But if you think things are boring here let me tell you about our experience yesterday. Sure, I can go for days just hanging out here with Joel and tending to the animals. I can decide to sit and read a book or go for a walk to visit the cows and chickens....all the while enjoying the peace and quiet of the woods surrounding the farm. No sirens or car horns to disrupt my thoughts here. Thank goodness!
Now for some of you that would drive you crazy, but for me, I relish each and every peaceful moment. But then something happens that makes us jump into action. Things such as dogs getting loose. Oh, no! Yep.
It was almost dusk last night and Joel was making a last minute run with the Polaris. He had loaded a heavy bag of chicken feed onto the back of the Polaris and was taking it to the chickens so they could have their evening meal. That required him to open a gate leading to the back of the farm. We've been diligently working to train the Pyrenees to "sit" and "stay" when we are working with the gates and Joel thought he had the dogs under control as he maneuvered the Polaris thru the gate leading to the chickens. But before he could close the gate behind him, the inevitable occurred.
Shadow decided to test the waters and she snuck past Joel before he could close the gate. All she wanted to do was check out the tree and look out over the bluff. But then real chaos began. Of all things, 2 white tailed deer popped out of the field adjacent to our farm and began running for cover and that was all it took. Yes, Saber and Shadow took off like lightening, chasing the deer all over creation.
One of the unfortunate traits about Pyrenees is that they love to roam. That's one of the big reasons we fenced in a good portion of the farm last summer. We love these dogs and don't want any harm to come to them. And now they were loose! And running heaven knows where? And the dark of night is starting to descend on the farm. Our biggest concern was that they might roam into the road and get hit by a car or truck heading home for the evening.
Joel and I quickly hatched a plan and I ran inside the house to retrieve 2 flashlights, 2 leashes and some dog treats that the puppies simply can't resist. Joel took the leashes and a flashlight and started off on the trail with the Polaris where he last saw the dogs running along the woodline. I grabbed my car keys and went out our lane and onto the road down in the valley, slowly scanning the fields and woods and calling the dogs.
As I rounded the corner at the bottom of our valley, I spotted Saber, way up on top of the hill. I started calling him and he came running down to great me. I was so grateful he was heading my way and grabbed some treats to reward him as soon as he reached me. While he was gobbling his treat I latched onto his collar and started looking up the hill for Shadow. In the enveloping dark it was hard to see her but I could barely make her out....up on top of the same hill.
I started to call out to her, too, and she came running down the same path that Saber took to my car. I didn't realize it at the time, but Joel was up on top of the hill calling to Shadow at the same time that I was. Apparently the only reason I won out was because I had the treats....thank goodness we trained them to obey using treats since we first brought them home at 8 weeks old.
Now I'm trying to hold onto a 75 lb. dog that doesn't like to be "captured" and juggling treats with my free hand, calling Shadow and willing her to come to me. Pyrenees are very aloof and do what they want to do, not necessarily what their masters want them to do. I started calling for Joel at the top of the hill to please hurry and join me because I knew I'd need his help manhandling both dogs.
Eventually Shadow came right to me and I rewarded her with lots of praise and treats. But now I was hanging onto two very large rambunctious puppies. Hurry up, Joel! When Joel met up with me he quickly leashed both dogs and then he had to lift them, one at a time, into the back of my Suburban. For some reason the dogs simply will not jump into the back of my car! Seriously? I know they could do it if they wanted to, but they refuse.
Ok, at least now that it was dark, we had the dogs safely tucked away in the car. Joel started driving the Polaris back up the road toward our farm in front of my car and I followed him with my flashing lights on so no one would barrel along and smash into us in the dark. We were halfway up the hill to our house when I noticed smoke coming out of the Polaris. A lot of smoke. Seriously smoking now. Uh-oh.
He stopped and I jumped out of the car, afraid the Polaris might be on fire. Hmmmm. It was dead. And I mean it wasn't going anywhere. Crap. Now what? Joel and I just looked at each other and started laughing. What the heck else is going to happen next? Luckily, my very prepared husband opened the glove box of the Polaris and produced a nice sturdy, long yellow tow strap. So I pulled the Suburban in front of the Polaris and we hooked up the strap to both vehicles and I jumped back in the car to pull him back to the farm.
We knew if we left the Polaris where it was it would surely cause an accident so we had to get it off the road and back onto our land. Sure enough, it was easy pulling it and when we approached the gate at the end of our lane I jumped back out of the car, opened the gate, and drove us thru. Then I jumped back out of the car, closed the gate and towed Joel to a coasting stop in our yard. Meanwhile, the curious puppies watched Joel from the large back window of my car, fogging it up with their puppy breath. Boy, were they ever happy to jump out of the car when we opened up the back of the Suburban.
And so, today we have a new lawn ornament sitting next to the lane. Yup, don't know how long it will be until we figure out what broke down on the Polaris. Oh, well, that's work for another day. Needless to say, we both walked into the house with a sigh of relief that we were able to find the puppies so easily.
Now was there anything boring about that story? Nope, I didn't think so. At least it certainly wasn't boring for Joel and I. You just never know what is going to happen when you live on a farm.
Glad to be here,
Debbie
