Welcome to the Wakefield Doctrine (the theory of clarks, scotts and rogers)

This week at the ‘hop, it is the (deceptively) simple, Photo Phryday.

So yesterday afternoon I got to tell ‘an Ola story’ to a new admin at my office. It was not my fault, I just happened to pause as I walked past a conversation. Two adults in a spirited discussion about (their) children. As often happens in polite company, someone threw a ‘You know?’ in my direction.

So I told her about how Ola used to hide in the backyard.

The scene: our house has the back and two sides cleared of the pine trees that make up the four or so acres of woods surrounding the house. The backyard is delineated by a rail fence (you can see in the background of the photo above) that has green vinyl wire fencing between the rails (that you can’t see in the photo above). It creates a low profile barrier against un-invited woodland guests. The wire fence, in some sections, is simply stapled to trees. Pine trees, when young, tend to grow together and extend their branches into any available open area. Many of the trees at the edges of the yard had low-hanging branches and they, in turn, created shaded spots between fence and lawn. Perfect size for a dog.

Phyllis, Ola and I would spend as much time outside as possible, especially in the moderate seasons. (A note: Ola was our first dog. We read all the books about training and socialization; we even took Ola to obedience training. The training, however, was superfluous as we were a ‘pack of three’. Unless we were on the streets in public, we never bothered with a leash for Ola. She seemed to have no interest in being anywhere other than with us.)

So we might be in the backyard on a Sunday afternoon and I’d have to go into the house or, perhaps, out through the gate and around to the garage. Ola usually accompanied me, you know, in case I needed help or protection. Sometimes Ola would stay behind in the backyard.

Ola’s game began when I returned.

Walking back through the side gate or out though the lower level doors, the first thing I’d notice was that Ola was nowhere to be seen.

I’d immediately make a major production of being unable to find her. “Now wait a minute! There was a German Shepherd here not five minutes ago. What on earth could have come of her?” I spoke in an un-naturally, (for me), loud voice, in no small part to cover the sound of pine needles being brushed back and forth as Ola, in her hiding place, usually had trouble keeping her tail from wagging.

If Phyllis happened to be the yard, all the better. We’d both walk around the yard, always away from where Ola was hiding and proceed to look under bushes and behind trees; frequently calling to each other, “Is she over there?” “Nope!” “Not near the woodpile!” (thump thump. pine needle brushing noise). “I can’t imagine where she could have gotten to”

Finally, I’d turn to face the part of the yard where she crouched in her hiding place watching us, and exclaim, “Is that…?!! No way!”

Ola would bound out of her hiding place. Her tail wagged and her face in that dog smile that says, ‘This is how life can be good’.

What a dog.

This has been an episode of Kristi and Kenya’s bloghop, ‘Finish the Sentence Friday’.

You really should join us this week. It’s an easy week. A photo (and maybe the story behind it.) I, for one, am grateful for the opportunity to remember the story. Re-telling it yesterday, out loud, to another person was, somehow, more than remembering it to myself in my head.

Thanks, ladies.

oh, yeah, my cut ‘n paste

Hi all! In spite of Tucker having a snow day today and having another tomorrow (OMG), we’re on tomorrow night with the Finish the Sentence prompt of simply this: “Share a photo and the story behind it.”
Easy. As long or as short as you’d like. Join Kenya G. Johnson and I. Link up as soon as 10pm tomorrow night (Thursday March 22) at 10pm easter and as late as Sunday night (March 25).
Join us here:
https://www.kenyagjohnson.com
or here:
http://www.findingninee.com