Monday, March 4, 2013

Life on the Edge

Today I am starting a new series entitled, "Life on the Edge". 

These will be reflections of my life here on the edge of the wilderness, 
living in the country-side. 

I hope to write a new story once a month. 

I hope you enjoy these little snippets of my life on the edge. 




Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?

When you live in the countryside, being neighborly sometimes means stepping out of your comfort zone. It means helping out in some unusual situations not found in, shall we say, a more urban environment. This calls for an open mind and a willingness to jump into some strange circumstances.




One sunny afternoon, I drove around a corner to find a huge steer standing right in the middle of the road. Now, even though it was a country road, the speed limit was 45, and that happened to be a rather blind corner.  Naturally, I couldn’t just leave him there; a disaster waiting to happen. It didn’t matter that I had on my prettiest summer dress and heels on my way to a baby shower.  There was no one else around and being a good, neighborly country gal, I jumped into action.  But once I stepped outside the relative safety of my little pick-up truck, I realized this might not end too well. But there was no time to be indecisive, that steer was headed right my way and blocking the road, so I bravely started walking up the only driveway in sight, with Mr. Steer hot on my high heels.





 He seemed to be a friendly sort of fellow, so I just kept up a steady pace, calling him to follow in what I hoped was my best steer wrangling voice, and nervously looking over my shoulder for signs of flared nostrils, lowered head and  ground pawing.  But once I climbed the little hill to the top of the driveway, I could see where he had slipped right out of the unlatched gate. I knocked on the door of the residence with no answer, so I just walked over to the gate with my new-found friend and he was only too happy to go back inside to be with his buddies. I did leave a note on the door to let the folks know they had an escapee in their midst.

I’m not the only one who comes across a situation that needs a helping hand. Not too long ago, I was driving home along our narrow, winding mountain road and had to stop behind my neighbor’s vehicle while she rescued a runaway horse in the middle of the road. As I watched, her little daughter searched the trunk for something to tie around the horse’s neck while Mother held the halter-less horse by the mane. All the little girl could come up with was a jacket, but that was put to good use by tying the arms around the horse’s neck. There’s no lacking of ingenuity when it comes to being neighborly.  Off they went, little girl leading the stray along by the coat sleeve, back to his home and all was right with the world once more.






That brings me to the most recent incident in a long line of roadside attractions. I was on my way to the grocery store and had just turned the corner onto the road towards town. I was so glad that I took that corner slow because just as I drove past the first house along the road, a frantic rooster ran in front of me, followed by a tiny, black and white long haired dog.






My concern for what might happen if another car came along, forced me to stop. As I got out of my truck and thought of what I could do, a young Mother carrying a baby ran towards me. ‘Oh, please help me catch my rooster!’, she pleaded. ‘I’ve been trying to catch it all morning!’ So, like the good country neighbor I am, I went into chicken catching mode and together we rounded up that wayward bird with the help of one tiny dog. By the time she scooped the poor thing up, it was out of breath and so was I. She offered to let me pet him, asking, ‘Isn’t he so soft?’ to which I agreed, and then she was off to the other side of the road, baby and chicken in hand.






It was then that the question sprang to mind, ‘Why did the chicken cross the road?’ And I knew the answer finally! ‘To get to the other side, of course!’ Wouldn’t you run across the road if you had a Llapso Apso chasing you? 




65 comments:

  1. I loved this post :) it seems you are always there to help a friend (or animal) in need. And yes I would definitely run across the road if I had a Llapso Apso chasing me!!

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    1. Thank you, Keith. I would run,too. Those little dogs can be very deceiving! xoxo

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  2. These are just the cutest stories and full of humor after the danger is well passed.....I can just see you with your high heels taking that bull back to his pasture and I have to say you are much braver than I am...I would have been scared to death he was going to attack me....

    Behind the humor, I see a woman who has a huge heart and ready to help in any situation. You are a wonderful example to all of us....If I needed help, I would hope someone like you would come along.....

    I can't wait for more stories with lessons deeply embedded....

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    1. That is a very sweet and nice thing to say, Nancy! Thank you! I was scared half to death, I must say. But we all do what we have to in situations like that. I do have a guardian angel,I believe! xoxo

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  3. Oh my gosh, I LOVE these stories! They are right up my alley :) The last one made me laugh I have to say! So nice of you to help out. I love this new series!

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    1. Glad that you liked them, Tammy! I knew the chicken one would be your favorite. xoxo Thank you!

