Boot Sucking Mud Season

It happens every year. Anyone who owns livestock knows what I'm talking about. Tis the season where the ground that used to be solid becomes a sucking quagmire that even your livestock wishes to avoid in their winter pasture.

When I took Sunshine back out to her pasture I tried to lead her through the gate. I stepped out carefully.
And there I was.
Stuck.
If I lifted my foot, I was going to loose my rubber chore boot in the muck.
I couldn't go forward, I couldn't go back.
And Sunshine stood looking at me as if to inquire as to what my problem was...but she knew because she didn't want to go through it either.

I tugged on her lead rope just a bit and got her to step up to me. There I put my arm over her neck on hung on to her for balance while I worked my stuck foot out of the muck.
She stood quietly. And I thanked the 'mule gods' for giving me such a patient little mule.

I untied her halter and used her to make my way back to solid ground, the muddied water and muck came very close to my boot tops.
[Note to self: get higher chore boots?]

I flicked my hand at Sunshine while I closed the gate and she carefully, daintily made her way through the 'boot sucking mud' and out to dryer ground where she rolled and sighed deeply.