Could the Woodchuck?

Could the woodchuck . . . scare me? Startle me? Stare me down and win?

Yes to all of the above . . .

I seriously started chanting in my head, a woodchuck would chuck as much wood as a woodchuck could chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood, as I stood at our neighbor's front door and this curious (or nearly blind) little animal slithered out from under their car and came up to the porch.

I froze, he froze, then I moved, and then he scuttled back under the car.

I don't really know who was more startled . . . him or me. But I was certainly glad he did the scuttling because it would not have been a pretty sight if I had done the same.

Okay, so clearly, even after living in the pseudo-country, I can be rattled by nature. But I believe there's been some progress by the mere fact I didn't take off running, screaming back to my own house.

And now most of you are probably shaking your collective heads, wondering what the big deal was. Well, for me it was rather momentous because the closest I've ever been to a woodchuck is a dead woodchuck, squished on the road. Alive, they do have a cute face, and those little feet, but oh, the damage those claws can do. This go 'round, it took off across the street, into the tall, brown weeds, to parts unknown.

So now, my challenge to you . . . do you have any stories or experiences you would like to share regarding close encounters of the nature-side of life. Post a comment or contact me by clicking on my profile. I would love to hear from you.