Debbie Crowder-BaaramuLuke

Anyone know if there's a website for the Bluegrass 2007? Can't find anything.

I spend a lot of time wading in sheep-and I definately can attest to the steel toe boot being MY best friend. I endorse my paddock boots by Mountain Horse, a pull on with side elastics that are real comfy, but in mud, the Muck Chore boot is nice. As for kneeknockers, better woolies than hair. They feel better while running over you.

Okay, I'll bite... We currently have several rescuers as clients, and I'll bet one of them would be happy to let you have a kitten, there are two posted here at work right now, beautiful longer haired orange tabbies. I have two black kittens and two adults I haven't trapped yet to have fixed and released, if you want one, and they go tame when caught, it's yours!! What you won't get through individuals are any assurances about vaccines and neutering, that's on you. I know those folks can seem unreasonable, but it's theirs until they place it, to pay for and care for. If they can't take chances (or won't) they'll serve fewer kitties in the long run, trying to look for "perfect" homes.

Human poo is awful, (hikers, contractors where was no portajohn), and anything aquatic and dead seem to be my worst experiences, whereas most grazing animal poop is bearable. I bathe them with NuSal-T because it's pungent enough to do the job on them, for crates I use Simple Green.

Gosh, I know how you feel. I had my first BC go through horrible IMHA, with all the steroids, and he developed the nosebleeds and facial paralysis as well. I'd wake up and his bed looked like the big shoot out scene in Taxi Driver. All I can offer you is anecdotal-Calvin had nasal endoscopy, and the internal doctor dislodged a large clot (looking for tumors) that scared her to death. After that, he didn't have nearly as bad nosebleeds, but they'd pop up from time to time. Eventually they subsided altogether, but after that, he regressed to other problems. I lost him a few monthes after that. I feel for you, good luck with treaments.

Try to get up to the trial in Berryville next weekend, look me up and I'll show you pen work-one of the finest ways to learn sheep. Hopefully the weather will be decent and the trial laid back and fun, lots of good people there. I know how you feel. It's truly infectious.

I don't think there are any trials in this neck of the woods. Next weekend is the winter VBCA trial and awards banquet, Keepstone Farm in Berryville VA, and the weekend after that is a one day trial in Churchill MD at Longshot Farm. Same weekend as that is a Cattledog trial in Gladys VA.

I saw you come up to the "party" we were having at the top and say hi to Tom; I don't know if we've ever really met, but I know you from Sheep and Wool demos you do with my old pal Mark Soper and that other guy (what's his name, Mooney? just kidding). I like to see old faces come back to the post, wish Barry (speak of the devil) would come back too. It was a fun trial. Saw lots of fun in the dip! And Miss Joan and I are officially adopted sisters now. She's a real gem. Frank and his daughter Teresa were genuine good folk to hang with too! Glad to see you back, Miss Nancy!

The Virginia State Fair has held a SDTrial for more than 28 years at their annual event, usually in late September/early Oct. (hmmm...wonder when that will be in relation to Gettysburg) and it draws enough handlers to fill the time constraints given it (10-5), but it is held in a horse show arena, which makes for some interesting runs. It is competitive and draws small crowds of Fair goers, not like we'd maybe like to see, but it's exposure to the public about what our dogs and our work are about. The deomonstrations leading up to the trial day (a Thursday, lately) are packed, but they are half-hour exhibitions, ususally around 6-7pm. The idea is to draw folks back to see the trial. Karen Lacy has been the superintendant for that trial for years, talk to her about it! BTW, her mom passed away Saturday...

Hey, don't forget to read the little messages inside the wrappers...they're a hoot!

Yes, 'twas I. You mentioned needing some the minute the trial was over, and you'd be hitting the couch with a movie, and I ALWAYS have some available when working, so I gave you my stash for relaxing-time. The clothes pin came in handy for leaivn ga message!

I saw peaches...they looked right ruff.

There was that...I'm certain some handlers may have found the footing more slippery than others, and Colin, could you have been missing some of your beauty sleep when you did your skating? And I thought those were grapes? If I could be down there, I'd be glad to pitch in this weekend, and I'm glad to hear of all the offers. This is a good bunch of folks.

Jason Hunt and I were tending to sheep to be released from the pen after the LAST run of the LAST day at Border Springs' Trial last weekend and one minute the handler was working on his shed, the next minute he was on the ground, where he stayed for a while. Turned out Mr. Dean Holcomb took a nasty spill and when we got upfield, we learned he had injured his shoulder possibly? Any news?

