We've been watching something of a stop-action nature scenario for the last couple of weeks.

Some weeks ago we were walking to the main road to catch the school bus and I noticed a lot of snow and ice thrown across the verge where our road meets the public road. I put it down to an inattentive driver who nearly lost it, then veered back onto the road.

While waiting for the bus, the Bear called my attention to the reason for the snow and ice--someone had struck a deer which landed mere feet "upstream" from our verge. It was quite cold at the time and the deer was frozen in the ignominy of sudden, violent death; its mouth in rictus with the tongue lolling out.

Not long after, the temperature rose. The deer began almost literally melting into the earth. But that would have been a long, unsavory process. Enter the vultures. Black vultures and Turkey vultures descended upon the carcass. As of two days ago there was literally nothing left but a backbone, a rib cage, four legs and skin. Yesterday the rib cage disappeared. I can't account for that...

But all in all, it's been an interesting "circle of life" thing.