Millie, Gardening and SUMMER

Thursdays are usually Bible study with Stacia - but today we had dental appointments, and Stacia was leery of being away from Millie...

I managed a 2 mile walk before I had to jump in the shower to make it to the dentist office. It's still odd to call from outside for medical check ins - but it does speed up the waiting process. It appears I will finally have to have my wisdom teeth out. I'm not even thinking about it yet. Would you believe both the dentists at our practice have Labradoodles? As well as several of the others there!

Leaving Millie for an hour

How could you leave me? 

After the dentist, we picked up Millie and headed to Reflection Lake. This gave me another mile ....and it was Millie's first walk. We're also trying to acclimate her to car travel. We hope she'll love rides, walking, running etc. She did pretty well with the leash...though we need to look up some youtubes on leash training.

She is only 7 weeks old. She was done! That's o.k.  She actually walked further than we expected. 

Millie - 7 weeks 

Time for an Alaskan Selfie

Millie, Stacia, Me

This pup wanted IN the water. My Word. She was NOT happy when Stacia wouldn't let her go down the bank....

Michael took the RV to a welder today. Then he spent time replacing the water heater in the RV. Our 3rd camping/RV trip for the summer is planned for Monday-Friday. We've had to cancel the other 2 trips - a tire blew on the way to Denali and then Michael simply crashed (physically not in an automobile) the day we had planned to leave for Kesugi Ken....but we're hopeful to get out of town on Monday.

Some have asked about my weight loss journey. Yes, it continues. I'm havconsciously focusing on the daily habits and practices I'm working into my life, rather than a number on a scale. I'm having fun moments along the way and this morning when I stepped on the scale I discovered I'm 10 lbs from the WW goal. I cancelled WW and am living the lifestyle, but using another app to track things.  The new app counts bites as well as calories, carbs, protein etc...and it's only $36 a year.  It fits our budget much better than the WW app or workshops did. I can choose from 6 plans...straight calories, WW clone plans, or keto, and it will track them all. It had a learning curve - but I'm enjoying the extra data. I had plateaued. However,  when I started tracking with itrackbites I noticed my calorie consumption was REALLY low quite often...I WAS eating in the WW point range, but I was most often on the low end of the daily points I was allowed and never used all my weekly points - this meant my calorie intake was lower than recommended. I was averaging about 600 calories a day.  I began eating enough to stay in the point range while ALSO eating at least 1000 calories a day -  and I began losing again.  Walking and gardening are daily activities; movement that I love.

My goal in the garden today was to plant the bed which Michael and Alex finished setting up yesterday. I had options....In the end I transplanted some bean starts into 1/2 of the bed and did beets and one line of carrots.

I hit on the idea of using panels from the OLD GREENHOUSE to cover rows of seeds. They germinate really fast in this humid environment.

OK - I know it's not cultured - but it's what we can do. It's a JOB trying to turn this pasture to a garden...and to keep ALASKA outside the fence. ::snort:: Here are the potatoes. There are 3 rows of Yukon Gold, 2 rows of red potatoes, 6 cauliflower, 6 broccoli and 4 dill plants in this plot.

Yes, I do have cardboard, plastic and old carpets down to block chickweed. 

These beds are doing nicely. I've been thinning and it's time to thin a bit more. The first bed has asparagus on the left. There are spears up!!! Romaine lettuce, some green ballish lettuce, red leaf lettuce, green and red cabbage. The nearest bed has kale, spinach, sweet peas, beets, and Brussel sprouts. 

All the lettuce

Asparagus

Kale - I've thinned it twice, but it's time again. 

 We have four new beds this year. Michael made a frame and we covered two of them. This is working GREAT as the greenhouse from Costco blew away. I have cucumbers, peppers, and tomatoes in here.  The bed in front  has onions, radishes, carrots and spinach.  The tires are full of flowers.

This was the lasagna bed I started last year. I know some were skeptical - but it's working well. We have used the same principle with the new beds this year. We've got a bed that we're putting clippings, scraps, straw, chicken litter etc into now. It will cook over the winter/spring and be ready to go next year.  There are odd growing patterns in here as the CHICKENS LOVE THIS BED. I clipped their wings. We didn't want to - but I was DONE with them digging up the tiny plants. I replanted twice and then Michael clipped their wings. 

Six rows of corn. 

