We are really proud of Briarlea Reina de la Noche' this week as she went High in Trial at an all-breed herding trial, earning a 94 out of 100 possible points from the Started Class.  She's shown here with her trainer/handler Phyllis Clark.

We are also glad to report that our Gael (Briarlea Nightingale of Rustic Road) earned her first beginning herding title - the HT - or "herding tested" from the AKC.

We've had killing frosts here this week, the morning glories are finally done although we were commenting that the petunias still seem to be hanging in there!  Mornings are downright cold, frost layered over the pastures and the skies clear and bright with stars.  Quite lovely if one is sitting in the kitchen with the heater on!

Jim and I took the day off yesterday to drive up to Lake Superior and Duluth.  It was a perfectly gorgeous day, in the mid-70F range with a little breeze.  We took Gael and Solo along with us; they had a grand time chasing sticks, chasing one another, jumping in the lake and rolling in the sand.  We wandered up to the viewing point on Canal Street to watch the ore boats coming in - and spent a certain amount of time looking at real estate ads once home!

Today I hauled in what tomatoes are left; they are seriously blighted and it's forecast to freeze tonight so that's that.  I also brought in houseplants and drove over to look at some oat straw.  It's only $2 bale but the bales are pretty darned small.  Small sometimes is good however - manageable, I'm thinking...

Today is my birthday! So far so good!  Painters showed up at 7:30 to begin the house painting project, my son Miles called from hunting camp in Colorado to report that they'd gotten an elk and Trouble was successful in helping dog break some lambs.  Can't get much better in my small world!  In addition, I froze 10 gallons (yes, gallons) of tomatoes and am now taking a break.  It's very hot out, 91F as I write this at 4 p.m.