Ultra-local news: about an hour ago I was getting my dog in the car to drive her to the local college campus for a walk (I like to when the students are mostly gone; also, there’s a fenced-in area for track and field throwing events where I can let her off leash briefly). Just after I got the dog in the car a police cruiser pulled up and warned me that a bear had been sighted in the area. I said “wow” and turned around to look at the woods behind our townhouse when a juvenile black bear jumped up on a granite boulder and stared at us for a few seconds like “you talkin’ bout me?” Then it sort of loped off into the woods.

I was just about to unleash the dog at the field when I saw a big wild turkey in the middle of the field. I thought I shouldn’t stress out the turkey, so I kept my dog on leash. Only then did I notice three little turkeys behind her. Good thing. It was sunny at the moment, and now there is a thunderstorm. Nature comes close sometimes.