So early last week the weather was pretty doggone amazing. We did receive as spot of snow and then Mom spied some creeping phlox that were blooming on one of our walks. Flowering phlox in early January? What kind of sorcery is this? Guess this just shows what high altitude sunshine is capable of doing. It’s not a beauty shot, but COME ON…plants blooming in January…you gotta admit, that’s really something.
The next day after some of the snow melted, Mom noticed her strawberry plant was green and colorful. Again…more plant black magic. Mom was almost ready to break out the flip flops but then she remembered The National Western Stock Show begins January 6 and that always seems to bring much colder temperatures, so I convinced her to cool her jets. Notice the little white granules? The snow didn’t last very long as warmer temperatures returned. The forecast looked good at this point.
Apparently Nature and the universe were conspiring together. Mom got a call about whether or not she could make a trip to Missouri. Some of you even guessed what that was all about but let me set the stage for those of you who don’t know how crazy Mom reacts when she receives ‘those’ kinds of calls.
Since my brother Norman crossed the Rainbow Bridge last June, Mom has been very sad. You may recall that she’s part of a dedicated group of folks who were starting their own OES Rescue after the old one shut down but between the state agency that governs rescues and bureaucratic rules, the certification process has been slow going. We’re still waiting for approval but [hopefully] are getting closer to operating. Mom did find a few individual dogs through other rescues including a couple who were even in our metro area but she kept coming up short so she decided may fostering might put her closer to her goal of getting another OES.
Enter the Red River Old English Sheepdog Rescue (RRR), a rescue whose adoption and rescue area includes parts of the Southern Plains where the Red River of the South is located. States they generally serve are New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas. They received a call from the family of a Missouri breeder saying they had seven AKC registered sheepdogs they needed to surrender. Turns out that the breeder had tragically passed away recently and the surviving family realized they could not manage the estate, take care of nine dogs, and assorted livestock. The 20-yr. old son said he would keep two of the dogs, and surrender the other five females and two males to rescue. RRR does not transport and their network of fosters take care of dogs until they are adopted out but they would need to be picked up from the tiny rural town about 50 miles south of Kansas City, Missouri. Mom checked the weather report and initially it seemed doable, so she agreed.
Mother Nature must have been listening eavesdropping on that call and decided to do a little update to the forecast and decided that a little snow was needed just to make things interesting. Mom’s good friend, my Auntie Cheryl said she ride with us and we took off early Friday morning. In good conditions, it’s over 9 hours away. The hope was that they would arrive before the flakes began.
Yeah…the best laid plans and all that nonsense. Snow started coming down halfway through Kansas but it wasn’t accumulating and the highway was clear. Yet. It would, once we turned off I-70 when the sun went down. Mom absolutely hates driving in the dark, especially on roads she’d never been on before so the last four and a half hours were the white-knuckle variety. I’m not sure what that is but I could tell my Mom was pretty stressed. Auntie Cheryl made sure I was comfortable and provided top flight co-pilot support. After nearly 12 hours, we rolled into the hotel parking lot. All three of us were exhausted and we all fell asleep after feeding me, administering my meds and then we all settled in for the night.
The next morning, Mom took me for a short walk around the area. It was cold and grey but at least not snowing. Hallelujah! I found a very cool clump of trees with this funky green stuff on the bark. It didn’t smell like squirrels or bunnies but it fascinated me so much, I kept forgetting to pee. I just couldn’t figure out what it was.
Well, I’ll be! That seemed surreal, but nothing like what greeted us when we went to the breeder’s farm. We arrived at the appointed time and were greeting by seven boisterous sheepdogs along with various uprights who were picking up their fosters. It was pretty chaotic. Mom knocked on the door and not one of the dogs barked, but greeted her like she was their best friend. Clearly these dogs were very socialized and had been very much loved even if they were all in rough shape coat-wise. They went through the rescue’s procedure of picking the dog each foster would take with them. Before you know it, this monster appeared in the back of our SUV.
