Popcorn

Well, we made it home and jumped straight into lambing. Fortunately we made it back before things went really wild, but it's been four straight days in the barn without a break, not even time to eat. We've had shepherds from England tell us how much weight they lose during lambing, and now I get it. There are sheep in every corner of the barn, temporary claiming pens, nurseries, infirmaries...you name it.
Back in January we had someone come in to ultrasound the sheep so we would know approximately when and how many lambs each ewe would have. We were very organized and had brought in all the sheep that were supposed to lamb first. Well, apparently it's a very inexact science because the lambs arrival and count has had very little to do with what the ultrasound predicted and we have had more lambs born outside than inside!
I have two favorite times during lambing.
One is when the lambs start to bounce like pogo sticks, jumping straight up into the air off four legs with the joy of being alive and then do "puppy burns", chasing each other up and down the pens.
My other favorite moment is when there is this lull in the barn, and everyone is resting. I can hear the quiet breathing of the sheep as they chew their cuds, and the quiet nickering of the mama ewes, almost as if they are singing their babies to sleep.
To really understand herding, you must understand it is three species in harmony, not in conflict. Moments like these are reminders of that.

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The Jellico Jinx

Two years ago, enroute home from the same series of trials, we ran into a terrible blizzard. We tried to take refuge in Jellico, Tennessee, but we were warned by a local cashier to risk our lives on the road rather than stay in Jellico, as she had heard too many strange stories. There was much more to the tale than that, but suffice to say that with the Jellico Motel flashing on the hillside reminding us strongly of the Bates Motel, we headed back into the blizzard. Unfamiliar with the route, we didn't realize we were heading into a mountain range, and we were nearly killed when a car spun out in front of us as a tractor-trailer thundered beside us while we were on the mountainous descent in deep snow. We've never been so happy to see a Walmart in our lives!

Fast forward two years... as we approached Jellico yesterday, the radio waves were full of warnings for tornadoes, damaging storms, strong wind and large hail. There was a strong sense of deja vu. Watching the weather radar, a massive red swath of storms was heading toward us, but we were hesitant to stop in Jellico.



Once again, the decision was made to take our chances on the road, and attempt the 11 mile scamper over the mountains to the next exit, with our familiar Walmart refuge. Once committed, there was no turning back and no other exits to which we could abort the mission.

Naturally, as soon as there no possibility of making the Jellico exit, the rain started and the wind increased dramatically. Being as I was one of the voices wishing to press on, I tried to downplay the conditions and the strength of the wind. Given that vehicles were flailing all over the road and the rest area on the opposite side of the highway was jammed with trucks seeking shelter, I don't think I was very convincing.

We pulled safely into the Walmart just as the worst of the storm hit.


Once the storm had ended, we debated pressing on a few more hours or staying put and getting an early start. There were conflicting weather reports about the safest areas. And let's face it, it was three and a half days since we had left Florida and we hadn't even gone 800 miles! We received a sign it was safe to go...



And into the sunset we drove...



We made it to just south of Lexington, apparently missing more storms that continued to pound Jellico. The GPS says we are in striking distance of home today... If only the snow would stop at home...

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Location:Elliott Ave,Cincinnati,United States

Homeward bound...again...

You have to make the best of things and let go of things you have no control over. My truck was in the shop to have what turned out to be the drive shaft replaced and the part was going to be three days arriving. We decided to make it an adventure, which it already looked like with the Spanish moss hanging over the trailers.



This morning we decided to go to IHOP for National Pancake Day, then buy some swimsuits and spend the day by the pool. Tough life, I know. Realistically we were all stressed about getting home but there was nothing we could do about it... until I received a call from Ford while we were all looking through a TJ Maxx store...the truck was done and was under warranty! We leapt into action like a well-oiled machine and were on the road within the hour.

I have to say, it was a wonderful experience. What? It's true...the number of sheepdog people that got ahold of us, offered to come get us and the trailers even though they were hours away, put us up until the truck was fixed was absolutely heartwarming. People who don't know us other than seeing us a few times a year at sheepdog trials.

