Live or die

This small watering hole on my property provides a place for wildlife to stay alive during dry spells. Or to die, as the occasional skeleton or carcass attests. No big surprise that a small animal drinking here could sometimes be taken by a predator. Once my son found two armadillo bodies with no visible damage laying near the pond, and we wondered what could have happened. It seemed unlikely that poisoning or drowning would have left the two of them within ten feet of each other.

At times like that it strikes me that I'm there for such a small part of what goes on. Visiting one day per month translates to about 3% residency. 97% chance of missing anything in particular happening. Occasional tragedies like a tree toppling or an animal dying. Or the more frequent events, like beautiful sunsets, tree branches swaying and whispering in the breeze, or the often-dry creek gently babbling after a rainfall. Hmmm, feels like time for another fix...