He’s not much to look at because he (like all the dogs) were dirty and extremely matted. But he seemed polite, even if he was extra ginormous. Mom thought he weighed around 100 lbs. For a minute I wasn’t sure they were gonna be able to get him in the back, but he seemed nice enough and laid down. He never once uttered a peep then, or on the trip home. We departed as another storm was forecast along the way home and we wanted to get the heck out of Dodge, erm Missouri.
As we drove home, we noticed snow drifts about 3 ft. tall on the side of the road but Mom didn’t stop to photograph them. We were all tired and wanted to get to Colorado as early as possible where we know the highway. The drive home was ‘only’ a little over 8 hours long. Mom said she was never gonna drive almost 1,500 miles in a 24 hour period again, no matter how cute a dog was.
Kansas and Missouri were interesting and it would have been nice to take more pictures of the scenery but judging from the news reports, we got out of town just in time before Winter Storm Finn slammed into the region. Another storm along with an Arctic cold front are arriving now…and as Mom says…of course it is, it’s National Western Stock Show week where the weather always turns icy cold and brutal. The weekend’s highs may reach single digits. Highs, people! Brrr.
There he is after a much needed bath. Egad that boy had some serious stank on him. She and Auntie Cheryl worked for hours removing the worst of the mats but he will need to be shaved down. This boy was named ‘Sam’ and as you can probably guess, that name won’t work for Mom. It reminded her too much of my knuckleheaded brother. She hasn’t decided on a name yet, there’s too much we have to do to get this boy settled so we’ll likely wait until things get ticked off our long list. Sam was screened by the vet, microchipped, vaccinated and tested negative for heartworm (yay). Now begins the process of integrating him into life around the Ranch without his sheepdog pack. He’s seems sweet and is quite the butt wiggler, but he and I have had ‘discussions‘ about the pecking order. He thinks Mom is his but we have to agree to disagree on that topic. He seems afraid of the hustle and bustle of the city, cars wig him out but he walks fairly well on a leash. Good thing too, he’s huge-bigger than Norman. And strong. Mom’s gonna be building some muscles. Now if we can just get him to stop enjoying some of the creature comforts around the Ranch. At least Mom needs to figure out how to get him to sleep the other side of the bed. For me, he just better not try to take over this blog! Mom’s on her own and you can bet your sweet bippy I’m going to remind her of that. Afterall it was her idea to bring this muppet home.
Have you ever fostered a dog? How’d it go? Do you have any tips for my Mom. She seems completely ‘over her skis’ despite her best intentions.
To all you Midwest peeps, do dandelions normally bloom in January?! Have a great weekend and try to stay warm and dry. For the next few days you might want to view Nature from the comfort of your cozy sofa but do keep your eyes open-you just never know what you’ll see. Have a great weekend.
Live, love, bark! 🐾
He’s adorable!!! I can relate to the white knuckles I hate driving at night too. It takes time for everything to shake out, he will learn 😀
Thanks. He cleaned up nicely. Now if only I could keep him off my bed! Weighted blankets are one thing, but this 99 lb. tank shouldn’t be worn! 😆
Next week I have to do another trip that will require night driving. I’m taking my friend with me who will make sure I get us back from helping my Dad make it to a doctor’s appointment without spending the night. Wish us luck!
Many many congratulations with your new big foster brother Elsa, he looks a real sweetie and a keeper! ❤ We’ve fostered dogs three times and all have been wonderful and rewarding experiences. The first one was a ‘cruelty case’, a sweet border collie who was terrified of humans. Our other dog and cats did most of the fostering and it was their interactions with us that showed him humans could be kind too. After five months he was completely at ease with humans and found a wonderful forever home in the countryside, something we couldn’t offer him ourselves. We were happy for him and there were a few tears too, as we had grown very fond of him. Our next foster was an easy-going ex-racing greyhound, who found people queing up to adopt her and found her furever home within a week. Our third foster was a forever foster, an elderly whippet with health issues, and we cared for her during her twilight years. The wonderful thing about fostering is that you can get to know a dog and see what he or she needs from a forever home and then do what’s best for everyone. We wish you happy times together and look forward to seeing how your new big brother settles in 🤗💕🐕 xxx
Many thanks for your good wishes. This has been a challenging time trying to integrate Wilson-his world now is so vastly different from life on the farm so I hope I can make the transition as easy as possible on him.
