See You In September...

A Picture Worth a Thousand Words.     

"See you in September, see you when the summer's through..."  Lyrics from a song by that title, way-y-y-y back in the late 60's.  Yes, I just dated myself.  I did it again, didn't I?!

So much of a cliche to ask the question about where this summer has gone.  Yet where did it go?  Oh I know the calendar tells us we have 3 more weeks.  But you know as well as I do, Labor Day weekend is the official end.  It's also the time when folks who live locally enjoy quieter times at the nearby lakes and beaches.  You can almost hear an audible sigh of relief as the last out of state vehicles drive away and life returns somewhat to normal, whatever normal may be.

September does look to be busy as I stand on the brink of this new month.  I'm heading to the doctors later this afternoon to find out what's going on with my leg.  A very good friend was in the hospital and then was released.  Grandchildren return to school. A month of field trials, hunt tests, birthdays, and anniversaries. And of course what all bird dog owners look forward to - opening day, one month from now.

Speaking of hunting I was surprised when a journalist contacted me about doing a story revolving around our family, hunting, and our Brittanys.  She is writing for a monthly publication with a distributorship of @265,000.  The interview was yesterday and many photographs have been mailed to her for review.  I am quite proud of this opportunity. I mean, all we ever did was simply live our life together as a family, John and I doing the best we knew how with our two children, loving, guiding, sharing, and yes sometimes disciplining.  A lot of our lifestyle we took for granted back then and it is humbling to realize that our relationship and the dynamics of it throughout the years, especially pertaining to hunting, actually has value to others and is interesting enough to write about.  Times have changed, children have grown, I'm getting older too (says another favorite song, "Landslide") but I am thankful to God for the foundation that we laid, through Him, on behalf of our children and grandchildren. And we definitely are a hunting family.

I heard from our daughter yesterday who said "mom, I just want you and dad to know we are going to have banana splits tonight before the kids go back to school tomorrow - just the way we always did!"  I bet she has no idea how much that meant to me.  Something that we simply 'did' to take the edge off of the excitement of the first day of school - our very own ice cream smorgasborg right there on the dining room table.  Several varieties and flavors of ice-cream, a wide array and assortment of toppings, sauces, whipped cream, bananas, cherries, and more.  The kids could simply dive in and have at it.  What fun! 

It is miserably hot and muggy. I abhor this weather.  It makes me feel miserable.  Even so, now Hurricane Earl looks as if it could be a concern to the East Coast.  As much as I long for rain and winds, that is not the way for them to arrive.

On another note, I saw God's hand at work recently, perfectly orchestrating a situation for His purpose and for the best possible outcome.  There is something to be said for being in the right place at the right time. All things are possible, we just have to believe.

I actually saved the show update for last - which is kind of funny when you think about it.  This past weekend Pam, Julie, and I were in Springfield Massachusetts for the shows there.  Bullet showed himself very well and Julie enjoyed some excellent grooming tips from 'Darlene'.  She actually gave me my very first ringside handling tip years ago with Treasure, and she was right on.  Dawn retouched my grooming for Pippin before going into the ring. And Miss Paris was really 'on' all weekend and clearly happy to be on the end of a lead held by Pam.  Pippin came home with another point towards her show championship and two first place wins in Open with Dawn handling her.  Paris went Best Opposite Sex and earned another grandchampion point. Bullet placed 3rd in Open Dog and Julie did a fine job handling him.  That is it for shows for a couple of months.

And that is it for me for the time being.  Take care and God Bless you and yours always - and you know how very much it means to us that you are interested in All Things Brittany, John, Ann and our crew

Field Conditioning / Breeding Program Update

J & A's High Flyin' Girl of Acton - "Piper" - 10 months old  

J & A's Keeper of the Stars of Acton - "True" - 10 mths old 

J & A's Heartfelt Legend of Acton "Pippin" (Center)

J & A's Ever Ready Rose of Acton "Rose" (1st time training since spay)

J & A's Dreams Come True of Acton "Treasure" (liver and white)

This is the time of year that all bird dog owners look forward to as opening day rapidly approaches.  Whether getting ready for hunt tests, field trials, and/or bird hunting, summer is the season to get those dogs out in the field and woods for conditioning, exercise, a tune up or a combination of all three.  You can't expect your Brittany (or any hunting dog for that matter) to transform into pointing dog extraordinairre and deliver a stellar performance this fall unless she has been conditioned regularly throughout the year, and most especially in the weeks leading up to all the fall events.  Whether with a trainer, on your own, or sending your dog to boot camp if you have not been working your dog but hope to have a good hunting companion or competetive field dog - better get crackin!

