I think that we are having a somewhat unwelcome nocturnal visitor. There are some large ‘poohs’ full of undigested maize kernels in the field and tonight the dogs went ‘ape shit’.
I let them out for their usual nocturnal constitutional and instead of beetling round the locality of the house as usual, they took off like the hounds of hell in full throat for the darkest gloom of the outfield. I shot back for the Mace spray, (it works on bears as well as burglars) and nearly got trampled to death by three dogs trying to get into the house simultaneously! Now, had it been deer they would have chased them for a way for the sheer fun of it but the fact that they abandoned their hunt with such despatch (note ‘e’ it feels better) and ran back to the house, whatever it was must have been SERIOUSLY frightening. Hence my thoughts for bear, (please God, not sasquatch!) All the other dogs of the neighbourhood were in full throat by this time, again unusual.
Now as it happens, there is an eyot (said iot) in the stream on which I had planted a viburnum edule which is in full fruiting of edible red berries. The monster was probably having a late a supper when disturbed. I do hope he soon decides to leave for a peaceful hibernation. I shall check the tree tomorrow and see if it has been cropped. The last thing I was going to do was disturb it in the middle of the night and admonish it for eating my berries!
Spousal unit has picked the apples too thoroughly. Three disconsolate deer were picking their way round the fruit trees looking for their breakfast this morning. We have far too many collected in trays in the garage so I think I’ll sort them out and leave a few down there every day for them. A propitiation to keep them off the new foliage of the strawberry plants. You have to give some to keep something else round here.
I note that the coyotes have had all the neighbour’s chickens. Silly bitch left them running around with no safe place for them at night, talk about easy meat! What do you expect from an exhippy Californian? “Run free little chicken into the jaws of the waiting predator”
The snow is on our local mountain at 5000′ and Mt Baker positively glistens in the sun with a coating of 12″ of new white stuff. Winter is drawing in. We shall have a lot of wildlife this winter, everything is hungry, it was a crap late summer, plants did not fruit so the animals come down from their high spots until they find sufficient food. I don’t have the heart to drive them off, better the bushes are eaten than die of the NE wind. (That’s Canadian!)
I assure you not a wild ‘onvelope’ in sight.
Boadicea's Chariot 
Great post, Christina. Informative and amusing. 🙂
You’ll hate me for saying this, but the other spelling of eyot is ait, and that’s the way it’s pronounced – it’s another ‘8’. 😀
great post, Christina. Shame the bear is near, and I too hope it will move one soon. A little disconcerting, I must say.
Very interesting. Good idea not to go searching for intruders in the dark!
Bearsy.
Your number 1. Absolutely right, as it Rod Eyot or Ait.
I think Christina has been away too long!
Top post CO. We are privileged to hear such accounts of the wild! Sometimes I wish there was a bear or two let loose on the London streets, certainly during the riots.
PS And more effective than the Met Police.
Although, thinking about it, the locals frequently pronounce it Rod Ite.
The one near Hampton Court was always called ‘8’ by the locals (of whom I was one). 🙂
Ah, that will explain the Chiswick 8, which I always thought was a rowing team!
🙂 That’s super, Sipu – I shall chuckle until the first wicket falls! 🙂
Christina – I shall have a quiet word with cousin Wilbur re the chickens.
Free the Chiswick 8 !
OZ
I had to look it up
‘A small island in a river or lake is an eyot or ait’ – never heard it before. Would Eel Pie Island qualify?
CO: Good story, reminded me of the advice about hiking in bear country.
1. Always wear some small bells attached to your belt or pack, to alert the bears to your approach, and,,
2. to recognize bear droppings look for the presence of chewed twigs and small bells.
Bearsy: Was the “one near Hampton Court” – Raven’s Ait (Spelled that way) just down river from Surbiton? It was just down the street from where I lived in the sixties.
Well the locals on the Henley reach and I was married to one say it as iot or ite but definitely not 8.
Maybe a local pronunciation thing?
Spousal unit has just taken the dogs out for their morning constitutional. Definitely something there last night, they have their noses down tracking hither and thither with great enthusiasm, as seen out of the dining room window.
Off shopping, turkeys on a deal at 29 cents a pound if you spend so much on other things.
I shall buy a biggun for the freezer for the garden club xmas bash and smoke it. Cheers for now.
And I complain about fox poo in the garden.
Can you put bear poo on the rhubarb? (or is custard better)