More from Camp

I'm HOME...The Best Place to Be on this Planet.  However, there are Still a few more stories to tell about Camp, so I will resume where we left off....

.Let's see....I *think* it must be Tuesday.  Yeh, Tuesday at Camp. A nice day because it's not the First day, nor even getting towards the Last....

Tuesday....Vendor Day after Lunch....Leashmaking Day....Private-Lesson-with-BevBlanchard-Day....Add the other 50+ activities to do....then...Choose...

The only "easy" decision to make at Camp is IF I want bacon for breakfast.....

First task of the day is to go down to the dining hall ("en pajamas") with the thermos, fill it with coffee, fill my pockets with creamer and bacon, then return to the dorm to drink a cup with Brenda. Seems like, with all the various activities, this is the only "moment" that my roomie and I can grab together before dark (She attended Puppy Kindergarten, Show Handling, AND got THREE massages, amongst other activities...).

This is also a Time for me and Baden, our teenage Collie....We've had BayBay for 12 years now, and we think he was perhaps a year old when we got him....At any rate, I'm not "making" him any older than this!  The years have passed too quickly as it is.....Baden and I take this early morning walk thru the woods for his "morning constitution" and for an opportunity to breathe in the Vermont Air and connect ourselves to the Beauty.  It's just us.  No other dogs or people.....We don't even know where I begin and Baden starts....Just us.....

So, on Tuesday morning, I thought, "I'll just give him the leash, see where he leads us...."  And this 13-year-old, Sable and Snow Collie, trotted down the hill, with a purpose in mind. Trotted, I tell you. TROTTED.  Didn't run, but certainly did not Walk, either. I had to carry on Fast in order to keep up.  He stopped to raise his leg, then kept heading down the hill, past the dining hall, past the Camp Store, then hung a hard left, continuing downhill.....to.......The Sheep Pen......Yep....The animals were all sequestered elsewhere for the night, but...uh....THIS is the Place to Be when one is a Herding Breed, after all.  He circled the stock trailer, smelled the air around it, looked questioningly at me....

"Okay, Bubby," I promised him.  "We'll come back later and sign up for you to run the 'goats' around today."
(Baden's first herding experience many years ago was to herd my friend's Boer goats.....we've used the term "git th' goats" all his life.  Makes his ears perk up when you say the word...). Everyone gets to herd today, if they so desire....Even little Chihuahua Leroy tried his hand at it.....

I went inside the dining hall, found the shepherds, Roy and Debbie, and told them about my Old Friend wanting to herd, and they smiled and said, "sure, come on down and sign him up today."

Next was coffee (and bacon!) and a morning visit with Bren.  We both laughed about Baden's "mission" to the sheep pen, and his enthusiasm, then dressed and went our separate ways.

Nine o'clock found me and the boyz at a session with Animal Communicator, Barbara Janelle. Now, this is usually a very peaceful, RELAXing time for the boyz, and a chance for me to ask any questions regarding their well-being. Usually, the Collies come in, greet Barbara, then go lie down. This day, however, Baden went right straight up to her, and said, in a voice as loudly as I can talk, "Let's get this over with."

Barbara grinned at me, and said, "Well....I guess we know who's gonna be First today."

So, she stroked Baden's fur and declared that all is well with him...That he seemed more like a 9-year-old than 13.  His health is good, no issues. I told her that the recent blood work we had done at the vet's last month reported that Baden was "normal in all respects" (several years ago he had elevated cholesteral and liver enzymes----I credit the RAW diet we are feeding, but That is another blog).

Baden then left her side and went and stood at the door going out.  STOOD there for the entire rest of the session!  Barbara said he told her he still had a job to do....Uh...Yeh....It was only then that I related the morning's trek down the hill towards the woolies.  We both had to smile at this very young spirit.

James actually got up IN Barbara's lap! I didn't get the camera out quickly enough to snap it, but it is a picture I shall hold dear in my heart forever....These two have a very special kinship....

James Believes in Barbara.  He Appreciates people who know what they are doing and are Confident about it. Here is Barbara's assessment of Jamie:

Big Light. Holds Joy for everybody. Competently. Many skills--invites people to own themselves. 

Believer in Community.

Doesn't necessarily see himself as an individual, but rather a much larger mind (gestalt)

Acts as a representative for his group

Ease and dignity and happiness

Ankle in front legs...watch for heat there...

And Prosper:

Big.

Prosper has Bigness from the center of him.

A ministry of caring.

And, so, our session being over, we adjourn (to the Goats! hopes Baden) to Dance Class.

Bev Blanchard is our Freestyle Dance Instructor. She adores James, and he, her, but Prosper's class (Intermediate) comes first.  She knows that Prop will work for her, and she uses him as a "demo dog" several days in a row.

And then, we did some Really Reliable Recall.....

This is where you reward your dog for THIRTY SECONDS for coming to you. That seems like a Very Long Time. To both handler AND the dog....The instructors call it "Fine Dining." 

James and I walked in the woods....

Prosper and Vizula-friend, Java ripped and snorted in the dorm Commons Room....When Vizulas "play" together, it looks Violent!  Prosper was a Quick Learner in the ways of the hounds! They were soaring over couches, busting into campers on laptops, attacking and swirling.

Oh, yeh.....Herding.  Almost forgot....Baden wouldn't like that..... Here's a few pictures taken by Steve Surfman (see www.stevesurfman.com)....

He looks like a young Collie, doesn't he?!

Mom!!! Are you Watchin' this???!!!!

The Shepherdess is getting kinda tickled....This Collie is Serious!

Is this the Same Collie that had trubble getting up the dorm stairs???

Okay, guys...the fun is Over...NOW I mean business!

And, then there's the Cubbie....Liddle Prosper, our 2 yr old boy.....After barking his (and MY and everyone elses!) head off, when he Finally got to get in the pen with the sheep, he was Incredible.  Not a peep out of him--not ONE bark...All serious and down to work.

Doesn't he look like a PRO?!!!

I think he had it "in" for this spotted one....Ck the following pictures....

See what I mean?  That sheep must be a renegade, a rebel, a warrior!

This boy can MOVE!

Me?  I just stood and marveled at all the past ancestors at work in this amazing animal....

And here's a parting shot.....We were Quite a Sight, sitting up on the hill...waiting, Waiting, WAITING....for our turn....Photographer Steve Surfman saw the humor and turned towards us to snap the moment...

It is 96 degrees and 90% humidity here in Oklahoma.....Heaven....but in an oven.....Slowly, I am catching up with my pictures.....More updates later....I'm gonna go outside and weed a few flowerbeds....Three weeks of lovely rain and hot temps have left them, well....quite Prolific....