Casa de Peacock

On the way to Yosemite there is a convenient rest stop called Casa de Fruta. It's an empire, really: Casa de Wine, Casa de Restaurant, Casa de Sweet Shop. It's hard not to make fun of the place, but the restrooms are clean. And they have peacocks! I watched this one for a long time, hoping he would show off, but he was just interested in pecking at the ground. It was only when I turned my back that he began his dance, but I was lucky enough to turn around in time to see him strut. He fanned and turned slowly in a circle, over and over. I don't know what caused him to start, nor what made him decide when it was over, but I was delighted to have witnessed such a wonder.

We got to the Park in time to go for a short walk by the river, where we saw two deer grazing about ten feet away from the path. But we really got lucky when we stopped to sit on an old log to watch the current (yes, there is water in the Merced River): a furry head came into view, and at first I was disoriented enough to think it was our neighbor's cat. Up the bank it came--a gorgeous bobcat, soft and spotted and furry eared, and, again, only a few feet away as he trotted past. It's been a grand day for wildlife. The only thing left is a bear, and it's fine with me to miss that one.