Rush of Swift Star Farm (+playlist)

Made a Video of Rush the other day. Weather has been all over the place and picked a miserable day outside to make this inside :)

Merry Christmas

Wishing the few people who are faithful to my Blog a
Very Merry Christmas and a Wonderful Healthy Happy New Year.

the fruit does not fall far from the tree

Through out Opal's training I could not help but notice how much like her mother Bracken, she is.
I recently thought it would be a good test for Opal to push the flock down off the hill where they had camped out since the recent snow. We had cumulative amounts in the one foot range give or take. At any rate it was chest deep to dogs and the sheep were happy just to loaf in one spot and have hay to eat. They had no interest in leaving that hilltop and had no reason other than a dog to convince them otherwise. It was also good for Opal to help keep sheep away from me while I supplement round bale feed with smaller square bales. We were in a cold deep dive. Temperatures averaging in the teens and low 20's during the day and single digits at night (though as I write this we are in an unusual warm snap, 60 today and in the 50's as I write this).
So after working Opal and videoing it I though "wouldn't it be neat to work Bracken and splice the works together to see how close they work alike" . I brought Bracken out and ran her through the pace.
She was happy to oblige . She still is pretty fit for an aged dog. A bit slower on outwork, maybe cutting the top off a bit at times. Her eyesight maybe not as sharp as in her younger years but still good enough. She loves farm work and it has been hard not to use her or my other two reliable workers, Spirit or Dream for sorting  out for breeding, ear tagging, worming, foot trimming or all the other tasks involved managing 100 + sheep.
I have been giving this work to Rush, Flint and recently most often to Opal.

So anyway here is the Video I put together of Opal and Bracken. I really was amazed when putting this together they work even more alike than I had imagined !

Thanksgiving song Parody

sung to Jim Hendrix Purple Haze

Turkey Haze

Turkey Haze all in my brain
Lately things just don't seem the same
Acting funny, but I don't know why
'scuse me while I grab another slice of pie

Turkey Haze all around
Don't know if I'm coming up or down
Am I happy or in Tryptophan misery?
What ever it is, that birds put a spell on me

Help me help me
oh no no ....no

yeah
Turkey Haze all in my eyes
don't know if it's day or night
You got me tired, tired out of my mind
Is it tomorrow or just the end of time?

Opal at two years old

Sorry the quality is so bad. I just don't know how to fix it or why it always looks too tiled when I transfer.

Training clinic with Michael Gallagher

Swift Star Farm hosted a clinic with Michael Gallagher.

Michael is from a small coastal village named Armoy in Northern Ireland . Both his Father and Uncle use, train and trial sheepdogs.
He has had many accomplishments in UK. Qualifying for to be on the Irish team on numerous occasion to run in the Supreme International Sheepdog Trial.
As well as winning the Supreme in 2010 with his talented Cap.

He has been in Canada and USA since spring ,staying with Amanda Milliken for now when he is not traveling to run his dogs, give clinics and lessons as well as Judge trials here and Canada.
He won the Kingston sheepdog trial this past August with his bitch Flo, beating close to 140 dogs entered.

He was very easy to work with, calming and accurate in his assessment of dogs . He used calm, quiet technique to get his point across as well as the training exercises he offered to help fix problems handers were addressing . It was great fun and I am glad to have hosted him here at Swift Star. I hope to have him back in the future.

I Will Remember You

SOMETIMES WE CRY

Sometimes we cry.....

My father passed away this past weekend.

He was 92, soon to be 93 the beginning of Dec. He lived a good life , lived through and saw more things than most. He spent most of his formative years in St. Clair Pennsylvania. His earliest job was working with his father in the coal mines that surrounded his area. Graduating from High School there. He was a football star for his High school.

 
 
 






















After graduation he enlisted and served for 20 years with the United States Air Force.

He was at Pearl Harbor during the attack and had survived.

The following year he married my Mother. This coming December they would have been married for 71 years. A lifetime for many!

He traveled to and lived in many locations . The south Pacific, much of Europe. My Mother sometimes going with him. My Sister Anne and my brother J Michael were born during this time and also lived in many different countries in Europe, " Military Brats" .

In 1960, after 20 years of service he retired from the Air Force and settled on Long Island, New York.

At the end of October 1961 I was born. My Dad was now in his 40's and both my parents were considered older for having a child during that time. Many times I can recall my friends asking if my parents were my grandparents. My sister was sixteen years older than me when I arrived. I know it must have been tiring for my parents to raise me going into their 40's. Yet they did, when most of the parents were half their age at school functions and birthday parties.

