Bachelor tonight as Madam is out. Decided to eat my leftover dinner on the deck and was rewarded for doing so. Not only were the slow cooked beef short ribs especially succulent after resting for a couple of days in their rich sauce of wine and tomatoes but I had multiple visitors while I sat quietly enjoying my meal.
First came three white tail deer, a young male and a doe with youngster. They were busy sampling the new young shoots on the buffet around the yard and didn't seem to care that I was watching. I introduced myself, even sharing my real name, but such a gracious welcome was not returned in kind. Sometimes, in the right atmosphere, sharing your real name with another species will allow them to trust you enough to respond in kind. Regardless, my offer of mutual trust was not accepted by these three. It is understandable however. Here they are trying to scratch out a living in the middle of a metropolitan area of millions of people and worse...cars. Jumping fences and dodging traffic day in and day out. Gotta make you a little cranky. It does me.
While the deer moved off into the woods beyond, who should wander in but Mr. Raccoon. He too was interested only in what might have been left by the birds, squirrels and chipmunks and none to ready for a pleasant chat. He was much less sanguine about my presence and kept giving me the eye. He cased the joint and had a hearty drink from the bird bath before continuing on his nightly rounds. I was pretty sure that the look he gave me as he crossed the fence was for not replenishing the suet in the feeder. I will do it in the morning since he has been known to remove the feeder from its hanging and consume an entire cake of Peanut Delight in a single evening. Shouldn't encourage such gluttony.
An interesting evening and a reward for my attention in maintaining an attractive natural habitat for the wildlife. I must admit that the frequent trips to the bird seed store for another bag of sun flower seeds, dried corn, peanuts and suet make me hesitate at times but it is then that I remember the short episodes like this evening when I get a chance to connect.
