Eulogy to MIRV ( the groundhog )

During these crisp and colorful spring days is when he usually appeared, somewhat ragged and ruffled. A ball of brown fur with a large black button nose. Beady eyes half closed, he would just sit there in the warm spring sun, surrounded by new and fresh grass of the brightest green. Then, after a while he would come to life and start chewing the new vegetation. Always skidish, he would bolt at the slightest noise and retreat to the safety of the tool shed where he would poke his button nose and tiny ears out and scan the surrounding area for real or imagined danger. I swear that once, I saw him run from his own shadow, thinking that it was something about to do him harm. Mirv could actually attain some pretty good speed. Once I saw him scoot across the yard as if he was being chased by the devil himself and on another occasion he actually chased a prospective mate with great vigor but who knows if he ever caught her??? He must have been a gentle soul, I say that, because on several occasions I observed "peppy" the resident skunk, crawl under the tool shed...Also, the resident rabbit was a steady visitor at the tool shed "condo".... I can't imagine the living arrangements under that tool shed but everything seemed to work out allright. Mirv served a very useful purpose during his short life. He was the official eradicator of all dandelions in that part of our yard and a source of constant amusement and joy for all of us who ogled him thru binoculars. Even when he gleefully chomped on Susans' flowers, we could'nt really be mad at him because he was just doing what Mirvs do....wihout even knowing it he became part of our familys' reality and an interesting source of family discussions about his living conditions and way of life... Last week, as I was taking the patio furniture from the tool shed, I noticed a pungent odor emanating from underneat the shed....the telltale stench of death hung in the air, then I knew that Mirv would not be frolicking in the clover and ridding my yard of dandelions this warm and beautiful spring... Mirv was more than a groundhog...Alas, he never knew it....