Jest Another Day in Pear-A-Dice - Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm in Alberta

[CanuckBock]

Heel low:

Girls found lots of shady spots to relax this weekend


Yup, that be one sheep using another sheep as a head pillow!
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July 1 2016​

Enjoyed the Canada Day weekend and happy all the people that visited the woods have roared back on home. May actually have Net service for a time.

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Pleasant weekend indeed.

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Girls had a blast in their patriotic getups!



Lace-a-lot's necker kept moving...adjustments were made!​

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Gettin' to lots of the "to do" things...thought I was down removing sheep coverings but not so much...

Peanut - preclip​

Clipped Peanut and near destroyed a pair of scissors in the process (may hafta buy a set of clippers and blades...sigh--would make it quicker on her and I!).

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Noted that she had raddle mark colour in her fiber...blah.

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Happy to get rid of her coverage.

Different removing her covering than the Jacobs​

Course I had to toss on an clump to note how much density that would be...much happier sheeps!​

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How happy was Peanut...well she got right into eating leaves... to that must = happy!

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Walked right up to me and said, "this feels much nicer!"

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You never quite know if they know all that hassle was for a good thing...I expect they must, seeing as the geriatric Jacobs now just lay there and let me remove their fiber.

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Melissa on the other hand, she is hairy bald now.

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Hoping her daughter D'Arcy (her sire does not shed off completely...so dunno) inherited Melissa's good shedding out.

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We'll see as time goes along.

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I have Duro who sheds excellent, Melissa...other lambs are too young but the Katahdin/Dorper crosses have begun the patch work quilting off. Hee hee.



Noted that Spice's lump is getting a tad bigger...glad but yet sad we have decided to switch her out.

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I guess the practical side has finally sunk in for me.

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She is really so much smaller than the rest of the Dorpers.

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Plus after clipping Peanut, I have to concur, she has more coverage than the others and that was the reason I chose Dorpers...to not have to do this task so much any more.

Lead training for Melissa is progressing well.

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I can walk up and halter her, not much stress or struggle to lead her to new pasture that needs grazing...

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Rest of the sheep follow her well...but I won't get lazy, need to train all the new ones to lead by halter. So no resting on my laurels, eh...

Well OK>>>that is a shot of the view from the shoe...so I am on my butt enjoying the VIEW!

Went to Calgary to have supper with friends on Saturday. Dogs and us had a nice drive there, ate and left. Good way to visit the city...use their toilets, eat their food and skaddadle...hee hee.

Straw mulched herb bed​

Got another bunch of tomatoes transplanted last night while it rained and hailed. Got only a few left. Really enjoying this.

Jun 28 - got another bench moved to the right side AND more plants on that...pics to come later ​

Spending lots of time with the plants this year.

Jun 28 - cut some landscape fabric for the kiddy pools I will be planting under the tomatoes on the benches​

Laugh - Lacy stealing watering can water...much better than the water bowl just there...​

Spent time tending the tater patch yesterday. Strung out the two lengths of soaker hose and while I was changing the water out for the ruminants thar...hilled up some plants. Too rainy and haily to click any pics after it was done, but may wander out and click a few. High humidity at the moment as we got alot of moisture yesterday. Rick has started calling here the "new WEsT Coast!" and I laugh because I heard the Coast is burning up ... again. Sheesh...I guess we did move and take the water with us. Like that...like it better than heat and the dogs don't care about the rain.

While Rick pitched the toys and the dogs ran, I pulled out some road side thistle that drifted in. Makes weeding the pastures tres simple.

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Post hair sheep mowing...nice job gals!

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All that time and effort, resources too of fencing off the plants we don't want them eating...seems to work well.

Rick goes in and mows up after them sheeps...gets everything to one size and then we let it grow and rotate it to be mowed when ready...​

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Sheeps first, then clean up, aisle nine by Rick...he is always asking me, "Can I do such & such area..." and I have to pause and think..."Yeh, girls did that place..." YUP, get 'em Rick!"

We are moving now to second rounds of mowing the place with the hair sheeps. Delightful and I have not even started on the perimeter in the ditches here yet. Love this--yardish maintenance is just ticketty boo.

Emmy helping with mowing...snagging some grasses the sheep missed...good dog!​

Rick mowed and weed eated alot of the land here over the weekend...

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Looks like a GREEN PARK.

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Interesting year this one...July is wet like June was. But add in frozen water too. Hailed yesterday eve...whilst the sun shone. Squalls indeed. We got pea sized, next town down from us, got golf ball sized. Yuck glad we never got that but never say never! Our turn could be next!

The hail storm is gonna ensure the grass is well watered and growing...

July 3 2016​

Covered the ground in dotty white! Pea sized hail stones were heaven sent and most crunchy to walk upon.

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The sun shone, so that meant a rainbow was there...

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You'll see that arch in several photos above!

July 1, 2016 - the four Jacobs are still contributing to the clean up crew for mowing...in with some of the '36's ​

Rick noted during his mowing...that he figured we could slip in another kiddy pool in the waterfowl area and he was right. Got that filled up and now more gaggles of geese can bath all at the same time. Nice. I love when he looks in and makes suggestions like that!

Said I would click a pic of the Dorper yellowed up fiber compared to the less lanolin Jacob fleece.

Dorper (Melissa) in center of Jacob fleece (Nix)​

Took some clicks of a misguided COW bird...on June 28, 2016...

Yup...that is a COW bird...but those ain't no COWS... ​

In all fairness I guess, maybe the black and white combo like Holstein pattern is the problem?

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Female cowbird...grabbing bugs​

Moo moo bird ... blending ... with the uh, sheep (cow) flock (herd)

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Course on Friday, I donned Canuck scarves on the dogette girls and took them out to the Ram Pasture to see what amusements they would provide me with photo ops...they delivered as always!

July 1 2016 - Lacy and Rex ​

So what is Lacy so happy about...that will hafta wait fur another day...whole host of pictures to post on that topic from Canada Day ... eh...

Another great day in Pear-a-Dice to go keep enjoying...more tomatoes to transplant to the greenhouse...then some other stuff and yeh...mind is racing a mile a minute...that must mean that my

is over...off we go again... sweet!

Doggone & Chicken UP!

Tara Lee Higgins
Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm, Alberta, Canada

 

[scottcaddy]

My Dear Tara,
You and Rick have the place looking real nice!
You guys are also wearing me out just reading what all you do.
Scott

 

[drumstick diva]

The girls look so fancy with their bandanas. I'm surprised they don't tear them off.

 

[CanuckBock]

My Dear Tara,
You and Rick have the place looking real nice!
You guys are also wearing me out just reading what all you do.
Scott

Lotsa rain and mildish warm sun ensures it going over the top GREEN here.

July 4, 2016 - in the New Orchard
Lacy pausing between dog play for much required DOG HUGS...a certain must have for her
or she'd wither and die...looks like Emmy is going to make her near die for being such a sucky girl!

Tis laughable...never moderation anything here in Alberta--guaranteed full blown HARSHness...wanted er not. In May a bit of rain would have been welcomed with a bit lower temps to the extremes we got in heat (Ft. Mac burned for it). In June and now July, bit less on the severe storms would be nice. How about just rain, does it hafta be thunderstorms, with rainbows and hail...how 'bout moderation...just a wee this or that?

