Silver Skies... and Labradors

How is this for a silver dawn?

The first dawn this winter that felt like spring was a-coming.

The day brightened up but stayed silver for most of the morning.

And when the clouds passed by, the sky was so very blue.

The chooks and I picked up branches to take to the tip.  They were so helpful!

I'm very much regretting that I chose not to cut these Lucerne trees down when they first sprouted. because they grew huge in no time!  There is underground water there, which is how the king Jarrah, The Shelter King, got so big.

It was a nice afternoon for branch toting.  The sun was bright but not hot and it shone down through the trees so pleasantly.   Mum came out to drag some bits of tree up to the horsefloat for me to put in and we chatted.  Very nice.

Old Grandma Tess is definitely silver-lined these day.  She is thirteen and a half, a good age for a Labbie.  Dear old girl.  Nothing like her fiesty granddaughter, Tuppy, there.    

Tuppy is back on lead permanently for walks.  She got wind of a dog she hates (it passes by our place on its walks and for some reason they all seem to dislike it, even gentle Angus.)  She took off out of my sight, a good two hundred metres into the forest to another track, and had a go at it.  She didn't do any damage but must have frightened dog and owner horribly.  I gave another dog owner my own nightmare scenario.  I feel awful.

I'd thought our training had come on so well, and her recalls were great, and all I'd have to do is call her back and put on her lead if I saw any dogs hove into view, but I never got a chance this time.  I never saw the dog at all, and she just went like a Greyhound, never even put up a hackle to warn me she had sniffed someone. There must have been a mortal enemy component to her beef, I think.  Ah well as we say to her often, "Shiny body, shiny mind!"  She is just so super sparky about everything, and fast as a whip with it too.       

No point looking at your mama and wishing you were off lead too. It ain't happening ever again! 

Gee some dogs are hard work.  Makes me very appreciative of my past dogs like Keech who were just so damned easy.

Tuppy's bro, Angus, is a very different dog too.  He is such an affectionate boy, loves a pat and cuddle, gets on with other dogs.  Tall and solid instead of small and nippy.   It's hard to believe they came out of the same mother, but since I caught 'em both it must be true!

Tummy rubs with Uncle Andrew.  What a sooky wooky!

A shame I can't actually step through this gateway tree and pop off to another dimension where you can walk in the bush and never meet another dog (or person).  I'd like to about now!

Please, tell me I'm not the only bad dog owner out there?