secluded ranch outside Santa Fe, New Mexico in the high desert. The property came with a real working art studio that had been built by a well known woman painter here. Though I can make do painting in almost any space, I am always more inspired when I am able to work in a “real” studio space. I had been staring at a big blank canvas for days, and decided to take a long walk in the hills for inspiration. I walked a long way, and laid down in the shade under a Juniper to rest before heading back. I dozed off, and when I awoke, I was surrounded by five coyotes. Three of them were laying there very intently, one was sitting and the other was pacing restlessly behind me. Now, I had never heard of coyotes attacking a person so I didn’t freak out completely. But then again, my mind didn’t rule out the possibility. I didn’t know what to do. Do I even look them in the eye? Do I just say cheers and get up and walk away? Or do I run like hell? I pondered all this for some time. The coyotes didn’t appear to be going anywhere soon. We were clearly going to have a waiting game on our hands. So out of nowhere, I started to sing. I sang a lot in the studio when painting, and had memorized may songs. So I started in with Eric Clapton and Layla, then Bonnie Raitt with Nick of Time and Angel from Montgomery and on down the line with songs from Everything But The Girl, Gregg Brown, David Gray, James Taylor, Beth Orton and Patty Griffin. I just sang my heart out, all the while keeping an eye on this restless coyote behind me. I have no idea how long I sang, but suddenly the big coyote in front of me got up, approached me with a long,deep stare, then turned away and off they all went…just like that. I guess I was a bit in shock, and I ran the whole way home. I dug