Easter 2016: Old Mill Stream Campground, Lancaster, PA

This year’s Easter camping trip was at Old Mill Stream Campground in Lancaster, PA.  We had a great view, and a wonderful weekend with friends!

Our campsite (Site 125):

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View from our campsite:

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This campground is located at Dutch Wonderland and offers discounted tickets for the amusement park.  The amusement park was closed during our Easter visit.

Old Mill Stream is also very close to many area attractions and shopping in Lancaster, PA. For those who would rather stay-put in the campground, there are lots of amenities such as:

  • Two Laundromats
  • Country Store – selling a limited selection of groceries, sundries and camping supplies including ice, wood and propane.
  • Two dump stations
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Game Room
  • Playground
  • Half-Court Basketball
  • Horseshoes
  • GaGa Ball Pit

Unfortunately, Rita had to stay with a friend for this trip since she had just gone into heat, and Hooch is still intact.  However, we still made sure the Easter Bunny took care of Rita in our absence!

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The Easter Bunny always leaves great treats for the pups in the camper:

Every Easter camping trip, we let the pups have an Easter egg hunt in the camper:

The Pups finding their Easter Baskets:

The pups on Easter Morning:

(Hooch, Limoncello, Lager)

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When we were able to pick up Rita, we gave her the rest of her Easter Bunny goodies:unnamed

Happy Easter 2016!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day 2016

This St. Patrick’s Day is special for a couple of reasons – It’s Lager’s first, and also our foster-pup Penelope’s first St. Patty’s Day celebration!

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“May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow, and may trouble avoid you wherever you go.”

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           ~ Irish Blessing

Erin Go Bark!

New Jersey Vietnam War Dog Memorial; K9 Veterans Day

March 13 is K9 Veterans’ Day. Today, on National K9 Veterans’ Day , we remember and honor all military and working dogs, both past and present. We would like to thank all the courageous K9 soldiers for their service, and the sacrifices they have made for our nation. We are honored to have a K9 veteran as a family member, and thank SOC for blessing us with Lager (war zone name, Nayt) as a family member. Lager served 18 months in Iraq as an Explosives Detection Canine. In honor of Lager’s service, and all K9 veteran heroes, we took him to visit and pay our respects to the War Dog Memorial, located in Holmdel, NJ, guarding the gateway of the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans Memorial . If you know a K9 veteran, be sure to shake their paw and thank them today!

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Penelope, The English Pointer

The rescue we volunteer for, GSP Rescue of NJ, covers all of New Jersey, parts of New York, and assist other recognized out-of-state GSP rescues in urgent situations. In addition to rehoming GSPs, they also work with owners to help them with any issues they may have with them.  In emergency situations, the rescue will also reach out to help English Pointers.

GSP Rescue of NJ offered to help a female English Pointer, known as Penelope.  Although the rescue was willing to help this poor girl who was found as a stray, our foster homes were full, and there was no one available to foster her.  This meant that Penelope could find herself in a shelter.  Although we do not usually foster, we decided that we just couldn’t let this skinny pretty girl end up in a shelter. On March 3, 2016, we committed to fostering Penelope so that she could begin her road to recovery.

She was transported to the rescue’s vet, and was examined.  Penelope was emaciated, appeared to have had many litters, had a lump on her neck, and severely damaged and rotted teeth.  She also had a cut on her tail and her belly.  While at the vet, she was supposed to have dental work done, and also be spayed.  The dental work took so long, that not all needed teeth could be pulled, and the spay could not be performed due to the length of time she was under anesthesia.  She had a total of 6 teeth pulled.  The vet set her up with a future appointment for continuation of dental, her spay, and removal and biopsy of the lump on her neck.

Another rescue volunteer, Mandy, was nice enough to pick Penelope up from the vet and meet me half way to cut down on my 2 hour drive-time.

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Penelope was a great passenger, and rested calmly for her ride to our home.

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Once home, we introduced her to each of our fur-kids individually on lead by meeting out on the street and taking a short walk together.  After the initial greetings were over, we gave her some time to explore the yard on her own before we settled her down in a crate.

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In just the first night and day that we spent with Penelope, we got her to sit for a treat, and sit-stay for a picture.  She does not appear to know basic commands, but is very food-driven and eager to please.  She did wonderfully in her crate, ate well, and slept soundly.

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We introduced her to our cat, Loki, and she seemed to be just fine with him.

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We also introduced her to fellow rescue friends Jen and Grace’s male English Pointer (Penelope LOVED him!) as well as our friends’ two GSP puppies.  She did amazing with all the dogs, and had a very fun-filled, exhausting day!

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We will be fostering Penelope until she has her vetting complete, and can be adopted.

Click HERE to view a public photo album of Penelope!

 

Update!  Penelope has been adopted – by US!  Meet Señorita Margarita!