saturday july 12

today i decided to grill up some food for lunch and went out to our deck to get the barbecue going. before i turned on the propane tank, i started cleaning the grill, but stopped short when i heard a rustling sound directly below me. i stepped back and looked around the back of the barbecue, and found myself face to face with a raccoon who had been hanging out underneath the grill -- had i reached in to turn on the propane tank right away, i may have found my hand touching raccoon and given both of us heart attacks. as it was, i was able to steer him off the deck and managed to snap a couple candid shots in the process: