Catahoula Who?

A couple of weeks ago we took our beloved "Blue" into our vet to get routine shots.  Normally I do this annually but this particular time I had too much on my plate to purchase the shots, drive to Clay Springs for the Rabies, and so forth.  This visit we saw a NEW vet, a female, Dr. Sanders.  She fell in love with "Blue".............yeah right!  Anyway, she immediately said to us, "what a beautiful Catahoula"  and I said, "what the heck is a Catahoula?"

Apparently the Louisiana Catahoula Leopard dog or the Catahoula Hog dog, or the Catahoula Hur, or the Louisiana Catahoula Leopard dog..........is so named after a Parish in Louisiana.................hmmmm?  Louisiana has cited this dog as having it's origin in Louisiana, although some suspect it is actually a Nordic Wolfhound..............hmmm?

I got this pup thinking it was a Border Collie X..........hmmm?  Now for a nominal fee of $125 we can find out just what "Blue" is by having a DNA test done..................NOT!!!! For GOD's sake, I only paid $5 bucks for the pup.  And when he's bad, "the Man" let's me know he's MY dog.

He is beautiful I'll admit, we've had a lot of comments from people about how "good looking" he is.  Once we had a younger guy pull into the ranch to buy fresh eggs from us..............he had this gorgeous, full-blood Border Collie female in the cab of the truck with him.  While "the Man" was selling him eggs, he turned to "the Man" and asked him, "did you shave your Border collie?"  Now that's about the most humiliating thing you can hear, especially from someone who's got a perfectly trained, lil' female, full blood collie!  "The Man" came into the house after the transaction snorting and laughing.............I didn't think the story was so darn funny..............poor "Blue."

Now, if in fact "Blue" has any Catahoula in him, we're in trouble.  Apparently these Catahoula's take the "pack thing" real serious!  The bio on them say's that an "owner who takes pack leadership seriously with structure, leadership and plentiful exercise" should do well with a Catahoula..................O.K.!!!  The objective is in training this dog to achieve a pack leadership status................"Blue" flippin' runs this ranch, pack leadership my ass, he herds us, tells us what to do on any givin' day, tell's us when it's time for him to eat, sleep or play, we're at his beck and call.........24-7!  I've tried, seriously, I've TRIED!  I've even watched Cesar Milan until I'm blue in the face.............I'll bet ya, Cesar couldn't snap his fingers and hiss at "Blue," and achieve any leadership.  As my sister says, "ain't no one the boss of "Blue." "  And she's right, you can't be the boss of "Blue."

I've never, ever had a problem with leadership with any of our other dogs..........Labradors, Wolfhounds, Basset's, Retrievers................NEVER!!  I've always been the boss and I've always had them trained to be polite, social dogs.....................I've pulled my hair out with this "peach."

"Blue's" morning starts with attacking "the Man's" socks and shoes at 5 a.m. He's obsessed with shoes, but ONLY "the Man's" shoes.  From that point in his day(which is very long for the remainder of his pack family), he will herd the Shepherdess at 7a.m. when she heads out to feed the sheep.  Once in the barn, he focus's his attention on the sheep.  The lambs are his "gig," he chases them around the pasture, barking and gently nipping their twist, brisket and legs.  He herds them all right............in circles, stirring up huge amounts of dust while the Shepherdess lays out hay.  Once the Shepherdess is coated in a layer of dust, she head's over to feed the other two, gentle, sweet dogs that she own's.  At that point in time, "Blue" pounces on the "sweet dogs" nipping and barking, he then run's into the cellar house to "guard" the container of THEIR dog food.  He does let them eat in peace, but they are always watching him.  Once we've achieved that huge chore, he follows the Shepherdess into the house, looks at his food bowl, jumps up on the couch and crashes for several hours................napping on his back, legs spread eagle, farting like the wind.  This all resumes again when "the Man" is home for the day, but this time he want's to play. The game he loves most............"try and get your Reebok tenny from me."  He can have the damn tenny..............you couldn't get it if you wanted it anyway.  It's been his fav toy since he was a darling, blue-eyed pup(I have to remind myself daily just how cute he was at one point in time.)

The only animal on this ranch that has any clout with "Blue" is "Ya-Ya" the tiny, female cat and "Estes."  "Blue" will actually let "Ya-Ya" drink from his water bowl, he'll play with her and she grooms him. Now "Estes" is a different story altogether, "Blue" doesn't much care for "Estes,"  "Estes" doesn't much care for "Blue," probably because he torments "his" sheep flock.  "Estes" will charge "Blue" and on occasion, he'll toss him in the dirt, not hard, just to let him know who's boss..................I'm thinkin' I need to spend more time watching "Estes" being the "pack leader" instead of Cesar Milan!

