A Good Day

Bella, Cathy, and the sheep

Yesterday we went to sheep herding lessons, and I must say we did rather well. Gracie has a tendency to get better as the day goes. I think she just becomes tired, and decides the best way to get back in the car for a nap is to do exactly what we want her to do. Please look at this photo: Cathy is walking backwards. Unless you have eyes in the back of your head, this is what you do when you know your dog is going to charge around to the head of the herd when they should be walking behind. THIS is how Linda has landed on the ground 10 times in the past year.

Yes, I keep count. But yesterday, I was actually walking ahead of the sheep, not being sandwiched between them, because Gracie was weaving along behind us and not following too close. The closer the dog gets to the sheep, the more the sheep will cling to the human walking with them. Everyone was in line. I had finally, after a year, attained the proper "sheep sandwich."

It was a proud moment. No snickering unless you have personally tried this.....
Linda

Oscar the Aussie

Dustin with Oscar and the sheep.

He is kind of walking here.

Oscar is a rescue from Kentucky. Dustin and his wife have had him about a year and a half. He's a great dog, full of boundless energy, with beautiful blue eyes. A full blood Australian Shepherd, Oscar weighs around 55 pounds, but is on a diet. His fur is super thick, and this dog is a powerhouse when it comes to running.

Because of very busy lives, Dustin doesn't always get to bring Oscar up to the farm for herding lessons. So when Oscar does get in the pen, it is chaos. I love to stand at the fence and watch this Aussie work because he does exactly the same things that Gracie did several months back.....or last week. We think Aussie's like to stir up the herd just for the fun of putting them all back together again. Aussies are very good at amusing themselves.

But of all the dogs that I have watched at herding, this one has the most energy. It is endless. You can't work Oscar too hard, nor can you wear him out. Leah and I can always tell when Gracie is ready to call it a day because she will slow down and do what we want, head hanging low, looking pathetic. Not Oscar. He would run around that pen chasing the sheep until they drop, not him. The same holds true for the dog park: Oscar will chase the ball until Dustin gives it up. And like Gracie, Oscar is a barker. I guess that is another Aussie trait.

Oscar and Gracie tolerate one another. Gracie does not really get along with any other Aussie, including her sister, Bailey. The Diva Princess of Avon wants to be number one. Sigh.

Have a great day. We are going sheep herding.
Linda

Bella the German Shepherd

Bella, the German Shepherd, in a herding lesson

Cathy, Bella's mom, sitting down on the job

The dog is too close to the herd

The sun was warm, and Bella decided to avoid working

A few weeks ago, Leah, our sheep herding trainer, had a Sunday cook-out for all of her clients. We all worked the dogs first in a rotation of sheep, then had lunch. It was a great time, and good to network with other dog owners.

Cathy wanted some photographs of Bella sheep herding. The breeder she purchased Bella from was fascinated that Cathy has been able to train Bella. This is a young Shepherd, not yet a year old, and she is doing very well. In my experience, the best dogs for herding are the Border Collies, because they are obsessed with their task. But the German Sherpherds do a good job of weaving behind the herd, keeping everyone in a group.

And then there are the Australian Shepherds. Like Gracie. Like Oscar. I have some pictures of Oscar. Aussies just love to mix it all up. I was so glad to see that my little Aussie isn't the only one with attitude. Major, major attitude.

Have a great day.
Linda

Christmas House and Wreath

Front of the house

The side walls match

Back of house

So THIS is what I wanted pine cones for!

I use the making of crafts as a way to balance my life. It relaxes me, keeps the creative juices going, and helps me think. I know that sounds a little strange, but for me if I am concentrating on making something, my mind can let go of whatever is bothering me. Like not studying for the AFAA certification.

Anyway....the house is paper mache, and comes naked when you purchase it. I painted it with craft paint in white and let it dry for a few days. The blue is scrapbook paper cut out with Spellbinders squares. Great way to make a perfect frame. Little candy canes that were intended to be used as ornaments on the mini Christmas trees are on the windows, tied with Baker's Twine. I glued them first and let them set. The mini wreaths on the sides I made from a rope type garland. Red Stars on the roof are an ornament, as well as the snowflake done in glitter above the door. I used Melissa Francis mica chips for the roof.

