As I've spent more time in our back yard, I have been impressed by the abundant wildlife. We have lots and lots of birds about; a veritable chorus in every daylight hour. Our soil seems to be an all-you-can-eat-worm-buffet for voluptuously round, red-breasted robins galore (which bodes well for our soil quality).

Beyond winged visitors, we've got squirrel-a-palooza back there (which is particularly thrilling to me given my aspirations of becoming a squirrel whisperer), mysteriously masked raccoons, and even the ever-pink-n-creepy possums (sorry, they're more than welcome, but they do freak me out).

Last night as I was sitting and taking in the moon, I heard the tell-tale sounds of claws on bark, and realized that a critter was crawling up the backside of a tree that borders our yard.

"Ahhhh..." I thought "here comes another possum".

Imagine my surprise when a gorgeous, fluffy skunk dropped out of the limbs above and proceeded to explore the yard in full, choosing to settle in a bed of tiger lilies not ten feet away from me.

It was an interesting moment; realizing that getting in the house would bring me within two feet of said skunk. "Please don't let me get sprayed" I thought...I could just imagine how much fun that would make today's 2-hour drive with muddyslush and yezida as we make our way up for our final Feri gathering in East Troy, WI.

So I stood (slowly) and said to the tiger lilly clump "Hello skunk and welcome. I live here, and I mean you no harm. I am going to move to that door over there (indicating gently), but I am not actually moving towards you at all so please do not spray me."

I don't know if skunks speak Jennifer, or if that skunk's desire for avoidance matched my own - but I made it past him/her without getting blasted.

So how stupid would I be if I tried to become a skunk whisperer? They're so pretty. Hmmm....