Never had any children, but

Boy, this pup has certainly gotten me in the swing of raising infants... Last night was rough. Early evening he was really fussing and I ignored it and then at around midnight same thing. Both times I found why- he had to pee and did. So, after that, around 2, 4 and then again at 5 something, out we went. He really tries to hold it, but everything is so new. I don't do well with no sleep, but at this point, that comes second. I need to get him situated.

He's such an outgoing boy. Seems very confident, and happy, and such a sweetie. I am enjoying him, save for the lack of sleep.

Probably the next several weeks will be our journey to know each others schedules, and then life will get easier, I sure hope so anyway.

I can't believe it's almost Feb, and winter really has not materialized. I am not complaining, but it's weird.

I did get my taxes done yesterday - yeah! One less thing to worry about.

Nothing else is new. Sheep are being sheep. Oh, the ram was very rambunctious yesterday. Not mean, but jumping around being a bit of an imp. I actually brought a stick with me when I went to check out the ewes. I can't bring Dan as I could not get near them if I had Dan with me. Barn floor is drying out, which is very welcome.

Well, that's it for now. Maybe some pics of the boy... Oh, and I have a name!

Yeah, that's the ticket.... I saw a stork fly away just as I pulled into my driveway, and there was this little Border Collie pup... Amazing how these things happen! Anyway, he's here now, and I have to think of a name. Nothing is sticking yet. Will get there.

The first few days in a new place are tough. Went from an ex pen full of litter mates, to just himself... amongst other somewhat ornery older dogs. So far, he's doing pretty good. When he first saw BC (boy kitty) he lay down and looked and second time he came up behind him and put his paws on his back. The third time inside, BC actually got up on a chair, as pup was getting a bit brazen.

I spent Sat night just trying to sleep, but that was not happening, as you never know when a pup may need to go out. Last night, Lucy woke me up puking. God knows what she got into at the farm. She likes to eat dead stuff. I watch her closely, but she must have found something.

This week weather is going to be pretty decent. I am happy for that.

Brought sheep up to total of 5.5 lbs for everyone yesterday. Will keep them at that until mid February. They are leaving hay behind now, why not, I guess. Weather is temperate and grain rules!

I have to spend some time cleaning and getting my taxes done this week. I should clean out my closet and put the organizer I plan to get IN the closet! I need to do some re-organizing etc.

Well, enough for now, maybe later will show pup-pup the sheep- just in my arms of course!

Look what the stork dropped off

Where's winter?

After yet another 50 degree F day, the forecast for the next week calls for upper 40s and a few 50s. This is just weird. It is also extremely gross/muddy. I lay down some left over hay in the dirt floor in the barn, since it is squishy.

Today I awoke with a MONDO headache, I was actually dizzy from it. I think it may have to do with lugging the bales of hay so far- my neck/upper back is just not up to it- will get the wheelbarrow from the other field and start using that. Made fried eggs this morning, but they did not hit the spot. I think today should just be a day in bed, but it can't be.

Dan got no running yesterday, so he was a bit nuts last night at the house. I can't blame him. Today will be different.

My old cat has taken to yowling a lot- when she gets a drink, when she wants company, just about any time. It is extremely loud and annoying. She just did it now, and when I went to check her, there she is in her cat bed, kneading her claws, meaning she just wants loving. Oh well.. I guess when you are her age, you can do what you like.

So far only two guesses on the lamb count. That makes very good chances for those who entered :)

Well, better get to my day.

Unbelieveable!!!!!!!

Going to have a pool...

Since I have no idea who is bred. Seriously. ONE Cheviot girl is a blue butt, and all three Border Leicesters are, but one got re-bred in December, but the other three Cheviot yearlings- only have smidgens of blue on them, and one has none... One fly in the ointment is that I stopped putting marker on the ram after a while....

So, to this end, I am going to have a pool on how many lambs we will have. Folks, it may even be none!!! Think of this like counting the jelly beans in a jar. The person who comes closest without going over will win............

A gift certificate to Border Collies in Action! Or, if you prefer, Premier Sheep supplies- for the shepherds out there!

So, get your thinking caps on. I honestly have no clue who is bred and who is not.

This should be fun!

Just leave me a comment with the number you think....

