A snap shot:
Eleven AM; I was sitting at my computer when Uriah starts to bark. He was outside in the kennel, which is outside the window next to my computer.
There are two windows in the room where I do my writing. One faces south. When I look through that window I can see a lattice wooden fence, my neighbor’s barn, an odd amount of leafless trees, a Blue Spruce, Mulberry tree, one small Lilac bush. Add in an expanse of grass in-between me, and all those things I just described. Also, outside that southern facing window, to the left, is an old rosebush.
The second window faces east.
I am in a room on the lower level of the house. So when I look out any of the windows, I look straight ahead, nearly ground level.
That east facing window has a space of about three feet between the window and Uriah’s outdoor kennel. Which is constructed with sections of, four or six foot wide chain link fencing. I believe the dimensions are twelve by eight feet.
The kennel gate is on the north side. A piece of wooden fencing is also connected to that section, on the outside, next to the gate.
The Southern section, across from the gate, also has wooden fencing covering about three fourths of the chain link. Above the kennel is the deck. The extra wood blocks some of the wind, rain and snow.
Uriah has a dog igloo made of heavy plastic, or PVC- I am guessing at what it’s made of. The ground is paved with light colored bricks.
When I look out the east window, I can see right into Uriah’s kennel, and he can see me at the computer.
Because of the chain link fencing, I can look directly through his kennel, straight onto the vegetable garden, which is about forty feet long; to be exact I would have to measure. Not today..
Beyond the garden is the lawn. The lawn stretches out to the old apple trees, then onto the old evergreens. Behind those sixty foot trees, starts the walking path.
Uriah started barking; I stood up and looked out the window. The snow was coming down heavy, big puffy white flakes. Uriah was wagging his tail and looking east, out over the garden. For a second, I thought he was barking at the rat that steals his food.
I saw the rat, standing in the garden on his hind legs, eating one of Uriah’s milk bone biscuits…
I blinked, trying to focus on the rat. Instead, what I saw was a coyote standing at the edge of the garden.
This all seemed surreal to me. I was watching Uriah and the coyote. The coyote was watching the rat, The rat was watching me. Uriah was still barking at the coyote.
All I needed at that point was for one of my cats to wake up, and jump up on the windowsill.
This would make a great children’s’ book…Unless someone got hurt.
Picture from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Seuss_sculpture.jpg
26 replies on “Where’s Theodor Seuss Geisel? I Need To Ask A Question..”
excellent imagery here again Gerardine, it sounds like Uriah has it made lol, sounds lovely, the country feel and graphics made u almost feel u were there and thats how stories should be, to capture the very essence of life… bravo…
William,
Uriah’s cage is great. My older daughter helped me build that eleven years ago. Time sure flies. Thank you for your wonderful words.
Gerardine
vivid, detailed, and creative.
Nice to have you feel relaxed about what you do and feel natural doing it.
Jingle,
As a child I dreamed of living someplace green. This is heaven to me.
Gerardine
green is my favorite color, cats are my favorite pets, when i was a child, I used to have cats at my house and sleep in bed with me and my grandmother…
now, my parents have both a cat and a dog, but personally, i love cats more.
Jingle, Cats do love to cuddle. Thank you for stopping by.
Gerardine
Hello, how are you today?
It is always a great pleasure to visit you. You are growing stronger and more intelligent on this.
I am a big fan of “The Cat in Hat” and “The Cat in Hat comes Back”, I used to read these aloud and immense my whole being in the popular work of this famous author in your title, Dr. Seuss?
Thank you for bring it up and refresh my memories!
Happy Saturday!
Jungle,
I am doing well. Always happy to see you here.
Gerardine
Good Afternoon:
sorry to hear about your son’s story. I know what you have gone through and Prays for you and your family.
I am happy that your nature writing has flourished at this point, good for you and happy for you.
Cheers!
Jingle
Oh, I worded that wrong, zeus was my dog , even though my animals are my babies. You are so sweet to mention him.
Gerardine
sorry for the misunderstanding, happy that it is only your dog, dogs are best friends of human beings, I am scared of dogs because back in my country, i almost got bitten by a dog, dogs at my home country are not trained at all, especially in countryside…I do love dogs and be happy about their friendships with so many people…
Jingle,
I understand. I knew a woman who told me of how , as a child, she lived in a village where the dogs ran wild. She was afraid of them. I would be afraid too. That fear is good, it keeps us alive.
Gerardine
join me for the Friendship challenge in my place, early entries has the easier way to words choice than later comers..
Jingle,
I tried to send you an entry last night, it wouldn’t go through. I will try again now.
Gerardine
WOW! I’m so glad nobody got hurt. Uriah has a lot to bark at. I hope the snow didn’t impede any plans you may have had.
*HUGS*
Beautiful Mess,
Luckily the snow stopped, just a dusting on the lawn. It is freezing outside. We had a middle school holiday concert to attend tonight, that went well.
*HUGS Back To You*
Gerardine
Excellent description of what you were seeing. I love the lead-up to seeing the coyote. Of course the reader wants to know why Uriah is barking. Where do you live? You don’t have to be specific, but it sounds beautiful.
I love the image of Kitty jumping up to check out the scene. So feline!
Thank you for your kind words on my blog. I appreciate your reading it.
Have a great Friday!
Julie
Julie,
Uriah was barking at the coyote. Not even in an angry way, silly dog.. I live in the Mid-west. Thank you for your comments.
Gerardine
That’s funny. Love the ending.
Cat Lady,
Thank you for stopping by.
Gerardine
I can see why Uriah would bebarking at the coyote and not the rat. The rat probably doesn’t register on his radar. On the other hand, our dog used to chase anything that moved, big or small – she was after it.
Richard,
After Zeus, my ten year old dog was hit by a car last December; Uriah was depressed and befriended the rat…
We need to send Uriah to therapy.
Gerardine
Oh, wow. That is weird. Our dog would never befriend anything that was not family – she was extremely protective.
Richard,
I am wondering when he will decide to stop sharing his food. He really isn’t that smart.
I think Dr. Seuss got his inspiration from nature. If you go to the Cactus Garden in Balboa Park in San Diego near his home town some of the cactus forms are just like some of his plants.
Jennifer,
Thank you for that information, I didn’t know that.
Gerardine