Tales from the Bark Side

By Keith Ross | The Daily Journal

Published Saturday, June 21, 2008

Welcome back to the bark side of life here in sunny Ottertail (hope I just didn't jinx the weather) where a freshly mowed lawn sparkles in the morning light and a mother brown thrasher nestles quietly in a brush pile.

She's been sitting on four eggs during our last series of tumultuous downpours. I marvel at her dedication and her faithful mate who has been supplying her with worms and assorted insects.

This week I have another good tale from a resident of Rush Lake. Ed Krause is a contributor to my book, “Tales From The Bark Side” and he has put pen to paper once again to give us a stroll back down memory lane… accompanied by his stalwart companion, Shep. Here's part one of Ed's tale.

My favorite time

In the evening after supper, just before sundown, I head for the dock with my fishing gear with hopes of catching some nice fish. This is also a way to enjoy the beautiful sunsets. I always use a bobber so I can watch the fish nibble; sometimes it takes quite a while. That is when past memories seem to take me back to days gone by.

I was raised on a farm and we always had a dog. Memories of Shep are foremost: He was always there as a big help with the cattle and also as a good watch dog. He'd always let us know when someone drove in the driveway. He was very protective; especially to my mother. He was with us 12 years. My dad had to put him to sleep when he wasn't able to get around any more.

We didn't have a dog for awhile. One day my cousin came to our farm and he brought along a blond little puppy and he gave him to us and we called him Bobbie. I think he was collie and golden retriever. As he grew to adulthood, he was very intelligent and also let you know when someone came into the yard. He also helped in the cattle yard. He would protect you if need be (especially if the bull was with the cattle).

He loved to play and his particular specialty was playing baseball. I had two brothers so one of us was the batter; one was the catcher, and the other one was the pitcher. Bobbie was the outfielder. He would stand to the right of the pitcher and sometimes he would actually catch one in his mouth. He would run after the ball if it was hit over his head. Sometimes he would get hot and tired and he'd take the ball to the pond (which was near by). He'd lay there until he got cooled off and then he'd come out and give the ball to whomever was pitching and the game would continue.

When we went some place, Bobbie would be waiting for us and welcomed us home. He wagged his tail so hard, and curled up his lip as if he was laughing. My dad wondered if the dog wagged the tail or if the tail wagged the dog.

That concludes part 1 of Ed's tale of dog days of the past. Next week, we'll read more about those times when life was sweet and less complicated.

If you have a tale that you would like to enter in the “Logic vs. Instinct” contest, e-mail me at info@rosswoodkennels.com or mail me at Keith Alan Ross, Richville, MN 56576, or you can phone me at 218-495-2195. Prizes in this contest are supplied by Tuffy's NutriSource for dogs and cats. I use only NutriSource for my dogs, and they love it.

Keith Alan Ross writes from his home in New York Mills.