Fact vs. Fiction?

A pair of glassy eyes studied me. No need to feel intimidated just because it’s the bustling city, right?  I stared back from the security of my car.  In the end, I won the stare down contest and the little squirrel scampered away. How interesting that once I spotted the critter watching me, I assumed it had horrible plans to chase me up the street. The citified squirrel probably came in contact with people more often than its skittish suburban relatives, hence its lack of fear toward humans. It probably just wanted a handful of nuts. How often do you jump to conclusions before weighing the evidence? What do you think about this scene?

                                         http://youtu.be/ECbvHQowmhE

Someone from the video commented about how the squirrel was a juvenile and may have lost its parents. Does that change your perception of the squirrel’s behavior? Maybe the little guy simply wanted to move indoors for warm shelter and gentle belly rubs here and there. We can’t take everything we see and hear as gospel. How do you filter information to ferret out the truth? 

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?