I found an old hanging scale in the barn yesterday, to use for weighing the sheep grain. I upped it a little yesterday, but even at that, they are only getting 4 lbs a day for all eleven. I spoke with my guru last night and was given a plan of what/when to increase their rations.

It was FIFTY degrees yesterday. It was SO slick out there. The ground had seriously softened and I almost wiped out several times just doing chores. I decided not to work Dan, as earlier in the day, I saw him slip and slide, and given that my friend has a dog who's got an Iliopsoas injury... I am just not interested in going down that road. Dan and I were coming back through the barn and skinny ewe came in, and Dan saw her and just at that moment she saw him and she did a 180 and left. After that I was filling the water trough and he decided to sit in the barn door and give her the stink eye. You ain't comin' in here!

Supposed to rain here on Friday. More wetness. I have to get some straw as the one dirt floored room in the barn is wet. Thankfully I have two rooms that are cement that I will bed down well if/when I have lambs.

Well, that's it for now....

Skidboot and David

The best story I have seen about Skidboot and his side kick David. I defy you to not cry....

So, yesterday the snow was sticky. It stuck to my boots, and I decided discretion was the better part of valor and did not walk the dogs on our usual 30 degree angle path. I knew I would fall. So, I did. But, not walking the dogs, just bringing out a bale of hay. Luckily it was one of those slow motion falls, where the only thing injured was my pride. Incidentally, it was a really nice bale of hay; a mix of grass and alfalfa. The sheep sure enjoyed it. Have slowly been upping the grain- and I mean slowly, as I don't want issues.

Have to get one of those slanted with several tines pitchforks as opposed to the old thing with only three tines, which does not work well with sheep droppings. Horse? Maybe, Cow? okay, but not sheep.

Dan needs to get back to regular work. I can see that in him. So, I guess I will separate out my lambs and get to it.

This morning I saw that all the snow had melted in the yard- that was fast. We didn't get much, but still... lots of fog this morning owing to all that wetness.

Rough night last night, old cat was ill, and I caused it by over feeding her. It's pretty sad when I am so keyed into her digestive function I can predict if a problem will arise... I did not sleep well, but I will take a nap later today.

So, that's about it. Not much exciting to report these days. But, I guess in some ways, no news is good news!

She stays

Ha! Well, after speaking with my sheep guru, I have decided thin ewe can stay. Also, after not being able to tell her from the others at a distance, that also swayed me. So, that's good. I have also learned that I need to start upping the nutrition on my girls, even though they look good at this point. So, to that end, I am getting a scale so I can keep track of what they get. Who knows who is really pregnant... It's a mystery at this point!

Didn't feel well all day yesterday. Today I am a bit better. Will walk the dogs but then home and to relax, still not quite right.

The guy who wanted the Scottish Highland calves still wants them, so I have to see if John is feeding them- hope so.

It is so weird having two days off in a row. I almost don't know what to do with myself....

Winter stinks

COLD today. Got some snow, not too much. Hazardous driving even with all wheel drive. Sheep don't seem bothered by the snow at all. Home early today, just staying warm. It's hovering at about 17 degrees now, and tonight it is supposed to be very cold. Good to know the sheep can get in the barn. I put up a barrier to the one door opening, so at their level, the sheep are not going to feel a draft. I guess my lean ewe would rather stay, maybe I will change my mind. Who knows. It's really hard to decide to move them on, or keep them.

She goes on Monday

Skinny ewe will be going on Monday. I keep laying my hands on her and no matter how many times I do it, she is not heavy enough. Color is good, but backbone protrudes and her lateral wings are prominent- rounded but prominent. It stinks. I guess when you get old ewes to begin with, this is to be expected.

Think I have figured it out

Why my one ewe is thin. I think it's her teeth- specifically her molars. When I saw her eating yesterday she kept yawning like she was trying to re-set her jaw. Not sure what I can do, but I will give her more grain to eat each day on her own. She looks good, but maybe I will have to cull her.. I don't really want to, because she is bright and alert. Do they have sheep dentists, like for horses? I have a vet friend who would come and check her for me, but he's in Florida for the winter. Bummer...

Not much going on this week; it's pretty quiet. I have been getting some cleaning done, and that sort of thing. But, no work for Dan, and I need to rectify that. He's going a bit stir crazy.

