This week, all things being equal, we shall have a roof and the siding done on The Coupe. I hope!
I am trying SO HARD to be patient.
Blue has been very carefully helping Ton put the naughty Murphy back in his paddock each time we walk down by the creek. Yesterday he even finished the job.
I send Ton round to keep the little sheep from darting into the field, and then he goes down and waits just past where we usually put him back through to stop him there. Blue just trots behind him and keeps him moving slowly along the fence line. He is way way to young to be working any stock however he appears to be doing quite a good job with this simple task. As I was calling Ton to ‘walk up’ Blue made an executive decision and popped the lamb right through. (The lamb was willing though which was helpful). Working two dogs together is going to make jobs like this so much easier. Each dog must respond to his own name, ignoring commands to the other dog, so this is where we will begin our training, in a while. This Murphy has pointed out a weakness in the fence too so today we will take down a few T posts and start repairs.
The coyotes were out last night and that little fella would make a very fine dinner for them. When they start howling I go into the verandah which acts like a bell, and loudly shout back and clap my hands, they always go quiet when they hear my voice. But I bet they do not go away.
Good morning. The peafowl are all back in the Penthouse, they wandered quite happily back in there yesterday morning.
No sign of either of Author’s kittens yesterday. Maybe they really were too small to survive or possibly she has taken them into deep hiding. My instincts tell me they are gone though. Nature takes over again.
Yesterday I pruned trees, removed winter rabbit protection, retied stakes and even had to surgically remove a stake from the little walnut in our Daily View, John had to cut the stake with a big metal cutting machine and we slid it upwards out of the groove it had grown around the stake. This is a common error of mine, to forget to loosen or even shift the stake and tie on each tree each year. So all the apples and pears and thicket trees have been checked and retied. (Slices of old bicycle inner tubes are good for tying up trees.) The cherry tree that had to be shifted out of the work site and was carefully replanted is flowering and shooting up leaves. Much to everyone’s surprise actually. So I pruned it really hard (you need to take off a third of the foliage when replanting) and it is on a frequent watering rotation too. There is a good chance that it may survive.
Today I will pick the first of the summer lettuce and radishes. Bounty.
Have a lovely day.
your friend celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
49 responses to “Blue takes it upon himself to work the sheep.”
What clever dogs!
Poor Author 😦
Author is off to the vet tomorrow, there is talk of her actually birthing these two too early due to some other problem.. poor author indeed.. c
Working late: what a delight to be able to be at farmy early:) ! Well, Blue began well and obviously knows what is expected – look at that concentration! Methinks does belong in the ‘gifted child’ category !! Can’t believe you already have lettuce on the table . . . enjoy!!
Reading vivinfrance’s comment: I still use old panty-hose every time when joining trees to stakes! Do the same with tomato etc plants also . . .
Morning , I mean Ni Ni Eha! Your tree got pruned and staked yesterday as well.. I shall find some old tights and go back and re tie it now!! c
What a lovely morning laugh: thanks indeed from me and my tree 🙂 !
Clever Blue – it’s all in the genes. I always tied trees etc to stakes using old tights (panty-hose) because there’s a certain amount of give in them.. When we moved into our first house in France, we had to rescue a young tree on a bank: ivy and wire had twined its way round several branches, cutting deeply in. 24 years later, that tree is now a whopping healthy oak. Mistletoe is a real problem here. Farmers are legally required to remove it, but they don’t bother and (mainly) apple and poplar trees are weighed down with huge masses of the stuff. We could make a fortune in the Christmas markets and do the trees a service!
Have a lovely day and enjoy the fruits of your gardening labours.
Vx
stockings are an excellent idea, morning viv! c
G’night!
Little Blue is lifting my spirits thinking about those poor kittens – you know how super sensitive I am about animals C. I hope they are just hiding in a warm corner.
🙂 Mandy xo
I know Mandy, I fear it is bad luck for the wee pet, the vet thinks she birthed them too early and was too little herself.. which makes sense.. she is off to the vet tomorrow to be checked out.. c
oh, no… poor Author! Blue seems to be doing a good job =)
Celi, what an amazing pup! Your photos of Blue are a delight, and I’m so happy you were able to capture him at work! Strange and sad about those kittens. I’m with Mandy in hoping they are in a warm corner.
