Animals and Blurred Lines

Now that cooler temperatures have settled in, everyone wants to fire up a backyard fire pit. If you don’t own one, you probably know someone who does. I had an opportunity to sit around a large bonfire this week, one that included over twenty-five people. I couldn’t believe how much heat the fire gave off.  I thought it might singe my eyebrows when I roasted marshmallows for the smores. If you’re thinking only kids and the young-at-heart enjoy roasting marshmallows, check this out:

                                              http://youtu.be/GQcN7lHSD5Y  

That poor creature doesn’t need those marshmallow calories; everyone knows you can’t eat just one.  Before they know it, the lab will be missing marshmallows and matches. Call in Smokey the Bear. You know what they say, “Fire safely goes, danger grows.”

Just because we can practice or teach particular behaviors and skills doesn’t mean we should. Who should decide where to draw the line?

 

Animals Do It, Can We?

Almost weekly the news features invasion stories about how wild animals creep into our neighborhoods to hunt for food, explore backyards and renegotiate territory. Several years ago,  I saw two baby foxes on their hind legs pawing at one another and frolicking in our yard as if they were on the prairie. I felt like a ranger in a National Geographic episode. And that’s not all. Every so often, a small herd of deer race through our yard as if they’re being chased by lions, sometimes they pause for a snack. I admit that seeing them is a special treat, especially the young ones. 

As residential and commercial development continues to encroach upon our wooded areas, we’ll see wild life show up more often. Bears, rabbits, turkeys, foxes and Sasquatch (just seeing if you were paying attention) are invading our backyards, parks, towns and cities. Let’s take a peek at where the wild things are: 

Ghosts of the Cities

I found it interesting that coyotes will stick with their mates for a decade. Nowadays, as people move to find employment or care for elderly relatives and relocate for military assignments or to go to college, coyotes have better opportunities to maintain long-term relationships than we do. Have you kept in touch a non-family member for ten years or more? If so, what’s the secret to staying connected?