Watchers

taking their job seriously.

Canine Summer Camp

demonstrated their synchronized swimming skills.

Some participated in the log toss

as others just enjoyed watching the activities.

Joining Eileen

Terzanelle? With My Dogs

Trying my inexperienced hand at creating a Terzanelle. (I feel a little better since my computer says it's not a word.  That just means we are both obsolete.)  While trying to find where in the world I found the prompt I discovered one of my favorite poetry sites is closing its doors.  Good Bye, Poetry Jam, I will miss you.

I thought, What in the world could I talk about, using the proper form, that would fill five required triplets and an ending quatrain?  Well, I do have six dogs....pictures in order of age, oldest to the pup.

I declare dogs are smart

Strong workers with big hearts

I declare dogs are smart

No matter the color, breed or age

They win you over from the start

Strong workers with big hearts

Size nor breed matters not

Loving canines with big hearts

They win you over from the start

Many are thrown away

When given a new place to stay

Loving canines with big hearts

A true announcer in every way

Running free living large

When given a new place to stay

A true announcer in every way

Strong workers with big hearts

I declare dogs are smart

Running free living large

THIS WAS TOO MUCH LIKE WORK!

Still not sure if I have the form right.

I could use some advice.

Hubby and Me and Dogs Make Eight

A hornet's nest found in a field.  I've seen them in trees and even on houses but never like this.

Obviously no one was home.  Bonnie has not learned her lesson about sticking her nose in someone else's house.  One day she sniffed a wasp nest and was stung.  The entire pack ATTACKED the wasp nest and killed all the wasps while poor Bonnie was rolling in the sand to stop the pain.

Having traveled the entire run with us the dogs were eager to cool off.  Didn't take long to muddy the creek.  It's entirely too low and too dry.  The ponds are dropping.  We need rain badly.  Miss Lil, our short haired Border Collie, knows how to cool.

Lil, Squiggs and Junior all cool off.  Bonnie is off on her only little side trip and Lizzy is staying clear of the water. As soon as we drove in the yard Bonnie jumped into her personal water garden and laid down.

Diamond Lil is not taking any chances on being too hot.  Ki-Anne even stops for a quick cool off.

Hubby stayed in the Gator but I had to walk the creek.

It was nice to be out, not on a job, just relaxing and looking.  A good day for reflections.

Valley of the Dogs...

The farm pack playing

From back to front, left to right:

Junior, 

Lizzy, Maggie, Squiggie,

Diamond Lil, Ki-Anne and Bonnie.

They have deleted a few predators

and are friendly with the other occupants here.

Good dogs!

Diamond Lil

Lizzy with Bonnie, puppy in training

All love the water except Lizzy

she tip toes through it.

Every farm needs a good team.

Still Here

Just running around while keeping an eye out

for an opportunity to enjoy the sun.

For Sweet Shot Tuesday

Boots And Dogs...

In Autumn...

the leaves

fall

down.

White Lies or Omission? Not For The Weak!

We all share parts of our life but no one shares it all.  Is that presenting a false front or just an omission of facts that different people would not understand.  Do we consider these little white lies?

Life in different in the country.  Things that happen may be frowned upon but that's the way it is around here. We protect our livestock (cattle and chickens) which is our food source and our money.

We don't get many drive by shootings but we do protect and make it safer for our animals and us.

Lil and the team find a skunk.

See it hiding inside the tire?

Using a long iron piece to drag and flip the tire.

All the dogs have been sprayed by now 

and are pretty set on ending this.

The tire is flipped.

Skunk removed by Lil

and the team jumps in to help.

Skunk dispatched quickly.

Good farm dogs!

These two try to remove the smell in the water garden.

Said all that to say this...

Join Two Shoes in Texas

for Tuesday's fun.

Word prompts this week are white and lies.

Playing With New Tools...

Hubby knows the way to my heart...not with flowers...with tools!  After struggling and fussing with my pruning shears and my limb-loppers I am the proud owner of a new pair of each.  Man, are they awesome. They slide through what I'm trimming like a hot knife through butter.

Things are kinda behind around here.  Between Hubby's and Marcy's illness and then my little bout not much  has been done.  I'm finally feeling like I can TRY to catch up.  Those who own acreage know that is never done but we do keep trying.

This is the corner of the front yard with two of the pecan trees Mom and Dad planted when they got married.  Between them WAS a fence.  Now there are a few sections with black berries and Cannas over run with Virginia Creeper, Honey Suckle, Money Plants and varied species of wild things.

Today I began to clean this area.  Each limb clipped and plant pulled was dog inspected.  Each spot dog approved.

Some even helped pick up sticks

while others just wanted a snuggle.

The pile kept growing.  There is an opening again where there once was a path.  The black berry picking will be easier this afternoon.

I haven't even scratched the surface!

Invaluable Farm Team and Treasures...

The rain and thunders storms rolled in and out all day.

We had uninvited visitors.

Not ours!

Why do ours stay in but we can't keep these out?

Lizzy and Junior

Squiggs, Junior and Ki

Add Border Collie Diamond Lil 

and you have an unbeatable team to move cattle.

To see stock dogs work is a thing of beauty.  Each dog is trained by the one above them.  Lil is a head dog, the smaller ones are heelers and movers.  

When the strangers arrive Marcy can clap her hands, I yell "Yhaw!" and the team moves like a well-oiled machine.  Itty-bitty Lizzy and Squiggy gets them moving, Ki and Junior separate the strangers from our cattle and Lil takes the head. 

I've never had the herds completely blended until today.  Squiggs (not twelve pounds) cut out our cattle and headed them back to their spot while Junior, Ki and Lizzy curved the strange bunch back out of our pasture.  It was simply amazing. I face an oncoming wave of half grown calves.  For a second, just a second, I doubted the power of my team.  I raised my arm and I pointed.  The dogs take our cattle one way and the strange ones are herded the other. As they hit the divide, Lil picks up the chase and takes them totally into their home pasture.

Pure dance and art when they work.  A motley crew of Border Collies, a tiny Cairn mix, a Jack/ Rat Terrier,  my hot pepper Ki-Anne of unknown origin and her son Junior moved together like a well choreographed Broadway musical.  

I am proud of our little pack.  All were throw aways except for Lil.  They fit perfectly together and make a fantastic irreplaceable farm team. Not only with herding but also on protection and patrol detail.

Between rains I took a short walk and discovered a few treasures the farm had to offer for my pleasure and enjoyment.