How Can It Be?

Time is really starting to fly by. I blink, and the knitting event of the year is now upon us. Spring has finally sprung, and things are growing. My seedlings are doing well, and the rhubarb I got as a cutting is taking off. The lawn needs to be mowed and leaves are starting to appear on the trees. I love this time of year!

Unfortunately, knitting has suffered. Weekends have, like much else around my house, gone to the dogs. I had an agility trial with Tucker on Saturday - a very long, tiring 13 hour day, and herding with Ace on Sunday. He is really starting to learn and get into it!

We practiced "Get Around" where he goes in a wide circle around the sheep, changing directions, and keeping the sheep behind me or "balancing" them. The rake is used as an extension of your arm. Since the dog is working at such a distance, it puts pressure on them to either change direction or stay out. By the end of our session, I didn't really have to even use it. There is a lot to learn for both of us, but it's all new and really fun. I love watching his instinct take over. We do have to work on that barking though. Herding is supposed to be a quiet sport! I fully plan on continuing both of our educations. I'll be watching the herding demonstrations at the festival this year with a new appreciation. It takes a lot of training and shaping!!!

As I mentioned before, knitting has pretty much screeched to a halt after the sample socks were completed. Lately, it has felt like by the time I get home from job #2 after being up since 4am, I am just ready to crawl into bed. Following a knitting pattern or needing to have any kind of hand/eye coordination other than turning the tv on and off is not going to happen. I think this happened last year right before the festival too. It will be just the thing to get my knitting needles revved up again. I'm really looking forward to it!

Don't forget - if you are heading to the festival, visit the Cloverhill booth - most of the dyers have been profiled and previewed over at the Countdown to Sheep and Wool blog. I'm going to have to try not to blow my entire budget at that booth alone!