It's all relative I guess....

I was talking to my mom on the phone and Jack was ringing his bell like crazy to get outside. When I looked out to see what he was so excited about, this was standing by our back fence. Can you see it? It is a coyote. I see them around here all the time, but this one kept pacing back and forth by our yard like it was looking for a small and tasty morsel to come out and play.

I've decided the yard threats are all relative.

The rock chucks are kind of cute even if they do eat a few of the plants.

The gophers are inconvenient and dig up the yard, but they don't bother anyone really.

The skunks are smelly of course, and that is the pits when the smell comes into your home and car. However, I don't worry about them eating my dog.

The deer eat our plants and poop in our yard, but they are kind of pretty and fun, and my mom always loves to see them. They do scare the pants off of me when I'm out running and it is still dark and all of a sudden something comes bounding across the lawn, but other than that they are great.

The coyotes raise the creepiness factor up a significant notch. I hate listening to them cry back and forth to each other either at night or when I'm out in the mornings. I do worry about them eyeing Jack as a tasty treat, but for the most part they keep their distance. However, lately they have been getting more and more comfortable lurking on the path behind our house (or maybe I've just noticed more). Either way, I worry. So, I keep a closer watch on him and all seems to be well.

And just when you thought it was safe to let your dog out again, my next door neighbor calls. Yesterday when he went out to put something in the trash can which was already out at the curb he thought he saw a cat, then he thought it was too big for a cat. Turns out it was a bobcat. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!! Now I'm not only worried about Jack, but I have to admit that I worry about Tessa too! Ted assures me that it wouldn't approach Tessa, but I don't think he is really thinking about the craziness that I attract when he makes that statement.

I love animals and I love nature - but I may have just hit my limit.

The funny thing is when we moved here we were warned about all the rattlesnakes we would see. Guess how many of them we have seen? ZERO! I've seen snakes, but no rattlers. Then again, we have some more yard and house projects coming up. Maybe we'll feel like Indiana Jones as he discovers the den of snakes. I swear, nothing would surprise me anymore. :)