Just Dive In

I've started and deleted several blog posts, in an attempt to catch up on here. Finally it is a case of just dive in and start.

Looking at my last post we were waiting for lambing to start. Lambing did start, on Super Bowl Sunday and promptly put us into a disaster. The first ewe's lamb was not presented right and things did not go well. But for the help of friends over the phone and in person we would have lost both the ewe and the lamb and not just the lamb. Many lessons learned. Now we are waiting for the Scotties to begin. It looks like five or maybe even all of the six Scotties will lamb. Waiting.

Looks like I did get into Sonoma Wine Country trial. I'm trying to get Coal tuned up on his flanks, stops, shedding, and so forth. There is only so much prep work you can do with a dog who's been to those trials before. It's all up to him once he gets out there, especially at Zamora.

This past weekend we audited a day and a half of the Jack Knox clinic up at the Hopland university farm. What a great location, beautiful weather, lovely sheep, a wide variety of dogs and working styles! And of course the thought processes of working with the dogs and sheep that Jack Knox so generously shares with the rest of us. He really challenges you to think things through from the dog's perspective. What is the dog thinkin'! He kept saying. Give the mind a chance to work. Sounds simple, but isn't -- for we mere mortals!

I had it in my mind to start looking for something else to trial, in the next year or two. I figured it would be a long process to find what I wanted that could work out with my present situation. Humm I needn't have looked very far as Spot was almost right under my nose. So we have a new guy here who is one who really brightens my day and makes me laugh. A lot of potential waiting to be discovered. Looks like I might have a fun summer starting a dog. Yeah, just dive in. :-)