All quiet on the canine front today. Sissy and Lexie, though, kept things lively. Virtually every year that Ive been up here on Cinnamon Ridge, we have had show -- deep snow -- by now, that stays for most of the winter. Not this year. The deer leave when the snow arrives, which means that, this winter, we still have a lot of them around. My Kiwi grandsons think this is terrific. Well, today, all dogs were confined and it was the cats turn to be outside. It was pretty chilly and the skies were threatening some sort of precipitation, so all of them, except Julius, were hanging out pretty close to the house. Sissy had appropriated Juliuss igloo and Lexie was on the hot tub lid when a pretty good-sized buck came down the hill and wandered into the yard. He was after the green grass. Sissy peeked out of the igloo, considered interfering, decided it wasnt worth disrupting her beauty sleep, and went back inside. Lexie melted from a sitting position into a half crouch, but she didnt do anything else. She watches the deer, but since until recently she was too obese to even consider chasing them, she has never gone near one that I know of. A call from my younger Kiwi grandson brought me back to the window a few minutes later. Another, and larger, buck was coming down the hill and advancing upon the first arrival. Both had impressive racks, but the second ones was absolutely huge. He paused for a moment at the edge of the lawn and then stepped out on the grass. I wasnt sure whether he planned to challenge the other buck, or whether he just planned to start eating, but the first arrival heard him and turned his head. Then he turned all the way around. Now they were face to face, about fifteen feet apart. It was the rutting season. I didnt know if they planned to fight or whether it would be a stare-down. They moved a little closer. They seemed more cautious than belligerant, but who could be sure? When they had advanced to within ten feet of each other the smaller buck lowered his head and I was sure he was going to charge. He didnt get a chance. Sissy hates deer and regards them as interlopers. She shot out of her igloo, landed on the lid of the hot tub (startling Lexie, who must have jumped three feet straight up in the air) and raced toward the two bucks, yowling like a police siren. Whether she was too startled to think straight or whether she actually intended to provide backup, I dont know, but Lexie raced right after Sissy, also caterwauling at the top of her lungs. The bucks forgot all about each other at the sight of these two noisy critters bearing down upon them. One went uphill, the other down, each with a screeching feline in hot pursuit. Of course they easily outdistanced the cats, but when Sissy came back there was an unmistakable swagger in her step and a smirk on her little face. Lexie arrived moments later from the other direction, seemingly more bewildered than triumphant. Sissy advanced in a queenly manner and they touched noses. Then Sissy went back to the igloo. I wonder if I have another deer chaser in the making.
Posted on: Mon, 29 Dec 2014 01:47:35 +0000
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