Fall is starting to enrich us with some splashes of colour on the ranch. I am a huge fan of fall and wish it could last forever. My "Rookie" in the crew has been working hard with more ranch chores. I have been working on slowing his pace down when asked to do some of the chores that he can get too eager about and cause a bit of stress on the stock. Teamwork is essential. As a youngster in the crew, he is progressing like our seasons and I can't imagine working with any other "Rookie".
Some pics of fall training and memories of the past of Rook's sire "Macc" and soulmate Larry with the training of "our Crew". As I always say" many miles before we sleep." Larry would have loved to work with the Rookie of this crew:-)
One of Master Rook's favourite ranch chores is to help me bring out the minerals to the herd. I bring them out on my quad roped in a bucket. He does his duty at keeping them at bay until I unstrap the bucket since they do like to congregate at my quad and try and push off the bucket before I can put it into their trough - thanks Rookie!
Master Rook watches over the herd while I get back on my quad.
That'll do boy! We have more work to be done. I like this pic because I can call him off nice and calm and one can see my lakes in the background.
This is Rook heeling at my quad while I try and take a pic. I am teaching him to do this so we can work together on the rounds as a team. I am working on his pacing here asking him to slow down - nice work here buddy!
Here I am asking him to do an easy and slow it down to a stop - notice the footwork:-) He is looking out to his herd before we carry on to check the fencing on the west side of the quarter.
Miss Lulu B number 13 and number 30 among the falls colours - and if you look closely there is another Lulu B behind number 30 - I did not notice it until after the photo - you have to look closely. Number 30 is definitely one of my lead bossy gals:-)
Our bovine brigade showing off the early fall fashion - and I am hoping that all are pregnant!
Rook Loves to rodent hunt like his crew gals Ash and Cybelle - here he is on the hunt like an ostrich burying his head in the ground on his homefront. I think he caught a few for a snack before supper!
A proud Rookie with his herd
And there is nothing like Fall back in my home province of Ontario. But, no complaints on our beautiful weather in AB. I Just miss those spectacular fall colours back home. A few nostalgic pics back east on fall hikes with the Crew .
Me and my crew members "Macc" & "Cybelle" back in Ontario on a glorious fall day
"Cybelle" with her puppy boy "Tungsten" on the left with sire "Macc" on the right on a beautiful fall day in Ontario
"Macc", "Rook's" sire among the beautiful red fall foliage
Our good friend Gordon from Toronto on a hike with the crew members "Macc" & "Cybelle" on a fall hike in ON
Fall time "Macc" in Ontario
And in keeping with the fall training theme on this post - here are a few pics taken in fall 2006 in Ontario of Rook's sire "Macc" and Larry at sheep herding lessons. Macc is practising his pen work where he has to bring the sheep out of the pen into the large field. Macc always loved "chore" work.
Rook's sire "Macc" waiting in line for fall sheep herding lessons in Ontario
"My boys" Gone but never Forgotten - Larry & Macc having some downtime between lessons. I am sure they are working together taking care of the sheep and cattle up above me in the ocean-wide sky.
Click Here to view a Tribute of our Rook's sire Macc
In keeping with my dedication to pick a Tuesday each week to pause (paws) and remember a moment in time with the desert crew, here is my next installment for "Timeless Tuesday".
Today I chose some pics from a vacation back in 2005 in Alberta years before we decided that the western province would become our stomping ground in 2008. Our first Canaan crew member the magnificent Maccabee loved to travel and explore. One of our favourite hikes was visiting Mount Edith Cavell, in Jasper, which included a path of the Glacier Trail and the Angel and Cavell Glaciers. The ice caves were among the surreal landscapes that captivated us. Macc seemed destined to want to den in the caves.
Ice, Ice baby!
Two
year-old Maccabee quenches his thirst - Our friend Joanne feeds Macc a bit of
the glacier
Taking
in the scenery - Macc could always look regal and poised against any background
– me and Macc among the glaciers.
A
wild Polar Canaan! Macc
leads Larry out from the ice caves, which looked like giant shells.
A snapshot I took of the TheAngel
Glacier which flows down the
north face of Mount Edith Cavell
Macc gets another bite of the glacier after his hike
I decided to pick a Tuesday each week to pause (paws) and remember a moment in time with the desert crew.
Today I chose some pics from a day trip back in 2006 in Ontario with crew members Cybelle and Macc. Larry and I had taken our first two Canaan Dogs out for a hike to Balls Falls located in the Niagara Peninsula. This conservation area known as the Twenty Mile Creek has two waterfalls - the upper falls which are 35 feet high, and the lower falls which are 90 feet high. There are also several sandstone rock formations – almost cave-like. Cybelle was particularly fond of these formations since they resembled thrones suitable for a young warrior princess. Master Macc was three years old at the time, and Miss Cybelle (a Diva in the making) was just over a year old.
Stay tuned for "Timeless Tuesdays".
Cybelle's view from her castle - she was just over a year old
A young Maccabee ( my Rook's sire) and me beside the lower falls - Macc was gracious to pose since he loathed water!
