Aussie Blue (Punky) & Me

          We are out riding around on this early morning, 3 A M. It be a hot muggy July night, just the way we like them. We, as in me and my furry friend, Aussie Blue aka Punky or Puppy. Punky's as happy as a young pup while riding around in her favorite toy, a Pick Up Truck. She holds her head high and mighty as we ride the country roads, the wind blowing in her face. There is absolutely no place she would rather be. Oh! I almost forgot, we rode over to Taco Bell first, to get us each a burrito, we couldn't enjoy the ride quite as much unless-un our belly's are satisfied u-know! I have her spoiled, this will most likely be her last Summer, as old age and cancer is upon her. She still loves our late night walks and rides. Just two old farts out doing what we love to do best. Eating, riding around when no traffic is out, the wind blowing thru our hair, playing like we're the mighty hunters, like our ancestors. I ask Punky "are we having fun?", she answers as always with a big "WOOF! WOOF!" I tell her, "I love you Punky", I swear she understands, because she looks at me differently and answers with a slightly different bark. I know people that are not animal lovers will laugh and say I'm crazy, but I say to you, "if you have never had the undeniable love of an animal you CAN'T understand". I have owned many a animal or pets in my life. Let me just say "there is a huge difference in having a pet and having the undeniable love of a pet, and I'm sorry if you have not experienced this". Somehow Punky knows instinctively the times I'm going to take her for a ride and not! At this stage in my life unquestionably she is my best compadre. She is part Australian Cattle Dog and Australian Shepherd, flashy black and white with a mask covering her left eye. She is a looker, she is!

          Only on Sundays can we truly enjoy the out of the way country roads, at a couple old dogs pace. There is no hustle and bustle of traffic out to break our fuuun. We ride slowly and see all the beautiful creatures of the night. A red fox runs quickly across our headlights, in a hurry to grab a meal and return to the den, possibly a mother looking for nourishment for her young. Down the road a piece, a young Buck grazes on the short sweet grass that has been recently mowed. Short little horns, Punky says "hello Bucky Boy". Down the road a piece we spot Momma Raccoon showing off her cute little Bambinos. There area we see the Raccoons is a very interesting and unique spot. We are riding around in the next county where rolling hills and hollers make numerous small rocky creeks that almost dry up in the summer time. Luckily pockets of water remain for the critters. I absolutely LOVE this particular spot, it reminds me of the type of backroads that once were numerous in my childhood days before the roads became asphalt, and the low lying hollers like this one was replaced with quaint wooden bridges. You see, they simply put cement on the rocky bottom creek bed and you actually drove into the creek itself. Most of the time there was very little water in the creeks. These type of creeks only become dangerous after springtime flooding, what the old timers call gulley washers. As a child I found these non-bridge roadways irresistible and I still love them, but very few remain like this today in the area where I live.

          This was before the Interstate Highway came through in 1961. The county roads and State Highways had gone mostly unchanged since their inception. Times they were a-changing after that dad burn Interstate. It brought out the good and the bad, but that is another story, so back to me and Punky having fuun!

         The early morning dew was breathtaking, in an eery way, man oh man!, it don't get no better than this! For the price of fuel and a burrito we are in late night heaven. I make a stop at the all night mega store and go see my mother, of course my sidekick goes with me. My Mom loves Punky and it brightens here day. My Mother is recovering from surgery and a light stroke and is getting stronger everyday.
         
          BEHOLD THE LITTLE THINGS IN OUR FAST PACED LIFE ARE MOST OFTEN OVERLOOKED, BECAUSE WE CAN'T SEE AND APPRECIATE THEM, WE'RE "ALWAYS" IN A HURRY AND GETTING NOWHERE, EXCEPT AN EARLY EXIT TO THE SIDE DOOR OF LIFE. IT TOOK A HOSPITAL VISIT EARLIER THIS YEAR TO RE-EVALUATE MY LIFE. IT WAS AN EYE OPENING EXPERIENCE, OR RATHER I SHOULD SAY, LIFE ALTERING. ANOTHER FAMILY HEALTH CRISIS HAS DONE ME GOOD, FURTHER ADDING TO LIFE'S LESSONS. I LOVE MY MOTHER, MY WIFE, MY FAMILY MORE THAN EVER, SO WHEN ME AND AUSSIE BLUE ARE OUT RIDING THE TRAILS, I APPRECIATE THE LITTLE MOMENTS "MORE" THAN EVER!!!!!!!!  Goodnight from Punky and Me!!!