Farm Wife Diaries

It's planting season. This means earlier mornings and later evenings for our husbands, brothers and dads; it means the smell of freshly uprooted soil as it swallows the seeds it's fed; it means hoping the rain will hold off so we can get the crop in; it means hoping the rain will come so everyone can have a day off.

For me, it has meant periodically riding with Tyler on our Teryx (tee-rex) out to the yet-to-be planted fields and meticulously pushing little orange flags into the soil, every so many feet. This practice ensures Dan (who's operating the tractor and planter) will know if he's got everything lined up where it's supposed to be.

So this morning, we're tootling around the home section with Tobi right beside us, tongue hanging and tail swishing. Every so often, we stop, measure, place the flag - and so on.

During one of these stops, Tobi is particularly interested in a pile of corn husks left from last year's harvest. She nuzzles her nose into the mound, sniffing and snorting, but to no avail. Convinced her efforts are pointless, she moves on.

Then I see it.

A fat, cuddly, furry little ground squirrel popping out of that very pile of corn husks, triumphant at having skirted death in the jaws of the black beast. Nonetheless, his wide eyes convey caution.He hasn't seen me yet, so I decide to see how close I can get - maybe I can pick him up!

As I tip toe ever so close, Tyler whispers, "Honey, move!" He proceeds to throw a dirt clod at my almost-new-pet, which of course spurs it into action, which of course spurs Tobi into action and the next thing I know, Tobi's mouth is open as she closes in on it...

Before I can witness or hear anything that might make me cry, I spin around, slap my hands over my ears, close my eyes and cry anyway because I'm sure Tobi is ripping the little furball to shreds. I am expecting Tyler at this point to come and tell me it's ok, it got away - but nothing. So for about 2 minutes, there we are, in the middle of the field and in clear view of anyone who might pass by on the road: me holding gloved hands over my ears, face contorted with horror, while (little did I know) behind me, Tobi is chasing the ground squirrel and Tyler is chasing Tobi, in circles.

When I tentatively turn my head and peek through my gloves, I see a teeny little tail thrashing from underneath Tyler's boot - he's standing on it! Tyler tells me to call Tobi and I think "Oh, thank goodness, he's trying set it free!" But as soon as the thought crossed my mind, I knew better. Tyler hates ground squirrels. All farmers do. They dig in the corn and cause weeds. No, this little guy was about to meet his death at the boot of one Tyler Miller - but not if I could help it.

"TYLER!! NO-O-O-O-O-O!!!"

I run for the Teryx before I have to see this ghastly end. Huddled in my seat, I am now full on sobbing. My furry friend was being squashed all because I had to draw attention to him for my own selfish, animal-loving purposes.

Or was he??

(Ok, you have to learn something about me - I hate movies that don't have happy endings, so rest assured, I will rarely blog the same way.... )

Tyler returned and informed me I should be happy, I saved a ground squirrel's life. He was all set to pancake the critter but couldn't do it on account of my dramatic pleading. Hurray!

Nevermind the fact that in a few months, when the ground squirrels are causing havoc in the fields, Tyler will be forced to poison them. No, nevermind that - because MY ground squirrel will be long, long gone by then to continue on with his fat, happy little life.

THE END