Just Life

Life is rolling along.   We escaped the winter weather, it stayed above freezing.   We were blessed with drizzle and showers for a couple of days.    We have stayed slightly muddy for about 6 weeks or so.  It is wonderful!    Our wheat is growing, but more like a green carpet than something that the stock can enjoy.   Even though we have been very blessed this fall/winter with moisture we are way below "normal" on rainfall.   Please continue to pray that the rain continues and even increases. 

This afternoon I grabbed the camera for evening chores. 

 Sheep really don't want to wait for their hay.  We have to keep them off the ranger while the boys load hay.  I usually have my old dog RC helping but Thursday evening while we were gone the other dogs ganged up on him and beat him up pretty bad and chewed on his butt area.  I think he will make it.  We have him on antibiotics, plus I am very blessed in being able to use warm water outside to wash the chewed up area.  I am covering the site with healing salve and other healing aids.   Plus lots and lots of prayers.  Feel free to add yours.   I do know God heals animals too. 

 Baby lamb number 5!  Born today.    We managed to not have any lambs during the rain earlier this week.  

 Hay on the ground!   We scatter in two places to help keep the lambs from getting stepped on. 

 Loading hay for the next round.   We decided this is his best side.  

 Cows fed!   Now home to a warm fire and supper.  

 Dad playing!  It was to cold to weld today.  He decided late this afternoon to go play on his friends toy.   He is seeing just how big a mesquite tree he can take out correctly with this back hoe. 

In other news, we are working on communication skills.   Don't these two boys look like they are communicating? 

 The object of the lesson was to move the blue loveseat from the school room to the living room.  They finally got it there with dad's help and bossing.    They did fail communication 101. 

D10(he had a birthday!) has a new toy playing partner.   This is Simba and him playing cars.

I think having a kitten "help" is a new and novel thing with D10.  He laughs and plays and rolls his cars for the kitten to drive.   He also gives the kitten rides on his big truck. 

In other news I think I am getting a new puppy.  I have been looking for a new working dog to train along with RC.   With him out of commission it has really driven home how often he helped.   The two yard apes we have are useless for that.  I would really like to find them a new home that was just a yard home.  They would be happy and we would be less dog populated.   They are sweet, but worthless out here.  Want one?  

Back to the puppy.  I have been watching Cragslist for some type of working dog puppy for 2 or 3 months. I have emailed on some and they are working dog breeds, but not out of working stock.  I don't want that.  I need all the natural talent I can get.  The other group I found that sounded interesting the pups were gone before I finished my reasearch, ever here of Hanging Tree Cowdogs?   They sound great!   Must be they didn't stay on crags list but ONE day.  Today they had some catahoulas puppies listed out of working parents.  I emailed on them and the owner was more than happy to visit with me about his dogs.  He loves them.  He has had, used and raised them for many years.   The pups are really out of his mom's dog that he gave her.  I ended up talking to her.   She told me her take on these dogs.  The mama works cows for her just by nature.  She hasn't "trained" her, but has just took her and used her and she loves to work.   She has the natural desire mixed with the love for her owner to work.  This describes my relationship with RC.   I never trained him, but he learned to do what I need.   Between them they answered all my questions, most without me asking.  How they are with kids?  If they will work on smaller stuff than cows?  How they are around chickens.  One of the con's with them is they are very protective.   Gentleman told me he has to bring his children inside if he wants to spank one.   The two he has won't let him "hurt" the kid.  He said also no stranger comes into the yard.   Again not sure this is a bad thing, especially way out in the sticks.  My yard apes will bark and great the stranger at the gate.  They will gladly show them the fine china or silver if we had any to show.   In this area I miss Freckles!  She was son's old mountain cur.  Nothing came in the yard with her either.   Some of the catahoula traits and history mimic the mountain cur.   I really wanted a male just to make life easy, then she texted me the pictures of the three she had left.   In a heart beat I knew which puppy I wanted.  


It is this ladies pick.   She is a little more standoffish than the other two.  She said not shy, but just sit back and wait and watch then gets petted.   The other two are all over her.   She told me all of this before I saw the picture.  She was also my pick of the crags list of puppies.   My older children will be able to guess what color she is just by that.  I couldn't believe that the prettiest puppy of the litter was still available.   As my dd pointed out maybe God was involved.  I did think it was interesting that his dog, the grandmother to this puppy is named Freckles.   :)   They have another do that had the same name as one of our past favorite dogs.  

I am just praying that in a couple of weeks RC will feel up to working sheep a bit to start training her.   I will be taking her twice a day on a leash to "help" me keep the sheep off the ranger.   RC just has me spoiled, I tell him to watch them and when they come to close he chases them back.   He has nipped enough of them for not backing off they know when he starts toward them to back off.   Not sure what her name will be.   Kinda like the name Socks, looking at her front feet right now.   :)  Just noticed them when I posted this picture.  I had also thought Blue, as look at her eyes?  I think they are blue.  They looked blue in this picture on my phone.  

Beans, brisket and corn bread are being eaten without me so think I better wrap this up and get my share.