New Hollands

HF's Bartholamew! I am so excited to have this guy here, even at 4 years of age, I can guarantee he'll be getting plenty of does in an effort to propagate his genetics throughout my small herd. In fact, my new additions are making me even consider downsizing my other herds in favor of them. Check out this little doe I found:

This is Lyle Creeks Willow, a broken sable point with a tight crown and a nice body and disposition. While I was evaluating these from other people, I discovered this in my own herd:

This is Halo, of my own breeding. And if it seems like there are a great deal of sable points in my herd, there are. However, unlike some people who choose to work on colors, I sort of fall into them. These are not on purpose, their color is just a tiny aspect of their overall appeal. I think these animals will do a great deal to further the type I want to achieve in my herd. This time, I am letting color just happen as it will and will probably achieve a higher standing faster than the first time... back when I was "working on blues" in Hollands. ;)

Mothers

Mothers are one of the most underappreciated people in our society today. Today's modern mother cooks, sews, cleans, kisses boo-boos, makes sure kids are dressed appropriately for the weather, drives kids to sports events and after-school activities, schedules play-dates, takes kids to the park, reads aloud late into the night, helps with homework or teaches them herself, plans a garden, and works outside the home or owns her own business. She's an expert on many things. And yet, day after day, rarely a word of thanks or appreciation. Remember your mother and all the things she did for you. Take a moment to tell her "thank you" and "I love you".

Ari's Jersey Woolies

TB's Best Luv or Lulu as she has been dubbed is Ari's very first Jersey Wooly rabbit. A young doe, she's still molting out her cottony baby wool. We have been assured by several that these lines, while they do tend to have awful junior wool, generally molt into superb senior animals. I'm holding to that, because at the moment, the rabbit keeps matting badly and it's difficult to see the soon-to-be-adult when all we deal with is uber-soft baby wool! On the other hand, this little rabbit is very upright, extremely solid, with a beautiful body type.

New Feeding Regimen

Today will mark the beginning of a feeding trial with a new regimen. I think I had tried it before, I'm not certain why I stopped. Effective immediately, I will be mixing sweet feed in with the rabbit pellets at a ratio of 50-50. However, I am a little concerned about fiber levels doing this, so I also picked up a bag of alfalfa hay cubes to include. I may attempt to locate a square-bale hay provider as well, but if not straw will provide any missing fiber. I admit, I'm a little nervous trying this out. However I have it on good recommendation from another show breeder who does a very similar routine. We shall see how it works out, at least for these terrible cold months.

Just when I thought things would be alright

It seems that no matter what happens, anytime I get a feeling that things will be okay, something else happens to make sure they are not. In the grand scheme, I just have to believe that events cannot go on as they have been. I simply have to believe that.

Incidentally, Snapp Caps leak.

Heart Breed

I do think I might have finally identified my true heart breed. I've had Mini-rex since the beginning. Sometimes I think the only reason I still have them is because I've had them for so long. I don't really excel with them, they just ARE. I have no desire to sell out of them, I do love and enjoy them, they're just... there and probably always will be. Hollands I sold out, then got back into them. Again, I've had them a very long time, but I honestly enjoy them, especially when they cooperate. I did well with them at one time, they are simply as much of a struggle to keep and raise as they were back then. Still, nothing beats an adorable Holland baby, so they will stay.

The girls have gotten into AFL and JW, not really my thing, but if they enjoy them, then they are alotted a certain number of holes to use. Our Havanas and Mini-lops are in the process of being sold off. I keep English Spots for fun... and they sell to the pet market very well. However, a new breed to my barn was not a new idea to my mind. I've fallen truly and irrevocably in love with the Belgian Hare breed. I've always admired them, I even was close to owning a pair many years ago. I wish in retrospect that I had gone ahead and purchased them. I currently have just a single Hare buck, Paparazzi, or Papi, in my herd and I find that just cannot help myself when I open his hutch to feed him. I simply have to caress him from shoulder to tail. Pull him out for a quick cuddle or pose him up briefly on the carpet. And this in spite of the horrific cold temperatures.

Because of Papi, I have found the joy of rabbits again. Hares are my true heart breed, I simply denied myself their elegance and luxury for too long because I felt I did not have the proper equipment to provide for their unique care. You see, hares are large, fine boned, and sparsely haired. Their feet would be terribly mangled if they were expected to live on wire floored cages. It was not until I had opportunity to speak to a Hare breeder that I realized that wire cages could be adapted for Hare use with either inexpensive linoleum flooring or some thin wood paneling. I opted for the paneling, and it works fabulously!

Birthday Plans

Jessi's birthday for this year is past, she received a SIMS PC game. Ari's is soon, she will be getting a Wii game and a DS game. Aydi's is after that, she will be getting a fishing board game and a cool wooden spoon for her kitchen. Korben's is in the spring, I'm hoping to get him the wooden train I wanted to give him for the holiday and couldn't.

Wii Fit

Today i ran 2.7 miles in 20 minutes. I exercised for an hour and 40 minutes. I'm very pleased with myself and genuinely enjoyed it. I have discovered a love for yoga and usually spend the first 15 to 30 minutes of my exercise routine working on different poses. My favorites are sun salutation, palm tree, and half moon.

2010

Incidentally, happy new year and new decade.

Ari's Birthday

Is coming up very soon. It's becoming tradition that they can ask for whatever kind of cake they wish. This time Ari has chosen....


....a pound cake! How unusual... how challenging... how intriguing... how fun!! I now have several recipes in hand, I'll choose the simplest of them and give it a whirl. Many of them call for mace, what is mace exactly?! One recipe called for a POUND of both flour and sugar, which I hope was a typo, because that is a lot of those! nearly all of them call for a pound of butter and MANY eggs, though on that they vary from just 4 to as many as 10. Most have some kind of flavoring, though we'll likely just start with vanilla. I haven't decided yet if it's worth investing in a tube pan, I have a couple bread pans that would work just as well and are able to be lined with parchment paper prior to baking for ease of removal.

I'll probably involve Ari in the creation of her unique birthday cake.