in a hayfield

The year was 1993 and we were living in northeastern Montana. My soon to be husband was working for his uncle on his farm and ranch. One of his main jobs was hauling hay out of Canada to the states to resell. There were some interesting trips he made in the semi. Some trips took him way north into some very remote country. I would occasionally make a trip with him if I wasn't working. A lot of times we would drive all night and get to the farmers house in the middle of the night. This would ensure we could get loaded very first thing in the morning and head back to Montana.

There was one trip I made with him that I will never forget. I was just waking up in the trucks sleeper, the rumble of an old tractor approaching awoke me. I opened the sleeper door, it was cold and damp and dewy outside. The tractor wasted no time and began loading the semi trailer with large round bales of hay. Lineman was getting the tie downs ready and guiding the farmer on placement of the bales. After having one farmer drop a round bale on the sleeper he had to make sure they loaded him properly. I pulled on a coat, felt the cool air on my cheeks and jumped down to the ground.

As soon as my feet hit the ground there was a dog there to great me. He was the most beautiful dog I had ever seen. I looked down at him and he took off like a flash. He ran around and around and around that semi. I will never forget the way he had complete joy in every leap he took. He bounded effortlessly with incredible speed. He came back to me, looked at me with loving eyes and I gave him a scratch on his head. Then he took off again, running with pure joy. I fell in love right then and there with that dog.

We said goodbye to the farmer and I longingly looked back at that incredible dog as we left the hay field. Wishing I could take him home but knowing the farmer would not give up such a fabulous dog.

The next week Lineman went back up to to Canada to the same farmers hay field for more round bales. Little did I know what he had in mind. He did get that load of hay. But he had a great surprise in store for me.

The farmer had agreed that we could have this dog. Problem was, Lineman was all by himself and he had to find a way to get the dog across the border back to Montana. He worried about that all the way from the farmers house to the US Border. No records, certainly no shots, what else would they need for a pet to go across the border? What if he got there and the Border Patrol confiscated the dog. Lineman wanted so badly to get this dog to me. He would figure out a way at the border.....


..... to be continued......