Cat and mouse

In the mornings I walk out into the hayfield to spread the wood stove's ashes from the previous day.  This morning Daisy had been out and about since Tammy left for work.  Daisy followed me partway out in the hayfield.  When I returned I found Daisy near a larger clump of grass.  She was looking and pawing at something.  Not seeing anything I thought it may be a bug as Daisy will play with bugs.

Daisy was hyper-alert and passing cars or any sound distracted her.  Then I saw a large gray mouse sneak off when Daisy was looking away.  I brought Daisy's attention to the mouse and she pounced on it.

After playing with the mouse a short while Daisy carried it back to the house and let it go.  The mouse ran into a shrub and was hidden in the tall grass around the shrub's branch stalks.  I helped flush the mouse out and it ran to the concrete blocks making the flower bed around two sides of the house.

More playing before Daisy brought the mouse up near to the front step.  The mouse didn't move much and Daisy being hyper-alert was easily distracted by distant sounds.

The mouse made a run for it and got up into the flower bed and under the house siding.

"Oh no!" 

Daisy searched along the siding but she couldn't reach the mouse.

I got a broom handle and dug the dirt where it met the siding.  Daisy searched for the mouse as I dug. I finished and no mouse. Then I saw Daisy with the mouse down at the corner of the house.

"Maybe I can slowly sneak away while Daisy is distracted." 

"Careful Daisy!  Trying to sniff the mouse may not be a good idea!"

"Hey!  Knock it off!  I don't want to play with you any more!"

This is what Daisy thinks of the mouse's complaining.

More back talk by the mouse.

Daisy moving the mouse again.

The mouse is getting "tired" from playing and is slowing way down.

I then left to get more firewood from my wood pile. After a few minutes Daisy showed up to be with me.  Walking back to the house with the wood I saw the mouse laying on its back near the tool shed.

I left the mouse.  Later in the afternoon the mouse was gone. Daisy had been in the house resting and I doubt the mouse moved on its own.  I imagine some large bird came and took the mouse.