Garden Boundaries

for a moment i watch the early summer stand off. the edge of the composting garden is rich in small life. insects. birds. and other small creatures. creeping. crawling. wiggling and slithering. hopping. darting and flying.

territory is at a premium. occasionally the price is life or death. more often it’s just saving or losing face. the first to blink. or disappear. negotiations often begin with a stand off. higher and lower ranking, size or positions. sometimes a battle ensues.

an anole (a cousin to the gecko) uses camouflage and the ability to change colors and patterning. adapting. to the area where they stand in seconds.

a stand off may involve a stance posture. as well as a throat display—a dewlap. that can be shot outward in a relatively flat half circle arc as large or larger then the head of the anole when viewed from the side…