Thistle the Funny Snoodle Dog

and Candy the Calico Cat The Soup and the Soap The morning was cool and Grandpa got up early as usual just as the sun edged over the big field east of his house. It was a bright orange sun and something clicked in Grandpas thoughts.Grandma, I sure would like to have a bowl of your Suuuuuperrrr Duuuuppeeer chili for lunch or supper. His bragging request nearly always worked. Minutes later Grandma was digging in the big freezer for a pound of deer or beef hamburger. Thistle and Candy were snuggled up against each other near the front door. There was a little fresh air that always came under the door and both animals liked to feel and breathe it in as they slept. Thistle started the evening a foot away from, but in between, the bigger animals front and back feet. As the night got cooler he had backed up a little until, by morning, the scene caused Grandpa and Grandma to chuckle as they walked by. The young pup was tight against Candys belly. He looks like a toy puppy dog Candy pulled up against her to snuggle with. Grandma said as she looked over at them. I think that is just what she did..or he did. was Grandpas answer. Deer. Grandpa answered before he was even asked. I like it in chili and we need to use last years up before Harold gives us more fresh deer meat this year. Grandpas long time friend was a long time hunter and farmer. He always had more deer meat than he had room for. Harold gave most of it to needy folks but some found its way into Grandpa and grandmas freezer. I miss having our own cattle and our own fresh meat. The price of beef has gotten so high I have been tempted to harvest some of our pet deer. Grandpa was kidding about two things. One, he grew up on a dairy, milking cows, and chicken farm, raising over 100,000 chickens at a time, and also had beef cattle. Lots of time was spent chasing loose cows, building fences, plowing and mowing fields, raking and baling hay. Grandpa was not going back to farming just for beef to eat. He and Grandma ate less beef nowadays anyway, at the doctors request. Harolds deer meat, which is healthier, and even some cow meat from Harold every now and then just about supplied Grandpa and Grandma enough red meat. They ate a lot of chicken, turkey, some pork and lots of spring and fall fish caught by grandpa. Several helpings of fruits and vegetables were always in their

meals to keep them healthy. The other thing was he and Grandma loved to watch the pet deer skip and play in the fields. And in the spring watching the babies, fawns as baby deer are called, show up one by one and sometimes two at a time, was a country living treat of its own. The deer sometimes stole corn and other garden vegetables from neighbors but Forest and Mollie, Grandpas big shepherd dogs barked and annoyed the deer enough to keep them out of his gardens. Neither Grandpa nor Grandma could harvest one of those deer. Those are yard deer Grandpa called them sometimes when someone asked to hunt them on his farm. Our yard deer snort at us, eat out cantaloupe peelings and bring their babies by for us to see. Does your ceramic or plastic deer do that? He would say. Ill make a batch of cornbread if you tell me when the chili is nearly done. Grandpas last words rang out as he softly reached for the back door knob, thinking he would let Thistle and Candy get another few minutes sleep by the front door. That was true with the calm old cat but not with Thistle. He bounced up and nearly made it to the door before Grandpa closed it, not knowing the pup was that close. Thistle whined a little before looking for Grandma. She had gone to the back of the house after mixing a bucket of soap to use to mop the kitchen floor. The bucket nearly filled with water and soap was sitting in the middle of the kitchen floor. There was a little something else there too. Grandma, in her hunt for chili mixings, spilled a small bowl of leftover chicken soup on the floor in front of the refrigerator. Thats why she was going to mop the floor. Thistles nose was filled with the chicken soup aroma. Most of the spill was wiped up with a paper towel but the smell and chicken fat juices remained on the smooth floor. Thistle licked at the invisible spot until it lead him over next to the refrigerator. The pup could actually see some soup under it. His tongue slid smoothly back and brought out some delicious morsels. But soon even that area was licked clean. It was time to move on. Thistle slid around a little until he licked and cleaned is feet. Then he spied the strange item in the middle of the floor...the mop bucket. A second later he was up on the side of this red object that he had never seen before. He stretched and jumped in an attempt to see insidemaybe more chicken fixins huh?

