on the mend.

As you may have read here, Jigs was bit by a spider a few weeks ago.

We are pretty sure it was a brown recluse ::shudder::, but we decided we'll tell people she fought off a coyote that was killing sheep. Just sounds better.

Not only have I been dreaming of big brown spiders ever since, I've been checking Jigs' nose (and bedding) daily to make sure she is healing properly.

Looks to me, like she is!

Jigs is such a loved dog, thank you for the Get Well cards - they really lifted her spirits (and mine)!

Happy Monday!

Dog Duty.

A good friend was in town a few weekends ago and wanted to take some photos of us at the ranch while she was here.

Christene owns C.S. Photography and to say she is uber talented is an understatement. When she asked us to be her models I jumped at the opportunity and felt super honored that she'd want us as subjects!

She chose a pretty good weekend because while we are making the shift from lambing season to irrigating season things are calming down and I knew that this would be a decent weekend for J.

I told J to plan for picture taking on that Sunday morning and asked him to puhlease keep Jigs clean on Saturday.

She's a beauty when she's clean!

It wasn't a huge request. She just needed to keep her out of the creek and keep her from running through the wet fields for ONE day! I understand that can be a daunting task for some, but my girl listens very well and I just figured he'd put her on a "sit-stay" command.

yeah.freaking.right.

Saturday afternoon while I am out celebrating my birthday having sushi with a friend I get this text message,

"Looks like she'll really need a bath now."

I open the photo attached and see this. 

 

After an evening dog bath, we were ready for pictures on Sunday morning and the pictures turned out beautifully! 

You can see the full blog post with our pictures on C.S. Photography's blog by clicking here.  

Thank you again, Christene!! 

We will cherish these forever! 

here are just a few of the photos...

Wordless Wednesdays - Jig 'ol bitty bow.

baby Jig.

Our friend's baby carseat was left in our car and this is what Jigs thought about that!

Wordless Wednesdays - In a field of yellow flowers...

Wordless Wednesdays - "Look Mom, I sit like a lady!"

The sheep are working their way down from the high country! Will have a sheep trailing post soon! Still trying to get back in the swing of things around here. Thanks for stickin' around. ;)

Family Trip to the Farmers Market

One thing I love about summer is the Farmer's Market.

A few weeks ago we took a family trip to the Farmer's Market here in town and walked away with some delicious fruit.

We took a walk on a nearby trail and Jiggy got to cool off in the pond. She loved it.

Summer has been good to us this year.

It's sad to see it come to an end.

{What is one of your summer highlights?}

{a post for fellow pet lovers.}

My problem.
I love my Jigs way too much. I honestly don't think it's healthy.

She grunts and I worry she is uncomfortable.

Her tail stops wagging, I'm convinced she's depressed.

She doesn't want to cuddle and I start believing that she hates me.

She spends lots of time at her grandmother's house and I swear she doesn't like it here with us.

She doesn't eat her all her food and I think she's ill.

She yawns at me and it's official, she thinks I'm so lame.

It's ridiculous, I know. 

Here is the second part to my problem.
Jigs might need surgery and this has me very worried and sad. 

We take her in on Tuesday morning and if she needs surgery we'll be getting it done that same day. I know it's routine, but it makes my heart hurt.

The third part to the problem.
I don't know how we'll pay for it, but we will.

Fellow pet lovers, please tell me my pet paranoia isn't completely abnormal!

{What are your thoughts on pet insurance? Worth the investment?}

Wordless Wednesdays - Summertime Jigs.

{happy weekend!}

What do you think of the new layout? I am really happy with it. Thanks Jillian!

We are gearing up for a fun Independence Day weekend.

B-Town has an annual July 4th celebration and it's a pretty big deal. This weekend is one of two weekends everyone looks forward to on a yearly basis. The other fun weekend (which happens to be my fave) is in the Fall. It includes sheep taking over a main street in the town!

Not only do all of J's high school buddies come back to town for the 4th of July but, their fabulous wives (aka B-Town Wives Club) come to town as well! There WILL be pictures!

This weekend will definitely include some target practice,

a barbecue, a birthday celebration, pet costumes while parading down thee Main Street in town and lots of Red, White and Blue fun!

Our friends Lisa and Thor are coming down from the BIG city and although they couldn't bring the mall they are bringing my two favorite black labs and some Oskar Blues' goodness!  

What exciting things do you have planned?

If you are a B-Town native (I know there are a few of you reading this) will you be in town? If not, what is your favorite July 4th hometown memory?

Here's to another great weekend!

This post is a little late. It was a busy week!

What a wonderful and relaxing weekend we had last week.

This time of year things slow down for a little while so it's a perfect time to garden. Most all the sheep have delivered (except for about 5) and majority of the sheep and their babies are up at the windmill.

Friday I began tending to my very first garden! J's mom and sister made these garden beds last year and I'm excited to use them this year!

My mother-in-law is quite the gardener so when she mentioned starting a garden at our place I was a little intimidated. After pulling all the weeds and tilling the garden it seems like I might be able to handle it.

I also mowed a lawn for the first time in my life. How funny is it that I mow my first lawn while living on a SHEEP ranch? Why not let the sheep eat it, right? Well, apparently they are picky eaters and don't like the long grass that was filling up our yard. We'll keep them in the yard now that it's at a nice length for them.

