Bee~ Journal of then...

[punkin]

Sounds like you are in high gear over your redecorating. Yippee for you!

Glad to hear you are remodeling yourself, too. We girls can use a nice overhaul every once in a while. I know you will succeed, so get ready to post those pics.

 

[Beekissed]

Bee, I love to walk. It is so relaxing to me. I started regular paced walking for a while just to MOVE more. Then I started to view my legs as a vehicle and I began challenging myself. Over the last 3 months I went from 1/2 hour a day and dreading it, to one-two hours a day and looking forward to it. I picked up the pace and chose a more hilly and challenging terrain.

The beginning was not that fun though, my feet ached, my hip (? don't know why) ached my brain said no...but I pushed through it. After the first week I began to feel so good. I walk with a friend, but if I didn't I would listen to my ipod, FAST music makes me go FASTER!

Good luck to you and your new adventure!

BBH, my sis and I used to fast walk each evening and I really miss it. Its so much more fun to have someone to do it with, but I'm going to try something.

In the library, they now have books on these little digital units...sort of like a little IPod. Small enough to slip into a pocket and take walking. I'm going to only listen to the books when I walk, so that I'll have something to look forward to....I have trouble putting a good book down and will read one every spare moment I can squeeze in if its a good one!

Brisk walking is the best all over toning exercise available to us today. It works nearly every muscle in the body and doesn't overwork any one group...especially if you bend your arms and use them to propel yourself into the speed of the walk. Its low impact and tones even the small muscles supporting your vertebrae. Its good cardio and toning.

I have a small road across from my house that has a gradual incline, doesn't get much traffic, is quiet and pretty. I may take a dog each morning, as they could use the exercise as well. They aren't fat, by any means, but they only have this yard in which to romp and don't get extended running opportunities.

 

[dacjohns]

Chocolate is good for lots of things.

Come do wildlife surveys with me. That will give you a workout.

 

[Beekissed]

I would love to do that, dac! Spotting goshawks up on some mountain! I must say, it gives me a big thrill to view the variety of predator birds here in this area. Down home you get to see an occasional red tail or buzzard....up in these hills we get to see Bald eagles, Osprey, Red Tail and many different species of lesser hawks~some I've never seen before and have to look up in the books~ and tons of buzzards.

 

[big brown horse]

We eat chocolate everyday...it is over 70 percent, the really, really dark stuff. One square inch for dessert. Really good for the ticker!

 

[Dace]

Mornin' Bee

I was reading a thead about free ranging on BYC and you posted this:

I don't even put them up or let them out....we have an open door policy here on Sweetwater Farm. The pop door is always open!

My question is how do you keep them from predators? Mine spend their days in a large run, with plenty to scratch at and plenty of fresh veggies and fruits. But they have to wait for me to get up everyday to let them out of the coop.....that makes me feel bad. But I am afraid to leave the coop door open.

 

[Beekissed]

Dace, I have the perfect setting for free ranging, but even when I didnt and was right next to the woods, I still did the same thing. I have free ranging dogs! My dogs are on an invisible fencing, wireless, and they can range most of the property and they sleep right next to the coop.

They even guard against hawks and will jump up into the air at low flying buzzards, crows or hawks.

My dogs are invaluable to my set up and I couldn't do it without them. They are fierce guard dogs when it comes to other animals, even the cows in the next field.

My property right now does not border on wooded areas and the open fields are a deterrent to most larger predators. The orchard and buildings are perfect cover for the chooks when winged predators fly by.

At night, I can't even imagine anything other than a snake--which are still few and far between because of the open fields---wanting to tempt these dogs.

The big white one is the noise and fury....the smaller brown one is silent as the grave and quick like a cat. His nose is excellent and he has many kills to his credit. Any dog that happens to come inside the perimeter is toast.....since getting a second dog, my dear, sweet Lucy has turned into a rabid killer if other dogs come in the yard.....maybe because she has a partner, I don't know?

In short, Dace, ya need a good outside dog that is very prey driven but smart enough to know you are alpha and they don't touch the other animals.

Its a luxury, I tell you!

 

[Dace]

That makes sense. I guess I will just be happy with my run and keep giving my chickens treats to keep them healthy
My little sheltie is no exactly prey driven...more like cushie bed driven

 

[Beekissed]

These were free dogs and the fencing unit costs $265 and has been great for the last 4 years. No problems.

We really, really got blessed with the dogs we wound up with, considering they were not wanted by other people. Their loss!

If more folks would consider taking an unwanted dog and turning it into a working friend, it might help them and help the shelters. I think my dogs fell into heaven with the life they lead.....granted, its not a cushy bed but they live a good dog's life.

Get to run and play anytime they want, get soft hay beds in their doghouses, their own lounging shed, heated water in the winter, all the deer and food scraps they want in addition to their favorite kibble, swimming in the river, and coming inside to visit the family on cold winter evenings. The best of both worlds for these hounds.

We love 'em!

 

[Blackbird]

I wish I had a dog with courage..


Izzy gets scared at the slightest thing and will wimper at the door with her tail between her legs because things in the dark scare her. Or she will sit and bark at it, but never get up. Thats the same huge dog that tramped me over..

And Holly has boundaries, if theres something down at the chicken house she'll go half way and sit around like theres an invisible bondary, and bark at it.