Hope you like picture stories :)

The temperature outside is screaming that it is spring... therefore I must get on this and update the universe on what is going on in the world of Big Dave. When we last talked it was after the Christmas Holidays and now Easter is gone and my dear ol Brothers Birthday was yesterday! Happy Birthday Bro! This post is for you! :) Miss ya man.

 To start things off, here is the link to Youtube to the Auto Connection commercial I had the privilege on helping out on. I have to say, I think our commercial WAS one of the best ones during the Superbowl and I was stoked and got a few text messages when it first came on TV! Without further ado....

 <iframe width="853" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/8oSOcGj2luo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I don't think it is letting me embed it today... Ill try again soon... but here is a direct link... I promise it's not spam!

With Spring here I wanted to turn this blog into more of a growers journal from my ridiculously small veggie garden in my backyard. I am challenging myself to see how much I can cram into a small area, while still leaving places for the dog to do her business and have some places for entertaining/grilling also... so we shall see what blossoms and fruits from the garden.  Speaking about cramming things in small places, check out this project I did while bored durring the colder days of the winter! (Time to read Picture captions!!!)

You know me, always taking a picture half way through a project! But this is a new planter box that I am making to go behind my AC units in my back yard... trying to utilize every space! :)

The four posts were saw-off scraps from the fence post's Farmer and I created for the commercial... you can see the white wash we used to paint them white!

As usual I fast forward to the finished product all assembled and nestled behind my AC units!

I got some lettuce variety, some mustard greens and some broccoli to cram into this box!

Finished box, with two shelves. Dirt is in.. but still a little too cold to plant... days away!

All planted in, fit 2 mustard's, four lettuces, 3 broccoli's, and then a 1 foot long seed strip of carrot and a 1 foot long seed strip of lettuce up front

About a week later... look!! My lettuce is starting to pop out!

More close up of my new little tiny lettuce buddies coming out of the soil!

The other half of the garden. I put green bean seeds around the edges of the round tub, and threw two corn seeds in the middle to see if I could get the beans to grow up the corn stalks and the wire cage I have for it! We shall see.

Just this morning, I walked out and saw this beauty of a bean sprout!

And since I started writing this post... I had another pop out! I have two beans coming up already! Wahhoo!

A few months ago, my Grandma got really sick and I went down to Florida to be with her and Grandpa for a bit. She is feeling much better now! While I was down there though, I did a little driving around.

Found a bunch of tomato plants while I was there... since we drove, I picked up a few... 4 regular basic tomato's, 1 patio variety, and 1 cherry! I hope they are going to do well!

After growing the tomato's indoors for a few months I started getting a few ripe ones... and I might add, I think I might have had the first tomato of 2013 in Virginia Beach! (maybe) and it was good.

While down in Florida I stopped by the Natural Florida Orange Juice Welcome center and spied my favorite flower, "Bird of Paradise"

I would love to see my backyard look like this... Birds of paradise flowers everywhere and fruit trees in the background! Can't go wrong with that!

 Alright.... now its time for Poochy pictures and adventures! Cheyenne doing what Cheyenne does best.. being my best friend and most adorable, awesome companion... she even inspired me this year to do something different... Ill tell ya about that after her section!

Giving me a kiss. (ok I had a treat in my lips... a givetreatlove treat!)

One of Cheyennes many new friends. But my buddy Chris got a doggy, meet Lucy!

I love it when she smiles

"Give me a treat!"

On the first day of spring! We had to go outside and play allll day long!

Patriotic Poochy

"Four Score and seven years ago..." No seriously, I would Vote for Cheyenne, at least my dog has Common Sense

And she still loves fetch!

Lucy is so darn ugly, she is cute again... its like a ugly circle, starts of ugly, but somehow is cute. Weird I know.

Almost $300 later! She split her nail up the middle! HOW?! I dunno, but man, that and her updated shots and stuff about broke my bank!

