2009 Year In Review

I thought I'd include in this entry some of my favorite photos taken over the year. It was hard to choose, as we've taken a LOT of pictures this year. Many are great shots, but these are a few that matter to me. This one of Pete with the dogs shows our beautiful Mais Oui demanding affection. We lost this wonderful girl to pyometra this April, so this is one of the last photos of her. On the far left is her dam, Tiramisu who also passed away this year...she was Pete's shadow and constant companion. Lexus, our oldest, not in the photo passed away in April as well.

We also had some happy times to offset the sad moments. Good times with great friends. Showing our Portuguese friends Rui, Paula, Henrique and Isabella our little part of the world. Raising a beautiful healthy litter, a successful ASSA, and travelling in Australia, going to Westminster in NYC, the National in Georgia and visiting with family and friends in Vancouver. Most of all, we enjoyed our quiet moments at our farm with the dogs.

This photo shows that even though we have almost 50 acres, the dogs tend to wrap themselves around my legs! I have an entourage of my old girls that follow me on our walks. It is the boisterous youngsters that will break away from the group and go wild.

Characteristic of our photos this year...muddy, grubby and very happy dogs out on their walks.
Babies...we enjoyed playing with our puppies this year. Emma and Barbie grew up together.
We had a ball with our summer litter...Miley and Maisie (Mayer and Mandy).
Stormy and the deer fly. One of my favorite photos...taken with Brenda's lens.

2009 Show Results

ASSA National

1st 12-18 month Futurity: Can Ch Laureate Jivara
1st 12-18 month sable and white bitches: Can Ch Laureate Jivara
1st Open Blue Bitches: Can Ch Laureate PaRay Per Se (co-bred by Tray Pittman)
1st Over 12 Years Veteran Bitches: BISS Am/Can Ch Laureate Louisiana
Award Of Merit: BISS Am/Can Ch Laureate Louisiana

Canadian Champions:

BPIS Can Ch Laureate Embelish (co-bred by Aneita Frey, owned by Kim Aston and Peter Culumovic)
Can Ch Laureate Lancome (Bred by Kim Aston and Peter Culumovic and co-owned by Pennylynn Woodruff)
Can Ch Laureate Lutece (breeder-owners Kim & Pete)
Can Ch Laureate PaRay Per Se (co-bred by Tray Pittman, owned by Kim and Pete)
Can Ch Laureate Rachael Ray (co-owned by Pennylynn Woodruff)
Can Ch Ruffleith's Remy Martin (co-bred and owned by Pennylynn Woodruff)
Can Ch Ruffleith's Rose In Bloom (co-bred and owned by Pennylynn Woodruff)
Can Ch Ruffleith's Tina Rufette (co-bred and owned by Pennylynn Woodruff)

Other Titles

Am Ch El Solo Serenity (co-bred by Marjorie Norstrom, owned by Marjorie and Shirley Wong)
Laureate Due South, Am CDX (owner Lori Drouin)
Laureate Tiramisu, ROMC (co-bred by Karen and Robert Henley)
BPIS Laureate Epitome

Many thanks to the co-breeders and owners for making this possible!

Our best wishes for a Happy and Successful New Year!

For Tira

Sadly, it was time...

January 18, 2000 - June 29, 2009

Mothers

Tira (Laureate Tiramisu, ROMC) is one of our top producers. Her mother (BIS/BISS/BPIS Am/Can Ch. Laureate City Angel, ROMC), grandmother (BISS Am/Can Ch. Laureate Gabrielle, ROMC) and great-grandmother (Am/Can Ch. Krystalyn Just An Illusion, ROM/ROMC) were also top producers. She was a wonderful mom to her puppies and is still doing well six months after being diagnosed with cancer and given days or weeks to live. There are some noticeable physical changes but she is still first to get any food that drops on the floor! She is Paris' dam and this morning was enjoying watching her grand kids play from a safe distance!
The puppies have started to eat solid food (aka mush). They will be fully weaned in about a week and a half.

Paris was brought in to clean up the dish. The puppies took advantage of the situation!

Paris is a wonderful mother! We also hope she'll continue the tradition of ROMC's (her litter sister Ch. Laureate Rachael Ray (co-owned with RuffLeith) has two Champions from her first litter and two others that will finish...so it is in the family!

