Sunday, November 21, 2004

A Walk in the Woods

Above are sixteen pictures taken during a walk in our woods yesterday.

Cliff was working overtime, and Mandy needed to work off some energy.  Because the back 1/3 or so of our property is woods, almost every windstorm puts dead branches (and sometimes whole trees) on our fences, so my dog and I "walked the fenceline".  Here at the house I have to keep her on a leash or chain so she won't run to the neighbors' yards.  But in the woods she can run free to her heart's content. 

As you can see in the pictures, there were several trees and branches on the fence.  I found some other, smaller ones that I was able to drag off.

I treasure every painful walk up and down those ditches and hollows, because my knees remind me that I won't always be able to navigate the perimeters of my place. 

Our house sits on one of the highest spots around, on a hill of windblown soil (at least that's what the county agent said it was, and there's not a rock around that wasn't brought here ... so he must be right).   However, the back of our acreage is practically on the River Bottom.  In fact, during the flood of '93, our back fence was under water most of the spring and summer.  Trains, usually loaded with coal, pass along every 20 to 30 minutes...  west to east... just across that fence.

Mandy scared up a deer, which headed in leaps and bounds for the bottoms:  then I heard a gunshot nearby and realized I was crazy to be in the woods during deer season (and with no orange vest!).  Another shot, and I heard the shell "zing" within 20 or 30 feet of me.  "Mandy," says I, "I believe it's time to head to the house."  I wonder if the anonymous hunter managed to kill the deer that my dog sent his way.  If he did, he owes me some venison I'll never collect.

On the way up the hill along the west fence, Mandy flushed a wild turkey, and as it flew over my head I was, once again, amazed that something THAT BIG can fly.  The only reason I don't have pictures of the deer and the turkey is that when I turn on my digital camera, it takes it a few  seconds to get ready for a picture; and most wildlife disappears in that few seconds.  I've thought about just leaving it turned on and ready when I'm in the woods.

1/3 to 1/2 of our land is totally useless for grazing or farming; and yet it's that part of  our place that I love the most.

Oh, I had to give Mandy a bath as soon as we got home, after her roll-in-the-carrion.  She acted as though she were being punished; in her opinion, she smelled perfectly divine after her little escapade.  Silly dog.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

This reminds me of years gone by.  We have lost the pleasure of walking in the woods.  We have let deadlines, financial woes, age and health get in the way.  I think I'm going to make it a priority to get back to those walks.  We're just getting older.  Our health is not bad enough to stop us from walking.  The financial woes will always be there and the deadlines of our own making.   Sooo to the woods we will go.     Thank You

Anonymous said...

BTW, the pigs are wonderful......Cherish your life.....You are blessed

Anonymous said...

That was some great pictures and captions. I am sure mandy would love to chase pigs. LOL

TTFN,
Michelle

Anonymous said...

Be careful before you end up strapped to someone's hood. LOL Have you thought about posting "no hunting/trespassing" signs? ;-)

Anonymous said...

Thanks for your visit at my journal. I loved the description and pics of your property. I'm surprised a hunter was so close. Don't they have to keep a certain distance from houses. I've been on farms and ranches before. I can't quite imagine though how much distance 40+ acres are though. It's been a while.
:-) ---Robbie

Anonymous said...

Doesn't matter how many acres you're walking, if you're "walking the fence line", you are near other folks property!

Anonymous said...

Enjoyed your pics and your entry.  It took me away in the woods in my mind and now I'm almost late for work - LOL!  So glad you got out of the way of that bullet.  
Isn't it funny how dogs have to be a living walking souvenir of every thing they've seen.  I've heard it is how they communicate to other animals of "what" they have seen and been around.  Our Tugie rolls in the first thing she can find after a bath!

Anonymous said...

Be careful as you know I am sure there are some people that will shoot at anything that moves. Paula