IT’S ALL ABOUT THE FARM today. Because, well, spring has sprung and it seems like everything is happening all at once. Lambs in the barn, brush to clear, gardens to tend, barn roofs to patch, etc. It’s all good, there’s just a lot of it.
I’m happy to report that the three lambs we have are doing well. Barbie, aka “Explodo Ewe” was due yesterday, but so far, she seems oblivious. The photo below is of Lady Godiva (lambs = Salt and Pepper) and Lady Baa Baa (with Chess, the black and white lamb in the middle). This is the first time that they have left the barn and gone up the hill to graze on real grass. That’s Pepper on the left, unclear what to make of Luke’s tombstone, which says That’ll Do, Luke, That’ll Do. (I wrote about Luke and the headstone in For the Love of a Dog, if you’d like to read more.)
Maggie, aka “Trisha and Willie’s personal trainer,” continues to steal our hearts, strengthen our legs and add immeasurable joy to Redstart Farm. Full of energy as only an adolescent working breed can be, she takes me up the steep hill behind the house three to six times a day, runs Willie into a stupor by the end of the day and is learning, learning, learning every day. “Oh. I shouldn’t leap up onto the dining room table and play with Trisha’s laptop? Chase the cats? Crawl under the gate to get to the sheep and work them all by myself?” (I’m happy to say that I was able to stop her mid-scrunch before she, as only a teenage Border Collie could do, got through the gate and wreaked havoc in the barn.)
I’m not sure who loves Maggie more–me, Willie or Jim, but even though all three of us middle-agers are besotted with love for her, we breathe a sigh of relief when I put Maggie in her crate for the night. Sometimes we alternate who goes up stairs for the evening and who stays down to play with Maggie. Willie always chooses early retirement. Last night Jim and Willie went up early (well deserved after Jim let me stay in bed until 8:30 Sunday morning–crazy luxury!) while I played fetch with Maggie in the house. She is one of those magical dogs who automatically brings you a toy if you toss it. No training, no encouragement, just an “auto fetch” from a dog who is inherently programmed to work as a team. Amazes and humbles me, I have to say.
Here’s a photo that Jim took of Willie and Maggie playing up the hill. I was working in the barn and asked him if he’d take the camera up with the dogs to get some shots. He’s a great photographer, as this photo attests:
The cats also appear to be thrilled with the warmer weather. Nellie, pictured below, loves to climb into vehicles so much that I do a “vehicle inspection” before anyone is allowed to leave. Here she is in the driver’s seat of the garden tractor, looking like she owns it. Maybe we can teach her to do the mowing?
Our only color this time of year is daffodils and green, green grass. But that’s enough to make the winter-weary citizens of the north happy!
What about you? What is your favorite sign of spring? One of my favorites is the dawn chorus of bird song that greets us every morning, but I don’t have a photo of that! How about those of you in the Southern Hemisphere who are leaving summer and going into fall? Where ever you are, I hope you are able to enjoy the changing seasons and store up what’s good for the summer (hot, yuck) or winter (brrrrr) to come.
Jan Hankins says
I always love your photos.
Jolynn Myers says
Enjoy your dog’s energy! This is a melancholy spring for us, as our Aussie is 13, and we worry this is our last spring with her. My telling her every day for the last year, to”not get any older” hasn’t helped! 🙁 Eagerly awaiting the return of our orioles and hummingbirds! Saw a Pileated Woodpecker in our woods here in Town of Vermont. I was so excited at first – until I realized what damage they can do in a very short time! Happy Spring! C’mon warmer and drier weather!
Nic1 says
Bluebells, daffodils and blackbird song. The vivid yellow Rape seed in the fields and the pungent stench of it in the air. The promise of Asparagus pulled fresh drom the earth…Lambs frolicking and gambolling. I love Spring!
I also love hearing your tales from Redstart Farm and it’s fabulous to hear that Maggie is keeping you all fit, amused and exhausted in equal measure. How wonderful that she’s a natural fetcher. I have a dog who is always trying to figure out how to train ME to give her the other ball as well as the one she has!
