Class Clown

Shadow Paws is the youngest dog in our 4-H club's dog project.  Wyatt isn't exactly a senior member, either.  But it is okay, Shadow will be a year old by the deadline in the Spring before fair, and they will grow up and learn together.  He will train her from the ground up, which will be a great learning experience.

Still, she is so very high energy and so quickly overstimulated when the dogs and youth gather at the ramada before the meeting.  Today, there was a game in the next field over, and Shadow was more interested in the game than in sitting still.  Above, the youth are all lined up with their dogs.  One of the behaviors today involved getting the dog to sit, while the youth stepped away a few yards, cuing the dog to stay and wait, before calling them to come.  The other dogs sat nicely, and as soon as Wyatt got far enough, Shadow would run to the next dog over to get it to play.  Below, Wyatt is redirecting her, one of several times today.

The whole thing is a learning process for the two of them, and a good growing experience.  Fortunately, the other parents and the leader are very patient and accepting and remind me that the other dogs have experience and she isn't terrible.  They are all so genuinely sweet and accepting of our little class clown.  I am so thankful!

Now, as Wyatt sits at the dining table working on his book project, Shadow is out cold in the floor at the end of the table.  It takes a lot of energy to be that silly, now she has to recharge her batteries for their pre-dinner game of fetch.

Cool Story... Had to Share...

I have begun doing a few little giveaways- from folks throwing their name in a hat at the farmers' market to random winners commenting on the farm page on facebook or comments with the most likes- that kind of thing.  It is a fun way for people to get to know the crazy variety of things we work with here at Patriot's Dream.

I decided to run a Tuesday night contest, and there weren't that many folks jumping in, but I figured we all needed a little pick me up with the insanity of debate night politics in this crazy world.  And folks showed me there still is hope left- just maybe not where the politicians might want us to expect to find it!

I put up a post for folks to comment with their favorite way to do something special for themselves- this can help folks get cool ideas from each other (me included) and remember things we haven't done in a while.  I would do a random drawing in the morning from comments, with extra entries for folks who took the time to share the post.

This morning, I put all of the names in a bucket, and asked Bailey to pull two names out.  She pulled out two names, and was excited to get to post them on the page.  Then I just needed to wait for the folks to message me their address so I could send them out.

I checked the messages later in the day, and found two from Colleen.  The first was a thank you, followed by a second email, noting that one of the moms who had commented really seemed to need a treat, so could I please send the prize to Jessica K.  I had already been drawn to the same post, and the way other folks posting had noted words of encouragement to her.  But this was pretty cool.

Lately, I have been working with my cousin who is trying to give back to an organization which helps her own family, in the hopes that more families can have the great services she has cherished.  She is busy and crazy as it is, but she is still trying.  I also saw a fb note from a friend, going through her own health battle, supporting another friend going through a heath struggle.  Another cousin spends time, despite working and going to grad school, helping at a horse rescue, but had never mentioned anything about it until the rescue posted a thank you.

And complete strangers doing little things to make someone else's day better.  I am sure you guessed they are all three getting prizes.  And thank yous, for all of them, for helping us all have a little renewed faith in humanity.


Thanks guys!  Have a great rest of your week!

The Making of a Custom Piece

Many artists feel as though doing custom work interrupts the creative process.  For many artists, we let the metal (or whatever the medium may be) show us what it is meant to be.  Or, we begin by playing with a certain style of manipulation- drawing, sawing, the torch processes, etc-   as let that guide our creative process as we guide the medium into our vision for the piece.

Clearly, custom work is much different from that.  I will have to do a post on custom bead work and the like, but for today I am going to focus on this custom work.  My cousin, as I have previously mentioned is doing awalk for Autism Speaks, an organization which provides support for families of those with autism or autism spectrum disorders.  I offered to make a custom piece to auction off to raise money for the cause, a part of the walk goal.

This peaked her interest, and she began drawing.  This brings us to making the custom piece.  She sent me drawings.  Typically, I am closer to a person for whom I create custom items, and they can tour the shop, get theirhands on jewelry to see textures and treatments, sizes and settings and decide how they would like the details to work.  In this case, Cassi is in Texas and I am here in Arizona.  A little harder.  So when she sent me drawings, I needed to print them out and size them to what size she wanted.

Notice above, her drawing of a puzzle piece, with the words I am more printed on it.  I needed to size the piece and decide with her how we would put the lettering in.  The purpose of the words are her intent to tech her children that they are more than any one quality.  They are more than a diagnosis, more than any one label society would give them.  This is such a special, wonderful goal, that these words are not merely a slogn, they are the heart of the cause for their effort!  So they need to show up!

Out came the handsaw and the copper sheets.  It needed to be strong enough to properly hold shape, but at the size she liked (her reference being Texas big, but not gaudy big), it needed to still be light enough to not be heavy or uncomfortable around the neck.

