"Saturday's Dance Partner"

Howdy Folks,

We stood in the calm stream, sun danced on the lazy ripples. Ferns along the stream reached for the sun, their wide leaves nearly unfurled. A Yellow Swallowtail butterfly floated just inches above the sparkling water following the contour of the meandering stream. Kessy stood so calm as if sleeping. The stream is wide here, with sandy beaches on both banks and water so clear I can watch the minnows darting between Kessy's feet. Saturday was doing his thing investigating the stream banks. It is our favorite place along all the trails we travel. Getting lost in the serenity there is easy to do, and we were.

Saturday's howl shook the tree branches. Kessy woke up and spun around with a great splashing of water, to see what had Saturday all excited. I sat the spin. Then laughed out loud. Saturday danced about howling with every other bounce, shoving his nose into leaves and bush, then howling again and bouncing back. Only to howl again!

Now you need to know something about our little beagle, Saturday. He's a discarded hunting who dog showed up on our doorstep, on a Saturday, skinny, hungry and worn nearly four years ago. And by golly he's a great little friend, and trail buddy, but no hunter. Why I've actually seen him run into rabbits on the trail and never chase them. Or let go a single howl. Nope he's simply not a hunter. We've always figured that's why he was discarded.

Our buddy Saturday

 Over the years we have noticed one thing he'll hunt down, howl at and corner. And that one thing is … snakes. Yup he'll corner a snake every time he finds one. Once in the chicken house he worried the black right off a big ol' Black Snake, howling and dancing over it. Another time behind the barn he had a three foot, or so, Hog Nosed snake. And he also cornered another really big Black Snake in the tack room one evening. So I pretty much knew right off who Saturday's newest dancing partner was … had to be a snake. But which kind had me worried as we have plenty of Copperheads in our area, even though I've never seen one.

But Saturday was sure kicking up a ruckus and would not heed my call to let it be, so I coaxed Kessy out of the water and up the bank to have a closer look. Sure enough Saturday had the biggest Hog Nosed snake I'd ever seen pinned under that bush. At first glance I thought it was a log! I told Saturday to let it alone, "It's big enough to eat you, boy!" I warned, but he just kept on dancing and howling. I edged Kessy closer, up the bank and into the brush. Finally the snake began to move away, slowly. But Saturday followed! It took a full five minutes to call Saturday off that terrified reptile!

I suppose we'll never know what Saturday sees in, Dancing With The Snakes, but we do know he loves the Rumba!

Gitty Up ~ Dutch Henry