July 4 2016 - New Orchard gleaming clean from the rains​

Ah but that is what greenhouses are for. I can LAUGH hearty...hail on the metal roof all it likes I suppose since Rick replaced what the hail ruined years back...from tenplast on the roof to coloured metal on the roof...works fab.

The plants I place in there, so long as I keep watering and watching how HOT it gets (only 35C/95F thus far

) and they be good. Not truly used the greenhouse Rick made us since like 2007...never been that focused to make it happen but this year. Yup.

Girls playing rip around the strawberry pots in the New Orchard​

This is my ninth summer of bus driving. Hard to fathom I suppose but you are correct Scott...we do have lots on the go and but then again, none of it is tedious. So time flies when you are having FUN. I hope to keep having the fun...objective since day one I guess and ever so glad we never fooled ourselves into thinking this was anything but a HOBBY farm...hobby and pay...pay up or don't play.

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I was totally floored yesterday...good planning, pulling yer leg and ever so hardly...but when I repotted the LAST TOMATO seedling...and took my last cartload of them to the greenhouse...blew me away.

Last of the tomats - potted up and IN the greenhouse to get on the GROW!

I have one long bench and one short bench readied for the tomatoes and by jove, slipped in the last pot and that, that filled it all up. No room for another pot, no excess left unoccupied. Yeh, I could boast and puff up to lie that I planned it that way but it just happened. I have three Okra plants on the table beside potted up and now to the cukes and squash that decided to live to be potted up...but that was how I approached those tomatoes...planted two or four of each seed in the varieties I decided to try and what grows to now, gets to continue onwards.

Gonna do a tally up of the number of kinds that are here...very scientific & all...<<NOT!>>

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I guess this year is like so many others...another experimental year...for lotsa tomatoes and then there's the fancy smancy potato types ... blue and red and yellow, early, late or mid season.

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See what grows well under my <<lack>> of care and vastly deranged conditions here in Central Alberta. I mean you cannot help but hope types like the Russian BLUE potatoes prosper (who wouldn't like a plate of boiled taters in a rainbow of colours to slather butter upon!) but I will maturely and somberly accept what grows will grow.

Laughed at Rick's comment about me wanting two more fabric lengths of soaker hose to add in here (serves him right buying me a connector with FOUR adapter heads)...he quips at me with the slyest of grins (MEN...!!!), "You do realize how many boxes of potatoes we could buy for the cost of two more lengths of soaker hoses?"

Now being a man, a married one of decades with me...he KNEW it was safe to say this with me on one side of the tater patch fences and him on the other...he could run away (quickly for a chap his age now only being he could control his laughter over his folly and not do exactly that..."Help me, I've fallen down laughing and the old lady is upon me with her gardening tools!") if I came unglued on him. But I just laughed that knowing wifey laugh. He's SO buying me more hose...lump or like it (like the Prine song...beaten with a rubber hose...nope, this ones FABRIC).

'99 soaker hoses...still working, still in use, still going strong!
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Course Rick was being pretty cheeky...I wanted him to admire the taters out in the patches so asked him to "walk this way" whilst playing dog dogs in the Ram Pasture...and he said simply, "No, I can't walk <term used loosely to describe hobbling> LIKE you do because "I" have not been home all day playing." He's gonna get his one day, eh.

Gotta hand it to him though, that was a GOOD one...always making me laugh that Hero of mine...laugh at myself and want to get his goat...lucky I love him or he'd be making up some rather good composted dirt for my plantings, eh. Getting pretty adept with the hoe...one swing and yeh...pushing worms...er not! I'd be lonely without the torment...or at least one would hope on that...

So where was I...who am I...oh yeh...before I digressed on about dirt improvements...

Example in hand on when to give it a go and when to walk away, head held proud...ever since 1998, I have had pots of plants at the end of the two driveways here. Sorta a farmy tradition like when you put red bows on the farm gates near Christmas time...you personally don't enjoy the decorations so much as the passerbys do.

Driveway - barrels at the end with ant sustainers as always...​

June 5, 2012 - globe caragana potted up at the North gates​

Did up tall wire cages (sheep can graze at will without consuming the plantings, or even nipping them) and bought half whiskey barrels (hauled and stored away each winter) and faithfully put the potted plants out for summer and buried them in the garden for winter ... since 1998 and now with the rains (not a grasshopper year this one...sweet! is this some intro to an Aesop's Fable then...ants versus grasshopper type year...sounds enticing?), come the ants that build under the concrete paver stones and migrate UP into the planters and like Rick pointed out last night...TORTURE whatever I put there for them to bother and bother in the pails. YES, one of Rick's blue jobs is to spray for ants...we leave most of the nests alone otherwise...try to live WITH Nature and let even the hostiles like wasps and the many types of ants be...but he does nuke the ants that were in these planters, regular like as with beavers, ants are diligent about good working ethics.

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Well this year, I have mulled it over (like with Spice and my decision there to replace her and not do the fix her thing) and mulled over why I need to put planters at the end of the driveway if only to torment plants knowing ants even in a year unlike this one, entice and give the ants the perfect habitat to torment the plants. The plants must be in agony says Rick. I set them up to start the year off all growing and prospering, right in time for the ants to migrate to these IDEAL conditions and basically try their best to murder helpless to stop it living plants.

So I have taken down the one set of plants (globe caragana) at the North gate (new home, one set of the Taj Mahal door entrances) and now look fondly at the two plants at the West gate and know what I must do. What I have to do to be kind to them immobile plants.

Take the "farm gate greeting welcome" down...remove the wire stands (which BTW, Rick did move so he could trim and weedeat...and it pains his tired arms and hands...so that part of yard maintenance will not be missed for his sake), take the paving stones out and put them with the others for the step project at the greenhouse, rescue the two blue evergreens and say good bye to the welcoming plant display at this gate. Sigh...I don't know if I am giving up and flying the white flag so much so as saying, "NOT WORKING OUT"...the ants won (not truly because I am taking away their feasting opportunity, their chance to set up a nest in the pots) or did I come finally to the conclusion that sometimes you just don't win at something you think you need to be doing. Dunno but stopping something I enjoy feels like losing when I guess in the logical sense, it is an ongoing battle that involves Rick and I attempting something that just won't thrive simply because it is something so foreign to the environment, you'll never quit going to the extremes--just to have it your way. Keep spraying for ants knowing you are setting up plants to be tormented inbetween treatments. I think I can say without too heavy a heart that throwing in the towel and stopping something that inevitably fails is a better plan--best option. Stubborn to accept defeat but I guess at the expense of other things suffering for the choices I make, I win in the end by saying, not a good choice and tho we tried, we have not succeeded without making something ELSE pay a price for us supposedly winning at all costs.

Gonna have to replace the step up at the greenhouse...ANTS have made jolly good work of that wooden step we have in front of the greenhouse and we have slated a project of some sort to make a type of step where ants won't flourish there...forward thinking for our old, older ages...when heaving up a ruined wooden carpet covered step would mean we have to hire someone to come in to remove it...not our style...self-sufficiency--do it ourselves!

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Of the beans I planted out as an experiment this year--here is the crop that survived the four days in a row of heavy frosting. Rick was right, I should not tear out the supports but wait and see what lives...and some did...not a complete loss (cold wet year...duh, not ideal BEAN conditions, eh).

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Yup...can almost, almost count ALL them survivors on the digits of one hand...

