Till the cows come home....

Sure, the leaves are turning...

the nights are getting colder, the geese are flocking south....

those are all obvious signs of an approaching fall. But here one of the most definite signs happened last week...the cows went home.

Yup, next to our property is 320 acres of land that a neighbour has a grazing lease on. Each summer we have a herd of cows as neighbours. They are really a quiet lot for the most part, no late night parties, or wild drinking, but I do tend to avoid running teams through their pastures if I can help it (not because the dogs won't run by the cows, but I'm too lazy to open gates - and besides, the bull scares the heck out of me).

Last week while I was driving into Westlock I passed the little herd in the ditch alongside the highway, making their way back home (yes, this is cattle and farming country - combines, tractors and cattle are not that rare in the ditches and on the roads).

Adios ladies - see you next summer! Let fall officially begin!!!

The dogs have been running hard and well. There were a few days last week when the morning temperatures were warm, but generally now I am able to run most every morning. The veterans are quickly falling into their previously learned behaviours, taking breaks well, driving hard on hills and happily picking up the speed when asked. Many of the yearlings and two year olds are seamlessly picking up these habits and we are starting to look and feel like a dog team again.

On Friday we took the time to harness break the last of the 'Candies'. Turtle had already been out but his evil little sisters (well, they are Olena kids afterall) had their first run and did fantastic.

Peeps

Chiclet

Smartie

Very promising youngsters!!

If any of you are checking the Blog on the website (and you may want to check there occasionally as I am doing the odd picture entry that I'm not posting to the NWN list. No point if it is only one picture and a line of text.) you may have figured out that we are expecting one more litter this year. Yes, Olena is pregnant and due October 2nd! Moses will be the boy handing out cigars this time around!! Can't wait!!!

Helen, our temperory handler, arrived last week. Both Mark and I are very much enjoying her company and loving having her around. I'll see if I can't talk her into a blog entry or two during her six week stay.

I think that is it for this morning.

If any of you are interested, you can find some more fall photos and photos of harness breaking the 'Candies' on the Picasa site - http://picasaweb.google.com/northwapiti

Happy Fall!!

Karen