He almost gave up until a slight whiff of something hit his nose. It was a small piece of beef that had stuck to the side of the bucket during Grandmas last mopping. His toenail snagged the morsel and released enough smell for the pup to detect it. Now he wanted more. He rethought his approach to at least get to the beef tidbit. He licked his feet free of anything that would slow him down. The white young pup backed away from the bucket about 5 feet. He wiggled his tail and rear end and shook his head, like an athlete before making a jump. He was ready. Thistle reared his head, shoulders and front feet up and pawed the air. When his feet touched the floor he took off. At a few inches before running into the bucket he launched himself into the air toward the rim of the bucket. Surprisingly, he made it. His feet snagged the top and his belly slammed into the side. Thistle held onto the top...a big mistake. As his body settled in against the side of the bucket Thistle kicked a little trying to get on to the top. As his backside bounced away from the bucket the bucket leaned and turned overwater, soapy mixture all together with Thistle riding the waves across the floor. The pup had a new smell on him alright but it wasnt a tasty meat smell. It was soap with pine scent, not anything a pup would like on his fur. He began to struggle to get to his feet but only slid down on his side. He tried again and again until he was worn out. Then he felt the refrigerator as he slammed into it. The hit knocked off the bottom trim and Thistles next attempt to get up drove him under the refrigerator. He wiggled and squirmed but only drove himself farther under until he couldnt move. He was stuck. Grandma was back in the laundry when she heard the bucket fail over. She grabbed a basket of towels and laid them aside as she headed for the kitchen. Her first look across the floor was overwhelmed by the suds and water everywhere, even running under the back door. Thistle! Where are you? She called out as her mind cleared from the sight of the mess. Thistle.Thistle ..Thistle !!! Are you in here? She called again. Uuueeeeennnneennn!! Eeeeeeeennnn !! Came from somewhere near the refrigerator. Grandma went over toward where she heard the sound coming from. No Thistle anywhere. Then the sound came again. This time she saw that the trim was off the bottom of the front of the refrigerator.

I wonder, she asked herself as she bent over to investigate the refrigerator. At first she didnt see any sign of the whining puppy. But he could see her. Her feet at least. Thistle let out a loud cry for help knowing Grandma would help if she could. Grandma bent way over and saw Thistles feet and then his little head and frightened eyes looking back at her. But when she reached in to pull him out she couldnt. One of his back feet was under one of the refrigerators adjustable legs just enough to trap him. GRANDPA!! Grandma called out toward the garden. Grandpa came in and pushed on the top of the refrigerator while Grandma gently eased Thistle out. Grandpa gave the pup a good washing to remove the strong smelling pine soap and dust from under the refrigerator. Thistle was glad to be clean and went straight to his bed, snuggled in and took a nap. Well this is one way to make us clean out from under the refrigerator I guess, Grandpa told Grandma as he helped her clean up the kitchen floor and snap the trim piece back on the refrigerator. Grandma gave Grandpa a stern lookthen smiled. They had been through a lot together on the farm and this was just another animal adventure. One of their biggest animal adventures had been brought about by Grandma bringing in a 3 inch long baby raccoon. She couldnt complain about Thistles little antics. Raising that little raccoon in the house created an exciting event every day. Grandma as well as Grandpa hated it when she grew up and they turned her loose back in the woods. The chili is about ready, rang out a few hours later from the kitchen. Grandpa woke up from a nap in his easy chair with Thistle on his lap. Ill make the cornbread, he answered as he tripped over a big stuffed dog and a toy cow...looked back at Thistle...frowned ...then grinned and shook his head.

Can you match these Words?

(1) Morsel ___ (2) Spied ___ (3) Invisible ___ (4) Aroma ___ (5) Approach ___ (6) Raking hay ___ (7) Healthy ___ (8) Whiff ___ A. Smell given off B. Small piece C. Gathering hay to be baled D. Cant be seen E. Small smell in nose F. Good for your body G. Saw H. Planned attempt

Grandpas corn bread, Grind up 4 ears of corn on the cob .time .2 hours Gather 2 eggs as the hen lays them..time 2-3 days Squeeze oil out of vegetables..time 2 hours Just kidding; There are a lot of good corn bread recipes. I use a very simple one but you can add hot pepper, cheese and even a can of cream or whole corn to it. We ate some one time that had okra cut up in it. I love mine in a cold glass of milk, a bowl of chili, or bowl of brown beans. Eeyore, my little mule, and Misty, my horse eat the left over cornbread. They love anything with corn in it. Have fun and enjoy more Thistle stories as much as I love writing them for you. Grandpa, (Floyd P Knipe..NATURES NEST BOOKS