He was still in his burrow, and he was still sleeping, and then he was gone again, but still… I got to see Geronimo today!

I saw him stir in his sleep. Then I stepped away for a moment. When I came back, he was gone.

It was toward the middle of November when I realized that Geronimo had gone into hibernation. Since then, I’ve spoken to him every day, no matter the weather or the time. I know he can hear me. He’s heard my voice in the cold rain and in the dark of night and in the brilliant, warm glare of the late-afternoon sun… mostly the latter. (We’ve had very little weather this winter.)

Geronimo’s entire burrow seems to be alive with the warming of the new year, its hollowed-out domed structure of earth energetically aware. I crouch in front of his doorway and talk, and so his burrow’s back interior wall knows how cute and sweet and loved and missed Geronimo is, and what a good boy he is, and how I hope that he’s enjoying a restful hibernation, sleeping well, having wonderful dreams, and not letting the bedbugs bite. As his mother, I’m 100% certain that Geronimo is receiving my messages. I know that my scalebaby can hear me deep in his hibernating brain, wherever he is in his underground labyrinth.

Lately, I’ve been telling him excitedly about the warmth of the afternoons and the lengthening of the days. I’ll see you soon, Geronimo. I can’t wait to see you again!

And lo, when I went to address the inside of his burrow today, I found myself addressing him directly. He’s still asleep, but still. There he was.

I couldn’t believe it when I saw him!

 

 

His sleeping face!

 

 

I knew that he wasn’t going to come out all the way today, and he didn’t. When the chill of dusk started to settle, I went back out to check on him and found that he’d retreated into his cozy winter digs.

He made his first appearance, though, and I’m still so thrilled. My little scalebaby is getting ready, making his moves, gradually waking up.

With hibernation emergence already underway, it’s looking like he’ll come out earlier than usual, maybe, just as he went in earlier than usual. It’s only February Week One!

Salem is going to be happy to see Geronimo again, too. I wanted to take some pics of her today, but when I went out with that in mind, I found her devouring a freshly killed dove behind one of the large hibiscus plants. So, yeah… no pics of her.

In indoor furbaby news, though, I took this micro-video of Nenette last night:

 

 

I hope to post about Geronimo again soon! His pre-post-hibernation surprise brightened My year.

Happy Sunday, friends.