Garden capers, dried sausage and deer
While I was pottering in the garden this morning, a family of Deer ran across the lawn in the garden that backs onto our own. Flossie went mad of course, barking and jumping at the railings. I didn’t take much notice apart from making a weak attempt at telling her to be quiet. I was far too busy picking up chewed up flowerpots and the mangled remains of footballs not to mention the stuffing from Charlie’s favourite stuffed toy that was strewn from one end of the garden to the other.
I didn’t become concerned until Charlie came running back up the garden, alone.
I scanned the horizon and was just in time to see Flossie, racing across our neighbour’s grass in hot pursuit of the deer, heedless of my frantic pleas to come back.
I could only be thankful that she had by-passed the pond on this occasion.
It was 9am. I had just returned from giving a friend a lift to the garage and had planned to take the dogs to woods. Well, they’d had that now, I grumbled.
Charlie whined and yelped at the fence. He didn’t follow her.
I decided not to panic (I had been here so many times before) but having shut Charlie in the house, I fetched lead, dried sausage treat and my coat (it was a tad cold out there) and walked up and down the road looking for Flossie who I had decided would probably go through someone else’s garden and end up in the road. I asked a couple of people along the way, if they’d seen her but no one had. Their little dogs became very interested in the sausage treat though.
It was time for Plan B.
Still clutching the dried sausage treat and feeling more than a little cold, I got in my car and drove round the block – there was a slim chance she’d have got through to the front of our neighbour’s garden and ended up on the main road.
There was no sign of her of course. Eventually, I admitted defeat and went home.
As I drove into the drive I thought I heard Poppy, the German Shepherd, from the garden adjacent to ours, barking, so I assumed Flossie might even be next door. I decided to go back into the garden to call her one more time. As I walked into the kitchen, who was standing at the back door, barking to be let in? Yes, Flossie of course.
She was so pleased to see me and so pleased with herself for having chased those deer away, what could I do but give her the dried sausage? Just to be fair, Charlie, now nicknamed, “The Grass,” got one as well.
At least she didn’t go swimming.
Debbie
I am an Author, wife to one, mother to five and grandmother to six. I live in the English countryside in Hampshire, UK, with my husband and two dogs and am a non exec Director for Glow www.theglowstudio.com.
4 Comments
hilarymb
Hi Debbie – they are funny aren’t they – but they also know where their bread and butter is likely to be .. or dried sausage!!
I one day took my SIL’s two standard poodles for a walk on the Downs – the mother came back with me .. Winifred nowhere in site .. but eventually when I got back to the house gate and turned .. there she was tearing down the lane with both ears extend by a briar … we all know where she’d been … rabbiting .. at least she came back …
I’ve been told by someone on the Downs that the dog I was looking for – was the house gate about a mile away down the lane … !!
Dogs and life .. minds of their own – cheers and lovely story .. Hilary
Debbie
Thanks Hilary, yes they do have mind sof their own but I wouldn’t be without them! 🙂
patricia60
Good story telling and so glad Flossie came home. Zip never comes home he keeps on going. I have been able to trick him into a fenced yard several times to get him home.
I am not even walking him these days – poor fellow. I fell backward down the stairs in March and have been studied and poked and prodded ever since as my right foot seemed to have a stoke and I was left with no driving and lots of pain. Official word this week is it is not ALS or MS or stroke, rather disc which has just had enough. Neurologist thinks the foot will come back and disc needs so assistance. Lots of appointments in my future
Enjoying my Friday afternoon of catching up on wonderful blogs and am happy I can read and that I have a found a pain pill to keep life a dull ache not a roar of distraction. Happy spring garden and puppy wildness.
Charlie – the grass, that story sounds interesting
Debbie
Ouch Patricia! That does sound a painful fall. I wish you a speedy recovery. Reading is a wonderful treat I think so I am glad you are still able to enjoy it, depsite the pain. Flossie does always come back, just in her own time which can be annoying. We spent part of the Easter weekend blocking up the new holes in the fences so I think she is grounded for the time being 🙂