Baa... Baaa... *The Italian Chisum Trail returns...

The first sheep blog post is here.

Yesterday, I was at home... cleaning house, cooking/etc. or in other words getting ready for the return of my Christmas break guests... who were returning from traveling in various parts of Italy for the past few days.

Suddenly, I heard... 'baaa, baaa... baa' and I rushed to the window and sure enough the SHEEP were returning (going the opposite direction now) and I found my big 35 mm camera (since, the digital is of course broken- along w/ having a battery that falls out constantly!) It was raining and they looked a soggy wet mess. This area that they are walking along-- is a huge open field next to my rental house.  I can't believe that they didn't try to make a run for it-- only a couple decided to sample some green grass along the way.  Hey, you get hungry walking all that distance to their 'winter home'.... The donkey is looking at them... Like 'Now, you're gonna get it Beaver!  I'm telling mom!" The donkey... has washed his hands of the situation and has continued onward. The crowd mentality soon takes over... the  thinking of if:  "THEY CAN EAT THE GRASS ... SO, CAN I!" The babies had grown so much since I saw them a few months ago.  That's the shepherd with the black umbrella.   The first time the came through here 'going in the opposite direction' to their summer grass area... he had to pick up several of the babies and put them in the back of that pick-up truck.  If you want to see the blog post where I first saw the sheep-- check out the blog post about:  Chisum Trail. This photo is right in front of my front gate (that's the drive way gate) and the city bus got caught in amongst the sheep herd.  However, I was not happy with him when he tried to continue driving along the road!   He only had to wait a couple of minutes before they cleared the area.   He did drive through them about a block and finally stopped.   *Click on photos for a larger view.

Apparently, I live on the Italian "Chisum Trail".... because this morning at 6:10am... I suddenly heard....

I barely had time to find and grab my camera... and I was able to take ONE PHOTO out the front door.   Do you see the donkeys in the mix of sheep?   The baby sheep are in the back of the group.  The man that you see is a real 'shepherd' he even has the crooked stick as seen in countless Christmas plays!   I had to take the photo through the glass of the front door- (no time to find the key to the front door- plus, I was still in my pajamas) and then I ran to the other side of the house and filmed some through the dining room windows!   My guess is that they are herding them up to the mountain grassy areas now that winter is over?   I have NEVER, EVER seen sheep in any fields anywhere!!!!  I wonder where they have been staying/living for the winter?   The little babies in the back are so cute and you can see the guy go and grab one that isn't able to keep up (he lasted for quite awhile though) and dump him in the back of the pick-up.  If you look closely there are at least a couple more little babies already in the back of the truck.

*Click on the arrow to see the video images...  I still can't believe that my very busy street in front of my house suddenly became a stockyard full of donkeys and sheep and sheep herding dogs!  Plus, one cute looking 'shepherd'...

Well, what an interesting start to my morning!

Soon, I'll get dressed (I was still in my jammies) and go to the local bakery, then to the big grocery store in the nearby town because I haven't been to it in awhile.

 I am finally finished with the 3 'on-line' university classes that I was taking to get credits to keep my teaching certificate updated.  We have to get 6 credit hours every 5 years.  I have one more one hour credit class to take this summer.   The last of the classes ended this week.  I finished 2 about 10 days early and then worked to get the last class finished (it didn't take as long as it was only 1 college credit) and I finished it a few days early.   So this will be the first weekend of NOT having to work on college classes for weeks/months.

We are also off work on Monday... however, the local areas shops/etc. will be closed for election.  So, it seems like a day to spend doing stuff at home... that hasn't been taken care of lately-- due to all the college class work?

Information about the Chisum Trail... (it went from Texas, across Oklahoma, and then to Kansas)
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/WWchisumT.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chisholm_Trail See Ardmore?  That's where I used to live... of course, the Chisum Trail was long before I was born.