Now, don't get me wrong, we love our "Blue" but it's like having a three year old on sugar, tired and desperately needing a nap!!!  However, every evening when "the Man" and myself settle down to our bedroom, "Blue" leaps up on the bed, lies down between us, licks us and then rolls over spread eagle for a belly rub..........with those SWEET eyes of his!

Now they say that these Catahoula's live to be fairly old...............................OMG!!

The Girl I was, the Woman I've Become

When I was seventeen I left home........it struck both my parents very hard.  It made Mama sick for several days.  I didn't exactly leave in a "normal" sense, like asking them if I could go, or even having a plan really, I just didn't come home one evening.  What did happen to me formed the foundation of who I am today, why I have the beliefs I do, and how I view life.  Many years later, my mama will tell me, "when you left us it hurt, but what you learned didn't hurt you."  I think that means she's forgiven me my insensitivity to their wishes at the time.........like finishing high school and staying home.  I wanted to hit the world hard and fast.....I did both, and I haven't stopped!

In September of 2007 I went to Alaska for the second time.  While in Skagway, "the man" and myself went to the Red Onion Saloon for a couple of good ol' Alaskan ales.  I struck up a conversation with two older gentlemen about my first visit to Alaska.  I would say we chatted with one another for about two hours.  When it was time for us to go, one gentleman turned to me and said, "you need to write a book about your memoirs, you need to tell these stories, write them down for your kids if nothing else."  I've thought about that comment a lot over these years.............

What I can tell my two kids is this...................I'm living a good life, I've enjoyed my journey thus far, the good has far exceeded the bad, and I wouldn't change a thing.  I've worked in many a "mans field" earning me more money but working much harder, I've rock climbed mountains (the Granite Dells, the "Monk," boulders in carefree, mountains in the Sierra's and Alaska, Mt. Baldy and the Grand Canyon), I've back-packed in areas many people will NEVER see, fished high mountain lakes ( many people will never see), I back-packed Alaska for three weeks carrying a 70 pound pack, travelling there via a ferry out of Seattle. I've hiked down into the Grand Canyon, camped for two weeks, I've hiked the Superstition's.........never finding the "gold mine" but feeling rich afterwards.  I've hiked numerous times into the Sierra's, travelling 10-14 miles a day with a heavy pack, forging cold, snow melt rivers that were deep and raging.  I've even walked into the woods with my own back-pack strapped on me and camped by myself for days............I highly recommend it to anyone!

In Northern California I lived in a community that was rife with "hippies."  Most of whom became my friends, most of whom worked but enjoyed the simple lifestyle. We'd gather once a week at someone's house, tent or tepee, share vegan meals, play music, sing, enjoy one anothers company. I learned a lot from those days........................

I've learned that it matters to me to take good care of our earth, have empathy towards others, be kind to animals, love people unconditionally.  I've learned NOT to discuss politics or religion with people because everyone has their own beliefs, mine may not be the same but it works for me.  I've learned that spontaneity gives richness to one's life. Spending time alone will heal much.................  I've learned that grand babies are definately

"GODS GIFTS," they are the extension to the lil' ones you once rocked, played with, nurtured. I've learned that you should NEVER, EVER look back and wish you'd done something differently, the past is the past, it's final.  I've learned that as you age, you become more sensitive to the important things, love, life, family and loss.  I've also learned how to love someone else and let myself be loved........unconditionally.  Sometimes the "second time around" is by far the best.

I've also learned that it's very important to take care of one's body, it has to last you a long time.  Spending time in guietude each day doesn't mean you're "lazy" it just shows that you know what you need physically and spiritually to be at peace. I've learned that loud, boisterous, people or people who complain a lot are NOT conducive to my well-being. I've learned to stay away from people who tend to be competitive, they lack self-esteem.

 I've learned that cooking good food has become my passion.  Using the most natural, untainted food is the BEST for me, the end product superior.  I've learned that to get that superb quality without paying huge sums of money requires me to raise our own food.......lamb, chickens, ducks, turkeys, rabbits, pork, fresh eggs(both chicken and duck), and vegetables........the work is hard but the dividends are worth it.

 I also look back and understand that I've had much serendipity in my life.  A "calling" which started when I was a very young girl, placed me right smack dab into the life I have..................... a GOOD LIFE!