Herding Sheep with Friends

As the weather becomes more summer-like, Cody and I try to get out early to work sheep a couple of mornings each week.  This morning was clear and warm, but with a nice breeze
and not nearly as hot as July in North Central Texas can be.  We had a great time at Jack and Vivian Christensen’s lovely place just outside Meridian.  Jack is a great mentor and friend, and Vivian often serves as trial secretary for herding events in this area.  Their friendship and support is something I treasure.  This morning, one of their pups kept us company under the trees 

while the dogs took turns working some very nice Cheviot ewes.

Lindsey and Toby Williams were there with three of their dogs.  Lindsey and I have known each other for several years, and have so enjoyed having each other as competitors and friends.  This dog is Ruby, their youngest except for a couple of pups.  She is a great-niece of our Cody.  Both he and Ruby’s dam share Juan Reyes’ Red as their sire, so when we herd sheep together it's sort of a family affair. 

Ruby is not quite a year old, and is just beginning to work sheep.  She has tremendous potential, and an equal amount of enthusiasm.

Cody had a marvelous time.  He worked a bit on his own, 

then held sheep for Ruby to work.  Being able to set out and hold sheep while another dog works is a useful skill.  The dog must keep the sheep quiet and in place until the dog that is working approaches.  Then, he must remain in place while the other dog “picks up” the sheep and drives them away.  It's a challenge, and demands training and focus when the dog's instinct tells him to jump up and join the fun.  Fortunately, Cody has plenty of both and is a reliable set-out dog.

 

After working, it was time to chill out in the dog swimming pool, or as in this case, the sheep water trough.   

It was a great day.

Invasion of the Beggar Lice!

They say the only two things in life that are certain are death and taxes.  I would add a third…BEGGAR LICE!  These nasty little burrs love the shade, and are thick under the trees along our creek.  

Here is what they look like in the spring…

and here is what they produce in abundance every summer.

The dogs don’t mind them except when it’s time for their daily brushing.  We try to limit the damage by putting them in t-shirts for our morning walks.  As you can see, they help at least to limit the number of burrs in their chest area.  It’s not a perfect solution, but it helps. The shirts also pick up a fair amount of dirt and sometimes a smear of "cow pie" they roll in, which is also helpful.  

 

Thank goodness most of the beggar lice have gone to seed by now, and we pray that some hard showers will drive them to the ground.  Unfortunately, that will just set us up for a good crop next year!  Oh, well…that’s just part of life on the farm.

Fun on the Fourth

July was upon us before I knew it.  We are still holding our breaths and praying that our barn is completed in the next three weeks, and that the closing on the sale of our home in Volente happens as scheduled on July 20.  

But, in the meantime we have been busy.  A couple of weeks ago, a group of us celebrated Larry Tigner’s birthday at the Valley Mills Winery.  The Tigners moved to this area two years ago, and live on Red Dog Ranch just a mile down County Road 313 from our place.  A good time was had by all.  The wines were plentiful, and a scrumptious birthday cake was provided by Phyllis and Ed of Corner Drug Cafe in Clifton.  

Intermittent downpours on Saturday threatened the Cranfills Gap July 4th celebration, but held off for most of the day.  The Saturday night dinner, silent auction and “stretch” auction were well attended, and we did our part.  John bid on and won two bottles of Silver Oak cabernet sauvignon, which we look forward to enjoying.  The stretch auction is an interesting event.  For $10, you get as many tickets as stretch between your outstretched fingertips.  You then put the tickets in containers in front of each of the donated prizes you want to take home.  As the tickets were drawn, we were excited to win not one, not two, not three, but four of the prizes!  By the fourth one, I was so embarrassed that I donated it back for another lucky winner.  Great fun, though.  We look forward to next year.  

On Sunday…the actual Fourth of July, John smoked a pork butt and we invited friends and family to share it with us.  The Cash-Vanderbecks were there, along with Sunny, Tisha and Christian.  Buck and Sidney Thomason, neighbors from just down Hwy 219 toward Clifton came as well.  

I thank Sidney for the photo of Kathy and Tisha admiring Kathy’s goat-scrotum necklace, as well as the pics of Kathy and her sparkler below.  (And, if you want to hear the story behind Kathy's necklace, you'll have to call me.😅)

Sunny and Tisha had brought a plethora of fireworks, and we joined a number of others from The Gap in smoking up the high school parking lot and lighting up the skies after sunset.  

We may have stayed up past our usual bedtime, but it was well worth it!