I went with my mom and sister to the County Fair today. The Clark County Fair. It was a old-fashion fair with blue ribbons attached to everything from baked pies and cupcakes to fresh produce and quilts. A lot of childen's caregories' with entireties like science fair projects and Lego constructions, even a macaroni and bean construction. There was a Rodeo and kids riding sheep and pig races. Pigs were being sold. Cows laid in straw and patiently chewed there cud. Shaved sheep and friendly goats, even a camel. I spent most of my time with the chickens.
Yes, with the chickens. Book one "Las Vegas Chew Toy" was about a 3-legged puma and Shih Tzu's. Book Two "Fowl Play in Las Vegas" has pitbulls, a Killer Whale and chickens. Show chickens. I spent some time talking to a very nice man about how to get a chicken ready to show.
There were some very nice looking birds at the fair including Crested Polish chickens and strange looking Frizzles and Silkies. The cute prize had to go to the Bantam Cocks. Small brightly colored roosters who strut around their small cages shaking their heads aggregately at the larger competitors. Some ducks quacked in their pens and two turkeys gobbled as I walked by adding to the noise of the crowd. Roosters crowed, hens clucked and the ducks quacked.
I learned several interesting facts about show chickens several will show up in my book. For example what behaviors do you need to teach a show chicken and what does Motor oil have to do with showing chickens? To find the answer go to my web page LauraLAlton.com
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Sunday, August 16, 2009
There are many Terrier breeds in the America Kennel Club, though not all are listed. The American Hairless Terrier is a fairly new breed and isn’t recognized by the AKC as yet, however they are recognized in Canada by the UKC. This breed was started in 1972 when a hairless puppy was born in a litter of Rat Terriers. Careful breeding methods have resulted in what has become a fairly stable breed.
The gene responsible for this form of hairlessness has been proven to be autosomal recessive. What does that mean? . Unlike a lot of the hairless breeds, The American Hairless Terrier is a dog which doesn’t have a long list of health issues. The puppies are born with a fuzzy coat that drops off by the time they are six weeks old. The adult dog is completely hairless except for eyebrows and whiskers.
AHT’s are born with short or medium tails and are not cut. Their ears stand up on their own and are similar to a Rat Terrier’s. When mature, they reach between 10 to 18 inches in height and weigh between 10 to 15 pounds. Their skin color comes in many colors and patterns, some of which are striking.
Why should you consider owning a hairless dog? The advantages are numerous: no fleas, no shedding, no allergies, though you do need to watch them for sunburn and provide warmth in cold weather.
One thing to keep in mind is that the American Hairless Terrier is a terrier with all of the inbred terrier hunting instincts, though their hairless state prevents them from doing as well as other terrier breeds. This means your dog will be lively and active, always looking for something to chase which you will need to provide for them. This is a good breed to get hooked on tennis ball play early.
To learn more about this interesting dog, go to: http://www.ahta.info/
The gene responsible for this form of hairlessness has been proven to be autosomal recessive. What does that mean? . Unlike a lot of the hairless breeds, The American Hairless Terrier is a dog which doesn’t have a long list of health issues. The puppies are born with a fuzzy coat that drops off by the time they are six weeks old. The adult dog is completely hairless except for eyebrows and whiskers.
AHT’s are born with short or medium tails and are not cut. Their ears stand up on their own and are similar to a Rat Terrier’s. When mature, they reach between 10 to 18 inches in height and weigh between 10 to 15 pounds. Their skin color comes in many colors and patterns, some of which are striking.
Why should you consider owning a hairless dog? The advantages are numerous: no fleas, no shedding, no allergies, though you do need to watch them for sunburn and provide warmth in cold weather.
One thing to keep in mind is that the American Hairless Terrier is a terrier with all of the inbred terrier hunting instincts, though their hairless state prevents them from doing as well as other terrier breeds. This means your dog will be lively and active, always looking for something to chase which you will need to provide for them. This is a good breed to get hooked on tennis ball play early.
To learn more about this interesting dog, go to: http://www.ahta.info/
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Finishing a Book
The Joy of finishing a book
I will never forget the feeling of finishing my first book. The joy of holding a finished manuscript in my hands. I showed it to my biggest fan, my mother. She read through the first few paragraphs’ then looked up at me exclaiming. “It’s like a real book. With characters and dialog and ever thing.”
