They Are Back!

   As is his habit, Son heads down the lane to the mailbox each afternoon.  Anyone who knows Son will be quick to tell you that he also has a habit of moving about quite silently.  More than once, he has walked up right behind me without my knowing.  It is not that he tries to sneak but, rather, that he learned this type walk as a child and has stuck with it.  He is just not a noisy man!  It is that mode of silent walking and the fact that most wild critters have full trust of him that he gets to view all sorts of wildlife that few others ever do.  

  The other day, he came in from his daily trek down the long lane and asked for my old camera.  That could only mean one of two things.  Either he needed to repair the thing or he found something highly interesting that he wanted to share with me.  It was the latter.  He slipped out the back door and headed back down the lane.  After a few minutes, he came back and handed me the camera.  "Guess who are back?" he asked.  Well, that could have meant any number of critters or even people.  I viewed the photographs he had taken and was happy to see that his new "friends" were three tiny armadillos that were living down the lane under an old truck of my brother's.  Aww, they are back!  Son said that they ran out when he was on the lane but by the time he got back with the camera, they were returning to their den.  I am sure he will see them again as they are curious creatures.

  By saying the armadillos are back simply refers to their choice of a den.  Years ago, my oldest son took photographs of some little armadillos that were (at that time) living under an old car.  My kids were still young enough to want to play with the critters and were elated to find their new "pets".  Yes, I did allow this despite of the many misconceptions of how these animals carry diseases.  I figured then (and now) that people carry more diseases than a critter so it was all good.  I played with them when I was a kid and my kids played with them as youngsters.  Now Son has new friends to entertain him on his daily walk to the mailbox.  Sweet!