All's well that ends well ????

before I explain about the meaning of todays Blog title I want to let anyone who cares to know that Deigh is feeling MUCH better. The pain med's and muscle relaxers are doing their work and she is eating and drinking again. Has a little spring in her step. She must have really hurt herself somehow during that night. I do have a dim remembrance of some thud or loud noise that night that sort of woke me. Maybe she fell of the couch while sleeping ???
So back to the Blog title. A few weeks ago while in the basement I heard a spraying sound. I located the noise over by where the holding tank is for the well water . The tank is a dinosaur and had started to have pin hole leaks in it. 
We bought an new holding tank and Al and Randy came up today to switch them out. Could it be that simple to change them without complication ? No, of course not! First off the tank is located just off the basement in a very small, cramped, cinder block walled box. Al is a big guy and there was not much room for him, the water tank and the ladder down in the holding area.
I kidded with him after pulling the ladder up and said "Did you ever see the movie Silence of the Lambs???"
 I said this may be a perfect holding spot for you...I do have sheep and ....
He said he had seen the movie and added "So now you tell me after I just chucked my food up to safety!"
There were a few frogs in the tank area that he had thrown up to me to get them out of his way of stepping on them.
I kept peering down at him and saying "It rubs the lotion on it's skin or it gets the hose"
He laughed and said "No I would not, cause the water is shut off."

After a few hours and a trip or two to the hardware store the new tank was good to go. No of course that could not be the end of it...seems there is a valve in the water pump for air pressure. The old tank needed this to keep it pressurized. The new tank DOES NOT need it because it is a bladder system.
The cap and pipe at the top of the well is really old and was breaking apart as Al was working on a solution. There is too much air running through the system as it is . We can get by but not in the long haul. Always something.... Al will be back tomorrow to figure out a solution. He has a plan but needs to see if it will work before he gets to it. In one way I am glad he will be here because the first half of the garage is supposed to be delivered tomorrow. I would feel better to have Al here to guide them to setting this half.

The weather has finally cleared out but for the wind. I mean it is REALLY  blowing up here the past few days. I don't think we have had anything calmer the 20 mph. Though today is warmer than the past two that had snow squalls mixing in with the wind and clouds
 Today the sun is shinning and the sky is a deep cobalt blue. The mountians are greening up and it really is getting mighty pretty in the hills.
That is about it for today.

trouble in paradise

Something horrible has happened to Deigh. What that is exactly is still a mystery. Yesterday morning I was not greeted by Deigh as I woke from sleep. ALWAYS she hears me rustling and comes into the bedroom for her morning pets. Not so yesterday. As the fog cleared from my brain I noticed she had not come to my bedside. I shot up and out from under the covers, finding her in the living room on her dog bed. She did not even lift her head when I came over to her. I got the thermometer out and she had a normal reading . When I got her up and out she traveled as a dog who had been severly scolded. Head low, tail down, slinking in her motion. At rest she would show waves of tremble starting as her head and traveling down her back. Liken to the " a chill ran down my spine" . Not interested in food or water. I knew this dog needed to see the Doctor. For her to act this way I knew she was in a good deal of pain since we rulled out fever. Border Collies are a very stoic breed and many times are able to conceal grave illness or injury. For her to be acting this way I knew she was bad off.
At the Veterinary Hospital the usual exam was given, only to be inconclusive. 4 way snap test showed her negative for tick born illnesses. A "CBC" was run again, even though we had just done one less than two weeks ago and again showed a healthy dog.
So what happened to her overnight? She was fine when I had gone to bed. The Doctor gave her some pain med's and muscle relaxers. I was sent home with the same to give her. She has shown no sign of looking better this morning. Still not wanting food or water, reluctant to move and that hang dog gait when I take her out to relieve herself.
It rips me apart to see an animal in this way. A helpless feeling to not know where it hurts or why.

Last week a friends pup was acting off and she said she was taking it straight away to the Vet. I kidded with her saying how funny is it that we would at the drop of a hat take our animals to a Doctor long before we would even consider going for ourselves. It is very true in my case!
So if you can find it in your heart to send a little prayer up for Deigh we would be thankfull.

other than that not much to report.
My chickens seem to have been quite upset with all the activity across from their coop and have stopped the consistant laying they have given us since they started. I am now lucky to get one egg a day from the eight hens. Just a little bit more stress for them and then things will be back to normal ( again with that normal thing...is there really normalcy on a farm? ).
The first half of the modular garage is set to be delivered this Friday and the second half Monday and then put together.
I also will have a new friend Jim who I was introduced to me through Al, come up with his tractor and give our garden a really good rototilling. That should be in the next few weeks. Then the Chickens have have their peace and quite to get back to laying their yummy eggs.

