Today was one of those dogs when a border collie can show you what he or she can mean to a farm with animals. This winter means to make itself felt, and a surprise wind, snow and ice storm swept down upon us, this time with howling winds that kept the animals huddled in the Pole Barn, we were caught off guard and went to make sure our animals were all right and also to grain them and put hay out in a narrow space with restless and hungry animals.

In this kind of weather, around grain, the donkeys and the sheep can both lose control and bang into one another – and us.  In their efforts to keep the sheep off of their food, the donkeys will sometimes kick out and it can be dangerous to be behind, Red’s task was to sit just outside of the pole barn and keep the sheep in place, he had to sit outside in the freezing snow and wind for nearly 15 minutes, he never moved, flinched or blinked. I couldn’t bear to leave him out any longer, and my fingers were no longer moving, so I called him.

It was enough time for the donkeys to eat their grain, the sheep theirs. It stayed neat and orderly, it stayed safe.

Some days you loved a dog, some days you need a dog, I am glad he was here.