Lessons with ice are for learning.

I love taking my dogs on hikes through the woods in the winter. It was during one of these excursions that I learned a valuable lesson about pond ice…

With the leaves off the trees and the woods more open, the time from December until about March are my favorite months to be in the woods with the dogs. Not to mention the poison ivy and ticks are not bad! It’s cool, if not cold, and the dogs love being out in this weather. I normally take 3 or 4 at a time. Just enough to keep my head on a swivel as I keep a close eye on each dog’s whereabouts. I guess I’m kind of a helicopter dog mom, but it is my responsibility to ensure their safety, right?! Yes, it is.

So, to quote John Muir, “into the woods we go, to lose our minds and find our souls”! Nature is where we find ourselves, it is the place where the hectic and fast world of society and “adulting” is left behind and the inner child appears with admiration and wonder for the beauty of God’s creation. Even in winter, when the vibrant colors of fall have become a memory and the greys and browns dominate, the woods hold a certain beauty that, for the one searching, is easy to find. For the dog’s, well they don’t get caught up in the chaos of the world man has created. They find every day to be a new and amazing adventure. I admire the dog’s energy and excitement for life.

This was not a particularly cold afternoon, but it had gotten cold enough the night before that the pond was froze over. I had four dogs’ out on this day: Fender, Gretsch, Samson and Tucker. All had a tendency to stay fairly close, but still cover every inch of the woods surrounding my walking position. Smelling all the different scents, inspecting spots where local wildlife had likely been before we came through, and chasing the occasional squirrel that unknowingly allowed the dogs to get a little too close. Tails up and wagging, enjoying every second of the outing. The trail is always full of breaking news that they process with the natural ability of an animal’s instincts. I wish I knew what they learned each time we went out! The mysteries of the unspoken natural world.

Towards the end of our hike is an open field, which is also where the pond is located. I stop here for a while so the dogs can run and explore through the tall grass. After about 15 minute I called to them to proceed back to the house. Fender came first, then Tucker, and Samson. Gretsch was inspecting something on the other side of the pond, and when I called to her, she threw her head up and came running, straight to me. Although it’s not what I intended, immediately I knew she was going to try and come right across the pond. With the sheet of ice over the surface I guess to her it appeared to be ground. Before I could stop her, she took one big leap and into the pond she went, through the ice, and under. I immediately ran to the edge as she broke back up through the ice. I could tell by the look on her face this was not what she was expecting. Not to mention the temperature of the water during this time of year is not comfortable, not even a little bit! All she knew was she heard me call, and she was coming literally straight to me! As she struggled to break the ice and make a path back to the bank, I was going in from the bank after her. Once I had her on dry land I immediately scanned to see where the others were. They had not moved from where they were, only watching the situation unfold. I don’t know what they were thinking, but it had to have been something along the lines of that was stupid! I got everyone moving, back to the warmth of the house. Gretsch seemed unphased at this point, but she was running, and I knew I had to get her dried off. Finally, back home, I took her into the bathroom, closed the door, and we sat in front of a space heater as I rubbed and dried her. She was thoroughly enjoying this and seemed quite pleased with herself, for her obedience had won her special treatment for the day! Although since, she has avoided the pond. Next, we sat together in the recliner, wrapped in a blanket. She slept for about an hour and then laid around the rest of the day.

It could have been much worse; thank the Good Lord it wasn’t. I thought about it after that, and all sorts of what-if scenarios went through my mind. What if the ice was thicker, what if she couldn’t have broken through to come back up? What if it was much colder outside? I don’t remember feeling the cold of the water when I went in to help her. I didn’t think about it. I just reacted. I’m sure I would do the same again and again for any of my dog’s. For anyone I love! But I learned something that day. I learned that even when you feel like you have everything under control and things are going smoothly, you still have to be ready for the unexpected. It is this way with many things in life. Enjoy the moments, but always be ready to act if the unexpected happens. As for wintertime walks near the pond, not only did I stash a hammer to break ice with down at the pond, I also don’t call any of the dogs from across the pond. A couple simple adjustments to the routine in an effort to avoid future mishaps. If we can’t learn from experiences, what good are they?! I’m grateful for experiences, they are part of what has made me who I am today.

God bless, Lady Llewellin