Don't get me wrong

I hope you don't get me wrong. Dreams are special, and if you want something, you have to go for it.  But, you need to have a good plan; carefully thought out, and always be prepared for road blocks.  Even though I am so very fortunate to be able to do what I am doing, always, in the back of my mind is that this IS a huge luxury and if I had to, well, I would have to make the big decision... Then, that's when the big question gets answered- how bad do you want it and can you do it....  I hope it doesn't happen, but if it does, I hope I am up to the challenge.

If you want something, start thinking about how to go about getting it... start working toward it, but do not believe by luck and fame, you will get others to fund it for you... because THAT pool of resources will dry up.. and you will be left selling your personal possessions just to keep a roof over your head...

A glimpse into part of our day

I pull into the driveway, and as I get out, I am thankful that I did not get there much later, as it is already quite warm out, and in this heat and humidity Dan and Joe get hot very quickly.  Coffee filled travel mug in hand, I open the back of the Jeep and let the dogs out.  Dan, then Joe.  Dan makes an immediate bee-line down the hill with Joe in hot pursuit.  They know our path, we have taken it every day for all of their lives..

As I walk down to the first gate, a green welded bar gate, I have Day stay and then walk through, I release Dan and he and Joe gallop down the first part of our walk through the middle field.  I look up to the hill field, and do not see sheep, but I know where they are; they are in the center of the field, under a Maple tree, staying cool.  We continue our walk, and I remark to myself that I have never seen the grass this tall.  I believe it's Orchard grass, and the seed heads are almost chest high!  I then add, that we need to get this mowed!  We continue on our walk, Joe runs ahead, Dan runs ahead but always checks back in with me. I spy the sheep right where I thought they would be. About half way through our walk, all of a sudden about one foot from me, a big brown blob flies up off the ground, I quickly realize it was a Turkey- a hen, and there were several tiny Turkey chicks peeping to keep in touch with their mom who just beat wings to get away from the dogs and I.  Fortunately Dan and Joe are not hunters and we leave the little Turkey chicks to find their mom...  In addition to the jolt by seeing a Turkey that close to me, I am also smashed into by a 17 year Locust who must have been scared by said hen, because as she took off he/she simultaneously hit me and bounced off.

We continue our walk and Dan jumps into the pond, as usual, to cool off.  I then bring Dan and Joe to the Jeep and leave them in their crates with the back open, and I set to check the sheep.  I have two groups of sheep now, since there is another ewe that is pregnant, and the wether, yes, the supposedly neutered ram lamb is mounting her and reacting to ewe's urine... great... I do not need her bothered by him.  So, yesterday, I took the older lambs/mothers, the ram and the wether to the hill field, and leave the two youngest lambs, their mothers, three non -pregnant or mother sheep, and the pregnant ewe in the lower field.    The latter group is in the barn, the coveted area- when it is hot out, for two of the walls are field stone, making that room cooler than outside.  I check everyone out see that pregnant ewe is not looking close, so then I decide to clean out the barn a bit.  I get that done and then, it's time to leave and get home to get more cleaning done.

Thanks for coming along....

Away to Me

Last night I watched the movie "Away to Me" which chronicles the lives of Faansie Basson, Amanda Milliken and Haley Huniwell (nee Howard), and followed them in their competition at the illustrious Soldier Hollow trial, held in UTAH on a previous Olympic skiing site...  This trial is by invitation only.  This movie was GREAT!  I encourage you all to either borrow, or get a copy of it.  So great, and really speaks to why we do this, and why these dogs amaze us on a daily basis...  It was so great, sort of injects a bit of energy into my less than energetic trialing bones! 

We had an interesting run at Cummington.  Sheep were not of the settled variety, who knows why, maybe Dan riled them, but it was falling apart at the cross drive, and then they ran behind the pen and chute and then two split for exhaust and I quit.  One stayed RIGHT at my side and literally walked at heel next to me as I went to get Dan who was bringing sheep off the field.   She just looked shell shocked.. who knows.. it's how it goes. 

I got home from the trial and mowed the lawn, and found my mail box is broken from a bush growing into it and then, under my sink I see my PVC piping came apart and my cabinet floor is all wet.  Have to get both addressed- the drain today for sure!  I also have to string trim and run some errands for my sis.  Busy time of year.  The yearling has not delivered yet, and I think I will put the ram and a few others up in hill field for now, so I can keep the new lamb safe from the ram.

So, here it is almost June and things are going a mile a minute, just how I like it!

My idea of a very GOOD 24 hours

The above pics are of my Border Leicester cross ewe, and her lamb (father is Border Cheviot), she is beautiful, and he fleece is the softest fleece I have ever felt... The second pic if of the ram lamb I have; he is huge and for sale, and the third pic is a Border Collie hiding behind some reeds...

