Every morning, rain or shine, hot or cold, the critters need fed. So every morning except Saturday, when The Farmer does the chores, I’m outside taking care of critters.

Since I’m already in my outside-doesn’t-matter-if-they-get-dirty clothes, that’s a good time for a walk too. The Farmer keeps paths mowed in the bottom pasture, and Toby and I go round them at least once every morning.

But I missed going in the woods like I did in the winter and early spring. A couple weeks ago I told The Farmer about trying to go in the woods, but the growth was so dense, it was just too much hassle, so I gave it up.

Fast forward to the next Saturday. The Cave Geek and I were inside working on something. It was a nice fall day, so we had the doors open. We kept hearing this noise. Cave Geek thought it was a shop vac. The people next door have been doing some remodeling so that wasn’t unreasonable. I thought it sounded like a weed eater.

Later when I went out to check on what The Farmer was up to, I discovered we were both wrong. The sound we were hearing was our riding lawnmower stopping and starting way out in the woods, cause The Farmer was mowing a path for me.

How sweet is that? I merely mentioned I missed being able to walk in the woods, and he came up with a way so I could do it again. It’s really cool. Kind of reminds me of a state park or something. All we need is little signs here and there.

Now, I enjoy walking in the woods and so does Toby, but the dog has a MAJOR phobia about electric fences. He won’t cross one, he doesn’t want you to carry him over one, he doesn’t want to come within light years of one.

My favorite theory is one day he indulged in his favorite hobby and hiked his leg to leave his mark, this time on the electric fence. I think perhaps some rather sensitive parts got zapped, and thereafter there was NO WAY he was getting close to the electric fence.

Since the path into the woods started at a spot where the electric fence going around the bottom stood, he wouldn’t go into the woods with me. Never mind that The Farmer took down the fence there, he knew there used to be an electric fence in that spot and he didn’t want anything to do with it.

That was the first day.

The second day he finally realized the fence really and truly was no longer there, and by the time I came back he was sitting just inside the woods waiting for me.

On the third day he followed me right into the woods and kept close.

By the fourth day he’d decided this was a lot of fun, and before I even got to the woods he was bounding ahead of me and running around in the underbrush.

Now when I head for our walking area, he’s way ahead of me and goes toward the woods.  Today he discovered it’s great fun to wade around in the creek.

I doubt he’s over his phobia, but one thing is sure and certain, he’s discovered there’s no fence barring his entry into the woods now, and he’s loving it!

Tags: creek, dog, The Farmer, woods

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