Another fun thing that happened is J's vines arrived!

He has planted a (very small) vineyard. How fun is that?!
Jigs is pretty excited.  Even though we will keep her far, far away from the grapes when the vines start to raisin.

I think it will be great hobby for him. How he will find the time to tend to these vines, I have not a clue.

How he will keep the pain-in-the-butt goats from eating them, not a clue about that either. Just today he told me the sheep trampled all over them. oops! We are off to a great start.

Also, this past Friday evening we had surprise visitors! Our good friends, Lisa and Thor (yes, that is his real name) drove down from the Boulder area for the weekend! Apparently everyone knew and they wanted to surprise me so when I heard knocking in the middle of the night I was a little taken back.

Good thing I don't sleep with a loaded gun by my bed. ;)

We did some shooting out in the back, spent some time on our good friend's houseboat and celebrated a birthday.  We had a delicious breakfast at the new diner in town and enjoyed a few cold drinks. 

This is Thor. Yes, he is pretty bad a**.

This is Lisa (and Jigs).

I've said it before and I'll say it again...we have some pretty awesome friends in our life.

Here's to another great weekend! What are your plans this weekend?

Wordless Wednesdays - A Happy Dog.

Wordless Wednesdays - Dog is my co-pilot.

Herding with the Puppies Vlog.

What do you think of my vlog post?

Wordless Wednesdays - What's black, white and dirty all over?

Why that would be Jigs of course!

Evening prayer.

You know those people that are afraid of their own shadow? Yeah, that's me. So you can imagine when J said he would like to go to a sheep industry conference and he'd be gone two nights how stoked I was.

That was a joke. 

I did o.k. running from my car door to the front door of our home. Let Jiggy inside and locked the door behind me. Phew! Is it always this dark out here in the country?!

I did o.k. after I threw the bedroom door open in an attempt to scare off anyone who may have been hiding underneath my bed. Nothing jumped out at me. Safe. 

I did o.k making dinner with my back against the wall so I can see if anyone was sneaking up behind me. Hah! That'll show any robber trying to sneak up on me! 

I did o.k. sitting on the couch not moving, in fear that my own quick movements would scare me. That's okay..I'm always this still. ;)

I did o.k. throwing back the sheets on the bed to check for spiders. This I do every night anyway. 

I kissed Jiggy on the nose and said goodnight to her like I do every night and crawled in bed. Cozy. Warm. Tired. One night down, one more to go. I did o.k. today.

I say my evening prayer and thank God for this beautiful, wonderful life. I thank him for all we have and the opportunities he's given us. I am so grateful and happy. Content. 

Just as I am drifting off I hear scratching. In the wall. We have mice. The first night I am alone. The first night of two! You have got to be kidding me. NOT o.k.

It was a test and I passed. I passed last night because I brought Jiggy in the room and she guarded me from those monstrous, murderous, dangerous mice. Yes, this is the same dog that runs from deer and she too is afraid of her own shadow, but I believe that she will protect me if I were in danger. 

Okay, maybe not so much, but it helped.

I tucked myself in the covers (burrito style) like I used to do when I was 5 years old and scared. I squeezed my eyes shut and went to bed. Or at least tried to besides it was too late to call over to my in-laws and ask if I can come over.

I will pass this test again tonight, I'll do o.k. even if it is because I will sleep just down the road at my in-laws.

Jigs, the guard dog.

Twas the week of Thanksgiving, but I just couldn't sleep.

I tried counting backwards, I tried counting sheep. - author unknown


The holiday season is upon us and a depression cloud with my name all over it is working it's way over the rockies because the holidays just won't be the same for me this year. The new j-o-b isn't very generous with holiday time-off and we'll work Wednesday and Friday which rules out a (long) weekend trip home to Southern California. Bah-humbug, right? Right. Oh, but we get a ham and beer as a thank you! um. okay.

This year I will stay on the ranch with the hubby, in-law's and Jiggy. I will stuff my face with ham and beer and try not to be to grouchy because after all I do have tons to be thankful for this year. The ham and beer being one. 

On a more serious note, I am truly grateful for so many things this year. Things that weren't in the 'plans' but happened anyway and changed our lives drastically. People that stumbled in my life and are now my best friends. Trips that were taken and memories made. Health of friends and family that faltered but got/is getting back on track. A job I don't like one bit but is paying the bills. I'm grateful for it all. We've given up lots this year but gained so much more because of it. God really does work in mysterious ways. Life and all of it's trials is a blessing. 


I leave you with a picture. 
The Rams got out onto the county road. 
Anyway, this picture cracks me up. I love how Jigs is running the opposite way...some days she just couldn't care less about the sheep or working. 

(Not) Getting Jiggy With It.

Jiggy doesn't seem to care that Will Smith has written a song about her. I played it and she fell asleep. Guess she's heard this tune before.

This was her response. 
*Please excuse her dirty paws...she plays hard. 

She did it!

Jigs surprised the heck out of us this Saturday! Remember how we thought here that she just wasn't going to make it as a working dog? Guess all she needed was some time because look who rounded up a small bunch of the sheep this weekend?!

Oh Jigsy-poo is a working dog after all! Three days later I'm still beaming with pride.

My weekends.