And All This Before a Cup of Coffee

So today, we get up, or should I say a feline decides that we get up, at 5:30…..feed the animals, stoke the fire and let the animals outside.  Dog starts to bark and bark and bark and bark.  I look out and cannot see anything, as it is dark.  All I see is the sliver of moon and have the passing thought “would this dog truly be dumb enough to bark at the moon?”  And she continues to bark and bark and bark.  I am sure my neighbors were ready to kill me (or her).

Day breaks and I look out and see this sad doe on my upper lawn, like those statues you see at the summit of some mountain.  Barking continues.  The doe pays no attention to the dog and actually when the doe drops her head to eat a bit of grass the dog runs away, but still barking. Might I add here that this is the dog who was shut in a barn for a week and NEVER BARKED.

I get some duds on and go outside and walk towards the doe and still she doesn't move.  I realize now that the lower part of one of her legs is broken.

I call my friend Susan, who knows all things of animals and she suggests I call our dog catcher, who suggests I call the state troopers, which I do and he comes about 45 minutes later.  What is it about those clean cut guys in their uniforms?……..oh sorry, got off track there for a minute……Anyway, he gets out of his car and the doe takes off on her three legs! 

I asked him what he would have done and he said he would have shot her, but could not take the carcass away.  I had visions of someone coming to look at the house and my saying “Oh, you don’t mind a deer carcass on the lawn do you?”  Actually he said if he had shot her, he would have stopped at the local coffee hangout and asked if anyone was interested.  How long do you think it would have been before my usually quiet road looked like the thruway?