Death in the Long Grass

Yesterday my mom and sister came out to go for a Sabbath nature ride. Not my sister Noni, the other one, the one with black and white fur. Noni was unable to join us because she had company, but I was consoled from the lack of her company by the presence of her camera. It was almost as if she were with us, only I didn't have to share lens time.

We drove around for a while, but the dogs were finding the business of riding slightly less than inspiring and were bugging to get out. We went to Writing Rock park thinking no one would be there, but someone was having a barbecue and I felt it likely that they wouldn't think three stinky, crazy dogs were an asset to the process.

After a brief break to take some pictures from the summit of one of the highest hills around that area, I got back into the car, nearly deafened from the high-pitched whining.

"It stinks in here!"

"Open the windows!"

"I'm bored!"

Clearly, a break was needed ASAP, so I drove just down the road before stopping to let the dogs out. As soon as I did, Jackie, the Beautiful Border Collie, climbed onto my lap so she could be the first one out. Not to be outfoxed by that fiendish black and white usurper, Finley wormed his way up too, until Jackie was fully on top of him in some sort of canine, well, dog pile.

I opened the door, ruing my decision to wear shorts as a torrent of sharp-clawed hounds poured over my lap and out the door. Poor Jackie was torn between her desire to dash madly over the countryside and her devotion to duty. That would be the duty of herding poor Finley's enticing ears. She compromised by running in short bursts before circling back and crashing with a business-like air into Finley's side.






I think at night, when Finley lies sleeping, his paws twitching and eager whimpers coming from his muzzle, that he's dreaming about his life pre-Jacqueline Hyde. Back when he could run freely, his ears waving in carefree abandon over fields of prairie grass.Now all he has the heart to do is plod along while Jackie stalks with grim determination by his side. There will be no fluffy ear-waving on her watch. No, SIR!

When it was time to go, Jackie leaped into the car, tongue lolling, and a happy grin on her face. There's nothing so smug as a border collie who knows she has done her job and done it well. Poor Finley. He wishes she'd get a new hobby!

Mom was particularly fond of the view where we stopped and had me take a picture. It is very pretty here in the summer, nice and green with rolling hills and a constantly changing sky. But she was saying something about mosquitoes the size of Percherons.


Here are a few other photos that I took yesterday.