It's the Little Things 2

Yesterday's little thing is a plastic shepherd's whistle, dedicated to directing distant herding dogs in their pursuit of wayward livestock. I have carried one since there actually were three collies, although none of my pups was sophisticated enough to actually work on whistles. 

More on loud yells and frantic screaming sometimes. They did come to one though...you can hear the shrill screech from a long ways away.The two old dogs knew their "sides", "come bye" and "away to me". Mostly minded "That'll do." And "lie down" and "stay" and "walk up". "Get back" or "get out" were harder. Oh, how Mike loved to be too tight to the stock. Worked well with cows, where sometimes he had to swing off a nose to get his point across......but he utterly terrified sheep.

Anyhow, for years and years I never seem to have a whistle with an intact "handle". They still function perfectly well without one, and it's not like my dogs do any work other than studying and shredding newspaper. I do use it to get the boss's attention when he is driving the noisy skid steer sometimes. I should buy a metal one, which would prolly stand up better, but just color me cheap.

However, I was utterly delighted to find the intact, complete, and in fact almost perfect one in yesterday's post, in the upstairs bookcase of all places. Becky and I are culling books for donation, sale, or discard, and there it was lying on the shelf.

I was pleased indeed.

Today's little "things" are little girls. One of them comes to the backdoor screen to call in "Gramma, I need my horse." (Stick horse...a great little traveler that one, a palomino with incredible stamina.)

Or, "Gramma, I need my milk." "Gramma, Where's mommy?"

Upland Sandpiper

The other photo I came across while looking for photos of Upland Sandpipers for eBird. She is a manager at a local restaurant now.....

Aunt Becky BITD