Meet the Girls

I'm a complicated, diverse, creative sort of person. My day job is in the family Tool & Die/Metal Stamping business where I deal with numbers. One very defining thing about me is that I love my family and critters! Today I'd like to introduce all the girls. My favourite girl is my 14 year old daughter. Nicole is beautiful inside and out. She's the youngest, talented, energetic and dared I say -- sometimes moody? She's an avid dancer, martial artist, music fanatic and loyal friend. Clothes hound... did I mention that?? Very particular about her hair, clothes and her daily presentation. She's a great kid and loves dogs, cats and horses. I love my daughter, although some days she'd probably like to trade me in for a different model.


The other girls in residence all have 4 legs. Piper is a beautiful standard poodle who is also a performance dog. She excels in obedience, rally and does some agility with me and now Nicole. She's started to track, which is a passion of mine. I participate in CKC Tracking which is a for sport event where the dogs learn to follow the foot steps of a stranger over a plotted path unknown to the dog and handler to find lost articles. It's the zen of dog sports. Very fascinating and humbling to train and test in. It makes one realize that in some aspects of life, people are definitely not the superior species. I have to add at this point that I am staunchly against crossing poodles with other breeds. It's a thorn in my side and all that talk about hybrid vigor is a crock. Just stepping on my opinionated little pedestal there for a moment, I'll do that from time to time but will try to rein myself in. If you desire a mixed breed there are many dogs in need of homes at local shelters, please save one of them.


Bonnie and Shelby are registered Appaloosa mares. Not heavily marked with typical Appy colour they look and act like American Quarter Horses. I have a long history as a Quarter Horse girl and this Appy thing is not typical for me. I prefer QH geldings for show but these mares are a couple of really sweeties and strictly for pleasure riding. My days of competitive horse showing are over unless we win the lottery... then Nicole and I would be back with a vengeance! "The Girls" as we refer to our horses are kept just 2 km away at my parents farm. Location was the biggest buying feature in our house. 14 years ago this was the closest house we could purchase to the farm and my parents, horses and laying hens. By the way mentioning the farm -- another thing about me -- I'm an egg snob. I despise store bought eggs and get all Martha Stewart-y about having my own hens and fresh eggs. There really is a big difference in farm fresh same day eggs! Below is another picture of Nicole a few years ago with one of our laying hens. Yup, they're girls too! Have a great day and thanks for stopping by.