All Creatures

The doe is bedded down near our neighbors shed, back legs tucked, front legs stretched out straight. I can see a fawn’s ears poking up from the grass in the back of the orchard. Yesterday we watched a small blackcap chickadee stumble on the ground below the snag where they’ve been nesting. Today she’s gone, eaten or in flight. There’s a woodpecker probing the snag’s bark now. Small, white backed, beautiful. Last weekend six skunk kits came prancing stiff-legged out from their burrow under the concrete slab. White blaze up the snout, white hat, white stripes down black backs and up the tops of their tails. They were fearless and curious and ungainly, dark eyes and noses questing, tails down when exploring and straight up when startled, though they were too young yet to spray. The boldest three discovered Tommy’s leather shoes and followed him up and down the yard till he distracted them with a plate set directly in their path. The wildlife rescue center said their daytime forays meant they were orphaned. We spent Sunday gathering them into a towel lined box. They fell asleep on the drive out to the center.

There’s nothing so interesting as baby animals inside the bakery, but the bread looks lovely today and the pastries are as sweet and buttery as ever. We’ll see you at market.

Sophie
Owner | Baker