Monday, December 29, 2008

Don't Bogart That Baby!

This is the face of a thief.
What did she steal? A baby.Let me start at the beginning. Hemp has been helping me out with the lambing this year and he's doing a pretty good job.Yesterday morning we went out to the pasture to see if anyone had lambed. We found two ewes standing over two new lambs in the lean-to. We moved the lambs into the barn and put one in each stall. One ewe followed each lamb in and started cleaning them up. Our work was done so we went back in the house. I mentioned to Scott that I was lucky that one ewe was so attached to her baby because she didn't have any discharge. I wouldn't even know she had a baby if she had walked away from it 'cause she was still really fat. Scott got real quiet and asked me, "Are you sure it was her baby?" I told him, "Yeah. She followed the lamb into the barn." Later on Scott went and checked on her and said, "She hasn't lambed. That isn't her lamb. She stole it!" It happens sometimes that a ewe wants a lamb so bad that she'll steal someone else's. This ewe had fooled me and now it was too late to put the lamb back with it's real mom who was happy with her single.All we could do now was hope that when the thief had her own baby it was only a single because she wouldn't have enough milk to feed twins and her stolen one.
This morning I went out to check for new lambs and I was greeted by this sight in the thief's stall.She didn't single or twin. She TRIPLED and now with the stolen baby she has four children to feed! Wait a minute. Check that. I have four children to feed since I will now have to go out to the barn every few hours to supplement their diet with extra milk.
I had to label them since they all look alike so here are my new charges.
"A"

"Bweach" (It's supposed to be a "B" but he moved)

"C"

and
"D"

Friday, December 26, 2008

Christmas Presents

A few weeks before Christmas we received an early present.Then on Christmas morning, Santa left us this.Today Santa's cousin the stork brought us this (and there is another one behind momma) And this. The maternity ward is filling fast and I hear there are a couple more ewes looking to be admitted tonight.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Happy Holidays

Everyone at Alta-Pete Stockdogs wants to wish you a very Merry Christmas!(Please excuse Bobby's scowl - it isn't directed at you. He just thinks he's above all of this)

Monday, December 22, 2008

Don't Even!

POE..., DON'T YOU DARE! I'm serious! DON'T!

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Santa Watch

Skid has been eagerly waiting for Christmas and has been watching the skies for Santa.After last year's mishap when he visited Santa and tried to bite his helper, I thought it would be better if he stayed home this time. Instead, I suggested he write a list of what he wanted.He had only four wishes:
1. More food 2. More Bones 3. Make Scott sleep on the couch so there is more room on the bed to cuddle with Mom. 4. Make it so that Poe and his claws are banished to the barn.
He has written it down and has left some water and (dog) cookies out for Santa. (He did sample the cookies though, just in case they were poison) Nothing else to do now but wait and be on his best behavior.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Toys

This may not look like it, but it's actually a hug from my Mother and Father all the way from California. My parents send us Christmas ornaments every year for our tree. This year I opened the box and found one that looked just like the Fisher Price barn I played with as a child. I can just imagine my parents shopping and seeing the little reproduction and realizing that they MUST send it to me. I loved my original little barn. I played with it every day and enjoyed putting the animals in and out of it.
I guess as you grow, you don't change much, your toys just get bigger.

Monday, December 15, 2008

Blogging Games

Sigh. I've been tagged. Here's the deal. The Dig-it Fetch-it Herd-it blog written by my friend Sarah has tapped me on the blogging shoulder and made me "It" in the 6th photo challenge.
The Rules? You gotta go to your photo archives on your computer and go into the 6th folder and count up to the 6th picture and post it on your blog along with the story that goes with it.

