Angus and I stood at the open door watching the world wearing its new sunshine and waiting for the planets to be aligned in such a way as to allow his exit from the house. It's a delicate operation, his leaving the house: it needs to be timed perfectly . . . and Angus is the only judge. So we stood and waited.
A flash of movement in the driveway: a gray squirrel dashing from the lawn toward the stone wall, a red-winged blackbird swooping, herding him from five feet above his head.
As I stood contemplating what I had just seen, thinking, "Now, there's something I've never seen before, although I bet it happens all the time," the scene repeated itself in all its parts, except that the bird was a robin. Squirrel #2 dashed at the same speed as had squirrel #1, the robin flew at exactly the same height as had the blackbird, and the whole second scene was over . . . the squirrel up the stone wall, the bird off up into the sky . . . within ten seconds, five seconds, just like the first.
Imagine my having lived all my life without having seen that and then seeing the same chase scene twice within a minute!
Then again, maybe I just forgot.
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18 comments:
I've seen that happen, and laughed like heck. Especially when the extremely self important blue jays herd the squirrels. Thanks for having me remember.
I think that , like a squirrel , I could do with a shepherding bird . Is one allowed to choose which kind , do you think ?
S&S, it did not appear to me as if the squirrels had any choices whatever in the situation(s).
Could you send those birds over here? I've got lots of birds and squirrels, but those cheeky squirrels seem to have the run of the place. Crows must coexist with them, because they are the only really big birds and hang out here, and they don't pay any attention.
It is amazing that you saw that twice in one day. You won't forget that!
you were in the right place at the right time thanks to Angus.
How special! I've never seen this happen myself. But then again, like you, maybe I forgot. :)
Life is full of little mysteries. Angus may have been waiting for the squirrels and the birds to finish their business before setting out to do his own.
Maybe you're learning from Angus!
Angus is your Zen Master.
Almost a poem
Having none here, I love hearing about these squirrels. What a wonderful sight to be witness to....
Cool.
Cool.
I am with you as to your reaction, how about Angus, what did he think of the spectacle?
Angus did not react at all.
He either did not see the chase scenes or has seen such things so often as to be blase about them.
Possibly both.
I was going to ask about Angus when I read Friko's comment and your reply. Too cool.
astonishing photos and very touching honesty, I had to stop and say...congrats on your blog :).
I don't think you forget, June. Your observations are (as always) lovely with an edge of wryness. Thank you also for commenting on my current character, Mary. It's not so much that she's successful as she is stubborn and blue-collar outspoken in a time when class distinctions made serious divisions between people. I just don't see her going into the "happily-ever-after" . . . yet! But you gave me stuff to think about. Thanks. Beth
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