HOT!!! mid 90's, 3AM, do you know where your doggie is? My trusty side-kick is with me as we ride way out into the hills & hollers of the countryside. We're riding in our rusty truck whom we call Silverado. HI-OH Silver & away we go! We are children of the night, our animal instincts are in high alert as we are hunters flashing back to our ancestry this night. The windows are down on our trusty rusty Stallion Silverado. We may be old & arthritis setting in, but we can ride Silver as if we are still young pups! The hot high humidity turns cool and refreshing from the dew of the early morning fog in the low lying area.
Punkster, my Australian Cattle dog is in high heavens as she soars like an Angel with her head stuck out the window of the mighty Silver Horse. There's no place she would rather be! Nostrils flared out from the wind blowing all the smells through her highly sensitive nose. She pretends she's riding the trails of her ancestors, but on four ties & a nice soft seat instead of puppy paw power, she never tires of this. She smells, possums, rabbits, raccoons, coyotes, deer, skunks, eewww!!! She shakes her head clearing the skunk out of her nostrils, outside thankfully, rather then in our Silverado, what a good puppy. I quickly come to a dead stop, up in front of me are 3 deer leisurely crossing the road, Punky jumps to attention, a cattle dog's delight! She would love to be young once more to nip at the heels and show them who's in command, but she can have only the excitement of the sighting. We watch them disappear slowly down a rocky creek bed that runs alongside the gravel road. WOW! WEE! it doesn't get any better than that for two old ancient hunters of the night!!!
We continue our journey into uncharted territory like two old warriors on our last go-round. We don't take any sightings for granted, it might be our last! We tarry at a large lake near a boat dock to stretch our legs & see a momma raccoon and her babies scurry away. We act just like a couple old varmints, or rather, I did as the animal ritual of watering & marking territory takes charge, it's a animal thing, to all males u-know. No I reckon females don't... I open the tail-gate to our silver horse & help my loyal compadre up into the safety of the metal horse. Now is the time to enjoy our snacks, I have beef jerky for Punky & a bag of peanut M&M'S for me.
We relax & gaze at the half moon, we are kindred spirits & one with Mother Nature & the Universe this fine night. Punky lays her head on my lap & we are at peace, harmonizing with the night.
"The hot night & watermelon moon" sends me back in time as I reminisce about childhood pleasures. Late summer picnics with an oversize galvanized tub full of coca-colas & watermelon full to the brim & heaped high with ice. No matter how hot, children always play, we merely stay in the shade of the mighty towering oak tree swinging away our youthful energy. Swinging higher & higher, no cares just full of ourselves. All of a sudden Grandpa hollers, "COME & GET ICE COLD WATERMELON". We're off, like shot out of a cannon, there's somethings you may have to tell young-ins more than twice but never "ice cold watermelon"!!! You must understand watermelon is more than a cold delicious dessert on a hot summer's day! If you have to ask how so? then you ain't never had watermelon as a kid the way I did ! We young-ins would let the cold juice disappear like melting ice cream and then we possess mighty weapons, the big watermelon bullets, yep! kids will be kids! We would meander around searching for prehistoric animals to fire our watermelon bullets at. Dogs, cats, chickens, especially the rooster, we would pay him back for waking us up during the early mornings of visiting Grandma & Grandpa. We ate watermelon until our toes froze & we could not pucker our mouths no more, we're plum worn out. The fun of watermelon to a kid is unsurpassed, what other fruit is soo good & soo much fun!!! I'm telling this story to Punky & she listens intently to every, even barking hysterically about me spitting seeds at the Rooster!
As we leisurely ride home the smell of Honeysuckle takes us to a higher level of harmony. We are traveling between fences, honeysuckle has taken over where once were fences. There's not the slightest bit of wind & the smell is rejuvenatingly "HELLO THERE". Punky sneezes in succession, I laugh & ask "what's a matter old girl, too much sweetness overloading that delicate nose of yours". She barks at me knowing I'm having a good laugh at her expense, she then licks my hand, letting me know she doesn't hold a grudge!!! The smell, was soo---soo---amazingly---WON-DER-MENT,,, in ways I can't put into words! I'm caught up in the moment & having a-a-a... moment forever engraved in my mind... I stop the big Silver Stallion & the moment became "MOMENTS". Not enough for a lifetime, yet one of the most "WON-DA-LIC-IOUS" moments in my life & a most fitting ending to the trail of peace, if only for one night of "WONDERMENT". GOODNIGHT & I HOPE YOU ENJOY READING THIS SIMPLE BIT OF WRITING AS MUCH AS I ENJOYED WRITING IT!!! glen & his loyal companion AUSSIE BLUE, BETTER KNOWN AS PUNKY.
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