Oh, yesterday when I got home the front door apparently did not shut all the way. The dogs were going a bit nuts looking at something around the front yard, and I ignored it. Later when I came in, I could not find BK (boy kitty) and I went outside and called with the cat treats and had a mini panic attack. If anything happens to him...... He can go out in the back yard, but not the front- it's not fenced.

So, I then go to the back yard and call, and I hear his extremely sweet meow, and he ends up coming from the front yard, under the fence (like he knew where that hole was all along). He meowed all the way until he got in the house and I gave him a few treats. He is such a sweet kitty, he does not have the worldliness to be out there!

I am extremely attached to him....

TRUST

During my time in the sheepdog world, I have always been amazed by the calmness exhibited by many handlers when they walk to the post with their dogs. They walk out like they have a job to do, and nothing else. No nerves, not really, other than maybe those born out of a desire to win… but not the low down scary nerves novice handlers get which emanate from a deep concern that things could really go wrong, and I mean in the disaster sense (sheep running through fences, dog running amok, that sort of thing).

It has taken me some time to learn why the dichotomy between those who are calm, and those who clearly could use help in the form of either deep breathing or something stronger. I think I have finally learned what that is. It’s trust. Trust between the dog and handler. Trust, as defined in The New Merriam-Webster Dictionary: A basis of reliance faith or hope. Yes, that is it. For purposes here, I have coined an acronym for this “trust”, which is as follows: TRUST: Through Respective Understanding comes Smooth Teamwork.

When you are working with your dog, you get a feel for when your dog needs some direction, and when to let off on the control, and allow the dog to figure it out, which most times, they do without much guidance needed. We generally find training at home, or with friends to be an enjoyable experience, and so do our dogs. Nothing really egregious goes wrong, and progress is made. But, when we get to the trial field, those who have a bit less trust in their dogs seem to falter.

Trust can only be achieved when you and your dog have been through all manner of scenarios; have been there, and done that, to quote an oft used saying. You have to, every day, expose you and your dog to something new. Not just train what you are both good at, but challenge yourselves.

Respective Understanding, that’s when you can both be presented with a challenge and be able to pull out from past experience, what will work best at that time. For instance, when a sheep stalls at the pen. Does your dog know how to handle that? Has he/she been down that road before? Do you and the dog have collective experience to be able to know how much pressure you can put on that ewe? If you have been down that road before, you do.

Respective Understanding leads to Smooth Teamwork. You will both be able to basically know what each one needs to do without uttering a word. There are two teams who have personified this concept to me. Emma Court and Maia, and Warren Mick and Glen.


Whenever I saw Warren and Glen work, Glen would just walk calmly into the field with Warren, and be so cool and collected. Warren too. It was as if they were heading out to get the newspaper. When they would set up for the shed, same thing. They had an unspoken understanding, a trust, that it did not matter what sheep, or what field, it was just another version of the same thing. After they finished their run, there was no fal der ral, it was just business as usual. Glen would get a pat on the head, and he would have that glint in his eye that all Border Collies do- that they did a good job, and really, that’s all they ever want to do.


Emma Court and Maia- the epitome of coolness under fire. At the Finality farm trial a couple of years ago, Emma and Maia were one of the only ones to get a pen. These sheep were pretty tough. They gave a lot of guff to many teams, and they just simply did not want to pen. I am not sure, but I think the number of successful pens was on the order of less than one percent? Well, I watched closely when Emma and Maia got their sheep to the pen. I happened to have my camera with me. Emma had the gate open and Maia had them at the opening. Emma stood there so calm, and 100% sure that the pen would happen. It was as if she was watching the microwave count down to her popcorn being done… And, they got the pen.


Trust, without it, what do you have? Fear. But, all is not lost. Trust is something that happens without you really knowing it has. It’s like a friendship. Slowly, gradually, you begin to count on each other. And eventually, you know they will be there when you need them. It is hard to define, but when you see it, you will know it.

The cattle that had dispersed into the woods after the fiasco have all come home. I am going to leave the preparation (feeding) to John. They just need to be fed each day, near the barn and a few weeks of that ought to do the trick.

One of my Border Leicester girls is thinner than the rest- Favey and the Romney/BL girl are both good- and they should be with what they are getting for food. I brought them all in yesterday to check them out and this one ewe is definitely thin. Full belly, unlike the other girl I culled, but lots of light under that belly. I think I may send her to auction on Monday. She acts fine, and has good color, but again, I do not want ne'er do wells sticking around. Will see... Maybe John has one or two that can go as well.

