Counting Sheep

Once Upon A Time there was a little lamb who had pneumonia.
She wasn't a pretty girl but because she was very sweet it was deemed that she would live in the house until she stopped coughing and blowing snot.But where was a little lamb to sleep in a big house?
This bed was too hard.And this bed was too soft.But this bed was just right!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

MERRY CHRISTMAS From everyone at Alta-Pete Farm!

Christmas Spirit

A package arrived yesterday from my friend, Donna, over at the Spiritdance blog. I placed the the box under the tree to open at Christmas but when Skid started standing over it and guarding it from the other dogs I asked Donna if maybe there were things in it that I would have to hide from the dogs until Christmas. After telling me that Skid had a nose good enough for search and rescue, she had me open it.
There were gifts for everyone!
I got a beautiful decoration that suits my style perfectlyand a new barn ornament for the tree.Scott found the shortbread and immediately started munching and Pleat and Maid had homemade treats sent over especially from Maid's daughter, Jet, and Pleat's son Ted, (they plan to share with everyone)

Poe and Salem got a toy with catnip - I'm not sure Poe on drugs is going to be a good thing.But the best present of them all was quickly taken over by Skidand to prevent it from being stolen, he's sleeping with it with one eye open.

New Responsibilities

Sometimes it's hard to believe my big brave guardian dog is only 9 months old.In the last month he has changed from an insecure puppy to a confident protector.
However, he doesn't know everything about his job yet.
This part is new to himOh, yeah, it looks like nothing but lambs are dangerous.
They have big sharp... and huge... well,...
You just better watch out when you are around them.
We are slowly introducing Togo to the new lambs.
Soon we will move them out of the barn and he will have to stay in the pasture with them and keep the coyotes at bay.
But first he has to get over his own fear of them.
It's going well.As long as they don't try to nurseThen it's time to send them back to Mommy.

Couch Potato

The new pup has settled in to our house and Scott has named her the very unoriginal border collie name of Fly, after her great grandmother.She learned how to fit in by looking to the other dogs in the house for clues how to act.
Great grandpa, Pleat, has taught her the most important lesson.
What a couch is for.She's studying hard on what she learned.However, not everyone is happy that she has access to the couch.
Skid is very put out and tried to go for higher ground.
It didn't work.
But there is one thing they can both agree on. Vacuum cleaners are evil!

What am I thinking?

We had a new arrival tonight who flew all the way across the country to come live with us.I'd love to tell you her name but Scott won't agree to one.
I know you are probably asking me, "Why would you get a pup right before Christmas? Puppies and trees and ornaments don't mix."Believe it or not, there is actually something I fear more than a puppy around a tree.

Are You Kidding Me?!

Ummm, yeah... uh, remember when we said we weren't going to have any lambs this winter 'cause we had a bad hay crop?We got rid of all our rams last spring so there was no danger of them getting in with the ewes.
Remember that?
Soooo, explain how we found this this morning...I would guess that one of our so called weathers (a castrated sheep) is hiding something. All I can say is that I didn't do the castrating last year.

We asked the ewe who it was who did this but she's not talkingSo I asked Togo who it was but he said he wouldn't rat anyone out. All he could tell me was that there were more to come.

Christmas Comes Early For Young Poe

This is the BEST Christmas EVER!

Sweet Dreams

Now Thanksgiving is over for another year and the Christmas rush has begun. Just the thought of it makes you exhausted.
You try to fight it
but it's a losing battle.So give inAnd take a nap.You've still got 25 more shopping days.

Giving Thanks

Scott and I are thankful for many things: our families and our friends, both two and four legged and our life out on the beautiful prairies.
Today, I decided to let the animals speak up and say what they are thankful for.

The sheep are thankful for the pumpkins they get to eat at this time of year
And Togo is thankful that they share (whether they want to or not)
Poe is thankful for the mouse he killed last night. Yum Yum!
And Skid is thankful that Scott is a messy cook who drops alot.
And the chickens? The chickens are just thankful that it's not them in the oven!HAPPY THANKSGIVING AMERICA!!

Egg-less

Scott is not happy with the chicken's work.
Production is down.When we go out to collect eggs in the morning from the THREE chickens, this is the only out-put we find, if we are lucky.So we had a staff meeting and I explained to the girls that when food goes in, each and every worker must produce but they weren't really paying attentionuntil I mentioned that Scott was talking about replacements.
That got their attention.Now they are quite concerned and I saw them talking around the water cooler, trying to figure out who was slacking off.and they have decided to take the matter under advisement.

NEIGHbors

We have enjoyed the company of our neighbors for several years now.
They enjoy hanging over the fence and watching us train our dogs. Very recently a new couple joined them and I haven't been able to figure them out.Although they appear to be curious about us, they keep their distance.Perhaps they just don't like dogs
or cats
or sheep
or chickens
or...ME?!I guess I have their answer.

Sausage Dog

Skid loves food. That's nothing new. Most dogs do.
I watch his food intake though so he doesn't get fat.
However, Scott can't resist those pleading eyes. He watches Skid intake food too. Over and over again.
While I was in California last month, Skid took advantage of Scott by telling him that Mommy wouldn't mind if he ate extra and Scott believed him.
It's not as bad as it was but now Skid's waistline looks like this.
Does it remind you of anything?
Needless to say, a diet has been implemented.
Dream on, Skid.