winter

The Good Fight

04/09/2026 by ladysmith@cowdogsadvice.com

Old Ladysmith taught me that by her time in life, she had fought the good fight.

By this time of year, too, we all seem to have been in a fight, at least up north here. Winter has a way of beating you around a bit. April just started, and this year, it has been a fight, maybe a good fight.

We endured a few cold snaps, where temps dropped beyond tolerable. This is when the world takes on a mean attitude, and even the sun, if it shows, is stingy and mocking.

The trees and creek make sharp painful sounds, as if splintering in the freeze.

Not much snow this year – even with Chinooks and some melting, a few storms – very few sledding hills for little boys.

We’ve come through the bleakest months and fought the good fight – chopping ice for the cows to drink, shoveling and plowing, brushing off the truck once again and praying it will start.

A couple weeks ago, we supposedly entered Spring. Finally we’ve had a few warm sunny days this week, but we have snow predicted for the weekend. I’ve learned we probably have a couple winters still to come this spring!

Old people, and old dogs, appreciate the promise of Spring more than most. Like the song says, “We made it through another on the northern range”.

Some years, a lot of people got a dose of winter pretty far south.

I think that is mostly fun for them to play in the snow!

It seems endless, but of course wintering is a swift, small fight.

As this old cowdog looks at the world, I see so many more important battles on the horizon.

Will we fight for right? Who will stand up for truth?

Will the people of this uncommon nation of freedom defend the young, ensure real history is known, raise the bar, expect the best?

Us cowdogs know a good fight.

But I watch you humans today, so much anger and outright depravity. Reason is skewed, distorted, lost.

I think Washington DC needs a few good Heelers, where a couple of nips and brisk herding would bring some needed change. People need to straighten up, learn some civility, show mercy and kindness.

And how about a little spunk, a little resolve, a little endurance?

I am a Heeler. I don’t panic and don’t wring my paws. Trials, tribulations, storms of all kinds – it just takes grit to get through. It helps to have confidence in a God greater than any fight.

I’ve heard “in this world, you will have tribulations.” But the God who created this old dog, and you, followed that with this joyful promise: “But be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world”! [John 16:33].

I think He knows about the good fight, and He has it settled. The winter ended, the fight ended, a couple thousand years ago and last weekend.

It is our job to fight the good fight, and fight for good. We can do it with Him alongside.

When it counts, then I fight like I’m the third dog on the ramp of Noah’s Ark, and it is starting to rain!

Make it count friends.

A Wild Turkey Tale

02/12/2026 by ladysmith@cowdogsadvice.com

Well, of course that rodent said more winter, but this old Heeler knows that this season goes on til March, no matter what. Maybe longer.

We had a couple more very cold days; I insist on going out and laying at my station on the porch, but nobody lets me stay very long, fearing I will freeze right down to the boards, I guess. I am out there trying, in usual Heeler fashion, to just will the weather to warm up. Even the sun refuses to give in, though, and cold temps stay all day. But maybe my efforts work, though, because today it was much warmer.

There is a lot of wild critters around here, especially in the cold season, and now they all seem to be hanging around waiting for Spring, too. The deer and turkeys are especially thick in the yard, waiting for dropped chicken or bird seed, for the horses to miss a little grain, and to pick up hay when the livestock aren’t at the feeders.

And you never know who else will show up!

We have watched and followed the turkeys through the years. At first I’m told, they were rare, only glimpsed in the trees, and very wild. One year, a single bird came near. Over the years, more showed up in the winter, and some years there have been dozens of them. Other years, not one bird has come through the ranch.

I have seen them fly down from the hills, the sky alive with huge birds hurtling to the ground, wings wide. At dusk, they fly straight up into the dark pines. They are odd, funny, impressive and too many.

I used to think they were part of my charges, and I would herd them up in groups, to eat with the chickens. I was pretty good at that, but learned that just because they moved in, herding them was not my responsibility.

