Sharing my journey with the wildlife of French Woods is an ongoing daily adventure. When I pause long enough to notice, I can see how the seemingly quiet, ever-changing outdoor scene is always bustling.
The same several deer who visit the misty apple orchard each dawn, parade single file past my front door on their way back to the woods at dusk. I sometimes wonder where they spend the rest of their days. I believe we have come to know each other, those few deer and I. I think so because they hardly flinch when I am out and about near them. They raise their heads briefly, take a look at me and then resume their chewing as if to say, "Oh, it's just that peculiar human."
I was about to thank the deer for sparing me the chore of cutting back my day lilies and hosta that grow along my front sidewalk until I saw the tell-tale "cow flop" and upon closer scrutiny, imprints in the mulch that revealed the size of the hoof prints. I should take a look out my windows a little more often. I have a feeling that I'm missing a lot of what goes on. I guess I'm too busy standing guard over the bird feeder on the back porch, batting the chipmunk off it with the broom. Have you ever noticed that chipmunks are very brazen little creatures who tend to remain undaunted by any obstacles they encounter? They can also be quite feisty when provoked by a mad woman wielding a broom. They usually soar through the air and land safely in the forsythia bush when I whack them but, once, one retaliated by leaping, instead, right at me. While still in mid-air, "Chip" and I met face to face and those little beady, black eyes were full of anger, let me tell you! For future encounters, my plan is to arm myself with a chair as a shield as well as the broom.
I do hope the wandering cow found its way home but before it did, I must say that I wish it had noticed the black-eyed Susans along the side of the house that need trimming back, too.
No comments:
Post a Comment