King Henry V

I almost cried today. Blogger tells me about a new feature that shows me how many followers my blog has. Mine has 0. I was so sad to see that. Then I read further;
"Important Note: The Following feature will be rolled out to all over the next few weeks, so if you don’t see it right away, don’t worry. It’s coming soon." -whew- At least, if no one is reading, I still have time before I find out!

OK, so on to the blog.

It's been crazy busy around here, starting up school. We're having a visit from my mom this week. It isn't enough the she smoked for 40 years and has reduced lung function from COPD and lung cancer (let that be a lesson to you smokers!) Now she has broken her kneecap. The usual treatment--surgery--is very difficult with someone with COPD. She and her brace and wheelchair will be here through the week, gathering steam.

Lest you think I forgot the farm, and sometimes it seems I have, rest assured that someone is on the job.



Yon dogge is Ethan's Pembroke Welsh Corgi, King Henry V. Since he already had Good Queen Bess in the pasture, and thought a cattle herding dog like the corgi was appropriate, (because he is Welsh, you know, good countryman, as was his granddaughter Bess!) likewise was a royal name appropriate. So, Henry he became.

Henry's natural inclination is to herding. Corgis were bred short, I'm told, so that when the cattle kick out, the dog runs under the heels and doesn't get hurt. Henry does not seem to have the corgis' habit of nipping at heels. Even children, I'm told, get nipped by some corgis because they're being herded.

Since Henry has had no real training in herding, (that will come soon) he doesn't do much more than bark at the cow, sheep and goats. I think the sheep and goats might be beneath his herding abilities, anyway. Or not. He has taken to herding our chickens. Here is a shot of him with his "flock."



He's 4 years old this year. Two years ago, before we had to start keeping all the dogs in to prevent runaways, (more on that later) Henry would spend his days with our large flock. He would lie in the shade while they picked and scratched at the ground. Twice a day or so, something would compel him to herd them back into their pen. They would go, sometimes complainingly, but they would go. After half an hour in the pen, they would wander their way out, and, again, he would lie in the shade while they picked and scratched. It was very cute and gave him something to do that summer.

The above flock is Mary's small flock of bantams and Auracanas. He has been hanging with them some this summer, although he hasn't started herding them into the pen. And, after tonight, he may not get many chances. The plan is to have Mary clip wings and pen up all the birds for the fall. Not only will this keep them safe from predators, who show up as their natural prey burrows in for the winter, but it will greatly increase our egg collections. Right now they're being laid in the shrubs, in the garden, under the deck...but not in the nesting boxes! We will miss the free-range eggs, but grass clippings and hay may have to suffice.

Oh, and about those other dogs. We're at about two months since they ran off. I don't expect them back. John thinks they got into someone's chicken coop and paid the ultimate price for it. I tend to think they met up with coyotes or raccoons. It's a sad fact of life around here, and, while I don't like it, I'm moving on.