We bought a Farm: Farm Lessons Learned Today

I feel that every single day on the farm is a day that I am learning something new. Just today I learned:

1. This shirt (pictured at right) would have made NO sense to me years ago -- before I was a farmer. But let me just say: If you want a herd of animals to move in a certain way, they will secretly conspire against you to do exactly the opposite. And in the midst of trying to move large herds of animals, frustration and tempers can go OFF THE RAILS. My husband can manage an ER full of people seamlessly. But give him a sheep who won't behave, and you'll see him struggle to keep his cool. 
2. I took a video of our major farm job today. It was to bring our approximately 60-some-odd sheep into the "arena" and check their numbers and hooves and general health. This gives you an idea of the "challenges" of tending to animals. Lots of moving parts to make this work well. 
3. Speaking of moving animals. If you haven't seen the movie: Temple Grandin, I recommend it whole-heartedly. You don't have to be interested in farming to enjoy it. Claire Danes is outstanding, and it also gives a fantastic look into life with autism. 
4. Cool weather helps tempers stay calm! It's June. Which is usually warm. But today was a beautiful day. Nearly chilly. And when you have to move sheep, it's great weather for it.
5. Sometimes, you have to just take a moment to treasure the little things. My dog Arabelle, is just a part of my life here, but she is my shadow and goes everywhere with me. I took this video today of her running with me on the four-wheeler. 
6. If you try to carry a hammer in your arms with a bunch of other farm equipment, and you forget you have the hammer in said arms and you open up your arms to open a gate and your dog is standing next to you and the hammer falls on your dog ... the dog will yelp and not speak to you for at least thirty seconds.
7. If you decide that this will be a house with no animals in it but you compromise and let the dogs live in the house, you won't feel you have much clout when you find yourself saying: "What did I tell you about no animals in the house?!" And in the course of ONE day you will find two baby lambs, a turtle, a snake, a crawfish, and two puppies.
8. If our flexible Abigail was a bird, this is the one she would be: