Coyote: We had ground hogs at the museum and nature center where I worked. You know how inquisitive they are, and they were in a pit, so they really couldn't see that far. There was a small tree in the center of the pit, and I used to really laugh, because they'd climb up in the tree and stretch out on the branches with all four legs dangling, and just enjoy watching the people. I've never seen one in a tree, in the wild. You do what you have to.

On Groundhog Day, they'd ask me to sing and play Groundhog on banjo, and talk about ground hogs. I also have a photo of a home-made banjo with a grounmd hog skin head. It must have been a small ground hog because they had to use the skin up to the top of the head, and the ears were still on the skin. Gave new meaning to the term "playing by ear."

But then, this is thread drift. If life is really tragic, then I guess this must be comic relief. Funny, it seemed real to me.

Jerry