baby it's cold outside !

Old man winter has been giving my furnace a work out this winter. It has really been quite cold. When I went out to do morning chores it was 8 degree F.

We had a wonderful time with Al and Ruth last night. The beer cans were stacking up and the Margarita's were flowing . Al is a great story teller and always good for lot's of laughs.

Got the pups out. Today I got them up into the main hay field. More room for walk abouts . Rush did well. She is one fast little bitch but thankfully has decent brakes on her. She is listening well for her stops and we were able to do some little outruns because she will stay put so I can collect her and walk away from the sheep and send her. She is still a bit zoomy on the walk about , so adding many turns so to keep her right. It still is pretty cold, hovering in the high teens to low twenties. The wind is blowing good up here "on the hill " as the locals comment about our farm . At this stage I really am allowing them to be natural and feel the sheep. I ask for a lie down or stop on balance and am saying the flank commands as I turn. That is about all they have on them

Flint did well and he was laying down on balance most every time today. I still can not walk to him and collect him to practise little out runs from my side. He just can't stay for me.  I was able to send him out in a way that while he was running to balance I gave ground and walked back . He hit the right spot and came on the sheep so nice and fetched them straight . I tried to work on him staying so I could collect him off the sheep but after a while I knew it was not happening today. I just had him bring the sheep back down and put them away. This time while he was intent on looking at them I worked on him laying down and staying as I walked straight to him. He got up several times and I made it as clear as I could I wanted him to stay .

 It will sink in sooner or later. I am taking Spirit, Dream and Bracken out for a long walk . I have to leave Deigh again as she is still limping too much on that front paw. I feel bad, but she just can't go. I have made a huge dent in our hay so far. We got 2500 bales off this past season.I have sold around 550 bales and have seriously chipped away at what we have left. Although it was hard work and cost me going to a few trials this summer it was well worth the peace of mind and relief of stress bringing in hay from some place else. The hay crop was really nice. No garbage in it. No waste. That's pretty much it . Getting ready to bundle up and go for a walk. Even though it is cold and windy it is bright and sunny. Dressed well and moving it really is not too bad out there.