Close Encounters of the Scaly, Furry, Feathery, Wet, and Bee Kind
My Wild Kingdom episode
15 June 2012
15 June 2012
Scaly- The Prince Consort found fish in the lake this week. I think they’re getting smaller. If you have to catch the little ones first, he’s working his way through.
Wet- Somehow the Prince Consort hit the gas as we coasted up to the dock. The boat reared up, and I almost became “Man Overboard.” Like Nikki Cat refusing to be stuffed into the cat carrier for a vet. visit, I put out all claws and clung to everything in reach and the side of the boat. I stayed 2/3‘s on board. Wet, and just as happy as a wet cat.
Bee- The panhandling mallard did not show up this week, probably because I was fully armed with stale bread. But a bee showed up while we were moored in a cove. He hovered around TPC to find out why so many small fish were being thrown back into the lake. The bee hovered around me checking out the book I was reading. He inspected the entire boat, including the fire extinguisher. He spent most of his time hovered in front of the “Max. Capacity” sticker, even returning to it for more study. Must be good reading. Or he was doing the math. Max Capacity 4. Is that four hives? Four humans which is the bee equivalent of … Thankfully he left and did not return with friends. Furry- While I was out on the deck writing, a chipmunk scurried past me, under my pest-proof plastic netting and into my pansy pot. He was very busy. I couldn’t see if he was burying seeds, or digging them up. But I do know he was having pansy salad. “What the HELL?” That caught his attention. He left, probably because he needed a drink from the bird bath to wash down my pansies.
Feathery- When I told TPC about the wren I watched hop through the screened porch cat-door, he checked to see if I’d left any bourbon in his collection. Yesterday when I drove into the garage, I noticed a wren on the top shelf above TPC’s workbench. I left the door up so he could get back out. This morning as I drove in the garage, I checked for the wren. He wasn’t there but there was a nest on top of a box of towels. Not touching the nest, I carefully moved the box to look. A beautiful nest with moss artistically woven into the exterior. What to do with it? I looked around for somewhere safe to put it outside that the bird might come back and use. Movement caught my eye. The wren hopped through the garage cat-door with a beak full of moss. I put the nest right back where I found it. And yes, the bourbon collection is in tact.
Feathery 2- Still out on the deck writing, I heard a tapping noise. One of the Titmice was on the patio chair across the table tapping away. I froze. He hopped up on the table. Hopped over toward me. Hopped closer. Got about six inches away and gave me the eye that clearly said, “I recognize you. You’re the crazy writer who’s office window I tap on. Why are you out here?”
Kath who went inside.
