Nezza's life...

[Oliver & Henry's Mum]

Vanessa, I love your handbag! (Car, what car?!)

Your home is a beautiful log home. I do love a wrap around veranda. You and your husband do look like a very happy couple, which is always lovely to see. ♥ I love the dogs too! Triscuit is a sweetie, and always has been a "silly heart". I'm sure Waffles just likes to keep things "interesting".

The chickens in the mud room are funny. My Mum always wanted chickens, and we had a few for a while, but with Wolfhounds that didn't work out so well. I'll leave it at that. For a time, one of my brothers had Pheasants, in a secure coop, but they weren't "pets" really. As I've said many times before, growing up at my house was a cross between Green Acres and the Twilight Zone.

I have always wanted to visit Tennessee and Kentucky. Kentucky for its Blue Grass and rolling hills, as well as the Horses, and Tennessee for it's Mountains and breath taking scenery. I've been to Virginia and Georgia (as well as other States) but have only flown over Tennessee and Kentucky. Your pictures are very inspiring...and now I know someone there!

I'd love to meet you and your OH. He must be lovely if he's married to sweet you.

[nezza]

Kian, Deb, glad you're liking the pics I'm a big photo person...meaning that i take pictures ALL the time, of just about everything!!!

The hens are quite amusing and interesting to watch...very relaxing to watch them, too. Some afternoons, i will just sit outside and watch them...scratch at the ground, make their little "hen" noises, look at me inquisitively (which they do)...LOVE to watch them run after bugs! They run funny! We had a third, but Triscuit killed her The other two saw it happen and they are very wary of dogs, now. But, when the dogs are outside, they are on a run, so the chickens are safe.

Kian, it would be great if you came to TN! We are only 90 minutes from Nashville....and downtown Nashville is quite a good time There is a place we love to visit called BB King's...named after the great BB King! They have terrific food and an awesome live show...people just get up and dance and have a great time! They have this one drink called the "Soul Bowl" and it's about the size of a fish bowl, it's aqua blue in color and SUPER delicious! Enough for a few people to share. We are "foodies" so i have to say...if we like the food...you can bet it's GOOD!!! There is a lot to do in Nashville....pretty much whatever you're in the mood for...they have it

Deb, thank you and yes, now you DO know someone in TN The porch is my absolute favorite place to sit in the warm weather! And i would love for you to sit on it with me We have a swing (the one you see in the pic of me and Willie) and another couch with a coffee table on the opposite side. I can just sit there for hours and watch and listen to nature...it's so peaceful. FYI...Waffles is the "silly heart", Triscuit Biscuit is the trouble maker! We just love our chickens, too...they really do become pets. Crazy as that sounds! We have had other chickens before...unfortunately Willie killed them....the OH overlooked it because he knew of my love for Willie...but generally speaking...the OH doesn't like the killing of an innocent animal...understandably. Willie was so very smart (as Malamutes are)...he would break into their coop (that was secured at the door, by the way) and kill them. Oh my! That dog was smart like a human, i swear it! No collar could hold him, no dog pen could keep him in....we tried it all...bless his heart! Malamutes are prey driven dogs....and i don't fault him for that.....

[kian]

90 minutes is all Nezza!! We will be there one day, I think Linda and her OH might join us as well.

I could sit on your porch and watch the chickens play and the goats! Such a perfect setting and a beautiful home. I always wanted a log home, OH is afraid of the up keep on one.

OH did bring home the chicks today, he had better get the coop done soon. We have 3 weeks till they are old to hop out of the box.

I too worry about the dogs as mine are quite prey driven as well. They have done great with the goats, fingers crossed the Chicken intro will go well. It's hard to lose one, our Dixie was a Chicken killer. I had to watch to see where she was getting in and fixed that spot. In the meantime we lost a few to her, I understand the love for them and the dog. I say don't get rid of the dog, get rid of the problem & ours was a weak spot in the fence.

Willie is sorely missed.

[nezza]

Kian, if you make it this way...you are MORE than welcome to come and sit on my porch!!

It's tough when you have a prey driven dog...it's their natural instinct and hard to break. Our chicken coop has a solid front door with two straps (one tie strap and a bungee strap) holding it closed...somehow...and i will never understand how...Willie managed his way in and back out without it ever looking like anything had been moved!!!! He was a true "Houdini". A couple Malamute breeders have told me...that even if we had raised him around chickens/farm animals....it would never guarantee that he would NOT want to kill them...it's just in their genes....

