Today was a great day off. I was working outside doing chores this am and when i fed the chickens a chicken got out right into the area where the 4 girl herding dogs where. I thought OMG that's curtains for the chicken. Trixie knew enough not to touch it. The rest made a rush for it and I yelled in my most calm collected stern commanding voice LEAVE IT and they all stopped dead in their tracks and held there ground while i figured out i would have to prop the gate open, hope no one else got out, and move the chicken around the tree and into the pen which meant going in front of the frozen dogs. I did just that and they held their ground until the chicken was in the pen and then sallee made a pass by the gate ( a so there pass). Everyone else held their place till i told them they were free. Was I proud of my dogs and my training. This is a big deal for these dogs as frosti and Sallee have a hard time controlling themselves around poultry and Iris is better than they but she still a baby learner.
Then this afternoon after Leroy helped me plant 40 some bulbs we practiced agility and i had my girls working 10-15 feet away from me which means i don't need to run. I was very proud at how well they did there also.
So even tho i can't run and barely walk we are training and it is paying off. May not mean much to you non dog people but its a big deal for me.
I planted some greenish yellow (lite color) glads, some dark purplish black glads and 6 calico jack
daylilys. I know you hate day lilies Kathy but i love them and I am trying on this old broken down farm to get more old fashioned perennials and bi annuals planted. I would love to get some hollyhocks growing. The bulbs that i transplanted seem to be doing well and are all perked up. And some columbines i transplanted from a ditch last year seem to be coming up. Not sure about the lupines i transplanted tho. There is a ditch near us by the eye docs house that is prolific and beautiful with masses of colors of lupines. They are so gorgeous, you drive by just to look at them, so he told us to try and transplant some. I did that and took seeds, so we will see.
My peonies are coming up, my primroses are blooming, my lilacs and such are bulging with buds. Its so cool outside right now.
I don't dislike day lilies -- have all kinds of them. I am not fond of tiger lilies because they are so invasive. I'm just jealous that I can't be out planting already. Oh well, I need to sit down and do some planning on paper anyhow. I'm impressed with your dogs; mine would have had the chick eaten before I would know what happened. Going to spend the day doing real chores here; cleaning, etc. because tomorrow (my regular cleaning day) is going to be a drive to Cambridge to see Grandma. Our weather is really getting tolerable here; supposed to be in the 20's for the next week or so and in the low teens at night; I'll take that. At least can be outside walking without freezing to death. No wind to speak of either. Read Heidi's CaringBridge for the details of yesterday. This misery just goes on and on; she's tougher than I would or could ever be. K
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