 

Dad with my sister Anne

 
 
just a few of me with Dad

My Mom told me yesterday that when I was born and he saw me for the first time he made a comment to her that he did not know why but he felt something different , a special connection to me. More than his other children.
Of his children I am most like him. I am grateful to have been blessed with his wit and sense of humor. I think though this is why we locked horns so much. Too much a like. He was never the kind of Dad who showered you with hugs or gushy sentiment. You earned it. You earned everything, and worked hard for it. That was what he knew. Reflecting on this there were many times I was angry with him for it. But it taught me a valuable lesson over all. You had to work hard to get what you want. Nothing was given, you earned it. When you did get what you wanted it was sweet because it was hard to get. You learned of sacrifices, failure as well as pride and satisfaction at your own hand. It molded you into a driven adult who depended only on themselves to "Git 'er done".

When my Dad retired from his second career with Suffolk County Sheriff department my parents moved out to Arizona. They lived in Prescott for fourteen years.

 
 

In the late summer of 1989 I married Paul. My Dad walked me down the Isle . He loved Paul and admired him over the years. He was both proud and happy I married such a good man.

I can't begin to tell you how right he was . Paul has been my rock both now and on many other sad ,emotional occasions .

When my parents were in their late 70's , they moved south in Arizona. To Vail and bought property and had a home built. My brother lived close by and it was good for them to move closer to one of us as they got older.

Even into their 70's and 80's my parents were pretty active. Walking regularly and vacationing to places they wanted to see. Australia, as well as revisiting locations in Europe . Along with a visit back east to stay with us a few weeks maybe once a year.
He was artistic, crafty.
A handy man, doing many , many home improvements on his place, my brothers as well as our home well into his eighties.
My Dad was very active in the VFW and later became a member of the Masonic Lodge .

Five years ago we bought our farm here in North East Pennsylvania . My parents were now into their late 80's.
We have two homes here and invited them to stay with us.
They took us up on it and their house was sold in less than a month and my Dad at 87 drove the full way from Arizona to Pennsylvania in three days!
This was the source of may colorful conversations of my Dad , petal to the metal motoring his way north east!

My father LOVED animals.
I know this is where I get it from.
He was an avid bird watcher and we used to talk about all the different birds that would visit the feeders both he and I had set up for them. He loved the deer, our horses, the sheep, chickens, cats and dogs.
Oh the dogs!
He just thought they were amazing !
 My Mom told me he would watch me from his window in the kitchen and see me with the sheep and dogs and comment "oh there goes Bo-Peep with her sheep".  The dogs he thought so highly of.
Often I would bring one or two over for a visit and they would run right to him and he would pull out his stash of dog treats and give them a little snack. He loved them for their intelligence and never ending energy.
The year we moved here I had a litter of pups. He just loved those pups.
He was a strong supporter of my training with them and my running them at trials. He always was interested in how they did when we went.
Proud and excited when they did well or there to offer encouragement or condolence when we could not manage a placement.
He knew how important the Open class was to me and how that meant so much to me to do well at that level. He was a big fan of both Rush and Flint. Having known them since new born and then later my Opal.
He was thrilled to hear she had placed her first few times stepping out onto a trial field in the Pro Novice Class these past few months. And always encouraged me when I would come home and voice my disappointment of yet again not getting placement with Rush or Flint in the Open class.

My Dad with Flint and Rush

This past year my Dad really slowed down. He was having a hard time getting around. He had shortness of breath and found it hard to do much without getting "winded". The less he did, the less he was able to do.
His heart was failing him and his spinal stenosis was causing him discomfort.
He pushed himself, but I pushed him harder.
I just could not grasp he was failing and I did not want him to give up. But the fact of the matter was that he was 92, had a bad heart.

A few weeks ago he had a minor stroke. He recovered well enough but was kept in the hospital the past week for one thing or another. Visiting him in the hospital he was always in good spirit, still bright and alert.. not looking to have any brain damage.
I would bring him fresh tomato's and pears from our place and he would eat them right then and there, saving a few for breakfast.
He was released mid week last week and came home. He seemed good for someone who had had a stroke. He was able to get out of the car , walk up the porch steps to his home and went right to the kitchen and began reading his mail.
He was weak, very weak.
I think he knew it was the end and came home to pass on.
I wish I would have allowed myself to see/ believe this. I could not. He was going to live to be 100 , I just knew it!

I left for a dog trial this past weekend.
I said "so long" and would "see him on Sunday afternoon".
He said "Good luck, I hope you do well. Be careful driving down and back".
Did I tell him I loved him? I can't remember!
I called during the weekend and let him know I had finally managed an Open placement with Flint. He was so happy for me and proud of me ! I am glad I was able to achieve this while he was alive .

Unfortunately he had another episode that landed him in the hospital the week before.  He went fast, peacefully. He passed at home in his favorite chair . I think this was as he wanted it.
My brother told me he once had a conversation with my dad about his grandfather and that he had died in his favorite chair on his front porch.
My Dad had made a comment of  " how great was that? You could not ask for a better way to go".

I am grateful my Dad had a good full life. That he was with it right up to the end. That he left quick and did not have a long lingering illness. That he passed away at home, in his favorite chair.
You could not ask for a better passing.
I cry not for him but for my Mother, my brother and myself. It sucks to be left behind.

I have many memories that will make me laugh as well as cry.
He may not have been the best Dad, or the most perfect one.

