Now, all I will do is tell this tale the way it happened and no more. My dog, a Weimaraner, is sometimes known as the "grey ghost", but what passed in front of us tonight was most certainly black and more agile than the ghost that I am used to. It was so silent and so shadowy, that even though it was only 3o feet away, I did not see it at first. It wasn't until it moved, that Fischer and I both saw it. Fischer began to bark. It took a few more steps and stared at us. Fischer began his fierce barking, repeatedly jumping three steps forward then two steps back. I yelled for him to "come here!" at which point the dark figure darted to the corner of the field with Fischer in hot pursuit. Alas! I was in my flip flops, ready to call it a night and could not follow. I ran inside for my flashlight and went back out. Fischer had returned, and my curiosity took hold.

For the past few weeks, people have been talking about a large black cat roaming across the road at the river bottom just past the south piece of the farm. Black panthers are not unheard of in this area, albeit extremely rare, but old 1800 accounts are more common than one who roams in the forest with his dog would like to admit. I will not write beyond my knowledge, and stop there. But I personally had to find out about this visitor.

I dressed in jeans and a long shirt for brush, and Fischer and I began the chase, his nose leading the way. We came to the first thicket which had a canopy of trees and weeds that grew taller than my head. It was in the middle of these weeds that I first thought to my self, "what happens if I find my big black cat?" It caused a moments hesitation, then I went around the thicket to the field that lay on the east side of the farm. Once there I shined the light across, looking for signs of life. Finally I spotted eyes, and I began to walk towards them, my light with it beam spotlighting the two twinkling dots. They were only horses! But now I was in grass up to my knees, and another thought came to mind. If I could not hear him and hardly see him while I was looking directly at him in the field I mowed 5 hours earlier, how would I hear him if he was laying down in the grass. I started doing circles with my flash light illuminating as much as possible until I spotted another pair of eyes.

This time I had to walk under an oak tree, dodging the Indiana Jones sized spider webs that had already entangled me moments before. The eyes were nothing but dew playing tricks. Fischer then ran into the brush. I was sure he had seen something. He came out with a 1 liter trash coke bottle in his mouth. My guard dog was just having fun now, and maybe I was too. If it even was a cat, it was long gone. I hardly even needed the flashlight, but for the few thin clouds that occasionally covered the full moon of the evening. No panther, no cat...probably just a coyote that I couldn't see well with my unadjusted eyes.

On a more horticultural note, Dr. Welch and I made the Jersey Evening Post, the Island of Jersey that is. It is one of the Channel Islands between France and England. On a clear day you can actually see the coast line of France. As I have said before, there is more to come from me and our travels to this wonderful island. I look forward to mentioning Longueville Manor Hotel, all the wonderful gardens our host made us privy to, and the exciting venture that Southern Bulb will be introducing shortly.