WHY did I leave my camera home?

It was terrible, and awful, and exciting, and cool, and did I mention, TERRIBLE? And it started out so well.

I decided to take Skye for a walk, because she was getting a bit rough with the Shelties, and she needed to expend a bit of energy! So, we headed down the driveway, and I thought, 'I'm really packing on the pounds. I need to start exercising', so I decided to go further, and hit the trail that winds up to my favorite little meadow. On the way down, I thought, 'Skye would probably like a swim and she's being so well behaved'... So, we took the trail that leads down to the river.

 

I was standing on the bank, throwing a stick into the water and appreciating how strongly and smoothly Skye was retrieving when BAM!!! This Mule deer doe comes CHARGING down the bank! I yelled to Skye, and she sat- The doe and the dog had a stare-down, tense, strained- both animals taut with energy, when the doe turned and ran up the hill. I was so proud of our puppy for not chasing! and I was thinking, WOW! that deer must not have realized we were down here when she was coming for a drink when BAM!!! She EXPLODED down the hill AGAIN! Skye took off after her, and I FINALLY realized- She's got a fawn down here! As I ran up the hill, I was saying, "Ok, Mama! I get it! We're leaving!"  I called Skye, and she came immediately, and we started on the path for home.... but Mama Muley wasn't done!  She just kept coming at us! to the point where I picked up a LARGE, long branch, and actually had to poke her in the chest to get her to turn and run.  (I must interject here that, up close? Mule deer are BIG!!! with SHARP hooves!)  Every time she ran off, I ran down the road calling for Skye, but when I'd turn and look behind me... there she'd be, in the brush, following us.

Which is why I didn't see the geese until we were pretty much right on top of them. A family with goslings.  My first, very fleeting thought was, 'AW! aren't they cute!' and then, I realized I was in trouble. Here I was, out with our Lab, who was in training to be a bird dog. While I was able to easily call her off the doe, I could not, for the life of me, call her off the goose. Imagine my horror as she trotted back to me with the large bird in her mouth. She dropped it at my feet, like she's supposed to, and I rushed her away- and I did see the goose move off into the brush, so, I'm praying it'll survive. There was no blood on it, or in Skye's mouth, but birds are fragile, and I worry. And as I literally sprinted up the side of the steep hill, I looked behind me, and standing back in the bushes was Mama Muley- watching me with undisguised derision. *sighs*

 Needless to say, we won't be traveling that route for awhile.... Not until everyone's babies have grown a bit, and we're not endangering families. I entered THEIR home, invaded THEIR territory with a lethal threat running at my side. I feel awful about it.

When I got to the house, I called Bruce and related the entire story. He said, 'You're ALWAYS having some kind of adventure or another.'  And I guess that IS a fair thing to say.... and you, also, know, it wouldn't be me, if even when facing down an enraged, worried Mama deer, my primary thought wasn't- 'Damn! I didn't bring my camera!'