Where I have recently moved to I am surrounded by large tracts of forest. It beautiful. Walking the dogs has returned to being a relaxing, mind freeing luxury. After finishing work, I changed into my walking trousers and swannie, donned my wellies and took to the forest......
Now I must explain, I have two collies. One young sprightly chap, the other being an old, stiff, deaf girl. Lost nearly all her teeth, but she's still up for a stroll. Neither are ever on a lead, never needed one.
So we are in the forest. Been out for an hour or more before I decide it's time to take a rest. I slumped down against a huge pine and scuffed the ground with my heels. The youngster quickly threw himself down next to me and snuggled in for a cuddle. I stroked his head, breathing in the smells and listening to the wind as the light faded. There are deer and boar everywhere here. It's on the ebb of twilight and the deer were beginning to roar. I had been sat with the boy for ages and decided that it was time to head back before it got full dark. Standing up to brush myself off, I called the old girl to my side. It was them that I realised she was gone. It was just me and the lad.
I whistled and called, but God knows why, she's deaf as a post. I send the lad out on a long arch to pin her but he came back empty handed. Muttering and swearing to myself I began walking in loops to try and find her. For half an hour I walked this way and that but it was a fruitless endeavour. My faithful lass was gone. Deaf and alone, in a darkening unknown forest. I faced a huge dilemma. Cut my losses and head back home, hopefully to find her on the way? Or stick out the night and search for her?
I pulled out my phone. Calling my wife I explained the situation and told her my plan. I would go back to where I was sat. There I would make myself comfortable with the lad and wait it out. There was no way I could leave her out here.
On the way back to my pine tree I collected a mass of birch bark and kindling. The forest is a mixture of pine, beech, birch and oak. By the time I found my spot again my arm was full of good dry pine and birch kindling and my thigh pocket was full of birch bark. The old girl is used to the fire so I thought that lighting one would attract her, while giving me warmth, light and comfort. I scraped up the birch bark and tore the rest into thin strips. Using my ferro rod I got a good fire going in no time. (I always carry this simple means of fire lighting in my pocket when I'm out, along with a cutting tool). A small but bright fire ensued. Me and the lad resumed our spot against the pine. Here we waited until my bum got cold. I needed an insulating layer. Scouting about I found a young pine.
Using my hands and my knife I cut a hug sized amount of boughs and took them back to my fire side spot. It was at that point that I really realised I may well be out here all bloody night so I made a pine bed to lay on. Within a little time I had a bed and a really rough roof over my head.
To be honest, looking at that picture now, the roof was useless, but it afforded me some feeling of protection from the elements.
I lay down in my rough shelter, cuddling the boy. I must of dozed off. I was jolted awake by my boy barking and whining. Digging in my pocket for my phone I turned on the torch and waved it about. There, in the now complete dark were two glowing eyes. My lad bounded out, returning with my old deaf lady. She looked no worse for wear and was wagging her tail as usual. I gave her ear a gentle scruff and knelt to hug them both.
I called my wife and told her the good news. Putting out the fire, I collapsed my rudimentary shelter. Finding the main track again, we all walked home. Late, chilly, but thank god she came back!
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Now I must explain, I have two collies. One young sprightly chap, the other being an old, stiff, deaf girl. Lost nearly all her teeth, but she's still up for a stroll. Neither are ever on a lead, never needed one.
So we are in the forest. Been out for an hour or more before I decide it's time to take a rest. I slumped down against a huge pine and scuffed the ground with my heels. The youngster quickly threw himself down next to me and snuggled in for a cuddle. I stroked his head, breathing in the smells and listening to the wind as the light faded. There are deer and boar everywhere here. It's on the ebb of twilight and the deer were beginning to roar. I had been sat with the boy for ages and decided that it was time to head back before it got full dark. Standing up to brush myself off, I called the old girl to my side. It was them that I realised she was gone. It was just me and the lad.
I whistled and called, but God knows why, she's deaf as a post. I send the lad out on a long arch to pin her but he came back empty handed. Muttering and swearing to myself I began walking in loops to try and find her. For half an hour I walked this way and that but it was a fruitless endeavour. My faithful lass was gone. Deaf and alone, in a darkening unknown forest. I faced a huge dilemma. Cut my losses and head back home, hopefully to find her on the way? Or stick out the night and search for her?
I pulled out my phone. Calling my wife I explained the situation and told her my plan. I would go back to where I was sat. There I would make myself comfortable with the lad and wait it out. There was no way I could leave her out here.
On the way back to my pine tree I collected a mass of birch bark and kindling. The forest is a mixture of pine, beech, birch and oak. By the time I found my spot again my arm was full of good dry pine and birch kindling and my thigh pocket was full of birch bark. The old girl is used to the fire so I thought that lighting one would attract her, while giving me warmth, light and comfort. I scraped up the birch bark and tore the rest into thin strips. Using my ferro rod I got a good fire going in no time. (I always carry this simple means of fire lighting in my pocket when I'm out, along with a cutting tool). A small but bright fire ensued. Me and the lad resumed our spot against the pine. Here we waited until my bum got cold. I needed an insulating layer. Scouting about I found a young pine.
Using my hands and my knife I cut a hug sized amount of boughs and took them back to my fire side spot. It was at that point that I really realised I may well be out here all bloody night so I made a pine bed to lay on. Within a little time I had a bed and a really rough roof over my head.
To be honest, looking at that picture now, the roof was useless, but it afforded me some feeling of protection from the elements.
I lay down in my rough shelter, cuddling the boy. I must of dozed off. I was jolted awake by my boy barking and whining. Digging in my pocket for my phone I turned on the torch and waved it about. There, in the now complete dark were two glowing eyes. My lad bounded out, returning with my old deaf lady. She looked no worse for wear and was wagging her tail as usual. I gave her ear a gentle scruff and knelt to hug them both.
I called my wife and told her the good news. Putting out the fire, I collapsed my rudimentary shelter. Finding the main track again, we all walked home. Late, chilly, but thank god she came back!
Sent from my SM-G903F using Tapatalk
