Mount Dora FL Bed and Breakfast in Mount Dora Florida Bed and Breakfast

OUR Kids
  ** About US and Our 'Kids'

****PLEASE NOTE... ALL of Our KIDS live in OUR Area...****

They are always nearby... But DO NOT 'roam' the B&B... and are NEVER in the Bedrooms (other than the PET FRIENDLY Rooms) !!

You will hardly know they are here... unless you would like to meet them!

Below... 1994 - Our First Borzoi; Lady Jade at 9 months, chasing Super Star at 3 months,.. on 'The Sandbar'; their Favorite Place to Be! Sadly... Jade, Jasmine, Star and Kalif are Gone... CLICK 'HERE' to Visit our Current Wonderful BORZOI - 'ZOI' - (aka... Russian Wolfhounds)!!



    BORZOI 'Cruise' at 30+ mph !!     At 'FLANK SPEED'... They can 'Run Down' a RABBIT... and/or 'out run' most Greyhounds !!

On November 24th, 2016, I 'Updated' our 'KIDS' section: This has taken YEARS for me to be able to do... So many, now Sad, Memories...

Now all of OUR, and HERON CAY's original 'Fab Four' Borzoi... And Five 'Kitties' are gone:
On January 23rd, 2016, at 10:30 A.M., our 'Fearless' Flying Darla suddenly died... I sat beside her, unable to do anything to save her.

She would have been 11 years old February 25, 2016...

Darla, a four month old puppy... with Kalif...

GOD how we shall always LOVE our... 'Baby Dar'

She now has joined Kalif, Anastasia... and Pixie Dust...

Then less than 3 months later, Scotty died in my arms... April 12, 2016...8:15pm: My 'Kitty' boy was 19 years and 4 months 'Young'...

He came into our lives when he was 5 WEEKS Old... He slept on my pillow every night until the Day he died...

The passing of Scotty marked the END of our Original HERON CAY 'Family'.

Now all of OUR, and HERON CAY's original 'Fab Four' Borzoi... Darla, Anastasia, Pixie Dust and Kalif are gone...
And the 'Kitties' are also gone: Jack, Foxy, Abby, Guana and now Scotty.

Our first 3 BORZOI... Jade, Jasmine, Star and on August 28, 2012, KALIF... are Now 'Gone'... I shall never stop Crying for my 'LIF'...

He left his three ladies... ANASTASIA, 'Baby' DARLA... and PIXIE DUST... Now they too are All *GONE*!!

Darla's 'Running' Mate... Pixie Dust... Died unexpectedly... within less than 2 hours she was gone...

Our oldest Borzoi... PIXIE DUST - 10 1/2 years young... Died suddenly from 'Natural Causes'... March 22, 2014...

We are ALL crying... Her passing came Exactly 9 Years, from when we lost our first boy 'Zoi'... Super Star... March 22, 2005

Here is DARLA and PIXIE DUST; doing what she they loved the most... Running on 'The Sandbar' !

Then September 8, 2014; ANASTASIA, left us... after a two year battle with a lung tumor. Oh GOD... How she is still Missed.

'HAPPY 'Stasia' July 12, 2014... She did not know, nor did we... in just a little less than 2 months... she would leave us...
3:45pm - Monday, September 8, 2014... Anastasia died.

   Now all of OUR, and HERON CAY's original 'Fab Four'... Darla, Anastasia, Pixie Dust and Kalif... have left Margie and I...

I began updating this part... November 24th, 2016: It has taken YEARS for me to be able to update our 'KIDS' section... So many memories...

This past Labor Day, 2016... was Four years since VONYA entered our lives.

Three days after we lost my boy 'Lif'... we were asked if we could 'foster' a 6 month old Girl Borzoi puppy. We said we would... She arrived on Labor Day, 2012: When she entered our home, and lives, we knew the 'Fostering' was over. Vonya... was in her 'Forever' home, with her 3 older 'Sisters'. Between the tears... I smiled again.

** Not updating her time with us has been so unfair to our Wonderful VONYA! The following goes back to her first days with us. **

Meet 'Vonya', our newest girl... following in her older 'sister', Darla's Paw Prints...