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But you see, if'n you never try to do things that are not tried and might be a tad difficult, you never succeed or fail; you stagnate and rot from the insides out. You never TRY, you never FAIL/SUCCEED at nuthing.

Beans this year, a flop but not for SEVEN that want to keep living--can't quit it because 7 figure they have the gumption to keep at it...next year, perhaps a flying success...but if'n I don't give it a whirl, I'd never know that feeling of winning against the odds...right?

So beans, kinda a BOMB...let's look at a huge success...the hand sown oats...

Now these just GLOW successful...

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Since the grain we got this year was SEED oats...sneaky me decided, to till under the noxious weeds in the one portion of our land and try two plantings of oats. Last year, the same dirt had oats from the bedding IN the cleaned out pen areas grow up. I harvested those oat clumps by hand and stored them in one side of the Ram Barn and over the fall time, grabbed up four or so clomps of green feed like oats and would take that to feed the critters as treats. Geese LUVED these...nibbled them right on down to the dirt clumps left. Good entertainment for them to enjoy.

Lush doesn't even come close to how well this is growing!

Back section seeded and now needs to catch up...
I could "fib" and say, planned this staggered planting...yeh, that's it...

The oat plot I have seeded this year, is round about a 100 x 80 foot section...land that is a work in progress that we are not using but in the process of Rick working it with bedding and such to improve the soils ability to grow forages for the ruminants...

Like this plot of land now in full growing pasture...lush and thick...almost time again to set the ruminants upon it.

This plot of Rick's workings is almost ready AGAIN to host mowers...ever so WOOT!

Can't SEE dog toes, it is getting thick and lush all over again...now that's a benefit to all the moisture!!​

So the first half I sewed (hand casting outta a five gallon bucket...why not, it worked and we never had to buy a seeder attachment for the tractor AND crush the lofty soils' composition to seed it!), was about two 5-gallon pails of oats...second half (bigger) was five pails. Do I miss the seven buckets of oats...hardly! Was tilling it a bit of work, sure I did it with my garden tiller, not letting Rick do it with the tractor one...maybe next year I'll get on this plot sooner before weeds take over and just sew it to oats straight off...not sure tho as then I'd have to harvest much sooner and I kinda like this timing better...oats will seed up and I won't be hassled too much about what to do at this time and that time and have conflicts for timing. Shall see. Whole thing about this is that is just it...I shall see what "I" wanna try out.

Always experimenting to see if there is a better way to play, eh!

Laugh...whilst "I" am clicking pics and looking at my growings...both girls come get me...

"Dad! Dad's done running us and time to go sit by the greenhouse and feed those fishies that are growing like bad weeds too...

"MOM>>>come on OR you'll miss out on precious FAMILY moments special time!"

So I leave the oat plots and head North...

Look in on the job the Jacobs did around the three '36's...nice!

Now that's a cleaned up area...even a few sheepy beans deposited to fertilize...AWESOMENESS!



Good SHEEPS...GOOD JOB!

Now I "thought" the girls were in a hurry hurry...harrumph...hardly...

On the way to the greenhouse...girls sneak in just ONE more ring around the rosy
Chase me, catch me if'n you can... "Come on girls...Dad's waiting!" ​

All one big game, get five acres and see how well you can maintain the land...what you can grow, what you can't, when to let the beasts on it, when not to...how bad do you want to battle Nature and where you should focus your energies at. I mean anything you try, who or what pays the cost when you fail...that should be your guiding light on what is worth doing and what is worth saying, "Nope, it costs something suffering and harm...so quit it." Not like there is not a whole host of other things begging to be tried out.


Not so much tired I think Scott, but experimenting to see how many WINS you ace over LOSSES...that is the name of the game and because all this is a GAME that past animal chores and going to your steady jobs to make $ so you CAN play hard and enjoy your life...that is more the fitting conclusion.

When I die, my last breath will be..."I'm not ready to go...not yet...jest one more day, eh!"

Phil Vassar
Just Another Day In Paradise:
The kids screaming, phone ringing
Dog barking at the mailman bringing
That stack of bills overdue
Good morning baby, how are you?

Got a half hour, quick shower
Take a drink of milk but the milk's gone sour
My funny face makes you laugh
Twist the top on and I put it back

There goes the washing machine
Baby, don't kick it
I promise I'll fix it
Long about a million other things

Well, it's okay, it's so nice
It's just another day in paradise
Well, there's no place that
I'd rather be

Well, it's two hearts
And one dream
I wouldn't trade it for anything
And I ask the Lord every night
For just another day in paradise

Friday, you're late
I guess we'll never make our dinner date
At the restaurant you start to cry
Baby, we'll just improvise

Well, plan B looks like
Dominoes' pizza in the candle light
Then we'll tippy toe to our room
Make a little love that's overdue

But somebody had a bad dream
Mama and daddy
Me and my teddy
Come in to sleep in between

Yeah it's okay it's so nice
It's just another day in paradise
Well, there's no place that
I'd rather be

Well, it's two hearts
And one dream
I wouldn't trade it for anything
And I ask the Lord every night
For just another day in paradise

Well, it's okay it's so nice
It's just another day in paradise
Well, there's no place that
I'd rather be

It's two hearts
And one dream
I wouldn't trade it for anything
And I ask the Lord every night
For just another day in paradise
For just another day in paradise

I love that saying, "find something you LOVE doing and you won't WORK another day in your life." See if'n I can search out who that is attributed to...here goes...

Harvey MacKay - "Find something you love to do and you'll never have to work a day in your life."

The girls look so fancy with their bandanas. I'm surprised they don't tear them off.

Now I managed at Christmas time to capture the garland fling a ding dong...but the girls are older now DD and with maturity comes sensibility...or is that beaten into submission that happens as we all age...whatever happened, the girls ignored the bandanas...if only to pause a few times (jest a few) to scratch at the obnoxious things around their necks. Past that, perfect angels... halos ready to fall down over their necks and choke the BAD outta their systems...hee hee...

The girls ignored their neckers simply because they had "other" endeavours at paw

Here's three clicks of the herb garden...now I can bust out with pride on this. It is a revamp that was done with tres success...love it. In all this tackiness...the Village Idiot Gardener in moi delights in it.

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Hail proof in the ornaments...them metal rocking TACKY birds are not going to bust...maybe get a bitta ripples, but hey, scars and imperfections add CHARACTER...survivors of the inclement conditions.

Gonna hafta step up my attendance on watching the girl dogs...they won't leave all the trees and bushes alone in the New Orchard...sigh. I love they love ripping around but the stopping under something living and chawing on it...even with me bringing in some birch bark to distract and feed their need to chew...is not working. Last night, Rick and I sat and watched them take some bark to under the shaded areas, but still nipping at the plants. Oh well, easy enough I guess, some collars out there, two lengths of thick rope with clips and that be that. Ramp it up or the New Orchard just becomes an "off limits" to girl dog place and I do enjoy them being there...and is a routine we now have after dog runs in the evening. Head thar for me to water the greenhouse (more pressing task now with more in there) and for Rick to feed those two not so wee fishies in the barrel. SEE...told you the two fish were an excuse to go visit the area. Do this all summer long until it is time to move the fish indoors and close up the area once again for the WHITE season. Haul in the ornaments to store in the greenhouse after harvesting the bounty it provides us with.

