I just love urban wildlife.

Riding home tonight, I spotted two beavers in Cherry Creek! I was cycling along the bike path just as the light began to fade and I spotted a creature in the creek. Now any urban resident will think what I thought: "is that a rat?" It was only ten feet away, so I had a good, long look and made sure I wasn't mistaken--the wide, flat tail is kind of a giveaway, no? As I watched the beaver swimming along, I spotted a second one. It's kind of odd, the way animals are adapting to the human environment. I've now seen beavers three times in my life, all within a mile of downtown Denver.

CDs listened to today:

• Alan Hovhaness: Symphony No. 20
• Tadeusz Baird: Colas Brugnon - Suite In Old Style
• Dollar Brand/Archie Shepp: Duet
• Metric: Live It Out
• Ludwig van Beethoven: The Symphonies, disk 2 (Herbert von Karajan conducting)
• Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra: Consummation
• Fall Out Boy: From Under the Cork Tree
• Ellen Taaffe Zwilich: Concerto For Violin And Orchestra
• Steven Winteregg: Visions And Revelations
• William Byrd: Suite