Knee Deep

Okay...Thanksgiving is just around the corner...and if you have been watching any of the Brene' Brown videos...you know that finding thankful joy is cornerstone to living an authentic life.  So, with that in mind....today I am thankful for my new friend!  Over the years, we've met a few times at clinics and trials....and we have many a friend in common...but recently we've gotten to know each other a little better and for that, I am thankful.  She is part of the Knee Deep Cattle Company; she and her husband use border collies to work their cattle operation on a daily basis.  She also trials in the cow dog world and does very handy work with her dog and her horse.  With all that, who would think she had time, but she is beginning the journey of trialing in the sheepdog world....and so begins our time together working dogs. 

I was invited down to work dogs on Friday and looked forward to it every day until Friday arrived.  You can imagine my surprise when I showed up and saw this in the field we were to work in:

She, who is better known as Alvina, assured me that the cows in the field were not an issue.  Generally these cows...who are bred and well fed, leave the vicinity when the dog work begins. Funny, not that Friday.....those cows decided that me and my dog were there for their viewing pleasure and came closer to have a better look.  Nell would do fairly big outruns on the sheep....bring them half way to me, then drive them back to the top of the field....which was fine.  Then she would recall off and begin to do a big huge outrun to gather the cows behind me...which she was absolutely sure were there for her to work! Thankfully, Nell could be called off and would leave the cows to their watching while she gathered the set sheep.  I laughed and Alvina laughed...and then I packed it in.

What an amazing day...big field....nice sheep...good conversation....dogs are looking good and gaining skills and knowledge.  Thankful, that is a great way to feel!

Seize the day!