Speaking of which...

is over with you all again...and for me, making the decision what I shall need to do EXTRA like for today...hee hee...oh the choices are endless...

Jest one more day, eh...one more day...so pleased for the ONE more day...

One more day = a lifetime of opportunities...​

Doggone & Chicken UP!

Tara Lee Higgins
Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm, Alberta, Canada

Edit - doubled up on one photo and left the t'other out...and added Prine...gotta have some Prine in the post too.

 

[CanuckBock]

Heel low:

Jest because I live in Pear-A-Dice...I do indeedy...

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Every day is precious...clicked this and did not even see my geriatric old Wy roo giving me the eye..."Hello! Stop and smell the roses before they wane..."

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Pause to admire the yard work my Hero does, so I can play in the sandbox and not trip on the lawns (or the chooks...they love running over the golf greens).

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Time to take Heidi out...to the grass beside the one turkey run, tie her high and let her munch greens. Tis summer time...time for the critters to thrive and bask in being ALIVE!

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Put the geriatric Jacobs out behind the turkey barn...let them play park sheep and mow up the lush greenness...be all that they can be -- PARK SHEEPS!

Help out my Hero by setting the beasts upon the greens that are picky and tedious to mow up...but not for them critters...they love this time of year...and we love to relish their happiness.

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Pause and look up...WAY UP...yeh...it jest don't get NO BETTERS than this!

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Pause, click and note...the hordes of Pinesikins are plaguing the niger seed feeders...why does Rick hafta work? Because of the many mouths he feeds here...FREE LOADERS that bring us joys whilst they feast you to have potentially, them bony fingers.

Boney Fingers
By Hoyt Axton:

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Well no worries here in retrospect...the grass IS growing... and the sun's jest right...things are staying great...so no weeping here's since there are some boney fingees I suppose from working...fur now's! but it could be worse...always could be way worse.

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Look in on the geese...hey now, what does this goosey spy...well?

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Yup, dangers from above Pear-A-Dice, but this one decides it is best that it keeps on trucking...thank goodness and sharp eyes below...!

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For some, the grass will always, always be greener on the other side...

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And for others, jest fine where's they be at.

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Baby gosling...getting big...not spoilt at all with four parents doting on it...sigh! Love the tufty head...so sweety.

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Pause, take a click of the other pair of Black swans and tis on with the day, eh...

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Dogs and I go in the greenhouse...do a bitta watering...and...​

Tally up on the tomats...

July 5 2016 tomatoes
4 Glacier
4 Black Plum
4 Cenntenial Rocket
4 Black Cherry
5 Coyote Cherry
3 Whippersnapper
2 Northern Lights
2 Old German
3 Snow White Cherry
1 42 Days
3 Roman Candle Yellow Plum
1 Grey Sweet Cherry
3 Purple Russian
1 Indigo Rose Black
3 Reise
7 Mystery Keeper
5 Pirkstine Orange
4 Mini Orange
6 Subartctic Plenty
2 Early Orange Stripe
4 Black Zebra
4 Monomakshat
2 Black Prince
2 Mountain Princess
4 Pink Peach
4 Latah
4 Green Zebra


Now that be some regiment to await on production...growing like bad weeds...promising!

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Girls waiting on me...the greenhouse is OK, but dogs prefer the OUTSIDE and this is a protected INSIDE place...

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Thars my paper list of tomato transplants made up and what I typed up from...

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Dinner on the fifth...always the best ever these type meals...dogs and burgers BQ'd on the Man Porch...little mushroom and onion, red pepper for flavour...corn and cold beans...meal fit for royalty...meal meaning the family spent family time in the Man Porch...together reveling in the family moments. Sweet...

Yesterday...t'was given another day in Pear-A-Dice to enjoy...

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Cleared off another bench in the greenhouse for transplants, potted up some walking onions (two for safe keeping IN greenhouse) and got about nine to pot up for outside.

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Finally paused long enough to hang basket in wishing well. Good gack there are days where time slips away and I think, like that would take all of ten minutes...and then there's this job, and that one ... and yeh, before I know it...days' end...but I am skipping on ahead...this day is just begun in the FUN times...

Put out one string of the elenetting in the front ditch, inspected the area to be mowed and removed any noxious weeds PRE sheep going in. Keep them mobile mowers well...keep them from troubles and keep the area we mow good and fine. Dandy time...prime time...fun times for all, myself included thinking...how would Rick mow the ditch...that incline is ever so steep and when you watch them sheeps...they make it looks so easy, so natural and my word, it is NATURAL and in their natures...to eat grasses and help out with the maintenance of this place. No fire concerns come August when this would & could be tinder dry and ever so welcoming to a tossed cigarette and burn up like no tomorrow...yeh...good sheeps. Helpers.

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Time for the new Hairs Sheep to earn their keeps--show up why we love them EVER so much...for just being sheeps. Mowing the ditches...beauty. And for me, time to collect up the rocks in the ditch...for when Rick goes in and mows the bottom and top edges, cleans up after them sheeps. Plus I find it dangerous, for me and the beasts, rocks roll and good footing is a nice thing to have...a rock under hoof or foot is an accident waiting to happen. Besides...who don't enjoy a widdle WOmanly labours...like mindless rock picking, enjoying the view, getting snuggled up to by sheeps as they come and go along the patch I have fenced off. Super enjoyable and makes my day.

​

Nothing goes to waste...this rock picked delight goes in as filler by the new garage Rick is to build this summer/fall...filler to level it up decently for the gravel pad. Wonderbar...

​

And as it has and will continue we expect...hailed...see Peanut, shaking herself off like a dog does...

​

So it hailed once...

​

And then it did it again a short time afterwards...pea sized again...no real damage past a few leaves and cooled down the air. Otherwise it could get stifling hot and it was a very mild and pleasant day...to mow and to pick rocks by.

Grass...as far as the eye can see!​

But how can you care...nothing damaged and moisture is moisture...the grass is green and that means it was wetted up on a continuous basis here. Bin a beauty of a year for grass growing. Not so much growing for heat loving things but hey, got greenhouse, me good.

You don't get BELLY GRASS height because we are suffering in a drought, eh!​

Ditch grasses...
Days and days of grazing to be completed...nice!

​

Even inside Pear-A-Dice...this is the space between the caragana shelterbelt and the outside ditch...gonna hafta graze sheeps here too...oh my, how wretched is that...NOT!

​

Paused and weeded out the mailbox...gave me time to make sure the Hair sheeps were fine with the ditch grazing and hot ele fence and such.

​

Used up a few big ditch rocks to go round the wild roses by the base of the mailbox...thrives well here...

​

Clicked a pic of a huge bumble bee in the grass by the front gates ...the two bouts of hail never bothered this one either...thriving, doing what bees do...

Rick came home from a loooong day of work (started at 4 am...hard on an old man...working to pay for all the fun here at home) to a happy household and farm of romping creatures...happy place to retire to. He was tired and I knew he would be...had a meeting to go to...you know, one of those you gotta go corporate type meetings where it has really not much to do with you and what you do as employment...oh well...he came home to sweet home...

​

Roast beast in the oven, bakers and whatnot's... feast for us! Girls got beef and beef gravy, boy them bowls of theirs were sure licked spick and span clean...

Rex peering thru the gates at us peering at them...​

Was very neat...as we sat watching in the yard for the geriatric sheeps mowing...out behind the barns...another not so great place for Rick to mow...so nice to see them doing helpful things to keep the place going. Woot...woot!

