The Comfort of Bat

   To start my day off on a happy note, my first moments of the day are often spent on the pier with a trusted friend.  In the past, these friends have been dogs.  Those faithful pups eagerly went on the predawn hikes with me and I felt quite safe with them.  Sadly, however, age had a way of catching up with them and they have left this world.  Now, I have a hiking cat.  While there has always been a cat about the place at any given time, none of the previous ones really liked to "hike".  Bat does.  He seems to have taken on the position as my "protector" and never lets me out of his sight for more than a few moments.  He brings a lot of comfort whether it be on the pier or in the garden.  This morning, I was happy to have him snuggling close to me.

  While it has never been an arguable point, my imagination does get the best of me at times, I suppose.  This morning as I sat and watched the sunrise, I noticed that Bat, the cat, was a bit tense.  He seemed to be on edge as the whisperings of the nighttime were starting to fade.  I did, too.  I could not put my finger on it but...it felt like I was being watched.  Needless to say, my predawn wanderings did not put me far from the Little Bayou House.  Instead of heading back into the "bowels of the Bayou", the Small Gardens were as far as we got.  Those felt safe.  Even after sunrise, Bat lounged on the lawn chair as I weeded the cabbages.

  Later, I reviewed the photographs of the (attempted) sunrise and was taken aback by a series of the images.  There, in the upper right center, seemed to be the entity that gave the feeling of angst.  Was this just me grasping at a way of explaining that uneasy feeling or was there actually something watching me from afar?  Nine of the eleven photographs had an eerie "skull" leering down at me!  Uh, oh!  Was this what Bat sensed?  Was this our creepy watcher?  Sometimes that imagination gets out of hand totally!  Hmmm?  I am sure glad Bat was hanging close.  Maybe we should spend a little more time in the Small Gardens for a few mornings.