Thursday, November 03, 2016

wild things


Another predawn (and I mean really predawn) start to the day. And a predawn breakfast. It's been many a week since I had a leisurely wake up! I'm thinking -- we both look and feel tired.



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Still, there are benefits to being up this early.

(Sunrise on a misty morning.)


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(First beams of sunlight hit the crab apple and its steady stream of visitors...)


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(The little red apples sparkle from the wet air, the leaves look as gold as bricks of the real stuff from Fort Knox.)


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Normally, I like to check our variously positioned mousetraps before Ed leaves for the day. If there's a catch, he gets to ride with the critter to some far away fields. (November is the month where we have a steady parade of these guys, looking for a place to settle in for the cold months.) But I neglected to inspect the trap in the basement and by the time I do check it, Ed's gone. And yes, there are two mice in it. I'm stuck with taking them away.

On the upside, it really is a pretty morning to be driving along country roads!


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(By the time I turn around and come back, the sun has done away with the fog.)


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Most mornings, I set up shop in the kitchen. My computer faces the garden and I have a pretty view of the changing landscape. Today I glance up and notice another visitor, this one substantially larger than a mouse.


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Oh, the signs of the coming of winter! Still no frost though. My annuals are going strong even though it is November.

And it's another beautiful November day! There's no question: I pick up Snowdrop and we head for the little park where she runs with abandon toward the playground.


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In some ways, Snowdrop reminds me of Ed: she, like him, likes a challenge! At the playground, she gives short shrift to the swing and shrugs with indifference at all three slides -- she's mastered them all! What's the point?

Ah, but the life guard's chair, perched on a steep ladder? Yeah!


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The future life guard of Bernie's Beach!


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And how are you going to get down, little one? I expect the often repeated words -- I need help, but instead get her now even more frequently stated -- I can do it!

At home, she should be resting already, but I have to admit, it's hard to interfere and put a stop to the games she invents for herself. (Here -- brushing penguin's hair while riding on a hippo. Why not?)


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Later, much later, as we play in her room, I poke into her closet, looking for a jacket for her to wear later this week. She sees me. "Yellow jacket!"  she wants to put it on. "Bunny rabbit on it!" Yes, that's right -- there's a bunny rabbit. She is insistent. "Put it on!"

Why not... Does it make her feel snug? Does a bunny rabbit bring her reassurance in life? Who knows... She is happy. The jacket stays on. For a short while anyway.


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Her parents come home... the sun fades... all is calm... All is as it should be.


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