Ted Hoff of Cottonwood Ranch and Kennel showed TIO the results of his early training with Mai, his year-old Labrador Retriever female. A word of caution: watching the following video may cause you to run out and acquire a Lab. If you succumb to this urge,...
September 17 to 24, 2009
Visible Planets: Morning: Venus and Mars Evening: Jupiter
The September 18th Virgo New Moon closes the door on our summer lunation cycle and opens the door to the Moons of Autumn. Colder nights and crisp mornings awaken us to the glorious season of brilliant yellow cottonwood, golden aspen and crimson oak. Spring’s verdant green fields are tinted with blonde and streaks of platinum, ash and auburn dance in the swaying grass. Coyotes howl and bears prowl, it’s time to gather food and collect wood for winter.
I love this time of year. In Telluride, it’s Blues and Brews. In Delta, it’s the Ute PowWow. In Taos, it’s San Geronimo Day, and in Santa Fe, it’s Indian Market. On planet Earth, it’s the time of Autumn Equinox, when we reach a cosmic state of equilibrium, balance and harmony. Day and night are of equal length, the Sun is above the horizon in 12 hours of light and below the horiozon in12 hours of darkness. This year Autumn begins on September 22nd @ 3:19 pm MDT. May we experience the grace of peace and blessing of balance as we entrain with the cosmos and welcome this very special day and season of Harvest. God bless.
Over this Labor Day weekend, Telluride celebrates the 36th annual Telluride Film Festival. This week's post from Telluride Inside and Out's dog expert Ted Hoff of Cottonwood Ranch and Kennel, concerns a dog whose breed has star power. From the hero of "Please Don't Eat the Daisies," Disney's "The Shaggy Dog" and Nurse Nana of "Peter Pan" Old English Sheepdogs have stolen the hearts of millions of young cinephiles, captivated by these huge Steiff toys come to life. When the breed first crossed the pond, it went straight to the top, entering aristocratic families such as the Goulds, Guggenheims, Morgans, and Vanderbilts. The Old English held their place at the top of the food chain until the late 1950s, when a champion named Fezziwig Ceiling Zero became Top Dog in the show world and everyone wanted Nana. The breed's popularity peaked in the 1970s, when an average of 15,000 Old English Sheepdogs were registered each year with the AKC. However, as besotted owners soon realized: Old English are high maintenance.
September 3 to 10, 2009
Visible Planets: Morning: Venus and Mars Evening: Mercury and Jupiter
The Virgo/Pisces axis of the September 4th Full Moon illuminates the polarity between what we dream about and what we do. Hopes, dreams and visions, fantasy and imagination are all subjects in the Pisces kingdom. And across the deep, shining sea lies the land of Virgo – terra firma upon which the workers work to build the dream and manifest the vision, one day and one step at a time.
Pisces listens to celestial music, floats on clouds and swims in oceans of emotion while Virgo hears the hustle and bustle of progress, critiques the process and improves the product. Virgo is the sign of analysis and logic; Pisces is the sign of intuition and mysticism. Virgo corresponds to physical embodiment; Pisces relates to spiritual transcendence.
Throughout the Virgo zodiac month, we are called upon to focus, simplify and consolidate. We are asked to discern and sacrifice, take responsibility, cut the fluff and eliminate excess. It’s all about cleanliness and organization, self-esteem and self-improvement, good deeds and nutritious diets. Health is wealth. It’s a time to show up and get the proverbial job done.
[click "Play" for Ted's experience with Molly] On Monday, August 31, Telluride's Wilkinson Public Library is hosting an all-day pet rescue event. At noon, Second Chance Humane Society arrives in town with its Pet Mobile. Its passengers: adorable animals in need of a family to...
Telluride Inside... and Out's Top Dog, Ted Hoff of Cottonwood Ranch and Kennel, is not above telling tales on himself. The story of Cabela is an example.Cabela, a family pet, is a German Shorthaired Pointer, named after the company, a favorite in the Hoff family, known for its quality hunting, fishing and camping gear.
August 20 to 27, 2009
Visible Planets: Morning: Venus and Mars Evening: Jupiter and Saturn
The 27º 31’ Leo New Moon @ 4:02 pm on Aug. 20th is the first lunation in quite a while that is not an eclipse. Can you feel the less stressful energy, the lessening intensity of this New Moon? Can you finally take a deep breath and know in your heart that something is “over” and you’re on the flip side of trauma and drama, headed toward health and healing?
That said, this lunation is still one of great strength and force as it is the fourth of five “supermoons” this year – which is when the Moon is at perigee (its closest approach to the Earth) and syzygy (a New or Full phase) – and gravitational pulls on tides, tectonic plates and physical bodies reach record highs.
Telluride Inside... and Out's dog whisperer, Ted Hoff of Cottonwood Ranch and Kennel, Crawford, Colorado, continues with his lessons about training retrievers, Labs and Goldens. Working our way through the glossary of retriever training terms, we begin with concepts such as "Amish training, " the art of training a dog without the use of an electric collar on to "cast," giving a dog a specific direction through the use of body movements and finally on to the lesson of the day, "D" is for "double retrieve."
August 13 to 20, 2009
Visible Planets: Morning: Venus and Mars Evening: Mercury, Jupiter and Saturn
We passed the cross-quarter mark of 15º Leo on August 8th and reaching the point of mid-summer. The sizzling season of hot and heat is on the wane. The first yellow leaves of coming autumn are starting to appear and the rush of school is in the wind. Peaches, tomatoes and apricots fill Farmers' Market baskets and we notice a crisper coolness in the nighttime air.
The last week of Leo brings memories of love and romance – it’s all about the heart – candles flicker and cakes are cut in a sentimental dénouement to the Lion’s annual birthday month.
The Moon also wanes this week as we prepare for the upcoming late degree Leo New Moon on Aug. 22nd. The night skies are filled with sparkling diamonds, the Perseid meteors fall and we breathe deep.
Happy Birthday to the Roadhawg. May your next decade be filled with the peace, love, joy and happiness you deserve. Mighty fine…