But he was MY Dad. I will miss him, I do miss him.

What I did on my summer vacation

Yes I know I have neglected this blog. Facebook has sort of taken the place I think for many of us who started "blogging". No excuse though. I really started this more for myself than anything. Just to go back and see where I was, where I am and where I hope to go. While there really was no vacation to speak of this summer I thought it has been that long if not longer since I have last shared what's up here for anyone who has stuck with my Blog long enough to care.
So what have we been up to?
A little of this

And a little of that

 

I managed to get to a few dog trials as well.

Opal has started her trial career and I am happy with what she is showing me. We even managed a few placements in 40+ dog Pro/Novice class.
Still no Open placements for Rush and Flint. Their work has been good, but just not good enough to compete with the cream of the crop.

I wish it was not so important to me when I go to the trials . It is though just the same and I would not be going if it was not!

making a useful dog

We have had some time off from training due to weather conditions. It is finally melted off enough to get back to it and not have to worry about safety. While I am hoping Opal will be a good dog for me at the trials, I want her first to be a good hand here on the farm. This means I need to challenge her with different tasks needed here on the farm. It is much easier to take the dog that knows the job and depending on time factor that is just what I'll do. But I also need to MAKE time for the young ones to learn the skill needed to take over when the "better" dog is unable. Doing chores also helps a dog to learn different skill than the same old monotony of the training triangle many of us fall trap to. Send out to get the sheep. Fetch straight to us , turn and do the drive triangle and blah blah blah. Allowing them the challenge of thinking how to get the sheep to you when it is not so cut and dry helps them build confidence in themselves and trust in you. So I have given Opal a go at fetching the sheep into as well as out of the overnight pasture. .

Uploaded videos (playlist)

tricky outwork - Opal

Winter Weary

I know I am not alone in saying I am ready for Spring. I was fooled into thinking we were going to have an easy winter this year, like last year. Other than Hurricane Sandy throwing a wrench into the machine we had fairly mild weather up into January. Then Old Man Winter rode in and was here to stay. Bitter cold, howling wind and mostly nuisance snows. We at least were spared when the storm
" Nemo " blew in. Just 8 inches that go instead of several feet that our neighbor states to the East got hit with.

So what's been going on ?
Not a heck of a lot!

Dog training has pretty much screeched to a halt. I just can't handle single digit temps and howling winds. I don't think it a bad thing to take a break .

Sheep are getting heavy with lambs due in April.
Hay put up in the barn has been rapid in it's descent out of loft and into mouths of the livestock.

One new upgrade has been a new Range for the kitchen. We had our old electric one that came with the house replaced with a gas range. I love using gas to cook with. We have a propane tank for our fireplace (that was converted to gas) so it was easy to run a line into the kitchen. 

I





It looks like a Cadillac parked in a Ghetto but I love it none the less!

We also moved the computer into our other spare  bedroom. We put a nice Futon in the bedroom we had the computer in. As you can see the change has been well received.



Jan 17 2013 winter training

Not much going on here. Winter is here and not much consistent training is going on.  Sheep have been cranky as they always seem to get this time of year. Either running full tilt or not wanting to move at all. We started replacing a large bit of fence line in Fall. Winter came and now we'll have to wait to carry on with the project. I took advantage of the missing fence to do some different out work for Rush and Flint. It was fun to set the sheep in the low pasture in back and send dogs from the top of the hay field. Lot's of dips and rock cropping to negotiate. Opal is learning her flanks, off balance and comfortable flanks. She is getting pretty solid to voice but sketchy on her flank whistles. At this point I don't really care too much what the sheep are doing. I just am trying to help Opal learn left and right as well as her listening and taking a flank that may not seem the right thing or comfortable. I do see in this video I am asking too much for a lie down. I also see I am not getting the lie down about 50% of the time. So that is a good thing for me to pay attention to as I go forward.
I apologise for the tiling of the video. I don't know why it is so pixel ed. Annoying to spend a good bit of money on an HD Camcorder and videos don't look that impressive to me.

Other than that I have been busy inside. Have painted the kitchen a new color and I painted the main living room wall a shade darker green than what I have on the other walls. I never really was happy with the green I had used the last time I painted. It just seemed too pale and you really could not see it was green due to the natural lighting in that room. Now with that one long wall a bit darker it has pulled the green out of the other walls and I like the result.

Another thing I am excited about is we are going to replace our range from electric to gas. I hate the stove we have , that came with this house. I love to cook with gas  and we have been eyeing a range that we like and it's on sale. Since we have LP gas for the fireplace it won't be to bad to have our plumber come in and run a line to the kitchen. Can't wait to cook with gas!

on my family front, my brother Michael who lives in Arizona happened to be riding his mountain bike past my parents old house and saw it was for sale. He bid on it and got it! So it's kind of cool he'll be living in our parents house. He plans to rent his to help offset the cost of owning the two homes. I am really excited for him and have always loved our parents house. I am happy he will be living in it.