Pony Penning 2007

Well, I got to mark something off my life's "to do" list-we spent the last week camping on beautiful Chincoteague Island for Pony Penning! It very much like the book, Misty of Chincoteague, we even stayed at Tom's Cove campground, off of Beebe road.

The campground was beautiful (but crowded!) and overlooked the channel where the ponies swim across.

For those who have not read the book, their are wild (feral, really) ponies off the coast of Virginia on an island called Assateague. In order to control the population, the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Department rounds up the herd every year, swims them across the channel to Chincoteague, walks them through the tiny town to the fairground, and auctions the foals and yearlings off. Marguerite Henry famously described the island life and ponies in her book, Misty of Chincoteague, and its been a world famous event ever since. The round up has been going on for 82 years now!

The day of the actual swim is SO crowded with boats its nearly impossible to see the ponies swim across, so we headed to Beebe road to watch the herd come down to the fairgrounds after their swim. First the "Saltwater Cowboys" ride up in a line, then down the street comes the herd! The ponies are muddy from their climb out of the marshy channel, and some of the foals are a bit frightened, but the cowboys drive them calmly up the road,and the older ponies are all familiar with the routine. it was amazing to see them go by!

The next stop for the ponies is the corral at the fairgrounds, where they stand in little groups, one stallion and several mares and foals. It is a little sad to see the foals snuggling up to their mothers, knowing they will be sold the next day! The fair is so quaint and old-fashioned-the rides are straight out of the 50's. We went to the Ladies Auxiliary lunch (its in the book, too) and had lots of good fair food. Gryphon got a darling little cowgirl hat, too.

Thursday is the auction, where the foals and yearlings are taken into the arena and auctioned off. There is a buy-back committee who buy a good chink of the available ponies and send them back to the island, and they purchased the most expensive foal this year (or ever!) for $17,500! While it is admirable to have the ponies forever free through the buy-back, it struck me as unfair to those who come to buy a pony they have their heart set on, and are outbid by a group of people with much more available money than most.

We liked this little guy with the white star, and though I have no idea how much he went for at the auction, I'll bet whoever got him is very happy! (We were unable to talk Mark into pony, I'm sad to report. I even called my Dad- no dice. Apparently "Daddy, will you buy me a pony doesn't work in your 30's, either!)

We also hit the beautiful white sand beaches of Assateague, and visited the Assateague lighthouse. The weather was just perfect-not hot or cold- and the surf was wonderful.

Our last day was the day the ponies swim back to freedom, and much less crowded, so we got front row seats on shore! It was just amazing to watch them plunge into the channel, with the cowboys in boats urging them on. Everyone cheered when they made it to the far shore of Assateague and ran onto the beach-simply amazing. It really was a dream come true for me, and for the girls too!

Start spreadin' the news....

...New York, New York! Jackie, Rachel, the girls and I all spent a weekend in NYC doing the touristy things. Gryphon and Rowan got to see their number one most wanted New York place: the statue of Balto the sled dog in Central Park. We took some canvas and acrylic paints and spent an hour or so painting pictures of the statue and soaking up Central Park's atmosphere.

The next day we went to the Museum of Natural History...which is not at all like the "Night at the Museum" movie, by the way. We never did find Sacajawea! It's an incredible museum though, and the girls enjoyed it.

Sunday we took the ferry to Liberty Island to see the statue, and the girls enjoyed the boat ride. Then we went by New York taxi to Times Square and rode the ferris wheel in the Toys r Us there. That evening we got some yummy Indian food for adults, and the kids had candy and brownies for dinner (really!) while we played at the water fountain in Central Park.

New York is one of those "must see" cities, but I must say-its dirty crowded and NOISY. I don't see me ever wanting to live there! Still, it was a great weekend and fun to visit!

4th of July fun!

Jackie, Rachel and the girls and I headed to D.C. for the 4th of July fireworks and Folklife festival. Unfortunately it started to rain as we neared the Irish food tent (rats!), but we made a quick detour to Tony Roma's at the Pentagon City Mall instead and it turned out fine. After the rain ended, we went to Arlington Cemetery, where some of the best views of the fireworks can be found at the Iwo Jima memorial. It was spectacular! The girls caught fireflies and cartwheeled until the show started, and the weather worked in our favor since it was remarkably uncrowded. Mark had to work (last night at the Pentagon!) but was able to step outside the building and see the show, too.

First Swim Meet!

Gryphon's swim team-The Lake Ridge Lancers-had their first swim meet today against the Ben Lomond Flying Ducks. The meet started at the ungodly hour of 6 am, but the Lancer's were bright eyed and bushy tailed, and ready to swim. (Lancer Mommas and siblings-not so much!) Gryphon swam in 5 races, including some relays, and she won her heat for breaststroke! Her friends April and Kaycee are on the team, too, and that makes it even more fun.

Go Lancers!