We got just under an inch of snow last night, and now it's warming up. Danny has definitely benefited from less laps around the farm- he's ebullient again. I think I was wearing him out. I got some house cleaning done yesterday, and will continue today. One other really good thing is that I have cut way back on my online time. My computer has an issue with Internet explorer, and I am frustrated enough to just say to heck with it.

Some of John's sheep are looking decidedly pregnant. None of mine do. I basically fear this lambing as NONE of my sheep have ever had lambs before- maybe the BLs but I don't really know...

Well, that's it for now...

Good Sunday morning to you

Yesterday, I was able to lure 4 bovines into the barn yard. The bull and three cows. Of course none that I wanted. We then tried to herd them down, and they went up toward the back field and then on the way back, one went through the fence (not hot) which was one strand. It was a failure.

I left a message with the buyer, but he had only given me his home #, and when he did call me back, he was en route, and he said he had confidence that he could get them in...

So, when he got there, He set up a strand of wire, and when we started to push them- up into woods (right over the hot fence) they went more than once. Then, they got them going and they stopped at a stone wall opening, and I was behind them on the mule. They all made an about face and stampeded around me. They did a lot of stampeding. There was no walking. UBER failure. John and I went out and bought some corn for them and he will begin feeding them near the barn yard. They are really just wild. It was really cold yesterday, and I found myself shivering.

I left John's around 1:00 raced up and fed my sheep, and came home.

I had hot dogs and potato salad for dinner, and chocolate chip cookies for dessert.

It's even colder today, so no going out until much later.

Hope everyone has a great Sunday!

Freaked out

I am a bit freaked out. Have a buyer for John's bull calves. They are about 8-9 mos now, and they have never been handled- and basically, neither has the rest of the herd...

We need to get them out of the orchard pasture, down a horribly rutted road (no trucks, only a tractor and/or mule) and down the hill to the barn yard. They are 100% grass fed, so they do not even know what grain is. They are Scottish Highlanders, hearty as all get out and slow moving, generally.

John said he has no idea how we will get them down there. Me neither. I want to try the nice way first- bring buckets of grain on the mule BIG buckets, over FLOWING with grain; let them start in and try and lure them down. If that fails, then we need the bull whip, lots of noise, and panels at the ready to prevent retreat.

If they were heifers, they could stay, but being that they are not, they have to go. The guy is coming down from north west of Albany.

It's going to be an adventure, that is for sure. I haven't even gotten to the part where we separate out the calves! I may get a hot shot, just to have on hand...

I wish I knew some very good cattle person nearby....

I spoke with the guy who I bought my ram lamb from last night. He has some lambs (last year's model) and some bred ewes for sale. I am interested in them, but I have concern about the bred ewes and handling them as they are not dog broke. I don't want to stress them, and I don't want to risk Dan having to deal with three angry momma ewes... I have to figure this one out. They all twinned last year, so it should be a good deal.

I need to up the food my girls are getting, as I noticed yesterday, when I scored the older girls, that all had lost a little weight, and that's not cool. So, I will up the grain a bit and perhaps feed a bit more hay. They seem to leave a little each day, so I thought that was fine. It really pays to check your sheep regularly.

I have been really tired lately, and not into doing stuff around the house. Maybe just winter funk. I don't know. Got my tax bill, and going to pay that today. Taxes stink. No one really OWNS a house.

Well, that's it for now.

Didn't sleep well again last night. Oh well. I think maybe as you age, your sleeping mechanism starts to fail....
So, up really early this morning, and made breakfast again. Stayed home until around 10:00 and on way up to farm I stopped by John's to take some pics of the Scottish Highland bull calves he has for sale. They are very nice looking.

When I got to the farm, I walked only one lap and then worked Dan. Now, plan was to just mostly the older girls, and maybe one Cheviot, but when I got them out there, I see the ram stuck himself in that group. He just loves the Border Leicester girls and does not want to leave them.... I worked that group including the ram and the ram was no trouble, and Dan was fine. No tiredness that I could discern. I did note that he had a bit more serious face on when pushing the sheep; perhaps because the ram was in there. After I worked him, we took one more walk. I am going to keep the walking down to maybe three laps at most. I think the ground is killing my feet as it is so un-even and for Dan, I think the amount he runs is just too much.

