Spring has sprung???

Well, officially, spring is here, but not really... I couldn't work Lucy this weekend, because there were 4" of snow in the field that we work in. I suppose we could have worked, but I chose to stay out of the mud, and not slosh around. Today I work up to 54 degree weather. That was a big surprise! The spring peepers were singing. This is good news. I have a bit of a busy week ahead, and am not sure when I can work Lucy again- as the rain is slated to come in again for later in the week. One good thing, is that the dogs have a large back yard to play around in, and Kylie and Lucy make good use of it. I have contacted a landscaper to get a walk way put in in the back, as the dogs have just eroded the ground too much; in addition to the walk way, I need the remains of the big tree that was uprooted by winds a few weeks ago, removed. I have also contacted a fence contractor to put up some nice horse fence around part of my property, to delineate my property from where my icky neighbor puts his trash. This will also prevent him from plowing snow onto my property, and leaving me with rocks/limbs/trash that he pushes over with the snow.
I have had some last minute contacts from people regarding Kevin's clinic. We are pretty full, but we may be able to squeeze one more in. Not much more to do before the clinic now. It's all over but the waiting.... Later this month the Chatham Sheepdog trial is happening, and that ought to be just great. It is the best northeast trial around; the sheep are not dogged, so you need a dog who has great cover, strength, and biddability, and the fields are huge. On the fetch you have to move the sheep through a tree line, and that can mess some dogs up. It is a good practice for the finals out in South Dakota this year, as there just aren't big fields in the northeast to work in. Some day, I will be out there. Lucy and I will get there. Until then, I will help out and enjoy and appreciate those dogs who handle this sort of venue with more than aplomb. I believe this trial is what it's all about; the big wide open spaces, unpredictable sheep, and dogs who have their chaps on, and can cover all contingencies. I may just have to video tape some runs!