[Jacob-list] clumsy shepherding

[Gillian Fuqua]

	This afternoon I was out starting to put up fencing around the outside 
of the pasture and some in a damp, woody area where I am hoping that 
the sheep will eat the knotweed.  There are springs that drain through 
that area that make a very nice woody wetland.   I'm still a week or 
two until they can start to go out and browse but I thought I would be 
organized this year.  So here comes Gillian, walking backwards and 
laying out tension net.  Squelch suck suck suck, in goes one foot (in 
wellies thank goodness) up past the ankle.  I pull out that foot, 
somehow with the boot still on and the other foot sinks in.  I put foot 
1 back to get foot 2 out, all the while holding up my half roll of net. 
  Both feet are mired well over the ankles.  I toss the net to the side 
and as I am trying to loosen a foot, lose my balance and sit rather 
abruptly.  My backside sank up to my waist in cold mud.  I then did the 
only thing that seemed reasonable; I sat there and laughed and decided 
that such moments of grace were not meant to be kept to oneself.  
Fortunately there was a large rock near by which I could lean on and 
heave myself out with great, obscene, sucking sounds.
	Such a pastoral life.

Gillian