And Happy Birthday to me :D

 

It’s my turn today. I am Five years old.

I posed obligingly for the birthday portraits.

 

 

Enjoyed a game of “Find it!”

 

 

And posed again with my sons.

 

 

My nose tells me there might be birthday tea later 😀

Happy Birthday Little Boys!

The Little Boys are one year old today.

A few pictures, then, on their birthday  – – – – –

 

A Father’s Pride

Campbell’s been coming along with me and Mum to sheepdog school and is shaping up rather well. I’m very proud of him 😀

 

 

Dad and Berwick came with us last week for the first time.

They watched for a bit – – –  –

 

Then had a go, first round the ring, then loose in the field.

Berwick looked a bit bewildered, and wandered off to look for something more interesting, though how there can be anything more interesting than sheep, I don’t know!

 

 

The Little Boys’ grandad Bryn came in to try and help – – 

 

 

But he still couldn’t see the point of it all, and came out of the field to look for Mum.

He might be a slow learner at Sheepdog School, but he’s a star student at his other school; there he has a silver certificate for being a Good Citizen 😀

He might not be interested in sheep or toys, but I’m still rather proud of him.

Boys in Trouble

All three of us were in the doghouse this weekend.

I discovered I could jump over the green wire fence and push through the prickly hedge. I was caught in the act, so went sheepishly back when I was called (though only after I’d had a bit of a bark at the little dog walking past my garden.) I was confined to the house and the teeny, tiny side garden for a whole day! When I was at last allowed into the big garden, I discovered what Dad had been busy doing 😦

He’s now ordered rolls of tall green wire fence, in case I think he’s built me a ladder.

Mum wanted to go to a brass band concert, but the Little Boys put paid to that idea when they ate a bunch of grapes. Silly Little Boys – didn’t they listen when I told them what happened to me when I ate a chocolate cake? Actually, we don’t really know if both of them ate the grapes. It was probably Campbell – he eats EVERYTHING, including tissue paper, magazines, important letters, cardboard, soap, plants, toys, shoes, twenty-pound notes and the builders’ biscuits! Today, Dad bought six fruit pies. Dad had two, Ben ate one, and Campbell found the last three.

Mum took me with her in the car today, to keep me out of trouble. I had to spend a long time in there, but we stopped on the way home for a lovely long walk. We both got a bit wet in a hailstorm, but neither of us got into trouble 😀

A ball!

 

 

Guess which one of us is not ball obsessed 😀

I’m almost ashamed of him!

Toe’s better!

The vet had a look at my poorly toe. Because it was fat and VERY sore, he thought I might have broken it. He gave me tablets and medicine and the next day I was to have a general anaesthetic. There was talk of x-rays, pins and maybe amputation. 

More alarmingly, they forgot to give me my breakfast!

Thankfully though, the nasty thorn that was the real reason for my pain, worked its way to the surface just in time. Mum pulled it out and gave me my breakfast 😀

I was soon back on all four paws and once more able to give the Little Boys a run for their money 🙂

If you look carefully, you can see one toe is still a bit fatter than the rest (my right, inside toe.) It doesn’t hurt any more though 🙂

Chez nous

A bit of a catch-up on what’s been happening chez nous.

I have a poorly paw. Front right – swollen toe.
I think they’ll be taking me to see the vet – poorly toes can be troublesome, as you might remember from last April!

I helped a shepherd out with a bit of flock work a few weeks ago. He was trying to gather over a hundred ewes so they could be moved to a different field. I’d been watching from the garden and could see him struggling without a sheepdog. Mother wasn’t about, so I took it upon myself to volunteer my services; I mean, what’s a keen and talented sheepdog like me supposed to do? I’m not known for jumping out of the garden, but when needs must – – – – 

After a bit of flanking to gather them together, with measured pace I took the sheep to the man near the truck and trailer. He looked a bit surprised to see me, but recognised a useful extra pair of paws when he saw one and began to make best use of me.
It was clear that he needed the sheep in one of the pens he was busily constructing with metal gates, so I steered them in for him, at least those that would fit. There were far more than could be squeezed in, so I began working around the back of them, tucking in any that tried to make a break for it. It was the sort of job I dream of – a big flock of my very own 😀

I worked and worked and worked.

