Opinion : I just saw something I\'ve never seen before...

Ok, I admit it, I'm still a city kid.

The other night while driving home, something ran across the road that looked like a gray blur.

I've gotten used to seeing deer on the road, so am constantly on the lookout for those, but this was something new.

A few years ago I saw little tiny foxes in a den alongside the road.

Yesterday on the way home, we saw a coyote. It had the same gray coat I recognized a few nights earlier.

Of course we discussed the "new" neighbor and our youngest daughter got very concerned about her kittens outside, but being the mom I assured her that they'd be fine...well chances are they will be.

It didn't take long to realize there are "laws of the jungle" out here. The smallest animals are at the mercy of the larger, hungrier ones.

When the meal is done vultures come along for the clean up.

Many times we'd see a deer along the road that had been hit by a car, and vultures would be cleaning up. A few days later all that would be left of it would be the bones. Kinda cool when you think about it really.

Last summer we had a litter of the cutest kittens that simply disappeared one night, we assume some of the Eagles living in the neighborhood saw lunch and stopped by.

While I don't consider myself a real enviromentalist, I think a few more years in the country and I may get there.

Things like cleaning liquids that we put down the drains, never bothered me, until I realized that what I put into the drain ended up on our land.

In town, you put it down the drain and understand that it goes, down the pipes, to more pipes and I guess you just assume it goes to pipe heaven.

The same with garbage. You bag it, put it by the curb, guys in a big truck come along and wisk it away to landfill limbo.

When we moved out here, we realized for years our ancestors and living relatives thought the best way to get rid of their garbage is to throw it in a pile where it's out of sight...unless you are walking along enjoying nature.

We ran into a bit of a problem when we were building our house. Dean had burn barrells set up to burn the sticks, leaves, branches that he trimmed off the trees and all the weeds and grass that piled up over the years.

I, being the city kid, saw a plastic jug, picked it up, did what I'd been taught to do all my life, put it in the barrell, and boy the neighbors did not appreciate the smell of the burning plastic...I wouldn't have either.

So it's the little things like that which make me appreciate the land that we have. It's not much, compared to the other folks we know, but it's so much more than they tiny corner lot I used to own.

Now I realize the importance of keeping the garbage out of our creek, and making sure all the lids are capped, I use less chemicals and a lot more baking soda.

Now when I see a jug or other garbage, I make sure to not toss it where it will get in the middle of Dean's burn pile.

I realize that if I want my kids to enjoy "grandpa's" land like we are getting to, I need to take care of it like I have grandma's dishes.

In the scheme of things, I realize we are only here for a short time, we're just borrowing this land. It's my job to try and keep it as natural as we can.

It's quite a responsibility when you think about it, but it's worth it.