I Spoke Too Soon!

Unruly Urchin.... makes me utterly upset!!!

"In such a strait the wisest may well be perplexed, and the boldest staggered." ~ Edmund Burke, Thoughts on the Cause of the Present Discontents

I spoke too soon! This unruly urchin and his union of urban outlaws have gotten the upper hand again. The ultrasonic device I urged folks to use is utterly useless and unproductive in its appointed undertaking. OK. I really cannot think of many more "U" words and it makes my head ache.... my thesaurus is about to go up in smoke. I recommended an ultrasonic squirrel and animal repelling machine by a company called Bird-X. At first, it seemed to be unbelievably (I did it again) effective and thwarted the critters for over a week. But then, I re-filled the bird feeders and they simply came back. Occasionally, I see where they have knocked it over to a face down position and other times, they simply stand in front of it and laugh hysterically at me watching them from the window. But now it is WAR! I caught one on the deck munching on one of my small tomatoes.... I am afraid that my brother is right...these squirrels have to depart, scram, vamoose... one way or the other.

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ABC Wednesday ~ "U"

Nature's Notes

Stuck

Not a bright squirrel.....

I couldn't believe this squirrel was so stupid and smart at the same time. Smart enough to get into the cage around the bird food and stupid enough to forget how he did it and get stuck. I still don't know how he got in... how do squirrels do anything.... but he definitely couldn't get out. I had to pull the spring pin that was holding the lid down and do it really quick. Really now, I don't have a hankering to be bitten by one of these things. That was no small feat as it is a really tight spring. By the time I found him here, he was already in a squirrely state (pardon the pun), panicked and frantically chewing on the metal wire. It took several tries but finally the spring came loose and he popped out of the top and off to the woods. If only that experience were imprinted on his pea sized brain... no such luck. We move the patio chairs further and further away from the bird feeder and he jumps further and further to get to the feeder.... soon we will have to catch him and sell him to a traveling squirrel circus, along with his five other cohorts.

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Shutterday

In Like A Lion

 

Grand Canary Island, June 2009
(Click picture to enlarge)

Up from the sea, the wild north wind is blowing
Under the sky's gray arch;
Smiling I watch the shaken elm boughs, knowing
It is the wind of March.
~ William Wordsworth, Written in March

March really came in with a roar this year... snow then rain, then more snow and more rain.... finally ending up with almost 1.5 inches already this month. Another in the long line of Nor'easters we have had this winter. The wind was again, amazingly strong and with my room facing northwest... well, it howled and creaked and the screens shook as the rain pounded the windows.... all night for two nights. Today, still windy but the sky was clear, the barometric pressure is on the way up and the sun was out, even if it was still cold. The mourning doves lined up, perched along the back fence hunkered down against the wind. I decided to clean the french door windows and was opening the door when a large fluttering of wings swooped around the side of the house and right up to the door, then back over the hot tub and out to the back fence. It was our hawk... today was a hunting day, but no luck. The hapless doves managed to escape... this time.

As for the picture, it comes from a warmer place, Grand Canary Island. No, I haven't been there but my brother performed there last summer and brought me a horde of pictures to work with... yes, I must live life in exotic settings through his pictures. I love the look in the lion's eye and it is my contribution to Carmi's weekly theme... monochrome.

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Two Bumps On A Wall....

Two bumps on a wall, or is it four?
(Click picture to enlarge)

"Sleepy turtles never catch up with the sunrise." ~ Jamaican Proverb

Life is busy, going at breakneck speed... no time to slow down, stop or rest for most of us; but not the turtle. Collecting "stuff", most of which we don't need or use until it becomes overwhelming is a problem most of us face at some time in life; but not the turtle, he carries his possessions on his back. Sleeping in the sunshine, a recipe for disaster with most of us; but not the turtle.

Turtles know the value of pulling back, retreating into a safe place to ponder the next move. Still to get to the next pond or log or simply to the other side of the road... they have to stick their necks out. They are not afflicted with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, jumping here and there.. they plod along, proving the geometric premise, "the shortest distance between two points is a straight line." They know the value of fifteen minutes in the sun each day. We could learn a lesson or two from the turtle... hey, is there room for me on that log?

Watery Wednesday keeps us cool this summer so visit and enjoy!

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If We Could Talk To The Animals....

....would we learn how silly we look to them?
Judging by the look this fellow gave me... I think so!
(Click picture to enlarge)

"In order to be an immaculate member of a flock of sheep, one must above all be a sheep oneself." ~ Albert Einstein

"Oh! Hello! Just taking a picture of the fascinating windmill on the pivoting base with the Dutch architectural influence, that sits right in the middle of your fenced pasture here in Williamsburg! What's that? You don't really care?! Oh, but you should.... what with all this history right around you. Oh! Right! You're most interested in the next meal or perhaps wondering when you will be sheared next... Yes, hope it IS before those 95 degree summer days! No, I really didn't call you over here. No, I really don't have anything special for you to eat. OK. I'll just be on my way!"

"But... before I go, could I just snap a picture of your handsome face... you see.. Carmi has a weekly themed project and this week it is "animals". Why would I want to include you? Well... er.... you see.... you ARE one!"

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