Long, long ago

It is hard to tell where one dog ends and the other one begins. Libby is proving to be a suitable friend for Scooter. He is still working on how to lay down next to her without making her angry. He is a little rough. He was easier on Suni. He just likes to be close to another dog. He started that when we first got him, and he had to be close to Suni. Now he has to learn how to get close to Libby without crushing her.

I don't have any idea why the cows were up by the barn this afternoon, but they sure looked like it was exactly what they should be doing at that moment. No calves yet, and I am not really sure that there will be any. Who knows?

Althought the two lilacs like this one are way far overgrown, they do have flowers each spring and a scent that is to die for. I am determined to get them down to size, but I have not been too successful so far.

Long, long ago, my maternal grandmother had a bleeding heart bush right by her backdoor on the farm. I always loved it because it grew so big and bushy every year. Now I have one. I had two, but the first unexpected litter of kittens a few years ago decided to use the bush as a bed. Now the second bush is much smaller than it should be.

The Enchanted Forest........to be

It just struck me as I was getting ready to mow down the yellow carpet in the enchanted forest that it looked "kinda" cool. We really do get lots of yellow carpeting at this time of the year. Can't be helped. It is all gone now. The mowing is finished. I am ready to start again.

The trees were purchased as tiny babies in Kenosha. We planted in Kenosha and transplanted in "God's Country". They are doing well. Since the place that we bought had only two adult trees in the vicinity of the house, it was necessary to get some more trees planted. We have had real good luck with them. Very few have died, and we have breeding stock out near the ravine to replace the ones that don't make it. We have flowering crab, river birch, soft maples, and the evergreens in the enchanted forest.

Two dog night, again

Today we lost our Suni. She was ill and had fluid in one lung and a mass in the other one. We decided to not let her suffer any longer. I hope it was not too late. She was going to be 14 years old on the first day of summer. Having suffered many medical problems, I guess she really did pretty well. She was deaf now, but up to about a week ago, she was still operating pretty well. Libby was supposed to make her life easier by keeping Scooter from harrassing her. He only got to do that for three days. He seemed to be very bonded to her and insisted on sleeping nearly on top of her ever since we got him. Will he miss her? It depends on your point of view, but I think so. I know we will miss her and laugh about all the naughty and funny things she did, but she was still a lovable, affable, beautiful cocker spaniel. She was, by far, the best cocker of the three that I have had even though physically she was a wreck by comparison. The heart and temperment of this last one was excellent.

Suni, we miss you.

Love, Mom

A Rude Awakening

Scooter and Libby discovered that Jake was still in bed this morning and argued over who got to wake him up. Ha, ha!! As if he wasn't awake by the time just one of them leapt on top of him.

Beautiful day in the neighborhood

They are my only grandchildren, and I can spoil them any way I want to. Afterall, who does the cleaning around here anyway?

This is on our walking path. Scooter goes free, and Libby got a long lead today.

This is my favorite place; all it needs is a bench.

The dogs enjoyed wandering in the tall grass.

The lambs are just growin.

My favorite kitty, Honey, from last year's accident when I didn't catch their mother quick enough.

Spring, 5 weeks, 1 week, 2 days

Yes, it is spring. Everything is progressing slowly because we can't seem to get any warmth. It is still sweatshirt weather or maybe t-shirt weather when working hard in the afternoon. Which reminds me, I should get outside and work on the manure and old hay in the ewe's pasture. I have learned to run the front end loader on my tractor, and I can fill up the manure spreader. Jake takes it out to the field in the evening. Better than using the old pitch fork. Just like a man, I can use the machine.

This is Curly; he is five weeks old now and looks so big alongside of Meg. I hope his mother likes having an only child because I do not think I will breed her again. Her weight is a problem. She looks ready to give birth right now. She also had a problem with her udder, and only one side has milk now. I think her breeding days are over.

The twins are one week old now. They are being raised by a very good mother who keeps a tight rein on them. All three of them come in at feeding time to have a taste of corn in the jug.

The two dogs are quite happy out in their yard. They both slept well and were ready to go this morning. We have already been out for a walk and a romp in the backyard. Libby is still exploring everything here. I will find out as the days go on, how she treats all the "stuff" in the house. She is very affectionate, loves attention, and mild mannered like Scooter.

Three Dog Night

Well, tonight will be a Three Dog Night up here on the ridge. Libby has arrived without too much trouble. I had to go to Black River Falls to get her since her ride was using a GPS, and they didn't know that they would be going onto I94 when they hit Tomah. It all worked out, and she is home with us. She acts (so far) like she has known us all these nine months. She is beautiful and pleasant to be around. I think this will all work out for us. She and Scooter have been chasing in the backyard and in the house just like I dreamed. So far she does not bother Suni and takes the cats in stride insdie and out.

Todd has surgery again tomorrow. I hope this will be the last time. That is my wish and my prayer. He would be happy to be back where he was in December. Now isn't that a strange turn around?

Sheep babies just growin and growin. They have found an adorable place to rest on top of a stump. I hope I can get a picture of them together up there.