OK, so what did Cheyenne inspire me to do?... Well, we all know you can't massage forever, most massage therapists only last five years on average before "retiring" either due to injury, or whatever their circumstance is. This October I reach my 5 years as a massage therapist, and I am still going strong. However, I do feel it in my hands and shoulders and know if I continue doing deep tissue massage eventually I will probably get a repetitive stress injury and I can't have that... I do EVERYTHING in my life with my hands. Currently, my hands are my career, I play guitar regularly, I love to garden, I love to build, I want to farm and raise livestock... hey guess what... all these things include the use of my arms and hands.

So where does Cheyenne fit into this... well, I was sitting there one night thinking about future career options and one thing I wanted from the get-go was a career that can involve my dog.  I noticed how my dog is a heavy dog and thought, maybe I could make homemade dog food, it would benefit my dog, and also I could make some money on the side selling it to friends and see if it grew. I started to get really interested in it, then I looked at the industry and the regulations. WOW... it is easier to make and sell human food than it is for dog food when it comes to permit and regulations. While talking to some of my friends about it and the craziness of the regulations of the pet industry, somehow we got on the topic of making dog treats instead. Dog treats it turns out are still heavily regulated, but seemed possible to follow. Then we were tasked with how to make our treat different than the millions of different dog treats available on the market today. 2 months of table talk later... GiveTreatLove was born!

yeah, I know, cool logo... cool tag line... cool company... I'm just cool dude.

Little preview of what the Pumpkin-Apple Treat looks like

A look at our table from our very first event at Old Beach Farmers Market!

GiveTreatLove, Give your Dog a Treat, Love a Dog in Need. I came up with the name as a clever spinoff from Eat Pray Love.. I wont lie, it's catchy.. and it has meaning! My company makes home baked Organic meat and dairy free Dog Treats. And for every five bags of dog treats we sell, we donate 1 bag to a local animal rescue! So all our furry friends that don't have forever homes yet get delicious treats too! My company is all about giving back and also I am trying to make it as green as possible. Our product bags are recycled, even the plastic window is a PLA corn based polymer that breaks down in a compost bin in a matter of weeks! All of our marketing is online and when we do use paper, it is recycled. Even our shipping boxes come from 40% recycled products and are again recyclable!

Check us out on Facebook.. just search Give Treat Love and we pop right up!

Check us out on the Web to at www.GiveTreatLove.com

Every day I wake up and my world revolves around the pet industry now and that is awesome, Cheyenne is the main mascot for Givetreatlove and I plan on having all my friends dogs become a mascot for the different flavors of treats we will have eventually. We will be at everyone of the Old Beach Farmers Markets in Croc's parking lot at the beach this summer, and will also be at Y-Not Wednesday farmers market at Town Center of Virginia Beach, our treat is being put into a few different local business's too so who knows! It might really take off! We have had 2 events so far and they have been true success's so I can't wait to see what the next year brings!

Speaking about whats coming up. I am leaving May 15th - June 2nd to go to Israel with my Dad to help uncover the ancient Iron 1 period city/forte of AI... don't know AI?!?! What? Lick up Joshua chapters 7-8 in the bible and it will tell you all about it! Basically it is the second city Joshua defeated after bringing the Walls of Jericho down! Crazy cool, and I am excited to become and official OVERSEAS archaeologist (since I was one a long time ago at "Sun Watch" in Ohio). Anyway many many pictures from that trip I sure will be put on here when I get back.

So, yeah, to recap- I am still here in Virginia Beach, been truly crazy busy starting up a new business, got sunburned yesterday from the first "real" day of spring. I am excited to see what 2013 brings, in my business, my plants and veggies,  my archaeology trip to Israel, my ladies, and in my personal life! Ill try to keep ya posted! Got the hard one out of the way, now just gotta keep it updated.. and the plants growing will help me stay motivated on this thing!

Brother!! Hope you had a good Birthday, we all miss and love you!

Happy New Year!

Well, its been a while since I have updated this thing, but now is better than never.

Christmas Day at the Homestead in Arkansas... look at the snow on my Chicken Coop... I wore Shorts Christmas Morning here in Va.

