Gloria vs. The Hawk

Gloria and the neighborhood red-tailed hawk contended for choice grass-fed beef bone Monday evening. Shortly after de-boning the beef needed for Monday's co-op dinner, a juicy bone was given to Gloria. Hungry for the night's feast, Gloria staked out the perfect location to enjoy the meaty bone--right in the middle of the back yard. From this vantage point she could see all angles of her yard. After about 15 minutes of gnawing, Gloria moseyed over to her bowl for a drink of water. That is when the most unsuspecting event happened. A large bird of prey (3-4 foot wingspan) swooped down near the grass attempting to retrieve the tasty bone. It missed. As Gloria ran up the hill to protect her prized-possession, this avian beast swooped again. And missed. This sent Gloria into a frenzied state of being. She ran the perimeter of the backyard no fewer than 15 times, barking all the while. Fortunately for Gloria, she has packed on a couple extra pounds this winter, tipping the scales at a little over 25 pounds. I think old Red Tail would have been just as happy carrying away a little black and white mutt.