COYOTE UGLY

There are certain experiences  unique to living in a galaxy far far away... I mean, far outside any city limits. 

Such as having to drive five miles when for a carton of milk.

Going outside at night and being able to walk literally by starlight. 

And hearing coyotes yipping and howling almost every single evening.

We have two very different types of coyotes here in southern Arizona - the scumbags who take advantage of poor people trying to find a job, and the ones that yip and howl at night.

This is about the latter.

I have been reading about how 'dangerous' coyotes are - in particular a CNN story about a Laguna Hills woman who was bitten by a coyote, and then her small dogs was... well, dog-napped and most likely killed and eaten by the same.

And one of the many Republican presidential candidates,  Rick Perry bragged about shooting a coyote while he was out jogging with his dog.

Now, both of these 'attacks' - well, one attack; the Rick Perry coyote was simply "staring" at him and that seemed to be enough justification for him to kill it - occurred in residential areas while these people were outdoors walking their dogs.

Does anyone ever consider that the coyotes aren't invading our areas -- that we are the ones who have invaded theirs ?

YOU KNOW YOU LIVE IN ARIZONA WHEN....

My husband emailed me this as part of a much longer joke this morning:

You can retire to Phoenix AZ where…

- You are willing to park 3 blocks away because you found shade.

- You have over 100 Mexican recipes

- The 4 seasons are tolerable, hot, really hot & ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!!

 

I live as far away from Phoenix as I possibly can and still be in Arizona, and as far away from a city as my husband's daily commute to Ft. Huachuca will allow (and believe me, if gas was cheaper it would be further still).

 

And as a 'rural" resident of Southern Arizona, I'd like to add a couple for being down here:

 

You can live in rural Arizona when you are willing to...

-- Drive ten miles for a gallon of milk.

-- Sleep through Border Patrol arrests in your front yard at 2 a.m.

-- Dust your bookcases and furniture each and every day (honestly) and then the very next day and the next...

-- Learn to take 45 second showers when your well gets really really low

 

And I need to add one more.

 

-- When you call 911 for a coyote.

 

I like coyotes - the animal type - they keep the rabbit population down, as long as I keep the garbage bagged and covered, they don't bother me or mine.

(It also may be because my dog Murray strongly resembles a coyote)

But there are certain behaviors you can count on with a coyote:

-- You won't see them in broad daylight unless there is a very, VERY long period of drought.

- Coyotes will run away as soon as they spot you.

So when you see a coyote, late morning, standing in the middle of a fairly busy (by rural Arizona standards at least) highway acting extremely confused and befuddled, it's a good idea to take note.

I chased him off the highway, at least, and called 911 to warn of a potential rabid coyote.

Can you think of any way I can call in more of the human coyotes we have down here?