Sadly... without the watchful eyes of our Boy, Kalif... her older 'Sister' guides her...

THEN... And 9/2012...

Vonya is now the only one of our girls still with us... MORE further 'down' the 'page'...

Looking back on the GOOD TIMES... Theirs and Ours! All we have are the memories...

THEIR Favorite Place, and Ours, was...'On the SANDBAR!!'... with Our Beloved BORZOI !

Darla and Pixie Dust... AT SPEED!! PRICELESS!!

October 1st, 2008

April 14th, 2011... not Much has Changed!

Below - Summer of 2005: One of Darla's first trips to the 'SANDBAR'... when she became know as 'Fearless' Flying Darla !

Below - June 7th, 2006... Her second summer 'On the BAR' !

And below... 5 YEARS Later - June 1st, 2011

'Check' the PAWS! She is Still FLYING HIGH!!

This is Darla when we told her this was the LAST Trip to the SANDBAR until next Summer... But on April 14th, 2011...

We're BACK !!



DARLA!! YES! I am BACK!! And ... doing what I love BEST... 'BREAK DANCING' !!

June, 2011

Okay... Let's GO...What's the Matter with you ALL You WIMPS?!?

"Okay... I'm Out Voted!" All On their way back home... to CRASH in the Parlor!



January 23rd, 2016... Our Beloved DARLA left us... I think of her DAILY !

There are few things on this EARTH, that mean as Much to US, as OUR BORZOI... and KITTIES!!

There is Nothing Like Borzoi!!!... When you 'HAVE Lived With' BORZOI... you will know... There is Nothing Like Borzoi!!!

BORZOI only GIVE... and Ask BACK... LOVE!!

Our Beloved BORZOI... Darla, AnaStasia, Pixie Dust(y) and KaLif...

     And now... Our Kitty KIDS:

It has been over 9 years, since we lost two of Our 'Kitties'. May 25, 2008, we had to said 'Goodbye' to 'Mr. Jack'; then on October 28th, 'Foxy Guy' left us... it is still like Yesterday.

Click on their Pictures... to visit 'Their SITES'


   'Mr. Jack, the CAT'... 13 years Young... died way too Young                                   'Foxy Guy'... 15 years, also too Young
Tuesday Morning, December 9, 2014, at the age of just over 20...



Abby died at home... This was hard... Very Hard.

Then, less than 5 months later, on Wednesday, May 6, 2015: What I thought would be easier...But oh GOD, It Was Not...

After over 24 years of life ... 23+ with us... our beloved Guana left us... It was even Harder...

   On April 12, 2016... Scotty... 19 years, 4 months Young... died in my arms... I held him in my hand when he was 5 weeks old... He was WAS My BOY !!

Scotty had been slowly growing weaker, we knew he would not be with us much longer. He had been blind for nearly 2 years, and I had to carry him everywhere for his last few months. When he had to 'Go', he would just 'meow', and I carried him to 'cat box'. He NEVER had an 'accident'! He was such a Good Boy!

We would Never bring another 'Kitty' into his world while he was alive. It would have been so unfair to him. Scotty left us on a Tuesday, while I sat next to him... gently petting him... His SOUL went directly to Tommy; so many of his traits, became Tommy's... including taking his place on my pillow!

Tommy, and we needed 'KITTIES'! On Friday, three days later, we were back to FOUR: Three 'Kittens' joined our Family! Scotty Approved !!



           Two 8 month old Orange 'Ginger' Sisters... Jill & Jane!               And an other Tabby; 10 month old ZEBE !



All three needed, and Now HAVE a 'Forever Home' with us and the Borzoi; they were all being 'Fostered' by Local Veterinarians !!

THIS WE NEVER, EVER EXPECTED... He was still a 'KITTEN' to US...

Only 4 months ago...

MY Beloved TOMMY, our Youngest Boy, then our Oldest at Nine years; he was in our family for Eight Short years...

On Thursday evening... August 17th, 2017... Tommy died suddenly, at home... He was with Margie, his 7 'four legged' buddies and Me .

He had been diagnosed with Lymphoma cancer, less than two weeks before.



