“Clusters of bats hung like bunches of withered grapes from the roof and when, from time to time, either Kerim’s head or Bond’s brushed against them, they exploded twittering into the darkness.”
Lots of excitement here last night. We all, the two cats, the dog and I, were in the den. They were, as is their habit, asleep, two beside me and one on the table. I was on the couch at the computer and watching TV when whoosh something flew all around the room. It was a bat. I watched it leave this room then began to follow it as it flew around the house including upstairs. I opened both doors and a couple of windows. The doors had to be barricaded so the cats wouldn’t go out either one and Gracie wouldn’t escape through the front door. The bat would disappear then reappear. Gracie and I were sitting in the living room when we both heard scratching noises from under the table. She cocked her head and I turned on the flashlight. The bat was moving from one thing to another in plain sight. I shined the light on it, and it flew by me brushing my head in the take off. My sister offered a solution from my brother-in-law. I should put milk in a cup, and when the parched bat stopped for a drink, I’d grab the cup with the bat inside, presumably still drinking, and throw both outside. Okay, sure, I’ll grab an opened cup with a bat inside. Anyway the bat didn’t appear for a while so I sat down to watch TV. The house by then was pretty chilly, down to 64˚. After an hour and no new sightings, I shut everything and closed the doors. I haven’t seen the bat since.
I remember a really bad movie about cave living vampire bats who flew out at night and attacked people. Several bats would land on the poor victims, mostly on their heads and necks, all at the same time. The people would scream as the bats bit down and sucked their blood. When I saw the bat in the light, I thought how small it is then I remembered the movie and hoped he had no friends.
Today is pots and window boxes planting day. I stopped at Agway this morning for more trailing rosemary and a few more flowers for a couple of pots we found yesterday. I so love the deck when all the flowers on the rail are in bloom and you can smell the rosemary and the basil.
Clouds have taken over the sunny morning. We may have showers tomorrow. I hope so: we need the rain. Last night was down to the 50’s again. My bedroom, with the window open, was quite chilly. Gracie and Fern huddled against me. I woke up early but was slow to leave the warm bed. I stayed under the covers for a while then dragged myself into the morning.
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This entry was posted on May 15, 2015 at 11:18 am and is filed under Musings. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments.
Tags: basil, bat, bat brushing on my hair, flying bat, horror movie about bats, opened doors and windows, planting window boxes, rosemary, vampire bats
Both comments and pings are currently closed.10 Comments on ““Clusters of bats hung like bunches of withered grapes from the roof and when, from time to time, either Kerim’s head or Bond’s brushed against them, they exploded twittering into the darkness.””
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keepthecoffeecoming.blog 
May 15, 2015 at 11:46 am
24F here this morning so no planting outside for yet a few weeks. It was beautiful with all the frost but I would have preferred not to have it. I did plant the potatoes today though but it is way too early for anything else.
I have also had an encounter with a bat once. I had just ciome up to the cottage I rented and opened the door for my then cat Mafalda. I was taking in all that I had brought with me when I heard how she was chasing somethimng upstairs. I looked up and saw what I thought was a swallow so I ran upstairs and did what I could to get Mafalda downstairs and to letout the poor swallow. I grabbed her in one hand (she was truly tiny, Bertil is big compared to her 🙂 ) and then I was about to pick up the poor swallow when it suddenly showed me all its teeth 🙂 It was a bat and after circling my head for a while it flew downstairs and out the open door 🙂
Sunny and warm here today but the rain will come tomorrow afternoon they say, too bad we really don’t need it here.
Have a great day!
Christer.
May 15, 2015 at 3:06 pm
Christer,
It wasn’t that cold here this morning. It was in the low 50’s. I won’t even buy vegetables until next week. My garden center doesn’t have all its plants yet because of the cold nights.
That bat of mine was around the house several times. Fern hid under the bed when it swooped at her. Gracie just watched it fly. Luckily I got close but not close enough to see teeth. It didn’t bother me until it brushed my head. I haven’t seen it all day so I assume it’s gone.
Rain here tomorrow too, I hope!
May 15, 2015 at 12:43 pm
We had bats in the dorm I lived in my last two years of college. Rumor had it that the attic was full of them, but I never felt the need to investigate the truth of that assertion. I once discovered one attached to a postcard on my door & thought, for a minute, that it was a fake toy someone was using to prank me. It was not. I used the same method I now use for removing bugs from my house (albeit with a larger container) to take it outside.
Periodically one would fly into our screenless rooms, which would, as you might imagine, create a lot of drama from sleep-deprived young adults. Eventually we’d all settle down, except for the person in whose room the bat was last seen, who usually found other accommodations for the night. That fear of a bat flying around while you were sleeping was just too much.
May 15, 2015 at 3:15 pm
sprite,
I’d have hated bats in the dorm. They would have had a million places to hide, and I agree about sleeping and fearing they’d fly at you.
This is a time of first, neither of them pleasant. We had our first bat in the house, and I pulled off the first tick Gracie has ever had. Both are gross.
May 15, 2015 at 4:23 pm
Hi Kat,
41ºF here this morning. I went to sleep last night with the kitchen window open. The house was damp and cold when I woke up. I turned on the heat for one cycle.
I hope I never have a bat inside the house. It wouldn’t panic me but unless I saw it fly out, I’d be thinking it was still around. Lurking in the shadows. And the barking that would be generated by a flittering bat in the house would be decibels over the limits my ears could take. Of course even if it did fly out, it could still get back inside the way it came and lurk in the shadows.
It’s cloudy and comfortable now. The lawn guys are cutting my grass. All is well.
Enjoy the day.
May 15, 2015 at 5:03 pm
Hi Caryn,
I did the same thing with the heat this morning. My house stayed cold from all the doors and windows open for the bat.
I wasn’t afraid but definitely didn’t like it brushing the top of my head as it flew by me. I never saw it leave but it hasn’t been seen since 8 last night so I figure it’s gone.
My dear is all ready for the summer!
May 16, 2015 at 12:03 am
We have 2 bats that arrive this time of year. They circle and circle and circle the oak tree in the front yard. For hours. From dusk till darkness. Gobbling bugs I guess. We sit on the porch and watch their flight agility. What marvels they are. Wouldn’t be too thrilled with them in the house tho!
The tics have arrived as well. More this year than usual. I must treat the dogs. We take a lot of walks……in pastures. The Corgis are short. The grass is tall. The tics are numerous. The Shepherd is taller than the grass. But no more immune to tics than Corgis!
May 16, 2015 at 12:44 am
T,
I have a bat house in my yard, but they (or it) seemingly preferred my house. I never saw it leave, but I presume it has as no more sightings. The bat is invited to stay in my yard gobbling those bugs you mentioned.
Gracie has such short hair that any more ticks would be as easy to find as this one was.
May 16, 2015 at 5:16 pm
71° F. at 7:00 this morning; your bat was probably a little brown, and an insectivore, totally uninterested in you since you don’t have wings and six legs. Unfortunately echolocation is kinda bad at helping them find open windows, although they usually will get it after while.
May 16, 2015 at 5:21 pm
Huehueteotl,
He looked grey when I had him in the light. I really wasn’t scared. I just didn’t like it when he brushed my head on the way by me. I know it was an accident but it felt creepy.
When he didn’t reappear, I just figured he found one of the doors or windows. He can always live in the bat house in my yard.