Begin forwarded message:
From: ALAN SKEOCH <alan.skeoch@rogers.com>Subject: Coyote wall. June 31 2919Date: June 29, 2019 at 3:53:22 PM EDT
“COYOTE IS AFTER WOODY, DO SOMETHING!!”
alan skeoch
June 2019
“Alan, the coyote was back last night at dusk…I think he wants to get Woody”
“Forget about it…Woody is too big and does not wander.”
“Sure, sure…don’t you remember the slash on his bum from a coyote Woody thought was friendly.”
“Scared hell out of him…came running up to me and leaned against my leg.”
“Well, surely that would teach you that coyotes are dangerous.”
“Damn beautiful animals as long as the mange doesn’t get them.”
“Alan, we have a pack of coyotes living in the bush back of our house…that is scary.”
“Live and let live, Marjorie.”
“Do you want Woody killed?”
“Never happen, our dog run is fenced.”
“Not any more…coyote has been digging under the chain link.”
“Imagination.”
“Sometimes Alan I find you irritating…maddening…far too laid back.”
“Show me the hole.”
So that little incident started our Canada Day week end. Fence repairs to keep the coyotes out.
I am not proud. I admit that the repairs were done by the female crew living with us. They had
seen the coyotes and Woody nose to nose with wire mesh in between. I had not seen this contact
so I was a little less enthused about fence repairs.
Women are better at this kind of thing anyway. Moving cement blocks from place
to place to frustrate the coyote. They were good at the job.
“While you are doing repairs, I am going coyote hunting.”
“Alan, come back here.”
“Just hunting with my camera.”
Our house lot is long and wild…50 get by 400 feet. Part of the ancient Mississauga
First Nations territory. Last part they held. So it is nice and verdant…wild.
Works was progressing well
About half way down our lot, we had built a fence to keep our dogs from irritating
neighbours. We have had lots of dogs…Shadow, Sunny, Molly, etc, etc…and now
Woody who is about as laid back as his owner except when the coyote comes calling
at dusk every night. Then Woody barks. Very brave barking since he is protected
by the chain link fence.
“Alan … the fence has been compromised,,,where are you going?”
“See if I can get a picture of the coyotes family…back in the bush.”
And so I used the camouflage of greenery to escape the fence building…just like
the coyote…I was hidden.
At the back of the lot we keep this old dump rake as a reminder of the days long
ago when this was a hay field.
I know the coyotes were watching me but I could not see them…lots of places
to hide and slink about.
“Alan, you did nothing to hep the girls…nothing. As usual.”
“I was on point…the point man in the defence of our fort…doing recon”
“The least you could is fix the gate…handle not working…enough of a gap for
coyote to get through if we are not careful.”
“Get Gabriela on that…she is right handed.”
“I wish you would stop using that left handed excuse.”
“That excuse has worked for 80 years so I have not intention of
giving up a good thing.”
“OK wise guy…we are going to lock you out there with the coyotes…right now.”
“So here I am … inspecting fence repairs from the outside.”
“Quite amazing work…lifting cement blocks…placing them…now let me back in!”
“
Somewhere behind you Alan, a coyotes is salivating…slobbering…anticipating a good meal.”
alan skeoch
June 2019
Sent from my iPhone