It's Official

    Nature is no longer afraid of me.  At all.

    I’m not trying to make nature afraid of me.  Not by a long shot.  But it is odd to have rabbits and squirrels be unphased as I come near them.  One bunny I walked past twice, talked to, opened and shut the door, took a picture from the window, and received practically no reaction.  I even went outside and took another picture and all I got was a look.  There was no fear.

    The next day, the same thing happened.  I left the house.  Talked to the bunny.  Drove away.  Came back.  Went in the house.  The bunny stayed in the same spot the entire time.

    Now, if I got really close to this bunny, I may have a different story to tell.  I make sure to never get too close, but each day I do get closer than I did before.

This is the same with squirrels.  They just stare at me with a look in their eyes like, “I’m supposed to be running away, aren’t I?”  Eventually, they will.  But until I get a certain distance from them, there is no fear.  They are perfectly comfortable with me nearby.

    I take this behavior as a compliment.  The backyard wildlife understand I am safe.  I will not hurt them. 

    If I were to come out with a quilt flapping, ready for a photoshoot, they may feel differently.  They may become concerned at the movement or the sound of the quilt in the wind.  Or else they may say to themselves, “There goes that person again.  We know her.  I’m fine where I am.”  For all I know they may want to join the photoshoot.  If they do, they are welcome anytime.