The Best Park

Good Morning FFFs,
I really don't see how it could be Friday again already! I have been so busy. But the weather is wonderful! It is so chilly that yesterday and today I wore a sweater.:) I always love when I can pull out my long sleeve clothes, my sweaters and my browns, golds and other fall colored clothes. Ah, if I could only curl up with a new book today for a few hours and read . . . but, I have doll clothes sewing I have to get done for Miss Pickle Puss' birthday. 


I was going to try to post a Triple Creek Ranch story this morning, but things were so busy that it never got checked, so you'll have to wait until next week. Maybe next week will not be quite so busy.:} Of course Monday is already full with baby-sitting for some friends. But that will be fun.


This story was an assignment from another friend. Her instructions were:
Characters: animals, can have two people in it
Special Instructions: takes place at a dog park.
So, here is what I came up with. She liked it. Do you?

The Best Park
by
Rebekah M.

    It was a beautiful day. The sun was a gleaming ball of fire in the azure sky while fluffy, billowing clouds were piled here and there like cotton candy islands in a sea of blue kool-aid. Blowing softly, the breeze held just enough chill in it to indicate the approaching autumn weather. However, the grass was still green and the leaves had yet to change color near the G. Tonnovic dog park in Circle City. The park was large with several tall trees, some bushes and plenty of place to run. It was the most popular dog park of the city, though no one was quite sure why.
    “I’ve taken my dog, Colonel, to every other park,” Mr. Reed remarked to a fellow dog owner, “but he only sniffs around and runs a little. He comes home with just as much energy as before. But for some reason, when I bring him here, he runs all over the place and is worn out when I take him home.”
    “That happens to your dog, too?” Mrs. Phennel looked surprised. “I thought it only happened to Coco because she was a beagle and followed every scent made by other dogs. She always sleeps for hours afterwards.”
    “Huh,” Mr. Reed grunted. “Colonel is a golden, but-- Look at them!” The two owners watched as the dogs began a mad dash across the park, barking and fully excited. It was not only Colonel and Coco, there was another dog who soon joined in the race all the way to the fence where they suddenly stopped, tails wagging furiously.
    Mr. Reed shook his head. “All I have to do here is wait about thirty minutes and my dog will be tired out.” And the man sat down on a bench and unfolded his paper to read.
    Mrs. Phennel puzzled a little over Coco’s strange behavior, but since she seemed to be having a good time, she soon found herself a bench and pulled out her cell phone to check her e-mails.

    Meanwhile the dogs were sniffing about eagerly.
    “I know a rabbit was just here,” Colonel barked.
    “She went in this hole, and I can’t get her to come out,” whined Coco, trying to push her nose into a burrow.
    “Look!” The sudden yelp from Dixie was enough to bring Coco’s head out of the hole. There on the fence, just out of their reach was a squirrel. He was flirting his tail and chattering at them.
    “I’ll catch him,” Colonel thundered in a deep bark. “Watch,” and with a bound he leapt after the little grey creature. But the squirrel was too quick for him and dashed away across the grass.
    In a second the three dogs were hot on its tail until it scampered up a tree to sit on a branch just over their heads and scold them merrily.
    After several seconds of barking up the tree, Colonel discoverd another squirrel coming down from a tree supposedly to bury a nut on the other side of the park. With a bark to the smaller dogs to follow him, the golden dashed after the nut hider with Coco and Dixie at his heels. For a fleeting second it seemed as though the squirrel was going to remain where she was, but in a flash she was scampering, not up the tree, but across the grass to disappear into a log.
    “Can you fit in there, Dixie?” Colonel barked.
    Trying to squeeze in the small hole, the mix whined, “I can’t. I must have eaten too many treats. Coco,” she yipped, looking at the beagle, “can you fit?”
    Coco wagged her tail but backed away. She had tried before and had gotten her nose stuck for her pains. Before she could make any excuses, from the other end of the log there appeared, not the squirrel who went into the log, but a rabbit!
    Great was the astonishment of the three dogs but they soon gave chase and the rabbit led them on a wild run around trees, from this side of the park to the other until it darted into some bushes and disappeared.
    For some minutes, the dogs sniffed around the bushes, tongues hanging out and tails waving like banners. At last, having satisfied themselves that the rabbit wasn’t coming out, Dixie led the others away from the bushes. They thought the chase was over and Coco was getting ready to return to her owner when another rabbit, or was it the same one, popped out of a hole almost at her feet and darted off.
    “It’s a rabbit!” Coco yapped excitedly. “Catch it!”
    Colonel and Dixie were already following the cottontail, and had it not suddenly disappeared down a hole, they most certainly would have caught it.
    “Whew,” Colonel panted. “We almost had it.”
    “I didn’t really want it,” Dixie barked, pretending she didn’t care.
    Coco quivered with the excitement of the race. “If I could chase a few more of those things, I might get in shape to fit in these holes,” and she poked her paw down one, trying to feel a furry body.
    “Make a wish and it comes true,” barked Dixie as the first squirrel came down out of his tree to flaunt his tail at them quite saucily as though daring them to chase him.
    They did. They didn’t come close to catching him, but more energy was spent as the dogs dashed madly around trees and tried to climb them, while Mr. Bushytail kept just out of reach. It was really quite aggravating, and the dogs barked incessantly over their failure to catch the gray creature who laughed at them.
    Before they could finish venting their feelings, they were interrupted by the second squirrel coming down with another nut. There was another chase, followed immediately by another rabbit to dash after.
    At last, when both rabbits and squirrels remained hidden in ground or tree top, Colonel, Coco and Dixie made their way back to their owners, panting heavily and with sides heaving from their races.
    Mr. Reed folded up his paper and snapping on Colonel’s leash, led him to the truck. “I hope your dog is as tired as mine,” he called out to Mrs. Phennel who was opening the car door for Coco to jump in.
    With a laugh Mrs. Phennel waved and drove away.

    All was quiet at the G. Tonnonvic dog park. Evening was drawing to a close and all good dogs and their owners were at home. In the shelter of one of the large trees an unusual group was gathered. Two squirrels and three rabbits.
    “I think things went well today,” chattered Mr. Bushytail.
    “But they almost caught me,” the youngest rabbit ventured.
    “Just run faster next time,” Mr. Cottontail told him. “And remember to zig-zag. I looked out of the bushes after the dogs were following you and they were all going straight.” He reached up his back foot and scratched his ear.
    Mrs. Bushytail twitched her tail in her eagerness. “I got several nuts buried while you were all working on keeping those dogs busy elsewhere. But I must say, if that smallest dog stops eating treats, she may be able to fit in our log.”
    “That is true,” Mrs. Cottontail agreed.
    “Don’t worry,” chattered Mr. Bushytail, “all dogs are fed more treats then is good for them I’m sure. But they will never refuse one.”
    Yawning, Mr. Cottontail remarked, “I think the plan to tire out the city’s dogs is working just fine. But I must get some sleep before tomorrow comes.”
    The five animals departed for their respected homes to rest until the next day when more dogs would come to the park. And that is the secret of G. Tonnovich dog park in Circle City and why all dog owners love to bring their pets there to run.

Your thoughts?