Yeesh!

I'm aliiiiiiive!

So things have been a wee bit busy.  I had started to respond to Liz's questions for the something or other blog award only to get sidetracked and never made it back to it.

I've had an interesting few weeks.

1) Fender bender with my beloved truck.
2) Pink eye - thank you student...
3) Taking care of farm while parents are gone.
4) Getting audited by tax man.  That's some good fun...
5) Getting ready to fly to Portland and getting Visa's and paperwork organized.

While all of this has been going on I've also been busy doing some of the things I love.  We've had some pretty nasty rain here.  In fact, it was so bad some of the cities had serious flooding.  (Google Calgary or High River floods.)  There was some minor flooding in my city and I've been grateful my sump pump in my basement has been working.  (It's been running 3-4 times a day right now.)  We've finally been blessed with some sunshine which will help everyone dry out.  The rain and hail beat the tar outta my flowers.  I spent 2 hours yesterday deadheading and cleaning up plants.  I'll do another hour today.  Hopefully they'll recover and I'll get some pics to share.

I also sat and chatted with two of my favorite men.  Ken and I visited, talking dogs and horses.  He'll be loaning me one of his horses for the summer.  I'll run to Drayton Valley and pick him up once I'm back from the states.  I also chatted with Jason.  Jason is the cutting horse trainer who started Roxy and who I rode with one summer.  I'll be riding and turning back for him this summer.  Yay!  I had been thinking that cutting wouldn't be a viable horse option for me over the next few years.  I've reconsidered that opinion.  The reason is simple.  I want to live a life filled with passion.  And this is something I'm passionate about.  So much so that I'm not willing to drop it.  Where there's a will, there's a way.  Right??

I've been driving out to my parents twice a day (10 minutes each way) to do chores.  Dad had bought a bunch of sheep to keep the grass down in the "horse" pasture and for me to play with.  So twice a day I've been working the dogs.  With the sudden heat no one - including animals - is acclimatized.  For that reason I've been fairly short with the works.  I must admit I was stunned at the progress my poor neglected dogs had made!  Ryder has developed confidence.  What once would have been a standoff now results in sheep moving away from him.  With his confidence has also come a sudden deafness.  He has decided that he knows best and has ignored some of my commands.  In particular the "lie down" and recall.  We'll be working on this...

Diva has been the biggest surprise of all.  The grass in the field is very high.  It stops about my mid thigh.  This has made it challenging for the dogs to see the sheep.  After some initial struggles the dogs have figured it out.  This morning I sent Diva on one of her longer outruns.  She started out straight.  Crash the flock straight.  Calling, I wanted her to lie down so I could help her.  This is Diva.  Once she's released she's like a heat seeking missile.  There is no stopping.  (Yet.)  And then the moment of brilliance.  She suddenly veers to the left making a perfect bubble around the flock of sheep, slowing to rate and gently bringing them to my feet.  I was stunned.  So impressed with the little brat.  She's really starting to work for me.  With me.

I plan to start taking the dogs to town to rework on their socialization and manners.  We've definitely made progress but I want to feel confident with taking them in public places.  Particularly places with dogs...  Because I've done NO exercise since I've hurt my back I'm thinking starting to run in town with the dogs is a good place to start.  I'm pain free and plan to start upping my activity levels.

I'll try to get some video of the dogs working over the next few weeks.  :)