I’m sorry – so sorry…

Buck here again… (the humans love when I take over their blog!!!)…

Well, I did it.  I apologized.  “Why?” you might ask.  I mean, that’s a valid question – I am a Great Pyreneese, after all – why should I have to apologize?  I run this farm… it is MINE!!  But… I said some not very nice things about the girl that works here last week and, well, I couldn’t take it any longer.  The guilt was eating away at me!!!!  So today when I heard her blueberry of a car rolling down the gravel drive, I knew I needed to head that direction.

It wasn’t a long walk, and eventually my posse’ showed up in support, but it had to be made.  I’ve heard other dogs talk about the “walk of shame” before but I’d never experienced.  WOW – it is as bad as I thought!!  She saw me coming when she got out of the car, said hello to me, and then I followed her around to the other side, head hung low and trying to figure out what to say.  What am I supposed to say???  Seriously???  But the guilt – oh how it was bugging me!!  My buddies kept jumping around and even jumped up on her for a moment (I couldn’t help but laugh as she quickly checked for any mud on her clothes!) and I just stood there, frozen, trying to figure out what to say…

Eventually I looked up at her, knowing that I wouldn’t really have to ‘say’ anything (come on – while I can type with my huge paws, I can’t TALK!!!  I’m a dog!)…  But I knew my eyes would get her.  She started talking to me, letting me know that she knew I was sorry and that she understood…  And then?  She petted me!!!  Holy cow I was surprised… this girl just doesn’t do that…

The posse’ and I followed her up to the house and she kept talking to us.  It was WEIRD.  Lafayette came over with something in his mouth and she eventually got it away from him and threw it (that dog is crazy obsessed with fetch).  Guess where it landed!  BETWEEN MY PAWS.  It was all I could do to not throw back my head and howl but I didn’t.  Laff wouldn’t go anywhere near it until I moved.  It was hilarious.  I just chuckled as we all followed her up to the door.  Everyone on the farm knows who’s boss… IT IS BUCK, the GREAT PYRENEES!!!!

Until next time…

Ruff…

Life is ruff.  And when I say ruff, I mean it.  Seriously – I’m a Great Pyrenees living on a FARM!!!  And my people?  Well, I must say they are pretty amazing.  For the most part, they let me do my thing and just walk around protecting everything, but there is this one girl – let’s just say she isn’t my favorite.  I was relaxing all cool, outside of the house the other day and she took my photo.  Who does that without permission?  I’m ROYALTY!!!!  But there she was, leaving for the day, and she caught me catching some zzz’s.  I glared at her, but she snapped the picture anyway.  HELLO!!!  I’m trying to sleep here!!  Does she not know that taking care of everyone is a tough job?

Funny thing is, all these humans and animals want my protection but then when I try to get them to pet me, they just shew me away like I’m a dirty scoundrel or something.  Farms are dirty places, people, don’t you get it?  If you want me to do my job, I’m going to get muddy and dirty.  All you have to do is throw some love my way…  What’s wrong with dirt, anyway?  It cools you off, changes the color of your fur (that is so awesome – you should try it sometime), and it even tastes great when it is mixed with the right stuff!

The girl that took my picture (without my permission, mind you), she’s the worst.  If I even come close to her, she starts to back away.  Ugh!  Some people!  What she doesn’t know is that I mark my territory on one of her tires every day….  Hahahahahaha!!!!  She always says my paws are muddy and to keep them off her car.  I obey, but she never said anything about doing other things to her car.  (Yes, I can be a rascal!)

Things can get interesting out here…  Keep coming back to hear some of my stories of how I protect things here at McManor!!!  Until then, keep on eating dirt!!  It is some amazing stuff!!  Trust me!

 

 

 

Spring is in the air!

Spring means the fresh beginning of things.  Rain showers wash away the dreariness of winter and all things are made new.  Trees begin to bud, flowers bloom, and farms are full of new life as foals are brought into the world as nature’s miracle.  Of course, with the rains come mud and muck but, over time, that dries up and becomes hard and firm ground that we can each step upon as we journey around the farm.  (But isn’t it that way with life, as well?) Unexpected events always happen on a farm – especially on a farm that is as diversified as we are here at McConauchies.  This can happen in many different ways – the still birth or failure to thrive of young lambs and goats or the changing weather patterns that effect berries and other crops.

Around here, we love our strawberries.  Actually – we aren’t the only ones that love them… our customers do, as well!  We grow California varieties of berries right here in Southern Illinois in a way that is uncommon and labor intensive, but incredibly successful in that we provide you with a berry that is large, juicy, succulent and, basically,  everything you could want from a strawberry.  Don’t take these home to cover in sugar and eat – they are honestly sweet enough on their own!

We thought our berries would be ready to head to your kitchens around April 15.  The weather had been very kind – very warm – this winter and our plants were ripening ahead of schedule.  Then the weather pattern changed to a much cooler outlook for the next few weeks.  This means our early expectation has had to be pushed back to a realistic date, one near the end of April.  This won’t have an effect on the quality of our berry, just of its availability.

Our plans have had to change because of this change in weather but you know what, we keep moving forward.  We are excited for this fall’s corn maze and school and civic groups coming to spend some organized and educational time with us on the farm.  Spring is in the air, plans are in the making, and, best of all, life is continuing on in a positive and productive manner.

As you go into this weekend, we hope you will find happiness and peace as you realize the changes spring brings into the world all around us.  No matter what the instance, there is some bit of joy to be found.  Look for the joy.  Be grateful.  And as my mother would always implore us as we exited the car for school each morning, “Have a happy day!”