Happy Anniversary, Rose!

Today I am HNJJ's guest poster - Rose. One year ago today I left a dog pound in north Jersey - these days called an animal control facility - and came home to my family in Hillsborough.

Before that happy day, I spent three months with the nice people at animal control after being turned in to the animal control officer with my step-brother (we were supposed to have been wandering around a neighborhood). They arranged for some surgery that I needed for a large bladder stone, helped me to recover, and then put my picture up on Petfinder.

I don't know why it took so long for someone to come and adopt me, but the animal people were adamant that my new parents had to understand my special diet.

One Friday a couple from Hillsborough who had seen my picture on Petfinder brought their dog Sweet Lady up so we could all meet. Things went very well, so they arranged to pick me up on Monday after I made one more trip to the vet for some final shots.

We had a nice trip home and I settled in with Sweet Lady and the two cats Silver and TeTe.

There were a few minor glitches. A few housebreaking problems after three months in a kennel and bladder stone surgery. A habit of emptying garbage cans, unrolling toilet paper, and emptying all the items out of unzipped gym bags. Removing wallets from pants pockets and then emptying the wallets; luckily I didn't chew up any of the paper that I took from the wallets.

The second week of December Silver, one of the cats, and Sweet Lady both died. They were each thirteen-years-old and had been sick. I helped the rest of the family to get through that. We gained another cat, Toonces.

I spent this past year going to a lot of stuff around Hillsborough - concerts, the bank, Somerville Cruise. the tow path - and lots of walks. I made a lot of friends.

I have contributed a lot to the HNJJ blog by posing for photographs. Valentines' Day, Christmas, rabies clinic, Labor Day. I am very photogenic and pretty much willing to pose most of the time - although it takes a while sometimes.

Well, I hope to see you more as the years pass and, please, consider adopting someone like me if you are looking for a dog. (or like Toonces if you want a cat).

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This is in remembrance of Silver...


...and Sweet Lady...

Ag in Action 2010

Yesterday was drizzly which apparently discouraged a lot of people from attending this year's Somerset County Agriculture in Action Day, which is a shame. The activities were interesting and those who attended had a great time.

And the hamburgers were great.

I guess we need to be reminded that farming happens every day, no matter what the weather.
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Enjoy these pictures, courtesy of Susan Gulliford.

Today's Ag in Action Day

Today is the Somerset County Board of Agriculture's Agriculture in Action Day with this year's activities being held in Hillsborough at Rainbow Run Farm and Laine Farms from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

According to Rainbow Run's website, the farm specializes in cutting horses and cattle, while Laine Farms is a hay and grain farm.

Rainbow Run Farm is located at 86 Rainbow Hill Road (off Amwell Road in the Clover Hill section of Hillsborough). There is a suggested $2. per car parking donation.

For more information telephone (908)526-6293 X3 or go here.
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The photographs below, courtesy of Susan Gulliford, were taken at two previous Agriculture in Action days held in Hillsborough: 2004 at Norz-Hill Farm and 2006 at Duke Farms...

Somerville's September 11th Memorial

Dog Lover's Heaven

Central Jersey dog lovers have an opportunity to indulge their doggie devotion this weekend with some of the largest dog shows in the tri-state area being held right here at the 4-H Fairgrounds on Milltown Road in Bridgewater.

Today (sorry, too late) the Tuxedo Park Kennel Club Show was held with 1,400 dogs registered [see above slide-show]. Tomorrow, Saturday, is the Somerset Hills Kennel Club Show with 2,000 dogs entered. Sunday the Westchester Kennel Club Show will be held with about 1,600 dogs.

This is an opportunity to see the breeds that may interest you and, when they aren't showing, talk to the owners, handlers, and groomers working with the dogs.

Don't only watch the breed competitions (sometimes called the beauty shows), but take time to see the obedience dogs do their thing.

There are also a number of vendors there. Although they aren't likely to be the cheapest around, they will probably have that one odd item that you have been trying to find. Food is available for purchase, although, once again, not the cheapest around.

Also, notice how quiet the show grounds are with thousands of dogs there.

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Just a few dog show etiquette tips:
*Don't try to talk to handlers who are waiting to go into the ring; they are working at that moment. The same with the groomers.
*Don't distract dogs who are in the ring by hanging on the fences, calling the dogs, or offering them treats. It isn't fair to distract them after all the hard work they put in to get that far.
*Keep your children well-behaved and under control. This isn't a playground.
*If you dog is well-behaved, under control, and up-to-date with all shots, you may take them onto the show grounds at these shows. [This is not true at all shows.]
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I don't know why they had to go to a dog show to see other dogs when they have me...

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For more information on the Somerset Hills Kennel Club show schedule, go here.

For information on the Westchester Kennel Club Show go here.

Mary from Neshanic Flea Market

Yesterday morning I saw a familiar photograph in the newspaper obituaries with the name Mary Frances Weiss. I knew the lady, but not under that name. I knew her as Mary Stone or Mary from the flea market.

I first met Mary in the mid-1970s when I bought a house in Neshanic Station and began visiting the Sunday Neshanic Flea Market - which Mary owned and ran. By the 1980s I had accumulated enough stuff (much of it at the flea market) that I took a space to sell some of it.

Now, you have to understand how "getting a space" at Neshanic worked. The night before you packed your merchandise in your car/van/truck/trailer. At 4 or 5 a.m. you rolled out of bed, drank a lot of coffee, and drove through the dark night to Neshanic. Once you arrived you got in the line of cars so that Mary could assign you your space.

When you got to the head of the line, Mary would slowly walk up to your vehicle and peer at you. This was a good time to roll down your window, wave, and let out a cheery "Morning, Mary!" Mary would point at you and then crook her finger indicating that you were to follow her. She would slowly cross the market (a large dirt field) with you trailing behind at a safe and respectful distance until she pointed at an empty space. You pulled in to that space while she went back to the next vendor.

A few vendors who had been selling at Neshanic for several decades had regular assigned spaces and didn't have to go through this.

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One day we ran across a friend who told us that recently his wife had gone to sell some of her parents' stuff at Neshanic Flea Market and Mary had yelled at her. We were surprised and asked exactly what happened.

"Well,I don't know," he said. "My wife drove over there nice and early. There were some other sellers there so she asked them what to do. They told her she should just pick a spot and drive in, so she started to drive..." Okay, this is the place where we started laughing so hard that he couldn't finish his story.

The old-timers had sure set up that newcomer.


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Mary's obituary.

Hillsborough Samosas

Ask and you shall receive!

It was only yesterday that the HNJJ crew was trying to locate a source of vegetarian samosas, an Asian pastry served at a cricket match we attended over the weekend.

Unfortunately the ones at the match were supplied by someone from out of the area, but we were referred by an Indian friend to Divine Curry in Kingsbridge Center (the mall catty-corner from the Municipal Building/Library).

We went there and found what we were looking for and tried both the vegetarian and the lamb samosas. They were smaller than the ones we had over the weekend - more like an appetizer than a meal - but just as tasty. The lamb filling was a little dry, but served with three different dipping sauces that made up for it.

Divine Curry has a buffet lunch during the week which seems like a perfect chance to sample a other Indian/Asian dishes without committing to an entire meal of something you may or may not like.

We'll let you know how it goes.
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The Divine Curry website can be viewed here. They also have take-out service.