Boxed in

My cat Chia, I think, is a pacifist. Or a naturalist.

She is allowed outside, because we have a mouse and field mouse problem in the woodsheds and storage sheds nestled into the edge of the woods behind the house. She spends much of her time there.

And occasionally, she comes in with something she's found. A mouse, sometimes a bird, sometimes an insect. Always alive, usually undamaged. She brings them in, parks them on the rug, and then sits watching them.

When I come to get them, she doesn't complain. I collect the latest visitor (with birds, I need to throw a cloth over them, because they've always flown to the window and fly away if I come too close. Mice are a bit harder; they lead me a merry chase until they're tired out.)

I get rid of the mice; sorry beasties, you're cute and all, but since I found a nest inside my car motor, I'm not too pleased with you. The birds get carried outside and released. They fly away.

Yesterday Chia brought me a dragonfly. I caught it in a glass box with a mirrored bottom, and took a few photos before I released it outside.

One wing is damaged. Not enough to cause problems with flight. She's female, I think.

"How did you get out there?"

Face to face

She's a darner, with green/blue markings on the abdomen, a yellowish face, and racing stripes on her thorax. The eyes are brown.

I deposited her in a flowerpot outside and she rested there for a few minutes before flying away. I took more photos, trying to get close to those amazing eyes. I'll process them tomorrow. Fingers crossed!