Saturday, July 3, 2010

sheep trailing (walking to town)


































How to describe a day like this?  I could tell you that it was long and hot and that I have scrubbed dirt out of  my ears all evening.

I could tell you that I haven't seen so many sheep butts behinds in my life. 

I could tell you that I walked a whole half marathon and didn't even notice.

I could tell you that I chased little lambs through ravines, shoulder high thistles, and neighbors flower gardens for hours...and loved it.

It was a perfect day:






















Here are the sheep on the morning of the big move. A couple thousand quiet and peaceful sheep.  It's always good to get a good breakfast before a big day of fun.  I am sure they are thinking about all the things they need to pack :o)

The tall mountains ahead are the destination today.  The sheep are moving from this big knoll and field to the edge of our small town this morning/afternoon.

The big move through town & up into the mountains will happen in the evening.  I am sure Farmer planned it that way for me.  Evening light is always best for good photos, right? :o)

Not having done any of this before...I of course I showed up early and got some photo-ops with the ewes.   They were in a playful mood.  I had to chase them up the ravine and around this old truck.

(A bit out of focus with my camera not used to my running mode)



































Hello silly girls. 

This is where they are laughing at me for falling down the ravine.  "It's all good!"  I am yelling up at  them.  Just a bit of sage brush to the face, no problem.






















Once Farmer drove up on the 4-wheeler and the dogs were let loose, the ewes got serious about getting out of this place and bolted for the gate.  We were quickly at a trot on the dirt road, ready for the big outing.

Everything seemed so orderly and well mannered ~ until we got to an open fence or a neighbor's green garden.  Imagine that for a minute? Thousands of sheep show up in your yard and they like it and think they may just stay a while?  Oh, dear.

But that is big part of the fun (for me), seeing how Farmer and Grandpa Luis were going to get the sheep out of the next crazy-mess.

Here is a great shot of all the sheep heading the wrong way - into an open field - and then having to be pushed back out on to the road. 





















And here is where I end up - thick in the thistles with some munching ewes.  I can only hear their bells dinging.

"Come on out ladies...time to get going...Jensen's is open soon..." (just a bit of local humor)






















Then of course there is a ditch, and you know ewes...they don't like to get muddy when they are going to town. So we wait here for each of them to tiptoe across the mud. 

Libby (a wonder-twin dog) doesn't mind, she thinks its fun to nibble on sheep knees.  Now be nice...


































And then the masses move on again, down the long dirt road.  The only real bumps in the road are all of these semi-parked cars.  They are trying to get around the sheep?  Silly people. 





The morning walk was a success and all are well. Just very tired.























Now everyone gets a rest for the next journey...


















At least the dog does.

Siesta time ~
On the hot dusty trail of life,
jj
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