I went to bed last night after loading my pictures for this morning. But I had no words in my head. I looked at the writing book that sits beside the bed, it’s pen at the ready, then reached past it for the reading book instead.
I remember as a kid my Mother asking my Father if he had any work coming. Dad had his own business and a family of Eight. Dad gulped at his coffee, shook the newspaper straight and said don’t worry something always comes through the door. He had work until Friday that would do for today. I remember listening to this low conversation and being incredibly comforted by his absolute surety that something would turn up. It was the essence of hope, the part of hope that just knows. It was one of those tremendous windows of knowledge that open in the mind of a child and never close. That the worrying would not help, the panic would change nothing. And something always did come through his big workshop doors. And I always find the words.
So when I went to sleep last night trying to tie a sentence to Daisy’s intense dislike of a manure heap growing too close to her front door, I was not worrying. It really is not as close as it looks. She is just looking for a conversation.
In the night I always get up about midnight and stoke the fire. It is our only heating so it needs to be kept burning. Last night, as I passed, I opened the garden door for TonTon to go out for his usual midnight constitutional.
Look at this Poor Peghorn, he stood in something yucky. He and his brood had been ranging far out into the melting fields again and when they came in they were all wearing thick mud boots. It makes them throw their feet out to the side, with a tiny confused shake as they walk. I know it is unkind to laugh. 
But last night when I opened the door and after Ton had taken three steps outside with his four feet, we were hit with a blast of howling. Coyotes lit up the night with their piercing calls. TonTon already on the steps outside the French Doors froze and very slowly and with the utmost care REVERSED back through the door. Placing his feet back into his own footsteps, slowly, slowly backing into the room. His bottom leading his head he stepped gingerly around and returned his body to his bed. He sat back down, still facing out and said clear as a bell. Never mind. I’ll hold it! I don’t really need to go anyway. 
Hairy MacLairy was pretending to Be a tree yesterday so someone would think his field was empty and leave the gate open or maybe he is attempting to climb into the tree, but whichever way we look at it – he is intent upon escape.
Maybe the coyotes just want to be friends I said to TonTon. He raised his eyes, slumped down with a thud and made like a snail. Asleep within seconds he was probably dreaming about this rooster standing on the cat table, on the verandah, brassy as all get out. Tonton was given permission to move him along, which he was more than happy to do.
The coyotes howled more insistently from outside the door. Dogs on the move. They must have been at the creek passing through. I shut the door and the sound was cut off. But a sound like that, when it is a snippet, resonates into your minds eye. The soundtrack bounces up like an outdoor movie onto the inside of your skull. I looked at it, hit pause and counted the howls and different voices. When they cry out in a pack like that you can hear each seperate call. This was a small string quartet of discordant yet perfectly pitched sound. Each instrument though blended was quite seperate from the others. I loaded the fire with wood and wondered if one older coyote was the conducter, bringing each voice in, teasing the sounds out, howling them up and down the scale, some held in a stacatto yapping rhythm, while another is sent into a swoop upwards, while his brother is directed to slide his voice down a canine keyboard. Then with a slow dip of his head the conductor lulls them back down into a sirens murmur as they begin to move across the landscape. The percussion section of paws building a bridge.
Until their uneducated, unappreciative neighbour in the unlit house sticks her head out the window into the night and yells “Do you Mind!? Some of us are trying to sleep!”
Philistines the conductor mutters. Stowing his baton back in its box.
Good Morning
c
The Kitchen's Garden 
103 responses to “Maybe the coyotes just want to be friends. Making music for us in the night.”
At home, the coyotes normally were most vocal when they had their litters in the spring. I wonder why they were so loud last night? My father always worried when he heard the coyotes because he knew if a calf was born that night or was bedded down too far from it’s mother, it would be dinner. I hope your animals stay safe.
Morning Anna, yes my animals sleep in the barn, esp if they are close to birthing. (which no-one seems to be). John made a similar comment because usually we hear them more in the spring, he thinks with the warmer weather maybe there is more food about for them. We are very well fenced because of his respect for the coyotes and my fear of the wild packs of abandoned domestic dogs which have been seen only a few miles from here.. so far so good.. c
I love your writing. Very captivating and encourages me to read on! Don’t stop.
morning tia, i will be here a while yet, i am having too much fun to stop yet..
And good morning Celi and all the lovely farmy residents. If that had been my Molly, she’d have emptied herself where she stood when those coyotes howled. She and I share that trait, although I’m more apt to do so with a sneeze. Ageing is such humorous affliction.
Poor Molly. and oops.. Good morning Ms Misk.. c
I like Jim’s comment 🙂 excellent photos and story, nice to wake up to this morning! I was more patient with the coyotes until one charged me last summer and then ambushed my terrier. Now, they must die.
Oh dear.
I surely enjoyed your musical interlude today… what a vision you created in my mind’s eye of those coyotes. I prefer yours to mine… I always felt struck with terror and wondered who they were hunting.. especially when they stopped instantly.
that was the conductor, making a high chopping motion! they are listening. c
A wonderful picture you conjured up of that canine (vulpine?) chorus and conductor.
vulpine.. fantastic word thank you Viv! c
Brilliant, simply brilliant! Every now and then we catch a snippet of coyote howls – but it is very far away – no cause for worry.
I don’t worry, life is what it is.. c
I love that Ton Ton and the rooster both have a foot off the ground.
Oh you are right, i also love the foot and trail of water drops from tontons step .. good catch greg! c
We had chickens growing up and it was like a comedy watching them get their feet ungunked:) Love the photos – some are just hilarious! I get to hear the quail and the coyotes where I live – beautiful sounds. Thanks for sharing and Have a Great Day:)
great to see you.. c
I have problems keeping the deer and rabbits from eating my garden. Personally, I like having the coyotes around – they keep the rabbits in check, and the deer on the move.
If you can achieve a balance it is brilliant.. we have a lot of deer around here too but no damage to the gardens so far.. fingers crossed.. c
Peghorns, coyotes, Hairy Mclary and Tonton – you live in a cartoon strip:-)
And it is a colourful if somewhat angular life! (what with all those pencil strokes all over everything!! c
There is a pack of coyotes in the arboretum, of which a part is across the street from us. We can see where they dug under the fence to get in and out. We have seen them in our yard and hear them quite a bit. Being a 1/4 acre lot that puts them pretty close. So if I ever get my coop built it will have to be secure. There have been warnings put out to keep small pets attended to and even young children.
I have asked everyone I know today and no-one has ever heard of a person being attacked by a coyote, they are just too timid. I have frequently heard of pitbulls attacking people though. Of course a small sick or lame dog far from home would be a target, same for a cat. They are wild, and nosy though. c
Reblogged this on Ann Novek–With the Sky as the Ceiling and the Heart Outdoors.
thank you.. c
Oooooh what a funfilled slice of life! Coyotes…..
Hi Natalia, just the soundtrack from my night!
Celi, as much as I loved this read, all I could think about was that pic of Ton Ton – brilliant shot! Clearly I am all about the photography at the moment!
🙂 Mandy
Excellent, i am right there with you and I was pleased with that one too! c