Did the word “menagerie” confound you? I don’t know where it came from, but I do remember from high school having to read playwright Tennessee Williams’ play The Glass Menagerie. I read it, but don’t think I understood it. Sort of like Shakespeare. We read some of him, but I guess you had to “be there” to understand it!

Anyway, a menagerie is a collection of things. In Williams’ play, it was a collection of animal figurines that a disturbed, young girl doted on. The dictionary defines menagerie as a collection of live, wild animals on exhibition. I guess that’s what a zoo is.

But before I get to my backyard zoo, I read a good joke this past week. I’d like to share it with you. We can all use a good laugh, right?

Three mice went to heaven. After they had been there for a few days, St. Peter asked them, “How do you like heaven?” The mice were very, very pleased with heaven, but said, “It’s so large and our legs are so short. We have a hard time getting around.”

 St. Peter told the mice, “Let me think about your problem.” A few days later an angel delivered some skates to the mice. St. Peter saw the mice not too long afterwards and asked them about the skates. “Much better,” the mice exclaimed. “We’re seeing much more of this wonderful place.”

Sometime later, a certain cat died and went to heaven. The cat saw St. Peter, after a while, and Peter asked, “How are you liking heaven?”

The cat replied, “It’s the most wonderful place I have ever seen. I like everything about heaven and, especially, those meals on wheels!”

 Outside our bedroom window, Donna Sue and I can view the four bird feeders that we have set up for the squirrels. Actually we set them up for the birds but I told you a few months ago the squirrels like them too. That’s okay. Birdseed is not too expensive and we like both the birds and the squirrels.

 There are times during the day when our bird feeders remind me of the Alfred Hitchcock thriller by the name of The Birds. I don’t mean that the birds act strangely, but there are plenty of them at certain times of the day. There are four perches on each feeder and, sometimes, there are birds on each perch. Plus some are in line waiting to be seated.

 Dove and huge, black crows are on the ground picking at the seeds that fall. Then there are all the squirrels that are running around. It’s quite a menagerie.

 For the last month or so, there has been a very welcomed addition to the zoo. A rabbit has joined the crew and feeds twice a day; early morning and late evening. I find myself looking forward to enjoying the “wabbit,” as Elmer Fudd might have called him. Don’t tell me you don’t remember Elmer Fudd and Bugs Bunny.

 A lady opened up her refrigerator a saw a rabbit sitting on one of the shelves. She asked the rabbit, “What are you doing in there?” The rabbit replied, “This is a Westinghouse, isn’t it? I’m westing.” Please don’t groan so loudly.

 I think our rabbit is unique to our backyard and I would love to be able to catch Peter Cottontail and let him know how much pleasure he is bringing Donna Sue and me. I asked Donna Sue about catching our unique rabbit and she told me a good way.

 “Unique up on it.” Gotta go. Have a lovely day.