These pictures were taken this week as John wanted me to go down to the fields and see how things are going.  I was not much of a help to him but did enjoy taking a few photos.  I was very pleased.  The two younger pups have really come along great this summer and I have no complaints especially being just 10 months old.  Rosie had been spayed awhile ago so she's not really been worked an awful lot.  But, by the looks of her waistline that will change. It's a challenge to keep a spayed female within the proper weight range and when you can't look down and see a definite waistline your dog is overweight.  If a dog is overweight just 5 pounds that is almost like a human being 25 pounds overweight.  The last thing I want for Rosie is to see her lose her beautiful Brittany figure and instead look like a big barrell with no definition.  It's sad when that happens and it can easily be avoided.  Some people consider allowing a dog to become overweight being in category of animal abuse or neglect.  I don't know if I'd go quite that far but there is something to that.  Treasure and Pippin both gave me reason to smile yesterday too as I watched them with John.  Pippin is too old for derby competition and not quite ready for gundog competition yet so this is a challenging time for her, and for us.  I certainly would not consider Treasure 'finished' but she certainly handles very easily and well for me.  Maybe not so much for John ;o) but ssshhhh.... don't tell him that.  He's very good with the dogs...usually he has an idea of what to expect (these are Brittanys, sure they are unpredictable!) or what each dog needs work.  I have to share I have loved seeing him pour so much time into the dogs since he 'retired'.  (Retired? Hardly!  This man is busier than he was when he was working 60 hours a week! I have to laugh when people comment that now have 'time' to do things because he is 'retired'! ) But even so, I know when he is with the dogs he is doing something he loves. And they love him too. We are gearing up for whatever the fall may bring.  Heading out to a few more shows before summer is officially over but focusing on our Brittany club's upcoming field trial at the moment.  And we are really looking forward to a few hunt tests this fall.  I have an updated list of most of the hunt tests in the New England area through December so if you'd like one just ask. 

BREEDING PROGRAM UPDATED: By all accounts I'd say our fall/winter 2010 breeding program is going to be right on schedule.  Just finalizing a few of our serious inquiries and hoping to confirm level of interest. Yesterday I sent out several emails to double check with those who have been waiting awhile for our next litter of Brittany puppies.  (If you are reading this and did not hear from me but do remain interested please contact us right away.)  It was great to hear from those of you who are still looking forward to a puppy from Treasure and Gibson OR waiting for next spring when Pippin will be bred for the first time.  The excitement around here always begin to grow as we anticipate and prepare for puppies for all the right reasons.  As always, thank you for your continued interest in All Things Brittanys (J & A's Brittanys) take care and God Bless you and yours.  John, Ann and ATB

PS I hope that the best Brittany in the world is feeling much much better than he was 1 week ago!

All Things "FAMILY, NEIGHBORS, & FRIENDS"

A few days ago our youngest grandaughter celebrated her 5th birthday at a party held in New Castle, NH at "The Commons".   Located at the mouth of Portsmouth Harbor, where the Piscataqua River meets the Atlantic Ocean, the Commons is a popular summertime destination for locals and tourists.  It is one of those places that is a delight to all 5 senses.  I was so pleased when our daughter said that the party was going to be held there by request of our grandaughter because that area is, as they say, my 'old stomping grounds'! I think I've blogged here about New Castle before and will probably write about it again in the future.  It is where my mother's side of the family settled years and years ago.  The cemetery there is full of my ancestors and most significantly, my parents are laid to rest there alongside of my grandparents. A historic little settlement, it was a perfectly wonderful place to grow up in for a child to feel sheltered, protected, and loved by her family. My childhood home and family 'homestead' was sold in 1990, the same year that my mum died.  It marked the end of a long legacy in terms of having had family in New Castle for 200 years!

