var switchTo5x=true;

Category Archives: animal pets

DeLand Florida, A Step Back and a Step Forward In Time, Part 1 of Two Chapters

Stepping out Friday nights at the Artisan Alley Farmers Market with Georgia, Barb and Teddy Roosevelt.
Pat & Toni’s Sweet Things! Talk about a treat to the eyes and tongue. Best candies we remember tasting, ever!!
Taste test offered-hard to ever forget!
Pat & Toni’s offeres everyone some of the sweetest tastes, anywhere!!
Breakfast at DeLeon Springs State Park at the Old Sugar Mill Pancake House and Fountain of Youth Boat Rides. Here, you cook your own pancakes, eggs and all the meat fixin’s you can want. This couple drove hours to enjoy the park and have breakfast there too! Sparkle Rex was our contact. She was terrific!! Go Floridastateparks.org to see all this park has to offer

American Press Travel News-Bob and Barb “On the Road Again.” June 14th-June 17th–We contacted our very favorite tourism specialist; Georgia Carter Turner to develope a visit itinerary to DeLand Florida, located in Volusia County. We rolled in to town on June 14th, and moved into a very comfortable apartment at True Trail Farms –[email protected] Mike and Kathy Densmore, the owners were very welcoming and we found they loved farm animals and they had a bunch of them. We were also greeted by the goats, turkeys and more chickens than Kentucky Fried could have handled. DeLand is a bit like old time Florida meeting up with the modernity of today! After settling in at True Tails Farms, we headed into town to the Half Wall (half the wall was covered by beer taps) for a delightful dinner. For dessert, we went next door to Davids Sweet Things. David was the most  affable and interesting man we encountered during our adventure to DeLand.

GO: VisitWestVolusia.com and see all the greatness that this area has to offer. (end of part 1 of our DeLand Adventure, see part two shortly)

Found my Dog, Adopt A Rescue Dog, God Says So!

American Press Travel News-June 7th-TN–Well, Barb and I said that since Terry passed five years ago: “If a dog finds us, thats when we would have found our dog.” So, Teddy found us. He is our new son now! What is his breed: He is a Maltese, Bolognese Bichon mix. But, whatever he is called, he is a fabulous 7-pounds of personality, love and action.  Teddy (after Teddy Roosevelt) really is a hunter at heart. No squirrel goes untreed, no deer not jumping the fence to get away from little/big Teddy, a terror to Chipmunks and our raider crows cleaning out the seeds at the songbird feeders are immune from the speedy dash of a dog who really doesnt know his true size {7-pounds acting liker 150-Mountain Bernese) as his pell mell dash and raucous bark scares all in his path. Today, a few million Americans buy or rent RV’s so they can take their pets with them on vacations. Although, several national motels and hotels recognize the value of allowing travelers to bring their pets, when checking in to their rooms. Its just good business! A pet owner is usually a much happier, even healthier than a non pet owner. Lots of smiles, extra exercise and general joy de vivre can add extra life to pet owners. Also, a dog has senses that are far and away more powerful and sensitive to danger, than a human. A barking dog helps deter ner-do-well’s from your property and your door. My previous dog, Terry saved my life when sensing a giant tree was about to fall and literally pulled me away from where the huge tree crashed to earth. Terry was a litter-runt, throw-away. We got him at a shelter that would have done him in. Instead we had a loving, wonderful companion. We had 14 great years, before his kidneys gave out. Terry was buried with a hand-carved, stone marker on our ranch. Teddy can never take his place. So we have started a new chapter with this little dog. I’ve been smiling alot, again! Adopt go: FOCCAS— Focus On Cumberland County Animal Safety. Great dedicated people who truly love and want to assist all pets who need another home with love!!!

Read more..

Memorial Day 2021-No Good Excuse for “Happy.”

American Press Travel News–Bob and Barb “On The Road Again”-this time at our TN. Ranch. We made it through Atlanta from Florida, with just minor slow-ups on I-75, and got home to our “Goose Holler” Farm and Ranch last week. With virtually zero help, I (Bob) have to go it alone in late spring cleanup.  If I could get a Nickle-a-leaf, I would be a billionaire. So I rolled up my sleeves, grabbed the rake, the tarp and proceeded to slide mountains of leaves away from our buildings. I rake onto a ground-laid-out tarp, clip a little lock-jaw pliers onto the tarp and drive my golf cart to my designated leaf burial ground. I actually love the leaves as they force me to get a copious amount of exercise each spring, help me drop two notches on my belt and for ce me to eat a balanced, nourishing diet to assist in keeping up my strength and muscle tone. Our pond too, needs some TLC. Since the very unwise release of Otters in a wildlife area not far from our farm, these otters cleaned out the park ponds and streams and then headed south, passing through our pond areas, and I lost my koi, my giant catfish and big bass. Well, the koi kept the weeds down, so now the weeds are up, the bass kept the sunfish population regulated, so now we have a ton of sunnies, and the catfish ate everything along the bottom, keeping the pond clean of dead stuff and detritus. (More later)

One of my many dozens fly fishing classes. This one in Wyoming. My classes are for up to 25 at a time! NOW TAKING RESERVATIONS FOR CLASSES AT OUR POND SINGLE OR GROUPS—CALL 772-812-0933
Dinners at Newman’s will spoil you!

Birds Balance the Joy & Comfort of Any Home!

American Press Travel News–June 13th, 2020–Bob and Barb, Goose Holler’ Farm and Ranch, TN. “Stopping to Smell the Roses, and Watch the Birds”–No need for bug killing equipment, sprays and poisons.  Let the birds do it! I purchased a large bag of seed. I always  a feeder full. This has led to constant bird traffic. Bugs 0, Bob N Barb Epstein +++++–very happy, and quite protected by our Avian friends. Bonus: watching the colorful flyers jostle and show their personalities right in front of our windows. My barn has swallows that do very well swallowing, and bring bug-bites to their chicks. Our Bluebirds kamikzi all over our pond, and lower field, on all manner of buggies.

Concept here is balance. If you take the effort to consider symbiosis, and help nature in its auto-quest for balance, you can live a much more fruitful and happy life outside, and of course, inside your home.