Have worked the Open dogs a bit but not as much as I should and have not really concentrated on precision work needed for trialing. Something or another keeps getting in the way. Pups have had a lag in work too, but since they are not even a year yet it really does not bother me to give them breaks .
Of the regular farm work in moving momma's and lambs in and out of grass Dream, Spirit, and Bracken are working well . Listening to me , responsive. Spirit still has a slightly shorter fuse and has let into a few momma's who were not respecting her. Patience I keep reminding her.

Happy Earth day!

And we have some nice fresh earth to celebrate the day!
My neighbors Al and Randy have been up working on the garage and trailer pad the past few days.
I had gotten a call beginning of the week that the first half of the garage was ready to be delivered.What happened to around 30 days???
Thankfully Al had a few days between his jobs and was able to come up with the help of Randy and get the pad level for the garage. The pad for the trailer and camper is roughed out and they will come back next week to finish up. The focus was to get the pad done for the garage. So now why is it I hear nothing from the guy who wanted to bring up half this Friday?
If nothing else it has been good distraction for me from the cutting of multi floral rose. It has been days since I last walked down there wielding saw in hand!

The old apple tree is full of blossoms and if the weather stays kind we should have some good yield of apples this fall. The other apple trees dotted about the property look good in blossom as well but are old and tired so not sure of the yield.

This old gal has been a good producer .

The crab apple tree looks full too. My mother makes some very yummy crabapple jelly so keeping my fingers crossed for it to have a good yeild too!

There have been some very pretty little low to the ground wild flowers blooming here and there. A pretty little yellow type of lady slipper flower was blooming last week in the lower pasture. I did not have my camera and when I remembered to go back for a picture they were finished.

Lots of wild violet and some pretty little white flowers are  blooming there.

I found this fern as it was waking up from it's winters rest, but not quite open yet in the woods in the back part of the farm.

Have gotten the dogs out a few times and all are working well enough. I really need to go and visit someone to hold sheep for the dogs. I know of the very few trials I got to last year it was a little bump in the road for both Dream and Spirit to take sheep off someone. Why... I am still scratching my head over this as it had not been a problem in their earlier training.

Nothing too bad and subtle enough I am sure most would not notice but since they are my dogs any little glitch is magnified to me as it is a reflection of my training and handling skills.

 We have had some wonderful weather and have a few more days to go before we are looking at three or so days of rain and chilly days. April showers, blah blah blah...

Generations

This is my old ewe '99 . She is one of two sheep that are the last off my very first four sheep. She has been a good sheep over the years. Never a bother, had been good to work dogs on, always twins at lambing

It is interesting to me to look at what one can do with their breeding program in just a few generations.
Here is one one '99's daughters . A Cheviot ram is her sire .

Here is the daughter of this ewe, again to a Cheviot Ram

And this is the lamb off this ewe this year.

The sheep got to grass today.  It is nice and lush and ready to be eaten. Everyone was head down in it's splendor

The flock has caught wind of my battle with the Multi Floral Rose (you just can't keep anything from them ) and I saw a few of the lambs hoping for brownie points in working on the problem

Keep on trucking baby, you gotta keep on.... truckin'...

What wonderful weather we have been enjoying!
I have been plugging away a few hours almost every day at the lower pasture I said I was going to wait till Fall/Winter to clean up.
I just don't know why but I just can't stop myself  from heading down there each day and having at that damned Multi Floral Rose and Wild Blackberry.
It has almost become personal, and I feel I must irradicate the enemy from my fortress!

I did take a photograph of the area before I had first attempted to clean it out. Yes I thought , here is the "before" picture and then I'll take an after picture later to show it all clean and hospitable. You know how the story that day went but I'll show you the picture anyway.

I still have not addressed this area yet, but if you look deeper into the photo that is where I have been doing the hacking and working my way over to here.
I am leaving young trees and this low bush that has really mean thorns. I don't want to take everything out and these bushes don't seem to get huge or take over.
So here is a picture from last week after I had gone in with that usless piece of machinery and then started sawing by hand the rest as I did a better job and worked faster this way than with the  (cough) brush cutter.

