Toni, the Bobcat

2 days after the storm, our little valley was experiencing a major heatwave.

"Come here, quick!" Big Dog whispered.

I put down my paintbrush and went to the kitchen to look out the window. There's the most gorgeous giant cat I have ever seen. She's not very big -- more like a house cat on steroids -- but obviously she is not your average kitty.

We follow her from inside the house, window to window, trying to snap a photo. I think she sees us but she doesn't seem too concerned, so we step outside. She's a mere feet away from the house.


"Uh-oh. She's eyeballing the chickens..."

Big Dog gets a long broom handle and we tiptoe closer. This time, she walks away. Back around the house, the way she came, slithering under the deer fence and back into the hills.

I laugh at Big Dog's broomstick.
"Were you going to protect me with that thing?"
"Look at you! You're barefoot! Now that wasn't very smart, was it."

He's right. Toni (as I have been calling her) was deceptively cute. She looked like a big, overgrown cat that I could "hey, kitty-kitty-kitty" and pet. Of course I resisted the urge, but I have to admit, the urge was certainly there.