Autumn seems to have arrived overnight here in the north of France. We went from what felt like summer one day to a bit of a wintery chill the next. This seems to have confused some in the village. Namely Thierry the Farmer’s cows. We were out walking our dogs, up by the Chapel of Miracles (allegedly in the 18th century a sickly woman survived against all odds and her husband prayed for a miracle, and built it as a thank you), past Mr and Mrs Pepperpot’s house (not their real name, it’s because they are petite!), and along a little road that leads to a forest full of German bunkers and an old V1 launch pad, when suddenly the dogs started to bark and howl.
It soon became obvious why – a herd of cows had escaped their field and were meandering about, scoffing flowers in Monsieur P’s front garden, one was sniffing a car parked in the road, one of them casually scratched itself on a telephone pole, another skipped about, all of them making noises as if to say “m-ooh look at that!” especially when they got a look at our dogs. Reggie and Ronnie Kray the Labradors are cow magnets. The big lumbering beasts (not the dogs) are drawn to them like moths to a candle. Being rather placid dogs they are happy to be checked over. Lady Ella and Nina Simone the Australia Shepherds do not like cows. Not one little bit. Nina ran away, swiftly followed by a shrieking Lady, then Reggie and Ronnie who thought it was a very good game of chase.
This started a stampede of sorts, a somewhat slow one it has to be said, but the cows seemed to decide en masse that being out was not as much fun as they thought it might be, and marched stoically back to their field. We shut the gate and then went looking for the dogs who were by then right across a field chasing after birds they have zero chance of catching up with. Luckily we had what we call the ‘biscuit whistle’, its shrill pheeeep echoed around the valleys, immediately stopping the dogs in their tracks and they dashed back for their treat.
Never a dull moment here!
Bisous and bon weekend from cow country!
Janine
Editor
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