Over the Holidays, our family had a very special box get delivered from my Brother whom I haven't heard anything from since February of last year. In the box were some nice gifts and an extremely long letter explaining himself and what he has been up to for the past um-teen months.

Sporting my New Humboldt County Hoody from Drew! Thanks BRO!

This was unexpected and truly needed. We were all getting bummed out and worried that we still hadn't heard anything from Drew for some while and with the holidays at hand we were feeling the loss of the presence of Drew that much more. Then, on Christmas Eve, the package came in!

Drew has been places! He has been to Slab City and Salvation Mountain. He has met and hung out with some of the most famous residence of Slab City. Unfortunately he never got to meet Leonard the creator of Salvation Mountain as he was in a home for Dementia. He befriended a Rattle Snake that lived near his tent in the Slab for about a month... truly a "rock on" moment of my brother :), he had pics to prove it too. Now and Days he lives in the famed Humboldt County, California.... still don't know where exactly, but at least we have a county of where he is living these days and the PROMISE he will keep in touch more often and write more.... I'm holding him to that. Again, it was a huge sigh of relief that my brother is doing better, and I appreciate all thoughts and prayers that have come our way in the light of Drew's abrupt departure from the East Coast. And since I have learned that my Bro reads this blog from time to time, I just might have to be on here a bit more often now. And Drew.... NEVER EVER cut that beard... it looks awesome!

As for me.................... Well, since I have been back home in Virginia, I have kept an extremely low profile and have literally waited till 2013 to settle on a "whats next" in the life of Dave. And to be honest, I still haven't settled down on anything yet. My brain hurts though, because I am in my head preparing for a ton of different things all at once for my future. For instance... my Dad wants me to come on his next Israel Archaeology Dig at the lost city of Ai in May, that sounds exciting and like a fantastic opportunity Also, still looking with a potential client on some land maybe more of a local flair that I can work and still maintain the massage clientele so I don't go broke doing my garden passion. While doing that, I am still in the middle of starting up an Organic Home made Dog treat line that will also benefit shelter animals when you make a purchase. While those three things are going on, I have to take just a few more Continuing education courses to keep my license good for another 4 years in the Massage World by February.  One problem for me is the paperwork involved in all of these upcoming projects of mine in the near future, and have come o the conclusion that I hold myself back when it comes to the technical legal bull crap that is associated with a business and really need someone who is good at that stuff so I can focus on the rest of the running of things and client interaction and whatnot... I love working, I just have the 1776 mentality that I should be able to do something and not worry about regulations, permits, zoning, and political BS that makes me want to just fold my hand and work for someone that already has worked out the red tape of the business. Its a wonder why Entrepreneurship is at a all time low in this country.  And I'm not saying I'm not in favor of regulations and whatnot, as I don't want inferior products made with Asbestos or anything... I understand why they are there... it just needs to be more spelled out for me on what to do next in the progression of paperwork I guess.

Working side aside... I have turned my small backyard at my Condo into a cool little hang out area with a rock walk path and grilling area and a nice 28inch wide by 9 foot long mini raised garden that is 12 inches high... I am filling it with the best soil and manure I can get and am going to show just how much you can grow in a small square foot garden... that will be my next series in the blog of Dave so please do keep coming back for updates... especially as it gets warmer!

Once again, forget to take the before photo, just show the finished product.  But that garden box is the beginning of my spring and summer growing awesomeness... stay tuned from what will come out of the box!

Drew!- One thing you would  be extremely jealous of is that I had the opportunity to work with Farmer Dave on a Local TV Commercial... so far, not so jealous... but this (local)commercial is for the Super Bowl... ok, still not impressed... well the Commercial was Directed by Derrick Borte... the same dude that directed "The Joneses" with David Duchovny and Demi Moore.... Yeah, thought you would get jealous! Derrick is now officially the highest connect I have met with the Hollywood Crowed. All in all the experience was really neat and I had a wonderful time on the set. 

Farmer taking a pic of our set before filming started.

Close up of the bull gate... notice the trap door on bottom for the bulldogs to get through! That is what I operated during the scene.