Buzz buzz! ​

I heard a humming noise (not sheeps mowing, "A-HUMMMM") and looked up...scared it at the one feeder but I got up quickly to turn the corner and fifty feet away (why the pic is not the best), hummer gone to Rick's other feeder on the Man Porch...what a way to end the day...eh...

There are times where Rick questions why he puts out feeders and does anything EVER use them...keeps the liquid fresh and most gratifying to SEE that yes, being used. Wonderful!

So yah...off to enjoy yet another day...here another day in Pear-A-Dice.

Doggone & Chicken UP!

Tara Lee Higgins
Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm, Alberta, Canada

 

[CanuckBock]

Heel low:

HAPPY BIRD-DAY DD...DAY YOU WERE HATCHED, EH!​

On dat note...here are the lovely photos I have been sitting upon (nope, not to hatch, but to find time to upload!). What a joyous reason to do so...so we dedicate the undog and unsheep behaviours upon your mighty shoulders DD...you are a force to contend with and even more so on your birthday woman!

Kept these clicks all under wraps in a file folder simply labelled...KISSES...yup, that's sweet and sweeter...no need for any sugar, jest like our lovely DD...she's by far sweet enough in the skin she is in. Ever so loved, ever so loveable and without further delays...here we goes...

Kisses...​

This is wether Rex...the one I had my best vet do eye surgery on...
Was he worth it...you figure it out...lambed 2005 and fills my days with delish! ​

Canada Day; July 1st, 2016...the scarves on the girls give that fact away. Yes, sat in the pasture and thought, "And what shall the girls give me NEW to click pics of..."

Wasn't too long and yeh...this unfolded, right in front of me eyes...and no, "Oh my eyes!" Past the delightfulness of simple love... Magical and entertaining as always...

Love Bug Lacy - "Hiyah Rex! Come a bit closer--I love to love!"​

So the geriatric sheeps, the woolly Jacobs were mowing the area where we keep three of the six 1936 Chev Maple Leafs...big old bolt farmy trucks.

Rex, he's a wether but still all MALE...first to inspect anything that may or may not be suspicious...​

​

So obviously Rex had had enough mowing for a bit...Emmy was the first to swing by in this instance...showing Lacy, he's ready for us now...his ruminant is full for the moment, and he's in a grand mood. We can visit with him now.

"Hi Rex! See my submissive ears are down and my tail is wagging frantically...Can we be your friends now? Can we please?"​

Keeping in mind, when asked to by moi, BOTH ACD girls will herd the sheep flocks...it is in their natures to move stock and any slow one gets a nipping, they are not beyond placing teethies on hides that don't snap to attentions and listen to the dog girls...but any GOOD stock dog also respects and protects THEIR stock. Bad manners and forcing stock in a harmful fashion is not what STOCK dogs do. We would never EVER employ stock dogs that harmed the stock but stock must be taught to respect the dogs...dogs bear teeth and the Australian Cattle Dog...basically is a life support system for sets of teeth. Fast moving, low gripping teeth...heeling...Heeler Dogs as so many label them.

So the Emmest backs off and lets Lace-a-Lot greet Rex,
Lacy had first dibs earlier and he was busy... ​

Note, that there may be a fenceline between them, but the greetings ARE mutual
Both lean cautiously towards each other...​

Rex's nose is available...Lacy's nose is thar just the same!​

Now both dog girls stand back together as Rex leans down lower, sticking his snoot OUT as far as the fence line makes able...

Emmy is a bit more cautious which is in HER nature to be careful
Unlike LOVEBUG Lacy...she charges in where Emmy fears to tread...
Lover dog is never as restrained as Thinker dog
​

Emmy is less sure that this is such a good idea...Rex may be a wether but he has some head of four horns thar that could easily pinch a dog snoot (or worse as we shall soon see!)...so caution is in order...according to Emmest and HER book of the rooles. Emmy is the thinker...Lacy is the doer before thinking it over...makes for a great dog team indeedy!

Lacy - "His intentions are ALL good...real good sheep this Rexy boy!"​

Emmy, overjoyed and tail a wagging, ears pinned back in full submission..."Enjoy these moments Lacy! But you need to be careful now!"

"Hey!," says the Lace wrapped up in her presumed win / win..."Go find yer own sheep...this one's MINE!"​

Dog tail wagging so rapid it is barely visible by Emmy, Rex's sheep head stationery, lapping up the positive attentions from dogs...stock dogs greeting the stock...

Sweet...sweet, sweet ACDog kisses with the Jacob sheep Rex

Kisses by a wether?...the cause and effect?... Instant sleep and submission...nose kiss by Rex and you...you fall down into a DEEP, DEEP SLEEP...by a SHEEP... Betcha never saw that one coming up...

HOLY...uh (cow?), uh, SHEEP...Lacy's fast asleep! Knocked right out sleeping.

Stock Dog DOWN!

That must be why dogs that are to herd stocks, mustn't kiss their quarry if'n they are to move the beasts...for to kiss the prey, means you fall asleep...kiss of death, nope, THE kiss of tranquility! Like sleeping beauty...Lacy is zoned out to the world. Thank frig for the fence...would Rex set the flock to trample her if it was not there?? Who knows, eh?? Emmy the thinker was right...to be cautious and careful. Good girl Emmy...looking out for the impulsive Lacy even after she rudely tried to take whole possession of Rex...Emmy was right.

"Whoops...was I out?," asks the Lacy
Emmy and Rex, both laughing softly..."YUPPERS! You were out like a light!"

Emmy decides this is even MORE dangerous that even she imagined and moves on...
Sheep kisses = immobile stock dog!
Besides, Lacy has learned her lesson...well hasn't she? ​

"Rex, are you trying to incapacitate me again?," asks the Lacy​

"Oh NO you don't...I am a SMARTER than yer average dog you know!," giggles Love Bug Lace
NO FEAR indeedy

"Whatever I picked up from yer nose, I'm licking it off my face..."​

"Ah DANG...another stock dog wiser to my devious devices!," says the Rex
hanging his head in the realization​

"Yup," says Lacy as she rises up ..."I am on to your Jacob wether ways, eh!"

​

Off Lacy goes (still licking off whatever Rex dosed her with), a stock dog that is all the more, jest a lil' wiser...​

"Hey Lacy! Come on back here!!," says Rex... "Hello!" ​

"Yes," Lacy is no chicken... "Yes Rex...watcha want...??"​

"Why did you leave?," asks Rex... Lacy replies, "Because you seduced me with your sheepy sheep ways..."​

No...no more dog kisses with Rex for today, eh...
​

The ACD girls are now experience wiser and learning from the old Jacob sheeps...what to do or not do when in the company of sheeps.

So Rex goes back to the rest of the flock...them ACDs are ON to him...

That "BAA-RAM-EWE to your breed, your fleece, your clan be true!" stuff that Babe knows about too...

Ah but with all stories, the moral may teach you something...but with all things....HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL...in for a penny, in for a pound, why not try another round...

Rex's twin sister Regina...plies her magical sheep ways...​

Emmest to the rescue...she goes over to Regina and has some rather ACD like STERN words for this Jacob ewe...