Lewis and Clark did not report seeing the big birds when they journeyed through this country, because there were none back then. Even though Ben Franklin nominated it for the national bird, it was not common nationwide long ago. The first turkeys arrived in Montana when 13 birds from Colorado were imported in 1954, then another 44 came in the next few years. No more birds came after that, but now there are hundreds of thousands of them, all over the country. They can adapt!

This year, they are pushy and persistent, even flying up to the porch to empty the bird feeders.

I suppose all the critters are hungry, with little winter grass or seeds by now, for any of them. Deer and turkeys are willing to risk anything to get a few bites.

Other critters and the little birds fight for seed

Of course, we let them be. I used to bark at the deer til I was “blue” in the face, even chase them, but not anymore.

My ranch is a safe haven. After all, I get to go inside, always have a good dinner and nice bed, sometimes to be enjoyed without cats, so I cannot begrudge them a little space and food.

Did you know a flock of turkeys is also called a rafter. I don’t know how many that is, but there are rafters all over here. They start strutting and gobbling when warm days hint of Spring.

Soon the big toms will start cussing, pushing and fighting right in the yard; sometimes they run right into me!

Then soon after, they will all be gone.

Strutting turkey tracks

They will return to the high country and live wild again – skittish, cautious, gliding swiftly away through the trees. It seems strange that they would run from me then, seeing me on the four-wheeler, when I know them all.

But they return to self-sufficiency I suppose, not taking advantage of hospitality, being the bird God created them to be. Wild at heart and over the desperation that the cold brings, they continue on their own path.

I guess that is what we all need to do, in spite of detours, hurdles, changes we don’t want or expect. Struggle through the tough times, be creative, adapt, make changes. Take help where you can when you need. Remember to lend a hand as well. But feel the sun on your face, look ahead with joy and optimism.

There are only five more Saturdays until Spring! Give me a sunny day above freezing, when the snow starts melting, and this old Heeler can hardly stand the glorious joy of my right path into Spring!

As you follow the path God created for you, run it rejoicing right into Spring!

Even if there is plenty of winter to leap through first.

“Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.” – Deuteronomy 5:33

Dog Dealing With Winter

01/22/2026 by ladysmith@cowdogsadvice.com

Up north at least, winter can be a long and grim season.

I’ve told you how chores are doubled by the cold, the dark, the wind, snow and ice.

We chop ice on the creek for the cows to drink, and gather sometimes frozen eggs.

But these are nonetheless a cache of precious days, still worth so much more than grim enduring. And after a nasty cold spell, winter has been pretty nice so far.

I learned from old Ladysmith how to make a good list. So here is a Ladysmith List of ways to infuse joy in the deep winter, more than mere holding on til April.

The kitchen – so many good things come from here in the winter and believe me, my nose knows! There are savory stews and soups, full of meat and usually my favorite – carrots! Of course this cowdog has a bowl at the table. There is also baking, and not just the Holiday specialties. I don’t get the cookies with chocolate chips, but the others are good and mom often bakes just for me. But my favorite aroma is baking sourdough bread!

A walk in the moonlight – on warm evenings or early mornings, I go walk with mom [warm being a relative term, of course, in January; to us that would be freezing at least]. Now on a clear night, around full moon, it is like daylight on the snow.

I stick close to mom to protect her, and because I do not like coyotes. We don’t go too far anyway, because mom doesn’t like the dark. But it is a peaceful adventure, so different than in the day.

When little Sprout is here, sometimes we sit on the porch and look at the sky through the telescope!

Take a snow day to explore – the smells are different after a fresh snow. I check out the visitors, examine the tracks, maybe make a few snow dog angels!

So many tracks and they all smell different!

Toys – I said I planned to inventory my toys, and being inside more, this is a good time to do that. The trouble is, I start, find a dear old toy I haven’t seen in ages, start playing, discover an old bone, then have to play keep-away with a cat… I think I’ll need help to sort and get some out to wash and donate!

