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 Lost In The Woods

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Betty Fasig
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Betty Fasig


Number of posts : 4334
Registration date : 2008-06-12
Age : 81
Location : Duette, Florida

Lost In The Woods Empty
PostSubject: Lost In The Woods   Lost In The Woods EmptySat Sep 03, 2011 5:13 pm

I know I said I would not do it, but I cannot help my self.



This is a true story, as all of Wooffer's stories are.




LOST IN THE WOODS

It was a beautiful, sunny morning. The dew was still on the grass and everything smelled crisp and clean. Wooffer was out for his early morning stroll around the yard with his cheery “good mornings” to the squirrels and the rabbits. It was too early for Camille, the lizard, and too late for the Armadillos. The Thousands were still sleeping too.

Wooffer went around the yard, sniffing this and that and discovering who was in the yard during the night and who might still be around. He followed his nose until he found himself at the back fence. On the other side of the back fence was the big, dark forest. He had never been past the back fence or into the forest.

Wooffer put his nose a little way under the fence and sniffed. He went a little past the fence and sniffed. Before he knew what he was doing, Wooffer was well under the fence and on the other side and deep into the forest. He was on the trail of whatever wonderful creature had been in the yard last night! Wooffer kept his great nose to the ground and followed the wonderful, mysterious smell. He never looked up. After a long while, he came to a small rambling creek deep in the woods. Big trees hung over its narrow banks, and brambles and thorny vines grew under the trees. The wonderful mystery smell seemed to disappear into the water. Wooffer stood there, alone in the thicket of sticker bushes. He looked around him for the first time since he had crossed the back fence. There was no sound, except for the splash of the frogs and the rustle and fall of the leaves from the trees. He knew he could find his way home. He just had to smell the way he had come. But just at that moment, it began to rain. It rained down in a great pouring gush of water — washing away the leaves on the trail that Wooffer had followed. It rained and rained, until all the leaves on the ground were afloat and flowing off in different directions.

When the rain finally stopped, Wooffer tried to find the trail home, but the rain had washed the trail away. Wooffer was lost in the woods.

Wooffer’s mom had been calling for him to come in for a long time. She began to get frantic! She had gone all over the yard — no sign of Wooffer. It was not like Wooffer to leave the yard! What terrible thing could have happened to him? Had he been kidnapped? Did some big, mean dog hurt him? Where was Wooffer?

Well, as you know, Wooffer’s mom is no Mamby-Pamby-Milksop when she is worried about Wooffer. She went right into action. It was still raining when she found Basil at home in his burrow with Marygrey and the six babies. She stood there with the rain dripping off her umbrella as Basil explained that he had seen Wooffer earlier and he was going toward the back fence. “I will come with you.” he said, and off they went to the Old Oak Tree.

There was no sign of the squirrels because of the rain, and Basil had to almost “kick the tree down” to get someone to come out of the nest.

At last, Sir Doodah, looking very put out and sleepy, stuck his head up and said, “What in tarnation is the matter? I am sleeping, can’t it wait?”

Basil said, “Wooffer is gone! I don’t think it can wait!” It only took a small while for Basil to explain the problem to Sir Doodah.

“Oh me, oh my! Oh me, oh my! … I will get every squirrel for a mile around to look for him right away!” And off he went to do just that.

Basil and Wooffer’s mom found Cho Lee Yen by the pigs’ pen. “First, we must find out if he crossed the fence, then we know where to look. Who could he have been following? It must have been a stranger, because he knows all of us.” said Cho Lee.

Ho Chi, the pig, said, “Excuse me, but I saw Wooffer go under the fence. I hope the wild pigs don’t get him! Oh dear!”

Wooffer’s mom was getting more worried by the minute.

Basil said, “Old Agnes and the Thousands hear everything that is going on. I will go and see if they have any news of Wooffer.”

Cho Lee decided that what was needed was “air power” and off he went to see Ibie the Ibis in Lester’s Field. Wooffer’s mom crossed the back fence and was soon lost to sight in the deep, dark woods, calling “WOOFFER! WOOFFER! WOOFFER! WHERE ARE YOU? MOMMY IS RIGHT HERE! COME TO MOMMY!” But there was no answer. Wooffer’s mom began to cry, “Where are you Wooffie? …”

While Wooffer’s mom was calling his name in the woods and looking in logs and under bushes, Cho Lee had arrived in Lester’s Field and found Ibie the Ibis perched on Maudie’s back enjoying the view. Cho Lee wasted no time in telling them that Wooffer was gone and was last seen going under the fence into the deep, dark forest. “I think we need someone in the air,” he explained to Ibie, “and you know every bird that flies. Can we get them to search for Wooffer? It would be the quickest way. We need a bird that can fly distance. I can only go a few hundred yards before I have to land.”

Ibie the Ibis had been to New Zealand! She could fly the distance … and all her relatives could fly the distance! So, Ibie flew off to gather up her relatives who were gleaning in the nearby tomato fields. Maudie wanted to help, too. She hated being fenced in when Wooffer may need her very badly!

Basil had gone to see if Old Agnes and her Thousands had heard any news of Wooffer. He told Old Agnes about Wooffer going under the back fence. “He must have been following someone,” he said, “someone other than us who live on the farm, to go under the fence. Have you seen anyone here in the night that came from under the fence?”