Here is where I am at so far as of today.

The grass is greening up and I should be able to start putting sheep and lambs to grass this week coming.

I have only worked the pups maybe two times since last posting. They worked very well. Good stops, call offs. Nice outwork. I know I should have them as my priority...My trained dogs too!
I have been doing other things .Yes part of it has been this stupid lower pasture. But I have been getting Diamond worked and went out on the trail with her and Nola yesterday. She was as good as any young coming six year old  horse and other than some pesky flies bothering her I can't think of anything negative to say.
I took a few pictures of her today because she is almost shedded out and does not look so scruffy as she has with her winter hair. I can't wait to see her all slick and glossy in her summer coat !

Yesterday my dad and I went and ordered the modular garage, so that is back on the burner. It should be here next month and then we can start converting one half into indoor/outdoor dog runs. I CAN'T wait!

I also am thrilled to have a Farrier! Mike, Rachel's husband came over the night before last and trimmed my draft cross Scotty as well as looking at my laminitis pony Nugget. He showed me how much I can safely trim and at least if his back is up to it she can get a real good trim evey few months with me keeping things in check in between. One less thing for me to do or worry about doing. My back just is not able to do it anymore. Mike has a terrific way with them and I know because Nugget did not even try to be a brat.

Now if I can just get the shearer over for the sheep I am golden.

The hawks have been sticking around under close watch of the local crows. It cracks me up how one moment they can be harrassing each other and the next sitting in the trees together .

I took Deigh , Rush, Flint and my cat Splotchity to Bunker Hill Vet Hospital today.

Deigh needed her follow up after her Cancer surgery and Splotchity has been failing and needed a follow up as well. The pups needed Rabies Vaccinations. I am embarassed to say this was the very first time they have had a car ride. They did well until I went around a turn and Flint over compensated and tipped his crate into Rushs' causing a Domino effect on both of them. I pulled over but Rush peed in her crate and Flint had two long spools of drool at each corner of his mouth.

I righted the crates and off we went. They were fine when we arrived at the vet hospital and were perfect in the office. The ride home was uneventful so other than a little motion sickness they did okay.

I am happy to report Deigh had excellent blood profile and so far the Cancer is in remission. Splotchity was not as good news. Ultrasound shows she has a large tumor on her liver and is a bit jaundice. I have a few months left with her at best. Her quality of life is still good. Although she is thin she is still happy and bright.  I still hate that she has limited time and is only nine years old.

This is the part of loving animals that is the hardest. As my Vet said today "love her twice as much"

We will, that will not be a hard thing for us to do at all.

Happy Birthday Scotland Yard!

Here is an old photo of Scotty as a raw unstarted two year old

It is hard to believe it has been years ago when I first went to look at him out east on a potatoe farm on Long Island, where we used to live.

I had been told about him by a friend . Half Clydesdale and half Thoroughbred.

His sire Sea Fire was a son of Nashua. His mother was an import from Scotland.. There he was out in a large pasture , surrounded by Clydesdales, Thoroughbreds and crosses like him. He was a rough diamond. Mane and tail tangled in dred locks a Rastafarian would have been envious of . No handling to speak of . I was in love the moment my eyes met his. His best field buddy was a HUGE 17. something hands Clydesdale named Barney. Scotty would lay his head over his back and Barney would just let out a deep sigh. His nostrils fluttering contentment on exhale.

 I have an old picture someplace of Scotty that day I went to look at him. He looked like an old plow horse, not a young and growing two year old.

After we got him home I cleaned him up and trimmed some blubber off him is the picture you see above of  him now looking like he was owned and loved by someone. That would be me of course!

Scotty was a great guy to start and train. He was really coming along and he would have made one heck of an Eventer or Dressage horse...His older full sister was showing in A rated Grand Prix jumpers at five years old. The talent was there. But at the time he was getting good I was getting much more interested in working and training border collies to be sheepdogs.

Scotty sort of got put up on the shelf. He could care less and he has led the life of Reilly. I am hoping riding and working with Diamond will jump start me with the help of Nola and Rachel (hopefully) to get him back into light work. He really is a kind and gentle horse. A team player and I think he would enjoy a nice hack now and again.He always enjoyed being ridden, though at times he was lasy. He never gave me a hard time, ever. I just lost interest, somehow.

