Spring came late this year. At least it did for me. The weather remained cold and dreary right though April and I have been positively stir crazy. But this weekend finally proved warm enough to don some shorts and a tank top, and I jumped at the chance to get outside to perform some post-winter clean-up around the property.
Throughout the winter months, ice and wind cause several trees and limbs to come down around the property - Nature's way of pruning her landscape. Usually we just leave all this arboreal debris where it lies, but when it falls across the trails, driveway or in an otherwise unsightly location, we relocate it into the woods where it will rot and nourish the soil and be habitat for a multitude of woodland creatures. Like this little one.
While tromping along the woodland edge, I happened to walk up on her. She was sitting in the sunshine and taking in, what is for her, a brand new world. I'm sure she was as surprised by me as I was by her. For a long few seconds, we got a good look at each other. I noticed her shiny coat, glistening jet black nose and enormous eyes. I wonder what she noticed about me. My scent of sweat and grime? My odd-looking limbs? My hairless body? No doubt she did NOT find me to be as beautiful as I found her to be.
Once her instincts took over, she hunkered down under an old log where she remained motionless long enough for me to go retrieve my camera from the house and return to take several snapshots. So young and vulnerable, hiding in this way is her only defense.
My hope for this one is that she will live a long, healthy life with us, where she will be safe from hunters and free to eat our delicious trees and plants, and where there will always be a dead tree behind which to find safe haven.
