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

[CanuckBock]

picture fixed see email

But that'd be "air brushing" and in my mindset...illegal as all heck Deb.

I know years ago, one could stretch and squish a dog like my short butted Makins (not put her on the RACK like I kept threatening to do to her) into a perfect ACD 9 : 10 ratio.

Back then, we would oft ask for video tape of a dog we had interest in using or buying. I received on tape on a red ACD State side and never imported him...he had a real funny hop to his gait...not sure what it was but enough I went "nope..."

Harder back in the day to "doctor" up moving pictures...nowadays...no hope past setting your own paws upon the beast and seeing them with yer own eyes.

Appreciate the computer skills but we're keeping the show pics RAW...if one ever went back to the records of the official show photographer...you'd compare both and know it had been touched up.

I'm a little touched most days, eh!

 

[Wisher1000]

I wouldn't hurt to print and frame the white lace-less one for you and Rick to enjoy........

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
never touched the dog.... wont do it again

 

[CanuckBock]

I wouldn't hurt to print and frame the white lace-less one for you and Rick to enjoy........

I think I would enjoy the aggravation of the untouched photo...to remind me to mind what I do if it is in front of some "official photographer!" Hee hee...brute for punishment and as always...the hard lessons are the one you remember...not the successes that come too easy!

never touched the dog.... wont do it again

Right on the money! Excellent come back Deb!

I think the fine line we have to tread is that many DO re-touch photos to enhance the view to better than reality is. Because of the extreme ones that would FAKE to make themselves and their creatures look better than they really are, the ones that want to be open and honest don't get to do squat. I know you only got rid of the white lace but it is now touched...

Being able to say this is an UNTOUCHED SHOW PHOTO means my white lacy laces (why was it not on Lacy...the pun would have been even better!) hafta stay and haunt me and make me remember...watch what I am doing because every little thing builds to the overall effect.

I choose my bottom dog show clothes to enhance the dogs. You would have busted a gut on the process I went thru on my satin crepe sky blue skirt. We had two choices in the fabric. A shiny side (satin) or the pastel side (crepe) and I asked Rick before I got to sew (had cut the pieces out...no difference on inside or out, had to choose). Rick said the muted crepe side would look best with the dogs and he is right.

Fun stuff, thanks for fixing my headache but in reality, there's always gonna be me in the way of the fine working machinery...gumming it up. Hee hee...need a stick...of gum that is...not a stick to beat stupid me with? Bwa ha ha...

Big hugs and thanks for working miracles on a lost cause! Love you Deb!

 

[drumstick diva]

Did I miss what happened at the third show?

 

[CanuckBock]

There are no other show comments I am willing to make without the photos posted to go with the comments (my camera stayed safely at home, so I have none to add). You'll all hafta wait like I am and be patient too.

My SIL is the clicker master and she had to get called back to go to work today. She was there with bells on Sunday...I have e-mailed her to say which clicks I hope she sends me. And that be that.

Doggone & Chicken UP!

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

Did I miss what happened at the third show?

No report on Sunday show DD...no further comments till photos from SIL arrive - see me quoting myself with the BOLDED words above.

I will however tell you to get your Kleenex's banked up, don't be planning on reading this Sunday Report some place (like work) were tearing up on your coffee break would seem out of place, and open up your heart strings and get ready for those "oh" and "ah" moments...the rest of this weekend's dog show story is good and once I get the corresponding clicks...the tale can begin of Sunday and how wonderful this world can be. How fair & just, how relevant the art of chivalry still is even today...how awesome in how hard work, love and devotion to your dog can allow you to WIN BIG.

I've said more than enough and like me, you will have to wait until my SIL decides she has time to send me the photos I have asked her to send where working for a living allows one to do silly things like send your SIL some dog show clicks. I've asked and now I wait.

Patience is a virtue until we hear "the rest of the story!"

Tara

 

[drumstick diva]

I guess THAT means you aren't going to give us her email addy, so we can pester her to speed things up.

 

[CanuckBock]

Heel low:

So the kids on the bus with the Katahdin and Dorper flock said they were gonna be selling sheeps...so I had been mulling it around to shop close to home. Down now to three ewes and a wether here now. Lost two sheep in the past three weeks...good gack! Oldsters...13 years young and passing on. Hate that but that's what happens when you have old stuff, they do go. At least it was not in the dead of a frigid cold winter...nice warm spring time now.

So with four sheep, one doe and two llamas...Rick said we better keep looking for sheeps. It is going to be another drought year and expensive hay too...but we only went thru two bales (1.5 bales actually) and had bought five. From the looks of the grass in the pastures, we are greening up fast and we here won't suffer the supposed drought conditions like the hay sellers keep flogging...oh well. Whatever the market will bare I guess.

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Here's the flock, some are pure Katahdin, some pure Dorper, some half and half--all are hair sheep, clean and healthy.

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There are round abouts 75 lambs to choose from...on lambing round about December and one just wrapping up now.

