Making New Friends

Boy, do I have a story for you!  Three nights ago, I was lying on the couch reading and dozed off.  Lee had taken the car out to take some pictures, so I was home alone.  Suddenly, I was awakened by a rapping at the window.  I opened my eyes, a bit confused, to see our neighbor standing at the kitchen window, knocking.  Our neighbor is very nice, but she never comes over.  So I walk (read, stumble - I don't wake up well) to the door and open, at which point Patricia says, "There's a Buffalo in your yard."

Now, I was still groggy from my nap at 9:30 at night, and was confused.  What day was it?  More concerning, what time was it?  (Still light out) And we don't have Buffalo (Bison) around here.  The nearest herd is 100 miles southeast in Delta.

Patricia, her friend, and her father were all there on the deck and the stairs, peering around the side.  So I peered too.

And there she was.  A real Bison.  Standing next to the bikes.  I, of course, let out a few expletives.

As the scene unfolded, Patricia called Animal Control, who directed her to Fish and Game.  Neither organization was concerned.  "Is he attacking anyone or damaging anything?"  "No."  "Then there isn't anything we can do."

It turns out the buffalo wasn't alone.  Joining her in our back yard was a big black bull.  (Of the Moooo variety, not moose.)  And then we saw the tag on the Bison's ear, and realized she wasn't in the least bit concerned with our presence.  We deduced that she must belong to the family up the road with many acres, 30 dogs, a couple of horses, and multiple "KEEP OUT" and "No Trespassing" signs.  The dogs had all escaped a few days prior,  so perhaps this pair had as well.

I got Lee on the phone, who promptly laughed when I told him there was a buffalo in the yard.  I had to really convince him it was true.  He raced home, and as he turned down the street, as if on cue, the Bison and the Bull turned and walked back into the woods in the direction of the home we think they escaped from.  Lee went running after them into the woods with the camera, but didn't have any luck.

Don't you worry, though.  Because the pair apparently liked their visit to our little patch of grass so much that, Friday night, they returned.  And we got some excellent pictures.











I've made a friend!  She really liked me.  I've named her Cindy Lou.