Eureka

I like to get up early in the morning…

(NOT)

Okay, while I detest getting up early in the morning, I do rather enjoy visiting my garden at that hour when the sun and birds are awake but the children are still sleeping. It is a pleasant time.

My cat and I like to peruse our homestead together. She’s more like a dog, really, following at my heels. Sometimes, her nose catches the scent of an intruder and she’ll stop, just like any good watchkitty would, to see who is invading our slice of paradise.

Aha… so you’re the bugger who’s been noshing on my baby seedlings, eh?

Need I come out here with a copy of Peter Rabbit and remind you what happens to naughty bunnies who go into Mama McGregor’s garden?

(In my head, my cat is backing me up: ) Yeah, does she? Huh, RABBIT???

Lousy rabbit. Why don’t you hop over to Mr. L’s garden. He’s got LOTS of yummies for you.

It’s fun to go outside and discover things, though. Yes, there are pesky annoyances now and again, like bugs and rabbits eating your lettuces. But then you come across your bean plant, whose funny red kidney things have magically opened into beautiful little flowers, and you whip out the camera and start taking ridiculous pictures with the macro setting because you’ve never seen a bean plant before and are certain you’ve just discovered something A-MAZ-ING. Because you’re a dolt, of course.

Garden newbies. Ha!

Later, I discovered another fun new thing outside: my children, playing ever-so-nicely together.

Isn’t that sweet? They usually are sweet, but they don’t always play together quite this nicely. What a sentimental, touching photo this is.

Wait a minute.

Where are they sitting?

See what I mean about the minor annoyances? Oh, girls, it’s a good thing you’re so stinkin’ cute.

More With The Great Grey Hunter

Here is the Grey Hunter, Moxie, stalking a poor, unsuspecting chipmunk.

Come closer, little chipmunk. I won’t bite.

That’s it… Hey! Where are you going??

Come back! I just want to play.

Come on.  Let’s go to MY house.

What?? I’m a cat. It’s what I do.

The Grey Hunter in the Suburban Wilderness

Our cat, Moxie, is a hybrid cat. By this, I mean to say that she spends approximately half of her time indoors and the other half outside.

Having a hybrid cat is both good and bad, but I earnestly feel that the disadvantages are few and rather minor. While we did have to leave our house for two nights a couple of years back, while the flea bomb de-infested us, our cat is happy. She’s healthy. She’s even- dare I say it- hale and hearty. And she is a hunter.

I often come home to “gifts” waiting for me on the front or back porch. My husband jokes that she is paying her rent. It’s slightly embarassing when someone comes to visit before I cash her paychecks, but what the heck. As a budding gardener, I’m grateful for the highly organic rodent-and-pest control services she’s providing. And, while I try to be kind and sympathetic to all creatures, there is something very thrilling about the whole Circle Of Life drama that often plays itself out in our yard.

I get chills down my spine when she gets a potential target in her sights.

The unsuspecting victim rarely stands a chance.

Good job, cat. Way to bite that… grass.