turn me loose!

At almost seven months to the day the youngest member of our sheepdog pack has told me she's ready to go!.
I've been doing walk abouts amongst the sheep with Opal since she was just a wee pup. She has always showed interest in them,  but never really "turned on" in the classic way. Oh she would eye them up and follow in sneaky fashion at a safe distance to study the flock.
Her brother Mose got keen to them maybe two months ago. As puppies Mose was always the bolder of the two. Fearless and unflappable. Opal was always one to assess a situation, study things a bit before going blindly forward. I always was impressed with Mose' forward nature. I like this in a dog. Though I also appreciate Opal's intelligence and reasoning power (and I am in no way saying Mose is not smart!)
So over the weekend she invited herself  under the gate while I was filling the water tub and cast out and around the flock. Off the flock ran and I am sure they were saying "oh S***, here we go again!" She managed to head them and turn them back but at this point it was just a light bulb turning on and so around she went a few times before I could manage to get in the "picture". After a few missed attempts to stop her , she did finally call off on her own.I was pleased about that. So I took her out again today , with my camera. I managed a few photographs of her second go on the flock. I managed to get her to balance in both directions and after just about as much time as I would want to spend at this with her got her to call off again after a few requests. I honestly did not want to spend too much time out there with 80 something sheep and a fresh pup. I have had one broken leg already , thank you and would rather not "go there" again!

She was just a pleased with herself this time and I am excited to start slowly molding her to become a good working partner.

Opal "oh , I get it!"
Sheep "here we go again!"

She's back there just to the right of that Tunis on the left

Opal "I like it...I like it a LOT!"

Huachuca Mountains

I  visited my parents who were "snow birding" for a few months in southern Arizona. My brother and his wife live there and it was great fun to get away for a few days. I went out to celebrate my Mom's 89 Birthday. These few video's are of a hike my brother and I took one of the days.

man's smiling face

Huachuca hike continued

Spirit in the hay field

Snowing to beat the band right now. Thought I would share a video I took of Spirit a few weeks back. Have not done much "trial training".  It shows! The sheep left the drop off point before she had a chance to get behind them. Then I lost where the sheep or her were on the video camera and that sure did not help matters.
She was stiff to take her flank or stop whistles just the same. It was quite windy but I'll not let that be my excuse because, I know she was just being a stinker more than not hearing me. Oh well, need to fix this before the trial season starts.

crystal cabin fever

Here is a short video of  "crystal cabin "
It was somewhat of a letdown over all but the ice carvings were interesting and well executed. It was in a barn structure and had way too many LOUD people inside. The price was hefty for what they offered in exchange, but the workmanship of ice carving is really pretty interesting to see take shape and the finished product it beautiful .

lot's of the same

well, not much going on lately. 

Did have a small episode with my Dad since I last blogged. His heart gave him another scare. I guess when your 91 anything feeling weird would do that. I had gone out, taking Opal to the Vet for her Rabies shot and guess my phone was out of range. Just as I was driving down my road, almost home... I found the road blocked with two ambulances. I could see my house from where I was stopped. One faced at my house the other away. I figured must not have anything to do with my parents, since I did not get a phone call.
No sooner than I finished the thought my cell let out the little tone indicating a voice message. Yep, it was my Mom telling me that my Dad was having chest pain and if she did not hear back they were calling an ambulance. So I got out of the car and asked the driver if something was wrong since they were stopped in the road. I also let him know it was my father back there. He said everything was stable but they needed something from the other ambulance before heading to the Hospital. I asked if one of them could pull forward enough so I could get to my house and catch my mother (who is 88) before she got in their car to drive to the hospital....I waited and waited. I needed like five feet so I could squeeze through.Finally the one ambulance pulled away and I got up to the house just as my mom was getting into their car. I was glad I was able to take her over to the hospital and she did not have to go alone.

My Dad spent four days in the hospital but from best I can tell he is okay. Angina attack is what they said.

Other than that things have been pretty quiet.

 Opal is getting bigger. I have a few pictures I took of her with her older brother and sister as well as a "family" shot of siblings with their mother Bracken.


left to right

Bracken, Flint, Rush and young Opal



left to right
siblings Rush, Flint and young Opal



I also managed a photo of Bracken and Spirit not too long ago that made me smile. It is no secret the Bracken and Spirit are not by any stretch of imagination "BFF's" so when a caught them napping together on the couch I just had to grab my camera and take the picture.

We have a quite large and healthy population of Wild Turkeys in this area. I love to hear them chatting with each other in the early morning hours and on occasion they visit our pastures.

I managed a few photographs of them one day while they were here for a visit.

We have been enjoying the lack of snow and fair weather we have been blessed with so far this winter. We are looking at another cold snap to take hold over the weekend but it should be short lived and back up to manageable temperatures.

I'll leave you with a parting photograph of a sunrise here a few mornings ago. Such a great and uplifting way to start the day when that giant Mother Star crests over the high point on the farm.