Most of my toys are very tough and so are quite old. My old friend, the late, great Border Collie Piper, used to love to tease me by taking my big horse to play with. I would then have to try to get it back from him. The funny thing was, I really didn’t care for it much, except when he wanted it!

You can find the same one right here: https://amzn.to/3Inx2nd

And they come in all sizes for every dog.

Read a good book – nothing like curling up with a good book on a cold evening. Mom started ” A Chorus of Cranes”, and I see “Backyard Birding” and others on the table. I’m pretty sure the best part is that cowdog by your feet, or on the couch beside you – or preferably on your lap while you read. One of the books we are re-reading is “I’m Listening With A Broken Ear”, a great story about a rescued Carolina dog, which looks a lot like me!

Find it here; you will love it and want to re-read it, too: https://amzn.to/3FNdJC7

Of course, there is nothing better than some Patrick McManus, such as “They Shoot Canoes, Don’t They?” and “Never Sniff a Gift Fish”. Mom reads aloud to me, and the laughter sure brightens a dark winter evening.

Crafts – living with an artist means I am frequently recruited as a subject, model, experiment or participant. I am fitted for a coat I don’t need, resist having cute little boots put on my feet, and make paw prints with Sprout. It is sometimes fun but mostly I just do not know what mom is thinking. And now I have pink – PINK! – paint on my paws!

Clean the coop – I know that doesn’t sound like a moment to cherish any time of the year, but on a sunny day, it is a good thing to get done. Mom deep beds the coop with a nice fresh straw, so cleaning in the winter is easy.

I help by sniffing around the coop for unwelcome guests, or wild turkeys.

Plan the garden – lots of seed catalogs come in the mail, and we pore over them, makes lists and plans. We have tested seeds for viability, although we won’t really start seeds until later.

Binge TV – now this is not something that happens in my house, but for some people, I hear this is a real activity. If you have to do it, may I suggest “Dogs 101” or “Lassie”.

Sit on the porch – turns out this is a great place to rest anytime of year. On a sunny day, even when its cold, the south porch is warm and pleasant. I remember when I lay there with mom and dad, enjoying one more moment together. Usually I prefer my post on the north end, where I can keep an eye on the road.

Winter Fair just finished – no chinook, but not too bad this year!

Besides the usual activities of sledding, skiing, and skating, every place has all manner of special winter events to keep cabin fever away. Right now, we have little snow, but you can be sure we’ll get our second, third, fourth winter in March and April, maybe into May!

Some like ice fishing, but I do not know why.

I have to admire Sprout’s success on his first ice-fishing trip though!

There you have it. We are sure to have more winter – might as well savor it. Winter is not a long, dark, dreaded season, not when you have the optimism of a cowdog, able to find joy in any small moment.

Not a time to be merely endured, but to delight in. And each day is one day closer to Spring!

Get out and enjoy this one precious life you’ve been given, the one you get to share with a dog!

Remember, if you don’t find joy in winter,

you have less joy,

but not less winter!

Still Joy to a New Gettin’up Morning

01/01/2026 by ladysmith@cowdogsadvice.com

How swift time passes! Already we are starting another year, at least that’s what you humans do.

For us cowdogs, time just goes on, one paw in front of another, keeping an eye on the seasons and years passing as we watch out for you and do our job.

Here we are at another end, bringing the dawn of a new beginning.

I think you can start up anew every day, any day, but it is good to have this one, when the axis turns, this time to 2026.

Surely this past year has been tough for many.

Mercifully we missed a summer of drought and wildfires – but it wasn’t very far away. Others had tornadoes and hurricanes. Some have struggled with illness, sorrow.

We need to gut it out, grip up, carry on.

But we can do it with JOY! Because we have been given one more moment, one more day, perhaps one more year. At this dawn of a grand new year, let us expect pure triumph!

