I’m doing it again. Pretending to be Jane Goodall… you know, if she got a herd of sheep. I was born this way, to the dismay of those who thought daydreaming about animals was an immature waste of time. I guess I showed them, still doing it on the far side of seventy. Jane Goodall … Read more
Mister, who is the voice of conservative reason and common sense, looks me in the eye. What starts as socializing a puppy quietly becomes a habit, and before you know it, you are slipping off to classes and then to dog trials. You wind up driving hours for herding lessons. You end up with ducklings … Read more
A beady-eyed burnt-orange sun crept over a smoky horizon, and it’s hot-air balloon season in Colorado. Juxtaposition: A new day dawns, but the same destructive fires continue to destroy homes, kill animals, and upend lives while others carry on as usual. My hay guy just delivered a load, $2.50 a bale more than the last … Read more
Yes, it’s a proper word. I didn’t make it up, but I wish I had. Quanked is in the 1893 Glossary of Words Used in the County of Wiltshire. It means overpowered by fatigue. They didn’t say emotional exhaustion, but I’m not alone here. I needed a word that was as old as I feel. … Read more
Mister has a big all-day chewy and doesn’t even come out to wave goodbye. Mister would like you to know that he is a dog that knows things that are not visible. Don’t hurry back on my account, he says. Half of my heart stays with him. I would prefer to hide out on our … Read more
The week started with a needle in my forehead. You just knew it was going to improve. Then each day had hours of that kind of coolish-warm spring air. At our altitude, there’s nearly no oxygen, so it’s easy to remember to breathe it in. I had no extra work-work, so I spent time working … Read more
We’re on the road at 6:30 AM on a Sunday, and the first vehicle we passed was a horse trailer. I don’t recognize the driver, but I have been her, so I wave. Then I realized that sitting in a truck doesn’t make me look like we’re compatriots, but we are both off for similar … Read more
Mister would like you to know that we had a record two naps in one day. We were staying at the farm where Jolene was born. Call it Lamb Nation; nine newborns frolic in the field close to where we’re camped. Ignoring them, Mister appreciates the Rollin’ Rancho, our human-sized A-frame crate, as it offers … Read more
Last Thursday morning, we left for Texas as four bald eagles were circling high above the farm. I’ve never seen so many here. It’s April, and the pond is drying up. We have daily red flag warnings and fires. But also eagles. By the time we crossed into New Mexico, the vultures were circling, so … Read more
We were in a different pen than usual, and it was horribly windy. That’s the excuse you might make if you were on a horse and had an uneasy feeling. We are facing four pregnant ewes, and a tornado would be no distraction. Jolene was working. Sometimes there are four boy dogs running the fence … Read more