Whenever we cook in bulk, Faulkner has a minor role in the cleanup. He has learned to recognize the signs of such a day beginning-- the rattling of pans, all hands reporting to kitchen, the bustling about, the big bags being carried in or moved about.

His reaction as soon as he sees this starting: "I don't know what holiday this is, but I like it!" He likes it all the way till bedtime, because that's how long it usually takes for me to stow the last of it. Sometimes it's even a multi-day holiday, like today. The cooking and cooling are done, but the stowing starts later this afternoon.


BLUNTSPEAK ON*   And last night as Hardi cut up and soaked rabbit parts in salt water, F clearly connected the doorstep interaction with the visiting hunters, my alpha-female role in that, and the giving of the prey to the alpha male, with the smells that had already been in the air. BLUNTSPEAK OFF*


He so absolutely fawned his submission that he scared himself half silly till I indicated what we wanted him to do ("OH THANK YOU I'LL WAIT HERE," he said).

It's so cool watching him mature into these little understandings. F: "People at the back door-- MAY be a good thing, go with MomWolf to see... stay quiet as long as the intruder is not IN the doorway."

~S~

* This is NOTNOTNOT a thread to debate hunting, just a language warning for a friend.