Sunday, September 27, 2009

...Creatures great and small

Back in the spring, I noticed that a cardinal had a nest in the hedge outside my office window. I saw at least one young bird before it started to get its color. Now, almost every day when I sit at the desk, I see beautiful fat redbirds coming and going at the bush. One of them lit briefly on my windowsill, one day back in the summer.

Last night I was watching TV. The door to the deck was open and the porch light on, and through the screen I saw an enormous possum come up the steps and proceed to the bowl where I had left cat food for the black cat. It didn't seem to like the cat food much, just ate a little and scattered a lot around the bowl. Then it explored on the deck, out of my sight, for a while, then found the steps and went off into the dark.

Here alone most of the time, I could get lonely now and then, if not for all the animal life that keeps me amused or concerned. I know I shouldn't leave food out for the cat, but one day a crow sat on the deck rail and gnoshed a little. That same day a large blue-and-black butterfly had the little bowl covered with its gorgeous wings, but flew away before I could get the camera.

My sister Ramey gets deer in her yard, which I try not to covet. Once she saw a white squirrel, and on rare days a big turtle appears.

2 comments:

Susan @ Blackberry Creek said...

We have deer, turkeys, possums, armadillos, rabbits, and lots of dogs and kitty cats.

Ramey Channell said...

Last winter when the temperature dropped to the frigid zone, I covered my dog igloo on the deck with a huge sheet of plastic to help keep out the cold wind. That night I watched a possum visitor eat and eat and eat cat food, then he went over and touched and felt the plastic sheet, assessing just about every square inch of it. After he looked and felt for a long time, he trundled away. I think he said "Now what do you suppose THAT is?" as he headed down the deck steps.