A Prayer For The New Year

I stand looking out the kitchen window, watching the icy wind tossing the tree limbs. I think she’s decided that it’s high time winter made her appearance this year.  I can feel snow coming, the air has gotten steadily colder all morning and the clouds look laden.  There’s a freezing rain that is coating the trees in crystal, Ohio begins winter in earnest.

My small fox friend is the current window-sill companion, they change seasonally & I'm always glad of the small presence there.

She gazes steadily ahead, enjoying the Snowflake scented geranium at her heels I’m sure.

I sometimes bounce ideas her way, she doesn’t comment much but she’s good faithful company nonetheless.  

The birds are flocking in to the feeders, a sure sign that the weather is changing and that this icy rain might turn into a beautiful snowfall perhaps by this evening. The birds always know and and we’ve learned to take note when they flock to the feeders in hungry little groups.

A beautiful Cardinal stares wistfully at the bird tray, he’s a bit more timid than the other birds and it takes him a while to gather enough courage to come down to the feeders, he must be a newcomer, our more familiar bird guests are not so shy.  I know that within a few days he’ll realize that good things are always waiting at the feeder and not spend so much time being wet & forlorn.

As I stand and reflect on the year that has passed, on the friends new and old that have come to Foxglove Farm, so many of them through my Inbox.  Letters and photographs from my Puppy People of years past.  Stories of the much-loved, now all grown up puppies.  

Puppies who are now doing the job I raised them to do, bring a large measure of puppy joy to each family they've gone to.

I find myself offering prayers that the Lord would bless those kind people.  The many families that have come our way with His richest blessings.  I send up prayers for people I may never meet face to face.

Prayers for so many of whom I’ve only come to know over the phone or perhaps in their heartfelt letters.  The people who send sometimes send gifts or Christmas cards & photos that shine with the love for the puppies I’ve raised over the years. The love that I've been privileged to have had a small part in bringing to their lives.  

And so, I pray for each of you, that God would bless your lives.

Your homes.  

Your families with love.          

That you would be loved.

That you are given love every single day and more importantly?  

That you show love to those in your path every single day, for that is where we find healing.

I pray that you find hope.

Hope for when the days are dark,

and we all have them don’t we?

On the days that are perhaps filled with doubt, that you will the hope that brings peace in spite of doubt and fear.

And most of all, I pray that He will shine in your hearts and give you the most important thing of all, faith.

Faith in Jesus Christ is what changed my life forever.  

Faith changed me.

Faith in Christ changed my husband John.

Then, faith changed our marriage, our home, faith in Jesus transformed our lives.  

When I found Christ, or rather, He found me, I found that love that I so longed for, the hope that I lacked, I found the faith that changed everything.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 3:16

And so, my prayer for you my dear puppy people,  is that you find faith, you find Christ, and that He fills all your empty places, that he brings you the love & hope and faith in him that changes everything.

Some of you will be offended and that makes me sad,

but my prayer is that some of you,

those who are empty inside,

in spite of all the efforts to fill those empty places.

Those who are seeking, especially when you stop and think is this world all there is?  

What happens when it’s over and I leave this life?  

Is there a Heaven to gain?

Is there really a Hell to miss?

So, though I know some of you will unsubscribe, some will turn away angry, some will just wonder what all the fuss is about.  

Perhaps though, for someone, a miracle will occur, like it did for me when I found Him.  If just one person begins that journey with Christ, I will rejoice that I had a small part in bringing a Love that will last for all eternity.

And so I go one step further, my daddy met Billy Graham many years ago, and ended up finding Christ, getting saved, beginning that same journey to healing and hope.  Here’s a link to Billy’s site, where salvation & heaven, our need for a savior, all your questions can be answered.

There's even a simple prayer, much like the one I prayed those long years ago, to show you how to ask Jesus into your heart and life.

I pray with all my heart now, that you will hear His call and open  your heart to that matchless love.

Very Kindest Puppy Regards,

Terry

PS If you pray and ask Jesus into your heart, I’d love to know about it so I can keep you in my prayers, please write and share the good news with me.

Autumn Pansies Shine

The pansies are making a last brave stand, little faces all bright and full of hope.  I can’t bear to tell them that it’s high time I got the Christmas greens up, that the pumpkins (who they coordinated beautifully with by the way), are long gone to the compost bin where all good pumpkins should go.  And though we’ve had a few hard frosts & the weekend forecast is calling for snow, the pansies bloom on.  

