Rare Delights

Ahhhh….spring is in the air!!  This is my time of year, when life is vibrant and renewed.  All the creatures feel it too.  The birds sing a different song.  Sonny and Cher romp harder and longer in the yard.  I am compelled toward the gardens. 

I also remember some of my favorite encounters with the wild world during this time of year.  I wish I’d kept a journal over the years dedicated just to these encounters.  They were so special and I fear that my memory does not do them justice.

Many years ago I moved to the island of Guam.  On my first time on a sail boat I was thrilled with the experience.  The Palumin Tasi was a 35’, single-masted sloop that had picked up a strong wind just off the coast of the island.  As she flew through the water a pod of dolphins picked us up for their fun and swam just under the bow of the boat.  The down-wind gunnel of the boat was right at waters edge, so I lay down on the deck with my hand over the side skimming the surface of the water. One of the dolphins came up under my hand and swam alongside with my hand on its back.  What a thrill.  It lasted only seconds, but in my mind it is there forever.

Another time I was hiking the rim of the Red River Gorge on a clear spring day.  I was by myself and enjoying the day.  There was a point in the trail where it led out to a dead-end looking over the gorge below.  A slight breeze caught my attention and then the scream of a hawk as it dove just above my head.  If I had seen it coming I could have grabbed it from mid-air.  I don’t know if I startled it, or it was warning me off, perhaps I was too close to a nest.  Whatever, the bird was beautiful and within inches of my face for just a split second. 

Since we’ve moved into our current home we are constantly seeing wild creatures.  Our most special was many years ago we found a den of red fox on our property.  We discovered them one day as Pete was bush-hogging our field.  As he turned the tractor at the end of the field and started back down its length a fox would come out of the tree stand and follow along behind the tractor catching mice and voles.  As it captured one it would head back to the edge of the field where two young kits waited for dinner.  The other parent sat just a few yards off keeping a close eye on everything.  

 This encounter went on for several weeks.  Actually it became quite an every evening entertainment to the point that friends were coming over with their lawn chairs to watch the evening’s activities.  Every late afternoon the family would make its appearance for another lesson in fox livelihood.  The kits grew to the point that they were following the parent into the field for that evening’s dinner. 

Our favorite evening was when a gaggle of Canada Geese landed on the pond. As they foraged in the field for greens one of the adult foxes decided that a goose should be dinner that evening.  As he crouched down, stalking his way toward a lone goose he failed to notice that all the other geese were surrounding him in their inner circle.  When he was about to strike he looked around and realized he was in mortal danger and slowly backed up until he was outside the circle and then walked off with his head hanging in dejection.  Boy, do I wish I’d had a video camera that night.

Another evening I was watching a fawn prance around in our back yard from the kitchen window.  As I watched enjoying its playful antics the fawn suddenly stopped with its nose down in the high grass.  Then suddenly both the fawn and a stray cat jumped straight up in the air.  The cat turned in mid-air and when it landed took off in the opposite direction….the fawn was in high chase.  Never have I seen a deer chase a cat before. 

I could go on and on with stories like these.  As they occur they are a constant source of delight and education.  And I think that in part, I have Spring to thank for these rare delights.