Such a joyful picture of Maggie and Willie playing. I just love their big, goofy grins. Wonderful…..although Nellie looks a bit put out that you’ve disturbed her snooze. 🙂
Taryn says
I love the early morning bird calls as well, but my favorite sound by far is the peeper frogs you can here in the early evening. Music to my ears!
widogmom says
Our Abby (a Cockalier) is about Maggie’s age, and she certainly does keep us moving, so I can relate! Beautiful pictures, and I love that you named the little b&w lamb “Chess;” great name! My favorite signs of spring are 1) Early: bringing the RV out of storage (though she’s had her share of issues this year because of the severe winter), and 2) Late: Red-Winged Blackbirds…my very favorite bird song!
Trisha says
Oh Jolynn, our hearts are with you. I know so well what it feels like, after watching Lassie and Pippy Tay and Tulip get older and older. I know you are cherishing every day; what a lucky dog you have to be so loved and well taken care of.
And Taryn: I love the spring peepers too! And the tree frogs, once they get started (a little later). Thanks for the reminder of all the instruments in the spring orchestra. Spring really is something around here… no doubt in part because winter is such a radical switch. Right now the thunder is booming and the rain is pouring down; all 3 dogs are cuddled up beside me. I they don’t like the thunder, but I love the cuddling.
LisaW says
This spring, after too many months of ice and snow, I have a renewed appreciation for mud. A rite of passage that taxes our patience, our love of the land, and our axles. Mud has a tenacious plasticity that is hard to navigate yet brings beauty into the world. Spring peepers awake from the mud, crocus unfurl out of the mud, and seeds germinate in the mud. Mud is messy. Mud is inconvenient. Mud is necessary. And eventually, the mud settles, the earth dries, and what emerges sometimes startles: a frog, a flower, a patch of brilliant green grass.
Yay for increased gross national happiness at Redstart Farm.
Laura says
Ah… those pictures are just beautiful. I always love reading your descriptions of all the seasons of the year. About 8 hours north of you here in Minnesota, it’s raining. I know most minnesotans are now upset about this, since it’s been steadily raining since Sunday and isn’t forcast to stop until Thursday, I like that it is washing the world clean and is making the grass eye poppingly green. I know the sun will be back and oh, how lovely it’ll look then. My favorite part of spring is many things all roled into one. I love the smell of the earth, fertile and ready to bring forth a new year’s worth of grass, flowers and trees. I love the warmth and strength of the sun. I love the smell of lilacks in mid-may, when the breezes are finally at last consistently warm and the scent swirls towards you on a gorgeous Sunday morning. I love it when the birds come back. hearing them sing when it was still cold and snowy earlier this year almost made me weep for joy. Animals are smarter than we are, and if they came back, I knew Spring wasn’t far behind.Seamus is accepting of the rain and does his job as happily as he does anything else. He is currently snoozing under my desk right now. Have a great spring everyone!
Jeanne says
Crocuses pushing through frozen earth, daffodills with faces turned to the sun, bluebells and wild bleeding heart and trillium in the woods, the return of birdsong in the morning (early! so early!) and my golden-boy Rex, warming himself in the sun-patch on the back porch, snoot lifted to catch the scents. And light. Sunlight! We live in the long, gray-wintered northwest. Did I mention sunlight?
Love your posts, Trisha. The mix of science and wonder, joy and the occasional frustration, how you make us think and ask questions. Thank you for all you do.
ps: The video of Maggie & Willie running together made my throat catch and my eyes puddle. The search for Reactive Rex’s next sibling will require the same focus and scrutiny, and a measure of providence. Thanks for sharing.
Christy says
Hi Trisha and everyone, just found your blog a few weeks ago and so wished I’d known about it when we got our pup. We absolutely love her, she is 19 months now, Rhodesian Ridgeback and my entire world! I did a lot of things wrong but I’m working with a behaviorist/trainer to get her on the better track. She’s great with kids and women but doesn’t like men at all! Except my husband and father. I don’t take chances however with the kids, just not a gambler. Even though she’s never shown a sign of dislike to any child ever. I don’t want her or them in a position that might not be the best.
Trying to train our grandkids and kids, how to properly interact with animals. Thankfully they are receptive to this and learning quickly.
I’ve purchased your cautious canine and we’ve started the program. I have also purchased the Leader of the Pack and the other end of the leash. Can’t wait to get them and learn more.