Fostering is very rewarding but also very humbling. The foster doesn’t necessarily understand good intentions.
Congratulations, Elsa, to your new big brother. I’m so happy for you and your mom! I’m sure that you’ll be able to “educate” that big hunk of a fellow and that you two will be fine together.
Take care, you three,
Pit
Thank you, Herr Pit. I’m doing my part but sometimes he scares me. We’ll figure it out I’m sure. Stay warm this weekend.
OH what a sweetheart! <3 Soo glad you were able to make a safe trip there and back. You do have a big heart! Braver than me. I hate driving in the dark too on roads i don't know. I wish you all the best with him! By the photo of him on the bed I think he knows that he landed in paradise. 🙂 But don't worry Elsa, you are still Queen and I am sure you will show him the ropes. With him on top of you you will definitely be kept warm in your freezing temps. Though you may not be able to move at all. LOL!
Thank you! Move? Ha…this big hunk makes that impossible and once he’s down for the count, I can’t move him either. It’ll be interesting this summer when the temps are reversed.
🤣🤣 LOL!
Lulu: “Hello there, you big handsome boy! There used to be an instructor at the studio named Sebastian and his nickname was Sea Bass!”
Chaplin: “Our Mama and Dada have a history of supposedly fostering dogs. A list of dogs they have supposedly fostered includes Trixie, Dennis, and Lulu.”
Lulu: “Hey, they also supposedly fostered a couple of cats named Sulu and Uhura, too.”
Charlee: “Never heard of them.”
Java Bean: “Ayyy, I think you were Uhura, Charlee.”
Charlee: “No I wasn’t. That’s just a rumor.”
Thanks guys. Bless your ‘pawrents’ for fostering (and failing). I’ve never been a foster before but I’m already planning on the failing part. 😍
having trouble with commenting so don’t know if this went thru – absolutely adore your site & your furry cuties! tx much for visiting my site. I love anything to do with books & would be thrilled if you’d write a guest blog post for my site, which is for anyone who enjoys writing, or books, and all the arts. If you think it might be fun or helpful to have my followers (who total about 10k across my various social media) meet you, here’s the link for general guidelines: https://wp.me/p6OZAy-1eQ – best, da-AL
Thank you! I’ll be in touch about a post after the new addition is a bit more settled.
Great and best of luck 😃
What s story! Plants in blossom in January! I know what is to drive in snowstorms, it is something you can describe in words.
Then that main point, a fluffy boy, travelling with to his new home.
Happy days together to you all.
Many thanks, Kristiina. So grateful we managed to get home safely with the new boy who is a sweetheart. But boy is he matted! It’s gonna take some time before he can get in for a full shave once this brutally cold arctic weather pattern passes. It’s been miserably cold with highs in the single digits (4ºF/-15ºC) for the next couple of days.
So you have now as cold as we have here now. The nameless boy is gorgeous, he will grow up and will be a big guy. We say here if the puppy has big paws, it will grow up to the paws.
Stay warm there in faraway America.
Many thanks. Yes, it’s a brutal Arctic front that dipped down with the Jet Stream. It’s been a while since those kinds of dangerous temperatures have hit so much of the whole country. We only received a few inches of snow unlike the place from where I picked him up but the cold and blowing winds makes Winter Storm Finn very dangerous.
While his paws are pretty big (like the rest of him!) most of it is fur but he’ll still leave big pawprints. Stay warm in Finland; hopefully sunshine will fill both our areas.
We sure hope you become a foster failure and that pup becomes a permanent part of the family. We also think Elsa may have nailed his name – Muppet!!!
Woos – Lightning, Misty, and Timber
Thanks Sibes! He’s a right proper mess now but with the subzero temps, I’m waiting until it is a bit warmer before getting him shaved. He’s a very sweet boy and I’m excited about integrating him in the household pack with Elsa. Hugs and tail wags to you all. Stay warm!
