We’re on a decent sized property out where the country meets civilzation, and we’re used to lots of creatures coming across the plot.  Deer, skunks, snakes, bunnies, hogs, even coyotes.  Oh, and tarantulas. 

On the driveway from the road to our house in the back, I can count on one or two bunnies running across from left to right as I approach half-way.  It’s our little routine – I turn the corner, they squeal amongst themselves after noticing me, and then run from a fence corner across the driveway and into the trees on the right.  I always go real slow in that area because I know they’re gonna do their hippity-snippety.  It happens every single time.

Deer frequently graze and sit with their blind stares for days at a time.  Usually in packs of 3-5, they seem like a family since they have all shapes and sizes.  Sometimes we walk out onto our deck with the dogs and they quickly look over, growl a bit and the deer seem startled, and then go back to what they’re doing.  Sometimes I try to walk towards them but then they pounce away.

But a few weeks ago, we started noticing a distinct lack of bunnies.  And no deer.  It was weird.  I take the dogs out for a walk and they have no bunnies to run out after.  There aren’t any deer to be startled by our ambulatory presence.  Bunnies and deer were a regular part of our existence and they were just gone.

Then we heard there was a cougar in the area.

Coyotes are one thing, but a cougar?

A few days later, we saw the following, right outside our front door:

That’s Caitlin’s hand for sizing.  I don’t know what that’s a print from, but it’s pretty darned big.

One night after pool, I saw a HUGE shadow leaping across our road as I drove, about 1/4 mile from our house.  It was right in front of me, and it made a gigantic image that made the entire road disappear.   I felt like it was from a movie.  It wasn’t tall like a deer.  It wasn’t small like a dog.  It was just creepy.  And fast.  Sleek.  Purposeful.  Scary.

About a week later, the bunnies came back.  Several deer were in our woods again.  Jaden was still around, as were the dogs. 

I guess we made it.