When I got home, I made the BEST home recipe for Chili. It was SOOOO good. I will have leftovers now for a few days. MMMMM.

Rest of the day will be spent chilling, and watching football. Just glad that Dan is okay it seems.

Dan was not good yesterday. I don't know what happened... We did some laps (my foot was a bit better), but on the last one, my sister joined me and Dan was just odd. He kept stopping in front of us, he was WALKING, and when we got home he stopped before going up the front steps (he usually leaps all three). I ended up bringing him to the vet. Vet checked him and said he was fine- no pain anywhere, save for maybe along his thoracic spine, but not bad... Okay.... So I bring him home and he acts totally normally. Who knows. Maybe a stomach ache? All I can say is I was a real wreck. I was consumed with being scared of losing him. You know, sometimes it takes time to really bond with a dog, and it took me some time with Dan, but now I am well and truly over the moon attached to him. I will see how he works the sheep today. He was so slow yesterday, like it took everything to do the work... And, of course I, as an idiot chose yesterday to put the ram out with the ewe lambs who he hates. The ram is bonded to the adults, and just did not want to stay with the ewe lambs. There were several tense moments, and Dan handled that ram very well. At one point in the video a fight ensues and it goes wonky (the video) because I was more focused on helping my dog with my voice. Dan, in true Dan form, all he needs is a GOOD BOY!! and he will go to.

Today I have another day off and plan to make some family recipe chili for dinner...

I actually have two days off in a row. I am sort of at a loss.. But I am sure I will woman up and find something to do!

Foot still bothering me. Wearing my nice dearfoam slippers, and I can get around but I cannot go long distances (like walking in a mall DRAT- I need more clothes!). I have no idea what I did. E's dog is out of commission for working now too, so no dog work for us. Sucks, but if it were last winter we would be snowed out of working dogs anyway. I contacted the guy I got my ram lamb from to see if he had any sheep for sale, he has a few already promised to another long time customer, so if he doesn't want them, then I can have them. It would be great.

Today I am heading out to Tractor Supply to get some more probiotics for kitty, as they have been just a God send for her. Other than that, I am just going to do farm chores, maybe try and walk the dogs- I HAVE to try, and then home, and tonight are Pit bull and Parolees and Dog Whisperer shows, which I want to see the former more than the latter... But, in any case, I hope I can stay up to watch them.

Weather forecast calls for warm weather pretty much all week. It's amazing. So nice- everyone saving a bit on hay, which is good because inventories are down all across the northeast due to the hurricanes and generally wet season. John gets his hay delivered on Sunday. I will ask him if I run low, if I can buy some bales off him. I think I will be fine though.

Made a nice pancake breakfast this morning- and the coffee is superb. Nice way to start off a two day off of work deal! Maybe I will go see "We bought a Zoo"....

Well, that's it for now!

I've got a flat

Did something to my foot yesterday. After four laps I was lame on my right foot. Bottom outside of it. Hoping it would be good today, it is not. Bought some ace bandaging and wrapped it but could only do one lap (my poor dogs). Going to keep off it best I can and see if it will resolve. I can feel the fat accumulating on me already. Maybe I will to sit ups tonight....

Hmmm. Last year I had no problems with the sheep. So simple. Fed them, kept them watered, and everything easy peasy. This year... I found my sheep locked in the barn (I believe there is a ghost...) the dog door slammed shut, the panel untied in two places with two knots, and my sheep in the big lambing room... Perhaps I left some things un-tied, but that dog door thing... No way I did that. So, anyway, I get to the farm yesterday, and commence the start of the walk. I always do four laps first, before I go to sheep, but I think I have to change that.....

Anyway, I bring a bale of hay out and I see one sheep is limping. Great. I then see she has baling twine caught on her neck and right hind leg. I try to fake her out and not look at her, to catch her but OH NO, she had none of it. So, I have Dan bring them to the fence and I as gently a possible, wrestle her down. Got it off her right hind easily as it was loose, but the twine around her neck? It was not around her neck, it was tied in knots in her neck wool. I had to just pull/yank (did not want to let her up and have to tip again). Finally, I got it off. Jeez.