These were her two designs.  I am excited to play with her other design another time,   Very creative!

It took a few tries to get it just right...

Then I cut out the pattern and taped it to the copper.

Through the magic of photography- that was cut out quickly!

Then came letter punching.  This can be  challenge for me, and in fact there were several mesed up pieces, but I was able to use them... (waste not, want not, right? but we have to figure in and expect this in our cost of custom work.)

Then the proof went back to Cassi.  Not truly happy with the lettering yet, thinking about a silver printing instead, but in the interest of time on the auction, we moved this piece forward into the next step and began another piece in the following stage.

One option was to mke the piece look like it was colored with a crayon, as her initial drawing.  So I used one of the opp cutouts as an example.

To give her more options, I had also put one in the speckling patina.  I sent photos of them side by side so she could think about them in the same light. If she had been nearby, she could have looked closely at many coloring options in person, helping her see many possibilities.  She chose the patina on the left.

Then, I sent her several lettering options.  She chose to do one in option 1, the other in a 1 and 5 hybrid.

This is how the hybrid came out.

I will continue to do custom work. I enjoy the creative process, even when it is shared.  A little tip for any of you considering sharing the process with me- have time and patience planned into the project.  I want it to be perfect for you, so it is much easier for you to see hands on and be involved with the process and making it the way you want.  Got an idea?  Send me an email!

MY POT! And I have a guard, too!

I walked out back on Sunday, to find Jalympics sitting in a pot.  I looked down at her and asked what she was up to, she just looked at me.  I figured nesting to lay an egg.

A few feet away on the gravel below, stood this mama hen.  She chatted at me like there was something going on in the pot, then turned and pecked at the ground.

Beside the pot, next to the steps to the gravel, lay Vegas.  He wagged his tail without lifting his head and gave me that eye roll look.  It was almost as if Jal was using him to fend off mama Phoenix, and he knew it.  Those are some spoiled chickens out there!

Oh, and when Jal did get up to leave?  She didn't leave an egg.  Yup, spoiled hen...

Still got it!

Last Friday, Charlie left for the base early.  Shortly after he left, I heard the scream of an angry cat.  I sat straight up, and wondered if it was all in my head.  Shadow got up, and sat at the front screen, alerting on something outside.  I heard the hens begin to fuss.

I went ot get Bailey to help me.  She asked me whether I really trusted Shadow's instincts yet, and what did Vegas think.  Old man Vegas was circling and nodding his head at the back door, as if to say "I'm ready, let's go!  I'm in!"

Bailey went out the front door, and I the back.  We swept the usual suspect area, as the dogs began to fan out around us.  I couldn't see anything, so we began walking pen by pen.  The dogs were combing the West fence.  We talked about where to check next,as the dogs came together at my shed.  They managed to corner a feral cat under my shed.

In the end, it ran off, but Shadow was cute talking Vegas's lead, and Vegas pranced around so proud to prove that at his advanced age- he's still got it.

When I got home from work that night, Vegas met me out front, with tail wagging, bouncing in circles like a younger dog.  By nightfall, he was very stiff and got extra treat with a little extra something.

Funny, with him looking at me from all that grey, but don't  let the grey in his fur or the bushy eyebrows fool you.  He's still got it.  Still on duty.

Incubator set and running...

Wyatt Clay drug the big incubator out of the tack shed over the weekend.  He read all of the isntructions, and got it all set up with a little supervision.  He has several eggs from a breeding pen he is working with, and will likely add more in the next couple days.

This is part of his heritage breeding project he is working on for dual purpose meat and egg layers.  Keep your fingers crossed!  This is quite a project and learning experience for his phase two  meat pen project!  Especially since he is only ten!

Watch here for updates, I am excited to see what he will raise and learn!

Walk for Autism Speaks

I am loving these great groups that motivate me to be a better person! I wanted to share a little about a great group and the work my cousin is doing.

My Cousin (okay, not by blood, our families are forever linked by military service of grandfathers and marriage, but cousins just the same) Cassi has taken on a walk for for a group called Autism Speaks. Autism Speaks is a phenomenal organization that provides support to families affected by autism and autism spectrum disorders. There are a variety of services, among them are kits people can use to learn how to adapt directly following the initial diagnosis, kits for surviving haircuts or the dentist (hypersensitivity makes these little events over-stimulation gone beyond crazy), and so many more from tools to do every day things to tool kits for specific disorders along the spectrum. These tool kits are coping mechanisms that help families not only cope but also thrive. I am told there are many other services as well, like referrals and much more.


(Yep. He is definitely more.)

In dealing with the initial diagnosis of her own son, my cousin Cassi and her family initially accessed a toolkit designed for the first hundred days after diagnosis. This was two years ago. As a Mama who dealt with my own son's withdrawal during my husband's military deployments, I was moved to tears when Cassi recently posted on facebook that her son had read a book out loud to her.