"You leave that Love Bug Lacy alone Regina!"
Lacy wiping her nose on the lawn...get that seduction sleeping potion OFF..."Out, **** spot!"
<Act 5, Scene 1 - Macbeth>

And so it goes...on July 4th...asked the girls to herd the Jacobs on home...

Marching orders were given and the Jacobs filed on outta the mowing area



Storm clouds coming, both girl dogs are in perfect alignment to move sheeps to safe cover in their barn




As always, any stragglers that even think about lagging,
Emmy takes care of that in perfect ACD style...​

So that be our lil' gift to Nancy! To DD, dear fan of the doggettes...a little pictorial story for you from us to you--our Dearest...Sweetest...

All our love, hugs, wishes for joys, thoughts for ice cream supreme for you our Dear Friend of the Net!

^~~^ & ^~~^ & ^~~^​

Happy B-Day DD...
May it be the happiest
for you!!​

^~~^ & ^~~^ & ^~~^​

Another fun full day scheduled for here in Pear-A-Dice...

Ain't life jest a beach...yeh, way off, yup you seen it right--those ARE beach umbrellas...
But that's another story, for another day, eh.

​

Doggone & Chicken UP!

Tara Lee Higgins
Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm, Alberta, Canada

 

[drumstick diva]

THANK YOU SO MUCH, TARA AND THE GIRLS, FOR MY BIRTHDAY WISHES , PHOTOS AND ANY SPARE KISSES. LOVE YOU GUYS!!

 

[CanuckBock]

THANK YOU SO MUCH, TARA AND THE GIRLS, FOR MY BIRTHDAY WISHES , PHOTOS AND ANY SPARE KISSES. LOVE YOU GUYS!!

Yer most welcome...Love you back whole bunches Woman!

July 8, 2016​

Few more kisses shared...sure thing!

July 15, 2016 - Boss Man, our new Rambo Man!

When rams shake like dogs to clear themselves of the pelting rain drops...​

So I think we got summer (har har) in May...dry and hot, McMurray burned up for it...now we are drowning. Stats for Calgary, from Jul 1 to 15...they got more rain that the whole month of July for a thirty year record breaker...so double rain in two weeks for the WHOLE dang month. Rick and left the WEsT Coast because we were not fond of the 90 days straight of rain...well I guess the Coast has come to visit us since we won't visit it. Hee hee...oh well, if all I got to complain about is weather, life is purdy good eh!

July 13, 2016 - Girls donna care if it rains...keeps them coolish playing pupper games, eh!

​

July 17, 2016 - wishing well​

Can't complain the rain has now made the plants grow...holy Toledo!

Main potato patch - July 10, 2016



One week later...SPROING!

So my conclusion this year...since we have not had summer much to speak of and any seeds I would chose to plant would ROTTED by now...sure am glad I planted for the greenhouse and did the taters...and the oats (two seedings...staggered those out and I can harvest, recoup meself and then harvest again the second plot--me so pleased!).

July 10, 2016


July 17, 2016​

My, my...lookit what dif a week makes...reaching for the second rung in the tomato cages...I am getting pretty excited (so long as I water and do a bitta weeding...I can count on the greenhouse plantings to prosper!)...I can allow myself to get pumped up and contemplate (like counting yer eggs before hatched, eh) what white cherry tomats will be like, what the mystery keeper green ones will do (turn red at Easter...hmmm...I wonder), what will the zebra ones appear like...black tomatoes, the taste...will they be black or more brown or...heh heh heh...oh my such fun expectations!

The day after I tidied and deweeded (is a prickly wild rose not considered a WEED by some?) the mailbox...reward was the rose flowered a pretty pink thank you flower! ​

Now incredible things have happened with all the rain, so I guess I need to bite my tongue and be thankful for the rains <<grumble grumble>>

July 17 - Lookit these strawberries in the barrels, eh!

I would not be celebrating the growth this rain has encouraged...the purple asparagus came up...and ever so long long long to appear but appear they have!

Yup, that be PURPLE peakers, eh! ​

So I must pause and be thankful...for the things that weirdo weather brings!

​

July 16, 2016 - at SIL's...girls leashed, no dog fences​

And because of the rains...Rick has more time off (whoot whoot) and we have been doing many loser laps...dogs girls in tow...

Dog Bus - the wheels on the sub go round and round...
​

Lost count on how many trips for ice cream with the dawgs we have made...yeh, summer time...perhaps a sign it is summer since ice cream is on the menu!

See...actually ignoring Foamy and not a berrage of bother bother the old dog! ​

And another fun thing...the girls have gotten older and more stable...so Foamy, yes Foam Dome has begun being more and more accepting of them (not so puppish and bolsterous...).

Jul 8 2016 - "Yeh, I said you are BEHAVING Lacy...miracles of miracles...leaving Foam and not constantly smothering her!"

Dog girls have been so good...we now take Foamy for play time and actually have her not pestered where she can bounce around (for an old dog, eh) and join in the dog fun. Nice...nice, indeedy!

So what been up to...grazing sheeps...

Jul 17 - second growth...wow, eh!​

So because of the rain rain and more of it...the grass has been growing and I bin hosting many spots for the ruminants to feast and clip it on down.

July 7 - hair sheep under beach umbrellas...intense heat and then...then RAIN deluges​

Don't like the current weather...wait ten minutes...go from burn yer skin sunshine to summer rains to summer hails...yeh...gotta be ready for most anything.

SHEEP TV - but at the BEACH

Girls luv visiting the mower crew​

Because I don't have to vamoose on the afternoon bus run and leave...I can put the critters out on the ditch to mow. Because I can bring them in when the afternoon (and like clock work it has been) thunder shower deluges happen...and as always, bitta hail in it could ramp up and be rather nasty...so always home to look to the skies if I put the critters out to mow.

Have a few folding chairs...go out and check on the workers...make sure all is good and visit with them too​

​

Still picking rocks outta the ditch and hauling them in for filling a low spot where Rick will build the new garage...don't they make incarcerated persons work rock...hmmmmm

Jul 8​

Next day, Jacobs went to mow up the turkey area

Foamer's figures they are doing a GREAT JOB!​

July 10, 2016 - Jacobs mowing graveyard​

Grazing Pear-A-Dice...hmmmm....the humming of the mowers...

July 13, 2016​

Took like two hours to set up, but I had the whole ruminant crew mowing the front...the Jacobs, llamas and goat a dote...area between shelterbelt of caragana and front fence and the Hair sheeps...they got to mow the ditch but this time...the next patch onwards.

Both sides mowing up a storm​

That meant I had to get a roll of temp fence staked wire and run them a runway along the area they had mowed in the ditch to the next area they can work upon.

Lookit this motley crew of grass eaters...what a mixture of eye candy!

​

This entailed I change out the one battery to a new one--usually I get a whole summer outta one charge) but I was asking WAY much on the drippy wet conditions from a battery already employed now for quite some time. Ran with both of my ele netting...one stretch inside to protect those caraganas I planted back in 1999...and one stretch in the ditch to keep the hair sheep flock safe and sound doing the ditch mowings. Yeh...all this mowing with enviro sheeps and such...it takes longer to do all this than if I just had Rick mow the grass...but what fun would ther be in that?

July 7​

I took down the plantings at the front and back gates and used the wire cages (three of them) to surround three European Maples I planted in front of the caragana...when we went to get the ram, I retrieved my hand cart and took the paving stones (two at each gate) and piled them ready for when we do the front step/porch area in front of the greenhouse. Funny how these items all found a new home.