Thanks for all you do to help animal lovers every where!
Spring for us, South Alabama, means humidity! But we also have Eastern Blue Birds, roses, wild flowers such as honeysuckle that smell so good right now.
Gayla says
I envy you the drama of springtime. When the contrast is so great that you simply can not ‘walk by a field with the color purple in it, and fail to notice.’
HFR says
I know it’s spring when my dogs start munching the grass and dirt again. What is it with dogs and the fresh new grass and spring mud?
LunaGrace says
Robins, robins, robins bring Spring here in Western South Dakota, yanking worms out of impossibly frozen ground. Tho’ we’ve had a wild few days of spitting snow, strong winds, and hail, the grosbeaks have been mugging my birdfeeders and the mountain bluebirds are flying furiously, trying to decide which of the three birdhouses this year they will claim.
Gave up pleading with Yogi the Bear Dog to remain young (his 9th birthday was last week) and welcomed an Icelandic Sheepdog puppy, “Gunnar”, into the family to help give him a Second Wind. Lots for an experienced dog to teach the youngster. My first Herding breed, and I am looking forward to doing a lot of observing of behaviour and being taught new canine ways along the road to the conformation and performance competition rings as well as venturing into the herding test or instinct arena.
Hoped The Boys would be spending more time outdoors by now but “No Winter lasts forever, no Spring skips its turn” — however brief that may be before we surge into Summer! Await the Barbie progress report on pins and needles.
diane says
Thank you … your pictures and your writings are so enjoyable. I appreciate learning from you and all who contribute.
When I take my dog out before retiring for the day, I love the gentle warm breeze that Spring can bring. It’s not always there, but when it is I am so thankful for the experience. My dog is thankful too because, when we get this beautiful breeze, I let him stay out longer doing his personal nose work! He too lifts his head to the breeze (who knows what he’s zeroing in on …but I can guess!!)
Spring and new life are wonderful, but sometimes it can slap us. We think about aging and how youth used to be for us and our companions. You wish you can freeze in time, but know it’s impossible. My dog is 9, not so old, but he is a larger breed. I have similar concerns that Jolynn and, I am sure, so many others have felt. I often chastise myself for thinking of losing my dog as often as I do. I keep reminding myself to learn from my dog by thinking only of the time we have now. This is not so easy.
It’s the moments that matter…and I wish you all wonderful moments. Enjoy Spring and the life it brings!
Trisha says
LisaW: I love your “Ode to Mud.” I brought it to mind yesterday when I sank into six inches of it, wearing inappropriate footwear no less. And messy and clinging as it is, you are right; it is as essential as spring rain and summer sun.
To Laura: Sounds as though we agree about the definition of spring. I’m always amazed by folks who seem to define spring as, and only as, a sunny and 65 degree day. Everything else gets complaints. But to me spring is cold rain and mud and tender green shoots poking through the snow and an occasional calendar-perfect-blue-sky-sunny-day sandwiched in between one windy day that pushes down the old black cherry tree up the hill and a cold, misty rainy day that produces… wait for it…. more mud.
Trisha says
Also, thanks to you all for taking the time to tell us what you love about spring. I’ve read your comments all 3 times now, because just reading about spring peppers and blue birds (mountain blue birds? oh my, how wonderful!) and Rape seed fields from the UK 🙂 and watching our dog’s noses lift into the air to track the scents that rise from the ground as it warms makes me happy. Ummmmm, love it.
And Cristy, good luck with your new dog!
Harley says
Nice post, I love spring as well, I live in rural Canada, on my family homestead, I too am a benevolent dog owner who does not believe in dominating your dog to get results, love and consistency is the key. Thanks for sharing.
Nic1 says
@HFR “I know it’s spring when my dogs start munching the grass and dirt again. What is it with dogs and the fresh new grass and spring mud?”
I’d love to know! Do you think they genuinely enjoy the taste of it? My girl started munching away late yesterday evening and it struck me that she’s been doing this a lot more lately. Is it like a seasonal salad to them perhaps?
liz says
Here here to signs of spring!
