Deer and Antelope Playing

FBR Decorating her Christmas Tree with Buzz Lightyear

When I was growing up the coyote was a mystical beast haunting the fringes of life in the far west. They populated western movies and Zane Grey stories but I could never imagine one in my back yard. I knew they’d steadily migrated east and when we lived in Charlton would regularly howl in the deep woods behind our house. They even helped rid those woods of a pesky turkey flock (another animal rare in my youth but ubiquitous now). I’ve always loved the forest and the attendant residents but figured I’d left that behind by moving into the city.

This is What He Looked Like

I was therefore a little startled when I looked out my window yesterday to see one of the squirrels that hangs out in the back yard in a pell-mell dash to avoid the pursuit of what I thought was a large dog. Unfortunately the squirrel made it to safety as I was reminded of similar endings for Buddy the Wonder Pooch. As the pursuer gave up trying to climb the tree and turned, not far from Buddy’s grave, I realized it was not a dog but a very healthy, large, young coyote. He seemed very nonplussed about the residential nature of his hunting grounds and casually meandered back across the street in front of the house. I wanted to point out the rabbit warren under Deckzilla but he was too quick. It was all pretty cool as the overabundance of rabbits and squirrels on our hill seems to have attracted a predator to address the population problem. Nature at its best.

The Family Gamesters FBR and her Dad Back Together

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RECURRING CHARACTERS

BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter, ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete = my daughter in law, formerly known both as MEF – Most Excellent Fiancé & MEG – Most Excellent Girlfriend; Wingman – my son in law; Keene Friends 1 & 2 – friends since high school from my home town of Keene, NH; Soxfather - my brother in law; Great Aunt = my elder sister; Cantankerous Friend – friend since grade school who likes to argue about everything, poses as radical leftist to attract women; Pittsburgh College Roommate – high school friend, also a “Minor Celebrity” in Pittsburgh; Deckzilla – our backyard deck which grew to monstrous dimensions once my wife got involed in planning; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my wife is the 3^rdmusquetera (musketeer); Buddy – AKA the Wonder Pooch – family dog, a black lab – hates squirrels, died in 2017; Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog, surrogate grandchild while awaiting arrival of the BRS; PanaGals – female relatives/friends of my wife from Panama; Panamanian/Latin Mafia – inevitable group of Latino friends my wife accumulates wherever we have lived & their spouses; Neighborhood Mafioso - wife's close friend and Panamanian mafia member, Favorite Panamanian - the wife (of course); First Friday – celebrations to mark the First Friday of the Week; Excellent Boss – my former direct boss at work; Deckzilla Dude – senior citizen carpenter/contractor; Voices of Inappropriate Worth - members of public who come to every Worcester public meeting to complain, all are on public assistance along with demeanor issues