Well bless your Mom for taking on this guy – he’s a mess alright but now that he’s had a bath he’s at least “presentable” ! He’s also adorable……best of luck – this guy is absolutely one happy camper now……!
Hugs, Pam
Thank you. He (along with his packmates) are all good dogs and deserve a chance after losing their mum. Best wishes for a pawsome weekend.
What a crazy journey you all have been on! He sounds like a sweet boy! Hopefully, he can settle in and become a new member of the fam! ❤️
It truly was the craziest thing I’ve ever done (and I’ve done some crazy things in my life!). He really is very sweet and in just a short time has figured out how things work around the ranch. He’s wicked smart and wants to please too and that will make a big difference. Stay warm, I heard it’s gonna be chilly down your way this weekend. Have a good weekend.
I’m glad you all made it back safely! Well, I hope New-man 😍 is as sweet as he looks! It sounds like he’s a doll!
Thanks. Sure grateful we managed to dodge this week’s weather. He really is a big pile of sweetness.
I was sure that was what you were hinting at and I am so happy for you! So… foster instead of direct adopt? Is there a rhyme to your reason? Just curious, is all.
And nope… flowers in January when you are not in Florida makes zero sense.
I can’t believe you did all that driving in 24 hours!
Congrats again! xoxo
Thank you. Yeah, kinda hard to disguise the news. I agreed to foster as I wasn’t finding any dogs to adopt. At least I get one this way and can adopt him later. 😉
Flowers in January is just crazy. I couldn’t believe my eyes!
Oh, OK. It was a way of getting him sooner. Gotcha! Love that you did.
It’s ridiculous! Meanwhile, I’ve done all I need to so that tomorrow, I can snuggle at home in front of the fire all day, while the snow blows outside!
Have a safe and cozy snow day!
Thank you! I am about to go for my first shovelling. I prefer to do it in batches, so it’s not too heavy.
With the windchill it’s -21F this morning (-8F actual temp). I can handle about 97 seconds before I have to go in. At this rate, it’ll be Valentine’s Day before all the walks get shoved! 🤣
Jeez… It’s positively balmy here at 32, windchill of 28! Hahaha! I hear ya 🙂
So jealous. It’s 3F with a windchill of -7F. 😲
Oh my goodness. Here, everything that could fall from the sky as and is falling. We had the big, fluffy flakes a few minutes ago and now it’s the smaller ones but faster. Still warm enough.
It’s clear blue skies so it’ll be brutally cold tonight.
Ohhh… when the skies are clear and blue in the winter that is is a sure sign of cold! Stay warm, my friend! Cuddle up to the new guy!
Thanks. Luckily he likes snuggling. 💙
Sounds like he’s perfect!!
Can’t reply above…WP wonkiness…
But:
I wanted to say that Oopsie, I goofed and said there were 4 of you instead of three!! LOL!
No worries. Luie you I’m rather irritated about the weird things going on with WP lately. My theme is different than it used to be and received no advance warning either. Grrrr.
Wow, and WOW!
Congrats on your newbie OES!!
He looks like quite the character!
We are in the midst of the first bad winter storm of this year…’Heather’….sounds too softhearted for this monster. Glad you didn’t have to drive our way…roads are simply horrific.
Our grass and some of the weeds were growing over the past couple of weeks with late March-like weather we had then. Now we are going to be going into the deep freeze…forecast to be the coldest yet in the past 5 years!
Enjoy being a foursome since again!
I-70 was a nightmare Friday night and I’m glad we left right away since they gotten worse. It’s Stock Show week and it always get bone chilling cold. The three of us will snuggle together over the next 3 sub-zero days. Stay safe and warm this weekend.
Congratulations on the newest huggable. He looks sweet and I thought of the name Roscoe. Don’t know why. We fostered boxers at one time and my only advice to make each day filed with love. Foster failure in our parts is when a foster mom takes in a foster and gives them a forever home. Best wishes to all of you.
Yup, that’s what it means to me as well. I’m ready for that kind of failure! Stay warm this weekend.
Yes we are looking forward to wind chills in the teens.,.
