Saturday, April 18, 2015

Barnabas

The week before Easter we were on spring break.  Marc took Matthew and Malachi on a camping trip.  It was my idea for them to go, and I'm not sure what I was thinking because it was the beginning of kidding season around here!  Little did I know,  the goats would be the least of my "problems" while they were gone!
 
One evening I laid down on my bed with Myles to read.  When I came out of my bedroom I called for Mariah.  Madeline said she was outside closing the chicken coop.  I noticed it was dark out and made a comment that she was brave. (Living out in the country, I do NOT go outside after dark!)  I noticed the glow of a head lamp shining towards the house.  As I was walking from the living room into the kitchen I wondered what she was doing because she wasn't coming towards the house.  As I went into the laundry room I heard her yell, "Help me mama!"  I kind of wondered if she was goofing off, but I didn't take any chances and I darted out the door.  When I got out there she was screaming and crying,  "They are after me!"  I am standing there already in my pajamas and having no idea what she is talking about.  I kept telling her to just run back to the house and she kept saying, "I can't mama!  They are after me!"  Because I was at the house with flood lights on, I couldn't see anything but darkness and her headlamp.  I didn't want to take the time to go inside and try to get a gun loaded (if I could even figure it out!) so I just started clapping my hands and yelling, "Get out of here!"  About that time an animal came running out and across the yard where I could see it. It ran to the field next to us and I heard it hit the fence!  I was so freaked out!  Mariah came running to the house and told me there had been two animals that came out after her. She was yelling, but they didn't stop until our dog "Barnabas" got between her and them. He is just a puppy but showed such bravery that night! :o) 
 

What were the animals that were after her?  Coyotes!!!  Living out like we do we know that most of the time wild life just wants to get away from you.  However, we have experienced twice now where they have been more aggressive!  It was scary and I am very thankful for this BIG, black puppy that aggravates me sometimes!  He definitely has earned his keep around here! The next day we bought him a big box of treats! :o)

1 comment:

Matthew said...

Wow--that would be scary! Glad that everything turned out OK. Our neighbor across the mile has, in years past, had several full grown sheep ripped to shreds by coyotes...thankful that I've never had problems with them.

Perhaps you've mentioned it before, but I can't remember...is the canine hero of this tale by chance named after a refrigerator (or Buick) sized Mitford character? We love that series!! :)