Last post was all about meeting my family.
Time to meet the animals. This was Weasel as a pup – he was the quietest and least mischievous pup we’d ever had…
This is Weasel now – he love to run, works best in the paddock and licks anything that moves. This includes lambs!
Meet Miss Meita! I fell in love with her the minute I picked her up. She’s was cheeky, into everything and chewed ever single boot that was accidentally left outside.
Here she is now – the same cheeky grin! We’ve been trying to mate her with our old dog, Wally (below) but they really need some lessons. In the end, we ‘milked’ Wally and Artificially Inseminated her. So we’re hoping for puppies, but we’re really not sure yet.
Here’s Wally – his real name is Law, but when he was a pup, he was a bit of a Wally. Also, we got him from a bloke named Wal, so I’m sure you can make the links! I love this dog with my whole heart and soul. There is not another Kelpie in this world that has a bigger heart and want-to-work as he does, which is one of the reasons we’re desperate to keep his blood line going. His father was the most awesome dog out.
Wally has also been poisoned and snapped BOTH his achilles tendons in his back legs, been in a toe to hip cast (both legs) for six weeks and come back working. He’s the biggest sook too.Did I mention I love this dog?
The reason we have as many working dogs as we do, is because we run about 9,000 of these things… Which means around 9,000 lambs (mostly more.)
During August to November, we spend day after day after day in the sheep yards.
We produce hay….
… for these things to eat.
There’s about 400 odd cows plus their calves, running around on our place
And we grow a bit of crop. Canola, wheat and barley mainly, but throw in a few oats for sheep feed.
These things are the bane of my life. I hate them with a passion. After losing three dogs to snake bites, having two in my house and this one, who snuck in between the glass and fly wire sliding doors, they are not welcome around the house. In the paddock is fine, but if they chance upon me, anywhere near the house, they will be made short work of.
So, that’s me, my family and my farm in a nut shell.
Now, tell me about yours!
Thanks for the family & animal news! Our small menagerie, on a large town block, includes a 10 year old Jack Russell called Max (who’s still full of energy & is a great escape artist when it thunders!!!), a bearded dragon called Rex, a budgie called Ozzie (as he’s green & yellow) & 5 chooks who are great layers! The males in the family want to get a pet snake & I say definitely NO or I’m moving out! I hate snakes!
I’d be saying NO! too!
Just one good-sized house kitty whose just a year old soon and a purring machine. I’m wishing we were allowed chooks cuz I miss decent eggs but we cannot have everything we want in this world and so much else works well here.
Thanks for the lovely intro to your family. I’m with you on the snakes-no, please…
We’ve got chooks and get beautiful eggs – I’d be sad if we didn’t have them. I used to have a cat called Bonkers, but he died a few years back.
We live in Warburton…..nah not in W.A but in the Yarra Valley Victoria, have been to the W.A. Warburton though. We no longer have animals, our girl Tish a Staffy/Jack Russell cross died a few years
ago and we have not been able to bring ourselves to replace her yet. Too many foxes to have chooks although I would love some. We have native King Parrots, Kookaburras, Crimson Rosellas and several other bird species visit us so it is like having an enormous outdoor aviary without the fences. We also get a few Tiger snakes but so far not inside, the closest one got was on the back deck so I locked all the doors so it couldn’t get in…..hehehe, Love your books, Keep them coming!
I know what you mean, Jo. I’m pretty sure our Rocket won’t get replaced when he’s no longer with us. I get so desperately sad just thinking about it.
Love Kelpies! Probably why I have 3 of them. Let me know how the pups turn out. Arme they by registered parents?
Nope, not registered Gemma, but they’re Law is a Red Clouds. Amazing workers and so loyal.
*feels faint* Fleur. Is that snake emerging from your house.
Yes, Debby. It was between the sliding glass and screen door. What you can’t see is that I’ve chopped it in half, so it wasn’t going to keep going very far.
Presume that is a dugite. I HATE snakes in the house with a passion. Over the years I have learned not to be completely terrified of them and jibber like an idiot, but most of ours are tree snakes. Gorgeous dogs, it’s hard not to fall in love with them when they are pups, and working dogs are so smart.
It’s a Tiger Snake. Dugites are more like browns. Yep, I’m the same. It’s a learning curve not to jibber, but I still yell at them when I’m trying to get them!