Some of the runners posed for a shot for me before we started shooting... This is my complete set Farmer and I created :)

Never seen so many Bulldogs in one spot in my life. 15 on set!

My Complete set in-between a shot

They needed another "Runner" so my Buddy Farmer got in the commercial

Derrick Borte is the dude in the Hat.

Either way, all the locals in Va reading this... it is titled "Running of the Bull(Dogs)" My roll was with my buddy Farmer and we were the entire Art Department. We set up an ally in Norfolk to look like an ally in Spain where the running of the bulls takes place, but instead of the bulls coming out of the gate... Bull dogs come out of this little trap door on the bottom (that I operated) and let the dogs come out to chase the runners. All and all it was a really cute commercial idea and I got to work with 15 bulldogs! Which were all trying to hump each other... I can only imagine that is what  real set is like too...lol. Either way, it was fun and a lot of work and I can not wait for Game day in February to finally get to see the work on screen. For the non-locals and my bro... I will link a youtube link on a new post when it gets put on the internet. I just hope it doesn't suck! :P

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG He is throwing the ball!!!

Wait for it.... wait for it.... (notice how the sunglasses left my face?)

GOT IT!! 'Cuase I'm Cheyenne and I ROCK!

Take 20! (it seemed)... but I wanted to get a pic of this "mean face" she sports when about to attack a ball... or my face.. either way, finally got the shot! Hard to do when the pooch hates to give up her toy in-between each take. :)

This dog is only happy with balls in her mouth... tennis balls that is!

One very Content Poochy after a nice game of fetch!

Happy

Take my Picture!!!!!

AAaA--- "Always Adorable and Awesome"

Happy New Year!

Update

Quick update from the homestead side of things. First off, I want to report with uttermost excitement and with a small side of kinda bummed out... that my Chickens laid their first egg- 2 and a half weeks ago!! Today, they are outputting around 3 eggs a day and will continue to grow to about 8 eggs a day average within the next month or so. I am so proud of my feathered ladies and I am truly excited to know that I raised normal chickens (even if I didn't get any eggs while I was there.. hence the bummed out side of it). So yes... congratualtions to my Chickens as they are growing and growing.. even without me. :(


Han and Leia- They have stopped getting out of their yard. They were getting out from the back fence where a tree had fallen over and they were able to hop on the tree then over the fence. My good neighbor was cool enough to come over and help the Farm Owner rid the tree. Also in other Goat news, I have reports that Han and Leia might be pregnant (again...obviously last time was a false flag)... but apparently Leia is starting to show. If that is the case that would be awesome!


Also, coming home for the first time to his farm since I started to help them create their dream homestead is the husband of the farm owner who has been overseas deployed to Greece as he finished out his Navy career. Come Monday, he is Stateside again and will be home and get to see what I have done to his property first hand! Obviously his wife and little Juliet are truly excited to be able to see him again and he is excited to be coming home and see his wife and child again... but I am  excited to see how he reacts to what I have done at the homestead! I will not lie, if anyone wants to live on my acreage I will have someday and create a farm for me while I'm at work then I can come home to an almost turn key homestead... applications are available at my desk! I just hope he is truly stoked and siked.


As for me. Being back in Virginia has been 50-50. I am truly happy to see my loved ones again myself, my friends here, and am also starting my massage clientele back on some massages out of my old room in my home... which is now converted into a office/massage room. So for my clients out there, if you would like a massage from Big Dave... I'm back open for business out of my house (walking distance from the Chiropractors office).  :)


The wide open spaces and truly pitch black nights filled with stars you cant count and the numerous satellites and shooting stars I could see along with all the wild animals that would at times just walk on by like I was just part of the woods... I miss that...a lot.  I also (believe it or not) miss the sounds of the 3 year old screaming "Mr Dave!!!!!" at me to do something fun for her (and of course the rest of my friends I made in Arkansas).


What else am I doing? Currently (while doing some side jobs here and there...) I am in the process of doing the ground work to open up a new business in a heavily regulated pet treat industry.  The next post whenever that may be will outline my plans for a new Organic home made dog treat line that I am in the middle of creating. But wow... the regulations! More to come on this topic... I promise. But for now, I gotta get back to work. Till next time...