The shepherd tried to call me off, but I didn’t think he could possibly mean it, with only a few of the sheep safely in the trailer and pen – I just had to keep going as long as there were loose sheep and I could stay on my feet.

I worked and worked and worked.

Then the man walked off out of the field and left me to do my job all on my own- what a huge responsibility he gave me! 😀

After a few minutes he returned with Mum. I gave her a bit of a grin and a wave – I knew she would be pleased with me, and worked extra hard to show her what a good boy I was being.
An, “Amos. That’ll do!” and I went straight to her side, feeling satisfied with a job well done.
The bonus came when the shepherd asked Mum and me to help him pen the rest of the sheep. It was my best day EVER!
Incidentally, he DID have a sheepdog with him, because afterwards he opened the back of his truck to show Mum. But she was too hard for pregnant ewes, he said, and not good like me. Now it was Mum’s turn to grin 😀

 

The Little Boys have done a bit more growing up. They take a great interest in everything.

 

 

 

 

 

I think they would like to be sheepdogs like me. I’ve told them it takes a bit more than just reading about it though.

 

 

They’ve also “read” a considerable number of carelessly placed food items and a pair of new shoes. They’ll eventually grow out of that, we hope.

Berwick is learning to be a “Good citizen.” Dad’s very proud of him, and comes back from Good-citizen-school with smiles and left-over sausages 🙂

Campbell comes with me and Mum to sheepdog-school. He had his first go loose in the training field last week and shows great promise.  That’s my boy! 😀

 

I’ve still got a poorly paw. I’ll let you know how I get on at the vet’s.

 

 

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside!

 

Christmas comes but once a year

When the nice man from the garden centre comes to trim the trees with the prickly leaves

And these sort of things begin to appear

And Ada comes to visit

I know what time of year it is 🙂

Dad would like a new pair of slippers.
The Little Boys are working on it 😉

Four and a half and two halves

I enjoy exploring and running with the Little Boys

But I don’t cosy up with them in the house. 

They have their settee – – 

And I have mine 

 

Today, the Little Boys are half a year old each and I am four and a half years and two days.

There were no balloons, no cake, no presents, party or ceremony, just a spit and a polish for the photographs.

 

 

Autumn portraits

Apple picking

Our job today was to help pick up the apples 🙂

The little boys ate almost as many as they picked up

And sometimes couldn’t tell the difference between apples and toys!

So, although they were quite proud of their efforts

I think I was even more proud of mine 😀

Baby sitter

Tesla’s always good for a spot of puppy-sitting 😀

Brothers’ Reunion

Dad, Berwick and I visited Mum and Campbell while they were away.

I’m quite used to Mum or Dad going off for a few days and then coming back, but being apart was a new experience for the Little Boys. You should have heard the noise when Berwick recognised his brother barking a greeting as we drew up in the car. I was almost deafened! They were very pleased to be reunited!

We went for a lovely walk together.

I showed Dad and the pups how Mum and I work the sheep (they were watching too hard to take pictures.)

 Then Campbell introduced Berwick to some of his relatives.

The visit was over all too soon 😦

Berwick and I jumped back into the car to come home

and left Campbell sunbathing with his great grandad 🙂

Postcards from my son

Farming out the children

I’m told I’m being very good with the Little Boys.

They’re exuberant, precocious, persistent and pushy. They jump at my face, steal my toys, push past me through doorways and follow me everywhere, but I’m very tolerant.

I look forward to their afternoon naps and bedtime though, when they’re safely in their crates and I don’t need eyes in the back of my head!

I was delighted, then, to see one of them off on an adventure in Van, to visit his relatives 😀

Just one puppy for Dad and me to keep an eye on 🙂

Eating us out of house and home!

They’re growing lads with healthy appetites, especially Campbell, who will eat anything!

It’s getting to be a bit expensive! 😳

Growing pains!

The little boys are growing 

And keeping me on my toes

They’re full of mischief

Though you’d think butter wouldn’t melt in their mouths!

That’s my boy!

Last week Campbell met the training sheep.

He found them very interesting, kept his eye on them and followed them around the ring – – – – 

until – – – – – – – he found sheep poo 😳

 

A father’s role

I like to make sure my little boys

Enjoy plenty of exercise,

Don’t wander off on their own,

Travel safely,

 

Eat wholegrain cereals,

And get their five a day.