Connections with Animals

This morning, a tom turkey and his four wives visited the yard. The hens were busy gobbling up the chicken scratch that had been put out earlier. Tom, though, was in a romantic mood. He peered in through the sliding glass door at me and then puffed his entire feathers out and began a courting dance....not for the benefit of his hens, but for me! He had no interest in the corn feed nor in his harem; he persisted with this show of his glory for several minutes.........hmmmmm, I think, "what am I going to do with a large Tom turkey who has misplaced his affections?"

It reminded me of another incident, several years ago, back on the east coast of the mainland, where I lived. One summer evening, I went out onto the front steps to gaze at whatever stars may be peeping through the haze and to listen to the sounds of the night. There, just a few steps from me sat a large toad. I sat motionless and stared at the toad. The toad made no move to leave; he simply returned my stare. This went on for several minutes, neither of us moving, but staring, one at the other; a kind of silent cross-species communication, I considered. How wonderful and marvelous this silent affinity. Finally, my patience and interest ebbed. I moved to go back inside and the toad hopped away into the grass. When I related this incident to a friend, he told me, "Silly Ruth, the toad sees movement, not the shadow of your form. He didn't even see you until you moved!" ohhhhh....so much for my meaningful moment with a toad (grin).

And today's Tom Turkey Courtship? Well, it didn't take me too long to realize that it wasn't me he was courting; rather his own glorious reflection in the glass of the sliding door!

Ahhhhh, the vanity of one's reflections.....narcissus eternal.