Birthday Bash 2007

The girls had a together party at a local pool. We set up the Hawaiian Luau stuff and the kids went on the waterslides and generally had a blast getting wet!

Gymnastics Season end party

Rowan's gymnastics gym had an end-of-season party last Saturday, and her team, The Shooting Stars, did a little program. They showed off their skills, and received trophies, and then played games and ate junk food.

(Rowan is the upside down one with the shiny blue leotard)

Here is her whole team doing splits.

The best part-cupcakes!!

School is out!

We had a promotion-to-the-next-grade ceremony with the home school group last night, and it coincided nicely with our last day of school today! The girls got certificates for completing the 3rd grade and Kindergarten, and we had some cake and punch. Especially touching were the 2 home school group graduates- I can't imagine the girls ever being that old!

And, it's birthday time here! Rowan turned 6 last week, and Gry turned 9 today. We will celebrating with a Luau themed pool party on Saturday. It goes without saying that I can't believe how BIG they are!

Gryphon, 9 today and looking gorgeous in her pink braces.

Rowan, 6 last week, and sporting the new permanent teeth on the bottom (still none appearing on top though!)

Rescue Railroad

The girls and I have recently gotten involved in a neat cross-country effort to move homeless dogs (and cats) from high-kill shelters (pounds, etc) to no-kill shelters, rescues and foster homes. Sometimes the dogs are being moved from a rescue to a "forever home". Just in case you didn't know, if you are looking for a specific breed/color/size, and there aren't any in your immediate area, I can guarantee you there is one SOMEWHERE, and these transports make it possible to find that perfect dog and get him to you!

How it works is this: you join an email list for the major highway you live near (in my case, I-95). Then you take legs of the transport-in our case, usually the Fredricksburg-Alexandria leg. They are normally no more than 1 hours driving time. Split up this way, a dog (or dogs) can travel from one end of the country to the other, with no one person having to drive too long or too far. All it takes is a vehicle, and some time. That's it!

Today I drove the Fredricksburg-Alexandria leg with 9 dogs! Yes, 9!! I didn't take the girls along for this one, as this was a big (multi-car per leg), multi-dog run. These guys were all on death's doorstep. The puppies in the big crate? Left tied to a porch, no food or water, severely emaciated. They are still bundles of bones, but have nursed back to health by an ASPCA who ran out of room for them and was going to have to put them down. Enter the Rescue Railroad, and these lucky pups are on their way to a foster home, and hopefully a forever home soon. Riding in the other crate were two Shit-zus, very desirable little doggies whose time had simply run out. If only all those little-dog loving types knew to look at the local shelter for their dog! I also had a terrier who looked just like Winn Dixie, a pincher cross who could jump up 5 feet, I swear, and in the front seat, sweet Riley. He's the Golden retriever in the photo-just a lovable, happy guy.

Anyway, if you are interested (hint, hint) here are some links to follow:

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/I-70_rescue_and_transport/

For those blog readers in Missouri!

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/I-10_I-20_Rescue_and_Transport/

For those blog readers in Mississippi!

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/I-5_I-405_Transport_CA_OR_WA/

For those blog readers in Washington!

Some science fun

We are doing a short unit on plants this month, and yesterday we studied seeds and how they get from place to place. The girls put on wool socks and then we ran through the woods and grassy areas to see what would hang on to our socks. We also grabbed some berries (Rowan especially likes the idea of poop-spread seeds), some maple seeds (those whirly-gig ones) and some acorns.

Then we came in and looked at the tiny hooks on grass, and burrs, and the parachutes on the dandelion seeds under the loupes.

And today we played hooky and headed to Breezy Point beach to find fossilized shark teeth! I didn't bring the camera (too afraid of sand!) but here are our finds:

It was a beautiful 85 degree day, and Gryphon built a monster sand castle with a very deep (leg breaking) moat. We love the beach!

Best Mother's Day present ever...

...well, next to the TV-free year that is. I still ask for that every year, but no one is going for it again!

Gryphon wrote a play a few months ago, typed it up (complete with scene directions and a narrator) and printed out a copy each for the neighborhood kids. Then she highlighted their parts on their copy, and started rounding them up every day to practice! There was a bit of drama over people pulling out of the play, or not wanting to practice (Gryphon takes her plays very seriously) but today everyone put the play on!

They set up chairs in a neighbor's backyard, and 2 other neighborhood mothers came down with me to watch the play, along with some assorted Dads and siblings. They opened by presenting us with flowers (picked from someones yard no doubt!) and a cute song about Mother's Day. The play was adorable, and everyone remembered their lines, which made Gryphon very happy!

Truly, one of the neatest Mother's Day gifts ever.

Brace Face!

Gryphon got braces put on last week! They are *pink*, top and bottom, and she also has a pallet expander as well. You can the gap its made already in her top front teeth. She's doing really well managing with a mouth full of so very much metal-she spits a lot when she talks though! We can't wait to see her beautiful smile when they come off in 10 months.

