Author Topic: Fauna and other natural things  (Read 43064 times)

paultuttle

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Re: Fauna and other natural things
« Reply #675 on: October 19, 2022, 11:08:41 AM »
If you see Uncle Ananias, just smile and bear with him.  He's kind of crotchety.

"Georgie," he burst forth, ". . . I'm a-goin' to do it. I don't know how many dingblasted years it is since I've done it, but I'm a-goin' to do it now."

"Do what?" asked Little Georgie, puzzled.

"Georgie," said Uncle Analdas solemnly, "listen careful now, because you may never hear me speak these words again in your whole life. Georgie--I'm goin' to take me a bath!"




:ROFLMAO:

Harlow2

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Re: Fauna and other natural things
« Reply #676 on: October 20, 2022, 04:22:12 PM »
Out on a walk with a friend to an abandoned cranberry bog earlier this week I realized that where the trail ended I was standing on a beaver’s house under construction. The builders had been scraping mud out of the bog and plastering the sides of the house; the mud was still wet.  My friend lives closer to the bog than I do and has promised updates.

nebo113

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Re: Fauna and other natural things
« Reply #677 on: October 21, 2022, 01:32:37 PM »
Out on a walk with a friend to an abandoned cranberry bog earlier this week I realized that where the trail ended I was standing on a beaver’s house under construction. The builders had been scraping mud out of the bog and plastering the sides of the house; the mud was still wet.  My friend lives closer to the bog than I do and has promised updates.

Oh my goodness!

hmaria1609

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Re: Fauna and other natural things
« Reply #678 on: October 22, 2022, 07:38:28 PM »
Saw a buck having breakfast in the woods on my morning walk. Just one of the numerous deer I've seen in our development.

apl68

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Re: Fauna and other natural things
« Reply #679 on: November 09, 2022, 06:29:35 AM »
Came to work this morning and saw a good-sized walking stick bug on the wall beside the staff entrance, right about eye level.  Staff members who had gotten there earlier were busy discussing it.  One of them was slightly freaked out about seeing that big, weird bug right beside the entrance to work.  I took a sheet of scratch paper and carefully got the walking stick onto it and carried it over to the edge of the woods.  I think I managed to relocate it without harming it.  Another example of how endlessly inventive the Creator was when it came to producing different living creatures.
We know that if this tent we call life is taken down, we have a building from God, permanent, in the heavens.  While living in life's tent we groan impatiently--not for life to end, but for it truly to begin, that mortality might be swallowed up by life.

apl68

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Re: Fauna and other natural things
« Reply #680 on: November 14, 2022, 03:40:30 PM »
A staff member's cat made a startling discovery at her house.  She found the cat playing with what turned out to be a mummified snake in the house.  It had gotten in at some point, died, and dried out.  She would never have known it was there if the cat hadn't turned it into a toy.
We know that if this tent we call life is taken down, we have a building from God, permanent, in the heavens.  While living in life's tent we groan impatiently--not for life to end, but for it truly to begin, that mortality might be swallowed up by life.

nebo113

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Re: Fauna and other natural things
« Reply #681 on: November 15, 2022, 05:07:01 AM »
A staff member's cat made a startling discovery at her house.  She found the cat playing with what turned out to be a mummified snake in the house.  It had gotten in at some point, died, and dried out.  She would never have known it was there if the cat hadn't turned it into a toy.

Giggling and eye rolling both!

apl68

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Re: Fauna and other natural things
« Reply #682 on: November 17, 2022, 07:27:16 AM »
Sitting in the bracing early-morning chill on the bank of the pond at the city park.

Clouds drifting directly overhead, painted by the light of the rising sun, and reflected in the waters of the pond.

Mist drifting across the pond's surface, with my breath now and then adding its tiny contribution to it.

The occasional tiny splash of a falling leaf, and the sound of a wood duck skimming across the surface in a nearby cove.

After only a few minutes I had to go on my way, to get home and prepare for the day's work.  Work?  While I do have various things to get done today, those few minutes in the presence of the Creator, filling up on the gladness of his presence and being reminded of just who he is, may have been the most productive few minutes all day.
We know that if this tent we call life is taken down, we have a building from God, permanent, in the heavens.  While living in life's tent we groan impatiently--not for life to end, but for it truly to begin, that mortality might be swallowed up by life.

mamselle

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Re: Fauna and other natural things
« Reply #683 on: November 17, 2022, 08:03:37 AM »
So many thanks.

