My in-laws think I live in the South Bronx. I don't even know what the South Bronx looks like today but when I was a kid it was considered to be a rough neighborhood.
Allow me to clarify. My in-laws, who I like very much, live in a very rural county in southern Ohio. Population 15,000 for the entire county. It's at that northern border of Appalachia.
I live in a sleepy little suburb of Columbus Ohio called Westerville. Home of John Kasich but we won't go there.
To my in-laws Columbus is a tough, gritty concrete jungle. The New York City of the bad old days. Compton, Detroit, Chicago's South Side - pick your favorite. To reinforce this image their local news makes a point of reporting any murders that happen in Columbus.
Mind you my brother in law is afraid to leave his house unattended for fear someone will break into his shed and steal his ATVs, but I'm the one living in the crime-ridden hell hole.
So follow me past the orange graffiti for a tour of the suburban jungle.
Where my brother in law thinks I live.
Where I really live.
This young raccoon came right up to me on the bike path. I'm told they're fearless at that age and this one certainly was.
Young raccoon spotted on bike path.
I also saw this tortoise on the bike path. We called these "box turtles" when I was a kid but I'm not sure what the real name is.
Tortoise on the bike path.
Deer are all over the place. I've even seen them go through the ravine behind my place.
This deer was on the golf course across the street.
Here's a hummingbird feeding on my balcony.
These guys never cease to amaze me.
I saw these young deer out on the bike path the other day. The two on the left appear to be younger than the one on the right, which was still too small to be the mother.
Young deer on the bike path.
The park just down the road is roamed by wild turkeys.
Wild Turkey (the bird no the drink)
I'm not a birder but I think this guy is a yellow finch. He lives out back.
Anyone know what this is?
This possum was sitting in the tree right outside my living room window. I actually think they're cute but I'm in the minority on that.
Hard to see but that's a possum.
And then there's the squirrels. They're everywhere. Even in my condo. This one chewed through the siding and built a nest right outside my bedroom window.
A squirrel is just a rat with a good PR man.
Here's another shot of the little critter.
Don't like cute exterior fool you. They're pure evil.
I've lost count of how many of these short-tailed shrews have found their way in over the years. I caught one just the other day in fact. The cat and I work as a team. She corrals them and I take them outside.
This is a short-tailed shrew. They have very poor eyesight and a nasty set of teeth.
I've had at least five chipmunks get inside over the years. It's like a Tom and Jerry cartoon when the cat goes after one. They're harder to catch than the shrews.
Also evil.
Our condominium has cedar siding. Since wood gets knotholes in it, critters like to take up residence. Over the years I've had inside my walls multiple birds, a beehive (eek!) and a nest of yellow jackets (double eek!).
We have cedar siding and birds like to nest in any holes they find.
From my back balcony I have seen raccoons, several foxes, a pair of Cooper's Hawks and a mink. At list I think it was a mink. I'm pretty sure weasels aren't pure black.
It of course makes perfect sense. They were here before we were.
The ravine out back in the winter time. Lots of critters live there.
Finally here's the queen of the suburban jungle.
You can't see me. I'm camouflaged.
Keepin' it wild here in suburbia.