Sparky the Bog Dog

Sparky the Bog Dog (1) It was a blustery Christmas Eve when Aunt Lauren reached the cranberry bog farm where Mimi and Grandpa lived. She saw the lamppost light burning bright guiding her way down Snapping Turtle Lane to the family farmhouse. (2) As she got out of her car, a curl of smoke was coming from the chimney and on the front porch she smelled the aroma of Wassel, freshly baked bread and roast beef for dinner. She carried a black duffel bag into the house. (3) After welcome hugs and kisses from family, Aunt Lauren asked Mimi to sit in her favorite chair by the fireplace. Grandpa, Uncle Jeff, Aunt Juliet and Uncle Matt gathered around. Placing the black duffle bag on the floor, she proceeded to unzip it and out jumped a black and white ball of fur with brown eyes like saucers. (4) He ran to Mimi, jumped on to her lap and began licking her hands. Mimi shouted with happy surprise patting and hugging the cute little Shih Tzu. Aunt Lauren had known that Mimi wanted a dog for company. (5) From that moment on he was “Mimi’s dog”. On the spot she named him “Sparky” because he was friendly and fun and filled the room with energy. (6) Born in Louisiana, Sparky had been used to hot humid weather, but in the next few weeks he quickly made a home for himself in New England. He raced down the front walkway sliding on the ice. (7) He hopped and jumped through the snow like a rabbit. The drifts were bigger than he was. Mimi and Grandpa laughed when they heard his excited bark and saw his black coat going up and down among the piles of snow. (8) Mimi and Grandpa’s house was next to a pretty pond surrounded by pine, oak and maple trees. In mid-winter, the pond froze and they cross-country skied across the snow-covered ice from one side of the pond to the other. Sparky trotted along next to them in the cold, crisp air. (9) One day a big golden retriever spotted Sparky on the ice and bounded across the pond to chase him. The retriever stopped in front of him and barked loudly. Sparky stopped, looked up at him and barked back as if to say, “Who do you think you are? This is my pond. I ‘m not afraid of you.” (10) After a few minutes, the big golden ran off. Sparky followed him and they chased each other around and around while Mimi and Grandpa enjoyed skiing through the soft snow. (11) Gradually the sun shined longer and the days became warmer. Sparky spent many hours exploring the woods around Mimi and Grandpa’s house. The trees there were home to red cardinals, blue jays, red-breasted robins and small brown sparrows. (12) Flocks of geese flew over the pond returning to their nesting grounds. Families of ducks swam in the pond and bobbed for fish and insects to eat. (13) On a warm spring day Mimi went kayaking in the pond. She spent the morning paddling through the calm water, lily pads and vines. Towards noon she decided to return to the shore to have lunch. (14) Suddenly, she heard a big splash. She looked ahead to see a huge frog in the lily pads. But coming closer, she saw it wasn’t a frog. It was Sparky! His black head with big eyes and little pink tongue bobbed among the lily pads as he gasped for air, treading water, trying to reach her! (15) She glided over to him, scooped him up into the kayak and paddled to shore. Both were muddy and covered with vines but Sparky was happy to be “saved” by Mimi. (16) Sparky came to consider the woods and pond as his own. Several times a day he would parade over the lawn head held high looking for visitors, friends and new adventures. (17) He trotted after delivery trucks and waited for a dog biscuit from the mailman. (18) Throughout the year snapping turtles slowly plodded along the lane looking for a place to lay their eggs. Sparky didn’t know what to make of them. When he went up to sniff one it would pull in its head and feet resembled a grey rock! (19) Sparky sniffed his way through the woods often seeing a deer nibbling at leaves or a family of wild turkeys scratching for food. They all got along well and didn’t bother each other. (20) But rabbits were different! Sparky barked and chased after them. They had tried to eat plants in Mimi and Grandpa’s garden. (21) One-day Grandpa was trying to catch a rabbit using a cage with a carrot and lettuce but Grandpa was outsmarted by the rabbit who was able to get the food and not get trapped! Sparky finally chased him away saving Mimi and Grandpa’s garden from being destroyed. (22) On a pretty summer day, Mimi was weeding in the garden. Sparky was doing his daily walk around the property when he spotted a frog. The brown bumpy frog sat still and looked up at Sparky. (23) Sparky stood still and bent down to sniff him. The frog jumped forward and Sparky jumped back. It was so funny Mimi laughed and laughed. (24) One of Sparky’s favorite things to do was roll in the grass and dirt at the end of Snapping Turtle Lane. Mimi would get frustrated because she had to give him a lot of baths so he would be clean enough to come into the house. (25) Sparky hated baths. He liked mud but not soap and clean water. After Mimi soaped-up his black and white fur, he would wiggle and shake and get her all wet. (26) She used her hairdryer to fluff-up his coat which he liked. It was nice and warm. In the hot weather she had him lie on the front porch and dry off in the sun. He liked that even better! (27) Mimi called Sparky her “doorbell”. He barked whenever someone drove down the lane and came to the door. He made her feel safe – her own personal guard dog. (28) He had a habit of getting excited and jumping up on people and licking them when they came through the door. Most people liked his friendliness but sometimes Mimi had to tell him to stop. (29) Autumn on the bogs is beautiful. Orange and gold leaves cover the maples and oaks. When the cranberries are ready to be harvested, the bogs are flooded with water from the pond. (30) The red berries float to the top where they are collected and taken to market to be sold. Sparky enjoyed walking along the ridge of the bog sniffing the cranberries. (31) One morning, he went out for his routine walk but he did not come home. After an hour of waiting for him to return Mimi got worried. She put on her jacket and boots and walked around the edge of all of the bogs. (32) She called out “Sparky come” but there was no response. It got colder and the sun soon would set. She was afraid to think of Sparky out in the bogs alone. (33) Mimi went back to the house and put on a hat and gloves. She wouldn’t give up her search for Sparky. The sun set over the pond, the sky faded pink and orange. She was walking on the edge of the front bog near the house when she heard a faint bark. (34) She looked down among the vines leading into the floating cranberries. There she saw Sparky wet and shaking. (35) She climbed down into the bog and picked-up her cold muddy scared little dog. He squirmed in Mimi’s arms and licked her hands and face. (36) She quickly carried him up the bank and down the lane to the farmhouse where she wrapped him in a blanket. The normally frisky dog snuggled in Mimi’s lap for a long time. (37) Sparky the bog dog was safely home.