Out in the sticks, part 4

The local TV news I was watching reminded people not to set out carved pumpkin jack-o-lanterns for the season. We have more wild animals here that would be attracted to such a treat than we had in Phoenix, including javelinas and the occasional bear. Javelinas or peccaries look like what they are: distant cousins to Old World pigs. They run in packs and are about the size of very large dogs. Normally they spend their time up in the mountains benignly munching on prickly pear fruit and pads. But give them a nice food source like garbage and they'd tear up a neighborhood. (I have large prickly pear plants in my back yard one of which dumps fruit over the wall onto the sidewalk. I wouldn't care if javelinas ate the prickly pear plants to the ground, but to be a good neighbor I pick up the fruit every morning.)

I went out late last night to put out my trash, looked up and saw a sight I haven't seen in decades. Tucson has some strict light pollution laws, so late at night the stars come out beautifully. In Phoenix with its constant glow and air pollution, even at two or three in the morning you'd only see a few of the brightest stars. I just haven't tried to look here before last night.

Headline of the morning: from ABC news...'When You Are in a Hole Stop Digging': Clinton Lawyer Gregg Craig to President Trump Trump spent too many years surrounding himself with yes men to know that sometimes it's better to keep your big mouth shut.