July 21, 2007: Blood sampling ewes.
The last few days we have been out gathering in more sheep from the hills. This time we gathered in barren ewes and a selection of sheep from various hirsels. These ewes provided a blood sample to check for the two main causes of sheep abortion in the UK – enzootic abortion and toxoplasmosis. This farm and neighbouring farms have been clear of these diseases but each year blood samples are taken to ensure the farms remain free. Sheep health management is everything here!

Some of these barren ewes have now become our new 'training' sheep. They are wild! The older dogs love them. The pups have not yet seen these sheep. Perhaps, when the sheep quieten down a bit, we will introduce the pups to them in our 'round pen.' We have rarely used a round pen to start pups, preferring instead to use a small field and holding the sheep with a more experienced dog. However, we discovered a 'round pen' (an old sheep fold made with rocks) just around the hill beside our cottage, so we thought we'd give it a try sometime. Stay tuned for that.

So far we have been able to get most of our work done in the mornings and early afternoons, so the evenings have been left free to train dogs. We had a couple of days of good weather this week but torrential rain made training some nights short and sodden. We love the rain! To get to the training field we have to hop over a burn. If it has been raining, we have to leap the burn with the best long jump bound we can muster and hope we make it to the other side. Only once - so far- has this bound been shy of the mark. The water is not too cold when you miss. The dogs love the burn on hot days.

During the week, Kelvin joined the local running club. He has decided it is about time to get fit again (running fit) so off he went on Thursday night to a club run. Unbeknownst to him Thursdays are 'speed work' days so he found himself thrust into trying to run fast - not a pretty sight right now. He came home mumbling something about going on Tuesdays instead -a 'long run' night. We have both managed to don our running shoes for a wee jaunt around the area - one night uphills and the next morning on the flat. There is a 'flat' road meandering up through an incredibly beautiful valley for about 6 miles where the only things to keep one company are the sheep, a few cows, Bailey, and your thoughts. Ah, such tranquility!

On the cottage front, we've almost finished putting in a new floor in the guest bedroom and have started painting our bedroom and the living room. For us, life is never dull - or idle.


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July 16, 2007 A week of gathering sheep.