Brighton gets unexpected visitor

"Look at that funny animal," the little girl exclaimed. She was pointing at the golden colored fuzz ball that was waddling onto Brighton's sun deck. It was the first day of the new year, January 1, and families and friends had gathered to enjoy lunch outdoors on the deck in the sunshine and warm temperatures -- even though it was the beginning of January.

The golden colored fuzz ball was a porcupine. He waddled from table to table looking for scraps. A skier offered him a piece of lettuce and he sat up on his haunches, held the lettuce in his little paws, and nibbled away at it. It was a wild animal show at Brighton!

Then he moved on from table to table. Skiers reached down to touch his long fur. He seemed totally unafraid of people. He was well armed with a tail full of quills, but porcupines are shy and gentle creatures who only use their quills to defend themselves if threatened. They do not throw quills, but they can lash with their tail and the quills will stick into whatever is in the way.

After his debut, he waddled off the deck and disappeared into a thicket. You never know what you'll find when you go to the mountains. Today was special. Happy New Year, Mr. Porcupine!

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