While we were living at the cottage Alberto had told us that there would often be badgers, foxes and bunnies about in the fields. It would always be a treat to spot one of the bunnies but I was determined to see a badger or a fox. Several nights I went out alone in the field where I had found the badger's burrow, waiting as still as I could. On a couple of occasions I brought Logan and Jude with me and Jonathan joined us as well. It was lots of fun tromping through the high grass in our wellies, the kids in their pajamas, after the sun had gone down. But, still no badgers. I was actually quite disappointed; I don't know exactly why I wanted to see them so badly but I was in earnest.
After tucking the kids back into bed I took the torch and told Jon I was going out for one last try. It was near eleven o'clock but I pushed back my fear of being alone in the dark and let myself revel in the cool breeze and the
last bits of pink left in the clouds. It was lovely and exhilarating and then the clouds gave way to the brightness of the moon and everything around me was suddenly shining and silver. And, when an hour later there was still no badger, I counted myself blessed to have been a part of such a night.
P.S. I did finally see the back of a badger as it ran away from our headlights as we were pulling up the drive one night- it counts!
P.P.S Also, I know that badgers can be vicious and that the children have their head right in front of a burrow, but we knew there wasn't going to be anything coming out with the torch light scarring them away in the first place. So we're not bad parents, okay.
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