Down A dark Path...

Everyone has an imagination, some more vivid than others, and sometimes it can get away from us. Have you ever wondered where a deep, dark path leads? You are on a nice walk through the woods and you come upon a path. You look, and it seems to descend downward to some place dark and who knows what's down there? I have...

I guess we all have struggled with ourselves, daring ourselves to find out, but something in the back of your mind keeps telling you...DON'T do it! Don't go down there. Chances are, there is nothing harmful down there but, WHAT if there is? I learned a long time ago that is is easier to STAY out of trouble, than to GET out of it...

I don't know if it was my alter ego telling me I'm chicken, if I DON'T go,  or what , but at last I had to 'Man Up' and find out for myself. I start  down the path,carefully watching where I walked, because I have learned that we are not the ONLY ones in the woods. Lots of things live there, out of sight, and hopefully, out of my way...Still, that nagging little voice telling me...'This is not a good idea'!

The  path is wide enough, as if at one time it was well traveled. The way is wide and clear and if anything was ahead of me I might have enough time to change my plans; Maybe... Run, if necessary. My pleasant walk in the woods has turned into an uneasy walk in the woods. Darn it! Why did I  have to let my ego get me into this? Suddenly, I hear a rustling noise in the brush. My heart jumped a beat or two and I stood still. What could it be?

I knew there were bears around and I really didn't want to run into one. No doubt, they can outrun me, and I don't have anything except my walking stick to protect me. Oh man! I waited and listened and then heard it again. There was definitely something moving there. Now, I know how the animals must feel when they are being hunted. But what was hunting, or watching me? THEN, I saw what it was. I breathed a sigh of relief  when I realized..no bear! Thank God for that. We both stood for a moment or two just looking at each other...

It wasn't the ferocious beast I had imagined and it was young enough that it probably hadn't learned to fear humans yet, but the deer just stood there looking . I guess he was curious, as to what I was. Old enough to be on his own, and curious about this strange creature in HIS woods...Meaning me...

Not at all alarmed, and when he got tired of watching me, he turned, walked a short distance and put his head down to resume eating grass. Much relieved, I walked slowly on, so as not to frighten him. Let him live a peaceful life, while he can.

I moved on down the path, feeling a bit braver now, since I hadn't encountered anything bigger than me. About a quarter mile farther the path began to widen and there it was; the end of the road/path and the answer to where it went. An old cabin, long deserted, but still standing. From the looks of it, it must have been built in the 1800s.

I wondered who might have lived here and wondered how they must have felt when they first raised it and moved in. I'm sure they must have had some reservations about what they were sharing the woods with, but they didn't have the road/path yet...

SOME CURIOUS VISITORS...

When our Arizona weather finally cools and it's time for the Prospectors to come out, I, and a lot of others, pack up the equipment and head north to the gold fields(AKA Gold basin, Arizona)...

While the rest of the country is freezing during the winter months, we busy ourselves with prying rather small pieces of the yellow metal from the desert sands. Strangers to these parts might think that they are all alone out there...DON'T bet on it! There are more critters creeping, crawling, and sneaking around out there than one might first imagine. Some extremely dangerous, some you hear howl at night, but seldom see in daylight. That long lonesome sound one hears at night are Coyotes...

If anyone has ever watched cartoons they may well have see the infamous Roadrunner, being chased by Wiley Coyote. Actually, we have both of these cute little guys running around out here, but I have yet to see the Coyote chasing the ever superior Roadrunner. Reality is that it would be by trickery only that a Coyote would ever have a chance of catching a Roadrunner. That skinny little bird is faster than a rattlesnake...

The problem we have with the coyotes around here is that too many people leave too much trash and food around and these scrawny little dogs are always hungry. Although, most of us carry a pistol when we are out and about, in Arizona, the Coyotes are seldom seen during the day and seldom shot at, so they tend to become a bit over confident, and by nature, are more than curious...

I remember on one occasion, I had stayed the night; Just me, a very long night and it sounded like a thousand Coyotes, howling all night long. Finally, morning came and at first daylight I put the coffee pot on and while it brewed I decided to walk down to the wash and check on my drywasher; Not that there was anyone around to steal it...

Like I said, I was still waiting on my first cup of coffee and I didn't even think about strapping on my gun before I jumped down in the wash. I checked and all seemed well. My equipment was still there and intact. THEN, I just HAPPENED to look up. I hadn't heard a sound but, there they were: Two Coyotes, standing only a few feet away...Just watching...ME!

Normally, Coyotes are rather shy and keep their distance. For the most part, they don't trust humans, and they shouldn't , but at this particular moment I could only wonder...Were they just OVER confident, just  curious, were they totally desperate..or what? I was sure missing my 38 caliber at the moment.

I remember when I was a kid and we lived on a ranch in Nebraska, my brother and I witnessed two very skinny and hungry Coyotes trying to pull down a full grown cow. They didn't have much luck and the cow just kept butting them with her head and knocking them off their feet. They finally gave up and went looking for something much smaller, but the point is: With Coyotes, you can never be sure what is going through their minds... OR their intentions...

I, slowly, eased my way back to the Pickup and immediately retrieved my gun. I watched the coyotes, which remained for a while and at last moved on. I THINK they were just looking for a free meal, but I didn't make that mistake again. I wouldn't harm one of them unless I had no choice, because I know they (like all of us) get hungry and need to live.

I had my coffee and went to work, but  remained watchful the rest of day.  The Coyotes had disappeared for now...Out of sight, but I knew they were there...and watching! Why wouldn't they be...This is their home...