ElleSpeak

This is our 5th year visiting Sedona, Arizona during the winter months and for the last four years I’ve eagerly kept an eye open for any sighting of a Javelina as we drive through the beautiful high desert of magical red rock formations and prickly pear cactus, only to be greatly disappointed every time.

In case you don’t know, a Javelina is a wild hog that roams through the neighborhoods of expensive pueblo homes as easily as he roams the backcountry, and the trails that are everywhere in Sedona. They like to travel in herds, so you will often see Javelina babies trotting right alongside their mothers and fathers. At least that’s what I’ve been told!

I have only seen the spoor and droppings of a Javelina, consisting of mostly juniper berries, along the many trails we enjoy hiking while we’re here; and last year I felt lucky to see the hind end of a Javelina or two as they scurried away from me in the open area behind the house where we were staying.

When friends came to Sedona to visit last year they teased me about my desire to see an entire Javelina, from head to tail. They even took a picture of a very realistic painting of a Javelina in an art gallery and tried to convince me they had seen it along the road!

Yesterday morning I was looking out a large window at the front of the house we’re renting, and my eye just caught the tail end of a Javelina walking past our driveway. “Darn it!” I thought…”I’ve missed seeing the entire animal again!” But….Just as I began to walk away… a large female Javelina walked onto the front sidewalk of our yard, not 20 feet from me. She stopped in her tracks, turned to face me full on, and for over a minute we shared meaningful eye contact.

I’ll never know what she actually saw in my eyes, but I can tell you they were shining with delight at this special, quiet moment shared with an elusive creature of the Sedona desert. What I saw in her eyes was curiosity and expectancy. Who are you? Do you have something I want? Why are you staring at me? I wanted to get a picture but didn’t want to break away until she was ready to say good bye.

Finally! I’ve seen the beauty of an entire Javelina, from snout to tail! I thought she was quite attractive with her small feet, bristly coat, and tiny, intense eyes…but somehow I doubt she felt the same way about me!