There are many things to love on a farm; one is that you meet all kinds of creatures most people never see unless they’re lying on the road. When Maria entered the barn yesterday, she glanced into an empty garbage can (we used it for chicken, donkeys, and cat treats). Staring up at her was a terrified possum who had climbed up the can looking for food and couldn’t climb out. He might have been there all night. He was too frightened to come out when Maria lowered the can.

She dragged the can out into a different part of the can, and he eventually took off. We think he has a next down by the pond; we’ve seen possum tracks down there. Sooner or later, everything in nature reveals itself, and Maria misses nothing. Maria said she was lucky to look down into the can and see the possum looking up – she doesn’t usually look there  – they –  would not have lasted long.