The wreath is 8 inches and yes, these are the pine cones that I picked up on a dog walk. I soaked them in 50/50 solution of bleach and water for 8 hours. This debugs the cones and dries them out. I then set them out on the deck in the sun for several hours, then let them sit in the house for a few days. If you are going to use this method to preserve cones, I recommend drying them completely, slowly. The cones will open up.  To add a little extra something that didn't show up in the this photo, I sprayed them with an adhesive and sprinkled white glitter on each cone, lightly.

The postcard in the middle of the wreath I made from chipboard, cardstock, and a Crafty Secrets image. Postcard stamp is from Tim Holtz.

Thanks for stopping by.
Linda

Stuff

Miss Gracie in the backyard

I have been scattered of late. Just so much going on, so I am in avoidance mode. Have you ever done this? Where you fully realize what needs to be done (studying for an AFAA certification), but you find a zillion other things to do to avoid doing what really needs your attention. Yep, that's me this week.

The good (no ice, no snow) weather is rapidly coming to a close, and it is time to do the final mowing of the yards, put away garden decorations, and find somewhere to store the umbrella and lounge chairs from the patio set. And if I am being constructive and doing actual work, I can justify not cracking open that 2 inch thick text book.

I want to go out and take a few photos of the almost non-existent autumn color. Our leaves are pathetic this year, probably due to the lack of moisture in July, August and September. My friends tell me that the Chicago metro area is a blaze of gold. Dang.

The dogs need a bath before it turns chilly. They also need to go in for a nail trim tonight. We should hit the dog park, because Coal will be there for the first time in 2 weeks. Closets need to be cleaned....

Avoidance. I just want this damn test over with. I am driving me nuts. Sigh.
Linda

Rain, Rain, and more rain

July, 2011

I took this photograph one night last July. Just loved the formation of the clouds that day, as they drifted through the sky. So relaxing, so tranquil.

Not what we are having this week. We had no rain for almost 90 days in central Indiana this year. It stopped raining the end of June, and did not start again until September. Mother Nature has a wicked sense of humor. It has been raining here for the past 56 hours, and is not going to stop until after midnight tonight. Really, Ma? Not only is it wet, it is cold and wet. This area should be in the mid 60's in October. It was a constant 45 yesterday.

I really don't mind the rain, we still need it. What I do mind is having two bored dogs who look at me as if it's my fault. We have not walked since Sunday afternoon. When you are used to walking a minimum of 2 miles a day with your pups, you miss it if the weather prevents this exercise.

Tomorrow morning it will be clear, we can return to our normal routine, and life will be good. Thanks for stopping by.
Linda

Pine Cones

My little Jake

Yesterday afternoon I had been gone, and I was having mom guilt. You know. The dogs look at you with those pathetic eyes and make you feel like you have been depriving them of all attention. Yeah, that look. So for the second time that day, I put their harnesses on and we went for a walk. This time I took them on a new path system very close to the house, around the new YMCA.

The path wanders around the edge of several acres, close to some older homes with lots of pine trees. I am in Christmas craft mode of late, so I decided I would gather a few pine cones to use in some projects.

I am an idiot.

I just want to clarify that. Never pick up fresh pine cones full of sap. I now have pine tree sap on both dog leashes, the handles of my car, and probably my jacket that I was wearing at the time. The only way I removed this sticky substance from my hands so I could drive us home was with alcohol swabs, which I carry in the console of the car along with band aids because I am constantly getting injured. That is another story. I ended up placing the 3 cones in a clean doggie poop bag provided by the park.

Realizing that I couldn't use the pine cones in their present state on the craft I had in mind, I googled how to dry pine cones. There are 3 methods: line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and place the cones in a single layer on said sheet. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and bake the cones for up to 30 minutes, watching constantly for fire and smoke. Really? Constantly? I kind of like my house.

Second method is to soak the pine cones in water with a cup of vinegar added for 30 minutes. This will also debug the cones, leave them dull and smelling like vinegar. Attractive. Third method is to soak them in a 50/50 solution of bleach and water for 8 to 9 hours, then dry them in the sun. This will also debug the cones, bleaching them in the process, and removing the sap. THIS is what I am trying today.

For future dog walks, I need to carry plastic disposable gloves, a grocery sack, doggie poop bags, and my cell phone. Or maybe, just maybe, I should just walk the dogs and not worry about anything else. But I've been itching to take some fall photos, too. The camera is damn heavy.

Thanks for stopping by.
Linda

Dega

Jake, Dega, and Gracie

Yes, he is standing on top of the patio table

It is good to do for others, so I didn't hesitate to offer to dog sit for my friend, Melissa. She has one dog. His name is Dega, and he is a Wheaton Terrier. As an only dog, Dega is a little on the spoiled side. Just a little.

One of his bad habits is to climb on tables. Not all tables, thank you very much, but any table that happens to be on a deck or patio. Part of this is Melissa's fault. She has found it is easier on her if she puts him up on the table to trim his fur on his face. Dega obviously likes it because it gives him a high perspective of the yard. While staying with us, it got him away from the Diva Princess of Avon, and Little Shit. For those who have not heard those terms before, that would be Gracie and Jake.

It was an interesting 4 days. By Monday morning, I think all 3 dogs were glad it was over. My guys were missing alone time with me, and I know Dega was missing his down time alone. We drove to a local doggie day care/boarding facility to drop Dega off yesterday morning, then went for a very long walk at our favorite park. When we returned home, I opened the door, and both dogs went through the house to make sure Dega was no longer here. Then Gracie got up in the leather chair, Jake on the ottoman, and they settled down for their midmorning nap.

Life is good once again.
Linda

Are people nuts?

Dude parasailing on Lake Michigan, Oct 1st

Pat and I had gone to the Lighthouse Outlet Mall in Michigan City, IN. last Saturday. It was a brisk day in northern Indiana. On Friday, September 30th, the winds had whipped the water up so that the beach had disappeared. Strong winds were still blowing on Saturday, as you can see by the white caps in the water. Also the water is not its normal blue tint, but rather greenish. That is from all of the churning.

If you are not familiar with the Great Lakes, you need to know that they are fresh water, but in all other aspects resemble the oceans. Rip tides are common, each lake is quite deep, and the winds that come down towards Chicago and northern Indiana can be fierce. So imagine my surprise at this man trying to para-sail. The air temperature was only 52, and I never did check what the wind chill was, but standing in the parking lot of this public park I was feeling the chill. Some people are dedicated. Some people are also nuts.

Of course, this gentleman might say the same thing about a woman who owns two dogs and scrapbooks. Whatever turns your crank.

Have a good weekend.
Linda

Cold Season

Washington Park on Lake Michigan, Michigan City, IN

Bird on the beach

THIS is Dega

The kids in the backyard

Sorry I have not posted all week. It's been a very long week indeed.

Last weekend I went north to spend Saturday shopping and taking photographs with my friend, Pat. The remainder of the weekend was spent babysitting my two great-granddaughters so my granddaughter and her boyfriend could have a break. Terra, my granddaughter, and Gianna, the baby, both had colds. Guess what Grandma came home with? Yeah. Brought back a lot of memories from the year I took care of Terra when she was a baby. Babies get sick, give it to you, they get over it in a few days, and the adult is down for a week minimum. Just not fair, is it?

So not a lot was accomplished this past week. Just felt rotten. On Thursday night, my friend Melissa dropped off Dega, the Wheaton Terrier above. He is staying with us until Monday morning while mom is on vacation.

My two dogs are used to having me to themselves. Dega is not used to having other dogs around. It has been interesting. Dega and Gracie have always had a "thing" for each other. They play, they run, Dega will get Gracie to the ground and sit on her, and on and on. Jake, on the other hand, views Dega as a threat to his male existence, his dominance in the household. So Jake has been barking.....a lot. He is also the youngest of the three, and the smallest. I have to keep an eye on things to make sure no one gets hurt, that the play doesn't get too rambunctious. But there is a silver lining in that cloud: they are wearing each other out. The naps are long and hard.

A tired dog is a good dog. You gotta love it.
Linda