Monday, October 24, 2011

Danger in the dusk

I am sitting enjoying the evening air. I had removed some hay form the floor of the barn. Too old, too moldy to feed to the horses. In the twilight, I see that two rabbits have staked their claim on one of the piles. They are unaware that in the brush is danger. Danger in the dusk. A bobcat, nearly perfect blending of color matching the brush. He is slowly moving at the edge of the growth. Then he slowly turns his head. He sees me sitting in my chair. He actually does not look shocked or surprised. He considers me for a moment, then very coolly steps backward out of my vision. He apparently turns. I just see a portion of his right ear. Then, gone. The rabbits are unaware. I just saved their lives. I hope they are hoppy. But then again, the evening before, I spied a small snake right where the rabbits were now dining. At first glance, I thought it was a diamondback rattler. No rattles, narrow head. Interesting pattern on his back. I even reached down and touched his body. He did not coil, but just lifted his head, using his tongue as a nose. A king snake. I left him to do what he does best. King snakes kill rattlesnakes. All hunters and hunted lived on. Peace.

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