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Rick drove me over last night and in the works is six ewe lambs.

Here are my choices thus far.

Ewe because they docked the females, wethers are undocked
Obviously a December born​

Love colour, love dots...goes without saying this ewe is one I would like...

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This ewe in the middle is a cross of Dorper and Katahdin...love the dotty white blanket, black front, back and leggers.

From the way these two wethers all stick side by sandwiching this ewe, I expect these are triplets​

So that be my first two in the pick of six.


It gets sketchy after the first two...

I like this ewe lamb on the right. Not completely white and Jacob faced.
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If Jacobs were hair sheep, never change breeds, but I have eight hundred pounds of wool banked to do my mattress and I have always wanted to give Katahdins and Dorpers a go...this way, some are crosses and half of each.

Fourth on my list...

Another triplet (two boys--see long undocked tails!) and one girl, tail is banded​

Again, not colourful but got some dotty dots. Ewe dam looks pretty decent and nice. Seems the two flocks I have visited with Katahdins seem to like the whites...I on the other hand like the fact that Katahdins can be any colour...not sure why people keep going with self-white... One lady says she gets mixed up with colour and can't see conformation...I never had the issue, oh well. We like whatin we like, eh!

It is not the lambs that drew me in...it is the front on this Katahdin ewe. Nicely spaced legs--I like her shape.
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No idea if the twins she has beside her are males or females...got her tag number and will inquire. Helps that these two whipper snappers were investigating a bucket. Curious is good in my books...personality to get into trouble...hmm...brute for punishment, that be moi!

Lamb on the left is sixth choice of mine​

Last one is an older lamb, December born. NO idea gender, but there's colour. Use to Jacob toes being coloured and this one has colour on all four feets. Darker hooves tend to be slower growing and need less trimming...harder too.

So that be that. Two ladies own the flock and both work two weeks on and then off so share flock duties. Have to wait to hear back from them when they get their heads together. In the meantime, I've narrowed down the 75 (half that are likely males) lambs down to the six prospects. Sale pending I guess and the young stuff will be sold as three month olds. So that will allow me lots of time to set up the quaratine out in Ram Pasture more so for lamb sized occupants. We have been set up for SHEEPS...for years now, not babes.

Came home and cooked up my pre-planned dinner...yeh, that be a lamb chop!

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So glad I dunna hafta keep the two girl dogs clean for showing no mores...bring on the dirt dogs...these clicks were pre-show when I was frazzled about keeping the doogies clean...yeh.

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Every possible moment...grinding of puppy fur was going on...

Note, jaws are only thing in focus!​

I think them girls did it just to give me more grey hairs!

She wants us to stay CLEAN...during spring...HA!​

Still no idea the total number of CKC points the girls won...but I guess I will eventually find out...er not!

Day one ribbons from show



Day two


Day three​

Pond's up, fish in and plants...

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I did manage to sew up my baby blue satin crepe skirt and wore it to show on the Saturday...there's like five meters of material in her...yikes...

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Girls are harassing the livestock...but nicely averting their eyes but still letting the other Australians know they got country of origin competition here too...

Piper and Pearl​

Rick has outfitted the White Dog Bus with new jewlery on the front, guess I better get caught up on photos of that...so much on the go which reminds me, coffee break done, off I go again...

Doggone & Chicken UP!

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

 

[hbeam21]

I loved your photos of the swans.

 

[CanuckBock]

Heel low:

Not cherries, Blueberries and Saskatoons...in the ice cream I had at MacKays in Cochrane on Saturday​

Took a trip to Calgary with the girls on Saturday...way way too much FUN!

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Had to have the girls pick out new dog chew toys for the living room...kinda sorta ATE their old ones...old ones from when my previous dogs were pups...so recycled ones I suppose.

The ladies both had a blast at Pisces pet store...and both chose the above toys​

On Sunday, bought two rubberized rugs for the wire crates to set on.

Excellent traction for the crates so the girls don't slip around back thar!

Yesterday, first Bluebird of the year here.

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Twitter pated birds every where here...

Canada Goosey Pair​

Last of the snow here...

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Rick tilled the ram pasture...

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and the potato plot rototilled by tractor...

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Got all of Rick's trucks stowed away for the immanent hail storms that spring and summer bring.

Sounds like my six ewe lambs are a go...and not have to wait three MONTHS but more like three WEEKS...good gack...hurry hurry...eek.

Girls being pretty cute!​

Yesterday, put up half the dirt in my pots for the greenhouse...

Used my riddle (a sieve of sorts) to put nice dirt in pots​

Course anything I do requires inspections...​

Don't want me embarrassing the dogs...with sub quality work, eh.

Lotsa trips back and forth...digging holes and filling things in
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Mandy Hale, The Single Woman: Life, Love, and a Dash of Sass:

Most of all, enjoy every moment of the journey, and appreciate where you are at this moment instead of always focusing on how far you have to go.​

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I am tired and sore today, but way too happy inside...lol

Quote:

Then you may like this thread on BYC I posted.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/963754/the-village-idiots-australian-black-swans-cygnus-atratus-at-higgins-rat-ranch-conservation-farm-in-alberta-Canada


I posted the girls admiring the latest swan egg contribution...on the OFH thread...hee hee...