M.
Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.

Reprove not a scorner, lest they hate thee: rebuke the wise, and they will love thee.

Give instruction to the wise, and they will be yet wiser: teach the just, and they will increase in learning.

Juvenal

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Re: Fauna and other natural things
« Reply #684 on: November 17, 2022, 02:41:19 PM »
Some of us lack ponds and coves.  I do have some falling leaves, but there are no splashes, no susurrant wood ducks.  I seem to live in the wrong place.  I know that.  Sigh.

Sitting in the bracing early-morning chill on the bank of the pond at the city park.

Clouds drifting directly overhead, painted by the light of the rising sun, and reflected in the waters of the pond.

Mist drifting across the pond's surface, with my breath now and then adding its tiny contribution to it.

The occasional tiny splash of a falling leaf, and the sound of a wood duck skimming across the surface in a nearby cove.

After only a few minutes I had to go on my way, to get home and prepare for the day's work.  Work?  While I do have various things to get done today, those few minutes in the presence of the Creator, filling up on the gladness of his presence and being reminded of just who he is, may have been the most productive few minutes all day.
Cranky septuagenarian

apl68

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Re: Fauna and other natural things
« Reply #685 on: November 28, 2022, 02:24:23 PM »
Thanksgiving Day we heard a couple of the most sustained thunder rolls I've ever heard.  They just went on and on.  Fortunately we had no high winds or extreme rainfall.  Glad I made my drive up for the holiday before the worst of it hit.
We know that if this tent we call life is taken down, we have a building from God, permanent, in the heavens.  While living in life's tent we groan impatiently--not for life to end, but for it truly to begin, that mortality might be swallowed up by life.

Langue_doc

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Re: Fauna and other natural things
« Reply #686 on: November 29, 2022, 06:03:49 AM »
Lots of beaver activity in the nature preserve; they had even been chewing on tree stumps (trees had been cut down because of the ash borer damage). Some of the chewings appeared to be quite fresh because I had been going for walks in that preserve every day during my visit.

As for the deer, there were at least a couple of families that would saunter through the property of my hosts, and also through the neighbors' properties. I'd see them first thing in the morning, and also periodically during the day, and think of venison (sorry, vegetarian forumites).

AmLitHist

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Re: Fauna and other natural things
« Reply #687 on: November 29, 2022, 04:28:48 PM »
Kid #1 had an owl serenading her from a treetop about 20 feet from her bedroom for most of Monday night.

On the way home from her country house yesterday evening, ALHS and I saw 3 gorgeous does--Mom had already crossed the road to the east, and her two daughters were standing on the west side.  I completely stopped the car and let them pass.  So pretty, and such fluffy white tails!

apl68

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Re: Fauna and other natural things
« Reply #688 on: December 06, 2022, 07:14:34 AM »
Clouds drift past the pond
Wood ducks cry, while late fall leaves
Drop down on my head
We know that if this tent we call life is taken down, we have a building from God, permanent, in the heavens.  While living in life's tent we groan impatiently--not for life to end, but for it truly to begin, that mortality might be swallowed up by life.

apl68

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Re: Fauna and other natural things
« Reply #689 on: December 16, 2022, 08:14:32 AM »
Yesterday morning, before dawn, I was walking down the street near the beginning of my morning walk when I saw a large cat scurrying along in the light of a street lamp.  No, it wasn't a cat--it was a good-sized raccoon!  A man who had just come out of a nearby house to carry his trash to the curb asked me whether I was taking my pet coon for a walk.  I admitted that I'd never seen that one before.

That afternoon I passed by the same house, and saw the same guy outside again.  Kind of remarkable, since I seldom spot anybody outside at that house.  I called out to him "Have you seen a raccoon pass by here?" as if I was looking for one.  We had a good laugh, and then he said that he sees me walking by all the time, and had seen that raccoon come by before trailing a couple of young.  I guess our paths had just never crossed before.
We know that if this tent we call life is taken down, we have a building from God, permanent, in the heavens.  While living in life's tent we groan impatiently--not for life to end, but for it truly to begin, that mortality might be swallowed up by life.