Creature Feature

When I was a kid, “Creature Feature” was a fun and spooky way to spend rainy Saturday afternoons. The neighborhood kids would gather in the Newmans’ basement, pile on the couch, and see who could NOT jump when Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, or Lon Chaney appeared on screen. I almost always jumped.

These days, Creature Feature is about the strange and wonderful creatures that show up in and around Auntie K’s Garden. Living in the city, I don’t have deer, like many friends do. But, there are still some interesting encounters with creatures of all kinds.

Last summer, I had a hawk that visited one of my birdbaths on a regular basis. I’ve seen it in the neighborhood this year, but have not seen it at the birdbath.

Bunnies are standard in city gardens, but the other morning, there were SIX bunnies in the yard. Thankfully, I have put cages around the things they like to chomp on the most. I know this sounds mean, but I’d like for the hawk to thin the bunny population instead of taking the song birds.

I was sitting on the front steps a few weeks ago and felt something swoop close to my head – not a bird, but a bat! I’m not afraid of bats (sorry Bela) because they eat lots of mosquitoes, but I'm not sure I want to put up a bat house for them.


I’m sure you’ve heard the question, “Why did the chicken cross the road?” But, my question is, “Why does the duck sit on the roof?!” For the last two years, a male mallard has taken up residence on the roof of my neighbor’s house. This year, he has been sitting on two roofs. It’s quite peculiar!

And, then there’s the wild turkey who likes to race cars down the street in the afternoons. He always turns down the alley at some point, but it’s quite entertaining for the block or so that he runs next to the car.!

Those are some of the creatures in and near Auntie K’s Garden. Who – or what – is visiting your gardens?