Mom hasn’t had to start chopping the ice on the creek so the cows can drink, feed extra, or collect eggs more often so they don’t freeze. But it does seem like it is dark all the time, although happily we have past the shortest day and add moments of daylight each day, even though it is imperceptible still.

It may be a tough, dark, cold time, but we carry on. We just cowboy up, as my dad would say. What else is there to do, but to charge forward with joy and hope?

Time flies.

Some of us won’t be here to see another sunrise, or the next new year.

But there will be new ones to welcome.

Sometimes it is like we are on the slickest sled on an icy slope, picking up speed, fast and out of control!

It is a merciful thing, I suppose, that people don’t know what the future holds. Might as well just look forward with joy, I say.

Being a Heeler, I know about joy. I suffer, as do most cowdogs of my kind, from irrepressible Joie de Vive; I don’t speak French much, but I’m told that means “delight in being alive”.

It means we find happiness, jubilation, humor, glee, JOY in everyday moments and in everyday.

With joy, or maybe a cause of it, is hope.

There is hope in: sunshine, longer days, bare roads and climbing temperatures. We have none of those things right now, but they will come. It is a blessing to have a little less cold, a sunny day, a plowed road. Other times, there is hope in rain, or friends, or a job, or the end of a storm. All the promise a new day brings, anytime of the year. I guess hope is faith, is trust in God who after all has a handle on all our stuff.

I know something about hope. I have chased cows through mud, snowdrifts, rocks only to have them scatter. I’ve been kicked and rolled down banks, I’ve hurtled through sagebrush and gravel, fallen off four-wheelers …just plain knocked down over and over.

It is hope – and a big dose of Heeler grit – that gets me up and back at it.

I bet there is someone out there right now that needs hope, and this cowdog is here to tell you to HOLD ON! Grasp hope and faith, with all the grit you can!

A cowdog’s trials are a little different than yours, but it is still the same inner grit that stands you up and makes you soldier on. I will lend you my grit and hope, if you are a little low right now. Ask any Heeler out there – we all have it to share.

Now we have the full January “Wolf Moon”.

One of many names, it comes from Celtic, Old English, Colonial or Native history, and is probably related to hearing wolves howl on cold, long, dark nights. I’m sure that is worse than coyotes, and I do not like hearing them at all!

As we have a sunset to end the day,

So every sunrise brings fresh hope for the new day we are gifted.

I didn’t see midnight to ring in the New Year, but Joy to the world, and to all my friends!

May you awake with joy and hope.

It is next year!

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him.” – Romans 15:13

A special Thank You to JB Myers Photography, who supplies many of the excellent shots we use on Cowdogs Advice.

A Humble Heart

04/10/2025 by ladysmith@cowdogsadvice.com

This week one of my cowdog virtues is getting a real workout I tell you!

I really thought it was finally Spring, even though it is only early April.

Even after many new snowstorms, it is melting fast now and bare ground appears again. Yesterday, for the first time this year, there was a hint of green on the hillsides, with cows and horses all trying to get a little fresh grass.

I’ve seen a couple of robins!

Oh wait – not so fast! This weekend we have snow predicted again, maybe a foot or more in the high country.

I have enjoyed sunning, trailing new smells, keeping a cowdog eye on increased outdoor activity – and now more snow! We haven’t even had a good mud season yet!

Patience, pup.

Might as well enjoy whatever the day brings, because I am not a weather consultant for God.

I guess if he sends it, I might as well be glad for it. And wait patiently for a real Spring.

But I am running out of positive adjectives for snow!

So that brings me to another cowdog virtue, one that is a struggle for most.

It is humbling to realize how small this little Heeler is, in the big picture of Gods great world.

And how small I am in the smaller picture, of my own valley, my ranch, my patch of favored shade.

I am a Heeler after all, and generally think I am in control. Then I am reminded, by another whirlwind tour of winter, that I am at the mercy of so much, instead.

It is a more pleasant journey when I humbly remember that. What good does it do to twist in the wind or cuss out the snow?

