It's not often that Millie and I see anyone when we are out walking our backwoods trails. That is, unless it's someone who is flying overhead in an airplane. We were standing on the banks of the big pond when that very thing happened recently. I just happened to have the big Canon Rebel in my hands, so I turned it upward hoping to get a good shot of the gorgeous plane in the sky above us. Undoubtedly the pilot liked that, so he/she maneuvered the plane around and flew back over us, lower this time. I got the shot I wanted before giving a big friendly wave. The plane, thankfully, didn't crash into the pond, straightened out and continued on out of sight.
Much to Millie's delight, most of our encounters are with four-legged critters, some of which are not-too-distant relatives of Mille. At a distance it is sometimes hard to distinguish between her and her cousins. A few days ago, she had, what I am calling, a close encounter with one of those cousins. She had just chased away Coyote Jr. when Momma Coyote came out of the marsh and put the chase on poor Millie. Thank goodness she is fast, but so is Momma. Maybe you can figure out who is who in the pictures below.
I have always had a soft spot, much to the Cow Puncher's chagrin, for these wild critters. Lately, they have been out in the fields almost every day "trying to make a living" as my dad might have said. They have been out among the grasses eating army worms and grasshoppers, both of which have been a plague for us this year. I say, "Let those coyote babies eat." Dan did ask me if I thought the big She-Coyote could outrun a baby calf. :~/
A wise old Native American once said that the last surviving critter on the earth would be the coyote. Given our experiences with them, we would probably agree. They do, in fact, do what they have to do to make that living I mentioned above.
We are really needing rain here on the hill. We have been in a hot and dry pattern for awhile now. To make matters worse, there isn't even any dew most mornings. When Millie and I walk those old cattle trails, we are kicking up a cloud of dust behind us, for sure. I can't believe I ever complained about getting my walking shoes wet. I think it is time to start doing some rain dancing here on the hill. How sweet are those rain drops below!
17 comments:
Hi Mary, sometimes I miss hearing the coyotes. Our family fur baby for almost 20 years was a wolf-and they would have "conversations" if the coyotes got too close to our woods home. a couple wolf howls and they would not come any closer.
How fun with the airplane-never know what one will encounter on a walk.
Happy Monday and new week-hugs
Beautiful photos. How nice that the pilot came back to give you a better shot! Once I was hanging out clothes on the line and a red plane flew by. I waved. That same day we went to a car and airplane show at the local airport and saw the plane there. When I told him I saw him fly by he said he saw me wave!
You certainly have some adventures on your daily walks! I'm happy not to hear the coyotes wail in their otherworldly way in the early morning hours. It's enough to rattle the teeth of the dead. We have had a lot of heat, but also high humidity and more than enough rain to ruin much of the garden crops. I guess there is no perfect place this side of heaven.
I had a run in with a coyote when I was a teen and thankfully my Samoyed friend stepped in between us. Janice
Our coyotes and wolves have been out in force this year....and while the coyotes have always come much, much, closer than I would rather (as in in our yard), the wolves now are encroaching as well. While generally we have a thriving deer population in despite the coyotes and wolves, this summer is not the case. I'm just as likely to see a wolf as a deer it seems. I wish I could send you some of our rain. This summer is going down in the record books as one of our wettest ever. ~Robin~ (Great photo of the plane!!)
the coyotes here bother the farm below us they are relentless. I do hope you do get rain it is scary when things are dry.
Cathy
You live an exciting life! I have always believed that Mother Nature knows what she's doing and prevails. It's like when the big bald eagle swooped down two days in a row and each day grabbed up one of my daughter's most colorful and biggest Koi fish from her backyard pond. I LOVE your last photo!! LOVE IT!!
The news reports here have had several 'bits' about coyotes in urban settings attacking small dogs and even children. Humans seem to think they're doing them a favour by feeding them and then wonder why the worm (coyote) turns. Evidently they are also cross-breeding with the wolf population and that's leading to them being very aggressive.
Hope you soon get rain! We had a lot in the spring and early summer but it's drying up now and we could certainly use some. Not going to complain though because we've had it good in comparison with a lot of other areas.
Beautiful in flight photos. I can hear the engine above me now!! And yes, I agree, the coyote is continually adapting to it's surroundings, it would be their survival!!
Great pictures Mary, and hope you get some much needed rain soon!!!
I had to enlarge the picture to see which was Millie and which was the coyote. I'm not surprised that Momma Coyote came after Millie. It seems coyotes are getting more brash out here too, even attacking and often killing cats and small dogs. I wonder if we've reduced their hunting areas so much that they're famished.
I was lying awake around 5 this morning and I heard the rain begin. I was hoping for more but it soon stopped.
Wonderful shot of the plane. We have crop dusters here who fly very close to the top of our home to dip down the the cotton fields that join with our property. They are scary, but I love to watch them dip and soar. Coyotes are very aggressive. So glad that Millie can run fast! Love all of your pretty photos! Hope you get rain soon.......but not too much!
Run Millie! And glad she did! Love the photo of the deer! You took a good photo of the plane!
Sorry about the lack of rain out your way. It always makes me feel anxious when it's like that. We have had a good mix of rain and some dry weather here. Last summer we were in a drought. It can be very scary. Our old hand dug well never went dry! We were told when we bought this old house that the well was one of the very good assests of this place.
I love to see planes too-I always look up! 'Our' coyotes are farther from us right now than ususal. Or maybe I'm just not out when they are around. We've had them in our yard many times. Sam is thankful she sleeps indoors!
The views of fields and meadows, taken with your description of the drying-up conditions, almost brings those delicious drying-up smells themselves to my imagination... It's funny how the olfactory sense can richly evoke a layered experience, but the visual can't do the same. At least for me. Does anyone remember scents in such a way that she actually smells them? In any case, it's a very pleasant memory that is called forth - no vagueness about that!
I kind of have a soft spot for coyotes, too. My heart would have been right up in my throat will Millie and the Mama Coyote.
We have had rain enough till the yard has needed to be mowed every week.
Coyotes are notorious for chasing dogs here. One time a coyote chased our first dog, Ezra, right up to me. I was going to crack it over the head with my walking stick. Lucky for it, it saw me at the last second and veered off. Glad Millie is fast.
Every season has it's pleasures and its worries. If you can protect your cattle from the coyote, I would say let them be. If they only feed on what they can forage naturally, their numbers won't grow out of control.
We had a legless critter here this week. Specifically, a large angry cobra right next to the house. We sometimes see them in the veld and just let them be, but when they venture close to the house, it's too close for comfort. Fortunately, I was able to lock the dogs away safely and corner the snake where it couldn't escape. We called a snake catcher and she came within 20 minutes and expertly removed it, to be released in the nature reserve which is practically on the other side of the fence. I hope it doesn't return.
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