Doing one of his favorite things... Making Copies !

Tommy was the second sweetest (same as Scotty), most loving Kitty we have ever had... but Equal to Scotty.

Not a mean bone in his body; I only heard him 'hiss' twice in the eight years he was with us.

   Once again... I am crying... God how I loved my 'Tom Tom'....

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NO, WE Shall Never 'Let Go of', or 'Forget', Our Kids... MOM & DAD.
They ALL Were, still ARE and always will BE... a Major Part of OUR Lives!!

It is impossible to find 'Words'... to convey how much ALL of Our 'Kids' have meant, and still mean to us!!

We Loved, and shall Always Love THEM... so MUCH!!



On August 28, of this year - 2017, it was five years... since I lost my boy KALIF... but it is still like Yesterday. I shall NEVER forget him...

How I loved My BOY 'LIF'...

He was 'gone' in only minutes... I NEVER was able to kiss him, and say Goodbye... Until he was dead...

After creating this site for 'Our Kids' - 'Updating'... has become unbelievably Heart wrenching

Three days after we lost my boy 'Lif'... we were asked if we could 'foster' a 6 month old Girl Borzoi puppy. We said we would... She arrived on Labor Day, 2012: When she entered our home, and lives, we knew the 'Fostering' was over. Vonya... was in her 'Forever' home, with her 3 older 'Sisters'.

Following in her older 'sister', Darla's Paw Prints...

THEN... And 9/2012...

Sadly, we knew Anastasia was going to be leaving us soon... so once again, there would be a 'void' to 'Partially' fill... We began the 'search'...

With 'a little help from our friends'... Especially from a long time friend, Carol Bakers (A.K.A. NBRF - BORZOI RESCUE), we found RINGO in Ohio!

Not really a 'Rescue'... but a Puppy that could go to a GOOD Borzoi Home... We fit That BILL !

MEET RINGO'SKI' !!



I drove to Cookeville, Tenn. to give RINGO a ride HOME!!! Continue to see MORE!

BUT... Before RINGO arrived... Something VERY Special, and as we were to find out, AGAINST ALL ODDS... Happened!!

We had guests staying with us that would be 'getting' an Standard Poodle from a breeder in Micanopy, Florida. When they went to see their puppy, the breeder said, "Here's a breed you do not see often." She brought out 'MAX', an AKC Champion Borzoi. They replied, "True... but the people we are staying with have three!" The breeder said, "Do they want another?" They knew of Anastasia's condition, and said, "Yes... I think they might!"

When the guests returned; they show us pictures of MAX. I could not believe how much he looked like our KALIF ! I called the breeder and said, "YES"! How soon may we come up? WELL... The next day... We 'all' met!

My GOD! He is KALIF!!

Here is KALIF when he was Two and a Half years old... Same as MAX above! But EIGHT Years ago...

And here is MAX...

With Margie... Love at first SIGHT; he KNEW !!

And again... KALIF (below)

Below is a PIC of his Great, Great, Great Grandfather; he was quite the 'Lady's Man'... Kalif was a 'Chip Off the Block'!!

Below: Now let the History of MAX... and VONYA begin!

In the early/mid 1990's, we acquired our first two BORZOI (below)... JADE and STAR were both from the Kennel of Khanzade.

When Jade died suddenly, and young... 8 ¹/₂ years old; Star, Margie and I drove to Somerset, Kentucky AND returned with 6 month old KALIF...

Star meets 'cousin' Kalif... with direct family roots to Khanzade!

A couple of years later, Star developed Cancer; we knew he would be leaving us soon... We made arrangements for a Puppy.

Enter Darla... below at 1 week old !! Her family ties went directly back to Khanzade !

When she was 9 weeks old; Kalif, Margie, Anastasia (a year old Borzoi girl, we 'got' when Star died) and I were off to Jackson, Mississippi!

We all returned home in our Motorhome: Darla had no trouble bonding with Anastasia and Kalif !!

In January, 2007, Pixie Dust joined the Clan !

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Now going Many Years ahead... to August 16, 2014: When we met MAX at the 'Poodle breeder' in Micanopy and brought him back.

