Last winter, our second in the old farmhouse, was busy as we prepared for battling those house barreling winter winds, so that we could make it through those cold months, again, without using three tanks of oil. Let's just say, that as that first winter approached we didn't know what we didn't know. Fast forward a year, and we weren't quite so ignorant.
After completing the obvious tasks the first year, like retrofitting the kitchen fireplace and the wood stove, we were now ready to stroke off major items on our to do list to make it through the winter.
So in our rush to address the issues of which we were no longer ignorant, like how handy it might be to have a generator in the country, (eureka!) time was cut short to build a proper abode for our security guard. A makeshift dog house was made using an old firewood box with some hay inside which the twins promptly named 'Callie's manger'. It was Christmas time.
After completing the obvious tasks the first year, like retrofitting the kitchen fireplace and the wood stove, we were now ready to stroke off major items on our to do list to make it through the winter.
So in our rush to address the issues of which we were no longer ignorant, like how handy it might be to have a generator in the country, (eureka!) time was cut short to build a proper abode for our security guard. A makeshift dog house was made using an old firewood box with some hay inside which the twins promptly named 'Callie's manger'. It was Christmas time.
This winter with the urgent needs addressed, the Artist decided a proper home was necessary to comfort our fearless protector. She may not look like a true Border Collie, but her spirit is 100% working dog and she needs to be outside whether on yard duty or pond patrol. Nothing, and I do mean nothing, gets by this girl. Should our neighbours a quarter mile down the road take one step outside their house, we're notified. And I pity anyone who uses our drive to turn around in! Needless to say, she has a job to do and she takes it quite seriously; she protects our land with an amazing diligence.
Which also means she is always outside. She likes to be with us, but she prefers that we're all outside with her. This is when she is at her happiest. So before our third winter settles in for long visit, the Artist got to work and built a proper home for our girl.
She watched and inspected each stage of construction.
She gave it a test run to be sure everything was just right, with proper bedding now, no more hay, and her own front porch!
And she seems very content. She loves her house.
And we love her.
And we love her.
~Be well friends~
14 comments:
Callie is a beauty! So is her new manger. Our Callie (Californian rabbit) has a new chicken heat lamp thingy, red light and all. Our oldest wants to build a shed for the rabbits in our teeny tiny suburban backyard, but for now the chick heat lamp will work.
I LOVE that she has her OWN front porch! What a lucky gal she is to have such a fine place to call home. Our dogs have a fabulous run that my husband built on the backside of our chicken coop but it's only covered and doesn't protect our girls from the cold winds... they prefer to come inside :)
Chris
PS I know what you mean about the 3 tanks of heating oil! After living "in the city" and having natural gas, well this heating oil thing was quite a shock! We're now used to the wools socks and layers that are the norm around here in the winter months!
What a beauty. She has a fine manger and you can see how pleased she is in her eyes. It’s hard to beat a great working dog and amazing how they just do their job and how important that job is to the family. I know we feel that way about our boy, Shep. Congrats on the new home Callie--Enjoy :)
Amy
What a lucky gal Miss Callie is!
A custom built home.
A very important duty to perform each day.
Two wonderful children to guard.
A driveway to patrol.
A tribute to her breed.
And so much love, Callie is gushing about it :)
[she does gush about it, she calls me]
xo, misha
p.s. i love callie too!
I love the covered porch!
Callie is a beautiful dog and I bet she loves her new, warm and cozy home. Our border collie is a bundle of energy, but she wants to be inside with us most of the time.
Oh Andrea ... Callie is such a gorgeous dog indeed. She looks like she is mixed with german shorthaired pointer or maybe even Aussie shepherd. Her colouring is so unique! I absolutely love your pictures of her, looking oh-so content, in her new home! My Strider would be so envious of her life b/c I think he would have been so happy to live on a farm. I'm happy to hear you've readied yourselves for the cold winter. I have friends who live on a farm and they've said the same thing, they are going to make an effort to cut down on their oil consumption and dress warmly and keep the fire stoked!
Callie is beautiful.. and bless her for being such a diligent security guard! The Artist did a magnificent job on her house.. looks very cozy. Give Callie a hug from me :) -Tammy
Callie looks like a sweet girl! I love her front porch!
Jackie
Andrea-what a beautiful dog Miss Callie is. The artist did a great job with her new digs, I love the fact that she has her own porch. Winslow Homer too is a very verbal dog, I swear if a mosquito is near he is on alert. If your weather is anything like ours here in Maine you'll be skating on that beautiful pond of yours before you know it!
Hooray for 100% working dogs...we have a Queensland Heeler and absolutely nothing escapes her notice ! Molliedog is always on alert but she is like her mama-dog (me)...she likes her creature comforts too and when it is cold she comes in to lay on her sheepskin rug...
Callie is wonderful. If you put a cloth or something over the door opening, it should keep her warm with her own body heat. The artist did a superb job on Callie's house! It so reminded me of this: http://www.thedailytail.com/pictures/dog-stays-warm-in-jesus-manger/
Callie is beautiful! The coloring is so similar to our blue tick hounds. Although they are short hair. Isn't is wonderful to have a dog that loves their job of protecting us and our land. I think ours has trained the guineas, as they alert us almost at the same time. Wonderful new manager! Stay warm. We finally have our boiler house and Mr. Norms heating system running to capacity. NO Oil or gas this year. 100% wood and designed so we only have to tend it every 5-6 days. 18 degrees last night and our home was 80 degrees!!! YEAH! after three very cold winters it is FaBulous!
Awwww, perfect! What a blessing you are to each other!
hugs,
Leslie
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