Chives! Fresh chives! The beginnings of rhubarb, asparagus- all of their promise towards a new season of food. I’m so excited that even though I know it’s early, my eyes are already peeled for morel mushrooms in the woods. I did very much enjoy the soups, casseroles and potpies of winter. But when I get to eat my first homegrown or local salad… there will be no words.
HFR says
@Nic1: There is definitely something about the fresh, spring grass that is appealing to them. They don’t eat grass any other time of year and one of my dogs will scratch at the dirt underneath to munch on that too. And my friend’s dog does the same thing. And you can tell the grass is new because it is that lovely bright green color. Maybe it is just more evidence that fresh is always better? 🙂
Kat says
My favorite part of spring is planting. Ok, playing in the mud because I can’t help myself, the first snowdrops and crocus pop up and I have a desperate need to be planting something. Today I finished planting my blueberry bushes (although why I decided I needed a full dozen blueberry bushes must be blamed on spring fever and a good plant sale) Today it was 84 degrees F. but tomorrow it returns to a more spring like 68. Tomorrow the gooseberry and black currant go in the ground and the day after that all 50 strawberry plants. I think I was more than a bit crazy when I saw the first signs of spring this year.
Mireille says
What I love about spring in the Netherlands? The way the green explodes, you can almost see things growing day by day. And all the different shades of green. Then there are the flowers, in my front yard but also in the fields, like cow parsley. This year, we had no winter to speak of and a very early spring. Everything was about a month early. Magnolia trees have already bloomed. Blossom of the fruit trees has almost gone again. That’s another thing I adore, walking through the cherry orchards when they are a sea of white.
I also love the chorus of birdsong. Oh, and that morning that the first ‘kievit’ is there (Northern lapwing or Peewit). One of my favourite birds because of the sheer joy in flying the they exude. I saw them playing with traffic one, soaring on the gusts of wind from trucks. They are real ‘stunt flyers’
What I hate about spring are the pheasants. Full of testosteron the males parade around the fields, driving my two sibes absolutely crazy (don’t know which animal has a higher level of male hormones floating around). Another downside is the temperature; it’s slowly getting to warm to go scootering, there’s to much wildlife around to let the dogs runs loose so we have to find other ways to let my two youngster ge rid of their energy. Luckily Shad likes to play fetch (although he does not like to swim http://youtu.be/oYSEsZDe4j0.
And they have each other; http://youtu.be/v5Z171ormHE (this after an hour of dog-scootering by the way, no sleeping late on sundays at this moment, we try to use every cool hour we can ;-).
Love to see your springtime pics and to hearabout Maggy who has clearly stolen your hearts.
And here are some ofmy spring pics from last week: http://huskyheren.blogspot.nl/
Kathleen Bullard says
My sisters in Minnesota and upstate NY swear we don’t have seasons here in Southern California, but we do, although subtle. I love this time of year for all the wonderful succession of scents – wisteria, followed by jasmine, and citrus and as the last of the limes and avocados fall off as the new fruit sets. My husband and I got a rescue dog, Blake, in mid-January (our first dog in 31 years of marriage!). He’s a small 11-pound black terrier mix with huge ears. And Blake has earned his weight in avocados finding them in the backyard and hauling them in ahead of the squirrels, raccoons, and opossums! I’ve heard they are toxic to dogs, (but he hasn’t read that) so I grab them away in exchange for treats.
Nic1 says
Mireille, I have just spent the last twenty minutes looking at the videos of your beautiful dogs. I really enjoyed watching them play ‘bitey face’ with really lovely cut off signals and think it is a great example of watching these types of dogs playing very nicely. Watching them howl along along with the noon church bells made me laugh out loud.
Gorgeous dogs, full of character and now I have started to want a husky or two!
How much exercise do they need to get by every day? The scootering seems a perfect outlet for them. Lots of fun too I imagine.
🙂
Jen says
I love, love, love the photo of the two dogs playing together! I have a year old intact BC male who is similar to your Maggie with the play, play, play! My older dog gets along with him marvelously even though she is a reactive resource guarder and when we go up to bed at night she’s asleep before I even get the pup in his crate. My pup came home at 8 weeks so it was a little different situation and she helped me raise him and is surprisingly appropriate with him until she gets tired too. I’m enjoying reading all about your adventures with your dogs and sheep!