[Oliver & Henry's Mum]

Kian, my Mum had a Log Home built and ironically in some ways, the upkeep is less than a traditional home. It always smells lovely too...like fresh wood. Our cottage, years ago was a Log Home as well. Stone and Log homes last forever.

Vanessa, you'll have to forgive me as for the life of me, I keep mixing up Triscuit and Waffles. I don't know why I have a mental block when it comes to the two of them. I even thought I double checked your post to make sure I was referring to the right one. My only excuse is having a brain a titch too full to hold all of the information. Please forgive me! I still can't get it right.

Willie was a wonderful fellow, but prey drive is instinctual. It is at the root and the core of the being for survival. To train it out of some dogs would be to kill their spirit. Willie didn't see the chickens as you saw them, and as you said, that's not his fault. Hounds are very much the same way, and cats often resemble what it is they are hard wired to consume. Dogs don't see like we see. They see shapes and movement and identify in their minds what it is they are seeing. Willie was a Houdini indeed. Once a dog has a taste for such things, it is virtually impossible to ever trust them again around whatever prey it is that they want unfortunately. The only thing one can do is remove the prey...if possible.

Your chickens are lovely and I'm sure they are peaceful and amusing to watch. A dear friend of mine has a wonderful home with a front Veranda, and I so miss "front porch sittin'" with her! Whether it's at the Lake, or deep in the Country, nothing beats coffee in the morning on the Front Porch with a good friend!

I would be up for trying that drink at "BB King's" in Nashville, but I have a feeling Kian might skip it! If Linda is going too, perhaps we'll make the next DP Meet in Nashville!!!!! That's how the last one started in Niagara Falls! It was me and my big mouth crashing their action. Watch out!

[nezza]

OOOH! Deb...i LOVE your Nashville idea!

And, i would love to sit on the front porch and have coffee with you one morning....i'll bet we would talk for hours!

[kian]

DP meeting in Nashville!!!

LOL Deb I did not notice the handbag. I told OH the upkeep isn't as bad as you think on log homes, the logs are treated and it does smell great.

I would go to BB Kings, just not a drinker. It would be fun!

[nezza]

DP meeting in Nashville....sounds like it would be a really great time!!
Kian, even if you're not a drinker, BB King's is an amazingly good time! It's so lively and full of people just having a great time...it's family friendly, too...we even take the OH's little boy (10 years old) there when he visits...he lOVES it Besides...Deb and I will drink for the "soul bowl" for the three of us

Glad you ladies liked my handbag....i'm a "handbag girl"...and the bigger the better!

[kian]

Sounds fun! We will go to the Opry and the Ryman which is on OH's Bucket list. I looked at staying at the Opry Hotel, I think we will be just walking through it. If we go this year, it will be in the fall, possibly late September. It all depends on Airline Prices which are so high right now.

[Oliver & Henry's Mum]

Vanessa, I am also a handbag girl, and the bigger the better is also my Motto! We have a lot in common. I will happily share the "Soul Bowl" with you....can you imagine?!

If I were to go to Nashville, I suppose it would almost be mandatory to attend the Grand Ole Opry, although I don't feel the need to stay in that Hotel. Nashville has a great deal to offer. What a blast!




Kian is probably getting nervous thinking I might crash another one of her vacations. LOL!

[nezza]

The Opry is definately a must for a visit to Nashville...it is, of course, the birth place of country music The Opryland Hotel is QUITE grand..and i think that's putting it mildly.. it is a whole lot of fun to walk through....even if you're not staying there...the atrium is pretty impressive! In the wintertime they go all out and decorate it with MILLIONS of Christmas lights...we took the OH's son to see it one year.

Fall is a good time, Kian...as we still have nice weather, yet the extreme hot of the summer is fading...good for walking around and sightseeing

Deb....i think you may be needing to come and have that drink with me....

[nezza]

kian, here are a couple of the coop...

[nezza]

The OH's little boy having a blast at BB King's


people having fun at BB King's


downtown Nashville

[nezza]

and the three of us in downtown Nashville...




the atrium at Christmas time in the Opryland Hotel...

[nezza]

outside the hotel..