Down on the Farm: Stuck!

Last week, my husband delivered our cows to their mountain summer ground.  Every year, due to snow, elk, cows, people, etc., the fences need fixed in places; stretched tight there, restrung here, new post over yonder, and the list goes on.  If you have been a follower for some time, you may remember my post about my husband's fencing fetish.  He likes his fences neat and straight. Anyway, this is a very labor intensive job as the whole 700 acres surrounded by fence must be checked.

Shaylie, age 10, and Jentry, age 4, both decided they were going to help Dad this particular day.  (Just a quick note:  anybody who knows kids knows that their idea of help may be a little different than yours!)  Dad, knowing kids like he does, was fine with this and welcomed them.

Apparently, Richard was walking the fence, while the girls decided to walk the marshy spring area where the cattle drink.  This is where the best frog-hunting is and they were bound and determined to bring a few of the hopping little creatures home.  (Another quick note:  if you'll check out my son's blog, "a Dog, a Frog, and Maybe a Horse or Two," you'll see how long that fun lasts!)

Well, there they were with their cute little irrigation boots on, wading in the sticky mud in search of frogs when it happened. They both, at the same time, sunk up to the top of those boots, and no amount of pulling could get them out.  They were stuck good.  If you have ever had the misfortune of experiencing this, you will know that when you try to start jerking your foot out and it won't move, you lose your balance.  Well, that is what happened to both girls and they both fell backward in that black, stinky mud.

After shouting for help for a while, the girls concluded their Dad was out of ear shot, and even though they both pulled and tugged, they could not get their boots out of that mud. With one crying and one laughing,  they ended up pulling their feet out of the boots which allowed them the angle they needed to get those pesky shoes out.

They hobbled barefoot back to the truck, soaking from the shoulders down, mud in their hair, on their faces, up their arms, and caked on from their waist down.  They could have been mistaken for the swamp monster.

Needless to say, my tips on cleaning remedies came in particularly handy after this unfortunate event.  Luckily, the girls have recovered charmingly.  Shaylie assured me that the worst part of the whole day was the two frogs they had, sitting in a small cup while they were stuck to their knees in mud, tipped the cup over and hopped away.

 I guess some things are blessings in disguise for Mom!