Signs of life, and death...
March 19, 2011 
We're starting to see some signs of life around here. Between the subzero arctic whiteness we've been submerged in, and the sickness after sickness after sickness that seems to have been going around, things had been a bit bleak.
But all of that is changing.
It's a Saturday morning with the four of us at home, and no place in particular to go. No one is puking (knock on wood) and spirits are lifting. Mr. Blue Eyes is in the kitchen making waffles, and the smell of maple syrup and coffee are in the air.
Snow is melting. Mother earth is waking up. Snow boots are soon to be traded in for mud boots. Garden plans are underway. Some of the critters that survived the winter are emerging.
A pack of six pheasant roosters made their way from our north grove, across the horse pasture, down the road, up our driveway again, and into the west grove the other day. They were so beautiful! I couldn't help feeling a little bit happy for them that they had survived the winter, and here all six of them were, venturing out into the world together. Solidarity, brothers! Viva! Via con Dios!
I don't know where that outburst came from. I'm just really happy that we've all survived the winter.
I also couldn't help worrying for their safety just a little...
Not only is mother earth waking up... So is Burley. After many months of hibernation, the bear has come out of his cave. And the bear is... hungry.
(If you're squeamish about dead animals, you may want to avert your eyes for this next photo.)
Last week this squirrel was his prized possession. He brought it right up to the house and left it there for days. Each day he would go outside, lay next to it, nudge it, lick it, and chew on it a little.
It was somewhat disturbing.
Yet I found it somewhat comforting that he didn't devour the whole thing.
Which was also somewhat disturbing.
Yesterday he moved onto bigger prey and scored himself a raccoon. From the look of him when he first trotted by with it in his mouth, it must have been a bit of a battle. First he tried to bury it in the snow in the ditch across the road, but then decided it better to lay it right in the middle of the road, and then himself lay about sixty feet away (closer to the house, so he could guard us as well), also right in the middle of the road , and keep watch over it.
He spent about five hours like that, just laying in the middle of the road, guarding his kill. When cars would come by he would get up and move, then go right back to his station.
I feel somewhat sorry for the squirrel and the raccoon... To have survived such a brutal winter, only to be chomped into oblivion. But I find it best not to overthink it, and instead work through it by humming Circle of Life to myself as I go on with my day.
And think about springtime. And gardening. And cooking. And not having puking children.
Life is good today.
Not so much for the squirrel or raccoon.
But for our little family... Life is good today.
Dogs, Slice of Life
Reader Comments (4)
Yeah for SPRING COMING!!! Please come fast.
I'm so glad you and your sweet family are feeling better! Life for a farm dog is so different than life for my dog. LOL! If there is a possum in the yard, we won't let her out--we usually go out there and scare em off. Since she is a house dog, we don't want any dead varmit issues. We see racoons, and smell skunks...neither of which we want her to tangle with.
I'm ready to start gardening too! We are getting a cold rain storm this weekend and next week...supposed to be the last one of the season for us!
I feel the same way about winter my friend.
It's been HORRID this year.
Maybe your is worse because I haven't had puking kiddos.
Hoping that the household is on the road to recovery. Was just telling my hubby how you guys have had snow for so long - is that the norm for your end of the earth?
And our cats are like your dogs - we have headless mice or baby rabbits brought in as gifts every now and then - ugh.