Frida’s 10th Birthday

Yesterday was Frida’s birthday. It is hard to believe that she is already 10 years old. She was from Aoife’s second litter of puppies - with her sister Georgie and brother Frankie who have also been celebrating their birthday with their families. We usually take Frida to the gardens at Harewood House but this year we went to Lotherton Hall gardens for a change of scene with Frida’s mum, Aoife, coming along for a stroll through the woodland too. 

Frida had a great time, on and off lead, and found plenty of rabbit droppings on the way! 

Posing ❤️

In the woods

With Aoife, by the giant gingerbread people 

Posing on the muddy seat 

It had a tall wooden sculpture in the middle

In the Fairy Dell

The little fairy village

Frida and Aoife in the pink fairy lights

Frida at 10 years old ❤️🎂🐵

Christmas in the mist

 

It has been a very cold and foggy Christmas here and the garden is so damp and muddy that the dogs are not keen on going out at all but on Boxing Day we had a trip out to Poochie Park with Aoife who likes to accompany us everywhere. Her two great granddaughters, Fíadh and Astrid, came along too and they all had a run around and explore between the trees and on the hay bales. 

Astrid stepping carefully through the wet grass

Fíadh going carefully too

Catkins

Aoife was well wrapped up 

Having a race through the mist

Aoife exploring the hay bales…. 

…..and going through the tunnel

Fíadh climbing up to see across the fields 

And wondering if she could climb on the table 

Maybe not..

Astrid was more interested in checking out new scents

Time to go back to the warm house

A Chilly Time at the Dog Field

 Yesterday was the first day in a while that we could go out without getting wet and the dogs were very happy to have a run around at the dog field and stretch their legs after days spent mostly indoors.

Setting off at a run

Aoife wrapped up and enjoying a run too

Danny ❤️

Phoebe laying claim to a large molehill

Theodora found another molehill but Vita was more interested in running! 

Trilby still very fit at 12 years old 

Vita ❤️

Archie ❤️

Checking the boundary fence 

One last chase before going back home. 

The Christmas Trees

Christmas is coming and last week it was time to bring home a Christmas tree to decorate for the front room. Aoife came along to the farm shop to choose a good tree and supervised the wrapping to bring it home in the car.

Having a look at the trees 

Supervising the wrapping 

The tree being wrapped for the journey home.

Aoife was keen to get home out of the cold and wet! 

Travelling back in the car 

The Christmas tree decorated in the front room 

One of the little schnauzer decorations 

A pretty bauble 

One of the affenpinscher decorations 

This is our other tree in the conservatory 

Moth is looking forward to Christmas treats. She is one of the few dogs wanting to go out just now as the weather is so chilly and wet. Hopefully it will dry up soon and we will see the sun again before Christmas! 

 

Aoife’s Days Out

Aoife is our eldest dog and the matriarch of our little Darksprite pack. She will be 14 years old in February 2025 and her health is not as good as it once was. When her affenpinscher companion, Crybbe, passed away in 2022 she was quite bereft and became a bit withdrawn but she has recovered much of her spirit and, despite a heart murmur and stiffness in her joints, Aoife still wants to join us on outings or to the dog field with the young ones. 

She has managed fine without pharmaceutical intervention for over two years now since her heart murmur was diagnosed and she has natural supplements added to her raw food diet to support her heart and joints and also her eye health. Aoife used to sleep on the bed with some of the other little ones but, since she has become older, she prefers her own space and has a warm bed to herself in a room of her own at night. 

Aoife will often have a stroll in the village with one of us but she prefers a ‘proper’ outing really away from our home turf. Sometimes we take her out on her own to a local cafe which is always a favourite as Aoife attracts attention from staff and customers as well as the opportunity for snacks! She does also go with us when we have a walk at one of the dog friendly attractions locally but we have to keep outings fairly short especially in winter as Aoife tires more quickly now and it has become very cold here in Yorkshire. Here are a few photos of Aoife on her recent days out. 

At the dog field 

Enjoying the sunshine 

Watching the young ones at play

Showing that she can still run when she wants to ❤️

The Christmas café

Aoife in her snug bed under the café table

Hoping for a titbit

Getting a smidgen of bacon 

Snoozing on the car journey home. 

Aoife with her great granddaughters, Fíadh and Astrid 

Aoife at Lotherton Hall Gardens

Fíadh and Aoife exploring the Christmas experience 

Aoife ❤️

Posing by the Christmas tree 

Falling asleep on the back seat of the car ❤️