4 weeks old already!

 This weekend we are busy at a FastCAT trial, but of course I made time for puppy gazing.  They are now 4 weeks old and I’m having so much fun with them!

Morgan

I love that she has her Mama Peyton’s markings.  And she is so playful!

Rory

Rory is equally playful, and just as pretty as her sister.  I don’t know which little one will be staying with us, as we seem to change our minds daily.  We love them both so much, but we are determined to keep only one, as Addi will hopefully be having puppies in a few months and we want to keep a smooth puppy.  It’s times like these that I miss my Uncle Fran, I would love to show him the puppies and ask his opinion.  I think he would love that we are continuing in his footsteps.  I wish he could read my stories printed in The Cassette magazine and here on the collie blog.  I know he would have enjoyed seeing me writing about his beloved collie breed.  And if he were still with us, maybe he would have wanted to take one of these two sisters, and we could keep them both in the family.  But that’s just wishful thinking, as he mainly had smooth collies in the end.  I’ve been thinking about all the past collies in our family, and how his decision to get his first collie impacted all our lives.  If he hadn’t decided on a collie so long ago, would I be looking at the sweet, little faces of our two puppies?  I’ll never be 100% certain, but I think I would have still fallen in love with the collie, just look at those faces!

A little bit of collie history…can be yours!

There have been quite a few magazines devoted to the collie, and sadly most of them are no longer in print.  Magazines like Collie Cues, Collie Review and Collie Expressions gave collie aficionados the chance to see pictures of collies from across the country.  They enabled collie owners and breeders to share their pride in the new titles their collies earned.  They also had articles that kept us entertained and educated about our beloved breed.

Unfortunately, the information age has greatly contributed to the demise of magazines and newspapers.  Everyone wants to read content daily, or even hourly, and are less willing to wait for a printed magazine to arrive in the mail.  This is a huge loss, as there is something very special about waiting, anticipating, the upcoming release date for that magazine or book.  I have very happy memories of attending midnight release parties at the local bookstore.  There was such excitement as we all waited to be handed that brand new, first edition of a favorite author’s newest release.

And I had the same feeling of excitement when the new Collie Expressions magazine was delivered, as we couldn’t wait to see the beautiful collie pictures, stories, and judging results from the collie specialties held around the country.  I still have favorite editions of the old collie magazines saved, so I can reread an article, or view some of the collies from the past.

Yes, that’s my Scarlett on the cover!

What many may not know, is that there is still a collie (and sheltie) magazine in print.  This charming little magazine, called The Cassette, has been around for at least 60 years!  They publish just four editions a year, in the Spring, Summer, Winter and Fall.  (The Spring edition will be mailed out soon.). I’ve had a subscription for a number of years now, and eagerly look forward to each printing.  The Cassette has even printed a few of my stories over the years, which has been such an honor to see my words in print!

If you are like me, and enjoy collecting collie (or sheltie) memorabilia and stories, then I highly recommend subscribing to this magazine.  We need to save the small, printed magazines, before they all disappear.  The nostalgia alone is worth the price of the subscription.  (And a subscription makes a very thoughtful gift!). If you do subscribe, please let us know, I really think you will enjoy it!