judy herding

On Sunday we spent the day at Kinnic Creek farm watching bordie collies herd sheep and goats - it was amazing to watch! Jake and I have never seen this many border collies in one place and they were incredibily friendly and determined.

To herd.
To herd the sheep.

Judy was there for her first lesson to see if she had the herding instinct.

Here is the video of us in the pen with three sheep. Her barking did not stop after she got started --- she was a little anxious of these big white animals (definitely bigger than any squirrel she has seen!) and didn't quite know if she was suppose to chase them or what!

p.s. Beware of the sheep jumping into the fence - it looks horrible but the sheep was fine.


judy herding from Anne Ingman on Vimeo.


judy herding 2 from Anne Ingman on Vimeo.

right now

With my new found freedom and housewifery I have been experimenting with how to spend my time --- cooking and baking (and sometimes not cleaning up); having bonfires in the backyard and eating smores; going to the dog park so Judy can have that sense of freedom and exploration that she so craves; oh and (sometimes) drinking margaritas and falling asleep in the living room listening to MSNBC. It has been wonderfully relaxing and weird at the same time.

But last night Jake and I ventured out of our house and drove to the Orpheum Theater in downtown Minneapolis for an exciting night out on the town. We had tickets to see Kathy Griffin LIVE (she is my definitely my favorite comedian and did not disappoint).

It was a great night out on the town but as soon as I got home to our warm little house and flipped on MSNBC, got a glass of milk and some Oreos, and fell asleep in the living room...I realized that life doesn't get much better than right now.

pizza on the farm

Pizza on the farm Tuesday night was amazing! Out under the stars eating, drinking, and talking -- what more can you ask for?!

a little mouse

What are the chances?  

I was in the backyard playing with Judy when she suddenly stopped running back to me.  As I walked closer I could see Judy gently nudging the ground.  As I moved her away, I saw it -- laying on its side.  I thought it was dead but then I saw the gentle rise and fall of its chest.  With adrenaline and speed, and Judy chasing me, we ran inside to tell Jake.  

Jake!  Jake!  Jake!  

Outside again Jake and I leaned over the fence and watched its little chest rise up and down.

It's still alive.  What do we do?

Oh no, what is it doing?  Why are its legs stretching like that?  Is it dying?

Within a few seconds there was nothing.  No rise and fall of its chest.  No breath.  No beat.

It had died and we were there.

What happened?  Was it Judy's intense fetching speed?  Was it somehow stunned or injured? Or did it just find this spot in our yard to be its last?

It made me very sad to think about why this happened.  What are the chances that we were there the moment it died.  

I have never watched anyone or anything die.

I know it is just a little mouse but aren't we all connected?  

Aren't we all worried about who the next President is going to be?  

Aren't we all worried about the economy?

Aren't we all worried about the environment?

Well, maybe not the mouse...but aren't you?

Vote Obama.

I am.

two weeks

It is important to note that I have been officially unemployed for two weeks. Let me take this opportunity to share all the EXCITING things I have done ---



Hmmmm, let's see. Well, yeah, ummmmmm.

I have done NOTHING over the top exciting!

And it is still worth every nap mid-morning and maybe an extra one in the afternoon, hot topic on The View, Project Runway re-run, extra game of fetch with Judy, and random hug from Jake.

Now that is exciting!!!

rocky

Now that I am currently unemployed and have some free time on my hands I watched Rocky I, Rocky II, and Rocky III today.   

white wedding

For as long as I can remember I have been looking through these little white wedding albums, of my parents and of my aunts and uncles, every time I visited my grandparents -- I have probably looked through those old albums a thousand times.  

Tonight was no different.  As we were talking I asked my grandma how old she was when she got married.

Twenty, she says.  I say, Wow, you were so young!  We were considered old, she says, grandpa was twenty-two.  That's what you did back then, she says. You got married, bought a house, and had kids.  So did you work? I ask.  She says, I got married in June and quit my job in September. 

Hmmm, I just got married in June and quit my job in September, I say.

Oh shit, am I a housewife?

the box

I walk by the box everyday, sometimes even a half a dozen times, and every time I walk by the box I think the same thing --- Damn, that box is still there!

Damn straight it is!

The box. Out in the open for all to see. And there it remains. Everyday. Sometimes even half a dozen times. The box doesn't move. It really doesn't. The box is in its place. Why would it need to be anywhere else? It is there to remind us. Of something so important. So important that I don't know if you will get. Do you get it? The box isn't moving. Because it has nowhere to go.

I choose to go somewhere.
I choose to move forward.
I choose my choice!


Oh yeah and ALSO.

I have a blog.

And it is NOT password protected.

Because that is not the point.

and here is our first dance!

first dance from Anne Ingman on Vimeo.

pure joy

Does anyone remember two months and five days ago?

It was the most perfect June afternoon with just the right amount of a breeze. The clouds parted around our little flower farm and the sun shone bright. The peonies were in bloom and the grass was green. Everyone watched as my Dad and I fidgeting with my veil in the background. Ben hollered hooray when we kissed at the end. We all cried in happiness as we greeted you all. The place cards tied in the breeze and the flowers arranged in bottles and jars. The grandparents and parents wedding photos arranged so all could see. My Dads speech that made everyone laugh and our brothers toasts to us that made us so proud. Jake looking handsome in his perfectly tailored suit and I in the wedding dress I never knew I would wear. All our family and friends looked on as we danced our first dance. The bonfire and smores at the end as sparklers dazzled in the night...and when I walked back into the tent to say my goodbyes I set my camera down and took one final spin of pure joy.


Our wedding photos! Username - ingman; Password - 17802