Archive for February, 2006

Meet Hailey Smith

Published
by
Rich Smith
2 years, 8 months ago
in Uncategorized
. 6 Comments

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After many months of not blogging, I’m throwing caution to the wind and blogging again! It’s mostly because I was trying to get the slide show that you see below working. After some time (several hours), much sweat and tormoil, I finally got it working! Which takes me to the content of the pictures…

Heather and I were thinking about buying another rabbit to keep Aslan company and hopefully solve his grumpiness issues. We had been looking for a Holland Lop bunny for the LONGEST time from different breeders and we’ve come to the conclusion that people who run rabbitries (yes, that’s actually what they’re called) are impossible to get a hold of. Either they don’t want any business or they’re spending all of their time taking care of their rabbits and coming home so exhausted that they have no energy to return a phone call or write a reply to an e-mail. By an act from God, one very nice lady who raises Holland Lops told us that there was going to be a rabbit show very close to were we live. So we hop in the car and head over.

We finally arrived out in the middle of nowhere at a volunteer fire department building (I guess they don’t have enough to do out there). Rabbits all over the place! They had a flemish giant bunny (see picture below) that I would love to have if I ever had the fantasy of being eaten by a rabbit. I couldn’t believe Heather could pick this thing up it was so large. Then we saw Angora bunnies. Couldn’t believe how much hair those little guys have. Made me sorry for them. All that fur just has to hurt their peripheral vision.

Anyway, we met the lady that had the baby holland lop. Heather fell in love at about .03 seconds. It was incredible. Then the rabbit promptly peed on her in front of everyone! Heather was a good sport and we still bought her! Cute as can be and much more loveable than Aslan. We’re convinced that Aslan is jealous that he’s a pet store bunny and Haley was raised by a breeder. Whatever the case, Aslan STILL has an attitude problem. We were reading about rabbit “bonding” and it takes weeks and weeks and an authorized letter from the President of the United States for them to bond. Seriously, one of the steps is to take the bunnies on car rides so they’re both in a stressful situation and will more than likely bond instead of fight (and mount and hump in Azzie’s case). I’m having serious doubts that Azzie is really “fixed”. But since it takes an atomic microscope and a specialist to actually see if anything is “missing” down there, we’re just going to have to assume that he is.


Hover over the pictures to see an explaination of what you’re seeing…

Ode to Ireland

Published
by
Heather Smith
2 years, 8 months ago
in Uncategorized
. 1 Comment

My precious grandmother passed away in 2005. She went by “Granny Bear” and I never knew her as anything else. Her real name, Clara, is a beautiful name but could never encapsulate her the way that “Granny Bear” always will. I had the priviledge to speak at her funeral service and share the many things that I loved about her, but because St. Patricks Day is quickly approaching, I want to write solely about her love for Ireland.

I certainly don’t know all of the details of how she came to love the country, but I do know that as long as I have known her, she has collected Irish things and worn green with pride. Come St. Patricks Day, she would adorn her home with little leprochauns and green decor of all shapes and sizes.

Her maiden name was Kelley, derived from the explicitly Irish “O’Kelley.” There was definiteley Irish in her blood.

Just a few years ago, she and Papa Bear went to Ireland for the first time and spent about a week touring the countryside and laughing to the ramblings of Irish comedian Hal Roach. Granny Bear laughed at his jokes until tears ran down her cheeks.

So maybe that is how I developed my interest in the beautiful country as well. I never thought I’d have the opportunity to go to Ireland, but in college, God provided me with an awesome chance to spend ten days there. For Spring Break my Junior Year, I decided to go on a “Break on Impact” trip rather than hit the beaches of South Florida and spend time with my family. At Covenant College, students have the opportunity to sign up for trips all over the world, raise thier own support, and spend a very meaningful Spring Break doing evangelism, manual lobor, or both, while ministering to indigenous peoples.

Choosing Ireland wasn’t difficult in the least. I’d always wanted to visit the coutnry, meet the lovely people and engage in conversation with them. Oh, I could just sit and listen for hours. I love Irish Limericks, Irish fables, and Irish myths. I love Irish tea and Irish candy. I love watching red-headed Irish children dancing to energetic Celtic melodies. I love the abundance of breathtaking scenery and the innumerable shades of green! I love the quaint little shops and ice cream parlors. I love “tea and biscuit time” and that it occurs several times each day.

I loved my time in Ireland and I cherish the memories, especially now that Granny Bear isn’t here to talk about Ireland anymore.

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