And so, while I’ve brought a few things out to begin to celebrate the season of His birth, I wait patiently for the cycle of the year to unfold, to wake one morning and find my little friends all laid low by the cold that must surely come because even small beauties are important and must be applauded no matter how inconvenient I consider their timing.

Even the puppies know that the season is changing, they turn little noses up while out playing, for all the world like they are scenting the air, sensing that winter will soon keep them bundled inside, and these lovely long afternoons to play in the sunshine had best be enjoyed to the fullest.

But for now, the pansies shine bravely on and I applaud their cheery welcome every time I step out the kitchen door, for I will surely miss the little things after winter's snow has put them in their beds until the spring, yes, I will miss them when they are gone.

Homeward Bound

Fall is nearing it's last golden days, always a poignant time of year for me, my favorite in some ways, but a time that brings it's portion of sadness.  Watching the leaves falling, falling, I realize that spring is still far far away, that many months of winter's cold are ahead.  Winter with her own white beauty, an ambiguous time none-the-less.  

Agatha races up the long hill towards the house, far ahead of me.  Her ears flying, her feet skimming the ground like those of a much younger dog.  She dances to a halt halfway up to the top and turns facing me with eyes dancing with joy.  She loves our evening walks, and as we get close to home she turns the last quarter mile into a self-appointed race to the kitchen door.  She stands with plumed tail awag, panting a bit, as if to say "come on mom, isn't this fun, we're almost there!"

View fullsize

I went to see mother at the nursing home today.  I've made her room as pleasant as pictures and cozy blankets, autumn flowers and a whole host of guilt-appeasing purchases can make it.  Outside her sunny window, I've placed feeders for her beloved birds, even a large window box (which I'm sure is not allowed) full of fall pansies, blooming.  Cheery orange and purple little faces all oblivious to the sadness within those walls.

Mother's dementia and heart failure have made it out of the question for her to be anywhere but there in that place.  They are kind to her, I visit often, I come, always bearing gifts.  She finds forming a sentence nearly impossible these days, and I sit beside her, trying to make her laugh, trying to reach inside that crowding darkness.

And so I walk up the long hill home, and I watch my good dog Agatha.  I think of life and how wonderful it is, how heartbreakingly beautiful, how full of sorrow.  I look at Agatha and childless, I mourn what I know will be the soon loss of my mother, I watch my little dog and wonder how many days I will have her at my feet for comfort.

This isn't really the place for soul-searching perhaps, for such heartfelt ponderings.  But we all have our griefs don't we?  It is our human condition.  Oh, but I look toward the sky and as the sun sets in a blaze of purple-golden light, I think of Heaven.  I know mother will be freed soon from her sad time of waiting.  I know that I can trust Him with Agatha, with all the burdens of my heart. And I'm comforted, by the thought of mother tucked into her bed tonight with a cozy blanket, with her little stuffed dog at her side.  I'm comforted as my good dog, Agatha, dances with eyes alight, saying clearly that it's time to go back home.

Cavachon Review

Hi Terry,

I’m not sure if you remember me or my 2 wonderful pups that I have been blessed with. I thank God every day that I found your website. Jack will be 7 next week and Rosebud was 6 in April. They are the love of my life, I have spoiled them rotten, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.  I can’t thank you enough for breeding such wonderful puppies.

God Bless,

Brenda Davis

Puppy Bliss

I get the most amazing mail from my puppy people.

Everyday my Inbox is filled  with images like this one of Ragnar (yes, he's named after a Viking warrior) and his proud owner Hannah, it's a selfie taken just to show how precious a Viking warrior can be.

Or this letter, from Breanna in Massachusetts, her family are the soon to be proud owners of our sweet Paper Moon, one of the most darling Cavapoo babies you'll ever meet. 

"Hi Terry!

It definitely feels like Christmas Eve here, with all of the kids in brand-new pajamas, the lights twinkling on the tree, and the packages begging to be opened. We can't wait to have PM here! We had the most fun dinner conversation, throwing around names and thinking about how Sweet Briar, Janey, and Kelley & she will all be together. I'll let you know if she develops a Boston accent over time, and bahks rather than barks. : ) 

Yes, we're beyond happy.

