Cold, wet, miserable, droopy tail and frizzy fur (again). It was not the good morning that had boded so much early promise. At OFFS hrs this morning, Mother Nature put on the most magnificent dawn display. The sun was still just below the horizon, but the low, grey clouds were already lit from below and shone in places bright red, orange and pink. It was only two degrees above freezing as I cocked a contemplative leg against a convenient tree and considered the forthcoming day. Apart from lunch, the only other subject of concern was the recent arrival of two paparazzi, Guiseppe and Stefano at a log cabin near The Cave, drawn to my blogs, ahem, like moths to a flame. They have already flogged long-range photographs of my abortive battle with Araminta to the Daily Whine. I was hoping all would pass unnoticed, but no, Levent couldn’t resist the temptation joyously to advertise my embarrassment on these pages. https://boadiceaschariot.wordpress.com/2010/02/11/araminta-vs-oz/
Then it began to rain. As my tail drooped and the fur started to frizz, I made my way out to catch something small(ish), warm and furry for lunch only to be met by the sound of rifle fire, winter Sundays being hunters’ days here in Portugal. Although the shooting of wolves is an absolute and strictly enforced no-no, I had no chance to track anything what with the noise of the shooting and the intrusion of Guiseppe and Stefano crashing hand-in-hand through the dark forest behind me. What to do? The normal lunchtime ingredients were off the menu and the coat was already in need of a severe grooming; it was now three degrees above freezing and raining.
Duck! No, not an imperative duck! as in some camouflaged, drunken hunter swinging his sights in your direction, but duck as in quack-quack and feathers jobbie, not to mention the important fleshy bits in between, so I headed for a distant lake, the paparazzi whimpering in my wake more scared of their editor than my imposing habitat.
So we arrive at the lake replete with lunch, er, ducks and the thermometer has crept up from two to five degrees. Crisis! I’m hungry and there are witnesses, but, hey, I’m a wolf.
Well ‘ard!
There is a complete photographic record of the events, which Guiseppe and Stefano are hawking around the more down market nature magazines and weird-news web sites, but I’m only publishing this one shot to protect the sensibilities of the hard of understanding natural selection. Suffice it to say I am now back in The Cave before a roaring log fire, fur groomed and a few bits of down eddying in the warm air. The kittens are also replete and sleepy and all is well with the world.
OZ
Boadicea's Chariot 
All is well here, it is raining a goodun, tipping down and has been for hours, all the way up to the Canadian mountains.
Ski competitors are to be offered water wings in an effort to stop them from drowning!
Splendid stuff! Couldn’t have happened to a nicer bunch!
And a bald eagle visited this morning.
All is well with my part of the world.
The dogs are unamused, refuse to go out in it and are getting peculiar yellow stained eyeballs and crossed legs!
Christina – The furballs have the same reluctance about venturing outside at the moment. How about a litter tray for dogs?. Years ago we bought a “dog loo”, which in effect was a small septic tank which you buried in the garden and into which you shovelled the barkers’ eggs, as the Australians call them, which may have been left about. I told my mother about this marvellous “dog loo” thingy. Her reaction – “How are you going to train them to use it?”
OZ
O Zangado
Years ago we bought a doggy loo thing for burying in the garden. It was a complete failure being totally overwhelmed by the output of two little collie bitches.
Oz, good evening.
I’m no expert but the alleged duck in your picture looks a bit gooseish to me?
Or. just possibly, a very ugly, stunted-neck swan with a big beak?
Probably tasted much the same anyway.
Jazz – No wonder. According to the German Shepherd stud dogs we had, little collie bitches are the worst for being full of ess haich one tee. They wouldn’t go near one and, to be honest, they weren’t proud either. 🙂
OZ
OZ like your mama’s crack about the dog loo!
Not a problem here with 5 acres. The official site being a couple of acres behind the barn.
Looks like a Canada goose to me, don’t try eating them!
John M – Alleged duck, gooseish or a very ugly, stunted-neck swan with a big beak makes no difference. For the record it had a very cold underside, as did I, and I would prefer therefore to concentrate on the well ‘ard qualities of the wolf.
OZ
Christina – Burp! Pardon?
OZ
Too late!
Come on, JM, how do you expect wolves to read books on ornithology and tell a goose from a duck?
Just to makes amends for standing up to you in oh such a public way. I didn’t expect it to hit the headlines, OZ.xx
Araminta – Thank you for the first cyber flowers I have ever received. Next time just allow natural selection to take its proper course, OK? Anyway, the resultant publicity wasn’t your fault – blame Levent and that couple of Eyetie throbbers in the log cabin. Any chance you could let SWMNBN loose for a few hours?
OZ
That looks like some kind of Goose to me. I wouldn’t give much for a wolf’s chances against it on the water.
Well, I could let her loose, were it not for the fact that she is sleeping off lunch and, unfortunately she is banned from this site; I fear she is what Bearsy would describe as an “immutable exception”. It’s probably for the best, really 🙂
Jazz – As I mentioned earlier to Christina. Burp! Pardon?
OZ
Araminta – Wot if I asked you very nicely on my Tigerbrite post “over there” to WAKE HER UP FROM LUNCH? FFS, it’s gone 10.30 PM here. How good can lunch be?
OZ
Won’t make any difference, Oz, she ate four courses, drank two glasses of wine, danced on the table and then collapsed. Haven’t heard a squeak all evening! 🙂
Araminta – If four courses and two glasses of wine is all it takes, then bring it on!! When we lived in QLD, some mongrel (probably a descendent of an 18th century immigrant) stole A Zangada’s purse and credit cards. I didn’t report the theft because said mongrel was spending less than she did. Sorted!
OZ