This place is a ZOO!

I see animals in Virginia that I never saw up close in Mississippi. It’s not like we have been nature hiking. We drove up here, and now I drive back and fourth to work. I walk everyday from the parking lot to my apartment and do the same at work. Having said all that...

Animals I have seen so far within 50 feet include: (No encounters were captured on film. Instead we have produced some artist renderings)

Bear cub – (1) running past the car in front of me and jumping a fence on the highway

Rabbits – (2) both in the Brittany Commons parking lot, just hoppin’ around!

Turkeys – (3) all on base in Dahlgren including a mother with baby close behind crossing close in front of me as I attempted to walk up to the side door at work.

Chipmunks – (2) both in Richmond, I was startled by what I thought was a miniature cat in a bush by the canal. This was because it had a wood chip too big for it’s mouth causing its cheeks to stick out, and because I cannot recall ever seeing a non-cartoon representation of a chipmunk before this in my life, so I really had no idea what I was looking at. Mal only got a glimpse, but was able to speculate that the creature was probably a chipmunk. The second encounter occurred later at Belle Isle. I said something like “I wanna see another chipmunk”, and a minute later...the second chipmunk (we'll call him Chipmunk 2) and his buddy the cardinal were horsing around in the forest in full view for Mal and me.

Deer - (specifically 1) ran out in front of my car and stopped. I know this happens all the time in Mississippi, but never before to me. Bambi is lucky there wasn’t a meeting of her grill and my Pathfinder’s.