We all need to remember to celebrate this wonderful community of sheepdog people, because they come together and reach out when it counts.

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Location:County Road 235,Brooker,United States

Regrouping...

Well, the tow trucks couldn't find us for an hour and a half...how do you miss two 50 foot rigs on the side of the Florida Turnpike? I think I ate half a bag of Oreos at the side of the highway, a pathetic sight I'm sure. But when they finally arrived they were friendly and efficient...




...and my truck was towed away...




We had found a camp ground and a Ford dealership nearby...
The woman at the front desk was new to her job...she spoke at full volume and seemed to have trouble multitasking so gave us the wrong spaces to pull the trailers into, the tow guy had to move the trailer to three different sites before we were settled...which we later realized appeared to be a giant fire ant hill...
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Location:S Libby Rd,Groveland,United States

Trials, trucks and tribulations

Well the last few days have been a bit of a high for me. I finished fourth on Saturday at the That'll Do trial, had a great time dancing up a storm to some great Bluegrass music and then when we headed north on Sunday after our runs, I was sitting in second place. Life was looking good. Oh, by the way, I should mention I'm writing this on the side of the Florida Turnpike where the transmission fell out of my truck.



I did say I thought this trip might be one too many and I didn't want to push my luck... my lease is up in six weeks...

So as we wait for the specialty tow truck, we are trying to decide how to get three people and a ridiculous number of dogs (don't ask) into one truck and trailer...did I mention the lambs are popping like popcorn at home...?

To make it even better, Mary Lou just got a message that they aren't sending a tow truck until they get more information...it's starting to rain...

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Location:Florida's Turnpike,Montverde,United States

Snow birds

I'm starting to get this Florida thing. We wake up to a spectacular sunrise...



...go work dogs with an International Champion...



...go to the beach...






...and see colourful wildlife.



We even experienced the local cuisine...a place called Bizarros, famous for great pizza and terrible service. The owner was unbelievably rude but the place was packed. A young lady was deciding what she wanted and her boyfriend started to order (I think he knew the system)...she interrupted him to say she didn't know what she wanted yet. The owner (a giant guy covered in tattoos, like ex-navy, an evil
Popeye) looked at her menacingly and pointed outside to the waiting line..."they all know what they want, get out of the way...". Then he yelled at everyone who had ordered and paid to get out and it was an evacuation like a movie set. Seriously? Mary Lou looked at a nearby customers and asked, "You pay for this?" at which point we all ducked expecting a sawed off shotgun to come up from behind the counter...

Back to the safe confines of a farm field!

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Location:Kramer Ln,Malabar,United States

Blind-sided

Today's running is over (for us) and truly it was an example of up one minute, down the next.

The early morning runs were relatively calm, as a beautiful Florida sun came up through the mist. This 575 yard outrun seemed short compared to the 625 yard outrun from the day before. The scores started to drop rapidly as the wind picked up ahead of a storm front, and sheep get nervous in unsettled conditions.

Mary Lou and Dyna went to the post, hoping for a repeat of the previous day. One sheep seemed really out of sorts with the other two, but given the conditions, perhaps not surprising. Dyna's run was a struggle with this sheep the whole way and in the heat Mary Lou decided to retire. On the way to the exhaust, Mary Lou ended up on the sheep's right side and noticed its right eye was opaque, blind in that eye...oh well, have to pray harder to the "good sheep" gods!

My run came in the middle of the day when the trailers felt like ocean liners in a hurricane. Craig had one of only two scores posted out of the 25 dogs that ran in the middle of the day. After a great outrun, lift and fetch, a wide turn and missed crossed drive due to impossible hearing conditions from driving wind may cost him a placing. Although I expect to run well at any time of day, I will pray harder to the "draw at good time of day" gods.

We have been extended an offer to a beach house for bar-b-que and martinis while listening to the crashing surf in the upcoming storm. That sounds pretty good right now! :)

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Location:Sebastian,United States