Cybelle addresses her subjects from her throne
A young three-year old Macc beside the raging falls
Me and Cybelle - I always liked this pic for a couple of reasons: one, Larry captured some interesting shadows on my face ; Two, "Bibs" was always trying to compete with me for a photo shoot:-) and third, my beautiful leather and fur-cuffed gloves were captured in time and never to be seen of again since I forgot them in Balls Falls! They were a birthday present from Larry.
“Through the mirror of my mind
Time after time
I see reflections of you and me”
Diana Ross - Reflections lyrics
Me & my "Macc"
"Here's Looking At you Kid! - Macc always took the time to stop and smile for the camera:-)
Ok I won’t print the rest of the song lyrics because they
don’t apply. But lately, as spring approaches I think of the many memories that
yes, seem to be reflected in my mind. Although, with the huge dumping of snow
today I feel like I should get out the Christmas decorations again. Our
tracking class had to be cancelled today due to the weather, and no herding until
next Sunday.
Tomorrow marks the birthday of my soulmate who passed in
2009 . A friend of mine said don’t focus on the birthdays, but celebrate your
soulmate whenever you feel like it. I feel like I already do this since
the adventures with our Canaan Crew and
our dream out west continues and helps remind me of our direction together. I
have lost the Three Best Men in my life in too short a time. My soulmate "Larry", my beautiful father "Patrick" last May, and my dear heart Canaan boy “Maccabee”’ in Nov.There have been many rough patches, as we all have, but as my mother says " What doesn't kill you makes you stronger":-)
Today, I will take the time to reflect, and tomorrow I will do something fun to celebrate my three best guys - maybe a snow shoe hike with the Canaan Crew, since we have lots of powder in the pasture!
Larry with crew members "Macc" & "Cybelle"
Just a sweet and quiet moment with Larry and our awesome crew gal "Cybelle". Larry just Loved her working spirit and zestfulness toward life!
Larry loved Ash who was our third crew member. He did not get to spend a lot of time with her before he passed - but got to introduce her to her first "driving lessons", and watched her shine as a young dog working cattle. Larry would be so proud of "her work ethic" in stockdog work and tracking!
My Boys! Larry and Macc - they were an amazing team in all they did!
I will miss his "smiley" face
"Reflections" from A Journal I started in October 2011:
"Weeks
after you had left us, your boy Maccabeefound your missing left shoe in the
pasture where the accident took place. I placed it in the hall closest with the
dented one that I brought home from the hospital. That night, as I fed the
fire, the hall closest seemed to crackle. I watched as Macc sniffed and scratched intently at the door. My first thought was that he must be detecting those damn field mice who I had caught storing birdseed in my gum boots on occasion. I opened the door to allow Macc to investigate. It was both a beautiful and heart wrenching spectacle as he dug and lifted out your shoes one by one. He placed them silently down beside him; chin resting gently over the tips to cover up the grass stains that you left behind.I always marveled at your big strong feet and regret that I never took the time to sketch them.”
I will miss his awesome work on stock
"Call of the Wild" - Our Maccabee
Macc escorting the coyotes off his land - he especially loved this job:-)
And some Pics of Macc's boy "Rook " in keeping with my day of "reflection" - I am glad I kept "Rook" back as I was wanting to keep a son of Macc from a litter. Rook seems to be following
in the paw prints of his sire as a great boy with lots of working potential -
As I always say "many miles before we sleep", as we continue onward
with the adventures ahead with me and the crew!
Macc's son "Rook" out this morning on our new dumping of snow - he and my Ash seem to be my "pointer Canaans" -when they sense a rodent beneath the snow they "point" first then go in for the kill:-) Who needs cats when I have Canaans:-)
Youngster Rook working his first cow at ll months - his daddy Macc would be proud:-)
Just had to include this puppy pic of Macc's handsome son "Rook"
“Dogs are often what we make them: They may have their own traits and personalities, but in the end, they are "Mirrors" of our own lives – living, breathing testaments to our strengths and frustrations, our families and our pasts. They have a remarkable gift for entering our lives at particulair times and weaving themselves in. It is one of their most endearing traits, a key part of their impressive adaptability."– Jon Katz (Author)
After some
convincing from friends, I finally decided to start a blog. My website is
getting rather robust with seasonal pics and chronicles of my Canaan crew so
perhaps extending our adventures to a blog might give me more room to share my
love and journey with this breed.
"Miss Ash on her homestead
This first
entry is dedicated to the "Crew" that continues to teach me new things and
challenges me to keep up with their observations of life on our ranch in Raven,
Alberta.
"Our desert dogs were
woven into our lives more deeply than we knew at the time. They would come to
reconnect us in a different way and connect us with others who would become apart of our new adventure out west. They would teach us how to adapt when we were together,
and survive when we were apart." (In loving memory of my soulmate Larry whom we lost tragically in 2009.) Sleep
well dear friend. We will celebrate you in our journey ahead. Lovingly, Michelle
and our Canaan Crew
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