My first “real” book.
Of course I did not understand that writing the book was just the first step on a three year odyssey. After writing the story comes editing. Editing never ends.
While you’re waiting to hear back from publishers, agents, and other assorted people you’ve begged to read your baby, you edit. Then comes the wonderful day you sell your book and discover the reality of how much your baby is really work or you give up and go the self publish route, discovering your work is only beginning. Now it’s time to edit your book again and again. And then, just when you think you’re done, you get it copy edited.
The joy of finishing writing a book quickly fades and turns into a grim determination to just survive till it’s in print. But, the joy returns as you complete the final edits and again you are holding a finished manuscript in your hands.
I can’t wait for the joy of opening my first box full of copies of MY book. And the joy of selling my first 10, 20, 100 books. Until then of course, all my spare time is spent editing my second book. And editing and editing and editing...
Laura’s book Las Vegas Chew Toy will be launched on October 10.
Check out my Website LauraLAlton.com
I will never forget the feeling of finishing my first book. The joy of holding a finished manuscript in my hands. I showed it to my biggest fan, my mother. She read through the first few paragraphs’ then looked up at me exclaiming. “It’s like a real book. With characters and dialog and ever thing.”
My first “real” book.
Of course I did not understand that writing the book was just the first step on a three year odyssey. After writing the story comes editing. Editing never ends.
While you’re waiting to hear back from publishers, agents, and other assorted people you’ve begged to read your baby, you edit. Then comes the wonderful day you sell your book and discover the reality of how much your baby is really work or you give up and go the self publish route, discovering your work is only beginning. Now it’s time to edit your book again and again. And then, just when you think you’re done, you get it copy edited.
The joy of finishing writing a book quickly fades and turns into a grim determination to just survive till it’s in print. But, the joy returns as you complete the final edits and again you are holding a finished manuscript in your hands.
I can’t wait for the joy of opening my first box full of copies of MY book. And the joy of selling my first 10, 20, 100 books. Until then of course, all my spare time is spent editing my second book. And editing and editing and editing...
Laura’s book Las Vegas Chew Toy will be launched on October 10.
Check out my Website LauraLAlton.com
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Farm Town
Don’t get caught up in farm town unless you have a lot of free time. Farm Town is an application in face book that allows you to start a farm. You can plant seeds and harvest crops, or plant trees and harvest them. You can have animals on your farm, people give you gifts of trees, flowers and animals, and as you farm, you earn experience points which allow you to grow more types of crops or trees. When you earn a certain number of experience points you can buy more land and house, barns and silos. You can also purchase wagons, ponds and lakes, dirt paths and fences.
I started with 4-5 plots of land and am now on level 26 but it takes time to plow, plant and harvest. Some of the crops are ready in 2 hours while others can take up to 4 days. To make a substantial amount of money without waiting forever, you need to plant and harvest a lot of 2 and 4 hour crops. Unfortunately, you can’t just leave them once they are mature. If you don’t harvest within a certain amount of time, your crops go to waste and you lose money. You find yourself planning your life around your planting and harvest times.
You are not alone in doing this, you have neighbors and buddies, so you don’t have to harvest your crops yourself -- you can go to the market place and hire someone to come harvest for you. Or take a part time job and earn extra money by harvesting other people’s farms. Once you reach a certain level you can hire others to plow for you. If you’re tired of farming and want to just talk, you can go to the pub. I have met some interesting people this way.
At first, you can’t wait to get up to a level to buy a barn or house. Soon you’re adding flowers, fences and square footage. Then your creative side kicks in and you are creating words and designs with different colored plants. Some of the farms are themed around one animal such as cows, dogs or cats. Others go all out and add beaches, castles and playgrounds. Several have water themed parks on their farm.
I have to get back to my Farm. I planted 4 hour grapes and it’s time to harvest.
See you on the Farm.
I started with 4-5 plots of land and am now on level 26 but it takes time to plow, plant and harvest. Some of the crops are ready in 2 hours while others can take up to 4 days. To make a substantial amount of money without waiting forever, you need to plant and harvest a lot of 2 and 4 hour crops. Unfortunately, you can’t just leave them once they are mature. If you don’t harvest within a certain amount of time, your crops go to waste and you lose money. You find yourself planning your life around your planting and harvest times.
