It is the first day of Spring but it sure has not "sprung"

It's the first day of spring! Better than it's been the past months but still cold. Well below averages for this time of year. Long range is indicating April is looking to be "colder than normal" as well. April starts our Lambing season here so really hoping not too cold. Finally had some melt off and things are looking promising to get back to toning up the dogs and getting some training done. In the mean time I put a video together of Flint.

waiting for a sign

Have not written on here lately. Not really much to write about since Winter made a visit and has well overstayed it's welcome. Relentless cold, ice storms, snow storms, wind, endless days over overcast sky. What can I say other than this Winter is really getting on my nerves. Waiting and hoping for a sign Spring will kick Winters ass to the curb and we can get on with it!

April starts my Lambing season and I would really like the weather to throw me a bone next month.

I'd like to get back to working my dogs and enjoying being outside rather than dreading it and managing my endurance for frozen digits. 

I did just have a week reprieve from the bitter cold and visited my family in southern Arizona. Went on a few good long hikes and enjoyed wearing just a T shirt and jeans for the most part.

Managed to look for the best of winter through my camera and captured some decent photographs.

winter at Swift Star Farm

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?