I saw a coyote yesterday! Very cool. We were watching it right out the window of the nature center looking out across the prairie. I had heard from others that they were around, but had never seen one. I certainly never expected to see one that close to the building. Unfortunately, no pictures. He was too far away and barely discernible with the binoculars. I guess I need some better binoculars.

I saw a coyote once in Chicago. Well, technically, it was Norridge, just outside of Chicago. It really surprised me. I've never thought of coyotes as urban animals. Suburban, certainly, but Norridge is completely residential. I saw this one in a cemetery. It was quite a large cemetary, but there isn't a lot of cover in a cemetary. I bet most of the neighbors don't even know there is a coyote among them. It's probably a good thing since they kind of get a bum rap. (The coyotes, not the neighbors.)

Coyotes are actually quite clever animals. Very shy and wanting to keep to themselves, they seem to be able to hide just about anywhere. You have to be pretty creative to survive in an urban cemetary, don't you think? True opportunists, a coyote can make his way anywhere he happens to be. Wouldn't it be nice if more people were like that? Instead of always wanting more of this and more of that and checking out what the neighbors have. If we could jsut be happy with what the good Lord has granted us, then we could just be happy. Profound, I know. But I didn't hear the coyote complaining that the mice were better out in the countryside and why couldn't he live there instead. He just did what he needed to do and let the world go by. I've been back through that cemetary several times on other visits there. I haven't seen him again, but I'm still hoping.