Four in a Tub

Well, here is the final picture of Todd's litter of bulldog puppies. They look like they are ready to go. He said they were full of piss and vinegar. They all went to their new homes yesterday. At their age they had become quite a handfull. I think that is obvious just looking at those faces in that tub.

May they have a long and happy life. It would be very hard to part with a group like that.

Four days old

The twins are growing, but still easy on the eyes. I made them sleep in the shed last night. They are out playing and eating like big sheep again today.

Bulldog puppy pictures still unavailable, but not for lack of request. I asked, but I have not received them yet. However, the puppies have moved on to new homes as of yesterday.

Willow/Libby should have left Florida today. Due to arrive on Tuesday. She was to have her stitches out earlier in the week because Dr. Suzy, her owner, spayed her about two weeks ago. We will not be breeding dogs.

Weather on the ridge: more of the same for this spring-------windy and very cool. We can't get much growth out of the alfalfa, but we do have green. I have to go out with the weed eater today. The lawn got cut yesterday.

The big wide world

Well, they went outside and had a look around. No one paid them any mind, too busy eating new hay, except that pesky little white ram lamb. Boy, did Lucy tell him in no uncertain terms that he should leave her babies alone. She is turning out so far to be a good mom. The pictures aren't great. It was hard to keep my hair out of the picture and get the lambs as they moved around. It's windy today. I am no Nancy or Michelle, that's for sure.

I am still a little juiced on caffeine from my drive home last night. I don't know how you coffee drinkers do it. It upsets my stomach although I did sleep without any of the usual trouble.

Four days to Libby. Scooter is becoming unbearable waiting for her.

One day old

The twins are doing fine today. It isn't a big deal for real shepherds, but for a small time shepherdess like me, it is a major event. They are just as cute as they were yesterday. Today they figured out how to get out of the jug. I caught Ruffy outside with the other sheep and had to return him to his mother. Meg learned how to get out, also, and by evening they were going in and out at will. By then I had the door to the shed shut. Jake fixed they escape place, so they can have the door open again. I can hardly wait to get them outside on Saturday.

Tomorrow I am going to Kenosha to visit and friend and meet the some of the teachers from the school where I taught.

Five days to Libby.

This year's crop

Just to prove that there is a shepherdess, I like to have Jake take a picture of me holding my new lambs every year. I can do that since I have so few sheep. It is a fun way to remember the passage of time.

Oh, happy day!!

It has been a wonderful day, so far. The lambs are doing fine---eating and sleeping and getting licked by their mother. Todd is happier which makes me happier.

The two pictures show High Ridge Sweet Woodruff, or Ruffy and High Ridge Nutmeg, or Meg. I think those will be their names. I am so glad the Meg is the one with the three colors. I get to keep her. She has such darling small eye patches. Ruffy's are much bigger, but his tail is a hoot!

It will sure make the next few days waiting for Willow/Libby to arrive go much faster.

Thanks be to God!

Todd was granted his SS status. As he just said, "Now I can concentrate on getting well." It is such a relief for him to have all that fuss taken care of for good. He can hardly believe that it was a positive outcome since he has had so many physical problems since January.

Good Reason to Rise Early

I had checked Lucy three times during the night, the last time being at 4:00 this morning. I knew she was close to lambing. When I got up at 6:30, I went out in my nightgown and slippers just like during the night. Lucy was in the shed laying down, but when she got up, there were two tiny white hooves protruding from her behind. It was happening! (You should always get up early!) Without too much work,(I might have helped a litle.) she gave birth to a black and white ram lamb and a brown, black and white ewe lamb. What a thrill!!!

They are doing well, but the simple shepherdess needs help with identifying color and markings on these flashy twins.

It is an overwhelming experience for me to be present when lambs are born. I never feel closer to God than at those times. It lasts through the whole day leaving me feeling full of awe and wonder. How could anyone not believe? Thanks be to God for all the wonders of this world that I am able to observe and be part of.

I will take better pictures when I can go out to the shed for an extended period of time. Right now I am waiting for a phone call from Todd with more good news, I hope.
I have prayed for a positive result in the SS hearing today for quite a while. Maybe the wonderful birth was a good sign that it will be a wonderful day.

Puppies

I have a beautiful poster of Todd's puppies, but it is in a format that this blog does not recognize. They are just at the absolutely adorable stage. It is an Adobe pdf file. Boy, how I wish I could get it on this blog. Does anybody know how to make my Mac upload that poster?

The picture is another story. Scooter needed a friend because Suni was tired of being a pull toy. I'm just kidding, but he did indeed try to pull her by her tail. Libby will be coming on Friday from Fort Lauderdale. She belonged to two of the vets that Todd goes to in Fort. Her aunt, dad's sister, won best of breed at Westminster this year. She is nine months old. I never adopted a grown dog before, so it will be a new experience for me. According to her owner, she is a doll and already working on her herding techique. I guess I need to get up and get going on some of this dog training stuff. I sure have some good raw material to work with now.

Lucy is still pregnant, but I do not think that Ami will give my any babies this year. Maybe it is for the best.