Entry Denied!

There is a red cardinal that has taken up residence over the summer - and is apparently intent on staying the winter - in the cedar that grows at the corner of the neighboring house and sprawls over to our house as well. Just a few minutes ago, I was walking through the house, on the phone talking to my mom, headed to check on the laundry, when I was startled by a thumping noise outside.

The meter reader had already startled me, and I her, a half hour earlier, when she walked around the corner just as I was walking inside the house (having just checked on the pool since we have impending freezing weather). So I was already a little jumpy.

Now, having conditioned myself when I was little to not scream or show surprise when startled (I just couldn't bear to let my sisters think they had succeeded in scaring me!), I didn't jump or squeal (ugh how girly would that be?), but I did turn and search to find the source of the thumping.

And right there at the window was our little neighbor friend, flitting and thumping, trying doggedly to fly in the window. He even tried another time as I approached the window. He has grown brave over the summer.

Our cat, Sir Thomas, eats his dinner at this window, and so in the warmer months the window would stand open, and the cardinal would sit in the tree and watch Thomas, and Thomas would watch him. I think the cardinal took perverse pleasure in tantalizing the poor cat, as Thomas would growl and run to the front window to peer out the other corner, and run back and forth, all the while of course never able to get to this delicious-looking treat of bright red feathery plumpness.

So I suppose our cardinal has figured he is safe from the menacing black cat. But to attempt to actually come inside?

He gave up when I lowered the blinds so that he could see a visual guide to cue him to the fact that "yo, buddy, you can't get in that way!" I do wonder if he's sore, though.