Wildlife: Beauty, Strength, and Danger

Living up in the mountains, I tend to see alot of wildlife. For the most part I keep my distance but it is nice to see animals close up. Last June, Tex and I moved into our first house. We absolutely love it and are more than spoiled with it. The house came on a good-sized piece of land that we have for the most part left untouched and wild like the surrounding mountainside. We have seen alot of deer, potguts, mice, and even a few badgers. Sometimes deer will come right to the dining room window but usually they stay on the "tree-line," keeping at least a 10 foot distance from the house.

Monday May 22, 2006 6:30pm: Tex and I went for our soon-to-be "daily routine,"we went running/jogging/walking at the park down the road with Hazard. As we began our first lap we noticed something rummaging in the brush so we went a bit closer to get a good look. It was a Skunk! A fat one at that and it starting waddling around. We quickly stepped back and watched where our "Pepe Le pu" was heading. Pepe decided to head in a different direction down a hill so we quickly ran past with Hazard. We ended up doing 4 laps and saw Pepe only one more time from afar. Thank goodness because I didn't want to get skunked and definitely didn't want a skunked husband or dog on my hands for the next few days.

Tuesday May 23, 2006 10:00pm: I decided early in the day that I was going to Target to buy a cheap pair of shoes. So I did my research online, I picked out 8 possible pairs, and looked up directions on mapquest. Tex wanted to come (only to get food) and since he had a meeting, I agreed to wait for him. I successfully went through the store and only bought 3 pairs of shoes. I love them except for one pair that I am "iffy" on but hell yeah!! 3 new pairs of shoes! So far the night was good.

We grabbed food and headed up the canyon. We exited the highway and got on a 2 lane main road, speed limit 65 mph. There was a car in front of me a good distance so I got into the slow lane and being as curteous as usual I turned my brights off. It is harder to see with my brights off in the pitch black of the night, but do-able. No more than 2 minutes passed when I see this enormous sillouhette 4 feet from my vehichle (approaching rapidly) and within 3 seconds, my lights finally reflect this beastly creature 1 foot away from my driver's side door and windshield...a huge moose! Right in that second, I see the moose step back away from my car, if hit the bottom of its belly would just brush the top of my hood had we collided...meaning the belly would have come straight through my window/windshield if he moved and its head would be on top on my car.

I was motionless, I couldn't do anything, I didn't even hit my breaks, all I could do was look at this animal outside my window inches away. I screamed and I think my scream said it all to Tex. Perhaps the moose heard the fear and helplessness in my voice, because the moose had stepped back in that split second and distanced his head a few more inches from the vehicle. I think the first thing that came out of my mouth after the scream was "Holy shit Tex! We could have died, I am not driving anymore, I'm shaking, look at me!" His response was similar, "Wheeeeeww...That scared me to death! Glad I am not driving." Yes...he is always supportive ;). Fortunately we must have an angel looking out for us because I don't know any other reason we were spared by this huge animal that could have killed us. So that was my night with wildlife, A LOT OF LUCK (definitely no skill at driving exhibited in this near death experience) and a bit more dangerous, being a near death experience for me, than the usual deer in the yard or skunk in the park. It freaked me out and I was shaking the whole way home. It was a perfect moment for a cigarette but unfortunately we both quit, so we had a piece of nicorette gum. It's not the best but it'll do.