When I let Charlie out this morning.... he took off at a run. I tellew WALK at him but he ignored me. I thought he was going after deer that hang out at A's grassy area behind his house and next to my weedy and overgrown yard. There is also my pet cemetary next to the fence and a huge pile of brush, tree limbs, etc that need to be broken down by Boy.

So that area is in the corner of my yard where my back neighbor's yard meets A's yard and Mine.

So I will start in that corner for that was where Charlie headed. It wasn't till I had Charlie back in the house that I saw a black cat sitting in my pet cemetary. It wore a collar. I have no idea whose cat is it but I suspect the guy across the street who free ranges his animals. His dogs are not free ranged since "we" reported him to animal control.

His cats often live under my house. I want to fence it off... but I can't do it in this heat. I have some of the fencing for the base of my siding, but not enough to do the whole backside siding, plus block off the back steps.

At least the cat took off when it saw me. But I will need to alert A and my neighbors that there is a new cat around. Sigh that may cause friction again!! So that is the first event.

The second was one that had Charlie interacting with a Cicada. He didn't pay any attention to it but I did.

When Charlie was digging near the fence by the road... I was there watching the clouds and praying they would stick around. That is NOT likely this week. SIGH!

After Charlie stepped away to dig elsewhere (really he just messed with the dirt) I realized the dirt was moving by itself. I looked closer and there was a Cicada that Charlie had dug up by accident - he paid it no mind at all. I glanced down and the dirt was moving by itself.

I tried to nudge it gently with the toe of my sneaker through the fence so it would be safe. I love the sound of them. Since there aren't many this year I want to make sure any I find or Charlie does, remain safe and alive. It took a few minutes for the Cicada kept going back into the yard. BTW this is Charlie bathroom area. I finally managed to not hurt it and it was safely moved out of the yard. Whew! That took some time and was very interesting.

While I was concentrating on the Cicada Charlie had run around to the front of the house. Jumped up on the retaining wall and stared down the street looking for anythng he could bark at. Dogs, cats, motorcycles, noisy cars, walkers, people on bikes. Luckly this morning as most morning no critter/human & noisy vehicle appeared. A few quiet cars did but he pays them no mind.

Since he was out front I told him "home" he dallied a bit checked out the dying RedTips along the porch and finally after using my "MOTHER VOICE" he opted to go inside. Sometimes he is very stubborn. But I did not want him chasing that cat at all.

So we went inside and I gave him his Kong with his training treats and a small spoonful of PNB. Since it will be very hot today I went around to ALL the windows in walls and doors and covered them to keep the heat out.

I was in the utility room and was just hanging the towel I use on the door window when I realized a huge BLUEJAY was sitting on my back steps railing not more then a foot from the doors window. I had put lots of peanuts in the shell into the two metal cups that hung from the oak branches next to my steps.

I wondered why the Bluejay wasn't going for the peanuts. They raid the two by the back and steal from the one in the Cedar trees above the retaining wall.

But this Bluejay looked at me - then looked back at the cup then at me again. I wondered why he asn't taking the peanuts when I slight move just barely visible on the back of the limb a squirrel was enjoying a peanut by removing its shell. What was funny was the Bluejay really wanted one. But the Squirrel-evey time the BJaymoved to take one - would make himself more visible to the Jay. I was toatlly visible inthe doors window and the Jay would glance at me, then the panut cup, then the branch where the squirrel was inching closer to the peanut cup.

After a minute or so the Bluejay gave up and took off and the squirrel moved closer to the cup which hung by a chain from the branch. My squirrels hang out and "visit" me when I am out on the steps. No interactions by me, except there is one that likes to stare at me as it sits on the railing next to the window of the back door. It sits as close as it can get to house so it can stare at me through the window. I have stood there a number of times for at least 5 minutes (I timed it). This squirrel is very curious and determined and big!

There are a few new young squirrels that have taken an interest in me. One or two like to watch from about a foot away from the nut cups that are on the oak limb by the feeders that hang off my closeline.

They all know when I feed, no matter the weather feed the critters. But one of the younger ones gets fairly close to the nut bowl and then pounces once I have finished the food distribution on that tree. Love it - I am still keeping an eye out for that snake. But so far none have shown up.

To finish the Bluejay story - it finally flew away and when I walked out front the Jay had opted for the nut cup in the cedar trees. LOL. Smart little buggers aren't they.

The last critter is the Inca Doves that look like wind up toys when they walk. Their feet are small and when they walk their bodys do not go up and down but sail along very smoothly. I love watching them.

Ok that's it for this morning. Have a good day and I hope you have some Critter interactions of your own. 8-)