We Arrive At The Farm On Christmas Day

It was Christmas day and I arrived at the farm with all 6 dogs just after noon. The back door to my apartment wouldn't open, apparently due to a frozen lock. So I entered via the other door, causing much angst and confusion to several of the dogs, creatures of habit that they are. But I got all the dogs inside, turned up the heat and turned on the water line. I fed and watered the dogs and put the frozen door lock on the stove burner to thaw:

Neither the tenants nor the neighbors were home. I supposed that they were visiting relatives. It was quiet, cold and snowy outdoors. Quiet, warm and welcoming indoors. This was my Christmas:

Surely the local IGA would not be open, but I had some cleaning and rearranging to do and a quiet Christmas with my dogs sounded darn good to me:

But first I wanted some time with nature. So though the skies were darkening, I took the younger four pooches on a walk through the snow and across the north hay field:

We walked through the crusty snow cover farther and farther away from the house and closer to the woods:

The dogs were alert and seemed to either smell or hear some wildlife which remained hidden to me:

I saw deer tracks in the snow, but by the dogs' actions I wondered if perhaps they smelled the family of foxes which the tenants have told me about. We arrived at the edge of the woods and began seeking a place to cross the fence. Alas, that was not difficult. A herd of cattle would breach in in moments:

We found a spot where Fergus, Daphne and Clover could walk under the barbed wire. I stretched up the wire to allow giant Seamus to get underneath it. Then I verrrrrry carefully stepped over the top strand, first one leg and then the other:

Once across the fence and into the woods, we looked back at the farm house and barn. They sure looked like a Christmas card scene. I'll post more tomorrow: