QUICK UPDATE

I asked myself today, what happened to January? The month is almost over and I think all I have accomplished is pushing snow around. Spring, spring, I long for spring. Except for mud, mud I can live without. Hmm...seems like I am never happy with the weather.
My statistics class started and I am finding it very interesting. All these years in medical billing and reporting and I had no idea just how much of statistics I've used. Mind you, I haven't known how to calculate things properly but somehow I have managed to use statistical calculations without knowing it. Another of life's amazing oddities.
Bella came into season a week ago. Oh joy. She is totally oblivious to the chaos she is causing. As predicted Trace now LOVES Bella heeheehee...Too bad, so sad Trace, not this time. Give her another year to grow up.
I spent the past weekend in Oshkosh WI. Yep, only true dog show people would travel in the winter to Oshkosh, b'gosh. Had a great time with Sahra and Amy and all the other Collie people. Met some facebook friends and put faces to names. Saw Michelle Tennis who still has my Riley's litter sister, Stormy. It was nice to chat with her. Long ago we bred her blue rough boy Isaac to a bitch. I also loved Isaac, a very sweet boy.
I owe a bucket full of thanks to Deb and Scott for watching my precious Jam and baby Rumor. Let's just say that the Spa Deb offers full service luxury for the doggies. They came home bathed, spoiled and in the case of Rumor, just a little more full of herself. Big hugs to them!
As usual when it comes to Amy there were loads of laughs! I think she is a bad influence, but she probably thinks the same about me. And I was happy to see that Jordie behaved for her on Sunday. I always get a mental picture of Amy flying out behind Jordie like a flag in the wind--apparently Jordie doesn't realize she is not a GSD. :-)
And lastly, Sahra and I have discovered that we both like at least 3 things too much. Collies, Mexican food and Gabbing. Yes, we are now looking for a 12 step program for Excessive Gabbers. Although Amy's suggestion was duct tape. So there was basically no sleep all weekend, except for my siesta in the chair at the show on Sun. a.m. Apparently I did NOT snore, but I was a little concerned I may have drooled. Amy took pics of Harold and his daddy Fletcher, I hope to post those later this week and I have at least one good shot of Spice and Sahra's Bryce.
So now it's on to working on grooming and training for Feb. MN Collie Club show. Winter had better be tucking itself away soon. Let us pray. :-)

Until next time...

WINTER DAY FUN

What does a bored Iowan do on a winter day when the high temp is 4? Bundles up, plays with the dogs and takes pictures. Enjoy!

The Gangs All Here!

Harold is the left background, Jam, Maddy, Bella, Spice,

Trace, Dora and Rumor in the right background.

Yep, the sign pretty much says it all.

Dora


Dora The Diva
aka Ch. Windy Hills Midnight Dream
Soon to be on her way to warmer days



Jam addresses the troops, as usual they
ignore him, poor baby

Spice-look she has hair!

What a gorgeous blonde, or so Spice thinks

The Cardigan Gals

Bella and Rumor

The chase is on

Rumor, Bella, Trace, Spice with Maddy bringing up the rear.

For a nearly 13 yr old dog, she sure keeps up with the kids.

Trace

Rumor hoping to catch up with the big guys

Bella finds Piglet in the snow

Harold and Trace race for ???

Bella, Spice and Trace

COWS ON THE MOVE

Apparently last night was only the prep work for the "cattle drive". This morning was the real loading time and it came dang early. 6 a.m. I hear Rick, Roni, Grandma Mary and Josh pull up and Rick get out the skid loader to move more snow and put some gravel down for traction. Of course once I am awake the dogs are all awake (with the exception of Jam who could sleep thru a force 5 hurricane unless someone said the word "cookie") and I had to let them outside. By the way, it's FRIGID here and at 8 a.m. it was -20 air temp. Yes, I cursed. Brought the dogs in, fed Rumor, gave everyone else a bribery cookie and put them in crates. Hence the need for bribery cookies. Maddy, Dora, Jam and I headed back to the cozy, now lukewarm bed and tried to catch another hour of snoozetime. Big ol' semi shows up at 7 a.m. and then we start to have off and then on, off and then on electricity. I am convinced the semi did it, but after a call to the REC find out they are working on a problem in the area. Finally give up and put on another pair of socks followed by a pot of coffee. Yes, I cursed, again. Yelled at the dogs to quiet down in the crates, cause they are not going out to bark at 7 a.m. at the semi, cows and company. The cow exodus was complete by 8 a.m. which at this point it is a balmy -16 degrees out.
After all the morning excitement I went to Independence to shop for something different to do. Picked up dog food and cookies, a few groceries and a couple of new books. Looks like a nice afternoon to cuddle up with a good book, a hot beverage and a warm dog on my feet.

UH-OH, COWS DEPARTING....

Dang it. Rick brought over the cow loading chute thingy about an hour ago and started moving snow drifts around. Looks like we can expect a cow exodus this evening. Dang it. The first time they moved cattle last year the semi-driver couldn't make the swing around the driveway curve and Rick had to push down about 60 feet of fence so he could get in. Dang it. But that was in late March and it wasn't nearly as frigid as tonight. I have the best landlords and Rick replaced posts and put the fence back up but of course moved it in to prevent future problems. What absolutely floors me is that the semi-driver that brings the big equipment in and out (ie, backhoes and that thing they use to dig trenchs for drainage tiles) never had a problem making the swing. The second set of cows left about 6 weeks after the first last year and that driver made it with tons of room to spare. I'm saying a prayer for a really talented driver. And why is it that they have to do this in the dark?? Dang it.
The dogs have been fed and are confined to quarters in the dog room until it's over. That means they will be all out of sorts later in the evening. Dang it. A group of herding dogs barking at the fence does not make it easier to load cattle.
Updates as the cow exodus continues...

HAPPY 2010!

Happy New Year! The dogs and I did not make it to midnight, I think we got to 11:20 CST, well I made it to 11:20, the dogs were all passed out on the floor and furniture well before that. They sure put on a good act of working hard to validate the obvious exhaustion. Heehee...
2009 was still a big transition year for me and held some personal and family challenges. Those issues have turned around and life on the farm has become a pleasant habit. The dogs had another terrific year and held up their mom in and out of the show ring.
I don't do resolutions because they are too easily dismissed within the first month of the new year. I have a short list of goals with the dogs but they are so dependant on outside forces, the weather, when Spice has puppies and the biggest of all, the money to spend on a few classes and show entries.
I have decided that 2010 WILL be a good year. Sometimes we have to keep up a positive attitude, look for all the good things that life brings and push away the negative to really hit that good year mark. So maybe I do have a resolution after all...