To be preparing for the long hours of boiling in the sugar shack...

Fortunately, we have a few connections from whom we can buy syrup, because I've grown so accustomed to using it in place of sugar in so many recipes.

The property we are most likely buying in PA doesn't have maple trees, so we've been talking about the possibility of starting a little apiary...making honey, instead!




So, this was Friday morning:  

And, this was Sunday morning:

Quite a difference between 29 degrees and 48 degrees!






It's been six weeks since our loss of our labs, Ginger and Mac.  Since they loved being with us in the woods so much, we felt it only appropriate that their ashes be out there.  Truly, two pieces of my heart will be left here on this property in NY forever.





Several weeks ago, Don and I began an open-ended conversation about when we might be ready to add another canine to our family and what dog breeds we might consider.  We agreed that either a golden retriever, like our first dog, or another Aussie shepherd would be the best choices for us, but only if we could find a female... from the right breeder, of course.  

As for the timing?  We left that open, but I was thinking in the fall.

Then, one evening a couple of weeks ago, I arrive home from work, exhausted.  As I withered into a chair at the dining room table, Grace plopped a laptop in front of me opened to Facebook: "Look! Brianne must've bred Reagan and she had pups just recently!"     WHAT?!   

If you followed my previous blog, you know that Brianne is Tig's breeder...And, Reagan is Tig's litter-mate...sister!  

Excitedly, I messaged her, asking about the females...only to learn that they had been claimed already.  I was crushed.

"Well, Brianne will probably breed her again next year," I thought, hopefully. "I'll just make sure she knows I'm interested.  I can wait a year for another Aussie, if Don can..."




When I called Don to tell him, he detected the extreme disappointment in my voice....and he confessed:



HE had claimed one of the females already, seeing Brianne's Facebook post 5 hours before me!

He was going to try to keep it a secret until a week or two before she's ready to leave her mama, but my disappointment...and his excitement...got the better of him!


It was a huge relief for Brianne... ...She didn't know how she could keep it a secret from me, other than avoiding me.



But, she had major surgery a few days after the pups were born, and the girls and I were planning to go visit her during her convalescence...to entertain her and check out the pups.  Avoiding me would not work!  

Today was the day of my visit!



Major puppy therapy! 💗💗













And, my sweet new pup, Penny, claimed a piece of my heart!

She's a beautiful red merle, just like her mama!  And, already she's proving to be calm and easy-going...the perfect disposition to balance out Tig's.

And, to my husband:  You tried to play it off by saying, "I did it for selfish reasons, really.  Our home seemed so empty without the labs."  However, I know you were thinking of me and I love you for it!  Thank you so much!  She's going to be a great addition to our family.

Stay tuned, Friends:  Our new addition joins us the last week in March!  And, we are still anticipating our move to happen shortly after Easter.  More on that in a couple of weeks....