:)

Quick update

Hello all! I am back in Virginia Beach! Got my computer unpacked and set up, but still getting my life back to being somewhat recognizable as Big Dave's Life.

It was only appropriate that I would chose to come back when the US decided to raise it's gas prices after seeing a summer low just weeks before I left Arkansas. Nice thing about have a 35 gallon tank though in a F250 is that you go longer in between fill ups and you only have to fill up four times to get back home. The stats... 1,078 miles from here to there, plus about another 100 miles or so of here and there driving. Four fill ups of gas totaling 105.9 gallons of gas, at a humble $399.51 (20 some odd dollars cheaper than when I went out to Arkansas!) Still though, pulling a trailer, brings the already horrible gas mileage down to around 11 miles a gallon or so... CRAPPY! Now that I am pinching pennies, I will see how much the thing gets without pulling a trailer, but not sure if Ill be able to afford keeping such a beast of a truck... might have to down grade in size a bit for better gas mileage.

Since I have been gone, Han has gotten out of the fenced in yard 6 times... he misses me so much, that is why he is being so rebellious! (obviously :P) Other than that, everything seems normal from the homestead, so that is fair news!

Ill write more later, but for now just wanted to tell you guys I got back safe and sound. BTW- Did you know I had no, and I mean NO traffic all the way from Arkansas to Virginia... until I hit Suffolk... then it was slammed... just saying Virginia... we need to work on our infrastructure here!!!

Till next time!!

Last minute farm jobs, and an End of a Chapter

Today, I did a lot of things around the farm. Cleaned out the Chicken coop one last time, cleaned out the Goat Pen one last time, grabbed both Goats and gave them a final hoove trimming and then did what I have been putting off over a month to do, but had to do it.... and that was to dehorn Leia.

While I had her on the milking stand, which by the way, needs to be modified just a little bit... my Goats are too small even for that!! The feeder trough and head holder just needs to be brought down about four inches... my Goats are so tiny! Anyway, so I have Leia on the stand, Im holding her down and trimming her hooves, after that I started examining the Horn that needs to be trimmed. If you trim too far down the horn you will hit nerve endings and also blood vessels. So, the first idea was to trim about a half inch at a time and see if she grew more and more distressed as we got closer or not. However; upon examining the horn, it became obvious (because the horn wiggled) sometime in the past month she broke the outer shell of her horn off at the area where the band was applied when she was a baby. When I touched that area, she screamed like I've never heard a goat scream before!  So I knew it was a painful area, but with the shell of the horn broken already in that area, I decided to go ahead and snip it off there and hope for the best. Took the sheers and took one little snip and off flies the horn tip! (literally I spent almost five minutes looking for it in the grass later) Also... her nub shot out a squirt of blood that must have traveled out about foot, squirting me and the table pretty good. I was hoping no blood would come out at all, but I never have that kinda luck. However; it bled for only a second (like a blood blister popping) and it didn't bleed anymore. the second I snipped it, she stopped crying and I think it probably relieved a huge Headache in her head or something, she almost relaxed. I poured on the anti-septic and gobbed a big chunk of it on the tip of her horn stub and she was off on her way like nothing ever happened. I can only imagine the irritation she must have had with a half broken horn. I am glad that chore is done! And well, at the end of the day, Leia gave me a little piece of her for me to keep as a keepsake! Ill probably make a knife handle out of the horn tip or something awesome. I think she has forgiven me for helping her out and seems to be doing fine. Honestly, I think it was more traumatic on me than her. :P

Today I am packing up my guitars and my computer, so this definitely should be the last post till I am on the flip side of things. Ill be talking to you all soon! I hope you enjoyed this part of my journey, stay tuned to see where I go from here!

**~~Aftermath of Goat Horn pics- View at your discretion~~**

After the blood was washed off the table, horn beside the shears.

Poor little Leia, lost her horn!

You can kinda see in the middle where it was barely hanging on (the red area)

Look how small her little horn was... my tiny Nigerian Goats!