Timing is Everything

Timing is everything, or so it seems to be when handling a sheepdog, but this post is not about trials.

Today some of our sheep got loose, including a few of the adults plus the two ewes with lambs that we are babysitting for a friend. There is a ewe with a single and another ewe with twins; all of the lambs are a little over a month old. So, the lambs are old enough to get into trouble but not old enough to be out on their own.

When I went out to check the sheep this evening, and work my dogs, there were not enough sheep in the pasture. I thought maybe the late afternoon sun was in my eyes and I just couldn't see them all, up against the tree line. Nope; several sheep were missing, including the ewes with lambs. Ryme and I went to look for them. We found a gate pushed open and it wasn't far after that to find them, munching on green things along side the driveway. Ryme and I started to trail them back, and here came the neighbor to alert us of sheep getting loose. Ryme had it under control.

The timing of our arrival vs. the escape was somewhat scary but serendipitous.

One of the ewes, the one with twins, has been particularly pesky to our dogs as we have tried to very diplomatically move she and her friend about and into a safe pen, so that we can work our dogs, over the past few weeks. I guess Ryme and I had about enough of her, tonight, trying to ease her back inside the home fence. She stopped underneath the apple tree and was gobbling up some fallen fruit and did not want to come back inside. I told Ryme to get her and he nailed her square on the head. I have been waiting for that to happen. She came back inside and her twins came with her. All's well.

Tomorrow is Friday!! :)