In the Trees

The other morning, I looked outside my kitchen window to find this:

 A massive porcupine.  Eating our apples! (which, by the way, have fermented and we've had trees full of waxwings eating them, getting drunk on them and flying into our kitchen windows!)

 The Girls and I watched him for a while, and then I decided that we should go and chase him out of the tree.  So, I took my camera, went outside, and walked towards the tree.  He, of course, saw me, and started to waddle away.  I could only get a picture of his behind, until I followed him for quite some time over the hill and though the woods (literally....!), and then he turned around and looked at me...

...as if to say, "WHAT are you doing still following me?!" 

I only wanted a good picture!  Here it is!  This bad boy was pretty big, and it was pretty cool to see him up close.  The only porcupine I've ever seen is dead, on the side of the road!

Incidentally, did you know that porcupine's won't shoot their quills at you?  You must touch them in order to get one stuck in you....it's a common misconception. 

We've seen many things in our yard....moose, deer, foxes, coyotes, squirrels, skunks...but never a porcupine.  Until know!  Since this picture, we've seen him one more time....