Dead Bird, New Blooms

I woke up yesterday morning and, glancing out my front door on my way to make coffee, I saw the neighbor's black cat behind one of my little palms.  It was obviously eating something.  My immediate concern was that it was eating something that would make it sick, but then I realized it was probably eating a lizard and let it go.

Two coffees later I saw the cat in the same place.  I could see that it was licking its paws and cleaning its face.  Whatever it ate, it took a while.  I was curious.

Shooing the cat away I walked over to the spot and saw the heart, beak, rib cage, wings, and other remains of what was once a bird.  I knew exactly which bird, too.  The day before a baby dove flew into my front window.  It wasn't stunned enough to be knocked out though.  It sat on my windowsill for a moment, then flew away. Based on the color of the feathers and the size of the wings it looked like the little dove was the black cat's victim and it made me feel sick.  We had a hard rain late in the day and I hoped it would wash away the remains of the bird.

Today dawned bright and sunny.  I couldn't resist checking on my stephanotis, which to my delight is finally in bloom.  The aroma of my gardenia and stephanotis, and my neighbor's Confederate jasmine, combined with the humidity of the still-wet garden to create the most gorgeous smell.

Big cats eat little birds, even in the sweetest of gardens.  That's just Nature.

First blooms of the season - stephanotis floribunda