The first blossom 

This is the foundation of the old greenhouse. Michael plans to rebuild. When it is done, I have hopes to make it a melon house. I needed more beds faster than the guys could get them leveled and in place. Last Saturday I weeded, added compost, forked, added some soil....and planted my sad starts. They needed dirt much sooner - I'm praying they perk up and do well. There are beans down both sides, 6 kale plants in the front and 2 butter cup squash in the right corner. If the moose find it - they'll destroy it...but so far, the moose are staying away.  They've tangled with the electric fence around the garden often enough to stay away? I hope. BTW, *I* tangled with the fence tonight. OUCH...but I had wanted to confirm it was working - and now I know.  

Millie came out to visit. 

This may be a problem when she gets bigger...at this point she wants at them, but can't get at them. Phoenix has been terrorizing us all, it's funny to watch him nonchalantly saunter away when she lunges. 

So many things to explore!

Um...yeah. That's MINE. 

Grandpa loves Millie. Ignore the Covid hair - Michael and Dad are getting haircuts tomorrow. 

Stacia's a great puppy mommy. She took Millie to the swingset and played to make noises that she will hear when the kids are here. Working to get her used to as many things as we can in the next month. We've heard puppies can go through a fearful phase at 12 weeks....

Other family tidbits....the boys worked, Dad was able to talk to my baby brother Nate. They made it home from Kstan for the summer.

Millie Adjusts to Home

Stacia reported Millie slept through the night. In fact, Millie refused to come OUT of the kennel. Yep, she's a bit freaked out by the house. Once outside she ran, jumped, and was fearless. She loves being outside. 

It's been another big day for Millie. She did great with her collar, the halter, and is starting to learn her name, and the instruction to "come." She continued to try to make friends with the chickens.  She met Grandpa. 

She grabbed Grandpa's newspaper and an idea was born....Can we train her to go bring the paper to the porch? Can you imagine how useful this would be in the winter???? 

The "experts" tell us an 8 week old Labradoodle needs 10 minutes of energetic play twice a day. She had about an hour of play every couple of hours. I think we've got this. 

If Stacia lies down, Millie comes in close for a snuggle! 

Stalking her Ducks (UofO) chew toy

As we've entered the warmer weather I've noted a trend. The blog slows down. This is because gardening is intense in our short growing season. We've been working, working, working and we're starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I think. 

There's a lot of work involved in turning a horse pasture into a garden....we dream of the year we can simply take the starts out to the beds and PLANT THEM. This is not that year. I'll get a gardening post together...but today in the garden....I thinned radishes and kale and brought the pulled ones inside to eat. I also got two more loads of dandelions drying....and something made my lips and tongue sting....

This white table used to hold starts which would be  moved in each night and out in the morning. Now it's my gardening table.....

The girls rush and crowd to observe what I'm doing. 

It would take more energy than I have to give the complete story....but we leveled and placed a new bed today. We then moved the lasagna bed from last summer into this bed and filled the top with some dirt. I'll plant the last few things that need a home in it tomorrow - or Friday if tomorrow gets away from me. Michael and Alex are the muscle behind this madness. We have another bed like this one that will go in the corner they are emptying. It will be the lasagna bed I begin now....and if we get more built, we'll do the same with them....

We lost track of time in the garden and had to rush out for an appointment rather abruptly. I DID have the ribs in the oven - Stacia finished it up.  Dad was waiting up for us when we got home. He told us "The little girl's puppy is the cutest thing!" Millie is winning hearts. I am SO SHOCKED there is NO DOG HAIR on me when I cuddle her....or wash her towels etc. This low shed/no shed thing is amazing! We hope she keeps her blue eyes, though we know they often change colors. 

Another thing taking time from blogging is my daily walk. Today I walked 6 1/2 miles....I.LOVE.IT.  Honestly, it feels wonderful to be able to be outside and I've finally acclimated to Alaska enough to have determined to spend every moment I can outside. I may have to set up the laptop outside if I hope to update. 

It's been a full day and I'm the last one up. I'll be the first one up in the a.m. so I'd better bring this to an end. 

Stacia Brings Millie Home

I interrupt this summer blogging lapse to bring you this important introduction.....

