“Look left, look right, look left again.”
It was second nature, as far back almost as I can remember, even before I drove.
Nowadays, I almost never drive and I seldom find myself crossing a street .
But I must remember never-the-less, to check before I exit the house, be it from the front or either side.
Because there always seems to be a creature lurking that runs from my terrifying apparition.
It’s good that they do and I don’t attempt to befriend any of my visitors, but I don’t like scaring them.
Having filled the seed bowls this morning, I came in for carrots but half way back out, I noticed the fox picking at some nuts I had just put down.
Normally she seems not to notice us in a window or through the glass door, but perhaps I had adopted an alarming “full-sail” attitude with my bowl of carrot or maybe she heard my garden clogs and she ran off.
Last night I went out to refresh the water bowls and set two deer to flight.
Grant was all upset one evening when he came back in, having startled a wild turkey and her two chicks.
Most of the time, we remember to check and often we either exit from a different door or simply wait till whoever it is has moved on.
But for sure, if we forget, some creature charges off.
It isn’t just wild creatures we try to accommodate.
God forbid we disturb a cat slumbering in a doorway.
Not this morning, though. The walkers couldn’t wait to get out and chase chipmunks.
Till recently, Tinkerbelle was banned from the daily walk as she seemed to become over-stimulated.
Not something you want to precipitate.
But Grant somehow decided she had sufficiently modified her behaviour, so she once more has her walking papers, so to speak.
Tinkerbelle, however, is not a happy cat.
The reason being that she was recently diagnosed with a thyroid issue and requires daily medication.
We now have four thyroid cats. They get methimazole, compounded into a cream that gets rubbed into an ear tip. Couldn’t be more simple, right? Hah!
Tinks is a bit prickly at the best of times. She and I have a vague understanding these days. She has agreed not to scratch or bite me unless I provoke her.
She gets to decide what constitutes provocation.
Tinkerbelle does not like women. She had a troubled childhood. It’s okay. Not her fault.
Fortunately, she adores Grant.
But not so much when he administers ear meds.
After the first couple of surprise applications, she got wise and now she flees.
This morning Grant trapped her in one of the small rooms.
He was in there so long, I wondered if he had been shredded but I hadn’t heard any loud crashes.
In the end he gave up in favour of breakfast.
One has to walk around with the syringe in a pocket and lunge at the patient when she is distracted.
I actually did this once, but the look I got suggested it might not be a good idea to try again.
Such a fuss. But it isn’t just Tinkerbelle that is difficult.
Lily has eosinophilic granuloma, otherwise known as rodent ulcer. She worries at areas of skin until they are raw but transdermal prednisolone keeps it in check.
Every third day we rub it in her ear. If we can catch her. She is a mind reader. She knows your intentions and does a very effective vanishing act.
The application is done in a nano-second. But no:
“MURDER!!!” they scream.
We finally got the rain that has been promised for days, but only a thimble full, enough to bring bugs out and now that the wind has dropped, they will be loitering with intent.
This morning being decidedly draughty, it was safe to venture out briefly and I met up with a friend from a few days ago:
This time he revealed his belly and struck a couple of swish poses.
Then I noticed a display of gymnastics:
These days, I take lunch standing at the kitchen window.
It’s always entertaining:
Mrs Groundhog tries to have lunch too…
“Hey! Get your own!!”
“Maybe that was mean?…. Aw. There you go, baby. Good boy!”
“Em, Mum? I’ve got something to tell you.”
“WHAT?!”
“We told her our Dad came to call.”
“She don’t like him!”
“It’s alright little sister. Keep calm and watch this!”
“Here he comes now. Poor old boy!”
“Any chance of a bite to eat?”
“Hello in there? Anything?”
“You old scallywag!”
“Left me here with all these children!”
“I want a word with you!”
“Um. Maybe I’ll be off then…”
“You see that? She chased him right off!”
“I do apologize, missus, for the behaviour of my family.”
.
It’s so much better than television.
Wow, you have some fantastic photos there, Yeti. The diversity too of the different animals. Superb. 🙂
I am very lucky!
Thank you, Carolyn, for the entertainment much better than television! Wonderful photography!
Joanna
I reckon this should be syndicated Carolyn. I’m sure some enterprising TV company could keep the whole world entertained with your friends antics.
Then they would form a union and that would be that!
Great picture of the fox – such a sweet looking face! Look at those cats queuing for their daily morning walk 😊 … I was wondering: How do you keep them together once they’re outside (or do they just wander around and then return back home themselves)? Haha, indeed … no television needed when the groundhog family is around!
There are only 6 that go walking and they get rounded up after about 15 minutes. Sometimes Lily, Sasha and/or Toby “disappear” andd then I get very fretful, but they respond to bribery in the form of treats 🙂
Definitely better than TV. I could watch the groundhog family all day. Maybe you should set up a ‘trailcam’, Carolyn?
Best wishes, Pete.
We have one but it hasn’t been very successful and neither of us is very tech-savvy!
Me neither! 🙂