. . . since the dogs and I have been for a long walk. The four of us used to walk every other day, but the 100 degree plus days of this long summer gave me an excuse to be lazy. Today, a 78 degree morning, seemed the time to start anew. We were all excited as we started out. I actually thought the Blue Heelers might just leap over the fence and out of their pen when they realized we were going. They acted like three children who had never been to a McDonald’s play scape before and their mother finally let them go.
Knowing the youngest one could not control her exuberance, I placed her on a leash. When her mother took off to bark at the hilltop bulls, she did also, jerking me sideways to the point of nearly falling. Bad Puppy! Finally under control again, we peacefully, more or less, made it down the hill to the front pastures. There awaited another temptation, our beautiful yearling heifers. Instinctively, the mother dog went straight for their legs attempting to run full speed through the gate to get them. Unfortunately, she is a very FAT dog and initially got stuck in the gate. With great fortitude, she backed herself out and went under the gate only to be stepped on by one of the heifers. Back she came holding one little paw up in the air. I’m sure I should have felt sorry for her.
The three legged dog and the rest of us continued our relatively pleasant, albeit slow due to the limper, walk. When we came to the weaned bull calves, the same silly dog went racing through the electric (arf, arf, ouch) fence only to be chased back through (ouch, ouch, arf) the electric fence by the little guys. Now, a very dejected three legged dog walked even more slowing back home. Did she learn a lesson? Absolutely not! When we got back to the hilltop, she again tried to get after the big bulls.
I think that dog is a good deal like some of us. I go flat out when something is of interest to me and often pay the physical consequences later. Moderation doesn’t seem to be a word that fits with my personality (or the dog’s). My poor dog will probably suffer for a day or two, but what do you want to bet that the next time we walk she does the same things again? I’m ordered a shock collar today!
The eventful walk did, give me energy for design work and I started right in this morning. Now, I have pieces polishing in the tumbler and more earrings on the brain. The picture shows a couple I made last night. 
Hopefully as I work today I will try to remember the morning walk, my age, and my physical abilities and do a better job of balancing myself than my dog!