Guess where I got a job?

I thought I had already blogged about this, but...I got a job at Starbucks! It's right around the corner from my house, and sometimes Mark and the kids walk the dogs up to see me at night. I sort of fell into it, I was in there one day getting coffee, and saw a "now hiring" sign, and well, the rest is history. It really is as fun as it looks to work at Starbucks, most of the time (busy Saturdays do not count!). And the free coffee, well, thats just priceless!

Could there be a more perfect part time job for me???

Some hard stuff here at the BS house

Last weekend, Beulah ran out the front door and attacked a little neighbor girl's poodle puppy (which was being walked by the 8 year old girl!). It was pretty awful-there was a whole flock of little girls in my front yard, and Beulah was seriously trying to kill that little dog. Screaming, Crying-awful. I was literally 2 steps behind her, and had to wrestle her to the ground to get her to stop. She *still* wouldn't stop, though, even as I bodily carried her away (Beulah isn't exactly a "little" dog though thankfully only about 50 pounds). She snapped at me, which I would never in a million years expect to happen.

The puppy was okay-no blood. Of course we apologized profusely, but there is anything that can be said to make up for something like that?

I knew Beulah had to go. She went from sweet mellow dog to vicious killer in a split second-and oddly enough, after trying to bite me while I carried her in, she turned into her sweet, normal self as soon as she got back in the house. The dog set her off, and there was no stopping her. She'd done it before- she attacked a beagle on a hike one day last summer the same way-zero to killer in an instant. That time she was leashed and it only involved adults, so we thought we were doing the right thing by just keeping her away from other dogs after that. We were wrong-she needed serious intervention *then*. And now, it was too late, I would never be able to live with myself if she bit a child, and if I hadn't been right there when it happened, it would have-she would have killed the puppy and bit any kid who tried to stop her.

So I started calling no-kill shelters.

23, to be exact.

Of the ones who weren't full, they all told me to just put her down. I know they are right, since perfectly tempered, purebred dogs are put down every year by the millions, because no one wants them. Who would want a Chow mutt with a bad temper?

So we made the appointment to have her put down.

Then Mark got a call from a rescue near the North Carolina/Virginia border, who could take her. They specialize in aggressive dogs-in fact, they have mostly Pit Bulls. Comparatively speaking, Beulah was an "easy case" for these guys.

Beulah was saved from imminent death-by-car on the highway in Mississippi, then had a dangerous abscess, and now has been lucky yet again. I swear she's destined to save someone from a burning building or something some day, that is one lucky dog.

I took her there on Thursday, I think I cried the whole way. George and Patrick, who run the shelter, were wonderful-they hugged me and assured me that Beulah would be okay. I hope so. They are gay vegetarian Buddhists, and I have to say, if you need to give your dog up, that's who you want to give it to. Wonderful, amazing men with a mission to save the world's most unwanted. Which Beulah is, again.

I just really want her back, even though I know we can't keep her. Its been a tough week here.The girls are doing okay with it, I think because they were there and saw the whole thing. Pretty scary. I've never been on *this* side of the dog rescue world though, and I never want to again. I miss her, and I love her, and I know we let her down by not taking her dog aggression seriously until the worst happened. Its never the dogs fault, really, its always the owners, the dogs just pay the price.

I have to believe Beulah will find peace and love and a new home with people who can handle her. The only other option was putting her to sleep, so this at least gives her a chance. I know she won't lack love, as George and Patrick are very loving people. They also work with a trainer named Melissa who rehabilitates these dogs (they have some rescued from dog fighting rings-the truly tough cases). Its a small place-only 11 dogs. They said she's one of the most adoptable dogs they have-fixed, housebroken, good with kids. Some of their dogs are unadoptable, ruined forever by people who trained them to kill.

Anyway, that's the story. These are some photos of Beulah I took for them to put up on their website, so she'd look cute and"take me home" -able.

I miss her.

More April Photos-Of-The-Day

April 26th-its spring, and time to get the sidewalk chalk out!

It is also caterpillar season-yeeuck! Gryphon has about 200 in a glas jar. Here's one of the little cuties.
And for April 28th, here's Circus Freak Rowan in her brand spankin' new leotard. Her favorite color is blue, and she likes the stars because her team is the Shooting Stars!

More Photos of the Day

I forgot to do April 19th-it was testing day. We went over to our friend's so the girls could play in between testing sessions.

April 21st the girls, Grammy and Pa-Pa went on a Pentagon tour courtesy of Dad. No pictures allowed, so here is Rowan riding her bike with Pa-Pa when they got home.

April 22nd- the girls, Mark, Grammy and Pa-Pa headed downtown to see monuments on this gorgeous day! Here are the girls looking solemn at the Wall (the Vietnam memorial).