It Was a Dark and Chilly Night
No I do not spend all my time thinking about politics and the state of the world.
Most of my life is more like last night. My lovely bitch, Heidi, with whom I share my bed and my life decided she wanted to go outside at 2:00 AM. She stood by the side of the bed sticking her face close to mine and refused to lie down when I asked. I tried to ignore her and then she went downstair on her own. Something she never does, so I reluctantly got up and followed. She was going around and around in a circle in front of the door so I finally got the message.
I opened the door and stepped out onto the porch. Heidi followed and soon was down on the road sniffing about.
I watch and shivered in the sub freezing temperature. Their was a killer frost last night. I stood there in my underwear, bare footed with no coat on. Heidi disappeared up the road into the dark as I began to worry as I heard wolves howl well off in the distance. Normally, I would be tempted to howl back and see if they would answer me but I was more concerned to get Heidi to return. I wondered how she was responding to the wolf howls.
"Heidi, Come!" I repeated this several times to silence. There was no sound of her. Now I am impatient and worried as I have had little experience with her off the leash at night like this.
Back into the house to put some pants on and a coat. I slipped on my boots, sans socks and return to the porch. I call again and go off the porch onto the road. Heidi did not have her metal chock collar on so I hear no jingling sounds.
It is time to go and look for her, worrier as I am. I scrap the ice off the car window and turn the car around do the lights shine up the road. There she stands in all her long legged glory. Just sniffing around the edges of the road about three hundred feet away. She looks at me but still doesn't come when I call. She wants me to come and get her, something I sometimes have to do in the daylight. I drive down, jump out open the door to the back seat. "Get in!" She always does without any further encouragement. I turn around and return to the house.
Back to bed for both of us until Heidi decided she wanted out at 5:00 AM, I went with her on the leash this time as the occasional logging truck would probably pass at this hour. It was a quick trip. Too quick! Just as I was enjoying once again that half sleep state in the warmth of the bed listening to the Prague radio station, Heidi wanted to go out again. It is now 5:30 AM. I went out with her once again, apparently the first time was too brief.
Time to get up anyway so I brew some coffee and plan to go and feed the pigs. There will be no trip this morning to the bridge over the river so Heidi can have a run. She used up that option already.
Heidi in her chock collar knawing on a bone. Looking quite fierce.
Here at the other end of the bone is the teacup poodle, the other end of the evolutionary scale.
Not so fierce but a lot more yappy.
I love to hear the wolves howl.
I had not heard them for a while until last night. Last winter we had a good sized pack which stayed in our area for a long time. I wrote about this back then when my neighbour went out into his yard one night and saw 12 wolves standing there. He took it upon himself to shoot two of them, which did not please me. He grew up on a farm and saw wolves as as theat to livestock. But he has none.
Wolves are no theat to man. There has never been a documented case of a person being killed by a Timber Wolf. They have a reputation they do not deserve. They are predators and will kill domesticated livestock which are esy pickings. Here the government reimbuses a farmer for such a kill. But wolves are also very shy. Normally the kill the weak, ill and young of wild animals. In this way, as the top predator they keep herds of animals healthy.
A black timber wolf.
I once had a black timber wolf step out onto the trail while I was working on a repair to my John Deere skidder in the bush. It just stood there and watched me about 100 feet away. As I ignored it, it slowly and silently passed on into the bush.
If you want to read a little on the noble wolf go here. http://rpg.esense.com/Creatures/w/wolves.html
posted by Tossing Pebbles in the Stream @ 8:47 a.m.
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11 Comments:
I feel rich, alive, fortunate and content knowing wolves, antelope, cougar and other large animals are out there.
That dog gets up in the night almost as much as I do. TG for indoor plumbing.
She has your number Philip! hehe, I bet she was just testing your patience!
Look at those two with the bone, you have some great shots!
I've never heard wolves but I do love listening to the owls on a night when I'm up through the night and sittin gin the conservatory...it's a very comforting sound!
Oh and Zadar, I haven't been but we have actually been past it. The first time we went to Croatia we stayed at Dubrovnik and the second at Porec so we have been either side of it!
Loved the link. Thanks so much Philip. :o) (Have a great weeekend and no midnight adventures.... without your trews on!)
It makes you wonder if Heidi heard the wolves and it spooked her ??
I would love to see some wolves, all we have here is coyotes. I like to listen to them. My favorite time to be awake is between two and four a.m. The night sounds and a cup of coffee just go together.
I know nights like that where my cats wake me up, lol ! but of course we don't have wolves, that sounds very exotic to me. The only wolves I ever saw was in a zoo and that is not the right place for them !
Your neighbour sound like a complete idiot! He seems to have the Northern mentality that you can shoot anything you don't like. Is he the one that shot Gage?
My father in law will shoot sqirrels and chipmunks for target practice and kill beaver because they build dams that block the creek. He could just take the dam apart but no, he'd rather shoot the beaver.
I loathe and detest people like this. FIL included!
Philip,
When nature call, we have to go... yes, even dogs. Meeko doesn't ask to go out in the night very often but if he does, you can bet he's serious.
I love to hear wolves howling as well. It is a primitive sound that matches no other. I agree that wolves are not a threat to man, but only to the weak. They do help to keep nature in balance.
Enjoyed my visit, as always. Take care, my friend and stay warm.
Blessings,
Mary
You're a good man to be so patient with her. Not many people are so loving and caring with their pets.
Boo!
I'm doing the rounds of a few blogs I have been missing and I had to stop by here of course... Heidi is looking well... and sharing her bone.. well done. Jane will love this post because of the wolves...
All the best my friend.
Tom
Nice information, valuable and excellent design, as share good stuff with good ideas and concepts, lots of great information and inspiration, both of which I need, Very good points you wrote here..Great stuff...I think you've made some truly interesting points.Keep up the good work.
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