We started out as "Wildflower Fields" with a Doberman Pinscher and 5 ADGA registered dairy goats. We opened
our home dairy and kennel in 1982 at about the same time in Fredericksburg, VA. We acquired a show quality
Doberman Pinscher dam that we named "Pepper". We got her for free from a newspaper add. She had been
hit by a car after stealing a ham from the mess hall on the Quantico Marine base. She proved to be marvelous
around our five children, always displaying a calm attitude, friendly and yet very protective. We enjoyed
assisting her, in honor, with nearly twenty puppies throughout her 12 years as our close friend, family
and goat herd protector.
We sold all the dairy goats after Lindy had several operations and was at that time unable to continue
to milk the herd twice per day and keep up with the herd maintenance and chores.
Years later after we sold Pepper’s last puppies and she died we were without a family pet for a
while. When all our children were grown and on their own, we found ourselves growing a little bored and
lonely. Our silent "empty nest" took some time to get use to. All the fun and frolic of children and animals
were now just quiet loving memories.
On a visit to the Midwest to see our first grandson, we stayed at a friends home who was watching after
another friend's Chihuahua while they were traveling. Until that time we had never considered such a small
dog as being a useful pet. All of our experiences were with large breed dogs. After two days of visiting
and seeing this female Chihuahua named Gigit play and react to different events, we reconsidered and had
a change of mind set concerning this breed.
About six months later we decided to select a female Chihuahua puppy. She was so playful and demanded our attention
so much it was hard to tell her no. So about a year later we looked for a playmate
(also with stud in mind) for our newly acquired chihuahua female, "Samantha" aka Sam. We found a Chi breeder
only a few miles from our home. We bartered for “Belshazzar” aka Bell when the breeder found out we operated
a furniture restoration business The Masters Touch.
Since then Sam and Bell as they are known, have been quite companionable and have gradually learned about
25 tricks and commands including a very cute "praise the Lord" for treats and a series of "roll overs" and
"find the treat game", that has us and visiting friends laughing and playing. Bell on his own would "sit pretty"
to beg for a treat. Our home was once again filled with the sounds of life and excitement. We decided to start up our
kennel operation again trading as "Happy Trail Chihuahuas"
and had decided on the Chihuahua as our only breed.
When retirement was approaching we decided to relocate in the Midwest. Some of our children and grandchildren
were there and we had many Christian friends there also. Land was also much less expensive. It took four years
to find what we wanted, more land (we only had one acre in Virginia) with trees as well as open fields.
Living in Oklahoma has been a learning experience. The wind, the heat, the soil, the predators and limited
rainfall is vastly different than beautiful Virginia. It took almost four years to build our home. We would
make 1-3 trips per year from Fredericksburg to Luther. Sometimes we would stay a few weeks other times several
months. We worked the land also during this time. It was bare, raw and undeveloped. We cut in a road, opened and
leveled a pad for a house/shop and started fencing. The ticks and chiggers are much worse here in Oklahoma.
Why did God create chiggers?
We have acquired and reared many new animals and have built shelters for them. We are expanding the garden each year.
Clearing land, planting fruit trees, grapes and roses. We have installed running water and electric lines all over the
place. Fencing and crossing fencing many paddocks. There is still barns and a pond to build. Who would have thought
retirement would be so much hard work. Yes, we bought a cab tractor with lots of implements and a Polaris Ranger to
help with the bigger jobs around our new farm life.
We enjoy meeting and sharing with new like minded folks and our brothers and sisters in Christ. If you would like
to come for a visit, thats great, we would love to meet you, but please do call us first so we can put up the LGDs.