I want a kind season to come for good and stay til summer.

But with another humbling snowstorm, I’ll just wait it out on the couch, patiently knowing true Spring will get here, after a few more rounds of near winter, teasing spring, late winter, warning springs …. and none is up to me.

I humbly give up my patch in the sun, and bow to the blizzard.

A humble heart sees beauty where others don’t.”

Be Ye Kind

02/13/2025 by ladysmith@cowdogsadvice.com

This week I’ve tried to focus on my direction and aim, but, like everything else, it sure is tough in the winter.

It continues to be snowy, and real cold! Add a little wind to that, and I hear there have been windchills of -40 to -50! With that, I tell you my aim is off!

The horses go up the road to catch the first rays of sun, though there doesn’t seem to be much warmth in it.

This is the cruelest of seasons. So mean and hard, it got me thinking about a better way to be.

As I watch the critters outside and all we do to help them, it is a chance to take aim at our first virtue, one the world desperately needs these days.

Be ye kind.

We all have heard ” if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.”

Good advice that needs to be learned and followed again.

What is up with so many people who feel the need to criticize and generally be rude and mean?

This cowdog is here to remind you, we don’t need your selfish opinions and bad behavior.

I assure you if this pup had practiced such bad behavior, I would’ve heard the growl, then been rolled over and held by the neck until I wised up.

I think a lot of folks out there missed that lesson. And a lot of folks who should be teaching it are not.

The boss always says it doesn’t cost anything to be kind, and in fact – I think it pays. Life is tough, there are plenty of struggles to go around, and we never know what someone else is fighting. A little goodwill can go a long way!

Just a simple word of encouragement may change the day for someone, and maybe they’ll pass it on.

Practicing kindness is good for the practitioner too.

I have a challenge for you:

let’s all find at least 3 opportunities every day to practice compassion.

I will tell Mopsy she looks nice.

I’ll give Tug a pass when he acts crazy and begs me to herd him.

I will let mom know her feed chores are invaluable.

I will smile and bark enthusiastically at the delivery driver, letting him know I’m glad he came out in the cold to bring the Chewy box!

I will show charity to the wild ones, who come through looking for stray corn and sunflowers.

I will wait patiently while the bosss fills bird feeders and puts out peanuts for Cheechee the squirrel; to my credit, I haven’t chased a squirrel in months. I will kindly let them know I think they are beautiful too!

I can’t “say something nice” to the horses – everything I say to them is taken as as a wild Dingo cowdog moving in to nip them. So instead I’ll just watch quietly, with a warmhearted smile.

And every evening, I will kindly bring my big squeaky ball to mom, giving her the chance to enjoy a good game of catch. I know that makes her happy.

I even found a verse for me:

She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

Proverbs 31:26

Take Aim and Hold

01/30/2025 by ladysmith@cowdogsadvice.com

Last week I told you about my plan to apply my natural Heeler intelligence to a plan of direction, improvement and generally the betterment of the world.

First step, take aim in the right direction and hold the course steady.

I left it up to Ladysmith to describe that, now I need to ponder what that means for this little cowdog.

Well, I know I need to persevere, no matter what. This time of year, that is necessary, and usually pretty dang tough!

We keep plowing out and piling mountains of snow, then are facing another deep freeze – again. It takes a determined dog to stick it out, day after dismal day.

Chopping ice so there is water.

Trying to collect eggs before they freeze. Shoveling, plowing, feeding – an eye to the sky, an ear to the next weather report, and always stubbornly, keep at it.

January is the month that lasts 162 days, but mercifully it is nearly over. Soon the Superbowl, another point of winter passage, will be over. In a couple days, that pesky rodent will be in and out of his predictive spotlight and, regardless of his prognosis, we will shoulder into another 2 or 3 winters before Spring arrives.

So it is good to look up now and then, to see a little more light in the lengthening day – I notice the sun is still across the road after 3 PM!