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  4. Wonderful stories Karen, full of humour & kindness.. Just like you!! Looking forward to more... Hugs May x x x

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  5. You are definitely a good Samaritan, willing to put others before yourself. A very rare breed! Looking forward to reading more on this series. Chel x

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    1. Thanks, Chel, just doing my neighborly duty. he he. Thanks for visiting today. xoxo

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  6. very cute. and true to country life. i've called the sheriff's dept. on loose cattle, just a couple of weeks ago my neighbor trapped 2 wayward mules so the sheriff's dept could come pick 'em up. my best excuse for leaving work early one day was to meet the sheriff's posse at my place so they could load up the stray steer running around my pasture. :)

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    1. See, I knew you could relate, Theresa! Darn mules and cattle just know when that electric fence is turned off, don't they? Thanks for sharing true country life. xoxo

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  7. I do love your writing - and can't wait for the next story. I'm glad all the animals made it to safety. One time a calf got into our yard in California - his mother was on the other side and he would NOT go back down the driveway that he came up - he just wanted to get through to his mother. I had to run frantically to the top of our driveway and yell for the farmer's wife across the road (it was not her cattle) znd she came up and helped me herd the lonely fellow back to his pasture. Here's something to take note of - cows do NOT watch where they step - they don't care one bit about pretty flower beds.

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    1. Hi JoAnn, your story made me laugh! No, they do not care about your flowers - only to fertilize them! Sometimes we don't have a choice as to whether or not we want to herd cattle. he he. Thanks for your sweet comment and for sharing with us today! xx

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  8. Wow! That's amazing. I love the posts here. So I cant wait to listen to next stories. Thats awesome. I never know living in the country side by the stories here it must he cool though. Thanks for sharing.

    Love

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    1. Thank you for visiting Delvalina and for your sweet comments. xx

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  9. These are really nice stories! It seems there is a lot more going on on country roads than most of us realize :-)

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    1. Thanks, Karen, you just never know around here! Thanks for stopping by. xx

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  10. I am going to love this series! This was great! I can not believe you!!! The fact that you would jump out and lead the steer back up...you are one brave and kind lady!!! How outstanding to help in the time of need! People in the big cities could learn a thing or two from you!!!

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    1. Aaaw! Thanks Nicole! Sometimes I don't think things through very well, but I just pictured somebody coming around that corner and knew I needed to do something! xx

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  11. These stories are wonderful!

    But I must admit; please do not try to lead steers back home here in Montana - we have the free range law, so cattle have the right of way (not on interstates or Montana state hwys though) So you could be arrested for cattle rustling. Im not joking.

    Otherwise Rooster catching is fair game here! ;)

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    1. You know, I have heard this is so! I guess they would have to catch me first, though. I can run pretty fast in high heels! Even faster when I ditch them and run barefoot. Thanks for stopping by and sharing with us today! xx

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  12. Great stories you sound like a good neighbour, I been stuck in a mob of sheep they are so slow and don't move out of the way for anyone and was once bailed up by a giant buck kangaroo who wanted to fight the car, but he figured out we were not all that interesting so he took off in a little while we had to wait until he was ready to go.
    Merle.....

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    1. Hi Merle, now those are stories we don't hear in these parts! I don't know what I would do if I was stuck in a mob of sheep or had a kangaroo wanting to pick a fight with me! I have heard they have a deadly kick! Thank you for sharing and for visiting my little corner of the world! xoxo

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  13. Oh, how wonderful "story" - nice with the neighbors help. I / we also provide a "neighborhood watch" - a "little" different. We have grandchildren who live in the house next to us ...... so it often happens that there is a need for "a little" help. Thank you for telling.
    Wish you a good day :) Hanne Bente

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    1. Thank you, Hanne. It is so nice that you have grandchildren living right next door! I imagine that does mean lots of neighborly helpfulness. What lucky grandchildren! Thanks for sharing today. xoxo

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  14. So interesting this story,human and real...Thank you for sharing it with us.

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    1. Thank you for stopping by today! I hope you have a lovely week! xoxo

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  15. Hi Loredana, Yes, country life and city life, it is all the same, just different species of characters! I just don't think sometimes, just jump into action. Afterwards I nearly faint. Thanks for visting today, hope you have a lovely week! xx

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  16. Karen, this post reminds me of the hours I spent as a child listening to my grandparents tell stories. They had a lot of stories about encounters with various animals out in the countryside, although when I knew them they had moved into town. There is a whole world we city-dwellers know nothing about! Our equivalent would be the time we were looking out the kitchen window at breakfast and saw a cat jump down a chimney in the flats opposite. (It had come out of a window onto the roof.) My husband went across and rang bells until he found the owner of the chimney, who was just leaving for work, and she phoned the fire department to come rescue the cat in her absence. We also had a moment of thinking, "Will we do something?" but we knew we were the only ones who had witnessed its disappearance and we couldn't pretend we hadn't!

    I wish you were going to post your 'on the edge stories' more than once a month! xox

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    1. Dear Christine, I think our grandparents did have many, many similar stories back when our world was more rural than it is now. It must have been wonderful for you to listen to their stories growing up. My goodness, that is an amazing story about the cat and the chimney! That cat owed one of it's nine lives to you and your husband! We do have that moment when we ask ourselves, "Do we get involved?", but ultimately we do because we have no choice. Our conscience won't let us walk away. Thank you for sharing and for your kind encouragement. xoxo

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  18. Sorry about the above comment being deleted Beatrice it seems you should not write a comment at 6am spelling:)

    I love this series and like the idea of reading about your adventures monthly. Living in the country myself I know how regularly we are called to help some poor lost or confused farm animal. I always stop too but for one time when it was a bull, horses make me a little nervous too so always hope they are not the ones running in front of me driving down the road.
    I have a image in my head of you dressed in heels leading a cow back home. I love it.
    Fantastic photos. B

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    1. Thank you, Buttons, your sweet comments make me laugh. I know you understand, living right among the cows and wild things. Hey, don't laugh,I didn't even get dirty and my heels held up on that gravel driveway! Thanks so much for visiting, always a treat. xoxo

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  19. Thank you for finding me because it allowed me to find you back. what a delightful story/blog you have here. I am your newest follower- xo Diana

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    1. So glad we 'found each other', Diana. Thank you for your very nice visit. xoxo

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  20. The way it was is the way it should be- life is simple if we all do the right thing. Great post Karen.

