Lady Asherah All Aglow

Ash says “if you are going to snap pics of my mummy tummy make sure it has some artistic merit:-) Ash approved of the pics and said she thought she looked very ruben”esque” in the photos.

Easy Breezy Expectant-mom-to-be will be entering her seventh week of gestation and is glowing like a "moonbeam on a cat's ear".

Lady Asherah is much plumper than last week and is still storing extra bits of food around the house. Her storage locations are getting more creative and becoming a treasure hunt for me. Yesterday I found
small rations of raw beef  in the crew's toy box, my bedroom closet and the bathtub! I read somewhere that this practice is because the dam wants to make sure that there is extra food for the pups in case there is a short supply and to ensure that a predator does not steal it for their own consumption. In any case, just like her first beautiful litter in 2010, momma Ash knows best how to prepare for her young and she doesn't need a manual like us humans:-)

Some rambling pics of Lady Ash all aglow and her crew comrades "Cybelle" and expectant daddy "Rook" on the range.

Lady Ash all aglow

smiling for the camera

Proud and regal Canaan mom-to-be

Counting the days

Time to do some "dogma" exercises

Ash practises her "sphinx" pose

Ash says her dogma exercises are refreshing for the mind and the body especially during pregnancy

Cybelle the expectant nanny shows off her "downward dog" pose

Expectant first-time dad "Rook" says " I need time to meditate too". He says he has invented a new dogma exercise - it is called "strike and hold a pose for a few minutes while resisting a doggie treat and the latest copy of ranching life".

Rook says "I can't wait to read my latest edition of my favourite magazine!"

Ash hiding a raw veal bone out in the yard

Caught in the Act!

More hiding places to store food

Time out for a peaceful nap in the doggie den

Rook says " I can't wait to be a daddy!"

Rook keeping watch over his land from all directions



Rook says "I hear coyotes in the distance - could they keep it down, I have a wife that is pregnant!"





The bulls will be expectant fathers too sometime in March



Lady Ash says "ok I think you have gotten enough pics!"



Miss easy breezy mom-to-be

Miss Ash dreaming of her future pups. Stay tuned for next week's update!

Pockets of Peace – “Ash & Time”

I can’t remember where I heard the phrase “Pockets of Peace” but it seems to be summing up a long weekend here on the ranch. This weekend has been loaded with pockets of peace from beautiful winter weather to watching Miss Asherah who seems to be filling out like a chunky monkey. She is enjoying larger qualities of her fav dishes of tripe, raw chicken and beef, raw liver and fish, raw eggs and veggies and is lately picking out small bits of things and storing and hiding them in various locations around the house –hmmmmm…..I think there might be some much-anticipated buns a’brewing in the oven. A Canaan sometimes saves and storage's a bit of food during her pregnancy in many interesting places. I woke up to stinky raw chicken wings hidden away in my kindling box for the wood stove – but I forgive her:-) She also seems to have a craving for my spaghetti and meatball dinners. Last night I dropped a bowl on the floor and before I had a chance to do a clean-up Miss Ash had chowed it down -saving a couple of strands of pasta in her crate for a late midnight snack.

She is still active with her exercise but is taking more mini-naps throughout the day. In the evening she enjoys some quiet time on my bed listening to her favourite singers Micheal Bublé and Sade. Her trim waist is thickening at the sides and her beautiful coat is even more soft and velvety than normal.

Miss easy breezy cover girl Ash says “Only time will tell, and I can’t promise that I won’t hide away any more bones for my hopeful brood:-)".

According to my calendar, she has just finished her fifth week of pregnancy. I am predicting pups sometime in the third week of March.

Here are a few rambling “pockets of peace” of the expectant beautiful mom & the handsome and dashing dad at home on the range.

Ash’s normal slumber pose is the infamous “Canaan ball curl" but lately stretching out on her side or rolling on her back is more comfortable. Ash says “hey boss I need to take a load off for a bit, and would you mind turning up that Michael Buble CD that I love”.

Do you really think I will be a dad soon? 

Rook says "Yahoo!"

An expectant dad keeps watch over his kingdom

Rook says "I wonder  if Ash  will  have any mini handsome versions of me?

Rook  says " I  am just so happy - here are your gloves boss that blew off in the wind storm"

Maybe I should do a bit of rodent hunting to help with the food supply:-)

Back to winter watchdog alert

A proud and regal expectant dad

Easy, breezy, peaceful expectant mom-to-be

Hey boss you don’t mind if the rest of the pack keeps the coyotes off tonight while I catch some more zzzz’’s

AND A HUGE HISTORICAL EVENT FOR THE CANAAN DOG BREED! FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER THE BREED PLACED AT WESTMINSTER! Congratulations to all involved in Magnum's career on his Group 4th at the Westminster Kennel Club- my Cybelle remembers showing along side with him in her early days of showing in the states. Magnum known as "Mags" is a great ambassador for the breed! You can see a pic of him here wining best of group in the herding dog category by clicking at http://www.westminsterkennelclub.org/2013/photos/group/DN08215803.html

Early February Ranch Ramblings with "The Crew"

The Crew is always game to fight the February blahs wth their "Winter Boot Camp" regiment. The Crew says this keeps them alert and motivated throughout our long winter months.


Some rambling ranch pics & inspirational quotes from the Crew