March 3, 2015
(This is part
of a 365 project during my 70th year where I write and illustrate a blog on
each day's gift.)
 |
| Backyard wildlife |
Lately with weather limiting many activities, I haven’t
lacked for natural entertainment in our yard. A couple days ago, I followed deer
tracks in our suburban backyard. I could see that the deer walked to our front
yard and into the street toward our neighbor's house. Then it probably turned around and left
our yard through the wooded area in back. I’ve seen fox and opossum and even heard a
coyote in our yard. Birds flock to our feeders year round.
When we had a giant oak tree that our back deck was built
around, squirrels were frequent visitors to our porch and often came to the
glass door to stand on haunches and look into the kitchen. One year there was a
silver squirrel that actually knocked on our door and would come to my husband’s
call. Its appetite for peanuts was insatiable. Since the diseased oak tree had
to be taken down, squirrels are no longer able to jump to the porch from its
branches. They don’t seem to like the alternatives now—taking the steps or
climbing the porch supports.
Sometimes the wildlife makes us smile, like when squirrels would
look through the glass door, nose to nose with our lazy cat Misty who always calmly
flicked her tail back and forth. The latest smile came from a naughty place in
me (urged by husband, David). I found one of our daughters’ dolls with matted red hair, dirty face and one
arm missing. I wasn’t ready to throw it away. Instead I put it outside on a
table, covered it with birdseed, some stuck to the doll with peanut butter. Then
I sat and waited for a squirrel who feasted on the doll in unmentionable
places. I smiled and clicked the camera shutter.
My gift today was a wild smile.
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