Big Trouble!

Usually, a cat is a predator. Usually, it is the cat that chases the bird. Usually, but not today. My kitty, Ms. Put, was out lounging near the garden just enjoying the sunshine. She had found a warm, sunny spot that was out of the wind and was catching a little nap. She had not a care in the world..or at least she thought. I had heard the screams of the Osprey and knew that it was near. I did not know that there were actually two of them sitting in the dead pine at the edge of the marsh. I came around the corner of the house and was able to snap a couple of pictures of them before the ruckus took place. While photographing them, I noticed that they both were looking my way. I thought that they were just keeping close watch on what I was doing. That was not the case, though. They were actually eying Ms.Put. By this time, she was out to the world..off in dreamland somewhere probably catching a poor hapless bird. I wandered on into the next garden to check out the lovely mustard greens. These would soon be on the menu! All of a sudden, I heard both birds screeching! Close! I turned just in time to see one of them swoop down from the dead pine. It was making a dive for my cat! Poor snoozing kitty had no clue what was barreling out of the sky toward her. This would never do! My cat cannot be a meal for an Osprey! I let out a yell that sounded much more like a stuck pig than a super hero saving the day! Around the corner of the house, Ezzy, the dog, (still wearing Son's T-shirt) came careening through the pathway. She was having difficulty running as the T-shirt had slipped sideways and was tangling in her legs. Ms. Put jumped up startled! All she could see was a wild woman running toward her. She took off like a rocket and hid under the house. She most likely thought I was angry at her for sleeping close to the cabbage patch. The Osprey, just as startled that its prey bolted, veered off over the Bayou. I had succeeded in scaring both the prey and the predator. I had raised enough commotion that the neighbors down the road probably thought banshees had come out of the marsh. Ezzy, by now, was so tangled in her shirt that all she could do was sort of wiggle her way to me. She appeared to be more of a giant black and white caterpillar with a long waggly tail than a dog at this point. Seeing her, I started to giggle again and had to just plop down on the ground and hug her. Silly dog! All the while, the accomplice was still sitting in the tree as if this whole scenario was performed just for its viewing pleasure!

One footnote to this story..Ezzy has so taken a liking to wearing the T-shirts that when I take one of them off, she hides in her crate and won't come out. She now refuses to go outside without wearing her shirt. Dear Son donated six of them for her use and now I have to dress a dog every day. She has to have one on day and night! My laundry duties have now doubled because I have a load of black T-shirts to wash every other day. You never know just how bad a shirt can smell until a dog has worn it for a few hours! And yes, this dog does have me trained quite well.