Thursday, January 29, 2009

Baby Daddy

Two weeks left and she still has a waist line

Isla had a visit from Hope this week. She was very happy to see him. Some might say flirty.


They even got to move the lambs around the field together.


Isla has decided in the last couple of days that she is not going to eat. So to conserve her energy she is not going to get much work before the babies come. We want all the calories to go to the growing pups.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Big Box Delivery

Oh what could be in such a big box
A little lap top

talk about excess packaging
Isn't it cute though

Friday, January 23, 2009

Western?

Many people have different meanings for the word western. My meaning for western is kaos, flying by the seat of your pants. That is how I would describe my day yesterday. "Western"
Let me start at the beginning. I have two Kelpies in to be worked, trained and need to be sold. This is partially a result of me not being able to say no and partially due to a really great "Smile". So fine two more dogs and puppies on the way just what I need more stuff to do. I have been working these dogs on sheep for two weeks and they are bored. They have been working cows all their life and they were bred to work cows.
I had a standing invitation from Wayne to go and work cows with him at work. Wayne works for Sears ranches one on the large cattle ranches in Alberta. Sears own 25,000 acres and tens of thousand head of cattle. Sounds like fun right. Jerry and I picked a day to met Wayne. Wayne said the earlier the better. Those how know me know I am not a morning person. I woke up Thursday morning to minus 15 and blowing snow. I would have backed out in a second but Jerry had already left his house and his cell phone is currently out of order. So fine I suit up and load up dogs. We head off down the road in four wheel drive, three Kelpies and two Starbucks coffees.
Get to Wayne's and load up in the farm truck and off to gather feeder calves in the hills. We now have four Kelpies and a Kelpie cross.. Our mission for the day was to bring the calves in from the fields before the feed trucks come. That way everyone gets their share of food. Then when the feed trucks come in we push the calves off the bunks so the feed truck can dispense the food without running over any calves.(close your ears PETA) apparently this happens a far bit. When I say calves these are not cute baby calves they are 800 lbs calves that will run over you if they want. We drive out to the first field which I would have to say is about 200 to 300 acres. I am feeling confident because Katie is suppose to be super good on cattle which is the reason she has a $4000 price tag. she has been doing really well for me on sheep. I let her out of the truck and she takes off like a shot and she is gone after the calves and I am calling her back but she is no where to be found. Oh great I lost the priciest dog in the truck. I walk over the hill and I see a little black dot trying to stop the calves about 1 mile or more away. We hop in the truck to go fetch my dog. At this point I am thinking OMG how embarrassing. Wayne is the most laid back person I have met. I am apologizing for my idiot dog and he is saying "isn't this fun" and taking pictures out the truck window. I was freaking out. Finally catch up to my dog and get control of her and push the calves through the gate. Katie actually decides to listen. Ok confidence back up. Off to the next field which is even bigger and more hills. Imagine the hills of Scotland only in Alberta and instead of sheep it was cattle. Like a fool I think Katie is tried and ready to listen WRONG. Off she goes gathering cattle in the next township. Thank goodness we had Jed to bring the ones Katie left behind. Spent most of the morning driving in the truck looking for my dog. As bad as she was she got the cattle t0 the feed bucks every time.
For the next field my dogs stayed in the truck and Jerry used Jed to move cattle. And let me tell all you guys who say Kelpies can't out run like a Border Collie Jed can prove you wrong. Jerry sent him on some spectacular outruns so far you couldn't see him. He picked up cows out of the brush and moved the to the feed bunks. Now I will say there was times when Jed did not listen. I am going to blame it on the wind and the excitement of finally getting to work cows. I love that dog and Jerry totally owes me for forcing him to buy Jed.
After all the big fields were done we took Bear the 18 month old shit disturber to a "smaller pen". Which in my head is 200x200. Oh more like 40 acres and 200 head of steers. I walked around with Bear and then finally let him go and he did really well. He is not broke, has no flanks and will lie down sometimes. But I just moved the cows around using his name and he was great. Gripped when he needed to. Bear is a bargain at $1500 compared to Katie.
After all the craziness with my dogs Wayne said we are welcome to come back anytime and we can even do the work on our own. It was really fun despite my bad dog. I will definitely go back but with my own dogs. I think Kipp would have a blast on those big hills. Next time we will go on a warmer day.
Sorry I did not get any pictures or video but next time I will totally bring my camera. I don't think it would have been a good sale video for Katie.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Finally dug out (sort of)

Us Southerner's are not used to this much snow. Maybe if we lived in the north we would be but alas we live in the land of warmer weather and working dogs all year round. But I digress.
Kyle worked very hard for two days to get the outdoor arena dug out so I could work dogs and do outside lessons on warm days. After two days of this there was talk of buying me a skid steer so I could do my own digging. I guess I am a little particular on how things are done. Imagine that.

Isla and Jet are my models for today.


Plowing the arena out was not without it's miss hap's.

OMG! Jet NO!

Isla Loves the snow piles because now her highness has a throne to reside over the rest of the commoners.


Whoops how did that get in there. OK this is not me bragging about being able to work dogs. This is me bragging about a picture of Risk where is not trying drag the sheep down to the ground. In the last week he has really changed. OK he is still a handful at times but it is getting to be less and less.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Half way there

Today I took Isla to get an ultrasound to confirm we had babies on the way. And I can happily say that we will indeed have babies come valentines day. It took her a little bit to find the little rascals but in the end she said there was at least three. I asked her if she could tell the sex and color but she didn't think that was very funny.

As always Isla is taking it all in stride.

Monday, January 5, 2009

Oh no he didn't

People tell me all the time " I can't believe you have a 15 year old son". I know hard to believe after all I am so young. Seeing as Justice and I basically grew up together he feels like he can share anything with me weather I really want to hear it or not. More and more lately I am finding my self saying stuff that makes me sound so much like a mom.

Here is some of Kyle's favorites:
-As I am dropping him off in town at friends "behave yourself","call me"
-Say no to drugs
-Some of his friends have their drivers licenses "were your seat belt"
-No, pulling a sled behind your friends truck down the highway is not a good idea.
-Who are you texting all hours of the day maybe you should just phone them.
-If your friends are drinking call me and I will come pick you up
-What do you mean G****m smashed up his truck and got a ticket for stunting
For the longest time I have hated Justice's hair long and straggly. So yesterday when he said he wanted to cut it short I ran to the closet and got the clippers then he didn't have time to back out.

Before Shot
After shot

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Thank you from Jet

Jet wanted me to send out a big thank you to all her get well wishers. She is feeling much better. Even started to eat kibble again on Saturday night. I do have one fear. She may be a house dog for good now. Which really isn't a bad thing. I am sure she will fall back in to her counter surfing ways in no time.


Weird when I look at these pictures Jet looks like an old dog. I still think of her
as my perpetual puppy.


I tried to get Jet and Kyle to pose together but niether of them would co operate with me.