Out and About with Friends

January has been full of fun with friends and family.  Rick and Linda paid us another visit a couple of weeks ago.  The guys set up the new deer blind and Linda came along to watch me work the dogs.

Then the four of us spent the day at Homestead Heritage near Waco.  This community is agrarian and craft-based, and offers not only neat stuff to buy, but a place to take classes in many crafts.  The guys checked out the woodworking shop while Linda and I investigated the pottery, quilting and cheese-making shops.  Then we toured the working gristmill where you can buy stone-ground products made right on site. 

Unfortunately we were unable to have lunch at the excellent restaurant on the grounds.  It burned to the ground on Christmas Eve and had not yet reopened.

But even better than our day at Homestead Heritage, on the way home we stopped in Clifton so I could pick up my new Chevy Equinox.

It’s predecessor was totaled by a whitetail doe back in October, and we have been looking forward to getting a replacement.  “Pearl” is just like our previous Equinox…just six years newer.  John and I are both happier campers now that we are not sharing one vehicle!

I wasted no time before heading out to work dogs, first at Jack and Vivian Christensen’s place in Meridian, then at Allen and Kay Mills’ in Goldthwaite.  Cody and Bo are on the right, patiently waiting their time to work.  There were 5 handlers present, and 17 dogs.  Lots of fun!

From there, we went on to Richland Springs to sharpen our herding skills on Charly Kronberger’s beautiful ewe lambs.  Here is Charly working some of them with her young dog, Floyd. 

Bo and Cody got in some good practice on a big field, with fresh sheep.  The lambs were a challenge, as they have been lightly worked and never penned.  I was proud of both the boys; each was able to pen his sheep twice.  

Between runs, I was able to get a couple of shots of sandhill cranes flying overhead.  Charly says they roost to the west of their place and feed to the east, so every winter she and Paul are treated to daily fly-overs.  

And not only did I have time working my dogs and taking pictures, I got to spend some quality time with Charly’s Melba and her litter of three-and-a-half week pups. I was especially smitten by the little tri female with the red right foreleg.  Her name is Dot, and I think she looks a lot like Cody...but without his blue eye.

I haven’t had a good “puppy fix” for a couple of years, and look forward to going back before these youngsters go to their new homes.   

Back on the home front, John processed the last deer of the season, and we made an additional 25 pounds of bratwurst. In spite of the continuing drought, it was a good month.