I have attempted a time or two to actually write a non-fiction book about growing up there. Lying around here somewhere is an unfinished transcript that I started about 20 years ago.  My memories are very rich of growing up in New Castle, and that is actually where my love of God, family, friends, and yes - of dogs was born.  Our children grew up with vague memories of trips to New Castle to "Gramie's house", of enjoying the beach just down the street from where I grew up, and especially of trips to the Commons.  Since they both now have children of their own it always makes me happy when they enjoy such a special place with their family.  Alana's birthday party this past weekend especially so.

Prior to going to the Commons, I asked John if he would mind taking a drive around the back streets so I could enjoy flashing back to the innocence of childhood.  We drove by the houses where my friends once lived, passed by secret shortcuts throughout all the backyards, and I probably bored John silly as I recalled some of those moments in my life.  As we approached the house where I grew up in I noticed a car parked in front of the summer cottage next door. I wondered... could it be possible that care would have New Jersey license plates.  Then I noticed a young woman standing on the little porch in front of the cottage which was surrounded by beautiful wild roses.  Oh how I remembered that scent mingled with the sea breezes that found it's way to my window each night!  The car that was parked there was from New Jersey.  Could it be?  Excitedly I asked John to please pull over briefly (we did have the birthday girl with us so that her mom and dad could transport her gift in secret!).  You know that moment in time when you make a choice to look like an idiot and take a chance to introduce yourself to a total stranger thinking you know them?  That was me and and I as much as expected that to happen. 

I walked across to where the woman was standing on the porch talking on the cell phone.  Our eyes met.  Without missing a beat, she briefly dropped the phone away from her mouth, long enough to speak my maiden name, smiled and went back to her phone call.  Can I just say how awesome that made me feel?  After all these years - and I mean at least 35 or 40 - she knew me!  Her sister was inside and popped her head to the front door and looked curiously at me and then her sister waved to her to come out and while carrying on her conversation also interjected once more my maiden name.  So it was that I was reunited with a wonderful family from New Jersey who had summered in New Castle next to my house ever since I could remember. I asked about their parents, thinking that they probably had passed on by now but was then further surprised when invited to come into the house and say hello to them! 

Stepping into that little cottage was like stepping back into time with some very special people.  I turned to go into a 'parlor' that I had once spent many summer days in and to my delight found about a dozen people sitting in the coolness of the shaded room. I was introduced in a way I always loved to be introduced as a child, in a way I was always proud to be referred to and in a manner that I so miss hearing.  "This is Mary Woodman's daughter, you remember her, don't you?!"  Oh yes they did remember and I was thrilled!  Faces of different ages, from middle age and beyond met me with smiles.  And I could see that my friends parents were indeed still alive, despite several health issues that they are facing.  Then it was said they knew who I was - now the question was did I know who they were?!  Fortunately my friend helped me out but I didn't do too bad!  Basically it was the joining of two families who have remained close over the years through friendships forged years and years ago when my friends grandmother was still alive, long before she was born I believe.  Evidently they plan this special time together annually and gather around together.  And this was what I was blessed enough to walk in on.  I happily was reunited with the 3 sisters, their parents and the neighbors and their children and grandchildren. When asked what was I doing and where do I live I was happy and proud to share a few highlights of my happy life with John, about our children and grandchildren.  I explained that we now raise Brittanys. I was blessed when it was remembered that my father used to raise
French Bulldogs, and that was before I was born!  When I was a child he and my mum raised Boston Terriers. So you see, the conversation did eventually include Brittanys ;o).

My flashback to another place and time could not last very long as the present was calling me happily.  I brought two of the sisters, my neighborhood summertime friends, out to meet John and Alana.  They thought Alana looked just like me when I was a little girl.  Promises were made to keep in touch somehow while we hugged goodbye.  Alana and Grampa were happy Gramie got to see some of her friends from when she was a little girl.