To see the sun sparkle on fresh snow, better than diamonds!

To watch the horses standing cross-ways to the sun, soaking up the heat while they have it, against a frigid night.

To hear a chickadee sing a new Spring song, to breathe in a gentler air,

to hear the creek, less muffled by snow.

So persevere, not in grim determination, but with a smile.

I can be content with this winter, but not content to stay here. Keep going!

Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.

Proverbs 4:26

My New Year and a Routine

01/14/2022 by ladysmith@cowdogsadvice.com

Well, winter is a fickle thing, at least up here in the northern Rockies. Mom always says she doesn’t understand how plants and trees endure, with the capricious temperature swings we have. In the past days, we’ve gone from 20 below to near 50 above. And that is not the most drastic, but every heretic thermometer, with its wild swings, have to be hard on flora and fauna alike.

One night it was 20 below, and a merciful Chinook blew in. By morning, it was 30 above. I am grateful for these days that reach 40, even if only for a brief spell in early afternoon. There is melting snow and plenty of ice. But at least I can lay comfortably on the porch and keep track of my ranch.

A Chinook is a warm dry wind that has mercy on those of us on the east slopes of the Rockies. It is like a miracle in the darkest, coldest time of year. Suddenly we believe in Spring again!

Now we have a January Thaw. It is some weird weather, but don’t panic and wring your paws – it isn’t global warming, just a normal cycle when the Arctic weather patterns trap the cold up north, and the balmy pacific air blows inland further east. Pretty good weather lesson from a cowdog, you say?

I hear it from Mom, because country people need to keep track of things like temperatures, weather and road conditions.

Last year, instead of a balmy Chinook and January thaw, we got hurricane force winds that nearly blew the world away! It is funny how different one January is from the last, one year is from the last.

You can read about how I was clawed in against ice and wind last year right here : https://cowdogsadvice.com/2021/01/a-chinook-and-the-january-thaw/

As a Heeler I, naturally, am grounded, focused and not blown about by the ups and downs of this world. After I wrote about resolutions I got to thinking about keeping my direction, maybe honing the edges a bit, ensuring my own path is straight and clear. So here are a few of the things I’m going to work on in the coming months:

Toys – I’m going to inventory the toy box, thin the herd, donate a few of the best. Maybe I will get a new one for my birthday. Everyone is always looking for that Heeler-proof toy, the ones that do not end up as confetti in 20 minutes. Mom found good ones, some I’ve had for years. They are made of some kind of bomb [or cowdog]-proof fabric, they are soft and funny and of course I know them by name. I have Pinky, Pig, Froggy, Paint, Squid and many others. I tell you, it would take a stick of dynamite to destroy these things – believe me, I’ve tried! You can find a great assortment of Tuffy toys here: https://amzn.to/3GG1KaE You and your pup will be so glad you did!

And there are even some Heelers in the videos there! They have toys and have NOT destroyed them!

I will not get to counting the bones buried throughout the ranch, at least not until the freeze is out! Then I will try to find a few shed antlers out there, too.

2. I plan to patrol the ranch better and ensure security for my family. Even though I’m older, I exercise , take my vitamins and stay in shape so I can be the best guard dog in these parts.

Maybe I am Cowdog emeritus, and am semi-retired. But I still intend to do my job the best I can. A lot depends on me!

3. To celebrate Spring, I plan to have a Spa Day at my groomer. Even though I dislike being left, and may bark at the other dogs there, I don’t really mind going for the day. Sara is kind and gentle as she washes, trims, cuts, and brushes. After I am the most beautiful cowdog ever, with no shedding for at least a few days! I will tell you all about it when that day comes!