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    1. Well said, Pam! No regrets that way! Thanks for sharing! xoxo

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  21. I love these photos and your story - good reading!

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    1. Thank you, Pat. I knew you would love the vintage photos! Love when you stop by! xoxo

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  22. Jolie vieilles fotos !

    ♥ ♥ ♥ Bonne semaine! ♥ ♥ ♥

    xxx Maria xxx

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    1. Thanks, Maria! I do love vintage photos! Hope you have a great week,too! xoxo

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  23. What a sweet post; you're such a good neighbor. I'm sure you have so many interesting stories to tell while living out there in the beautiful countryside.

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    1. Thank you, Betsy. Yes, life is sometimes a little strange out here. Glad you came by today! xoxo

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  24. I see a very kind and generous human being - towards all creatures, Karen. I'm just beginning my country adventure. I hope my neighbors are just like you - and I'll take your example, too. <3

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    1. Oh, that's sweet Stacy. I have a soft spot for animals, it's true. I am sure now that you are living in the country, you will have plenty of stories/adventures of your own! Thanks for the visit, always a pleasure. xoxo

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  25. Haaahahahaha - Cute answer to the question! I want to live where you live! I like the idea of being neighborly and everyone helping each other out. You paint a beautiful picture with your words!

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    1. I always wanted to know the answer to that riddle! Now if we could just figure out which came first - chicken or egg. ha ha. Thank you for your very nice comments, Wendy. Hope your week is lovely. xoxo

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  26. What great stories! We live in the country too, and I agree that different things are required to be neighborly! I do have to admit I have never lassoed a chicken or lead a horse by my jacket sleeves! Have a great day!

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    1. Hey, there's always a first time! Ha ha! Thank you, and hope you have a good day, too! xx

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  27. You sure were neighborly and I can bet you are still!! Totally delighted to read these events in your life - I love reading personal history of other people -- so fun and interesting..I look forward to more Okay!!!
    Hugs..

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    1. Thank you, Kristeen, I do try! Thanks for the encouraging words today. Hugs to you xoxo

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  28. Very nice post. I love the vintage photos with a bit of color. Wonderful.

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    1. Thank you, Andrea. As a photographer, I knew you would love those vintage photos! Thanks for visiting. xoxo

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  29. About 10 years ago, in the town of Des Moines, I came over a rise in my 40' school bus and to my surprise there was a bull in the road, so of course I picked up the mic and called it in on the two-way radio, last I saw, a couple of police officers were in the midst of a round-up!

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    1. Wow, Madge! That's what I'm talking about! Think if you hit him with your school bus full of children! And there you were to make sure it didn't happen to someone else! I can picture those poor police officer's now! We have no idea what they go through on a daily basis! But a very funny visual! Thanks for visiting today, Madge. xxo

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  30. Oh. Karen, these are hilarious! Even though I live smack dab in the middle between Baltimore and Washington, DC, I have had my share of run away horses, cows, and sheep on the roads -interstates, no less. It's amazing how quickly the country shows up around here. Baltimore immediately to my right, and sheep farm immediately to my left. And any wayward animal generally shows up on my radar. I say to my husband: Why is it always me?

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    1. HI Maureen, glad I could give you a chuckle. It's amazing how many people keep livestock, even in metropolitan areas. Of course it would be you finding these little strays! There are no coincidences and we are put right where we are needed the most! Have a great day! xoxo

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  31. Dearest Karen,
    Lovely stories, anecdotes from your real life up the mountain.
    Hugs to you,
    Mariette

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    1. Thank you, Mariette for your kind words. Hope you have a lovely week. Hugs, xoxo

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  32. What a sweet story! And you are a kind lady. I have had similar (less dramatic) experiences here in the suburbs, going door to door trying to find dog owners. I found two little tiny dogs once, tracked down their house and discovered the mom knew they were gone and gave up on getting them. Nice. ;)

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    1. That is very kind of you to do, Jo! Think if you just walked away, those poor little dogs might not have had a happy ending! Thank you for sharing this sweet story. xoxo

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  33. Terrific post. I love your vintage photos.

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  34. Love the new series! And I had to laugh out loud the picture of you in high heels leading a steer like a puppy back home!

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  35. This was delightful! You found great vintage photos to enhance your vignettes, and I loved reading them! What a fun series!

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Thank you for stopping by! Your comments are important to me and are very much appreciated. xx Karen

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