While writing my last post, I witnessed an interesting conflict in nature. Don't get all weird, but we have rats. When you live in a rural area, you get rats and mice. Deal with it. I was unaware that one was living in proximity to where Tolkien eats, but apparently it is so. I just fed Tolkien, and while he was essentially uninterested, the other animals (squirrels, birds, and apparently a rat) were very appreciative. I have been watching a squirrel run up to the bowl, grab a piece of food, and run three feet away to eat it. Have you ever noticed that squirrels do not go anywhere slowly? I think they invented 'hurry up and wait.'

Anyway, he has scrapped with the resident rat several times. The rat runs out and tries to jump the squirrel, who twists in typical squirrel-acrobatic style, and eludes the attacker. Rats are psychic unfortunately. The little ass saw me standing up here watching him, and realized that I was wondering if I had any rat poison left, and further calculating if I could grab the shovel leaning on the deck before he could get away. He decided that the odds might not be sufficiently in his favor, and went back to wherever he has made his home.

His or her time will come...
Anti-Rodent...