Ursa Minor

G went over to the neighbour's after dinner - he picked her up on his little dirt bike (he's 9!) and off they went with two hot dog wieners each to roast over the brush fires at his place. On the way back, they passed by the black bear that's been apparently hanging around the neighbourhood.

None of this is particularly odd for us - anymore - except I thought it funny that the bear wasn't the first thing G told me about when she got home. She almost forgot about it! It's not that she's reckless, but rather that it's not a novelty. How quickly they change!

Since we're talking about animals...

The other day I was on my way to the crawl space door (to continue the plumbing work required to move the toilet so there's space to add a bathtub where before there was only a shower) when I heard Violet barking rather ferociously.

I was concerned because it was coming from the north side of the property, and our neighbour on that side had mentioned some dogs had been harassing her horses. We didn't think it was Violet because she normally doesn't head that way.

I found her about 50 feet from the property line, barking and pacing around a tree. That's when I looked up and saw it...

I ran back to get the camera. At first I thought it was a cougar (we'd seen one this summer about 20 minutes away from here), but seeing the short tail, I realized it was a lynx. (It might also have been a bobcat, but the tail seemed too short.)

I watched for a while. Violet was beside herself trying to find a way up. While she was looking away, the cat jumped to an adjacent spruce. I left after this, and about an hour later Violet came back to the house. I have no idea how the cat got past her.

Where the deer and the antelope play...

Well okay, just the deer so far. We have seen lots of deer on our property, usually though it is their back end as they are taking off into the bush because of our maniacal dog, barking her head off or if she is off leash, chasing them.


On Sunday morning, I looked out the window and this little darling was walking around our garden fence...no doubt figuring out how to get in. She stayed for a while, looking up at the window at us every few minutes.


She must have come up the driveway, because maniac dog was on the front of the house and didn't hear her. I am amazed at just how long their legs are compared to their bodies. Eventually, Farlee, bless his heart decided to be a guard dog for a change and did his best to chase her off. She easily and gracefully leapt off into the bushes....such a beautiful thing to watch. I know, I know...I probably wouldn't be so happy if she had actually made it into my garden, but for now I am just enjoying their harmless visits.