Awk…I know my sis in Bastrop probably will be wearing all her sweaters and sweatshirts!
Yes she will for sure.
As soon as my favourite Ninja suiggested that “mom might have a surprise” I figured a new OES. was somewhere on the horizon. He looks fantastic. I only travelled 1000 miles to get Benji – you certainly beat that.. But I had good weather, knew where I was going and had travelled that particular road a number of times. Me, well if he was my dog I think I would call him Angus Og – “young Angus” just Angus for short.
Benji is well, considering what the lad has been through these last few weeks. Today (Saturday) is a home day so I’ll make sure he gets a fair amough ot attention and we have already been out for our morning walk. Keep well —– Love the dog!
Thank you John. I’m pretty chuffed. Angus is a good name but there are a few in our group so we’ll have to see. Give my favorite down under lad extra special attention from us this weekend.
Benji could have been Angus but Annabell liked Benji so Benji he became.
Benji wears his name well!
I was all set to start ranting on those lying blooms and then . . . . . . . . . .
THIS!
Tears. This brought tears (of much joy) to my eyes. Don’t tell anyone.
Big hugs and congratulations. Have a fantastic weekend. I know you will.
Thanks so much for the well wishes. My heart is full with joy and gratitude. He’s a very sweet boy and presuming he doesn’t scare the bejesus outa Elsa, he’ll likely become the newest ranch hand.
Still can’t those blooming phlox. It must have been sorcery!
I love it. Such a great way to start the weekend.
Sorcery I tell you!
Congrats on your new foster (I suspected that was what you were hinting at in your last post). Whoa, what a big boy (!) and a very long drive that must have been. Maybe you can name him ‘Finn,’ after the storm you narrowly escaped. 😉
Finn would fit but we had a Finn many years ago for a short time before us ranch hands arrived on the scene. Yeah, mom was busting at the seams and I knew she’d never be clever enough to surprise anyone. Have a great weekend.
Oh my gosh! Another Sam who isn’t our Sam, but soon will be our Someone Else. He’s gorgeous, and I’m so excited for you, Monika! Is he actually just a foster, or is he YOURS?! BTW, later in life, Jeff’s Mom and Dad always named their dogs the same name so they’d remember it. But, no, I couldn’t do that either. Can’t wait to hear more!!
He’s a real sweetheart. Presuming he integrates well with Ms. “still waters run deep” girl, I’d love for him to become the newest Ranch-hand. Got my fingers crossed. 😉
how adorable! what a personality. Keep him Monika! pleeeeese. Elsa, aren’t you a gracious hostess to allow another boy in the house! I’m excited, glad you made the trip safely. Lets see, what sounds like sam but isn’t… Cam(era) Kazam! Stan. Happy (he is even though it doesn’t sound like Sam) LeeAnna
I’m sure leaning in that direction. We’ll see how the two of them get along. We’ve had a couple of dust ups but I’m trying to cut him slack-his world turned upside down. Wish us luck!
Elsa … threaten Mom … no more beer forever if you ever take on a trip like that before. That should work. Meanwhile, congratulations on the new ranchhand … that is … the dog with no name …. wow … that could be a song!
Does dry January count?
Yeah that would definitely be a song, especially from where he came. 🤣
So Sam II is a keeper? Or are you truly just fostering until he finds a new forever home? He looks great! I love that he’s a butt wiggler.
“Not Sam” will likely stay here provided I can integrate him peacefully with Elsa. He’s very sweet and is trying hard to please but his world was turned upside down. His butt wiggling is first class. Can’t wait for you to meet him in person.
Well, we were close thinking of a puppy. We drive 18 or 19 hours sometimes in a day depending on where we need to go. All of us just sleep and Mom wakes us now and then along the way. Glad you two got along in the car at least. He looks like a real project, but if your mom is up for it, why not? Welcome to the new pup!
