Not a Clue or Lucky Chipmunk!

I have rocks that surround three big trees in my backyard. Inpatients flourish there...until the chipmunks that tunnel in and out get hungry. Then they nibble on the delicate flowers until I open the door and let out the dogs. Maddie's more interested in birds. I suppose that's the spaniel in her. Not Annabelle. It's the chipmunks she's after.

Poor girl. Annabelle's clueless. She thinks she's a mighty chipmunk hunter while she lays in wait. What Annabelle doesn't understand is that chipmunks have some sense of danger

because they can hear her little dog snorts every second or third breath she takes.

Annabelle had been laying in the position you see in the photo for about two hours. I had Maddie on my lap and was alternating between reading a book and watching the rock pile just in case a chipmunk decided to brave it and run out.

I know chipmunks are detrimental to lots of things, but my plan was to run interference nonetheless. After all, chipmunks are pretty darn cute and it's not like I'm growing crops or anything!

Okay. Back to my story. Annabelle continued to stay in the position in the photo even after Maddie jumped down from my lap and I got up to move the sprinkler.

I sat back down and noticed...are you ready?....a plump chipmunk dart from the flowers back into the rocks.

"That's a pretty brave (or stupid) chipmunk," I thought to myself.

Of course my second thought was, "Is there something wrong with Annabelle?"

She was still in the same position, barely moving. My creative mind has a tendency to concoct things that border on the side of impossible, but I can't help myself.

Somehow, I got it in my head that Annabelle had suffocated from lack of oxygen in the rock formation, giving the chipmunks free rein to the flowers. "After all," I told myself, "Annabelle should have been up and chasing!"

At that point, I wished that my husband were home. I would have had him go touch Annabelle. But, as luck would have it, I was home alone.

I called Annabelle's name. Nothing. I moved closer to her (shuffling the loose gravel along the way). Nothing. I cleared my throat. Still nothing.

Can you tell how brave I am in the face of adversity?

When I reached Annabelle, I took a deep breath, bent over and laid my hand on her little back, not knowing what to expect.

You can probably guess what happened next. Annabelle bolted straight up knocking several rocks out of position on her way. She'd been sound asleep. Guess waiting for a chipmunk to come out had been more boring than she'd expected.

Clueless Annabelle. Lucky chipmunk!

Just so you know, my youngest son has the same imagination as me. Whenever he calls and doesn't get an answer in a timely fashion he's sure Chuck and I have been kidnapped or worse. It's genetic!