My affection towards animals goes back as far as my memory does. I can recall tending to stray kittens in the alley between our house and the neighbors, feeding the squirrels who dared come close enough to take a piece of bread from my hand, and spent countless hours on a family friends farm. As soon as the car door would open I would disappear for hours by my lonesome. Playing with the chickens, pigs, horses and roaming out into pasture and laying in the tall grass waiting for a calf to come say hello.
But my passion for dogs was the strongest.
I would spend hours outside after school with our dogs teaching tricks and playing. Long before I knew about dog obedience and before the dawn of agility, I would play games with them in my child hood that would mimic basic dog obedience. I would set up little jump courses and run around them with my dogs on a lead.
Over the years we had owned several mix breeds, a couple Beagles, a Rottweiler, Dobes and a Lhasa Apso.
Jena, the Rottweiller, was my first experience in obedience training. I was 17 years old then and was simply amazed at how much this type of training aided in our ability to communicate with each other and it was a reminder of  how important it was that dogs be properly trained and socialized.
I became involved in Labradors in 1999 when we purchased our Cinder. We immediately began training in obedience. Cinder became my first ever performance titled dog in 2004 when she earned her Companion Dog title. Since then I have involved myself in several other dog sports. Agility, then Conformation and so much more. Our most recent endeavor is Weight Pulling.
I am a currently an active member in the Grand Traverse Kennel Club, Huron River Labrador Retriever Club and Great Lakes Labrador Lovers. I spend a lot of my time traveling within the state of Michigan (and sometimes outside) competing in events or just volunteering my time. I do it because I love it!!

I have traveled to some wonderful places, met some equally wonderful people and glad that I can call a few of them friends.

In 2006 I became an AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator. Feel free to contact me about training and preparing for the CGC test or to evaluate your dog.

Aside from all this dog stuff I love working in my yard. I have spent countless hours planting, splitting, replanting, digging......it never ends.

The tree in the foreground is my most cherished item in the yard. It was the first thing I had ever planted myself when we started to update the front yard. It's been here the longest and I have not killed it yet!!!
 

Pebble, Wish and Splash. Three of our Koi in our small pond.	Garden at the front walk way of our house.
Our front walk and fountain.	Black Snakeroot, Ferns and Rodgersia.
Stella d'Oro daylilies and Spiderwort.	My favorite flower. The Stargazer Lily.
Angel blush Hydrangea
Bloom from my Big Daddy Hydrangea

The Koi Pond after we moved it to the side-yard.

I also LOVE birds and feeding the wild birds that come to the house. The pond and bird bath  have offered up a wonderful place to view some spectacular species like this Scarlet Tanager.
 

The Woodpecker family is one of my favorite. While many view them as a nuisance, I enjoy them. I see many Downy, Hairy and an occasional Red-Headed. But I enjoy the more unusual like the Northern Flicker.


And my grandest visitor of all...the Pileated Woodpecker. This was one of the hardest birds I have even had to take a photo. They are very shy. They are about a foot and a half in size and have an impressive call. The hammering they do on the trees is loud enough to get you out of bed.