Today - Millie  Rose Gherkin joined our family. She's gorgeous and sweet as sugar. This is STACIA'S puppy. She began saving money and researching dog breeds many months ago. She has always saved her allowance and all of it, all her nanny money, all her Alaskan Happy Hat money went to find and bring home this sweet gal. And....here we are....with a darling Labradoodle in the house. In awe of Stacia's determination to chase a dream and work hard for it. We've NEVER bought a puppy - never.

We had thought to wait a year from Yuuki's departure before getting another dog. When Stacia began talking about a dog to run and walk with, a dog big enough to make her feel safe, sharing custody of Cody with the boys,  a PUPPY to train....we began to think, if she  saved the MONEY, it would be nice to begin training before winter.

Stacia had settled on a Newfypoo - we found a breeder in Alaska. They are EXPENSIVE...and BIG....She was over half way to the price....the breeder has another litter coming in the fall.  Jamin mentioned a Newfy - big dogs in general - don't love running.

We heard, from Izaak, of a new litter of Labradoodles. They hadn't been listed yet. This was a breed Stacia was also considering.  Labradoodles love to run. Two long walks or run a day are recommended for Labradoodles. That will fit our lifestyle perfectly.  They aren't as big a dog as Stacia wanted, but Michael and I are happier with a smaller dog. They are LOW SHED.  Stacia was camping when I contacted Justin and Kayla. They let me know the day she returned  they were about to list the pups.

Stacia had spent a lot of time talking, praying, and thinking about it while camping and decided she wanted to go meet the puppies. She heard a  Labradoodle may be just what she was looking for.

On June 11th, Krista, Stacia, and took a road trip to Glenallen - 2 1/2 hours away. 

Matsu Glacier Selfie

First, we met Mom and Dad.  Don't they seem to be checking out Stacia? Mom is a labradoodle (they can't be papered). Her mother was a papered Black Lab and her father was a papered Standard Poodle.

Oakley

 Dad is a papered standard poodle.

Lukah

There were seven puppies. One had been spoken for. This one stole my heart - but I KNEW my name would be MUD with a CAPITAL M if we brought home two puppies.

Stacia wanted a blonde or chestnut puppy. She also wanted female.  Millie was not the biggest pup, but she was the biggest of the red/blonde females. We did a few puppy tests we'd read about and she passed them with flying colors.

Millie is on the left

Such a sweet puppy gaze. Kayla confessed, after Stacia selected this pup, she was her favorite pup from the litter. She would have kept it if she were keeping another one. 

I tossed my keys to see if she'd startle - she was very curious. 

Stacia put down $500 and then we had a 12 day wait.....

We got word last night they would be bringing puppy to town tonight. Stacia thought she was settled on a name - but it conflicted with a possible grandchild name.  Today, Nolan suggested  Millie and that's IT. Millie (gentle strength) she is. She has  a name. Michael used his new power washer to spruce up the kennel. Stacia and I went shopping for a bed, food, a clicker, pee pads, poop bags, collar and a leash. Arielle gave us Kimber's old harness.

Finally it was 8:30 p.m. and they were pulling into the Fred Myer Parking lot.  Poor Millie had been thrown up and pooped on during the drive. She was a mess!!! She was very subdued.

About to meet the crew - minus Grandpa who is in bed. 

These brothers superstitiously snuck money into the Puppy fund. Stacia was able to buy puppy and have $100 to spend on things today. All for $1000 less than the Newfypoo would have been. 

We realized Millie has been growing up outside - in a fenced yard with a dog house, mom and 6 litter mates. The inside makes her nervous. She came alive once we took her outside.

 Phoenix crowed at her and she ran over to check him out. She's not the least intimidated. He turned and left. She'll find she's not as tough as she thinks if she continues to pursue him. 

Millie HAD to have a bath. Her hair was matted. She smelled. She'd had a rough day. First time away from mom, first vet visit, first shots, first worming, first long car trip and now a first bath. Michael jumped in to help me bathe her and we were both AMAZED our hands were not covered in Beagle hair...no hair in the drain. I do believe we like low shed.  She was shivering and shaking and Stacia was quick to be her comfort.

Resting in Michael's arms

Dry and ready to try sleep????

Poor thing is probably going to be lonely tonight. 

We're all ready for sleepless nights, playing fetch, puppy licks and nips....we have so much love to shower on this gal.  Of course, STACIA will be the one up at night with her....and it's probably good Krista is in AL for another 3 weeks....Stacia and Millie can work out the nighttime routine before she returns.

Today, we brought Millie home!