Early morning encounter

@msiduri If a skunk sprays you please run into the house before you throw away all your clothes I know it is 4.30 and dark. But who knows.

@silvermist Oh, that would be my plan, rest assured.

Yes. But not so up close and personal. He couldn't have been more than six feet (two meters) from me. If he'd been startled or felt threatened, he could easily have sprayed me. I would have had to throw away all the clothes I was wearing and hop into the shower and probably cut my hair. I left about 4:30 a.m. I'm really surprised at how many skunks there are here. Until a couple of years ago, I hadn't seen any since I was a kid in the Midwest. Now I've begun to see them all the time. This morning was as close as I've come, though.

I may have told this story before. If so, forgive me. Long ago and far away, when I was small (my mother tells me) we were at the dump with my grandparents. A couple of bears were rummaging around the garbage. A skunk came by to see what was available and the bears ran off. This was in less environmentally conscious times and I imagine people handle their garbage differently now so as to discourage human/bear contact.

@msiduri No I've not heard the story before. Wow - bears scared of a skunk!

@jaboUK My mother swears I was there and laughed but I was too little to remember it. I must have been because I have no memory of the event. Supposedly (people who study these write) the skunk's coloring is a warning to other animals to stay away. One of the few animals that don't quite get it is the domestic dog.

@msiduri Hahaha I did not know that about their poop. Their personalities are kind if a combination between cats and dogs. You can have them descented to keep them as pets. They still smell a little even with the gland removed from what I've heard.

They are adorable. I've heard of people keeping them as pets, though I've never known anyone personally who's done this. Frankly, a skunk wouldn't be my first choice for a pet. I mean, even their poop smells like skunk in addition to, well, smelling like poop.

@shaggin I wouldn't call myself an expert in the matter. We've just found piles in our front yard.

Lucky and happy. I've tried to get skunk stink out of dogs' coats. I don't relish the idea of getting it out of m own.

This isn't my picture, but one from pixabay. Yes, I was lucky. And happy. He wanted nothing to do with me. I didn't take that personally. He had plenty of room to run, so he didn't feel trapped.

Thanks. The photo isn't mine, though. I got it through pixabay. The skunk I saw the other day didn't hang around long enough to get his picture taken.

It was a skunk.

YIKES! Poor dog. Though they never learn. They must think it's an invading cat or something.

I hadn't thought of that, but I was pretty lucky right then and there not to be wearing... er, perfume.

The picture isn't mine. But maybe I ran across the cousin of the creature in my driveway.