When VONYA met him... She went 'CRAZY'!! Then MAX did also!! WHY??

That night... I sat down and looked at Max's Pedigree. I could not believe what I was seeing!

Max's Grandmother was Khanzade's Rosemary Finn; then, looking further... I saw that his Great Grandmother was Khanzade's Ultra Modern: She was JADE'S MOTHER !! And STAR'S AUNT !! ... from the 1990's !! And no wonder, he looked like KALIF; he was a Direct Relative !! Impossible ODDS !!

But Next comes something MORE than Impossible: I looked at Max's 'Birthday... February 19, 2012... I said to Margie; "That's a familiarly date??" She said, "I think that's Vonya's Birthday!" We looked at Vonya's 'papers': Birth Date - February 19, 2012... and the SAME Breeder... in Delaware!

Max and Vonya are Littermates... Twins... Brother and Sister... and Vonya remembered him the second they met!!

And that night... Brother and Sister reunited after Two and a Half years!!

"HEY... I remember HER!!"



"YES... He remembers ME!!"                                      "YES I Do... Hi SIS!!!"



Together... "I've missed YOU!!" And...

I LOVE YOU MAX!! And I LOVE YOU VONYA!!

VONYA and her brother MAX have been reunited after over 2 Years!!

AND KALIF was their COUSIN !!

And NOW... and few days later... RINGO joins the GROUP !!

A 5 1/2 month old Borzoi PUPPY would be joining our FAMILY!! Seen below with his brother MOUSE !

I left Mount Dora on Sunday, August 24th, 2014; picked 'Ringoski' up in Cookeville, TN, 2:00 pm Monday, August 25th.. and we arrived back HOME 1:15 pm Tuesday, August 26th; after a 'quick' 1300+ mile Trip!

Our newest boy, Ringo, was able to meet Anastasia the day after he arrived on August 27, 2014... and spend the next 12 days with her before she died.

He has been here for just over Three Years now: Three and a half years old and has perfected the 'PERFECT' Couch Potato !

And LOVING every Minute !! He sleeps in bed with us... EVERY NIGHT !!
Margie and Max... 125 pounds of Fluff & LOVE (Max)!

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To me (72) and my Family (1920s) ... BORZOI are a Tradition!

My 'Mom' in the late '20s' with THREE of FOUR of her favorite things... Her 'ROLLS' ...

and her Borzoi... 'ROLLS' and 'ROYCE' She always made sure, 'ROLLS' was on the left! My 'Mom' was Very Cool!!

Oh yes... the Fourth took the Picture... DAD !

***** WE 'HAD' a Mission... Helping 'Lu... the Lion! *****

Sadly, we had to say 'Goodbye' to this Wonderful 'Jungle King'... 'LUCIOUS' died in his sleep early the week of August 21st...

Lu was amazing... All He wanted was to be loved and cuddled! Lay down with him... give him HUGS and LOVE... just a BIG Kitty Cat !!

"The C.A.R.E. Foundation," HOME to 'LU', and many Big Cats and Exotic animals in Apopka (30 minutes from us)... 'Click' on 'LU' above, to visit 'C.A.R.E.'.

"It is with a heart of deep sadness that we let you know that we said goodbye to Lucious, our beloved African lion, this past week. He passed in his sleep sometime during the night, and was laid to rest in his favorite play area, surrounded by his loving family of caretakers and volunteers.
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As you know, our Sweet Lu battled many health issues since birth, the most severe being neurological problems. Despite all his health issues, Lu was a fighter, and the strength and perseverance he exhibited in facing these challenges was astonishing and an inspiration to us all. He exceeded many expectations time and time again. While we were aware that his challenges might affect his lifespan, we are deeply saddened to lose him so soon, but eternally grateful for every day he was with us. Lu taught us that sometimes the broken ones are the strongest ones, and we will speak of his courage for a long time to come.
So rest easy now, Sweet Lu. We thank you for the extraordinary privilege of being in your life, and for allowing us to love you as hard as we did. You are truly the bravest lion in the world. And just know that if love could have kept you here, you would have lived forever."