You are not alone in doing this, you have neighbors and buddies, so you don’t have to harvest your crops yourself -- you can go to the market place and hire someone to come harvest for you. Or take a part time job and earn extra money by harvesting other people’s farms. Once you reach a certain level you can hire others to plow for you. If you’re tired of farming and want to just talk, you can go to the pub. I have met some interesting people this way.
At first, you can’t wait to get up to a level to buy a barn or house. Soon you’re adding flowers, fences and square footage. Then your creative side kicks in and you are creating words and designs with different colored plants. Some of the farms are themed around one animal such as cows, dogs or cats. Others go all out and add beaches, castles and playgrounds. Several have water themed parks on their farm.
I have to get back to my Farm. I planted 4 hour grapes and it’s time to harvest.
See you on the Farm.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
A tea drinker in a coffee world
A tea drinker in a coffee world
I don’t drink coffee. I don’t like the taste of coffee. In today’s world this is almost as bad as announcing that you’ve just joined a terrorist cell. People look at you like you’re un-American. It should not be apple pie and baseball but apple pie and coffee, with a Starbucks on every corner and a Java something or other on every other comer. Not liking coffee is un-American.
Offering a cup of coffee is considered a standard greeting. Anyone asking for tea instead is met with a unbelieving stare. Many businesses still offer free coffee to their customers even in today’s economic climate, and the coffee pot is still kept full with its stack of white foam cups nestled beside it.
In restaurants, a coffee cup is frequently already on the table ready for the arrival of a waitress carrying the fat glass globe of dark liquid. If you ask for tea in these eateries, you are lucky to be provided with a cup of lukewarm water and an off brand tea bag, for which you are charged as much as a designer cup of coffee at one of those fancy corner places. It is amazing how much you are expected to pay for a cup of warm water and a single bag of cheap leaves.
Speaking of the fancy coffee housesL just try ordering a cup of plan tea at one of theses. All they have are teas modified with assorted flavors that have no place in a cup of good tea. I mean really! When would ginger or pomegranate ever get together with a cup of good strong black tea?. And now the trend is towards green tea.
If you’re not into caffeine. just try to get a cup of herb tea. I wish you luck. I carry tea bags in my purse.
I don’t drink coffee. I don’t like the taste of coffee. In today’s world this is almost as bad as announcing that you’ve just joined a terrorist cell. People look at you like you’re un-American. It should not be apple pie and baseball but apple pie and coffee, with a Starbucks on every corner and a Java something or other on every other comer. Not liking coffee is un-American.
Offering a cup of coffee is considered a standard greeting. Anyone asking for tea instead is met with a unbelieving stare. Many businesses still offer free coffee to their customers even in today’s economic climate, and the coffee pot is still kept full with its stack of white foam cups nestled beside it.
In restaurants, a coffee cup is frequently already on the table ready for the arrival of a waitress carrying the fat glass globe of dark liquid. If you ask for tea in these eateries, you are lucky to be provided with a cup of lukewarm water and an off brand tea bag, for which you are charged as much as a designer cup of coffee at one of those fancy corner places. It is amazing how much you are expected to pay for a cup of warm water and a single bag of cheap leaves.
Speaking of the fancy coffee housesL just try ordering a cup of plan tea at one of theses. All they have are teas modified with assorted flavors that have no place in a cup of good tea. I mean really! When would ginger or pomegranate ever get together with a cup of good strong black tea?. And now the trend is towards green tea.
If you’re not into caffeine. just try to get a cup of herb tea. I wish you luck. I carry tea bags in my purse.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Dog Park Visit
I took my dogs to a local dog park today and boy was I in for a surprise. The full parking lot should have been a hint but I thought a local construction company was using it for overflow parking. No. All the cars belonged to people visiting the park.
There were over a hundred dogs in the park which is 12 acres of grass and dirt divided in to four main areas. There is a small area for small dogs, three large areas for big dogs and a large open area for everyone.
All the dog runs, and the open area, come with trees and picnic benches. There are several water areas and even two plastic pools for frolicking. Even a nice mud puddle that two labs were taking advantage of.
Most of the dogs were accompanied by a human or two, so I walked around talking to people while my dogs frolicked and did the social dog thing. We joined clumps of human huddled under trees and around tables.
There was one group of old timers hanging around. They all knew each other and each other’s dogs, and told me that they had been meeting up at the dog park for years. It provided a good social outlet for otherwise non social individuals. And of course their dogs loved it.
