October 2, 2007 – Clear, cool, dry. Had to take some concrete samples to Saratoga for Anthony, for a nice couple that hopefully will order one for their kitchen. Begin writing next book. Stopped to see the framing for Mary Kellogg’s poetry for Art Harvest. Also had to get puppy supplies at the mall – a small carrying crate (I have others), some rawhide chews and toys, some wipes puppy chow. My training method for Lab puppies – in the crate at night for eight months, shower the floor with things for them to chew, so that they don’t chew your things, wait a few months to begin obedience training, begin positive reinforcement training immediately – that is, verbally mark the behaviors that you like or want to note, like sitting, staying, lying down. Lenore will be living with a bunch of border collies, and she will try to run with them, and if I let her, she will hurt her much heavier, stockier feet and joints. So I have to train her apart from them find activities appropriate for her – ball chasing, etc. No sheepherding or ATV running. She will eat in her crate, then go out right after eating, hopefully do her business and get rewarded. My average housebreaking period is a week, but she is young and might take more time. I plan to post daily on her training here in the Farm Journal. A LOT of people liked the pictures of her below, so here, gratuituously, is another. She is coming in a week or so.