He loves it up here and I feel I owe it to him to get up on him again.

Here are a few photo's of him as a matured horse.

Happy Birthday big boy.

I feel a hot wind on my shoulder, blowin' in from south of the border....

Wow 20 of the past 28 days have been above average. Some days 30 degree F above ! Winter into summer. Not to worry a cold front is on it's way and temps should bottom out around freezing Friday night/ Saturday morning.
I have gotten a lot done around here while the weather has been good. Got the mud scraped out of the night paddock for the horses, got the pampas grasses cut back.

Yesterday I rented a "Billy Goat " walk behind brush cutter to attempt to clean up a lower pasture that is overgrown with multi floral rose.

 I wrestled with that damn machine for six hours yesterday and in the end I think I was much more chewed up by the "Billy Goat" and Rose than the Rose was by the Brush Cutter. It was around 86 F here yesterday and I was just worn out at end of day. Sad to say after all the hours I messed around it looks like I had done very little.I was so dissapointed I forgot to even take a photograph of my six hours of  back breaking effort.
The problem was that the ground is rocky and fairly steep in grade. The machine was limited in what it could cut back as well as jerking me all over the place going up or down the hills. I am sure it would be great on more level hospitable terrain but was no match for the hills or the level of vegetation I was attempting to cut. A $75 .00 lesson.
My future plan of attack is to now wait until late Fall and through the winter to go back down there and chainsaw the big stuff and prune back the smaller stuff. Tee shirts and pricker bush , be it Wild Blackberry or Multi Floral Rose just don't mesh. My arms are proof !
At the very least I have it cut back enough in a good swath that I can get the electro net down in there and let the sheep at the smaller stuff.

I am thrilled to find I have another great swimming dog in the pack! Rush is a swimming fool.
I had been taking the pups down to the water after works because it was so hot and also a nice treat for us to have some special time away from the other dogs. While down at the stream I was fooling around with throwing a stick and seeing if either dog would bring it back.Rush loved the game. Flint , well he just does not get the bringing it back part. Then again his mother Bracken is not so good at that either. Any way I had the dogs down at the pond for a swim, or dip ( their choice ) . Turns out Rush did her best to rival Spirit in her "dock diving dog " impersonation.

Flint does not care for the water other than to MAYBE on occassion get his feet wet, though the first time he was down at the pond and running around the edge or what he thought was edge, was just a mat of old reeds on the top of the water. Flint found himself swimming even though it was not his choice to do so.

The Red Tailed Hawks are back at their nest down by the pond and stream.

I have been doing my best not to bother them much when I take the dogs down to the water.
I don't want them upset with us.

I have been getting down to ride Diamond a bit more and plan on getting her up here next month.  She was quite cranky the other day but it was hot and she had worked hard the day before with Rachel. I don't think she likes the saddle I was using so will try a different one of mine and see if it fits her better.
That's about it for now.

an Easter Prayer

Lord you have forever risen in my heart!
May the sunrise remind me to shine in your light
May a gentle breeze remind me of your compassion
May the fragrance of a flower remind me to blossom in your love
May the singing birds bring a song of joy to my lips
And at the closing of each day may I remember to quietly pray
Wherever I am, Whatever I do
May my thoughts in joy return to you!

This is one of my favorite Easter Prayers.It really is a wonderful daily prayer to be honest.

Saturday night Paul, my mother and I celebrated Mass at the Easter vigil, a service of light.
The mass started with the church being completly dark. I was really beautiful to sit in the church in complete darkness but for the light  from outside that luminated the stained glass windows.
As the mass began the priest came down through the back of the church and we all had candles that were lit as he walked forward past the pews. The church glowed and was bathed in the light of many candles. The readings were powerful and gave thought to the most holiest days on the Christian calendar. Two things stood out the most for me. One was that on this day the most important mass of all is held witness by women. At that time women were never allowed to even testify in court or any religous matters and yet this day , this mass is recorded though testimony of women. The second was the reading where Abraham was summoned to give his only son back to God. He did without question what he was asked even though it would have been the hardest thing for a parent to do. Just as he was to offer his sons life God called to him and spared his son . Because of Abraham's strong love and devotion to God., he was spared sacrificing his son.
The holy water was blessed and the members of the church renewed  Baptismal vows.