Thank you again so much. What a joyful time.

Gratefully,

Breanna

I have the most amazing puppy people, what fun to be part of bringing such puppy bliss to this family.

 I can't wait till Paper Moon makes her entrance, I bet I'll hear the joyful celebration all the way back here in Ohio.

Puppy Personality Puzzles Or The Puppy Scout Personified

A puppy scout in the making!

One of my favorite things is matching families with the puppy that best fits their home and lifestyle.  As I watch each new litter of puppy babies begin to mature and grow, I watch for clues to see what each puppy's personality is developing like, subtle and not so subtle clues are sprinkled through each day.

Here's a little puppy drama that was simply bursting with signs that a dog breeder should be on the watch for, little helps to show what baby should go to which particular home, the home that will help him or her bloom into a lovely adult companion.  The rather forlorn little girl puppy in the playpen pictured above was working on her crate training.  Much to her dismay, the other puppies were romping just within view, she was unhappy and it wasn't long before another of her littermates, a little boy puppy with a very soft nature came trotting over to see what the problem was.

This sweetly sympathetic little guy was soon doing his best to entertain his baby sister, see how he lies down close enough to engage her in a game, the rest of the puppies were off exploring but he was quite content to play and calm enough to settle happily.

Other clues where bouncing across the grass, enjoying the early hint of Fall in the air.  This little character, brave and confident though the smallest in the litter, decided a walk to the far reaches of his small world was in order.

Even content to be on his own away from his siblings, he'll be a upstanding little canine citizen, showing a pleasing amount of confidence for such a youngster, he'll make a tiny pocket sized watch dog I'm sure!

Ahhh, but sometimes even in the midst of such scientific pondering one must simply have lie down in the cool grass and enjoy a beautiful late summer day with a furry little friend and leave the musings for another time!

The Look

I call it "the look".  See the direct eye contact this darling little boy puppy is making with me? It's amazing, but each time a family comes to visit and decide on a puppy, that puppy seems to know long before the visitors do, exactly who is going home with them. As the family ponders the litter, going back and forth, trying to decide who's the one for them, which puppy is truly the most irresistible. I silently watch for the puppies to tell me who is the family for them.

Once that choice is made, as with this nice gentleman who recently came with his wife to visit Foxglove Farm.  As he's holding his new puppy in his lap, that tiny morsel knows full well that his family has come to take him home.  I've seen it so many times, a puppy will lift her little head and say "This is my family, the perfect family for me, thanks mom for helping them find me".

I love what I do, the joy on puppy faces, the happiness on my puppy people's faces as well,,, it's wonderful to be part of helping make that connection, but I'm still amazed at how intuitive these little ones are, and I love it when I see that expression of undiluted puppy JOY on tiny faces.

I Feel Sorry For The Neighbor's Golden Retriever...

Max is such a handsome dog.

I'm sure he's an entirely good natured and kind fellow as almost all of his breed certainly are...

The problem is that Agatha, who's declared herself the matriarch of Foxglove (she'll be nine her next birthday) has decided that he is a potential intruder and threat to the current litter of puppies,

(more likely, she thinks he may be a potential threat to her biscuit tin with it's vast assortment of doggie goodies).

She spends an inordinate amount of time sitting staring out the mudroom window, hoping to catch a glimpse of the interloper (who is the meekest of dogs by the way), I have to laugh at the little drama that unfolds. he seems enthralled with the puppies and anytime they are out for a romp he tries to visit), I see him up on the hill behind our house, gazing wistfully down at the babies...

Suddenly Agatha spies him and launches like a tiny tigress defending her young,,,

"WOOF WOOF WOOF"

goes she, racing up the the dividing fence and sliding to a stop she shouts warnings and threats as Max beats a hasty retreat up to the safety of his back yard where he lies rather mournfully in a sad golden heap.

Max lies in a sad golden heap.

Well satisfied with herself, little miss trots over to the babies (who have watched all this with great interest),.  

She touches noses with them as if to reassure them all is well

(of course they never had any doubt) 

"Yes, you're safe now" say's she "I've dispatched that bad dog from next door". 

Back into the mudroom she trots to resume her vigil.

"One can't ever be too careful" says she.