And Fire

 With all the wind we had on Sunday, what happened next was inevitable.
At about 3:30 I smelled smoke.
In what seemed minutes, the sky turned black.

A glance across the lake and we knew this one was close and moving fast.

We turned on the radio to the sound of an emergency buzz and it confirmed what we already knew.
It was no drill.

The winds were over 70 mph and gusting to over 85 mph and there was going to be no stopping this grass fire.
The alert told us that the fire was heading to New Dayton and Tyrell Lake and to be prepared to evacuate those areas.
We live in New Dayton, on the bank of Tyrell Lake.
Scott went out on several recon missions to keep an eye on the fire.

On his way out, he met up with farmers on their tractors rushing out to help stop the spread.
Scott wanted to go help out but we both needed to be near home.
If it came to it, our evacuation was going to include a kennel full of border collies, two guardian dogs, two house cats, a flock of sheep and last but not least, one little-dog.

We had a plan to get everyone out but at about 10PM the farmers and firemen had done the impossible.

They stopped the fire despite the winds.

Yesterday we went out to find where it all started.

 So close to a road.
They haven't announced a cause yet but you gotta wonder if an errant cigarette almost caused a tragedy.
No humans or animals were killed or injured but I'm sure these cows thought it was a little too close for their comfort.

Fortunately, the only thing ruined was the view.

Then we went out to where they stopped it.

Their first stand failed.  

It jumped the road.

Then we saw the final stand.

A local farmer told us they dug in.

They drew a line in the sand and plowed everything  in front of it and wind or no wind the fire wasn't going any farther,

and it didn't.

Wind

You are probably wondering why I haven't posted this week.
Well, it's been kinda hard to get pictures outside with all the wind we've been having.
I mean real, hard wind.

We haven't had too much damage but we did lose the roof off of an old grain building.

Sure, I could have blogged about the exciting things going on inside the house.

Poe has decided that he likes sleeping on the bathroom sink.

I could have told you about that riveting story but I decided to wait until I could stand outside and take a picture without fear of being blown over.

Don't worry about the animals.

Togo and Alaska are just using it as another reason to play,

 and all the stuff being blown around is just more stuff for Alaska to steal.

And the sheep hardly notice.

They're too busy watching out for the young dogs that have started training.

But the little dog has had some trouble staying on the ground.

PUT SOME ROCKS IN YOUR POCKETS, SKID!

Minimal Monday - A Snowy Afternoon

 The neighbor kids

 

Pleat- an old dog earned his rest

On alert

Crazy Cat

My chickens have a pet cat.
She keeps the mouse population down and in turn, the chickens share their warm house with her.
I never see her when I first walk in to feed because of her invisibility super power .

 

Just about the time I remember she's there, she tries to run through me in a frantic escape to the door.

I'll never know why she thinks I'm such a threat.  

She would rather run up to the top of the coop than tolerate my presence.

It seems a little like out of the frying pan,

 

 and into the fiery hell of dog free-run time on the other side!

Minimal Monday

 

While We're On The Subject...

Our farm is not exactly known for it's neatness.
However, wool all over the barn yard is a little extreme.

 No.  Don't worry.
Alaska and Togo are still doing their job well.
Nothing killed a sheep.
Alaska IS part of this problem though.

My friend, Louanne, wrote about her guardian dog, Bear's, stash of stolen goods.
Here is Alaska's stash:

 Oh, I'm sorry.  Did I interrupt your nap on that shorn wool, Alaska?

Although, she will steal anything you set down, her biggest fetish is stealing wool.

Poor Togo.  Not only does he have no control over Alaska, but by being the "good" dog, he has to sleep on the cold, hard ground.

 Alaska, you may have turned one year old this week, but you are still a bad dog!

Oh Yeah, Baby!

Donnie is a Poppa again!
And in a big way this time.
Wendy Schmaltz's Gin just had 9 pups!
(for those of you not familiar with border collies, 6 is average)
 Cigars for everyone!

I guess we gotta give the mom a little credit too,

photo by Wendy Schmaltz

especially since Gin was about a month pregnant when she ran at the World Trial in England.
These pups are not only World travelers, they already know their way around a trial field!