This is where I took my daily walk while I was in Tucson - Sabino Canyon, part of the National Forest system. But check out the sign. "High Mountain Lion Activity - Enter at Your Own Risk." Like "Falling Rock," it’s one of those signs that probably does more to prevent litigation than accidental deaths. Well, I didn’t see one but here’s what they look like. Yeah, that would get m
y attention. And the spotted one below is what we actually did see roaming the condo community where I was staying - the bobcat or wildcat. Kinda like our suburban deer, only lethal. And the bears mentioned are black bears, also common in the canyon.
And moving beyond Dorothy’s trio of horrors, there’s the all-night howling of coyotes, and lots of 
white-tailed deer and rabbits, just to name the larger wildlife.
You could say that Toto and I were definitely not in Maryland anymore.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
million bells 11.30.05 at 3:42 pm
Nope, just coyotes and foxes in Maryland. The black bears haven’t made it to the suburbs yet.
Have fun out in the wilds.
Vicki 12.01.05 at 7:08 am
Susan- after I was here last I remembered that one of my favorite books of essays in High Tide in Tuscon by Barbara Kingsolver- a well written, fun read.
Today’s post reminded me of my one Arizona experience that included, among other things, a break of dawn hike up into the mountains around Sedona. I was by myself, headed to scatter my father’s ashes. I saw mountain lion scat by a stream but I actually was just sort of interested. About a half hour further I was sitting high up with a spectacular view of the surrounding area, cut looses with the ashes and there was the mountain lion- sitting there about to rocks over watching me. I had no idea what to do so I just sat and tried to gather all my inner calm and meditative resources- not many- and waited. After about 5 minutes he just got up and walked off. I waited another 1/2 hour before heading down. Quite an experience.
I thought Arizona was beautiful in terms of the cactus and plant life but the week I was there it was insufferably hot.