Saturday at the Barn

 

More Signs of Spring

I mentioned the passing bear a while back but he was only one of the cavalcade of wildlife that has come through with the coming of Spring. Since Summer will be hard upon us shortly I thought I would give the rest of the list before I forget:

Tadpoles, swarming in the seep flowing from the barnyard spring.

Box turtles, up from hibernation, inexplicably migrating across Browntown Road in defiance of common sense and passing traffic.

A tom turkey, tail spread like a Thanksgiving card, doing his best to impress the five hens in the upper pasture.

The nesting robin, fixated on a piece of string trapped by the car tire, trying futilely to fly off with it.

Barn swallows, flitting in and out of the rafters, looking for nesting spots while we shear.

The barking of coyotes up on the ridgeline.

A mockingbird perched on Susan's side view mirror raucously dueling with his reflection.

Bumblebees, impossibly heavy, flying anyhow in oddly delicate mating dances.

A heron, high stepping his way down Gooney Creek.

In the evening, the smell of honeysuckle.

Letting sleeping dogs lie

Spring Pasture

We're Watching You!

 

Signs of Spring

I was walking home across the south pasture when I noticed a young black bear about fifty yards away.  He saw me about the same time I saw him   I stopped.  He stopped.  He stood up to get a better look.  I could see just fine from where I was, so I stayed put and stood very still.  He dropped back to all fours and ran further down the little creek bisecting the pasture.  Since he stopped right on the culvert I use to cross the creek, I continued to stay put.  He stood up again, looked me over, and then headed down the creek bed with that loose, lumbering, but amazingly fast stride of a bear in a hurry.