Jan 03 2010

I’m writing a poem a day again with a small group of writers. It’s my 4th month, which means I have about 120 rough drafts to work from.
When I started the 4thDog, back in 06, I wrote for the blog every day…

I have an idea to sift out all the dog training/showing poems and put them in a collection. I mean how many books of poems about dog shows are there!?! And I don’t think these are sentimental or overwrought…but about precision, moments. about seeing things, about miracles, joy and disappointment.

I can honestly say that there aren’t too many places in the world I’d rather be than a dog show; for me it is such an intense experience, a pastry shop for the eye, the best shopping I can imagine, a day spent with my dog, and the always complicated and strange interactions with people.

They are remarkable phenomenon. My friend said it was like every weekend all over America these odd, often large, tent cities would be erected…like well equipped refugee camps…and then by Monday they would gone without a trace…until next weekend…when the world would make itself anew.

For most people there, what is at stake is huge…passion, power, a livelihood, community dynamics, a sense of personal value.

The poems indulge what is at stake for me there…hard to define…but I have a long and diverse experience with them. I think I am now enjoying them more than ever…people don’t hold as much power over me as they once did, I have accomplished a lot with my dogs, and the people I am involved with I find to be---for the most part---kind, humane, funny and interesting.

Maybe I’ll try some of them out here.

Spin with a Drop Spindle - wikiHow

Spin with a Drop Spindle - wikiHow

Woo Hoo!

Picture soon...but Emma is now CH Wintercreek Angels Walk!! We won it with 4 majors and 3 Herding group 1's. IN the UKC a "major" means competition at a certain level...placing in the group or getting Best of Winners.

Fergus on the Memorial stones

Un Petite Update

Yes!! We found Mark a puppy. A tricolor sheltie boy with a remarkable temperament, intelligence and structure. He is a little rock, the reincarnation of Abe Lincoln…the bearer of the key. He is Fergus, (primarily Kensil)and just a fabulous little dog. Very likely will go oversize. But this is no matter to an obedience team.


And Emma and I ROCKED the park in Albany the weekend of the UKC English Shepherd Specialty. We got 2 Group 1 s and a Group 3 and are one win away from a UCH….which I find thrilling primarily because it was fun and we did it all ourselves!

September 1 was Emma’s 1st birthday and we took all the dogs, my mother and sister and their 2 paps, to the coast. It was a fabulous beach run…a clear temperate weekday, 7 dogs radiating joy and awe.

My Review of Multi-Cart

CSN Supply

The patented Multi-Cart ingeniously changes shape and length to carry huge amounts of equipment yet fols small for storage. Instant transformation into any of 8 configurations, the Multi-Cart replaces the need for 8 different carts. The revolutionary design results in a moving machine that is ver...

Multi-Cart

Dog Show Cart

woolgatherer Portland OR 8/18/2009

 

4 5

Pros: Can Handle Heavy Loads, Adjustable good on mixed, Maneuvers Well

Cons: Hard to bungee steer

Describe Yourself: Quality Oriented

Primary use: Personal

The biggest problem I have had is that, unlike my other cart, choices for where to anchor bungee cords are limited because the rails are square and or large or underneath the cart. Some welded O rings on the bottom would help.
Also, the handles and wheel placement require that you push the cart rather than pull it unless you want your ankles clipped.

What I like about it is it's adjustable/small footprint, it's ability to manouever mixed terrain and the high handle bar which allows an umbrella.

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Gay

The book that started it all for me... I still own my copy.