The Gus exhibits more Heeler behavior than Border Collie when we are around livestock. Actually, out of control Heeler. We are working on it.
First I wore him down a bit with about 15 minutes of ball. Then we got the leash, cookies, and stock stick and went to the sheep. I didn't have to threaten him with super glue even once. He stuck his stays.
And mostly paid attention.
He even stayed when he was certain that he was about to be eaten/stomped but the huge animal tippytoeing up behind him.
He is really afraid of Robert. I wasn't fast enough to get a shot of Robert breathing on poor Gus. Rob wanted to come add to the nose prints on the camera.
The sheep really like Little Sagebrush.
Cactus, not so much.
Elliot thinks he's a pretty handsome fella.
Gus thinks he bears watching.
We even look baaad!
You were very bad sheep. One more stunt like that and you'll have your pictures hanging in the post office under the Most Wanted heading.
The sheep staged another escape. Over the cattle guard. And this time they took Rosie the Llama with them. Very bad. The sheep will sheepishly return if I yell at them and step outside the gate with Gus. Rosie---not so much. So, after convincing Rosie that she needed to return, everyone got shut in the corral. For SEVERAL days. This is their first day out.
Those 2 black faces, one on the right and one on the left, are one half for Elliot's Bad Boy Gang and they are the ring leaders. Miss Helen, second from the right, says, "but he said it was ok and we wouldn't get caught!". Miss Agnus tells me that she was just following along because those boys pulled the wool over her eyes.
They are watching Rosie head for the west pasture. They can't go there. They're afraid to go down the hill. Apparently goblins live at the very bottom of the hill. I haven't seen them, but what do I know.
Robert is really wishing that his Rosie would come back. He doesn't want to go either. But he has an excuse. It was gruesome.
I think that's a smirk on Tessy's face. Baaaad sheep!
We got 3 inches of snow out of the last storm. When I left home yesterday morning everything was white.The wind blew. A bunch.
When the wind blows like that, the instant that there is bare ground it blows too.
Foot prints, mine and a goose, on a drift. This is a smaller drift.
A round 9 inches.
A little deeper here.
I'm being watched. They have been looking for grass. Just in case....
If we do this right, mom will think we're looking for grass. Like we don't know it's winter and there is no grass. But check this out.
We could just sort of stroll over it like we don't know it's there....
Forget it girls. I see you and I'll get the Gus if you don't back up!
I really like white snow better than dirty snow.
It's cold and windy. We did some snow out of the predicted storm. But everyone seems to want to be in.
On really cold, snowy mornings the best thing to do
is to stuff your favorite ball full of snow and bring it in the house!
The wind blew like crazy yesterday. It blew my glasses right off my face. It also
blew Missing Miss Rosie home. She was still here this morning and got penned with the sheep and horse.
The sky this morning was pretty good. It's a pre-storm sunrise.
You can see the Magpie house and it's front door in this next one.
The weather service thinks we might get 5 - 10 inches of snow in the next couple of days. Glad I went to Billings today!
Today was dinner in the Snowy Mountains with friends Irwin and Loretta.
Loretta bakes a great apple pie! There was wonderful ham
and potatoes , carrots, cranberries, and lots of good visiting.
We left a bit of ham for Copper.
And we let the deer nibble in the front yard.
The view is spectacular.
And there was a cloud with just a bit of a rainbow attached.
We had a wonderful afternoon. Thanks Irwin and Loretta!
She is giving me grey hair! Miss Rosie wandered off again, the first part of the week and this time has stayed away. I looked for her Wednesday. I looked for her Thursday.
With help from The Gus.
He looked, and looked some more.
Wait a sec Mom!
I'm on it!
Here, Mom! Right here!
Uh, Gus. That is not looking much like a llama.
Mom! Over here. Hurry! Mom!
In here!
Um, Gus. I wonder if you might be on a mouse trail?
sigh. a dog tries to help....
We did not find Rosie on Thursday. There was no Rosie at breakfast time this morning, Saturday.
We looked some more. We checked the upper east pasture. We came down. We looked by the river. We thought we might be seeing a track. Into the west meadow. A shape with wiggly ears on the far side of the trees.
ROSIE!
munch, munch. hmmmmm.
Rosie. Look at you! You are a mess! There are leaves all over you. What's on earth....
Tree leaf camo. mmhhmm. Makes me invisible. Horse can't find me.
Rosie, we are going to have to brush all that junk out of your coat eventually.
Hrmmmrm! Catch me if you can! Hmmmmham.
I have one Milk Bone llama cookie in my pocket. She comes right over, eager for a treat. Snatches the cookie from my fingers and..
turns her back on me! Something about a really tasty bit of leaf over there..
And here I've been thinking she had become a midnight snack for a bunch of rowdy, flea bitten, bad mannered coyotes!
No, last I looked she wasn't home. sigh.
