It happened Sunday morning as I notice the dogs looking out the east windows. I happened to glance through the window that looks over the back yard when, from the corner of my eye, I briefly saw a large brown object, behind the lilacs. I went outside and something was still lurking behind the lilac hedge.
I went outside and noticed all the cats were staring at this shadow. I should probably have a stick in the other since I had no idea if it was rabid skunk, a hungry raccoon, or the beaver is back to chew on my willow tree, 5 feet from the house (that was the night I went out at 2 o’clock at night with a broom whacking it on the head chasing it to the creek). He never came back, however, the tree is still in bad shape.
I reversed direction. The shadow reversed direction. Thinks it’s smart, I thought. We finally met face to face between the lilacs and the fence. It wasn’t a furry animal after all. It was a bird, a huge bird — it was wild turkey. I had a wild turkey in my yard! At this point I’m not sure who was the more surprised — the turkey or me. We stared each other down for only a moment before the turkey’s nerve failed. It panicked and ran over to the corn pile, hopped the gate and started eating (not that scared after all, just hungry). The garden sure is an interesting place.