The familiar sound of paws scraping tree trunks startled me as I went to check my mailbox that evening. Raccoons are frequent visitors to our strata, crawling beneath the cedars in my backyard, sipping from the dish of water that I leave out for the stray cats and starting wars high in the trees.
Yes, there was a war! Many of the neighbours came out to observe the two males fighting over a female high in the pine tree. It looked like one of them chickened out and let the other guy win.
Many years ago when I lived in a different town, two young boys came to my door selling prints of paintings that their father had painted. For a very low price I bought one of two raccoons peaking out from a tree, titled “BANDITS”. At the time I had no idea how often I would be visited by these terribly cute bandits.
The water dish which I leave out on my patio day and night sometimes ends up on its side, or full of dirty water. Those are the nights that the raccoons find themselves thirsty. Cats are much cleaner, and don’t lift up the ceramic dish and play with it!
Even though I live downtown in a city, I love how almost daily I am witness to wildlife in my yard.
Reflections 