More Crazy Pets

It was a warm day and I actually had some energy, so I spent the day cleaning many, many, many rabbit pans and cages. Everytime I came in the house for a break there was another crazy animal posing for a photo op. I think they thought that they had their own papparazzi. This summer I spent many hours replacing floor wire on 32 cages. It made that cages just like new and what a pleasure it is to clean the new floors as almost nothing sticks to them. I use a long handled, brass wire, grill brush to scrape any danglers from the floor wire. This reaches all the way to the back of a 30" cage and it has a scraper end if I really need to work something loose. It has been so damp lately that wool sticks to the cages more than usually. I find it truly satisfying to have every outdoor cage clean at once. Enjoy Douglas, the Jack Russell, really relaxing. Jemmima, the cat, trying to sleep on the computer keyboard and Moe investigating her comfortable perch. Crazy animals.

Packing for Convention

Freezing at the Pa. Convention.
Did I lose the earring in here?

Every year I write a list of items needed for Convention and every year I promise to save it for the following year and every year I lose the list. Some of the things I like to take are my favorite snacks and the bunnies favorite snacks. Food can be very expensive at the Convention Center and I try to make it a more cost efficient trip by bringing snacks. The grooming tools, including the magic foot comb, is most important. Collin knows what I mean. The lucky earrings almost didn't make it as I thought I lost one at the Pa. Convention. It turned up on the floor of my car and after that my show wins started to roll in. Yes, I know, you can't count on lucky earrings to win a show but they do help me feel more confident . Next, the dreaded risers, which are an absolute pain in the neck. If anyone made me President of ARBA, that is the first proposal I would put forth. Maybe Obama or McCain could do something about the stupid riser situation. More on the Convention list later.

Last Days of Summer

Well, I woke up this morning and it was freezing. All the windows were opened and there were 20 mile an hour winds blowing through and 40 degrees. Time to move the bunnies back inside the barn. We keep the bunnies in an outside screened in area under a big chestnut tree. With fans blowing, this keeps the bunnies cool for the summer. In winter, we move them back into the barn with just enough heat to keep bottles from freezing. This works out well for the buns but is alot of work for me. All of the cages will be scrubbed down, power washed and disinfected before they go back into the barn. This can take me from 3 days to a full week depending on how my back holds out. Our old cat Munchkin refuses to give up on the idea of Summer and plans on going out on her raft for a few more turns around the pool. We sure do have some crazy animals at our house.

Vegas Memories

I did have fun in the land of decadence. The big jackpot I won was $6.50 at the penny slots. My big surprise was how drunk everyone was at all hours of the day and night. People were at a slot machine when I went to bed at 2:00am and were still there when I came down for my breakfast meetimg at 8:00am. Parents started doing jello shots while watching their kids at the pool at 10:00am, moved on to Margaritas by 11:00am and had Pina Coladas with lunch. I don't know how they could even walk. I was woozey from the alcoholic fumes just drifting in my direction. Now I know what stays in Vegas, "the hangover".

What happened in Vegas

Here are a few more photos from you know where. The blog only seems to let me download a few photos at a time. I will try to pick out the best.

What stayed in Vegas

Everyone keeps asking me for some photos of my managers meeting/vacation in Las Vegas this summer. I had so much fun and really enjoyed myself. The big surprise was how much I enjoyed the Sigfried and Roy animal habitat. It was a last minute decision. I had about 3 hours before my tickets for a Cirque du Soleil show and I didn't have time to go all the way back to my hotel. Not wanting to waste my time just sitting around, I got on the trolly that takes people from the Belligio to the Mirage. While wonering around in the orchid filled lobby, I saw a sign for the habitat. Thinking that this was such a typical, kitchy Las Vegas venue, I went to investigate. People were leaving so I asked them if it was worth going to see it. They were very positive about it so I went in. The photos speak for themselves.

Battle of the Angoras

The Mullica Hill show in South Jersey is always a fun show and this past Saturday was no different. It is a double show with lots of fun judges, a great raffle with a basket raffle and good food. I always see my favorite people and we almost spend more time talking and catching up then fussing over bunnies. Show "A" was so much fun as first Alex wins BIS youth with one of her beautiful English Angoras.