The joy of that visit remained with me throughout the evening of Alana's birthday party which was a joyous event in it's own right.  I watched her ride a scooter and then a two wheeler with training wheels for the first time.  I enjoyed my niece and her daughter and reminded her that there once was a time our home was in walking distance of the beach we were looking out at.  The tide was going out. The kids were anxious to go play on the playground and I was feeling drawn to walk out onto the long pier. Slowly I made my way and walked out almost to the end.  I could see the familiar Isles of Shoals and Whalbach Lighthouse to my right, across the harbor was Fort Foster in Kittery Point, and to my left the familiar Ft. Point Lighthouse, coast guard station, and sheltered cove of New Castle Beach. My daughter and grandson soon joined me followed then by John, eventually Alana and the others for a moment.  It was just quiet, nice, and comforting. The sun was going down and light was fading.  The sounds of the waves slapping against the shoreline, the sound of the seagulls, and that intoxicating sea breeze. Memories are made of this.  And my life is so full of a myriad of memories that surround growing up in New Castle,  the island by the sea.
Take care and God Bless! John, Ann and All Things Brittany

Things of the Heart

On my wall there hangs a beautiful framed print of a little girl kneeling next to her bed, head bowed in prayer with her Brittany dog seated next to her.  The paws of her dog are up on the bed and he appears to be praying too.  It's a lovely print, reminiscent of an old fashioned, country cottage bedroom.  I gave this print to John one Christmas.  On the bottom of the frame these words by Helen Kelen are engraved: The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart."  I have loved this quote and believe there is much truth to it.  I have experienced many remarkable and beautiful things through all of my 5 senses at one time or another. Unlike Ms. Keller, I do have my sight and she would probably caution me against never taking it for granted.  There are many things in life which none of us should ever take for granted.  So many things for which we should be thankful for on a regular basis.  None of this is by chance.  All of this is by design, by Providence.  And for some reason God uses this amazing animal we all know and love as the Brittany to speak to my heart about His ways  which are always are higher than ours and most often a complete mystery to us.  But believing means having faith in those things that are not seen.  I think that Ms. Keller understood that.  My Favorite Book puts it this way: "Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see."

Life is full of experiences that we see.  But what of those things that are unseen? The things of our heart, for which no word exists to even describe them? We do not need our natural sight to know they exist. We need faith to believe that they do exist and we also need faith to hope for them to happen.  That takes confidence but confidence in what?  In a God we cannot see with our eyes nor touch with our hands?  That is absolutely right. Because indeed, the best and most beautiful things are felt with the heart, and they are most often seen through the eyes of faith. Look around you and think about the beautiful things in your life, seen and unseen! Enjoy them and maybe, just maybe you too will agree! Take care and God bless you and yours always... John, Ann and All Things Brittany 

A Brittany Summer

ATB and the Turner Family

This morning the sun is shining brightly through the office window, the breeze blowing gently across the porch and through this room causing the wind chimes to ring. In addition to the chimes in the background, the sound of crickets, Jays, a car passing by, and the whirring of an insect or two can be heard.  Hmmm...something is missing.  Could it be, that ATB is sleeping in? SShhhhh.... don't wake the sleeping Brittanys!  Oh they don't fool me though. At the first sound of my moving in my office chair, they will all be alert and ready to roll, looking at me to try to second guess what I might be up to next and beating me to it.  This is the same for those in the dog house resting comfortable in the coolness of their breezy, shaded outdoor runs. Their hearing is exceptional and they pick up the slightest sound of my moving within the house if the windows are open.  Our Brittanys do not miss a thing!

The picture above is a collage of our recent visits with the Turner family. We met this past year through their interest in our Brittanys and I'm so glad we did.  They have been up to visit us a few times and John and I have really enjoyed getting to know them, and to have a chance to stay in touch with how Jersey (Molly/Jack pup) and Brandi (Treasure/Gibson pup) are doing. The pictures were taken during their most recent trips to Maine when we got together several times with each other and also with mutual ATB Brittany friends and family. Most recently John and I were were invited to where they were staying at Old Orchard Beach and treated to grilled Elk, lobster, shrimp, corn on the cob, salad and fireworks!  We think their two boys are great, also enjoy the rest of their family that we've met.