July 15 - grass at the Point was once again long enough to support sheep attentions ​

As said, takes work to mow certain areas here and sometimes, I do really appreciate that we have so many internal paddocks to mow...I get to be lazy and just turn them out without watching the skies to see if lightening is going to ruin my ele netting charger or how many trips to inspect they are still where I put them. That sorta thing. Course goes without saying, if I have a project on the go, I won't put the netting out (take it in every evening...be something someone would figure worth stealing and I like having two to use for obvious reasons).


So took Spice back on Monday, July 11, and on Wednesday, July 13, picked up our ram. On the way outta the yard with the ram in our big trailer, I saw Spice in the field with the flock and she was right fine and dandy, eating grass. Never took my decision lightly but a decision I did come to a conclusion over. I also decided not to take a replacement for Spice and used that money as part of the payment on the ram. I reflected back on that fact that Rick and I originally wanted SIX ewes and that is what we have now. Six. I am planning on breeding some of them and well, it sure don't take long doing sheep math to have more than maybe you want. Har har...so back to the original plan of six ewes and one ram. Good to go. I have had 27 ruminants here (five llamas, five goats and the rest sheep) and we now have seven hair sheep, four Jacobs, two llamas and a doe goat. That's fourteen. I am not sure how long the four oldster sheeps will be with us but with all the rain and grass growth...pretty happy we have fourteen on the job eating down all the greens here. Will welcome the lambs next spring and hoping for at least two ram lambs so I can have some boys to bunk out with Boss Man. He is located where he is near the ewes but he is not got company with him in his corral and barn. That bothers me but I need to hold tight and realize, boys are usually half your lambings and soon enough there will be boys and boys to be buddies with Boss Man will be here before I blink.

I do have to laugh as the six girls run by his corral and barely acknowledge him..."Gotta go, got grass to manage!" and it makes me smile because with him here...soon enough him being here will make these outta season (Dorpers can be bred at any time ... not seasonal thanks to the Black Persian influences) breeder girls take note that he is a boy. LMBO

So with the Dorpers, bin studying a South African manual on the breed (they were developed in that country). Interesting to note some things...horns should be small on the ram (can have none or small ones) and the SA's say that a ram with small horns is IDEAL! Not big horns though...they used the Horned Dorset to make the breed but not wanting the curled big horns on the rams. They also mention trimming...ideally you want a hair sheep that sheds out the belly and underareas without intervention, but mention is made that while they seem to prefer to have a covering on their backs...it really is much nicer to SEE them clean of all fiber. Trimmed...clipped...and I too agree. A clipped up sheep for summer IS pleasing to the eye and well, I sure do love looking at my sheeps. Which brings me forward to the task that I am in the midst of now.

Duro shed out all on her own (beautifully...I am so pleased!), past me pulling a few straggler hairs--pulling a few puffies, she sheds clean which is FAB...Melissa, I found she too sheds out complete...other than her belly had some nasty nasty hairs...which surely itch. Peanut, well I posted me clipping with hand scissors and my hand shears; her top coat and she had several years worth of layers--I am betting she was HOT and not comfy...no wonder she was itchy...so would I be, eh. In the girl sheeps, that leaves Ditto, Decor, and D'Arcy.

OK...clipping...yeh, clipping the hair sheep. Now they do not require as much work as the wool sheeps but to endure our super cold winters here, you want them to grow a coat to get thru the frightful colds... They are not as much work to keep trimmed up and I know many that do nothing whatsoever to remove coverings on their hair sheeps, BUT I do like them ALL to look pretty and tidy and spiffy. Part of the fun of owing our creatures is to admire them when looking at them and seeing them in their best states ever (and happy too). Sheep are really the wonderful beast that makes ME (who rarely stops for long) stop and lose all sense of time. I pause to look at a sheep grazing and **POOF** there goes half an hour. Now that is not good in some aspects and good in others--basically for my health and wellbeing...having something that makes me STOP. I find sheep make me pause, smell the roses I guess and that is a good thing because I might fall down, go boom if not for the "better go check on the sheeps" scenarios. I know I am gonna repower, pause and suck up some view that makes me feel rested and rejuvved.

July 18 - got all my tools out and ready for CLIPPING!

​

So after some research, I bought a pair of clippers, three ceramic blades (comes with a metal one but the ceramic is suppose to be 75% lower at heating up and stays sharper longer too! Ain't technology grand!)...and yesterday, I began my adventures in ele clipping. I found out that dog trimmers will have two blades on the go and when one heats up, with this clipper, it is a quick change out...but for me, did not have to do this...but might in future, we shall see.

​

So first task...clip out the front belly hair that Melissa has.

​

There...not a perfect job but for a first time try...I am pretty pleased. New tool, new technique, new everything...I do know she will be unitchy now in that spot...with the lanolin gone and the bristly hair...she'll be more cooler and comfy. Whole point of the endeavour...

Ditto - untrimmed ​

Decor - untrimmed​

Ditto has kept all her covering...Decor on the other hand has shed off all her belly and her butt and haunches. Some leave them like this, but I don't like how scruffy she looks AND she has a covering that is going to be itchy and insulative...tis summer, off with the coverings. Lots of time to grow in a new winter coat...so off it goes!

See the black fiber is sunbleached kinda brownish and faded ​

WOW, what a beauty Decor is...UNDER that covering! Like the gift wrapping is like GONE!
Rick chose her and he has a great eye...​

Ditto is completely covered...no parts shedded off
plus I had to clean the clipper blade more due to more lanolin build up in her coverings ​

​

I have some Jacobs that shed belly coverings off and one that has kept her belly all woolled...personally, I prefer wool sheep that shed off the belly area, that is nice and so much easier when it comes to me shearing them...the belly area is a delicate area with parts you can harm when clipping or shearing. Having sheep that shed this area out, hair or wool ones, is something I have learned to appreciate. If given a choice of one or the other, shedded out belly areas is a great bonus.

Ditto (is my youngest sheep) shaved and clipped clean - WOW...whole different look to this widdle gal
Looks almost goatish, eh...

​

Eye candy - Ditto and Decor our COLOURFUL Dorper/Katahdin mixer uppers​

There, Ditto and Decor l00king way nicer...pretty girls, pretty cleaned up, pretty happy...me too!

​

So next on the roster...Boss Man...he gets shaved next...

D'Arcy, Decor, & Duro​

After that...may shave (clip) D'Arcy...she's keeping her fiber right now...could be because she is our second youngest and not triggered her to shed her lamb coat BUT, I need to figure out if I want to leave her coated or clip it off and next year, see how much she sheds out natural. Ditto kept her covering but because she was so heavily coated, I wanted it gone since we still have hot weather expected and she has plenty of time to grow in winter clothes.