Then, I spy that the sheep had once again unplugged the water heater (I think there must be general melee when they go to drink, as in they all rush it...) So, I plug it back in and see that they need more water...

I had shut the dog door thing, as I decided it was just too small for my sheep to go through easily (and if they are pregnant, indeed it will be difficult to get through). But, in doing so, I forgot that that opening is where I put the hose through to fill the water....... Crap. So, I get another longer hose. Nope, no way, frozen. Double crap. Then, I concede my stupidity and decide to drill a hole through the wall for the hose to fit through. Did that, and it was funny- as I turned on the water, the hose just shot the water out, looked like one of those boy peeing fountains ;)

So, I got the water filled, the hose drained/hung up and shut the barn. They do not need to go in there, as the weather is wonderful. I have all three rooms bedded down. I added a piece of board insulation at the bottom of one of the open door areas to cut down on the wind. It's looking quite nice in there now.

I spent a long time at the farm yesterday, which I quite like. Had left over meatloaf and boiled potatoes for dinner. E and I were considering heading to a trial in Va over the weekend, but the travel would have just been too much. Way too much, and we would not have had a good time, not to mention, I don't want to be gone from my house and animals that long- especially old kitty Ginger. She's starting to get a little foggy and I like being there when she wakes up. Call me wimpy... Also, not to mention, with the way my sheep are behaving, I don't know WHAT my sister would have done if she found a sheep like that. She is *not* an animal person... She may have had to call a vet and darted the thing!

Today we are back to a bit more comfortable temperatures.. Yeah!

Half way through the week. January doesn't seem to go very fast... It's only surpassed by February in terms of time of year we would like to not think about ;)

I saw an ad on craigslist for land near me for a free lease. It's only three miles away. The only hitch is that I as the lessee, would need to gross $10000 a year to get the owner his ag exemption. I just cannot see doing that without a TON of TIME, and of course a lot of capitol. I thought about it a lot, and I just don't see how I could do it on my own, and I do not want to go into business with someone else. But, all that thinking about it did get me thinking about what I want to do with my sheep.

I have decided to purchase at least 10 more ewes this spring- either NCC or Border Leicesters, and I would ultimately like to keep about 50 breeding ewes. But, I will need more graze. My friend has a field I can use, as long as I fence it in. It will be near his place and I can rotate sheep out there. The goal will be to over winter no more than 50 sheep. If hay were free, that would be another thing.

It is time to fish or cut bait as they say. I need to earn some $$ on these sheep. And, I need to do it ASAP.

It was so cold yesterday. We are up to six laps (three miles) around the field, and I feel a lot better in many ways. But, it was so cold I got really wind burned on parts of my legs, right through my jeans. Today I will have to wear long johns... Dogs are so fit. Dan has lost a lot of weight due to all this exercise. I have to up his food intake, and probably start him back on the yogurt again. They took off after deer yesterday, but were not gone long....

Well, that's it for now. Hope every one's having a great week!

Yin and Yang


Just Dan....

Happy New Year everyone!! I did end up going to a matinee yesterday with my sister- we watched "War Horse". It was pretty good, though NOTHING up to the quality of the documentary "Buck", which I know they are completely different genres, but still. War Horse needed more character development, but many scenes were very good.

It was nice in the theater, not many people there, and my sister's son took in Sherlock Homes II. Got home and ended up doing some cleaning. Got the kitchen cleaned up well. Had energy, so I made good use of it. Not sure what I watched last night; but I did get back to my book. A good night.

This morning I woke up with a headache again and my neck went BOING! Tightness. Stayed in bed watching Nat Geo for a while, then up to make breakfast and coffee. Double yoker egg! This surely must be a good omen for the year! Ate as many pancakes as I could, and the dogs got the rest. I never usually do that, but what the heck- boy kitty was left wondering what happened!?! He always get something ;) He's busying himself playing with some sort of something on the floor. I am going to take it easy today, until time to go to farm and enjoy another really warm day. Will work Dan a bit too. The dogs also need brushing BIG TIME.

We are so fortunate to have this warmer weather- I see people advertising hay for sale- which is great. If I had enough land, that I didn't screw up with the 24d last year, I would probably still be grazing myself still.... Lesson learned BIG TIME.

Well, not much else to report. I hope everyone has a relaxing day, doing whatever you like at whatever speed you like!