Yeah, it really wasn’t much of a surprise. But trust me, Mom tried several times to find a pup but no dice-not being in the vicinity put her at a definitely disadvantage. Those pups got snapped up in minutes. She cannot fathom 18-19 hours behind the wheel all alone with dogs. Your mum is one very brave soul!
congrats on the new addition. i have fostered multiple dogs and have always “failed” as a foster since i kept them all. they have all been different and all required different things. the best advice i can give is to treat him well, as an individual, and with abundance of love and patience. The four of you will all figure out how to navigate this portion of your paths. You love dogs and your heart is in the right place so you will do great as a foster regardless of whether you fail or not. best of luck.
Thank you. Loving this big galute won’t be a problem, but managing his size…well that’s another story. He’s built like a tank and I’m actively trying to trim his waistline (the vet and I think he’s a bit overweight so we’ll focus on that as well). Just him, Elsa and me going this path with no doubt frequent visits from Auntie Cheryl. She keeps us grounded and on task. Have a pawsome weekend.
Well hello new kid on the block. I kinda thought that’s what was happening. When I adopted Sasha, I picked her up in a snowstorm. It was maybe 2 to 3 hour drive but with the snow blowing and the cat singing the songs of her people, it was nerve wracking. This new guy is a cutie. I’m sure Elsa will clue him in.
Thanks, Kate. She thought she was fierce enough but he’s so big…
Oy, a 2-3 hour drive in a snowstorm…with a sympathy playing. Bet that was fun. Have a good weekend.
🙂 symphony? yes I needed sympathy!
🤣 🤣 🤣
Well…hello “Tentative Sam.” Nice to meet ya. Boy, did you hit the jackpot landing at the ranch. Mom and Elsa are the best. As for those January dandelions, since the PA weather has gotten more tranquil here in Wintertime, we do on occasion see them this time of year. They’re a little early to the party to be sure. Have a great weekend, everybody!
You could have knocked Mom over with a feather when she saw it, almost as much as when she found that blooming creeping phlox. What the dawg is going on with Mother Nature. We hope you’re staying warm and safe while winter dominates the stage for the next few days. Have a great weekend.
He definitely takes up a large chunk of real estate. As for how this rescue works, RRR has a dedicated network of fosters who frequently prepare dogs for their eventual ‘fur-ever’ homes. Sometimes, the foster adopts, but typically the fosters observe them, have their immediate needs filled and vet them for adopters (good with kids, cats, etc.). There’s a good chance I may end up being a foster fail and just keep him. I think he has lots of potential to being a nice therapy dog but we’ll see. “Sam” is a happy dog, seemed confident and friendly and in good health. He just needs to learn to not intimidate Elsa and realize life in the city is not all bad. He’s always lived in a rural setting, quiet and open. Here there is noise, and lots of traffic, both pedestrian as well as cars (much to my chagrin) I wouldn’t tolerate her being a bully and that will apply to him as well. He’s a big lap dog and lovebug. Any Scottish or British dog names? I’m stumped. Was leaning toward Sebastian (calling him Bass) but I’m not sure?
Hello to “Not-Sam” – he’s so lucky to be with you! Glad your trip was no more harrowing than it was. Phew!
That drive was terrifying. The last road toward the hotel was narrow and there were no lights or road markers, few cars and fewer house. I was lucky to be able to follow one car for tens of miles. Thank heavens it got me close to where we needed to go.
You are a brave soul. I would have been petrified!
Trust me I was. My hands were cramped for about 30 minutes after we arrived!
Good heavens…he is huge! And what a trip you had to bring him home….
How does the foster thing work? Do you socialise him, get him confident in the new surroundings and then someone turns up to take him permanently…he might not like to go!
Hope springs eternal! 🥰
And who got the bed?
There are 8 dog beds throughout the house. He will only sleep on the bed or the sofa. 😂
Oh. My. Gosh. He’s so adorable and floofy! Congrats, he seems like a sweetheart. He needs a proper English name, I think.
Thank you-yes he’s got floof galore! A proper UK name was my thinking as well. I’ve batted around Sebastian (Bass for short) but not 100% sure. Simon is also a potential but I want to see his personality unfold before making a decision. Ironically my vet’s computer system will not allow two dogs from the same house with the same name so for now the record is under Sampson but can be changed later. Whew.