Old Agnes had seen the river otter who came to the ditch to hunt the frogs. “He lives in the creek over the way in the forest.” she said. “That is the only one who was here that we know about.”

Basil went to tell Sir Doodah and Mr. Hoy T. Toity about the river otter.

Ho Chi, the pig, sat chewing on her hoofs and worrying about Wooffer getting attacked by wild pigs until she could stand it no longer. She decided to dig out and look for him, herself. She would go to where the wild pigs danced under the full moon!

Maudie, who had never in her life left the safety of her pasture, jumped the fence and ran off toward the woods in search of Wooffer.

Everyone was looking for him, but Wooffer was having a good time just watching the river otter diving and looking for fish and, sometimes, just swimming and playing for the fun of it. Wooffer had forgotten that he was lost and was enjoying the new world of big trees and streams, and things he had never seen on the farm. He wasn’t even trying to find his way home, yet.

It was not long before Ibie and all her relatives had arrived in the woods. Some went this way and some went that way, and some went the other ways. In no time at all, Ibie had spied Maudie wandering from one tree to the next. She flew down and landed on Maudie’s back. “What a wonderful surprise, finding you here! Have you seen anything yet?”

Maudie had to admit that she had not seen Wooffer, but she had seen a lot of new things: a family of raccoons, a possum, a big rat, and lots of nice things to eat! Ibie flew off again in search of Wooffer. She flew to the creek and followed it a long way. Nothing.

Ho Chi had followed the trail to the clearing where the wild pigs danced. No pigs but, there was Wooffer’s mom sitting by the tree. Wooffer’s mom said, “Oh, Ho Chi! What am I going to do without Wooffer?”

Ho Chi felt very sad for Wooffer’s mom. She said, “Ibie the Ibis is looking for him and if anyone can find Wooffer, it is Ibie and her family. They are good flyers.” Then Ho Chi told Wooffer’s mom that all the animals were out looking for Wooffer and they would bring him home … soon. So Ho Chi and Wooffer’s mom walked the long way back to the farm and hoped their best hopes that Wooffer would be home soon.

It was getting late in the afternoon, and Wooffer was starting to get a little hungry. He began to think about how he was to get home. The trail was washed away. He was just thinking of which way to try when he heard a clompity-clompity-clomp. He looked up and there stood Maudie! “Oh, Hi! Maudie! Do you know the way home?”

“Neiggghhhh! Neighhhh! Humph!” Said Maudie, who was just a little angry seeing Wooffer having fun with the river otter while all and everyone was looking for him.

Just at that moment, Ibie flew down and landed on Maudie’s back. She said in her most pleasant voice, “Wooffer, you know your mom is crying because she thinks you are gone for good and every animal near and far has been looking for you all day! Old Agnes and her Thousands and even other Thousands, ALL the squirrels! Every bird from north and south, every rabbit family for ten miles around, Maudie, Ho Chi, Cho Lee, Margaret, Reginald (who does not even know you very well) Mildred and Claudie, … you name the animal and they have been looking for YOU! We all knew you were lost in the woods, but we never thought you were having such a good time being lost! Follow me and I will show you the way home!”

Well, Wooffer had never thought about any of these things. He loved his mom and he loved his friends, but he never thought that they would be so worried about HIM. He followed Ibie home and when his mom saw him, she ran right up to Ibie and Maudie and hugged their necks. “Thank you! You are my good, good friends,” she said. (Which is the best reward you can get.) “You are Wooffer’s best friends, too.”

Although Wooffer explained to his mom about the river otter, he is not allowed to cross the back fence, now, unless his mom goes with him.



Love,

Betty
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alj
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alj


Number of posts : 9633
Registration date : 2008-12-05
Age : 80
Location : San Antonio

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PostSubject: Re: Lost In The Woods   Lost In The Woods EmptySat Sep 03, 2011 6:36 pm

If there is such a thing as reincarnation, and I'm beginning to think there might be, I want to come back as one of Betty Fasig's animals.

Ann
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alice
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alice


Number of posts : 15672
Registration date : 2008-10-22
Age : 76
Location : Redmond, WA

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PostSubject: Re: Lost In The Woods   Lost In The Woods EmptySat Sep 03, 2011 6:41 pm

Bety,



How old is Wooffer now?

I hope he lives to be very very old.

He is such a nice dog.
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Abe F. March
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Abe F. March


Number of posts : 10768
Registration date : 2008-01-26
Age : 85
Location : Germany

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PostSubject: Re: Lost In The Woods   Lost In The Woods EmptySat Sep 03, 2011 10:40 pm

Loved it Betty. I think I will accompany Ann on her next life venture.
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dmondeo
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dmondeo


Number of posts : 1485
Registration date : 2009-02-15
Age : 69
Location : UK

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PostSubject: Re: Lost In The Woods   Lost In The Woods EmptySun Sep 04, 2011 1:40 am

Betty that is a cheer to my heart I love Wooffer. heart
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Betty Fasig
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Betty Fasig


Number of posts : 4334
Registration date : 2008-06-12
Age : 81
Location : Duette, Florida

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PostSubject: Re: Lost In The Woods   Lost In The Woods EmptySun Sep 04, 2011 6:21 am

Thank you all so much for the kind words. Wooffer will be 16 next month. He is still well, but like me, he is a little slower than he used to be. He can't hear or see very well but his nose still takes him where he needs to go. He can find me anywhere on the farm. Very Happy

Love,

Betty
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