Monday the 12th of November.

We started shearing today, and so far so good. We have a good crew and also a lady Woolpresser, which is fairly unusual. All the woolhandlers are ladies and they always do a better job. (No offence any male readers)

I put the sheep into the shearing shed yesterday with Rio's help. She lacks confidence as a yard dog but I was more than happy with her performance. She really got in and moved them and they are big ewes, yellow tags (2005 born) that have yet to have a lamb. We have had a wonderful season here after a slow start, so spring feed in plentiful and the sheep are big and woolly. So I am sure with work she will develop into a more than handy yard dog to compliment her paddock abilities. Some dogs take longer than others to develop strength and can be discarded too early. It might take a bit of extra training but is usually worth it. Rio has a calm quiet strength and can work the sheep without having them flying in all directions, which can help the sheep to flow without stressing them too much.

Dolly and Rio helped me this afternoon to bring in a mob of hoggets. The sheep were a long way off and we had to bring them home through a tree plantation. The dogs worked very well. Rio's problem was that she is reluctant to drink as it means leaving her sheep which she can't bear so I had to insist she have a drink every now and again, before we continued working. When it is very hot and there is no dam nearby, I carry water on the motorbike.

Both dogs are good at working sheep through the trees, it can be a tricky job.

It was about 36 degrees here today, not a good day to start shearing and we suffered a bit as we are not used to it. Daylight saving does not help and we had to wait until 6.30pm before we could head out to bring the mob in. It came up stormy about 7.30 pm and the lightning in the east was spectacular to watch, and I quite enjoyed driving the sheep across the paddock in the cooling breeze watching the show.

Difttz is having a holiday as she is pregnant, and getting big already, with three weeks to go.

It has taken me three seasons to get her in pup so I am not risking her. I am eagerly awaiting the event.