I woke up some time later.  Stanley, Stanley, Stanley was still in his home/hole and Stanley, Stanley, Stanley, Stanley no where to be found.

Hummm.

Guess It’s time to take myself back to the yard and see what Mom is doing.

I turned around and started trotting back toward the farm yard.  Past all the equipment, past the hay stack yard, (it’s very empty right now—waiting for the new hay bales to come in), past the Butler Bins, then passed the Shed where there is a Squirrel hole/home, and then into the welcoming cool shade of the farm yard itself.

Home!  Shade!  AHHH!

Now this is much better than running with a squirrel on my back, in the smoky air, and the heat.

I headed over to the green cool grass and flopped down once more.

I was laying there enjoying the feeling of cool grass when suddenly a great big bird flew down out of the willow tree.

I jumped up ready to scram out of there when the big black bird put out his wing and touched my NOSE!!

I about passed out! “Who-who are you?” I’m sure I squeaked out the question.  My voice was somewhere over there on the lawn scared, I’m sure.

“Barney.” The crow replied.  “And you?”

“Ah, Boo Berry Betty Brown.  Do you live here?  On the farm? In the big willow tree?”  I looked at him with huge eyes.

“Nope! I live down yonder. There is a whole murder of us down there. I was scouting around looking for something to do.  Maybe something to eat…you know. Fill the ol tummy, sorta thing.”

“Eat?!?!?!” I looked with horror at Barney.

“Don’t worry, dog.  I only like to eat dead things.  Yum.  Although, I do like to eat other things in the line of fruit and vegetables.  I am a gore-met, as they say.” He winked at me.

“Ahhhhhh, I don’t think I can help you much, Barney—I think it’s time I trot on into the house now.”  I got up and tried to shake off that HUGE black wing.

“Naa little dog, I think you and I are going to get to know each other—-”   SQUACK!!!  Suddenly Barney was flat — feathers flying everywhere.

“GET OUT OF HERE! BIG BIRD!!!”  TLC screamed at Barney—

“GET!!!” TLC yelled as he pulled himself up where he was shook off by Barney.

Barney scrambled to his feet, flapped his big black wings, and took off cawing.

I looked at TLC and he smugly looked at me.

“Wow, TLC  you saved me.”

“Yep.  You gotta learn who your friends are, Boo Berry, and crows are really not friends.  Ever.”  TLC pronounced.