As a side note: the Central Maine Brittany Club website has been updated to incude a musical slideshow presentation from the recent Brittany Summer Field N Fun Day.  Click on the active, prior link which will bring you to the club's homepage.  Then look for the "PHOTO" tab in the top navigation bar.  Click on that, and when you arrive at that page, scroll to the bottom for the new pictures. You may find yourself, your dog or someone you know pictured there!

Although the water level in the pond that John had put in last fall has fallen drastically, fresh water still feeds into it and the water quality remains pure and clean. It still sustains the trout John stocked however we have lost some fish.  ATB enjoys their daily exercise and playtimes to the fullest now by spending a lot of time in the water.  The water around the edge of the pond quickly becomes muddied from the dogs but where it gets deeper it is clear and I like to think of it as a swimming hole.  The sides taper down and the ground is solid and eventually it is well over my head.  The waters are very cool and refreshing in the afternoon on these hot days. Each Brittany has their own little routine.  Scooby is the olympic swimmer of the crew and would probably serve me well as a life guard if I so desired.  Happy to swim forever and in the deeper part, he frequently swims out to where I am and checks to see if I'm happy if he's happy.  Which I always am when it comes to Scooby doobah. He is an awesome water retriever.  True, is a Scooby wannabee.  He loves the water but will only go out to his neck.  So, if a stick is thrown that is over his head, True will look for the next closest stick, pick it up in his mouth and bring it out of the water in hopes I did not notice it was not the same one originally thrown.  Treasure, Pippin, and Molly are obsessed with finding anything that moves along the edge and there is now an actual running path extending all around the pond.  They are also the ones who get the muddiest because they are not apt to go in to swim and rinse off.  Wish is funny like Scooby; she will come out with me but not all the way. Her thing is to stare at me and telepathically communicate that she wants me to come back to where she is. Which I will do.  Then she is happy and simply sits on her butt with the water up to her neck, or she will lay down.  Recently she began to dive her head under the water in search of something I have retrieved for her.  She's not one to easily give up a prized object that she has carried in her mouth which can be a problem.  But we're talking about playfulness here and not forced retrieve training. There is a time and a place for that. Piper is just plain funny and unpredictable. Her greatest joy is crouching down in the tall grass where no one can see her (she thinks) the pouncing like a cat upon her unsuspecting prey, which usually means True.  Rosie has surprised me the most in recent days and delightfully so!  She has discovered the possibilty of a frog or two emerging on the surface, something her mother already understands quite well as evidenced by her obsessiveness with hunting them. Rosie saw True gently lift a frog out of the water and bring it up to the shore. (Don't go ewwww - frogs are part of pond life, but in moderation.) She was fascinated!  Up until that point, Rose would happily go into the water but never over her head to swim.  Yesterday all that changed and Rose spent a lot of time swimming around the entire pond as Scooby does, even fetching an occassional stick. She really reminded me of her sister Sassy - who would spend her entire life paddling away if she could!  Sassy loves swimming more than any Brittany I have ever seen!  And no, I haven't left out the Golden Boy - JackDog who also enjoys the water.  Jack however is much more dignified about it all, and doesn't like to make a big deal out of things.  He uses the pond purely for practical purposes and will wade out into the deep water, walk around for a minute or two until he's cooled off, and then non challantly leave. I have been taking a camp chair down to the edge of the pond with intentions to read a book while the 'kids' are playing at the impromptu 'beach'.  Yah. Right.  Think again. The minute they see me try to relax that is their cue to come and say hello.  It is a good thing we have an outdoor tankless propane camp shower!  I like to let everyone romp around the front yard once they are finished swimming, by then everything is nice and shady and I can relax with them further either laying on the grass or once again, trying to get some reading done. It's not all work and no play here - neither is it all play and no work!  It simply is... All things Brittany.

