Paradise Becomes Animal Kingdom

It’s up; it’s down. Fred is barely accepting of me. He purred yesterday and did not recoil at my approach but this morning he is very feral again. But he’s also showing signs of bravery. Ethel is very friendly but shy; we played together in the bathroom yesterday. Fred is less than half Ethel’s age.

On impulse yesterday morning, watching Ethel show serious interest in the wild (my home), I left the door open and Ethel saw Sheba.They looked at each other and Sheba had absolutely no interest them — just in their food. She and I just walked away to give Ethel her space. I trust my intuition and my capacity to read, to a limited extent, animal behavior. I left their door open all day but they stayed inside the bathroom.

I spent the morning yesterday on animal duty but I got some yard clearing done with Sheba. At 11:00 I went to meet John and Bunny at the ferry terminal.

We had lunch and they toured the place and then we drove around the island and I took them back to the ferry. While they were here a hoard of Chickadees invaded my bird feeder. It was thrilling to watch them like bees at a hive, there were so many. And big Towhees and Fox Sparrows. It was small bird day.

The evening was spent questioning the wisdom of getting the cats. However, I will persevere and win them over, I know. I’ve rarely met an animal who did not sense my affinity for them. It ain’t gunna be easy though.

I went to bed early, exhausted. Sheba woke me at 3:30. I can dress myself, pick her up and get outside in seconds now, which I did. Then we both went back to bed (thank God) until 5:30.

This morning I moved F & E out of the bathroom. They are now in a guest room and we’ll see what happens. I’m leaning to wing things. It’s the island way. DR and Dianne will help me cope for the next couple of days.

They arrive this afternoon to stay for a few days and tomorrow Jane and Dana arrive to visit us going to be busy in Paradise. But again: I’m going to wing it. I’m not cooking and baking up a storm in advance of their visit. I’m too occupied with the animals right now.

Cleaning the yard this morning — my new favourite way to tire Sheba — I lit a bonfire and burned a mountain of twigs and pinecones. I like doing it and there is a lot of ground to cover but it’s worth the effort. The yard looks like a park where it is clean.

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I see one of these Pileated Woodpeckers almost every day.