Thirty Days of Thanksgiving - Day Fourteen

I am thankful today for urban creatures.  

This morning we saw three raccoons in the back yard.  We live next to a green belt, and they were moving through from one side of the yard to the other.  The kids were super excited.  I tried to get a picture, but the coons moved too fast.  Gabriel said he thought we should leave some bread out on the back porch so maybe the raccoons would come up and eat it, and stay around more.  He had a hard time understanding why that might not be such a great idea.

Also this morning I walked Gabriel to school for the first time in several weeks.  One of the neighbors up the street has chickens.  On the way back from school, Annika and I heard the rooster crowing.  At first she was frightened of it, but I tried to show her by my delight and enthusiasm that she didn't need to be afraid.  Once she got through that, she wanted to stand there and listen some more.  I wish I had my camera along to capture the look on her face - she squealed with glee every time the rooster crowed.  It had this funny "toodle-ee-ooo" crow, not as professional as others I've heard.  Annika held her hand up to her ear to listen.  Did I teach her that?  I don't remember doing so.  She said the rooster was talking to her.  What a treat for us this morning!