I have had a very nice 24 hours.  First, I went to the sheepdog trial.  Dan had a good go,but no chute no and therefore no pen... low score, but he did well on his outwork and only 3 points off all of it.  Cold and rainy there, but still, I enjoyed myself.

Then today, a day off from trialing.  Brought my nephew to the farm to do some string trimming; taught him some tricks and watched him go to it.  Then, I worked Joe and then I walked the dogs.  Now, I am home, and just finished a pot pie.  Now, I am going to lie down.  My head hurts, but that does not take anything from this being a great 24 hours.

Hmmm, wasn't expecting that....

Yesterday, brought all the sheep down from the hill field into the barn.  I should say Dan did this...  Got the sheep in the barn and into the smaller room.  Dan had them in and when I turned around, Dan had left to go back out in paddock and in a few secs, comes back with a straggler.  Good boy Dan.  Started doing shots- one lamb, the second to youngest was nutso, but most were good.  The ram lamb is like an adult sheep now, he's bigger than this mother and not even three months old.  Good gracious!  Anyway, the black one was the best.  When I let her up her mother immediately called to her and back with her mom she went- plastered to her side as always.

As I was doing this work, bent over a lamb... I looked up and saw that my thin yearling, with the wool break, who is gaining weight nicely... has a bag... oh boy.  Never saw this coming.  Not that I should not have but....  Great.  No wonder she was thin.  I gave her a CD/T shot, as her last was in Feb, and now I have to decide what to do with her... The ram is not nice to babies, so I will have to divide things up, or pen the ram.. I just don't know.  She's still thin, but this great grass we have had has been good for everyone- and she has gained weight even if still a bit thin.  her bag is not tiny, like that last ewe that went for a long time, so as of today, everyone getting moved down to the lower field and I have to set a jug back up too.  I hope she's a good mom.  She's rather young.  I guess this ram will have to be separated from here on out, because he sure is dedicated to his work.

Worked Dan a bit, he was very nice, and also worked Joe a bit.  We need to do stall work soon.  He needs more comfort on sheep in tight places, but now with lamb on way, my room for that will be taken.

Still really poor.  Ate no dinner last night, literally nothing in the larder.  Was very weak this morning, but tomorrow is pay day.  Thank goodness.  Have to get the lawn mowed today and maybe vacuum as I will be busy Friday and holiday weekend.

Well, that's it for now...

So, yesterday was busy day, and by the time I got to the sheep it was pretty warm out.  Walked the dogs, and worked Joe- need to work Dan today...

Joe was a bit flummoxed by the lambs who did not flock as well as they could and I see lots of holes in his work, so lots to work on.  He was pretty hot after working but we took a lot of breaks- I don't work him long, but having to think so much makes a dog pretty hot...

I have to get the oil changed in my car this week as well as get the rest of the dogs in for their annuals.  Waiting on some money for that... may be a long wait.  Just behind the eight ball this year wrt money...  Would really like my sheep to be bringing in some money for me!  Still at the point though of wanting to increase numbers so I have enough to work and enough to breed. 

I put said sheep up in the hill field yesterday.  Moving them has been great- by the looks of them.  Hope to keep it up.  We have a fourth field that is being cleared now, so when that is done, more grass.  Always chasing that grass..

Well, that's it for now!

Old UK style

Guess what?! I moved the sheep again yesterday!  They are loving this.  I moved them to behind and to the side of the barn.  There is a LOT of browse in there, which they go for first.  I tried to get netting to block off on the barn side, but the ground is way too rocky.  So I shut the barn doors and blocked them that way.  I covered up some areas at one place where I know there is some construction debris concerns.  They should be good for at least three days there.

Raining her right now; supposed to do so off and on all week. This is great.  We are considered "abnormally dry" via the US drought monitor, so I am happy to get any and all rain.  Everything at the house is so green and beautiful right now.  I love it after I have mowed/trimmed and then just to sit back and enjoy the view.

Worked Joe yesterday.  He's getting big for his breeches, and I need to do some close work with him, as he just wants to keep walking in and in.  He's not slashy dashy, he's just uber confident.  But, when he walks in too close they bust and then he covers. He's creating his own work...

I wormed the sheep the other day, surprised I had enough wormer.  The thin yearling who looks terrible due to wool break, has finally turned a corner and is eating to beat the band and is gaining weight.  This makes me very very happy.  The lambs look good.  Will be getting three cross breed lambs later this summer and then I think we are good.  Have to move the in tact ram lamb on sometimes in June.  He's ginormous.  The littlest lamb who's dad is the ram lamb is just awesome- built like an old UK style Border Cheviot.  I am SUPER happy with her!

Have more work to get done at the farm, but moving the net is not easy.  Every spike takes a LOT of work to get in.  Today I was going to go to a breakfast at my sister's church, but my stomach is doing flip flops, so just toast and coffee I think.  Really poor again this week.  Going to be so tight...   If it weren't for trialing... Ah well, such is life- what is life without a little pleasure?

Well, that's it for now :)