Sneaking Up On Morning

It's past midnight now. I get here later every day. There was a colorful sunset thanks to the icy clouds not being too thick last evening. We'll probably get more of those this weekend.

The feral kittens' mom turned up this evening with her foreleg injured. She wouldn't let me get close enough to her to see how serious the injury was, but she was holding it up and walking on three paws. The fur looked matted, so there was probably some blood on it. I'd guess she got bitten by something. I hope she doesn't have to escape any critters before her leg heals. I doubt if she could either run fast or climb well in her condition. Poor kittens might get orphaned. Of course they're about as big as she is now, and she isn't the one feeding them anymore. That would be me. Kittens better hope I don't get injured.

More rain is due Monday, which is the winter solstice. I wonder if that's a portent of any sort? Like the groundhog seeing its shadow? Well, as long as it doesn't portend the arrival of more feral cats.

Beastly

I went into the garage to close the door about five o'clock this evening and was surprised to see two deer at the end of the driveway. They were looking down the street, and a moment later another deer came to join them. Then all three stood looking back, and after a short time a fourth deer joined the group. Once all four had gathered they proceeded north.

All four were does. I looked about to see if a stag was following them, but none appeared, and once they had gone a little way up the block I went out to the street to see if a stag was leading them, but I saw no stag in that direction either. I don't recall ever seeing four does without a stag. I wonder if this little herd had a stag and something bad happened to him? Or maybe they are just lesbian does?

The feral mom cat came to eat with her kittens this evening and, though she was still favoring her left fore-paw, she was at least able to walk on it, so I guess her injury wasn't as bad as I'd first feared. If she was bitten sometime recently the injury might have been only an abscess that had just broken. That would have accounted for the wet look of her fur. In any case I guess I can stop worrying about her. She'll probably survive to drop another litter and bring it here to plague me.