Dog Chase

1-27-07 VERMONT: It has been extremely cold. The night before last it was 20° below zero. This morning it is up to 20° above. That is a 40° rise just as though it went from 30° to 70°. We also got an inch or so of dry powder, maybe it’s time to test the snow.

The other night, when it was at the coldest, crazy Sam, the black dog, went out with the rest of the pack at eight or so. The others, Fanny, Nick and Chloe, couldn’t wait to get back indoors. At eleven, with no sign or sound from her, I was concerned that she was in some sort of trouble. When I went out on the deck with a flashlight and called for her, there was no response. Reluctantly I bundled and booted up, took the high- powered flashlight and trudged out through the pasture flicking the light on and off to save the battery and sweeping it back and forth. About half way out I caught a glimpse of an eye reflection from the flashlight and then saw a running dog. It was she, but she was running away from me. When I called her, she ran faster. When I got to where she had been, no dog. I walked toward the road and then toward the woods, but saw no more of her. It is very bright at night with a first-quarter moon and snow cover even without the flashlight. When I got back to the house, with frozen hands and feet, exhaling icicles, she was curled up in front of the fire.

Last night, when she out until after one am, we didn’t worry, just went to bed and then let her in when she knocked.

We saw wild turkeys three different times yesterday. One sighting must have been about forty in a corn field.