Grounded but worth it!

I am grounded. I got sunburned yesterday and we all know what that means. Actually I'll probably go outside again tomorrow. I'll just try to be more responsible in the future!

I was going to post some fun pictures but my phone is dead and my charger is at work. So tomorrow if I go to walmart I'll get a car charger and then might post some pictures.

Friday I was pretty lazy. I did a little work from home, did a little housework, worked a little in the garden, and canned some grape syrup and some green beans. I've decided not to pick any more beans this year. Instead, I'll just let them dry out (they're dying anyways) and see if I get any dry beans. The grape syrup was the green grapes I had in the freezer since last year when I made the grape jam. I think syrup is easier. I just boiled it down for a long time, ran it through the blender and a strainer and canned it. Today I made the most delicious buttermilk pancakes for dinner and the grape syrup was way tasty on it.

Saturday I was going to go to St George but events conspired, and I stayed put instead. It turned out ok. It would've been nice to see Melanie, Melissa, and some Gartz's but there is something to be said for sleeping in my own bed (namely I don't get so onry). So after a great breakfast at Kneeders (the chunky cinnamon french toast of course), and seeing Angela and Dad for a few minutes as they headed through to Rexburg (they had a few things to bring me from NM, but unfortunately couldn't find my hat in the rush to pack and brought the wrong fishing pole) we headed up to Soldier Hollow for the Sheepdog Trials.

I really really really want a border collie. Now is not the time but I can still dream. I love watching those dogs work. They love to work and are just so smart! I also love that they have real workin' names. No "princess fluffieness of dorsetchires" or "Lobuff Hyspire Lasting Impression" (just pulled that one off of a winner from westminster dog show) but real names like Lad, Tess, or Lyn. Its a beautiful location and just facinating to watch. If a dog gets hot they just jump right into the water trough they have provided. Very business like but they also just seem so happy to be working. I did some reseach and learned that the Soldier Hollow trial is an invitational and is an exceptionally difficult course. They use wild range ewes who are not used to working with dogs and the course is really really big! I didn't see any sheep charge any dogs, but they did stampt their feet at the dogs, and there was one really naughty ewe who later got marked with orange because she was not going to be herded and that wasn't fair to the dogs (that sheep took off from the rest and wouldn't go back to the herd, the dog got way off on that sheep and got disqualified.... poor Gunner, he was in trouble and he knew it!)

I liked watching the control dogs whose job it is to put the sheep that were just in the main field into the holding pen (they only run each group of 5 sheep once a day). So efficiant and excited and focused! The sheep would get curious and watch the ones that were being worked and would start baaing to them and so the group of 5 would try to head over to the penned flock, making it more difficult for the dog. To help one lady tied her control dog over against that fence so the sheep stayed away. You should've seen the look that dog gave her. He was all excited to work and was intent and waiting and then realized she just put him over there and he wasn't going to actually work the sheep. The look of suprise, then hurt and then disgust followed by resignation was almost comical to watch. He kept shooting hurt looks at her until she moved him back by the people.


We also caught some of the "splash dog" competition which is just fun to watch. Those dogs are very enthusiastic but I can't really say well trained, or exceptionally bright, after watching the border collies work. I saw part of a duck herding demo and that was funny because the dog I saw just looked like she wanted to EAT the ducks. I think she was even drooling at one point! I felt bad for the ducks because sheep are way bigger then the little border collies and this dog (some sort of australian cattle dog) was way bigger then the ducks!

We stayed up there quite a while. Cathy was pretty patient with me! The weather was great except when it rained and then got really hot. I then came home and worked on my primary lesson which went ok today. One of the more naughty kids was really asleep for all but the first 15 minutes of sharing time and last 10 minutes of class or so. Now I'm thinking I know why this kid is having troubles, heaven knows I'm not on my best behavior when I'm tired!

Like I said earlier I made scrumtious buttermilk pancakes for dinner. I followed a recipe in cook's magazine. I think I can make them just as tasty and fluffy with whole wheat by beating the egg whites seperate like i do for the best of the west waffles. I felt like it was hot today so it was a simple, fast, and tasty dinner. I fried up some canadian bacon and for the veggy had stuff for tomatoe, basil, and mozerella with basalmic vinegar. I really like the mozerella I picked out. Much creamier tasting and less rubbery. Yum!

I like Sundays but they are usually somewhat sad since I have to go to work the next day. Not so for today! Whoohoo!