Misadventures of the Wife and Kids

We set out on a mission this afternoon...a photography mission. The instructor of my class made our next assignment "autumn colors." The guy should know that our leaves go from green to brown on the ground. There are no beautiful transitions like others elsewhere enjoy. But that was not going to deter me, I was bound and determined to find an orange leaf.

The four kids and I set out on our hunt. We walked along the outside of our pasture thru the neighbor's field. Since our place was an old farm, we only have trees along the fence line. We walked and walked, no luck with our trees. We kept walking past our property line along the edge of the fence just hoping to find something. Still nothing.

Along the very back, there is an opening into another field. I noticed an old barn in the trees on the backside of the field. I had to go check it out. I love old barns and maybe there would be good autumn colors too.

The kids and I made our way over. It was a cool old barn. We walked thru it and all around it. I took a few pics and then walked out behind it. There I found a small tank.

Zena, Warrior Princess, was the first to make her way out to the tank. But she soon bogged down in the mud. The smart little girl she is, she turned and came back. Duke tried his luck too but he didn't get very far before deciding it was not a good idea.

I called all the kids and told them to come back towards the barn. I didn't want anyone trying to get a drink and have problems. Well, about that time, Harley decides he's going out there. I call and yell at him to stay back but the little sucker went on anyways. Soon he was stuck in the mud.

He wallered and strained but there was no way he was budging. He was just wearing himself out making attempts to free himself.

So I'm guessing you want me to put the camera down and get you out?

I don't get very close to him without sinkin'. I ponder the situation for a second then get a big long branch. I try manuvering it under Harley so I can pry him up out of the mud. But that just pisses him off and he bites at the stick.

Fine! I take a big step out and reach. I snag him by his spiked collar and pull him to safety.

What's this? I can't get my leg out!! I am caught by the super strength mud on the back forty near an old barn that the husband doesn't even know about and I left my phone at the house. And I didn't tell anyone where I was going. And he won't get home till after dark. By that time, all the kids will have gone home and left me to die! At this point, I fall to my knees to pray that my handsome doctor will appear out of the sunlite trees and pull me from the death mud.

But I look up and see Zena standing pretty close. I reach out and grab her collar. She looks at me with a look that says, "I may be a warrior princess, but I am not a super dog!" Okay, whatever! I let go of her and try crawling. The mud will not let go of my leg. I muster up all the strenth I can and puuuulllllll!

Holy crap, I got out! Luckily, I wore my lace ups today, otherwise, I would have been one shoe short. And with over a mile trek back to the house that would have sucked! AND I love shoes too much to leave one behind. No man shall be left behind. Oh what a tragedy that would have been!

Anyhoo, I rounded up the kids and started back to the homestead. I felt like my foot weighed an extra 10 lbs. Bet Harley felt that way too!

We made it back and cleaned up. Then took naps. There was a lot of energy exerted today!