4. This year, like every year in a true Heeler’s life, I will rally my rumblegumption. More common sense, more wisdom, more mercy, more integrity, I know us Heelers practice that all the time, but I’m raising the bar. What is rumblegumption, you ask? Well, read what I wrote about it here : https://cowdogsadvice.com/2021/01/gumption/

An important part of my routine is writing this dog blog. I bring different things, hoping readers may gather encouragement and enjoyment. Here is my routine for now:

I post at least once a week about my adventures, opinions, and general cowdog wisdom, mostly up on Fridays. Sometimes I post links on Facebook, but best to find it right here.

2. Cowdog quotes have been every Monday morning, but will be going to the the first of each month, plus special holidays instead.

You can find all the quotes on my page here: https://cowdogsadvice.com/cowdog-quotes-2021/

They are always helpful and always all Heeler!

3. Grip and Gump, those cartoon cowdogs, stop by now and then, but they are busy with ranch life and I never know when to expect them.

4. In addition to great apparel designs like Heeler Heart and Soul,

which you can get here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/AnythingForJess?ref=shop_sugg

Or here: https://cowdogsadvice.com/shop/?orderby=date

I have new designs in the works, plus look for a book and Heeler Angels in the coming months!

I tell you I am busier than….well, me at a cattle drive! I can’t wait to share it all with you. Please stay tuned for the latest Cowdogs Advice.

A Ladysmith List – Cowdog Traits You Need Today

10/29/2021 by ladysmith@cowdogsadvice.com

Well, fall is winding down. It has me thinking about a Ladysmith List of good cowdog character traits to gather and develop this time of year.

This was another week of good weather, and by now every beautiful day is ever more a gift. The hills are ablaze with the Aspen, those show-offs that came late and took over the color show.

The willows by the creek compete with their own mass gilding, too. Here in the northern Rockies, we don’t have the autumn colors of the hardwood forests further east, I’m told, but we do have a lot of our own color in a good year, if early blizzards or deep cold don’t blacken and blow it away. This is a good year.

A little cold at night, one brief snow, still warm sunny days – and the chokecherries along the creek turned orange, then the service berries, roses and others up the hills. Even buckbrush and other nuisance shrubs have redeemed themselves in a blaze of glory! And they’ve all stayed, though yesterday’s big wind probably stripped the color a bit.

As my reader’s know, we’ve been planning and prepping for winter, like everyone must do. Of course there is always more to do, and it is never done. That’s life.

But it has me thinking that part of gettin’ ready is some cowdog character traits to get us through the tough times – in this case, the dark, cold, spare, bitter times of winter. The older I get, the rougher winter is, like it is for us all. There is some fun in the snow, too, but it gets harder to find when the old bones stiffen up.

So here are the cowdog traits that I’ll be working on, encouragement through rugged and wintry times:

Hope – The thing that keeps us believing in the possible, the future, and knowing there will be good coming.

Faith – The absolute certainty that God has a plan and it includes us. Relax and let Him take care of things. Live by faith, not by fear.

Peace – If you keep the first two, this one sure comes easier. This old cowdog likes to sleep in peace at night.

Strength – I try to exercise all of this old dog – spirit, soul and body. Keep going, keep trying, never give up or give in.

Wonder – As you keep trying and sometimes struggle on, don’t be robbed of the wonder that makes every day a precious gift and prevents bitterness and discouragement.

Grit – That tough inner resolve, hard to name but present in all us cowdogs, that works all these traits together for good. The one that keeps everything else going. It is the power in the gut and running through the veins of every Heeler.

And, being a Heeler, of course, always Joy.

I hope you’ll use my list. It’s some pretty good traits we can all use, all the time. It’ll help keep me ready for winter or tough times.

And my favorite reminder is this shirt.

See my picture there? It really says it all about where us cowdogs fit into the heart of our people. Heart and Soul! Grab it right here in my shop:https://cowdogsadvice.com/shop/?orderby=date

or here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/AnythingForJess?ref=shop_sugg

Makes a terrific Christmas gift for Heeler lovers! Jess loves hers, says it fits perfectly and is great to wear at the new feedstore. Try one on for size and practice Cowdog character my friend!