Amazing Grace

Seamus, looking at stuff.

I don't go to church; I go to the woods.
Easter Sunday. We walk in an area that is destined to become a subdivision. It is privately owned land, near the Grand River, Bridgeport, Ontario. It contains a field that was planted in alfalfa last year and is now home to a vast colony of field mice.

My dogs like to hunt mice. My twelve year old Australian Cattle dog/Border collie mix, Blue, is especially into this game but he is not nearly so good at it as my eleven year old husky mix, Seamus. Seamus is gifted in the ways of the hunt. Today, he stands motionless for a long moment, his head tilted, listening, then he pounces with amazing grace. A moment later, I see a mouse flying through the air, already dead.
Although he is good at killing things, Seamus doesn't seem to want to eat the creatures he kills. This is particularly strange because Seamus will eat damn near anything. I point out to him that it is morally wrong to kill for sport ~ that eating the mouse would at least give its death a purpose ~ he remains unmoved. He touches the mouse with his nose once; twice; wanders off.

Fortunately, Blue has been watching. He sneaks over and quickly eats the mouse.
Hallelujah. Happy Easter.