Didn’t think it would take to long for that Smart Blue to start herding!!! We are getting lots of lettuce, spinach, green onions and radishes from the garden already!!! It’s fabulous!!! xoxoxo
Nothing is quite as wonderful as a freshly picked salad! c
You are such a trooper to express patience in the Coupe construction. When we had windows, doors and siding installed in our house several years ago, I nearly lost it with one particular carpenter. But he had issues, of which I was unaware until after I hired him.
It appears that Blue is going to work beautifully for you. Such a fine dog to team with TonTon.
Enjoy the lettuce and radishes. This week is supposed to be gorgeous here in se MN. I am waiting for the temp to rise into the 60s this afternoon so I can finish varnishing an oak table for my son, who arrives home from college later this week. I will have him here for three days b/n flying out to Boston and moving to a nearby town for his summer internship. But to have him only 60 miles away rather than 300 will be marvelous.
Goood Boy Blue. Celi is that the new cladding on the original house? Hope Mr Skunk isn’t following the coyotes – hide TonTon and Blue. Laura
That’s a good sign having Blue naturally take to working, isn’t it? I know I couldn’t stop my malamutes from pulling the minute they got a harness on. It was in their bones. I’m glad you cut away the stake from the young tree, but don’t worry because trees are very resilient and even with a stake growing thru their middle they will continue to conduct their growing business around it. The only thing is the tree might grow misshaped when you would have wanted a straight stem. I know in Oxford there is a rather large linen happily growing with a chain which had been tied around it at some time millions of years ago. It has simply incorporated the chain into its being and all you can see is a link or two sticking out here or there.
I’m sorry but your workmen saga makes me smile and shake my head, (in an incredibly sympathetic way), having to deal with post flooding renos here. I always think of that great favorite of mine “A Year in Provence” where Peter Mayle waited for workers who didn’t show up week after week…remember? Then her realised that the reply “normalement”, to his asking if they would come on a said day, did not mean yes they would show up, it rather meant “all things being equal it’s a possibility.” Now when Robert asks if the workmen have shown up I just say “Normalement!”
Of course, i remember that now, I have that book here, and the dry-waller just showed up with his crew, there was a language problem there too, so now iIhave loud latin american music pumping which is delightful and the place is heaving with men all working at speed. LOVE IT!! Glad to hear the walnut should be ok, I do like that tree.. You are always so good with your info.. I learn heaps from you.. thank you.. c
Works should go quickly with that Latin beat!
Good dog, Blue!
Maybe sad about the kittens…could be that Author has taken them to a safe place,,we shall just have to wait and see.
Blue is doing very well for a beginner…with the variety of animals you have I think that you will need a hand to get them moving.
Spring has really sprung on your Farmy…it is good to hear that plants have survived the winter
have a great day yourself
[…] Blue must be a very clever dog https://thekitchensgarden.com/2013/05/06/blue-takes-it-upon-himself-to-work-the-sheep/. […]
Hi thekitchensgarden I have nominated you for the supersweetbloggeraward. I do hope you will accept http://aristonorganic.wordpress.com/2013/05/06/supersweetblogger-award/
Brigid that is so kind, the award game is hard for me to play as i post this blog in about twenty minutes in the early early morning before beginning my day, i load the pics the night before and i allow myself a few minutes at breakfast time to answer some comments so as you can imagine, time is tight at this time of year.. but thank you so much for thinking of me.. c
No worries Cecilia. My pleasure 😀
Your blog is lovely, I am thrilled that you found us! c
thank you Cecilia 😀 *Brigid
feeling is mutual 😀 *Brigid
I’m glad you are taking little Author to the vet. Hope he/she has some answers. Worrisome.
That little Blue fellow seems to be working out fine…thanks in part to TonTon. I’m anxious to hear how you will train them to herd. Imagine! Each having to ignore the commands of the other’s. Quite a feat.
It certainly will be, with really good dogs and their excellent trainers the dogs know what they are meant to be doing and just get busy and work together getting it done, so i am anxious to get it right.. Lots of time yet though, the pup is still way too young to run! c
what a clever little fellow blue is! i hope the poor kitties are just hidden.