Speaking of keeping dogs clean... the new section that John built inside of the garage for grooming and a new puppy room is coming along great.  There is a door from the outside, and a door that leads into the garage. John has entirely sheetrocked and insulated, and all wired too.  I have a mirror mounted on the wall next to the grooming table which is really helpful and will come in handy for future puppy evaluations as well as current grooming needs. We have a countertop cabinent which holds a lot of supplies. I love that finally there was a place for John and I to mount the framed print of our very first litter born in 1990 to Cricket and Freckles. It looks great mounted on the wall.  I am trying to decide if I display all of our placement ribbons over the past 3 years.  Currently I have some mounted in shadow boxes or in a poster frame on the office walls.  Will have to decide.  Not that I'm proud to show them off or anything!  Part of this new area will be further divided so that we will have a brand new puppy room, something we're both looking forward to. When I asked John for a small work space in the garage for a small grooming area I never dreamed he'd build an entirely separate area. He is the best for so many wonderful reasons.

Well time to get on with the day and do some housework (UGH)... maybe.  John's out with several dogs either running them or doing birdwork. We're very pleased with how the tune-up is going and have targeted specific areas to focus on with each Brittany. I always look forward to the time of day when John returns with the dogs from their morning workout.  Take care and God Bless you and yours, and thanks for your interest in All Things Brittany!  John, Ann and the crew

Moving along into August / Birthday Surprises

Kim helps littermates Starr and Wylee get reacquainted!

A couple of months ago I made the comment "I'm taking August off!"  Of course here at ATB there actually is no such thing as taking time off unless your definition of relaxing actually is enjoying the therapeutic benefits of a multi-Brittany dog family.  Which mine is.  Even so, such dog ownership brings with it much responsibility regarding the purpose of ownership in the first place and this includes active participation in the dog loving community around us.  A good friend of ours told us years ago if we wanted to be taken seriously then we should 'get out there' with our dogs.  We have done this, and then some!  Getting 'out there' for us meant becoming involved at various levels with several dog clubs and associations, most of which are listed on our "About Us" link on our Maine Brittany site. The more we became involved the more we found ourselves in places of leadership and in a position to make a difference in the lives of dog owners, breeders, and especially in the lives of the breed we know and love so well - the Brittany. Along the way we discovered how enjoyable it can be to train for various competitive events in addition to preparing our crew for each upcoming bird hunting season.  And then there are the various events themselves such as weekends away at dog shows, months of field trials and all the meetings in between, including the legislative end of things and physical labor at bird dog grounds etc.  Phew!  No wonder I feel a need to "take a month off." 

The fact of the matter is however that the recent fun day at our home brought it all back together for me  when friendships were being renewed and in many instances established for the first time among other Brittany owers.  One first time Brittany family commented at how great it was to learn their dog was 'not the only one' who behaved a certain way.  I assured her indeed, the young and crazy fun-loving, exuberant Brittany at the end of the lead was perfectly normal!  Those who have been here over the past few years returned with expectancy to add another tool to their bird hunting training skills and were not disappointed with Bob's demo of how to steady up a Brittany who is on point.  A couple of Brittanys were lovingly captured by our friends who happily persuaded the owners to let them cut the 'flag' off of the end of their dog's tail.  The top notch agility training/demo by Helen was enjoyed by all who participated at the several 'stations' set up around the ring, especially fun for the kids.  There was a lot of food brought in and shared, and overall it really was a great day, one which left me looking forward to what we'll do for 2011.  53 people with 25 Brittanys adds up to a lot of fun.  And 'momma Ann' also enjoyed the ultimate fringe benefit of being reunited with some of her very special Brittany babies :o) . 

