Spirit

Just thought I would share this video of my girl Spirit. Something a bit different than what we usually put up showing off our dogs at work. I firmly believe helping dogs learn to be comfortable and relaxed when working in tight areas helps them ten fold. I apologise for a few of my sheep over reacting to the dog and situation but I hope what you will take away from this is how calm Spirit is and how she trusts my asking her to work in tight spots.

Deep Freeze

We have really been blessed with reasonable weather so far this "winter" .
In this area "winter" can start as early as late October and last into mid April.
So when we did get a cold snap that has lasted only three days you really feel it more. From what I gather it originated in Siberia.
Looked like Mother Nature pissed off Old Man Winter and we in the north/east payed for it.
We dipped down to zero one night and hovered in the low singles another. Wind chills were in the negatives. Wind was howling two of the nights.

I dipped into our second cut hay so I knew everyone would have stoked furnaces to combat the cold.
I made sure all water tubs were full and stock tank heaters were in position. It was pretty dang cold out there for the past three days!
I am not complaining, really I'm not.

Christmas day was lovely. Mild, calm wind and some sun.
The sunset that night was glorious. The kind that you just HAVE to stop whatever your doing and see it to the end. Till the last ray of light slips behind the mountains.

Paul and I had dinner with my parents. I was really nice.
Quiet and relaxed.
Only one hitch. My left eye was driving me nuts. Felt like someone had squirted shampoo in it. When I woke the following morning it was just as uncomfortable. Short of the long, my cornea had an abrasion. So I spent the next week with one eye. What a pain in the butt!

I took a few photo's in black and white that I wanted to share. I love the texture you get with black and white. And there is something about the starkness of winter that lends it's self to black and white photography.

one of the stone walls on our farm

milk house and top side of our bank barn

handy work of a Pileated Woodpecker





New Years Eve came and went. Not really into it or the hoop-a-la.

Still wow, 2012!



sunrise 1/1/2012



Sure hope the Mayan calender is wrong!

"My muzzle is gray"

My muzzle is gray
I am past my prime
I knew there would come this time.

I find I am slower to rise
and there is a slight cloud to my eyes.
I knew it would not last
that some day I would be a mirror of my past.

Yet, your eyes settled on me
my heart filled with glee
You need not ask
instinct and mileage guide me through the task.

The cold air nips my breath
my muscles struggle as I run
I know I am slower than when I was young.

You gave this to me
this Christmas day
your gift to me
our special way.

Pupdate

Hard to believe Opal is three months old. Where does the time fly?

She has been a pleasure as a pup. Quite easy all around.

She is showing some interest in the sheep during walk abouts, but not really ready to have at them.Opal is looking to be quite a stylish worker, as is her Mom.

The 12 Pains of Christmas (Music Video)

"Now why the hell are they blinking" ??
"One light goes out, they ALL go out"!
Oh how I can relate!

Giving Thanks

For the hay and corn and wheat that is reaped
For the labor well done, and the barns that are heaped,
for the sun the dew and the sweet honeycomb,

For the rose and the song, and the harvest brought home-

Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving!

For the trade and the skill and wealth in our land,
For the cunning and strength of the working man's hand,
For the good that our artists and poets have taught,
For the friendship that hope and affection have brought-
Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving!

For homes that with purest affection are blest,
For the season of plenty and well deserved rest,
For our country, extending from sea unto sea;
The land that is known as the "Land of the Free"-
Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving!
Author unknown

While there is much for me to be thankful for, I would like to share with you photo's of our farm through out the year.
It is such a beautiful place and one I give thanks to each day for it's gift of beauty.

Flint out in hayfield

S

Another video. I have dropped the HD setting to see if video is cleaner to watch. I really wish I could figure this camcorder or the upload/download . Fooled with the zoom on this go. Wanted to get a better look at Flint at the top end . Sheep were set on the crest of the far hill. As best I can tell HD has no difference in quality of video, looks just as sloppy to me : (
Tripod is on the "wish list" . Hard to record and concentrate on working the dog. I see my timing is off and am handling the dog a bit different than I would if I were not messing at looking at camcorder to see if I even have dog and sheep in the viewfinder.