Welcome 2025!

We began the new year with one of our favorite activities…going adventuring with Rick and Linda.  This time, we drove a couple of hours from the farm to the lovely town of Mason, Texas.  The object of our toad trip was to tour the historic Seaquist House.  This lovely old mansion was built, beginning in 1887, by Rev. Thomas A. Broad.  Since then, the house has had several owners, and has undergone many additions and renovations.  

Beginning in 1919, the home was owned by the Seaquist family.  The last Seaquists to live there were John’s good friend, Mike Seaquist and his wife, Jean.  We had long wanted to see the home, but until recently it was under renovation by the Seaquist House Foundation.  The Foundation purchased the home in 2015 after upkeep of such a property made it extremely expensive and time-consuming for the family to maintain.  

The home consists of a basement and three stories of living space.  It has 13 fireplaces, one in each room, and has been beautifully restored and furnished.  We were fortunate that public tours were available and we could go.  The following are some of the many photos that Linda and I took during our visit.

After Rick and Linda went home to South Dakota, Christmas decorations came down and John and I got back into our regular routine.  We enjoyed watching our feathered friends at the feeder.  (I think this one is a chipping sparrow.)

And, many more parading across the pasture behind the house.

We were also thrilled to capture images of these nice whitetail bucks on our game camera, along with an astonishing number of raccoons that visit nightly and even during the day.

And then it was time to gear up for more herding trials.  First up was the Fort Worth Stock Show Sheepdog Trial.  I love going to this one because Allan and Jef’s house is only ten minutes or so from the Stock Show grounds.  Not only can they and the McElhanys come to watch the dogs work, dear friends and classmates Cindy and Sonny Sandell and Jane Cartwright came as well.  We had a great time in and out of the arena.  

We didn’t bring home any checks, but I was proud of my dogs.  This is one trial where 12-year-old Cody can compete because it is in an arena, a smaller venue than the big open field trials where we usually run.  In Open 1, of the 22 dogs that competed, Dutch placed sixth and Cody 8th.  In Open 2, Dutch was fifth, and Cody 20th.  It was also my first arena trial with Meg.  She was pretty revved up, and didn’t do well.  Her first run she placed fifteenth, and I retired her in her second.  Here are a couple of shots from their runs.  

Meg moving her sheep

Cody and I working on our pen

No sooner had I returned to the farm, we had a bit of “weather.”  Each year we seem to get some snow (sometimes more than a bit), and January 21 was the day.

No sooner had it melted than I was off to Cross Plains for a two-day herding clinic with world-renowned handler, Scott Glen.  It was time well spent, and I continue to be impressed with this soft-spoken Canadian.  He is not only a top-notch handler, but an excellent clinician.

On my way home from one of our clinic sessions, I snapped a photo out the car window of my late grandmother's home just east of Comanche.  Georgia "Punkin" Coker and her husband, Claud, lived here for most of my childhood.  Allan and I spent many happy hours playing in the creek bed out of sight just to the left of the house.  And, also, watching the cows milked in Punkin and Claud's dairy and helping to feed the milkpen calves.

But before we said goodbye to January, there was one more herding event.  John and I loaded the RV and were off to dry and windy Friona, Texas, for the Frio Draw Classic Sheep Dog Trial at Tommy Hefner’s beautiful ranch.  (Well, when it’s green it is beautiful…the end of January, not so much!)  It is a two-day trip for us, and we usually overnight in Snyder, Texas.  Our favorite restaurant there is Polynesian Garden.  John was eagerly anticipating his whole fried fish.  I’m not sure what I had, but it is in the foreground, and it fed me for two days.

The weather at Frio Draw alternated between freezing, windy and dusty (really dusty) and warmer, windy and not quite so dusty.  

The first day of Open competition, it was bitterly cold, with wind gusting to 40 and above.  There were 84 dogs entered, but 24 scratched and did not come, primarily because of the weather.  Of the remaining 60, only 34 dogs got numbers.  The rest retired or were disqualified.  I was extremely proud of Dutch.  He placed ninth with a score of 72.  But that wasn’t all.  The course was 600 yards long, and it was so windy and dusty that not only could I not see the sheep, I couldn’t see Dutch as he outran behind and lifted them.  I just kept whistling for him to bring the sheep to me, but who knows if he could even hear because of the wind.  I waited, and waited for what seemed like an eternity, then out of the cloud of dust came Dutch and his sheep.  His score revealed that he had only lost one point off his outrun, 3 off his lift and 5 off his fetch.  Quite an accomplishment considering the conditions.  We finished the run by penning and shedding our sheep and I couldn’t have been happier with him.  

Bo, unfortunately couldn’t hear me because of the wind, and failed to bring me sheep so we retired.  On their second Open course, the weather was much better.  Bo scored a 78 and Dutch a 52.  Meg got numbers, and I was proud of her outruns and lifts…her drives, not so much.  There were no pictures of the first day, but it finally cleared enough later in the weekend for me to take a few shots of friends.

One evening we surprised Tommy's daughter, Callie Christian, and her husband with a baby shower.  We all look forward to welcoming the little one in June. 

We saw lots of good friends and I was glad that Mindy Bower and Dutch Pup Lush were able to come.  Lush looks a lot like his dad, and Mindy and I took a slew of pictures of the two of them.  

Two other Dutch pups were at Frio Draw as well.  Here are Ron Burkey and Frio,

and Bridget Strang with Cora. 

It was a great trial, and by the last day we finally saw some sunshine, enough to encourage us to sit outside to watch the dogs, 

but it was still Texas Panhandle cold.

Thanksgiving, Christmas...and a New Year

Thanksgiving rolled around, this time on November 28.  For a change, John was able to celebrate his birthday as a stand-alone event instead of as a part of the holiday.  But, the holiday was a good one, filled with family, food and fun.  Brian and Debi were there, along with Gage and Gabby and their pups.  

(photobomb by Dutch)

We had a good visit with the Joneses, Carmody’s and McElhanys, along with all their dogs.  It was a dog-gone good time, and we are blessed to have so much for which to be thankful! 

 

Dog trials usually take a holiday during December and January.  We did have one chance though, to hone our skills on the trial field.  The dogs and I made a quick trip to Maci and Peg McGraw's place in Cross Plains, for Herdin' in the Holidays.  

Jack Christensen and Tillie were there as well, as was Hostess Peg McGraw.  My dogs didn't do especially well, but we had fun and enjoyed the day.

A few days later, John and I took advantage of a beautiful, clear morning to round up the dogs and take our annual family portrait. 

 The sheep insisted on getting in on the photos as well.

And then Christmas was upon us!  We decorated the tree with our favorite ornaments and finished the last-minute shopping.

Rick and Linda Lorentz joined us for a wonderful celebration of Christ’s birthday.  There was plenty of food…including Linda's delicious caramel pull-a-parts for Christmas morning, 

and a scrumptious Christmas dinner.  John did his usual excellent job as chef and prepared a magnificent prime rib roast.  

Cousins Kathy and Eric joined us, along with good friend Brent Phelps.  

The dogs enjoyed Christmas as much we did; there were plenty of new toys and lots of squeaking.  (Cody and Bo aren't impressed with toys, but they enjoyed the excitement.)

We had a wonderful time during the holidays.  Good friends Terry and Pattie Meyers joined Rick, Linda, John and me to welcome 2025.  There was more good fun, good food and fellowship as we celebrated another trip around the sun.  We are truly blessed!  

It was a great way to start the New Year.