Gracie's Story

GRACIE

It has been difficult for me these last few weeks, I have wanted to tell my story, but Turtle would not let me. I was not feeling well- this is embarrassing- OK I'll tell the truth!   I had a bad case of worms!!   You talk about itching, my bottom was itching something fierce! I licked until I got a crick in by back, I did the boot scoot and bogy on every rough board and piece of carpet I could find.When I sat in the computer chair with wheels, it would roll crazy like around the room as I wiggled and twisted trying to satisfy the ever present itch for those nasty worms. My toe nails slid off of the key board when I tried to type because my bottom would not be still. Reading glasses kept slipping off the end of my nose. Push glasses up, lick butt,fall out of chair, try to get back in chair, chair roll!! OH, my goodness, I'm just a dog, can't someone do something! Turtle bought a pill at the feed store, but it didn't help! I still had those ugly worms squirming  and annoying fleas biting, no way I could sit still and type. Finally went to the Vet and she showed me a little love. Took an effective worm pill and a pill that would kill fleas. I've been better for quite some time now and told the Turtle Man it was time that I talked about the Biker Beaver Gang one more time. Here's my story and I'm sticking to it!

 I'm under the bed sleeping, not a care in the world, dreaming of napping all day.  The Turtle man gets out of the bed, does the bathroom stuff, then puts his outdoors play clothes on. It is still dark outside and I am very happy right here under the bed. I hear him say, "Come on Gracie, we have got to go!" Do I look like I'm not happy? Do I look like I want to go? No! All stretched out really comfy and secure under the bed. He grabs my leg,jerks it, I jerk back [ thinking to myself "JERK"] So I crawl out, shake the sleep from my eyes, yawn, stretch out my legs, wag my tail and pretend to be glad to be awake before dawn, pretend to be glad to see the Turtle man, let him pat me on the head, and think "Whatever" Then he says,"We're going to the lake"  Now why did he not say that in the first place? I love to go to the lake! We go out to the truck and I see that he has already put the canoe on and tightened it down, the paddles are in the truck bed along with the cooler which has food in it and cold drinks for him [ water,Gatorade, and pop for lunch]  He always takes two paddles- like one day I'm going to help him paddle-Fat chance! Life vest, hat, and paddle pad for his fat butt are in the extended cab behind the seat. There is a dry bag with the smaller gear that we don't want to get wet. The camera, not real sure what the camera is, but we always need the camera! " Where is the camera? Man! the battery is dead! Don't get it wet! The canoe is moving, I can't get a good picture!" All these loud heart wrenching cries over the camera. I say ditch the camera!  Slowly I make my way into the truck and settle down on my own dog hair covered seat. The Turtle man will tell you in a heart beat if you don't like the dog hair--Don't ride in the truck! That's Gracie's seat!

 Turtle does the last minute check and off we go, still dark outside. We stop at a little convenience store to get a bag of ice and whatnot, I'm laying in the truck peeking over the window sill watching all that's going on when I see the store clerk ringing up the bag of ice. Now that's nice, she has long blue finger nails [ NFL Cowboy Football Team blue with a white star painted on the end of each nail.] I'm saying these babies are an inch long with a curl that will make any mean cat proud, slice the ear off a mouse and cage a bird with one paw. Mean looking nails, how does she hit the keys on the cash register? Turtle man sits back in the truck and says "Would not want to get in a cat fight with that woman!""You should have seen her finger nails!"

Off we go-still dark-I go back to sleep!  The Turtle man has never had a wreck while I've been with him, but he has had a wreck or two. He tells of the time he has ran into the back of a lady while she is waiting to make a left hand turn, not a happy lady! The Turtle man was driving home after a long night at work, dozed off and woke up just before he smacked into the back of her fancy car. THUMP!  No one hurt, the car not hurt too bad,but the old truck- pushed the left front quarter panel back into the tire, jammed the door so as not able to open it. Oh well, ended up using a sawzall to cut metal away from the tire so he could drive it and drove for many more months.  I feel safe, therefore I sleep.