Visited with my son on the weekend and he brought up the latest in computer trends...that pokey man GO thingy. I call them stickpersons (poke in the eye with a sharp what?). I guess anyone playing it really should be advised WHY this ap was devised in the first place...educate themselves before being USED & ABUSED! Google maps could hire someone to drive around and record geography OUTSIDE places, but they could not get INSIDE videos without lots of legal issues and huge expenses for them...so guess what...now they devised a game of it and are getting the masses of virtual lemmings to do their dirty work for them and all the risks are taken up by the players of this infantile game (yeh, local police are now announcing they have "pokeyman" jail ready for all the trespassers they are getting complains on and advising people not to be going to "pokeyman" hospital because they tangled and lost with traffic and such--good gack, eh). Hilarious part is that people are using this AP (stock prices in the company are escalating upwards at an alarming rate!), making their videos FOR this company, and the people doing it are doing it for no compensation of any value (worst too, doing it at their own expense...bizzarro). Hilarious indeed that people are this gullible and so easily enslaven to benefit big corps--has nobody ever stopped to ask WHY...duh--there are no free lunches--someone always pays. Oh well, hardly surprises me anymore. Nobody seems to stop and ask THE questions that need to be asked. Common sense, ain't so common. Zombies...worse now is the zombies are out running around risking their own personal well being.

My

time is over and off I go again...whee hee hee...

Doggone & Chicken UP!

Tara Lee Higgins
Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm, Alberta, Canada

 

[CanuckBock]

Heel low:

Note to self...quit double booking self. Two days in a row of clearing off fiber on sheeps...way too much for old body--I feel older than my years times double today.

July 18, 2016 - Yup, those be mowers in the Bird Yard...not birds​

So the Hair Girls have been eyeing the bird yard grass (and sampling for a tad too long on the way thru to other areas..."Let's get a go on, Gals!") and I decided on the 18th (Monday), "Hey, why not, eh?" Moved a bucket of feed for the one pair of pheasants safely outta reach of sheeps, strengthified the few panels that keep the birds from wandering the back side of the barns and voila...ready, set, MOW!

July 18, 2016 - Bird Yard Ladies gulping down grasses​

Boy did they make quick work of the lush grass (straight grass, no other real growth...these Dorpers and Katahadin/Dorper crosses seem to prefer straight grasses even over say clovers)...saved Rick a few loop de loops round the yard to mow it short...but in reality, maybe not. He will still go over it as they leave a varied length but maybe less of a load as in grass clippings to toss outta the ride em. No matter, gone to a good cause. The two Kata/Dorp crosses got clipped but had company just a stone's throw away and then after they were sans coverings, they too joined the mow grouping, Decor and then Ditto. Love how seconds later, if you return the shaved sheep...how they meld with the flock and get right on to what sheep do best...mow forages. Good gals!

Boss Man, he was already shedding this area (thigh, creeping up from belly and down),
the belly and unders were clean and spiffy, but I was not waiting on this to shed off...
Get it ALL GONE!

Got the Boss Man ram clipped. Sure glad I planned that as my one day extra. Took me three hours from start to finish-prep to clean up. I did spend a bit of time extra in the morn...prep past the three hours of CLIP time...I invested in future food. I made a crock of chili (asked Rick to pick up some sorta bread for dippin's), soup stock for the dog girl's dinners and breakies...even did up some chook white meat and two wings in coatings...to add to Rick's lunches so chicken strips and a snack of wings for tonight--one each but it is leftover day, so that's a tasty tidbit.

Chili!​

So food was taken care of in the morn so I had the rest of the whole day to attack the clippings...planned demise, eh.

Boss Man at his home patch​

I went to check on him later and noted...good gack! Ugly on a stick. Fly strike and it has been perfect conditions for them flies to replicate...so lots out and about...blah!

Icky poo poo...the flies...ugh!

I don't vac or poke needles in necks. I know people say that is where you poke needles in meat beasts but not moi. There are nice clean spots on sheeps at the front under their leg, skin patch that I poke needles into--I personally don't eat ARMPITS...so meat sheep er not, no jabby in neck cause it jest grosses ME personally right OUT. So armpits it is...less area for flies to find and never had fly strike...ever in that area!

So uh yeh, well they vac'd the sheeps there in the neck and yup, the flies found it now that the Boss Man Ram's coverings are gone. Sigh. Back to house to get the swat (nfi) and Boss Man is now pinky boy but not going to suffer any nasty (oh so ever gross) flies bothering his vac location. Sorry but it ever so sickens me...boy puts up with me making him do limbos and sit still well I clip, and to see them pesky flies BOTHERING me boy...grrr....out with them big PINK guns!

"Why am I marked up with PINK...me be a boy! BLUE! not PINK!"

He was alot of work to clip and I knew it would be so. Even leading him, had to put on two rope halters I made...he would drag his face in the grass with one halter on and lift it off to where he had the bottom strap IN his mouth and he could chew on it...silly guy. So I just doubled up on the halters and off we went to get the clipping over--double reined in Boss Man. Past a bit of him kicking and throwing a fuss before he realized...like the Borg...resistance is futile...I WILL get my way and you will be bald by day's end--even if it kills me outright to do it.

Not the most perfect clip as in take him to the show but hey...this is me and I am not the play beauty salon type--I don't cut hair...I know that...I know I struggle to cut and shear but by golly I do try and I do take my time to do it up!

Wish it came easier for moi but hey, hair and wool grows back...right...yeh... Practise makes perfect and maybe one day, eh.

Now that is a handsome profile!

Even if the pink stinks, eh.

Love seeing our new boy. Love he will enjoy the summer in coolish non-coverings. Very pleased this task is off my roster and we can see how lovely this Boss Man truly is.

Lacy & Emmy approve the shaved Boss Man version...he still smells like a RAM

Laughed because them two girls came out from their nappings in the house to smell where the ram had been. Every path he took, them girls had their noses to the ground inspecting. Dogs and noses...that side us humans are so unaware of in retrospect to how good a dog's sniffer is. Part of the world we kinda sorta understand but never to a dog's degree, eh.

Lacy getting a noggin' scratchin'​

And so as of today, I am finding my butt dragging...just a smiden of slow mo.

Lots of tromping around during summer so little wonder by the time fall comes, we welcome the prospects of different work loads. Not less work, jest different tasks.

Jest another day at the beach, eh!

Yesterday, Hair Girls went and retouched the area where the Jacobs, llamas and goat were at, area between front fence and caragana.

Nobody tipped over any of my three caged Maple trees...good show!

Now that area is mowed down.

The Bearded Ladies cleaning up​

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So between playing bend and stretch (reach for the sky...or is that fall down and die?) whilst I clipped Boss Man...still had the usual roster of places to go, creatures to move and such. Oh well, suck it up Buttercup...

All the girl dogs inspecting my progress​

Today, will be kinder to myself. Overcast, only gonna get to 19C but I hear we are into some sun which is good but sun and 27C's. Tee hee...so here comes the heat. Got drowned and now we need to get baked. Oh what fun!

Pond side - July 18, 2016​

Dog run runs...that Rick sure orchestrates a great exercise session!

July 18, 2016​

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Dog rehydrations...

Peaked my head inside the greenhouse after dog runs (fish feeding and Saskatoon foraging--there has been enough berries each eve to treat the dogettes!

) and noted the tomatoes and cukes are continuing to bust forth...need to take the dogs and I there and douse them in waterings. Need to pull the dirt up on the hilled up potatoes to complete too...does it ever end. Hee hee...so woosey of me to whine but when you do pause, most often what one sees is all that needs adding to the "to do" list. Hee hee...

So slower pace is good, slower regiment is needed...time to stop...stop and...

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Smell all the roses...

Doggone & Chicken UP!

Tara Lee Higgins
Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm, Alberta, Canada

 

[drumstick diva]

Nice to see Foamy traveling about with the girls.