It was a cool crisp September evening in Fairwood Valley, on HWY 603 in Troutdale VA. I was resting and napping a bit and it was nigh on 6:00 PM , with the sun sinking low over the Iron Mountains. The apples were turning bright red and golden yellow all up and down the valley with some maples starting to show some hint of color and a bit of Fall was in the air.
Les came in and woke me saying “the cows are out and I am taking Amarillo to help get them up!” “Not without me you’re not” I said and with that threw my hiking boots on and out the door I hurried.
Les. Dwayne, Amarillo and I loaded up in the pickup and down the road we sped!
Sure enough there was a big Black Angus “BULL” standing at the fence wanting into the heifer pasture about 75 cows in all!!! No they were not HIS heifers but I don’t think he knew that. Or cared! His owner JB was attempting to move the bull down the highway back to his pasture, but he was doing more side to side and stopping than anything else. JB’s wife was in the pickup and JB was walking the bull, but too many nice smelling female cows was slowing progress.
Amarillo and I jumped out of the truck , I was excited and Amarillo was too. I told JB to tell Amarillo what he wanted her to do . Thus we started down the road in the middle of a highway complete with traffic both ways a long line of vehicles behind us following and stopped on the side of the road watching us.
At first the bull was not very pleased in having to leave the heifers but Amarillo convinced him in a matter of fact way that it was to his best interest to move on and quietly. He kicked at her and slung his head at JB a time or two but for the most part was easily driven down the highway that at one time 100 years ago had been a steam engine railroad that connected Damascus to Marion, and before that a wagon roadway.
As I walked along behind the bull with Amarillo on his right and JB on his left cars behind us and stopped along the sides of the road watching this unusual sight…I could not help but think about all the folk that had used this road bed before us and how I could all most hear them talking and laughing softly as they too were watching this scene from their “time” all along the road. I could hear them saying “ Is that a black and tan English Shepherd? Why it is!!! and look it is so much like the ones we had on the farm! See it still has a job and can certainly still herd a cow! Thank goodness the breed is alive and well! How about that?!!! ”
We traveled 3 miles down the highway with out incident and delivered the bull back to his own pasture! JB was quite taken with Amarillo and tried to get me to let him keep her. He settled for a future puppy.
Amarillo was so pleased with herself and boy was I too!!