Air is blowing into the truck, the radio goes quiet, we have turned onto the road headed directly to the lake, always roll down the window and turn off the radio on the final stretch to the lake.At Lake Keowee, the sun is just starting to clear the top of the mountains,we back down to the water, and get out of the truck. What a beautiful morning it is! The Turtle man stretches and breaths deep as we stand beside the truck viewing the placid water reflecting  the early morning sun. I go check out the scents and catch up with what's been happening since our last visit to this lake. Turtle unloads the truck while I do dog stuff, and I do it very well -thank you.

I hear the door shut and the truck start, I jump thinking I'm getting left behind, when I see Turtle slowly drive up the ramp to the parking area. He backs into place, one small lonely truck sitting at rest waiting for all the big trucks and boat trailers to join him as the day moves on. The little red truck never complains, just watches, there are a lot of strange things going on at boat ramps. If the little red truck could talk he would tell of all the people who watch us paddle to the boat ramp after a day of canoeing and ask the question, "Have you been canoeing?" Turtle man and I still don't know how to answer, he just says, "Yes". And then there's the lady who wanted to borrow a knife so she could cut the bottom off of a two liter bottle and make a dish to put water in to give to her dog who was running free next to the really big lake full of water. Why did the dog need a water dish? Turtle man got his knife and cut her a water dish for her dog, easy thing to do! Several people use boat ramps as beaches and set up chairs and towels and coolers and beach toys. Children laugh and play and scatter when boats come and go, they don't move for canoes, they ask if we've been canoeing?  "Yes"

It is time! The canoe is pushed into the water, just the bow resting on shore, "Lets go Gracie" I leap in the bow and settle in my spot, as he pushes the canoe from the ramp. Turtle man sits in the back seat, picks up his bent shaft paddle and we are off! Morning chill is in the air, early sunshine lighting the way., fresh strong arms moving us along, let this day begin! We are all alone, the lake is ours. Quiet still water, touched by woods reflecting the strength and stability of years of growth, trees tall and stately guarding the secrets of this forest. This forest, home to wildlife and birds living in the natural cycle of life. We are outside looking in, we will see things no man has seen before! We paddle to the middle of the lake and feel a change in the air, Turtle says " It's a new day, it's a good day."  The hair stands up from the top of my head to the base of my tail. I have bad vibes, it's going to be a day I'll never forget! Looking off to the east I see new sunshine, slowing turning a complete 360 I still see a glorious day, but I'm not feeling it! I settle in the canoe and ride, I've seen it all before. I am unsettled!

A deer is watching from shore and three more peek from the bushes as we glide by, one of those big herons looks down his long beak at us before slowly flying away, fish are moving near the top of the water and one splashes on the right. We are quiet, we are moving, a perfect day! Shore line is salted with mussel shells from the night raid of raccoons. A breathtaking morning full of wonderful things to see. I'm sitting with my chin resting on the gunnel soaking in the sunshine and dozing off from time to time. Dare not go to sleep, I have this feeling! Turtle man catches his breath, lays the paddle across the gunnel, and says, "I don't believe it, Gracie it's a beaver!" I jump so quick I slip and fall to the bottom of the canoe, land on my side and have to struggle to regain my footing. Glance to the left, no beaver-right, no beaver, a loud splash in my face at the bow! found it, see it fade into the water and my heart stops beating!!  BEAVER! Why? Why this perfect day? so upset my legs tremble and my thighs quiver, And he says, "What beautiful animals!" Turtle man picks up the camera and waits.

This is hard, I have to take a break!  I'll finish the story later, remember-"this is my story and I'm sticking to it!" When the Turtle man gets home I'll tell him I'm sorry, this is just too emotional to relay in one sitting. I'm already upset that he left me home with Rocki, he owes me several trips this summer to make up for this snub! He doesn't think I can handle a long backpacking trip and he is probably right, I am 12 years old and tire easily. The spirit is willing, but oh my! the flesh is weak. Be surprised if he doesn't quit before the end of the trail, he is no spring chicken either.  Well, I will tell the rest of the story later- me and the beavers; the beavers and I! 