I put in a bid for pen work, hopefully will be there the Sunday 23(?) til the end. Not sure if I will have a camper by then, but may need to book a room with someone, if I dare (I'm awful company sometimes, ask Sue).

Liz, Great pics of Freya. I wish I had the common sense ability to send pictures of Simon...especially last weekend's in the mud. He's got the same eyes!

Thinking of all of you at Seclusival today, speaking of weather. Thank heaven I had to do my day job this time!

Okay, it's been a week, and I'm over it. (haha) I enjoyed myself, which makes me a real sicko, and the sheep looked good Monday, and Simon got a bath Tuesday to remove the last tail blobs that were holding on, so all is well. I appreciate all who appreciated the work and the stress of it all and kept their patience with us and we had a good trial, even if the festival bombed. And Kat proved that a good working (REALLY working) dog can pull of a trial championship at the same time as pulling that work load. And thanks to Simon and Twist who even helped sort out the twenty sheep going to Seclusival at the end of that long weekend. Now THAT makes me proud... Thanks to the tear-down crew who put in a few hours dismantling it all this week, Wink and Roy and crew. Tim and I have to go later today to pick up my round pen. I'm curious to see how it looks a week later. I have never seen such mud in all my life.

p.s. Ya know, the Finals in PA will likely be finishing up the week before this trial runs next year. How's that for a thought!

Not the last year for the FAIR, hopefully not the SDT either, just the location (possibly). I wanted to also add that the new location will likely be FABULOUS, with space for a real trial field, maybe incuding one with the Celtic Festival/Highland Games as well. Tom wants to hear bagpipes again when he runs his dogs. The new location is on property that was once The Meadow farm, home to Secretariat and a bunch of other notable race horses (First Landing and Riva Ridge). Just a couple miles off I-95 at Doswell, also real close to me (yay). We Expect to see Miss Asten there next year.

Hey, sheep like it better cool and unwindy, rain they can take okay if it's easy rain. Sheep happy, I'm happy. If it was like today, I'd whine about that. So would they if they could. Just makes me plan different (more clothes for changing, towels, tents, the like.) And Deb, those guys are wrong a lot of the times...I can't remember the last yucky weather Montpelier! Anybody remember the Celtic Festival in Richmond in October years ago when it rained hard for both days and was about 50 degrees? Tom Forrester had just gotten Bud, he was tied under a stock trailer, better off than we were, just about the worst weather at a trial I ever enjoyed, to that point. Then I went to Longshot! (where weather is sideways). I love it all for the memories. HA HA!!

Guess my forecast is invalid: Barboursville: Saturday showers, hi 59 lo 50, Sunday 'few' showers 71, 53. I'll take yours instead. Our local guy gives this gloom/doom everytime there's an offshore low. Moving inland makes a difference. Guess my perspective is more like Julie's too...sorry Julie! We can set up our 4H tents up top.

If you think this is bad for the general public to be educated by regarding our dogs, just wait til the movie, and all the PR that'll go into that. I wish I had Luke with me for that one, a better PR man for Border Collies and being a capable working dog as well as an urban go-to-work with me, play-gently-with-toddlers dog you'll never meet. Proof that most of these dogs are not Orson, but a few are, and I've had one like him. Melanie is right, you protect your dog, thus protecting the people. We ought to plan for our own civilized response to the information that will come of that movie's promotion. I have to wonder if Orson's eventual demise will be brought up then by Katz.

That picture ought to be in one of the Working BC magazines...how many people get to wear sheep toward a dinosaur. Speaking of the Fair, this year may be the alst year at this location; ARE will announce their 2007 location in January (cowards!), so at one time, we had planned to have a "Last time in Richmond" State Fair SDT cookout or something, but who can tell, may be there again next year. I highly recommend the VaTech Block and Bridle barbeque dinner, $8.00 for a chicken quarter (if they still have them)or choice of pork, beef or chicken sandwich with beans, coleslaw and bottle of soda. Anybody remember HeeHaw? YUM YUM!! There's a tent with tables next door if anyone wants to have dinner with me and my pals after the trial. Then again if it rains, I'm going home. Wait a minute, I can't--4H duty at Young McDonalds in the Big Red Barn-drat! I hear rain for Montpelier as well. Oh joy.

Liz, I would think Karen might know someone who's coming from that part of the state, try her. Any chance they'll be at Montpelier? Sue, I PM'd you...