Lunchtime in Bree

On a back alley in the village of Bree, a plump stowaway ground hog from a field nearby has stumbled upon a scent. He sniffs the warm summer air. His eyes squint. He is still- yet restless. His whiskers twitch. A breeze blows across his prickley brown/grey fur and he is up and running! Scurrying up the path, he stops every few feet to smell. He is hungry, but not for long. Someone has thrown this morning's table scraps onto the dusty path. A chunk of honey-dew mellon and bit of bleu cheese will satisfy the young "rodent." There is rumour of a feast tonight in the village. Perhaps he will find more scraps in the morning. Until then, he is satisfied with the cool green fruit.

The groundhog (Marmota monax), also known as the woodchuck or whistlepig, is a rodent of the family Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels known as marmots. Most marmots, such as yellow-bellied and hoary marmots, live in rocky and mountainous areas, but the woodchuck is a lowland creature. It is widely distributed in North America and common in the northeastern and central United States. In the west it is found only in Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and northern Washington. (from Wikipedia)