FUNNY - here's the picture that came up...
It happens to be a picture of Sarah's dog, Gyp! Seems a little fishy if you ask me. Perhaps Sarah has been prowling around on my computer. No real story except to say that Gyp was taking a lesson here at our farm when I snapped this.
Now for my victims...
I look forward to your entries.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Sweet Dreams

Clearly, my parents dog's, Kane and Hoover, are WAY overworked.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

My Mission in Life - by Poe Glen

I was busy in the basement, slapping insolent mice around when I heard some new noises coming from upstairs. I ran up to see what kind of trouble was brewing and to see if I could get in on it when I couldn't believe my eyes. There was this huge tree in the house and it had LITTLE DANGLY THINGS!Everyone knows it is against the ancient cat laws to allow little dangly things to just hang there. Acting like they rule the world. I knew I had just been handed a quest and it was my job to knock them off their cocky perch.One down, 29 more to go.Halfway through my work, I realized there was also some paper, just sitting there- and nobody had shredded it yet. Well, even tho I was already quite involved, I made room in my schedule to start on that.While in the midst of my mission, I smelled this awful, horrible scent wafting in my direction. Damn! Foiled again! A temporary setback but I will not be deterred. I will continue when the smell has faded.

Hey look! More decorations. Perhaps they need to know who's boss too...

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

I'm Scared

Those are my Christmas cards that Poe is laying in. They are going out today but he hasn't left them alone since they arrived for me to address. Some of you might have an extra "signature" on yours. Courtesy of Poe's teeth.
I'm going to get the tree today. I'm frightened.

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Hollywood Success Story

The Oregon Lottery has picked a Canadian to be their new spokesperson -well, in this case, spokeshorse. This is Regence.He made the trek to the Lower 48 to add his name to the list of many notable Canadians who have become famous in Hollywood. Ahh, Hollywood! The fame, the lights, the long hours of filming at night in the rain. Typical of the "new" Hollywood, Regence took his entourage everywhere he went. But ever the professional, he also took his rider, the Knight of Fun, through a week long job and delivered him safely at the end. Something that I found most important since the Knight of Fun, minus a few extra facial whiskers, was actually my Dad!

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Event Staff

Most of you are familiar by now with our farm protector. But sometimes, Kit is busy elsewhere on the place, and Skid won't work weekends. So who are we to depend on then? Jane. Last weekend we had a lesson day and we needed someone to work security and keep things under control when all those rowdy future shepherds came to visit. Fortunately she comes with her own uniform and she works cheap. All we have to do is provide her with something stinky to roll in and she's happy as a pig in..., well, you know. If you have an event that needs good security, give us a call. We'll be happy to recommend her.

Monday, December 1, 2008

Sit UBU Sit.


I don't even know what to say about this. I've caught him doing this 3 times in the last day. I guess if you hang out with dogs alot, you start acting like one.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Another Thanksgiving

People always ask me if we celebrate the American Thanksgiving. OF COURSE WE DO! We may be on the Canadian side of the border but we have almost as many American born creatures here as Canadian born. So I asked some of the Americans to let me know what they were thankful for today...

Kit (from Montana) said she was thankful that coyotes don't hunt during the day so she could get a good nap in.Bob (from California) is thankful that old dogs are allowed on the couch and Lad (from Virginia) is thankful that young dogs are allowed on the couch.The molting chicken (from Iowa) is thankful that her feathers are growing back.Skid (from South Dakota) is thankful that he gets to go on every trip to townand since he's lived with us, he doesn't have to ride in the back of the truck anymore.Poe (Canadian) wanted to get in on this game. He said that he was thankful that the fall decorations are coming down because they are boring. He heard that the Christmas decorations are much more fun. He can't wait to see the tree!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING AMERICA!!

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Survival

I looked out my window this morning and was able to watch Cali teaching her children valuable skills. Today's lesson was tree climbing, and I think this was a task they enjoyed.
While the kittens played, I mean, trained, Cali kept an eye out and when she heard a sound that alarmed her, they came down the trees as fast as they went up.

Then they moved on to the next lesson : get out before they get you.And with a last glance over her shoulder to make sure everyone was coming, they were gone.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Redemption

Poor Scott. He's taken alot of razzing about his stone steps. He actually can build things, you know. Sure, stone is not his medium, but he's pretty good with wood and if you need a fence built he's your man. It so happens I did have a fence that needed building. I wanted an arena for those "in between" dogs that are ready to leave the round pen but aren't quite ready for the field. Finding a way to look competent again, Scott enlisted the help of his daughter, Jessica, last weekend to fulfill my demand.
While I finished painting inside the house, the busy bee continued his labors.Before the weekend was over, the arena was complete and immediately became useful.The best part? It has lights!Umm, but Scott can't have the credit for that. (thanks George!)