A Dog Named Satan...I Mean Merlin...

I case you are wondering, Merlin is doing fine.

I, however, am not.

That dog definitely thinks he is the pack leader, and up until this point he has been.

Our evenings have revolved around him. Staying outside all night trying to tire him out, trying to distract him in order to keep him out of the vegetable beds, etc.

I ordered the training video and collar from The Perfect Dog. I am looking forward to getting started on it. I was little nervous when I ordered it, because it is a type of pinch collar, but it is made out of plastic, so it is more uncomfortable than painful (I know this because I tried it on...I'm kinky that way).

I know that he is a very intelligent dog...he just needs some training...rightthisminutethankyouverymuch. For example, if he gets into trouble once, he proceeds to do everything you have ever told him not to do...in...order. He also knows full well that barking in the cab of a truck with the windows rolled up makes your head explode. He likes that game.

Don't get me wrong, I am truly looking forward to many wonderful years with him...we just have to get passed this phase and we have to get him in the correct mind set, because I refuse to be one of those owners that allows their pets to walk all over them.

Wish me luck when I have kids...

Potty Break

I had to run to the store today, so I put Merlin in his cage so that I could run out. I made it home with everything...I thought. In reality I had forgotten something and had to go back to the store. When I got home I had to pee so bad that I let Merlin out of his cage and ran to the bathroom. He followed me and decided that I looked like I was having so much fun, he had to join in. Needless to say...I couldn't stop in order to stop him. I think we bonded in that moment. Now please excuse me while I go clean up the bathroom carpet.

I Can't Handle It...

Dear God,

Please send wine.

Love,
Melissa

Update...

We leave on Friday for TCOOPS (the annual Texas Organic Farmers and Grower's Association's Conference). I am very excited. I hope to learn a lot of things. I have not forgotten about posting the pictures of the property. But I don't like the pictures I took, so I am going to have to take some more before I will post them.

Contradiction...

I was standing at a TV yesterday watching Obama's inauguration speech, feeling hopeful and ready to pick myself up and dust myself off. Twenty minutes later the co-worker next to me was let go. By the end of the day, close to twenty. To say it was a very exhausting day would be an understatement.

I have the best hope for Obama. It's like a fresh start. It seems to me that during the last election (Bush/Kerry) we really were just trying to choose the lesser of two evils, and we knew we just had to get through the next four years with as little embarrassment as possible.

I can actually watch news clips of Obama without a cringe factor of 9.5 and worrying that he is going to continue speaking.

More importantly, I hope.

I hope that we can stop the pettiness that we see so much of in the news.

I hope that can better ourselves and our country. Period. When we clean up our house...then we can help others clean up theirs.

I hope that we can stop pointing fingers at each other and work together to fix this.

I hope that they do decide to plant a vegetable garden at the White House. What kind of example would that set to the rest of the world? I am very excited about his choice for Agriculture and am very hopeful that we can correct our relationship with our food and our land.

I hope...

No Turning Back Now...

The large pasture has been cleared, all thirteen acres. It's amazing. I almost cried. I do not have pictures because we were not sure anything would be done, so I just didn't think about it. But I will soon.

It took my breath away. For the last 8 months or so we have been looking at a field that we couldn't even see across because of all of the mesquite trees. Now...we can see all of the way across. I feel bad that we have taken away habitat areas for some animals (although we have left 4 acres uncleared). However, I know that what we are doing is a very good thing and responsible use of the land versus it just sitting there as a mesquite field. At least, that's what I tell myself.

Once I get pictures, I will post them up.

Bulldozing...

Property Update:

The bulldozer should be getting out there in the next week or two and start clearing the rest of what needs to be cleared. I can't wait to stand at the top of the hill, look down and imagine what it will look like when it has beautiful grass, a garden, a house, animals our children, and animals. I will be posting pictures once it is completed. I can't wait.