Yesterday I was blessed with a little surprise family party to celebrate my birthday, thanks to my wonderful husband!  My day began with John pretending to forget what day it was - which really would have been okay because you see, I am at "THAT" age where I'd just as soon not remember my birthday. But he did remember.  As soon as I heard his truck drive off I happily discovered a large gift bag of my favorite things on the kitchen table and a card from ATB.  When I called him to say thank you John asked if I really thought he would forget. Later in the day he brought home my favorite sandwich, a "Moes" , something anyone who has spent time in Southern New Hampshire/Maine should be familiar with.  And later on John gifted me with another bag filled with favorite things.  There had not been any discussion about cake, ice-cream, party or dinner and that was fine with me, honestly. But my happy birthday continued when our daughter showed up with her three children. (Her husband would have been there but his full time work schedule would not provide for that.  Speaking of birthdays though he hasn't received the birthday card yet that we sent to him in April and we all just figured it must still be in the mail, maybe?!) A little while later my day of birthday surprises continued when two of my nieces arrived and shortly after that our daughter in law who brought her four children. (Our son had something important going on at his church but I really missed hearing from or seeing him on my birthday. Even so, one of my greatest joys is seeing all 7 grandchildren playing happily together such as they were last night which was truly a gift unto itself.) This little surprise party planned by John to celebrate my birthday ended up being so much fun all the way around.  And my final gift from John was the biggest surprise of all - two boiled lobsters!  YUM!  The evening was spent outside and the kids ran and played together for a long time as dusk approached.  Soon it was time for lots of kisses and hugs and goodbyes. I then released my entire canine crew who had been so patient while we were having dinner at the picnic table outside.  They bounded up and around the yard then made it back to me, one by one, waiting a turn to jump up on me for a kiss, a hug, to interact personally in their own way.  I sat outside with them all as it became dark enough for the stars to be seen. Looking up into the nightsky, I said a prayer of thanksgiving and gratitude to God, for my parents who are with Him, for my family now, and especially for this wonderful man who I am blessed to spend my life with.  The dogs and I enjoyed ourselves until the mosquitoes determined that the night belonged to them alone. 

As for taking time off, I think that may have to wait. 

Take care and God bless you and yours, and as always, we appreciate your interest in All Things Brittany - John, Ann and our canine crew

PS : Another added joy of my birthday was the many wishes from friends and family on the Facebook social network who otherwise I may not have heard from, it was too cool! 

When Rose is happy...

Our home was the site of the 6th annual Central Maine Brittany Club Summer Field N Fun Day.  Over 50 people and 25 Brittanys (not counting ATB) participated in the day long event.  I'm currently in the process of screening and editing the many photos that others and myself took of the festivities, including several really interesting training videos.  It's going to take time. I have distributed a 'report' to the club members, posted a few photos on Facebook but there's much more to do.  As it is a club event I feel it is only right to highlight the day from that perspective but once I have completed that aspect of Fun Day,  you can bet I'll have a lot to say about the other side of things - especially how AWESOME it was to see so many of our very own Brittanys 'come home' for a visit!  Fun Day is an outreach to all Brittany owners and John and I were so blessed by the support of our ATB family as well. 

Having said that you may think it strange when I say the above picture has surfaced as one of my very favorite ones.  This was actually taken by Julie Ballentine and it shows her daughter Kaitlyn, son Jacob, and friend Carmen sitting in front of the raffle table waiting for the drawing to begin.  Although they own Crystal, who is full sister to our Rosie it is not Crystal who is seated with the kids.  It is none other than our little sweet Miss Ever Ready Rose!  It is easy to tell by her body language that she feels a very important part of their family and included in the festivities.  I love this!  Rose, you may remember, recently underwent major surgery when her reproductive organs were removed (she was spayed).  She's bounced back with a new lease on life and a happy go lucky attitude which just oozes happiness.  Kaitlyn asked me at one point during the day's activities if she could get Rosie and hang out with her.  I gave permission for her to take Rosie for the afternoon and what a great decision to make!  Rose is indeed one very special Brittany (just like each and every one is) and to see this picture that Julie took just really, really made me so happy for my Rosebud.  You can't look at this and not smile, just knowing the story behind Rosie. 

So as I continue to process through the past weekend and relive the wonderfully special day, I just wanted to at least post one picture and this is the one I chose!  There will be highlights and reflections of our July 31st event to follow, which for ATB truly was a family reunion. Take care and God Bless, John, Ann and our funloving Brittany crew.