There was also one middle aged man who walked from group to group carrying a long handled tool with a small shovel on the end. He walked around behind his pack of seven large dogs picking up poop. Everyone knew him and greeted him by name when he stopped for a moment or two to talk. He never stayed long with one group, just popped in, greeted their dogs and moved on. I watched him patrol the park three times. A self appointed guardian. Him being there made me feel safer.
A good day.
There were over a hundred dogs in the park which is 12 acres of grass and dirt divided in to four main areas. There is a small area for small dogs, three large areas for big dogs and a large open area for everyone.
All the dog runs, and the open area, come with trees and picnic benches. There are several water areas and even two plastic pools for frolicking. Even a nice mud puddle that two labs were taking advantage of.
Most of the dogs were accompanied by a human or two, so I walked around talking to people while my dogs frolicked and did the social dog thing. We joined clumps of human huddled under trees and around tables.
There was one group of old timers hanging around. They all knew each other and each other’s dogs, and told me that they had been meeting up at the dog park for years. It provided a good social outlet for otherwise non social individuals. And of course their dogs loved it.
There was also one middle aged man who walked from group to group carrying a long handled tool with a small shovel on the end. He walked around behind his pack of seven large dogs picking up poop. Everyone knew him and greeted him by name when he stopped for a moment or two to talk. He never stayed long with one group, just popped in, greeted their dogs and moved on. I watched him patrol the park three times. A self appointed guardian. Him being there made me feel safer.
A good day.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Rally Obedience
Rally Obedience
Rally, a new dog sport, is a mixture of obedience and fun. The mantra for Rally is “attitude over precision.” By giving your dog feedback and encouragement, the Rally team looks more like a training session then a formal obedience exercise.
In Rally, the dog/owner team enters the ring and follows a pre-set path of signs. Each sign has an exercise printed on it. The team completes each exercise in order. Scoring is based on the teams ability to complete the tasks set, and time it takes for the complication of the entire course.
The course signs start with easy commands such as: Sit, Stand, Right turn, Left turn, Slow, Fast, U-turn, and progress to more complicated tasks such as: 270 degree turns, Jumps, Finish Right or Left, Figure eight, Spirals and pivots. The higher-level courses have fun and interesting tasks such as broad jumps, recalls, and backing up in heel position. The AKC recognizes 50 different Rally signs.
In the beginning level, the team is expected to complete 10 to 15 signs with simple commands such as heel, sit, down, various turns and fronts; the same sort of things that are taught in a basic beginning obedience class. The novice level course is completed on leash.
Owners are allowed to talk to their dog throughout the courses, repeat commands, praise, and tap their legs or clap their hands. If the team messes up a task, it can be repeated. Any age dog is welcome, and starting in 2010 mixed breed dogs will also be allowed to compete in order to earn titles.
Look into participating in this sport; it is a lot of fun for both owner and pet. A good place to start on line is www.AKC.org.
Rally, a new dog sport, is a mixture of obedience and fun. The mantra for Rally is “attitude over precision.” By giving your dog feedback and encouragement, the Rally team looks more like a training session then a formal obedience exercise.
In Rally, the dog/owner team enters the ring and follows a pre-set path of signs. Each sign has an exercise printed on it. The team completes each exercise in order. Scoring is based on the teams ability to complete the tasks set, and time it takes for the complication of the entire course.
The course signs start with easy commands such as: Sit, Stand, Right turn, Left turn, Slow, Fast, U-turn, and progress to more complicated tasks such as: 270 degree turns, Jumps, Finish Right or Left, Figure eight, Spirals and pivots. The higher-level courses have fun and interesting tasks such as broad jumps, recalls, and backing up in heel position. The AKC recognizes 50 different Rally signs.
In the beginning level, the team is expected to complete 10 to 15 signs with simple commands such as heel, sit, down, various turns and fronts; the same sort of things that are taught in a basic beginning obedience class. The novice level course is completed on leash.
Owners are allowed to talk to their dog throughout the courses, repeat commands, praise, and tap their legs or clap their hands. If the team messes up a task, it can be repeated. Any age dog is welcome, and starting in 2010 mixed breed dogs will also be allowed to compete in order to earn titles.
Look into participating in this sport; it is a lot of fun for both owner and pet. A good place to start on line is www.AKC.org.
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