Updates at Highwater - Autumn '08

We have MANY things to be thankful for this THANKSGIVING! Dad has a NEW RED F150 and Mom has a NEW YELLOW PT CRUISER...

"Little Miss Buttercup" and the new go-kart for the girls even have a new carport to sleep in....


The Guest Cabin and swings all got fresh coats of stain early Fall...

PLUS, we have DOG BIRTHS out the WAZOO and MANY RESCUES! 8 litters on the ground for Christmas Puppy Sales, oh my!



We had our first BEAGLE LITTER! ....


and we are full to capacity what with the rescues we've had this month, including BOOTS, a black lab, CASSIE, a basset, and SCAMP, a yorkie.




Sean has been subdividing the outside pens and we only have 2 left to do this weekend. Two layers of landscaping timbers hold in the 8 inches of mulch in the outside runs.

We moved all the mamas so each has private indoor/outdoor access, and even the dachshund pups have figured out the doggie doors, and love to dig in the mulch.


While we still don't have a customer waiting area / pick up room, it's a goal for 2009. We can only do so much in one year.

Karen's gone back to work as puppy sales have been down and the kennel expenses have gone up. She's loving her job in the Children's Department of the New Braunfels Public Library!

Sadly, we had to sell both horses, as hay went up to 11.50 a bale and they were eating 380.00 per month. Still haven't got the foundation poured for the "Dream House" but the plans are drawn professionally and finalized. We're ready to start just as soon as the trees get cleared.

KENNEL INSIDE - "SIDE A" - FINALLY GETTING CEMENT RUNS

Well, it's been over a year since we started, and the inside is still not done. Tomorrow we start with the cement dividers on "Side A" -- pens 1 thru 7.

We have 3 dachshund litters due Aug. 22nd and 2 litters due Sept. 1st so we really MUST push the contractors now. They have been less-than cooperative in the Texas heat all summer... It's been 103 degrees F daily the past two weeks and some days the thermometer has read over 110!

HOLY HOUNDS IT'S HOT!

You can see the blue tape and blue tarps. There is a TON of cement dust when the epoxy floors are sanded. Poor doggies shall have to spend the day outside.

HAPPY SUMMER!

We spent a lovely July 4th at Highwater with our puppies and all the puppy customers who came to pick up their babies this week.

We've been bathing 3 litters and watching them go to their new homes.

PENS INSTALLED INSIDE KENNEL - "SIDE B" COMPLETE

Finally got the cement curbs done and the custom gates welded inside the kennel building on the right side - "Side B". The brand is American Kennel Club, but we had to have them cut and modified. Don't they look professional?

The doggies are really happy and love the air-conditioning & non-slip green floors too! It is a relief to finally have the kennel functioning for doggies and customers (if only on the one side).

NEW PORCH SWINGS (Mother's Day Gift)

We got 2 new wooden porch swings! Aren't they great?

New Street Sign

Puppy customers were getting lost, so we had this sign made up for the main street.

7 KENNEL RUNS COMPLETE

Here is a photo of Pens 13 & 14 complete with:

-a combined play yard

-pine bark mulch

-gutters/gates/hoses

-army cot inside +out
-skylight

-shade strips in chain link

-AKC side panels

-railroad ties &

-green anti-slip epoxy paint for the cement.

Cherry, Tigger, Nilla, Nipper and Bonnie are VERY happy in their pens. The way it's set up -- one cement run is always clean and dry while the other is in use. Then, when we hose one side down, they have a dry run next door to escape to. It's brilliant and was Sean's master plan!

One day soon, the hoses will not be in the runs -- but rather strung up from the ceiling on pullies like at mechanic shops.

HERO'S HOMECOMING!

Hero was delivered this weekend -- and moved into the freshly completed barn where he has his own stall with a nameplate above the door.

He gave Angel lots of horsey-kisses thru the mesh divider! He spent the rest of the weekend checking out the corral and pasture. What a darling! Hero arrived just in time to celebrate Easter Sunday. He got apple-flavored horse cookies and 1/2 cup of sweet feed to celebrate. He needs to fatten up!

SPRING BREAK '08 AT THE LAKE

CHAIN LINK SOLUTIONS

Amy, Jenna & Karen spent hours weaving green plastic strips into the chain link today. We are trying to provide shade and privacy for the doggies.

HILL COUNTRY LIFE

Moving has been SUCH hard work, we decided to kick back and have some fun this past weekend.

Sean and Jenna have a new Hill Country hobby. . . RIDING DIRT BIKES!

Karen and Amy have a new Hill Country hobby too. . . RIDING HORSES!

Introducing "HERO" -- Karen's new Palamino Gelding. He is 9 years old and has ground manners to die for. Such a gentleman, even city slicker mamas can ride him. At 16.2 Hands, he's a BIG OLE BOY.

You can see that 8-YR-OLD Amy has NO FEAR! She discovered a new musical talent that had everyone in awe. She is now officially our family's Horse Whisperer and Pied Piper. . . she had Hero following her around like a Golden Retriever. Amazing!

Who knew that life on "the farm" could be SO much work and SO much fun at the same time?

KENNEL CURBS - PART DEUX

Here is our SECOND set of curbs. The first ones had to be shaved off during the cement slab re-pour. Our new mason is MARVELOUS! Meet Kevin Alexander. The AKC mesh pens will be attached once the cement cures. Now, we won't have to worry about cross-contamination and doggy waste. Thanks, Kevin!

MEET "ANGEL" - WELSH PAINT MARE

We couldn't move to the country and not get our youngest daughter the PONY OF HER DREAMS!!! Here is Amy and Angel -- bonding. Angel is a 13 hand Welsh Paint Mare -- and VERY stout. Amy got a new bridle, reins, halter and lead rope in NEON pink! Oh my. Somebody should've told mom the "tack" and food cost more than the horse.



Here is Daddy renovating the barn for two horse stalls and one hay / tack room. Oh yeah, and the wee exercise corral cost more than the horse too. Ha. That's what happens when city slickers move out to the country.