Gophers In The Mist

 
     I was out back today with my kids and heard a rustle in the flowers up on the little hillside in our backyard. We kept seeing the flower bed move, and then a flower would disappear. The entire root, stem, and flower would just vanish into the ground. I called my daughter over, who stood on the retaining wall next to me. We grabbed a stick and moved some of the undergrowth away from the hole. Seconds later, a little gopher head poked out. We stood quietly while he went about his business.
     It gave us a chance to talk about wild animals, and why we don't just go up and pet the ground rodent on the head. She seemed unconvinced at first that he wouldn't invite us down the hole for a cup of tea. She was sure that there were other creatures at the bottom of the hole that would not only talk, but have some sort of whimsical song to sing to us once we got down there. Of course it was the topic throughout the day, and the plot line of our bedtime story.
     For both the real world and the fantasy, it was a unique experience between me and my little gal. I hope we have many more like it.

J.