Sunday with Foxes, Dressage and the Neighborhood Lion
As a former East Coast city guy I have been reflecting on how Sundays are now different in my life. There often is still a ball game on TV involved, but the surrounding events certainly never happened in Philly.
Yesterday started with my wife coming in from the garden to urge me to get out on the deck and see what was going on in the meadow in front of our house. Our neighborhood fox had brought the family over to meet us. She was stoically sitting watching her 4 Kits frolic on the area between our house and the road. The kits were roughhousing, rolling around, nipping each other and having races from one end of the meadow to the other. It was a wonderful show and the passing traffic soon stopped passing. Cars were pulling over to watch and many pictures were taken.
An interesting aspect was that no one approached the foxes to disturb their acrobatics. My mountain neighbors seemed content to watch without interrupting. I’m not sure that a Philly crowd would handle it the same way. There probably would be bets taken on the races between the kits with appropriate cheering sections organized. The difference of what people enjoy was part of the thoughts I had while watching the foxes. However much the Philly crowd enjoyed the foxes they would have kept the car rolling, slowly maybe, but rolling towards the next event of their day. My mountain neighbors made this an event of their day which would only take a short time but was definitely worth the time taken.
Our Sunday afternoon included a trip to watch a Dressage competition. I must admit that if my granddaughter wasn’t competing I wouldn’t have been any where near the competition. I know that Dressage things probably occur in the Philadelphia area (Devon maybe) but not in my Philadelphia neighborhood. This was the 5th or 6th time over the years I have gone to watch her compete and I admit I have no clue how the judges make their decision. I always have been a bit suspicious of events that are judged. I played baseball and at the end of the game the team with more runs won. No points were taken away because of technique flaws. The most runs won. End of story.
I don’t voice these thoughts to horse people because they would then subject me to details I really don’t care to discuss. I simply enjoy seeing these beautiful people and horses performing, with skills that have obviously taken thousands of hours to learn. They all look great to me and they must, obviously, have very astute judges. Once again the correct decision was made and gave g’daughter another blue ribbon and also enough points to qualify her to compete in the regional championship in September. As a grand pop I obviously am very proud of her growing success but would understand it better if she had scored more things (runs, touchdowns) that I understood to get the points.
I was able to get home in time to catch the Yankees- Mets game on TV and was relieved to see the Mets continue to stumble more than the Phillies. My wife came up and asked me to join her on the back deck since it was a beautiful night and she wanted me to hear the noises going on up the hill behind our house. W went on the deck and shortly heard some screeching from our neighborhood lion. I can assure you that there were plenty of animals in Philly but all the lions were out on Girard Avenue at the zoo. I suggested that sitting on the deck in the dark while our local lion was prowling about 100 yards above us was probably not a smart thing to do. It was reluctantly agreed and we went in the house with no dramatic mountain lion event to report. My wife has a wildlife photo collection that she has assembled through the years but has no lion shot. I worry that she may give me a dramatic story to post one of these days from trying to get her lion photo.
Her bear photos on our deck are dramatic enough for me. We have had bears on the deck many times going for the bird feeders. When my wife goes out to get her photo she often huffs like a bear to get the bear to give her the angle she wants for her photo. I stand inside holding the door handle to open the door quickly if she needs a fast exit.
I always have been ready to take a part in family events as long as I can determine the part I will play. On these wild animal activities I’ll be glad to hold the door from the inside.
So much for a Sunday in Colorado. It may not be Philly but it’s not a bad place to spend a Sunday or every day
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Comments
Buck, I enjoyed reading this, even though I’d heard a part of the dressage story earlier on the phone! Having lived in the new Brunswick area of N.J. for 26 years, I too see many differences between the East Coast and Co.
When I come by to get Dorothy for the hike tomorrow, I’ll bring my (serious) camera, in case any of the wildlife is in attendance!
Hi Buck and Dorothy,
Enjoyed your story, as usual. But I can’t imagine Dorothy huffing like a bear! Of course I envy both of you surrounded by the beauty of Colorado. I printed this story and your rememberances of the Jersey Shore for computer illerate Joe to read in his leisure.
Peggy Grier Stefanowicz
Peggy,
I’ll have to post some of Dorothy’s Bear photos. She often Huffs or gives a short sharp order to get the bear to face her for the shot. I prefer to see the exit movements of the bear rather than a face to face experience.
Buck
Buck,Sounds great but I have too much Philly blood in my veins to ever feel totally comfortable that far from Bucks County. Dick PS, I can email everyone but I still can’t get one through to you.