Gracie

Biker Beavers! by gracie

          I pretty much just wander along behind or run out in front, but always stay with in eye shot of the Turtle man.  He needs care, and I enjoy hanging out with him. When we're in the canoe, I watch him do all the paddling as I bask in the warm sun. My life is easy! Walk in the woods, ride on the water, sleep in the truck, and even stay in an air conditioned house. It's called a dog's life, and I love living it! I've heard it said,"It don't get no better than this!"

          Why, just the other day we were paddling along the shore of Lake Keowee, a nice lake there at the Keowee Town Landing. I was all laid out in the bottom of the big red canoe, had my cool shades on and a cold Pepsi between my paws. Turtle was doing the stealth paddle seeing just how quiet he could be, I'm half asleep looking for animal figures in the clouds{don't try to chase a cat cloud, you will look pretty stupid-Been There/ Done That} So here we are floating real quiet like, me half asleep, Turtle thinking really really hard about what he is doing-when I hear a rustle.  Faint and slow. Silent and cautious. Earthy and moving. Big and bold! I must see and experience this rustle,it is all consuming!  Ever so carefully I roll over on my belly, put on my WWJD ball cap, adjust the shades and peek over the gunnel to see and hear this rustle. Nothing to see, but I still can hear. Turtle has quit paddling and we come to a smooth stop on a glassy lake waiting to see the Rustle!  The bank has a rise to it, not to fast, gentle like with tall grasses and some brush.covering the ground all the way to the tree line. I wouldn't have a picnic here or even lay around and chew a bone, my guess is bugs and ticks live there, not for me. Voices, gruff harsh voices! Voices, use to being loud and crass coming from deep down barrel chests covered with hair and dirt and twigs and body oil and odor! The sound of voices, louder then the Rustle! One, two, now three black pointy noses protrude through the grass and out into the dusk light. Oh! yeah! I remember these things. Late one night, when the moon was high and the water was dark--SMACK--scared me right out of my skin, these things with their big flat tails and coal black eyes. Tough guy image and long yellow teeth, chew trees and make them scream timber before they crash to the hard unforgiving ground! I remember I was scared! had never seen or heard of these creatures before. Now they are back and dog nose to beaver noses we stare. "Yo" I say in a high girly giggle. No response. I see before me three hard cases. Two of them have on black leather vests with LOG DAM stamped on the back, the third vest is trimmed in pink and says DEN MOTHER over the left breast, the back also has LOG DAM stamped on it. At first I thought I was looking at Larry, Moe and Curly, but no way! This here is Buck, Bo and Mother. The three baddest beavers to swim the clear waters of the Keowee. Turtle is just sitting in the canoe whispering "I wish I had the camera." I'm wantin' to get moving and get away, but Turtle still just sits and stares. Don't dare jump into the water and swim, I may be a yellow Lab, but can't out swim a gang of  biker beavers. Did I tell about their hats? all three have on a leather hat with the full floppy brim, a band of rattle snake skin is holding an eagle feather, dark and stained from the smoke of the late night campfire. A unfiltered Camel cigaret is protruding from the vest pocket of Mother, Bo is chewing a cigar, and Buck is cleaning his yellow tooth with a pine stick. Buck says,"Yellar hair is purdy." Bo replies,"Real purdy." I, Gracie am having a fit and start moving to the back were Turtle is sitting and saying in a low quiet mood," They are so nice to see in the full moonlight" "Wish I had the camera! I'd get a picture of those three cute beavers."-- Is he seeing the same thing, or hearing the same things I'm seeing and hearing?-- Mother steps in front of Bo and I read the tattoo  inked in the middle of her wide tail, "EAT MORE WOOD" Not sure if I should be scared or not, it's surrounded by an oak stump with a sapling growing out of the top. Bo, not to be out done, flips his paddle up and a heart with BO LOVES WATER is skillfully tattooed and centered for all to see. Now Buck is different, his tat is on the underside of the tail and it simply states-GONE!!

          That's it- they slide into the water, smack their tails and swim under the canoe. We watch them come up on the other side and swim to the far bank. Three fat glossy beavers waddle onto the shore and disappear into the woods. I must have been having a bad dream! They look and act like beavers in the water. Oh! well' I'll never forget Buck, Bo, and Mother. May they live in our hearts forever.

          On the water or in the woods,

          Gracie and Turtle