By any other name....

   We are finally allowing Bat, the Bayou Prince Cat, out of the house for a few hours each day.   We have been hesitant to do so since he was so tiny and young that we were not sure he could defend himself against the much larger feral cats that have been seen around the Bayou.  Now, he is nigh on ten pounds and seems to be a lot more sure of himself.  Mostly, he stays in the Small Gardens where Son and I are working.  There is plenty to explore in the gardens, small ponds and arbors so he has not ventured much further.  After a couple of hours, he sits at the door waiting to be let inside.  Whatever works for him is good by me.

  It was on one of his outings that I noticed he was batting at something on the ground.  Uh, oh....what was he smacking?  When I checked, I found a mole cricket hastily trying to burrow underground.  Bat was not sure just what this critter was nor was he sure what he should do with it. The mole cricket kept scurrying away as fast as Bat would attempt to catch it.  Without a mom to teach him the fine skills of catching prey, the cat was at a loss so the cricket soon disappeared under the soil.  Rats!  That critter could possibly wreak havoc on the roots of my garden plants!  Bat, you really need to learn what your job is around here if you are going to be any help at all!

  It is all good, however.  As much as I do not like things raiding the gardens, the cricket has a right to live.  Thankfully, this burrowing root-muncher was outside of the veggie plot heading toward the lawn.  Hopefully, it will keep on its merry way and go far, far away from the cabbages!  I hear that they prefer grass roots over veggie roots so maybe the cricket is a help instead of a hindrance.  I have never fretted over having a pretty lawn so let the critter eat the grass.  Maybe I will not have to mow as much!  Now to educate that cat!  He needs to start chasing a few of the mice and marsh rats that are plentiful around here!  Get busy, Bat!  Earn your keep!  So...Bat, the cat chased a mole cricket.   Confusing bunch of critter names all smacked together there!