Applegate Reptiles Yearly Greeting Card
Another year has gone by! Man they are going fast these days! Well, where to begin? 2005 included several reptile show/exhibitions. We are one of very few that have attended all of the IRBA shows on the West Coast, and intend to do so again this year. We have a link on our site to IRBA, come join us at one or more if you can. Also, we attended two Radical Reptile events (Kevin does a good job with these) and the Anaheim NARBC event, which was very pleasant and well done as well. Of course Wayne Hill still has the biggest Exposition in the World in Daytona Beach, Florida, and no hurricanes this year! We were honored to receive the " World Class Reptile Breeder" award this year. Ben Greishaw does fabulous wood carvings and his carving and this award proudly sit on our fire place mantle treasured as is fitting for such an honor. Here is a picture of it with the snake he used as a model on top of it!
We managed to get a few "house projects" completed. Our "white trash" mouse shed has a new roof more fitting of its importance, and we finally have the patio cover up by the pool completed. Our revolving door policy for visitors had many from many lands visiting us this year. We also had several slide shows for select local guests followed by libations and good times for all.
As far as production in the animal department, we had a fair year. As always there are always higher expectations than results with notable failures included. This was the first year in many that we did not produce a single beaded lizard, but we produced a few gilas. Our spotted Mexican Milks failed us, but we produced several real nice striped sinaloans and one hypo Durango Mountain King. But the extra special event, after 8-9 years of working towards this, we produced a striped albino sinaloan. She is doing well, but we don't have a striped albino male, so we probably have another generation to go through before we will be marketing any.
We are still alive, doing well, I am still playing softball and working out. You are more than welcome to visit our facilities if in the area (Southern Calif, East of San Diego), but call first as this is our private home, not an open business site.
I have been asked, and am writing a new book on Kingsnakes and Milksnakes for Bob and Sheri Ashley, ECO Herpetological Publishing, the Professional Breeder Series and have a big surprise/revelation in it. Be sure to watch for it, should be out in the Summer of 2006 and I should have some at both the Chicago and Anaheim NARBC events. I should also be at the Houston, TX event Sept 8-9, come by and say hello.
I will make room for Marilee here, thanks again for all, and since we don't send out cards, Happy and Merry all appropriate Holidays, but especially Merry Christmas, if that offends you, you are not taking it in the spirit it is given and we wouldn't get along anyway, so don't bother to call!
Today is Easter Sunday, 2006...time has jumped a few years...the last greeting section was done in 2003...I think it is time to update!
Our oldest grandchild/granddaughter is driver permit age(15), her sister will be a teenager in a couple months, and their little brother is already 6 and in kindergarten! The other two grandsons, will be 9 and 5 next month, and the five year old just signed up for kindergarten in September...no more babies...boo-hoo! We are blessed though...all are healthy and still like to spend time with us!
Next month, for Mother's Day, I am traveling to Oregon and Texas to visit all.
My project for this summer is planning a "grandma taking all five grandchildren to Disneyland vacation." ...grandpa agrees..."grandma taking all five."
It's hard to believe that snake season has arrived again...seems like we just turned off the heat to hibernate them. But that means springtime is here, and that means for me...garden time. With a couple days of rain this week the ground is prime for weeding and tilling. I have tomato starts keeping warm in the kitchen window. Our nighttime temp can still drop below freezing, so I usually wait until mid-May to plant outdoors. The poppies I planted from seed are just breaking the soil, my lilacs are in the process of blooming, while the daffodils and tulips are on their way out.
May the springtime bring you a little sunshine to your life.
Marilee
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