Paris and her daughters.

Horse Chestnuts, Geraniums, and Tasty Flowers

Two more from yesterday...tasting the flowers

InnocencePerennial GeraniumHorse Chestnut tree in flower (and Gabi, Eva, LuAnne, Valerie, Tira, Paris, Taboo and Bunny)I have never seen the flowers up close before. I can't believe the colours on them...orange, yellow and pink centers on one bunch; it looks like a carnival!

OK, back to washing dogs now...

A Good Weekend!

We headed to Connecticut for the weekend to show at the Tri-State Specialties. The first day, Cocoa (Ch. Laureate Jivara) won Best in Sweeps under judge Greg Speeks, and also won her class under judge Marjorie Tuff. The following day, she won her sweeps class and was "runner-up" (though no prize was offered for this). She also won her class under judge Sue Christie and was awarded a 5 point major reserve! She showed well, was a great traveller and we were very pleased with the result. Her kennel mate "Stormy" won her class both days, and was pulled for consideration for WB the first day. This was her very first show and we were delighted with how she behaved, and how well she was received.

Cocoa and Paris waiting their turn.

Congratulations to Tom and Nioma Coen for winning Best of Breed both days with Cocoa's grand-sire, Am/Can/Jap Ch. Pop Star SS of Northern Farm, ROM (from the Veterans class). Also on winning WB/BW both days with their beautiful tri puppy, Hillstone Hallelujah.

Meanwhile, back in Canada, Laureate Rachael Ray, owned by Penny Woodruff (Ruffleith Shelties) shown by Kim Wendling earned her Canadian Championship. This was the fifth to finish for our beloved Tira, giving her the ROMC title!!! There are now four consecutive ROMC's in the tail female line; a wonderful family of producers! (ROMC stands for Register of Merit Canadian...it is for a female that has produced five Champions, or a male that has produced ten champions.)

How lucky we are...

I have been reluctant to post any news about Tira , for fear that things would change suddenly.

I am aware that we are going day to day with her health, so what I am grateful for is the past few months we have looked at her and smiled, and had her smile back.

I am delighted she still follows us on walks in the field, and surprised she even came up Fox Hill with me and the gang last week. It is heart warming to see the joy she has from running in snow.

I am pleased she has a good appetite, and happily give her treats when she wants them. I am amazed when she gets the food that drops on the floor first.

I realize how fortunate we are to have had this time with her and will cherish any and all opportunities to stroke her soft forehead, to share our meals, to look at her and feel loved. How lucky we are.

More of the same (just different)

Stormy

Gabi enjoying the sunshine
Happy Stormy and Gabi

Eva on the movePete with Taboo, Valerie and Gabi
Paris, Nova, Tira and Juno (Pete in his frumpy dog walking clothes)!
Group hug!

February Fun

We have had three snow days in a row, so it was nice to see the sun. We took the dogs out for a run in the back...

Have to do something about that burr bush...it's a dog magnet!

Juno in the lead.

Now Eva in front, with Juno wanting to play "crack the whip".

Caught her tail (Cocoa has Valerie by the tail too)!

Tira, on the left, is still going strong. Go Tira!!!

Gabi enjoying herself!

Beautiful Paris

Little Bridgit

The old girls...and Taboo.

Taboo getting a squeeze. Gabi on the left says "put her down and hug me!" Taboo is looking for her own family to hug her non stop.

Heading for home.

Tira: a good day

We're taking it day by day with Tira. Today was a good day. She wanted cheese, and I gave her about six pieces and she also ate her dinner hungrily.

I took her out with me and the gang while I cleaned the snow off the gazebos. Afterwards, I let them all out for a run.

I like this picture as on the right are two of Tira's daughters. I had to check and re-check as Mais Oui looks so much like Tira in this photo. Paris is on the right, Mais Oui, Bunny and Taboo is in front.

Bridgit...too cute for words!

Stormy (Laureate PaRay Per Se). I'm not sure if you can tell, but she has the most amazing ear set. She also has the best blue colour of our blues.

A funny colour balance on this shot, as it was completely in the shade; but I love this picture. That is 13 year old Gabi trying her hardest to keep up, and miss Bunny Foo leading the pack.

Tira doesn't like snowballs between her toes.

Heading for home.