Fannie Mae joins the Front Porch Crowd

No . . .I don’t mean Aunt Fannie. Last week I was driving down Hwy 25 in Southern Greenville County (SC) and I saw up ahead traffic swerving and stopping. Naturally I started slowing down and what I saw in front of and in between several cars at a distance as I approached on this 55 posted speed limit area was a little bitty short tailed Beagle walking across the fast lane, pausing, taking a few steps, then stopping again and looking very dazed and confused. I pulled over into the middle lane (known by some as the Suicide Lane as it is not generally a lane of traffic and both directions could use it for emergencies.)

I carefully got out and as this little Beagle saw I had stopped and got out she walked OUT of the fast lane (thank goodness) and into this middle lane and looked at me and stopped. I wondered if she had been hit, she looked so scared. I quietly said, “Come here” and she came right to me and laid at my feet scared to death. Normally I would not pick up a stray dog in the middle of a busy highway during rush hour . . . but I just knew if I didn’t when I came back by she would be a little dead body somewhere along that stretch. I picked her up and placed her in the floor board of my back seat and realized that she had a stench about her I was not happy about having linger in my car . . . but what are you going to do? I was committed at that point.

I headed to the house with this little stinky passenger who immediately discovered a fast food bag in my back seat. While there was nothing in it other than wrappers she tore into it nonetheless. Which was okay with me – it kept her from tearing into something else. Finally arrived at the house and got a good look at her . . .and that was when I discovered for sure it was a “her”. Initially I thought she was pretty old because her Beagle “tan” around her face was all laced in gray, but now I’m not too sure. I haven’t seen any LOST signs or ads, so we have an appointment with the vet next week and he’ll tell me for sure. In the meantime, ole Fannie is definitely young enough to put up with Miss Minnie Pearl’s puppy antics. (Read early blog about Miss Pearl joining the Front Porch.) Pearl, our front porch bloodhound, is now 3 months old and 25#. She is endearing with her clumsy ways. Her feet are big and her ears are long and she is always tripping up on something. The funniest thing (for the observer as I’m sure she’s not amused at all) is she will fall asleep on the porch . . . and when she wakes up she turns over the wrong side to get up and literally falls off the front porch. That and stretching out and sticking a paw or a tail part under a rocker of a chair you may happen to be sitting in.

Anyway – back to Fannie. We weren’t too sure if Fannie, being a Beagle, wouldn’t eat, rest, and then wander off into the woods or pasture and take Miss Pearl with her. It seems, however, that our Southern hospitality of good food, fresh water, with our friendly and welcoming atmosphere was too good for her to give up. She’s been here almost 2 weeks, and now when you walk out on the porch in the afternoon there are two residents stretched out enjoying a snooze – Miss Minnie Pearl and Miss Fannie Mae.

So when you come to the Front Porch Picking tomorrow (September 13th)– you can meet BOTH ladies. They will be glad to see you, wagging tales and all. RJ