Girls want latest swanny egg

Fur a rather LARGE omelette...



Silly gals!

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So I have photos of my son and Lacy on the Sunday (April 3, 2016). Now I may finish posting about the rest of the dog show...

Note how Lacy has firmly planted a paw on my son's shoe...he ain't goin' nowhere's, eh!​

On the Saturday, my son and Lacy took Best Opposite. I was SO thrilled to get our butts whooped by him and Lacy. Emmy and I are fine that Lacy now has a CKC major, jest like Emmy does.

What a GREAT SHOW WEEKEND! Every owner won Best of Breed one day and all dogs entered (four) go the CKC major they need for a CKC Championship title...boo yah!

Lacy with my son holding her ribbons for Saturday...Best of Opposite Sex...they were on FIRE!​

The Senior Puppy male took both Best of Breed and Best Puppy in Breed and well deserved on the Saturday. He was shown by a hired handled. Alexander and Lacy took "second" to this entry and Emmy and I came last. After our win on Friday...I was thrilled to see another judge's opinion. Lacy was a love bug and the judge that day adored that! Perfection.

This judge encompasses the term "chivalry!" That smile just makes you smile on back! ​

On the Sunday, the judge we showed under was Dr. Francisco Chapa Guajardo of Nuevo Leon, Mexico. This was the judge that judged the Australian Cattle Dog Club of Canada National Specialty on August 29, 2015. I asked the ring steward for comments from this Specialty judge AFTER group judging. He spoke with all three of us ACD owners ring side after Herding Group was judged...ever so glad I asked for his comments.

This judge was exceptionally charming and pleasant man...very enjoyable showing under him as he thanks each person in the ring after showing and he started with a cheerful smiling "Good Morning," and then telling my son and I that the girls were "beautiful dogs." He even bids each exhibitor and dog a fine farewell...he is so wonderful you come out of the ring not caring how you placed because you simply had FUN! I had been up since 2:30 that morning in order to have us all ringside for 7 a.m. and in the ring for 8 a.m. and to be treated like this was just wonderful.

The judge told us in regards to the four ACDs entered...it was very hard to decide on the three females as all were very even in standings so he chose the ***** that showed the best (which was Kathy showing Parker). Course Kathy got emotional when the final decision was made. It was TOO perfect her win with Parker. She SO deserved the win as they were the best ACD and owner combo that day hands and paws down EASYILY! I am so proud of them and so thrilled with their win--Parker is an Australian import like the girls are. It was an immense pleasure just losing against that team. What joy...

Sunday's Best of Breed - Beauty Parker

The judge said he wanted to see ACDs that looked "male" or "female." Wanted dogs with good skeletons (English is not his first language), so he showed us his index finger for not enough bone (thin) and took his thumb and index finger to make round shape to show more "bone." He feels that even puppy ACDs need a certain amount of bone in each gender.

I would show again under this judge again in an instant. Immensely enjoyable and love his honesty and explanation on his opinions expressed in his judging.

And that is why the show weekend was so splendid...everyone there did well, and every dog got to have their "day" and the owners too. If every show weekend could be like this one last...well that would be too grand a scale to think worldly possible. AWESOME time...just perfection!

So for me, the show this time was one of great fun. Lots of effort to get to do it but lots of rewards. I am still floating about high as a kite on remembering the wonderful time it was. Should easily tide me over till November. Has me thinking about working towards goals and seeing the task on thru...biting the day like the dogs do every single day.

Our dirt Dogs...April 10​

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Lailah Gifty Akita, Pearls of Wisdom: Great mind:
Go do what needs doing...you won't always have company along the way. The lil' red hen would know that best. Besides, the dangerous paths are not crowded, now are they!

Henry Van Dyke, The Poems of Henry Van Dyke:

If anything you try and seem to fail at means you outright quit...if it was easy, everyone would do it, eh! Something worth doing requires effort.


Godwin Elendu Ph.D:

Never let someone say to you, "it cannot be done," simply because they CAN'T do it themselves! Do not let others short comings nip your progress to the pinnacle.

Roy Bennett:

Be grateful and live each day to the fullest.​

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Live life to the fullest...even if it means falling flat on your face, in front of everyone and expect laughter...people can be so unkind at times, but shrug it off, for to be great means you have to try and to try, means you may fail. Failure is the expected outcome, nine times outta ten...but live for that success...the once in a lifetime celebration of the goodness of success. Live for that, strive for it, DO IT!

In all my imperfections, be kind to yourself...you have flaws and that is what makes us who we are. Friends are the ones that appreciate out flaws and yet, still love us for being...NOT perfect!

Lauren Oliver, Before I Fall:

Love yourself and the skin you are in. There will never be another, just like YOU!

Doggone & Chicken UP!

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