Next it was "Battle of the Angoras". Judy Osbourn win Best Six class with her beautiful Giant Angora doe named "Bunny" in honor of Bunny Turley, Sr. She passed away this past year and she is who we bought our first angora from. Next Shepherds Jitterbug, chocolate tort doe, wins Best Four class. Lowell Trauch was the Best in Show judge choosing and he picked Judys Giant. We were all so excited for all of the angoras. It was great fun and I felt like Bunny Turley was watching out for us so we had to have the bunny named for her win the highest honor. Pictures of Jitterbug, "Bunny", Lowell and Phil, Judys husband and show partner, trying to get the buns to co-operate. It was a great show for the angora breed.

Background

Someone recently said to me "I could tell these were your angoras just by looking at them". I took this as a very nice compliment. We started back in 1990 with one black angora doe and we have had her lines in many of our rabbits through to the present day. Pictures above are some of her past off-spring. This doesn't mean that we have keep that line alone. We have strived to improve it by adding into it some of the best lines in the country. I never wanted to loose that line as it has the "look" that I am striving for but have improved on it by adding more density, length and long lasting coats. The body and silky coat was there to begin with as well as the sweet, velvet face and loving temperment that made us fall for the English Angora breed. When I look at pictures of some of my daughter past BIS winners, I can't believe that change that has happened to the breed over the last 20 years. No wonder people stop to stare.

Convention

Well, it seems like I have finally worked out all the logistics of getting to Convention. I had alot to sort out and now I have to figure our which bunnies will not molt before judging, about 6 weeks away. I will be putting up a sale list of bunnies available for sale before and during Convention so keep a look out. Above are some photos of last years Convention in Michigan. I can't believe that it is amost a year since we were all there. It was alot of fun. See Collin at the end of the row in the first picture and there is Linda in the last photo. Sorry it is alittle blurry, I am not the best photographer.

Black and Blue

No, I am not talking about bruises. These are my favorite angora colors of all. I do like torts, especially the more pastel colors of blue, lilac and chocolate tort. Whites have worked their way into my heart but there is nothing cuter that a little black or blue velvet nose. One of the beauties in my barn is Andi and she has come from Donna Mcgraw down in Maryland. I can't believe that she parted with her and I thank her hundreds of times. I am trying to get darker blacks back into my lines and she will help me move in that direction. She also kicked butt on the show table winning more BOB's as a junior than many bunnies I have know. Attached are some photos which Donna labeled "LUSCIOUS". See what you think.

Bucks County Show

Well, I had a great time at the Bucks County Show although it seemed very hectic as I had to go to work for a closing shift. In will never do that again, especially in the middle of a hurricane. They were all very nice to allow me to go ahead of the youth so I could scoot out of there. I was sorry to not stay for BIS but after seeing what happened with the weather, I was kind of glad I didn't stay.

The big girls were beat this time by beautiful Calamity Jane. What a surprise! She has just turned senior and must be coming into her own. She even beat her brother who won BIS at Mid-Jersey, he got BOS. I think she has better density then the big girls have right now. I will include some pictures and you be the judge. Jive is the top photo, Jitterbug is the middle photo and Jane is the bottom photo. The little white does got good comments as well as the little tort buck.

Best Reserve with Sensation

BIS with Sullivan

BIS with Wyatt

Exciting Show Wins

Well, this has been a very exciting spring and fall starts off with a bang! Shepherds Sensation wins Best Reserve at the Hamburg show B with a lot of competition from some very beautiful rabbits. Next up, Grand View Sullivan wins Best in Show B at the Delmarva show in Maryland. There must be something to the "B" shows. (Probably more time to groom.)
Fall starts off with a bang as Countryside LF Wyatt wins BIS at the Mid-Jersey show over in Ringoes at our first show of the season. He is a lovely young buck that is just shy of being a senior. I have high hopes for him. I will try to be better about writing in this blog and posting photos.