BevLive: Bev’s report of the Fontaine’s

I have been remiss in not mentioning the stars on this trip. The night sky in these high desert areas of the west is pretty breathtaking to an easterner such as myself. It's much easier to understand the fascination of the ancients with the heavens when the night sky is as dominant a feature as it is out here.

But enough of the heavenly stars. The Star youngsters did themselves proud today. It was with considerable trepidation that I sent Esther out for the sheep this morning. Two days of open running had not improved these difficult sheep at all. If anything, they were today more determined than ever to get to either the set out pen or the exhaust. Wilda Barr had a pretty good run first up, but the next two runners failed to shift the sheep off the hay pile they were spotted on. I need not have feared, however. Esther did a great outrun and after a few moments of communing with the sheep brought them down the field in good order. We had a great drive going until her dyslexia kicked in at the second drive gate and she circled the sheep and drove them half way back to the first gate. Our second run went much better. I slowed the action at the second gate and she remembered the flanks to come second after Amanda and Monty.

Esther penning

Amanda and Monty did great coming second on his first run and first in the second trial. He had great authority on the sheep and looked all grown up. Pretty great running by both these offspring of Star. Amanda and I were both very proud of our youngsters.

The view from Geri's–Mt Shasta is in the background

I left the trial around 3:00 and had a very scenic back roads drive to Klamath Falls where I met Herbert and Alison Holmes. We had dinner in town and I am now parked at Geri Byrne's ranch outside Klamath with Herbert and Alison for new neighbors. We are up in the foothills above the valley with a great view all the way to Mt Shasta and as I mentioned plenty of stars.