There's a wonderful sense of anticipation of play when you pop open a can of fresh tennis balls. But, they become used tennis balls before you know it. Which brings up the question of what to do with them.

The answers are obvious: Use them for practicing stokes, perfect your ball toss, give them to your dog (or a friend's dog) for play. Alternately, people have been known to slit them open and affix them to the bottom of furniture legs to prevent skid marks on floors. Or, make creative decorations for the holidays. The possibilities are endless.

However, a very overlooked use is as a coyote repellent! Orange County residents share a lot of land with these animals, and they can be a danger to pets and children. This sign from Corona del Mar, and similar signs sprinkled throughout the county, admonish us to:

• Stand tall and wave your arms

• Yell and use noisemakers

• Throw sticks, small rocks, cans or tennis balls