What to do about Ralph

Going to the sliding door to check for deer, so as not to disturb them, I became aware of faces scrutinising me.

Friendly faces, of course.

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Coreopsis was among the seeds Grant planted in the Spring and they remained where they were on the patio as he thought that putting them in the ground would see them ravaged by insects and larger, furry creatures.

As they bloomed, I grew attached to their cheerful faces that I watch following the Sun.

Such small observances serve to take ones mind off other matters.

Today, those bright little faces got into another early morning photograph:

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The quality is poor due to dim light, but this was a sight that lifted our hearts.

Till now, we’ve been visited separately by a doe and her fawn, or another with her twins.

Then last week, the fawns turned up together without their mothers, frolicking about like naughty children. We did see the single fawn reunite with its mum, but we’d not since seen the twins with theirs, so it was good to know they are together and especially nice to see both families together.

As I sat down afterwards, to the task of sorting a particular group of photos, I glanced up and was compelled to grab the camera again. The album was apparently not yet complete…

Before this interruption, I was already scratching my head wondering where to begin. Now I had another addition to the story.

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On July 1st, we’d been much surprised to see the above fine fellow marching up the driveway. He took a sedate tour of the property, accepted some peanuts on the patio and then strode off up the hill, presumably responding to the plaintive call of the lone peacock that lives on a farm up there.

The sad cries that we’d been hearing for weeks promptly ceased and we’ve scarcely heard a peep since, so we wondered if the visitor had moved in. I’d sent a text up to the farm to alert them, but apart from an acknowledgement, there was no further communication, so I was not inclined to inquire now.

We were left wondering.

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If having an apparently stray peacock turn up was a surprise, I’m not sure that having it return 6 weeks later wasn’t even more so. I mean, if the bird had not been recaptured or taken in, where had it been all this time?

Tuesday afternoon I looked up from my computer just in time to see something large and bright blue turn the corner past my window.

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Having previously taken a careful inspection of the property, the peacock settled right in.

It strutted about and preened…

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…then came to see what might be on offer.

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It had pecked at corn up under the apple tree and taken a few peanuts from the patio, but it obviously hoped for more.

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It so happened that I had some large raisins that needed eating.

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They drew the bird’s attention but insufficient trust.

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Sitting there with the door ajar gave me the chance to capture some head shots.

We had the impression, from the way the peacock behaved, that if we opened the door wide and backed off, it would ultimately have ventured in.

However, open doors invite in other quite undesirable creatures that bite, quite apart from the fact that having a peacock in the house would be very chaotic, not to mention messy.

And the cats might take issue.

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These are colours I have always been drawn to.

But I’d never been as close to a peacock before.

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Our handsome visitor was not only in search of food. It appeared quite interested in Lily who contemplated the large chicken for some minutes before deciding that birds are birds but if they are bigger than you, it’s best to back off.

Being this side of the glass allowed for a dignified withdrawal.

The peacock seemed disappointed. Perhaps he’d had a cat friend where he came from.

(He was less keen when Little Man came to look at him.)

That was on Tuesday. As the boy strode off, we waved goodbye again.

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Wednesday afternoon, he was back.

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This time we got to see all his colours. We named him Ralph.

He accepted a few more raisins, took a tour of other food sources and went on his way. Thursday and Friday, he was a no-show, but we realised how privileged we’d been to receive the return visits.

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Then on Saturday, Ralph showed up with a slightly disordered tail, though he seemed perfectly fine.

We’ve started asking ourselves what to do about him, with Winter coming.

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