Easter Sunday was just beautiful weather wise. It was a crazy day starting off with Paul and I  sitting at the kitchen table and seeing one of our chickens go flying past the patio door with our cat Tigger attempting to hitch a ride on her! I must have not latched the pen and the chickens found their way out into the yard. So Paul and I mustered them up. Most were together and it made it a bit easier to collect them.

I got both pups worked and they are making steady progress
I worked Rush first and she was working fairly well . Getting some good distance on the outwork with them.
I have a few pictures of the length they are running out but have zoomed them to see them at the top end just a bit better

We worked a little on driving when the opportunity came up.

More of the same for Flint

We had dinner at my parents. At 87 years old my mother can still cook up a fantastic meal.
Later when we went out to do evening feed I found one little lamb had some how gotten on the wrong side of the fence and was frantic to get back.Running up and down. I managed to grab her and found an area that the heavy rains must have washed out just enough room for her to slip under the fence. I am always amazed how animals can somehow find the needle in the haystack. Here these animals are in a well fenced four/five acre pasture and yet this little one found a small area that she could slip under just about four feet long!

I was supposed to take a lesson with Bobby Dalziel Monday, but got a call today that the clinic they are having has been running too late and they can't do the lessons after. I am dissapointed because I would have liked Bobby's opinion on his ideas for the pups. Oh, well.

we cannot direct the wind but we can adjust the sails

I was going through pockets before doing wash and this little slip of paper was in the coin pocket of a pair of my jeans. Yes , it is a fortune cookie slip of paper. This saying makes much sense to me. Sometimes you just have to go with the flow even if it may not have been a direction you had plotted.

A sad day yesterday for me. The littlest of my set of three did not make it. It had been very small at birth and over the past ten days just seemed to be hanging on by a thread. We had some nasty weather three days ago. I had kept mother and triplets in that day for fear of them getting chilled. I had checked through out the day and around 2:00 we had some really cold wind with mix of snow , sleet and rain. Even though they were safe in the barn this little lamb looked too frail. Again when I came out at 4:00 it was flat out, but alive. I brought it inside and slowly warmed it. It was so cold I could not even get a reading on the digital thermometer. I slowly fed it dextros and warmed it up. By 11:00 it was back to a normal temp and was looking bright and alert. I was really surpised it made a turn around. I thought for sure it would die. On Wednesday it was doing better but had a bit of the runs. Not bad but I treated it for coccidia just in case. That afternoon I brought it outside and let it spend time with it's mother and sisters.while I did chores. Within an hour it was looking depressed again. I brought it back inside but found it had passed during the night. I know many would not even give a second thought or effort to save this little lamb. Maybe there was no saving it . I can't help but think everything needs a chance. I did what I could but it was just not meant to be. This little lamb who was just rounding ten days weighed three pounds and was so very small.

On a plus I have been getting the pups out a few times this week and they sure are looking nice. Amazing to me to think that Flint who has been on sheep 15 or so times can run out 100 yards, has a nice fetch and is wearing nicely. Lie downs are close to solid and his shape of flanks are sweet. He could run in a Novice Novice trial and do well. At ten months old.
I think of when I first started this  journey and it would have taken me months to get this on a dog ! I have gotten better and the dogs I have are better, I think.
Rush is looking better too. We have had some talks about her barreling into the back ends of the sheep when wearing and seem to have reached a meeting of minds. She is running out well , though a few times has crossed over just in front of the sheep to her more comfortable side. More my fault than hers.
Today she even gave me a few yards of the beginning of a drive. Not much but it was set up and we just went for it. She moved them 10 or 15 yards before she flanked to turn them. We have been working on the name of flank direction and while I know they still do not know what comebye or away to me is yet, I do see them starting to put the words to the motion. Same for walk up. The lie down has been good so far. Flint is getting better about taking off to gather the sheep without me asking. He is learning that'll do means to walk away from stock with me UNTIL I shush him to fetch them. Only beat me once today on the darned Away flank thing he does.

I have been riding Diamond and working with Rachel down at Nola's to get her ready to come home. She sure is a nice little thing. I think we will have fun. I just wonder where to fit it all in time wise.

I have pruned the fruit trees, got the rose of sharon pruned too. Planted some pansy's . Have to tackle the pampas grasses and the butterfly bushes next. The grass is getting green and it is slowly drying up. It is wonderful to have a string of warm sunny days ahead. I am looking forward to enjoying each one of them.

That is about all that has been going on here.