Some days start in an ordinary way and don’t give us any hint that something meaningful is about to happen. When we stumble upon a surprise, it entirely changes our day and turns it into a special event.
That is what happened to Kari Vollmer.
Shortly after she moved into her new Maine home, she began noticing something unusual around her yard. There were mysterious paw prints in the snow near the house, unlike anything she had seen before.
For a while, the mystery lingered.
Strange Tracks In The Yard
Vollmer loved the peaceful atmosphere around her new home in the Maine woods.
When she discovered paw prints in the snow, she was intrigued. The clues started showing up again and again.
Later on, she stumbled upon quills and started having doubts about who the visitor might be.
And then, one afternoon, it finally revealed itself. It was a large porcupine that stepped out from the trees and wandered across her yard.
Vollmer was curious and excited because she had never seen a porcupine in her life. She didn’t know what he wanted.
A Growing Bond With Alfred
The porcupine, later named Alfred, began visiting Vollmer more often.
At first, he kept his distance. He walked slowly around her yard and didn’t pay much attention to her.
However, he gradually became used to her presence. He appeared during the day and at night.
One evening, Kari found him humming loudly on her porch.
“Well, look who showed up tonight, loudly humming on my porch. Hello, old friend!” she shared on Instagram.
After watching Alfred more closely, Vollmer noticed his quirks.
He seemed to be afraid of the UPS driver. He liked climbing trees whenever he arrived.
Vollmer’s bond with Alfred deepened when, one day, he walked into the yard with a limp. He held one of his front paws up and struggled to move.
The kind-hearted woman was worried for him, and she contacted wildlife experts.
They explained that bringing Alfred into a shelter wasn’t safe due to a virus spreading among porcupines. They encouraged her to give him fresh fruit and watch over him.
An Unusual Friend
Vollmer listened to their advice.
When she gave apples to Alfred, he was thrilled. He crunched through them with delight. It turned out he loved eating watermelon, avocado, and carrots as well.
Alfred started waiting for Vollmer each day, knowing she would offer him a snack.
She gave him only one treat so he would stay wild. Alfred wasn’t her pet. He was a neighbor she cared about.
As time passed, his limp disappeared and he healed. And yet, he continued visiting Vollmer.
Vollmer reflected on how much had changed since the first paw prints in the dirt.
She wrote on Instagram, “When he first showed up here, I was scared of him. I’d never seen a porcupine before … he’s become family and I enjoy his visits so much.”
Alfred arrived in her life out of the blue, leaving clues she didn’t understand at first. Now he is a dear friend whom she cherishes.