Our Border collie Rose was once the fastest thing on our farm. She herded sheep, cats, and anything else she could round up. Rose was all about control, speed, and eye.
And eye she had: One brown eye and one blue. This combo made her seem very intense. At least our sheep thought so.
Rose was simply a brilliant sheepherder. As her breed was created to do in the hilly Borders region of Scotland, Rose was eager and undaunted. She would run out to round up the ewes, her black and white body flashing a semaphore warning message. The sheep would catch one glimpse of her and panic, clump up, and run like one giant organism back into the barnyard. Rose followed close on their tails, urging them forward, steering them with precision in the direction she wanted.
Read the essay about Rose from So Much Sky or listen to the essay in a podcast. It's available to download for free from iTunes too.
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They really can become a member of the family can't they?
ReplyDeleteI'm enjoying the book in small bits as a respite from most of the rest of daily life.
Rose was indeed special! She was the first BC I'd met and I still remember the incredible experience of standing in your farmyard while she ran to the fields and brought the sheep all around us. What an fortunate girl, having the opportunity to spend her life doing what she loved most!
ReplyDeleteTracy & the Westies