Chasing Deer

Today I joined Aaron and Mabel for their weekly post-church walk! I was told to wear shoes that I didn't care to see dirtied up and no whining about wading through mud puddles was allowed. We headed across the street to the sports complex and farm fields. I learned quickly that Aaron and Mabel have their routine down as they were weaving through weeds, following tractor imprints, and dodging the mucky ground. All three of us were enjoying ourselves as the sun was out and warming our faces. Mabel was in her glory as she ran freely, sniffing every creature that left its scent on our path. She waded through tall grasses, sprinted from one end of a soccer field to the other, and chased a lonely tennis ball left behind on the courts. The entire trek we were mindful of the deer prints on the ground; I even asked Aaron if he'd ever came across any wildlife outside a bird or two. He shook his head no.

No more than five minutes later as we were following a path between tall grasses and weeds, we stirred up three deer. They took off running...and so did Mabel. Fortunately, there was a thigh high fence which stopped her.

Well, stopped her temporarily. Before we knew it a baby deer, left behind from the others, took off running. Mabel was not about to let this one get away. Over the fence she went and away she ran! I freaked out, frantically calling after her; Aaron remained calm, confident that she would come back when he called. He was right and before we knew it she bounded back through the grasses and was headed our way. However, she must have decided that the deer were more interesting that us because away she went again. This time we lost sight of her. I took off running, yelling and clapping as I bounded through the now waist high brush. Aaron picked up his pace too. She was nowhere in sight. I wasn't worried that she wouldn't come back, rather that she would, in her fixation with these deer, run right across 84th Street. What seemed like years later, Mabel came leaping back with excitement all over her face!

We immediately leashed her up and started making our way home. Her little adventure certainly scared us, and for the first time actually wore her out. She's been sleeping in sunbeams all afternoon long.

(Usually after these excursions, Mabel (Aaron too) come back filthy. Today was no exception. Here is a picture from a few weeks ago of the dirty pair. Needless to say bath time isn't far behind)