Eeek! A Mouse!

Yesterday, I ventured into the wild. OK, so it wasn’t really the wild, it was just my yard.

It felt dangerous though. After the recent death of Gene Hackman’s wife Betsy Arakawa

due to hantavirus, the subject is heavy on our minds here in Santa Fe. Double masked

and gloved, I spent most of the afternoon cleaning plant pots and wood piles, with mice scurrying every which way. It reminded me of the time I turned on the leaf blower, and

out came a large family of mice. I swear there was mom, dad, grandparents, kids, grandkids, and close friends. I felt sorry for them. Did I interrupt dinner? A nap?

I screamed and jumped on a chair exactly like old cartoons would have us do.

I’ve ordered peppermint oil and Irish Spring, which have been effective in the past to deter the critters. Our out-of-doors will be minty fresh.

All I wanted to do this morning was go out to reclaim my space and take a few photos.

A "shoot & scoot" if you will. There was a dead mouse in a pile of leaves and yes I photographed it, but I'll save that for later. Or not.