Happy Fall!!

Happy Fall!!!
It's my favorite time of the year. I love the harvest time, the colors of the season and the weather and temperatures.

The roses at the cabin

Up at the cabin my brother and his wife have a row or hedge of roses. It helps to separate the yards, but it also helps to keep the kids from running across their yard.

While we were there, we did notice a few white roses.

But there were more of these pink roses. These looked like what my Mom used to call wild roses when I was growing up.

They were pretty much past their peak for blooming, but still lovely to see.

The birds in and around Island Lake

One of my most favorite birds of Northern Minnesota, the state bird, the Loon!! We don't get them down here in SE Minnesota at all and I sure do miss them. I love how they look, I love their song. Yet one more thing that I miss from up north.

And then as we were cruising around the lake my eagle eye brother(pun intended), Mike spotted this Bald Eagle. We went very slowly past him/her and got lots of pictures. I won't bore you with every picture that I took of this eagle.

But he just sat there and let us take pictures. He was probably thinking, tourists.

And then we saw this guy. He made lots of noise. We were thinking that he might be an immature Bald Eagle? All I know is that he was noisy, but still something cool to see.

The reason that I was thinking that he is an immature Bald Eagle and that he has the same very pronounced hook on his beak. There are some osprey that live on this lake too. I haven't gotten to see any of them close enough to take a picture yet.

Family Get Together on the Lake

We went up to my brother's cabin this past Saturday for a sibling get together. Their cabin in on Island Lake by the town of Sturgeon Lake. Isn't it beautiful.

Isn't the lake beautiful? It does make me miss being in Northern Minnesota where the lakes are so clear and beautiful. Not much for sheepdogging up there, but it is a beautiful area.

After lunch we went out on the lake on the pontoon boat. My oldest brother, Bill, was our pontoon pilot.

A few enjoying the pontoon ride. From L to R. My brother in law, Ted, husband to my sister Barb. My sister in law, Peggy, next to her husband my brother Mike.

Deep discussion.

My sister Barb enjoying the scenery.

My sister in law, Bill's wife, Sandy. Enjoying herself.

My brother, Mike and Peggy. They just celebrated their 37th anniversary this past week.

My sister, Barb and her hubby, Ted.

After we got back from the pontoon ride we competed in a mean tournament of bean bag. Here Steve is showing his form.

Here is brother Bill showing his bean bag form.

Sandy showing her form.

Mike showing his competitive side. Mike and Steve won our little tournament.

Ted was showing good form in spite of not being able to use his right arm.

Barb concentrated very hard trying to get her throw just right.

Mike cheering on his wife. He was saying "Go Mags, go!!"

And then Peggy would hit the hole!!

All in all it was a wonderful weekend with family. For Steve and I, it was a relaxing day that we really needed. The food was good, the pontoon ride was excellent. I will post pictures of some of the birds that we saw while going around the lake in another blog post. I know that I really miss the lakes, the pines tree and how nice it is in the north. We both really miss the lakes of the north country.

Clinton Anderson quotes

Just thought I'd share some quotes from Clinton Anderson's book, "Lessons Well Learned." I think that a lot things that horse trainers do can be used with sheepdog training.

"Frustration ends where knowledge begins. The key to ending frustration and building knowledge, confidence, and ability with horses is a matter of keeping simple and breaking your goals into specific steps."

"Do what you have to do to get the job done. Building better communication with your horse really comes about by making the right things easy and the wrong things difficult---and always rewarding the slightest try."


"Take everything step-by-step. Frustration, obstacles, and challenges in horse training ---and in life---are best overcome by staying focused, finding balance, and taking things one step at a time."

"To change your horse, you must first change yourself. Being willing to open your mind, increase your knowledge, gain experience, and make a commitment to consistent effort will first transform you---and then your horse."

"To be effective, you have to be understood. Black-and-white communication with horses creates the understanding that helps solve problems and paves the way for achieving your highest goals."

"There's no substitute for hands-on experience."

"Horses are creatures of habit. Horses don't understand "right" or "wrong," they just know what they've been allowed to do."

"You have to allow a horse to make a mistake---and then correct it. Correcting a mistake after it occurs accelerates a horse's learning, while preventing a mistake just guarantees he will keep making it."

"Consistency is your greatest ally---and inconsistency your greatest enemy. Consistent practice in even small increments of time will build stronger mental and physical habits with your horses---and yield big-time results."

"It takes time, knowledge, experience---and desire---to get a well-trained horse. Evaluating your abilities, choosing the right kind of horse, and having specific goals will make your horse experience the best it can be."

"Success is just around the corner---the trouble is, most people quit before they reach the corner! Achieving success in horse training often comes down to patience, persistence, and consistency---even when it seems like the horse is never going to understand."