Many families cannot afford all of the tools they need like resources, therapy and more for their children with autism. Autism Speaks helps make these tools available to those who need them, but cannot afford them. As we all know, the economy has made it difficult for groups to continue outreach, and many have scaled back services. So this year, Cassi and her family have taken on completing the walk together, and Cassi is working to raise money for the cause.

Interesting enough, her motto in all of this is to teach her children "I am more." In essense, she wants them to know that they are more than a diagnosis, or any one thing this the world views or defines them as. They are much more, and are capable of doing great things and making a difference for themselves and others. Pretty darn cool if you ask me!


(one of the walkers...)


To help her along on this goal, she has started an online auction, and we donated some earrings, as well as a custom piece I am still working on today. If you are interested in helpin gher, either through donating a prize to her auction or bidding or otherwise, please follow the link below. Or, just check it out. That never hurt anything. But the walk is getting close, so please share the info, and let's help her make a difference!

http://www.facebook.com/WalkNowForAutismSpeaksTeamBeatyAuction

Saturday Morning 4-H Dog Project

Wyatt Clay has wanted to do dog project for some time.  His dog has been a big part of how he relates to the world around him.  After losing Hopper Spark in the Spring, and bringing Shadow Paws home, he knew he had a LOT of work to do to get Shadow trained and functioning properly.

Shadow seems to really want to please him, and adores him (especially as her ticket out from the pound) but is six months old, and a Labrador Retriever mix, so very immature and energetic!  Today was the first day to attend dog project.  We have been nervous about how to squeeze it all in, but wanted to let him try.  The cuddled up in the back seat this morning and off we went.

 Shadow Paws began by being tremendously overstimulated right out of the car!  The leader was amazing, and set ground rules for Shadow and Wyatt, and Wyatt lined up with the others.  There are so many adorable dogs of a variety of species, and the kids are all so good and so welcoming.

Shadow settled in, and while clearly still very young and under-trained compared to the others, she only had to be separated out when she was walking backwards trying to play with the dog behind her.  We stopped on the way home for a different collar they needed, and Wyatt was glad to show me his homework of what they started this week.

Blogger was in the mood to only upload this one sideways again, but here they were practicing her laying down and staying that way when Wyatt was getting up.  It didn't help her focus any when he had her wave at me, but they will work more at home!

They have a lot of ground to cover in training, but this is a really positive group, the parents were all so nice (and funny) and I think Wyatt will learn a lot!

Friday Sunset on Tumamoc

My students in my Boot Camp class kept saying that we needed to do Tumamoc Hill as a group.  So will less driving this past week on my agenda (the kids on Fall break) I agreed that all of my students could meet at the base of Tumamoc for an extra opportunity to make up attendance points.

So after working in the fitness center yesterday morning, I ran home and picked up the kids to go with us.  We met at the base at 5:30, with some running up ahead and others walking at their own pace.  As we walked  the evening colors began to paint the sky.

This is the research station a little more than half way up/  Beautiful old buildings, including a greenhouse I will I could use!

Looking West toward the Tohono O'odham Reservation from a switchback.

Saguaros in the sunset light.

This was from the top, looking South East across Tucson.

And then looking West into the setting sun.

There were two in our group who were a little behind me.  We walked back down to see the finish at the top with them.  The group was such a great team encouraging the others!This sunset lit cloud was too beautiful not to photograph with the fingers reaching skyward.

On the way back down, I took this photo looking West over the lights of a little housing development West of Pima College.  It came out pretty cool, despite the elongated lights.

I am glad the students help me to it.  It was fun!  Hope you try it, it is such a beautiful time on the hill!

And the WINNERS are...

AND THE WINNERS ARE:


Yummy Bread from The Hen House: 

Toni Schenk

Two Bars of Soap from Patriot's Dream Farm:

Erin Brittain Bartley

Feed Bag Market Bag from Patriot's Dream Farm:

Bailey Martin

CONGRATULATIONS!  

Watch for more great contests and prizes coming!

Tack Shed Cleanout

I typically like to clean out all the sheds every Summer.  We never got to the tack shed this Summer, it just got too busy on us.  Bailey and Wyatt have been off of school for Fall break, so yesterday the unloaded everything from the tack shed.

I got home from work and bot dinner rolling as the debate began.  We discussed the policies laid forward among the four of us, and what the effect of the policies had been on our house.  Then Charlie headed off to check on his folks and the kids and I got busy.

We swept, scrubbed boxes, reorganized and even repacked the show box.  The label maker saw some use, baby supplies were checked and un-serviceable things were thrown out.  As you can see, Shadow Paws even pitched in and kept us company!

In the end, it was 10 o'clock when we made it back inside and the news was beginning.  I still need to put up a shelf and reset a set or two of the hooks, but I hope to do that with Bailey after I deliver eggs later today.

SO glad to feel like things are functional in there and we can find them, especially since I will be on duty when Charlie and the kids are away during hunting season!