Cool Morning. Hot Day.

Last night was deliciously cool and we slept with the windows open.  There is only one drawback that accompanies that free luxury: we hear every growl, howl, and bark of our livestock guardian dog, Lleulu.  As well as the sassy nocturnal opinions of the cat.

At some point during the night, I remember hearing a terrible yip.  My sleeping brain registered the sound as "dog touched electric fence."  I should have woken up to investigate.  But I trust Llu to manage things during the night and experience has taught me that she makes a different kind of noise when there is trouble.  So I didn't surface from my sleep.

 My first view of the day.

This morning, much to my surprise, I found Llu sleeping inside the ewe pen.  As a free-roaming "farm guardian" I do not pen her with the sheep.  She can deal with predators a lot better if she can maneuver around all the pens.  I have no idea how she came to be in the pen, other than I believe I heard that yelp of hers the moment it happened last night.  There was no damage to the fence, and the ewes were sleeping peacefully on the other side of the pen, under the tree.

Llu inside the fence

I opened the gate and let Llu out.  She came quickly and seemed relieved.  If she came to be in the pen by way of her own naughty mischief, she may have learned her lesson.  For all I know she pursued a rodent through the electronet...or saved the flock from a coyote in a wrestling match.  Or maybe she just couldn't wait any longer to introduce herself to the flock.  Regardless, I'm grateful everyone was ok this morning.

It didn't take long for the refreshing morning to burn off in the oven-like heat of mid-day.  All of us, human, dog, cat, and sheep alike, are just trying to stay cool in the shade.

Holly, waiting out the heat.

Heidi, in the deep, dark shade.