Night Stalkers

Since our return from Tennessee Henna has been waking us up almost every night with her barking.  Loud, excited warning barking mixed with a little keep away from me growling.   It always occurs around 2:00 a.m. and lasts (intermittently) for 30 - 45 minutes.  Every night one of us rises from our downy comfort and ventures into the cold drafty cavern to investigate.  Invariably we come up empty.  Of course it is pitch black outside. (No street lights, we live in the country now.)   I don't know what we think we are going to see in all of that darkness unless it's Sasquatch himself peering back at us through the front window.

We have come to believe that there are large creatures lurking in the shadows.  It could be Big Foot or more likely mammals with white tails, cloven hoofs and antlers.  I am somewhat confident of this because I have seen their tracks in the mud behind our barn and at the water's edge.  It has become my new challenge to visually identify these night stalkers once Henna sounds the alarm.

Obviously squinting out the window into the darkness at 2:00 a.m. isn't working.  (Although it might be helpful if I wore my glasses.)  Last night we left the halogen spot light on which not only illuminated the ground between the cottage and the barn but made sleeping in the cottage seem a lot like napping on a bright, sandy beach at noon.  It was all for naught.  Henna remained silent... the entire night.  No low growls or warning barks.  On the one hand I was grateful for a complete 8 hours of sleep.  On the other, disappointed that our plan had fallen short.  I'm afraid we need to rethink the night light strategy.  Either Bambi was coincidentally foraging in someone else's back yard or the mega-watt  spot had made him/her a little wary.  Actually he was probably standing nearby, under the cover of darkness,  laughing at our foolishness.

I am, however, not one to give up without a fight.  We will give the halogen  a second chance tonight and then move on to plan B.  If we had a plan B.  I'm thinking that a trek to the local Tractor Supply might be in order.  Pick us up one of those handy dandy portable floodlights that hunter's use to spot deer.  Wait for the warning bark, then blast Bambi with the penetrating search light.  It could work.

Wouldn't we be surprised if Bambi turned out to be the Three Bears?

As usual the comment section is open just in case one of you has a better idea.