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This reminds me. I took the dogs on a walk into the pasture once. I saw a HUGE coon walking ahead of me. It was so big, it looked like a small bear.
They can fight too. Don't ever let your dog fight one in the water.
I don't remember mentioning this here, but last summer in our backyard I encountered a raccon that was smaller than the one you saw. He had shinned his way up a pine tree, but only about 3 feet off the ground. I looked at him. He looked at me with eyes lit like headlights. I got the distinct impression he wasn't the least bit afraid of me. We're in a city, residential area with trees and all, but I hadn't expected to see a raccoon around here. Haven't seen him since though. We have a housecat that's a 15 pound tom. I guestimate that raccoon was at least double his size. Maybe triple.
Quote:
Originally Posted by LookinForMayberry
My (now gone) best friend from high school told me that her daughter once told her that dragonflies were emissaries from departed loved ones. Not long after that, her daughter died in a single car accident. My friend said the following year, a dragonfly stayed in the yard hovering about as she worked outside. It gave her a sense of peace from her grief and made her think that her daughter was okay.
We live on the top of a hill that is near Lake Washington, but quite a distance as a crow flies, let alone a dragonfly. My friend lost her three year battle with pancreatic cancer in August. I had not seen a dragonfly all summer, but that late summer we had a dragonfly come visit every day for weeks.
Thanks, BJ! I was very much into life's symbolism but "life's stream sort of washed me off that bank" so I haven't pursued it much in recent years. What I learned from that time of research is that almost everything we choose in our lives has a root in symbols that date back to our aboriginal roots. This looks like a good place to renew my explorations.
There is a lot of wildlife very close to me and I just can't see it. This is the view from my lanai and I'm estimating it starts about 30 feet away and this foliage, trees, muddy ponds with lily pads and a lake (lake is just beyond the trees) almost surrounds my condo complex. Pic taken after Storm Debby beat us up and that's why moss is everywhere. Two or three days ago at end of day when it was not raining for a minute, I went out to the lanai and heard a symphony of sounds that had to be coming from several creatures - birds, squirrels and other things. All of it had a shrill tone so one critter must have been after another wreaking havoc with friends and family. Suddenly it stopped, all of it almost at once. That's the first time I've heard anything like that.
It's aggravating that I can't see what's going on in all those bushes. I see lots of squirrels that run across the lawn, a few hawks which apparently do a great job of keeping other birds away and there has been one raccoon prancing down the sidewalk. I haven't yet seen the sandhill cranes this close to my place but they are on the grounds and so beautiful.
Location: Approximately 50 miles from Missoula MT/38 yrs full time after 4 yrs part time
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.....Frequent "visitors" through the kindness of "Mother Nature"
......Well folks, today is the "hottest" day of the year so far here in the Bitterroot Valley of western Montana. Since I am a "self-admitted" Weather Wimp when it gets above 100 F (right now at 2:50pm it is 102 F on my front porch)---.....so I thought I'd stay inside and make a list of "visitors" I have had within sight of my house during the many years I have lived here (11 miles outside of town, on 14 acres I bought back in 1976). I am extremely fortunate to have a year-round creek that goes through my place and lots of trees & brush.
I do not have AC, but by opening about 10 windows about 9pm at night and closing them at 6am, it stays quite tolerable.....(last nights low was 55 F and right now in my house it is 74 F).........these 45 to 50 degree "temperature swings" from nightime lows to following day highs are quite common in the (three) summer months we have.
Any way,.......here is my list of wildlife & birds:
...... W T Deer; Mule Deer; Moose; Elk; Black Bear; Wolf; Coyote; Badger; Bob Cat; Mountain Lion; Praire Dog; River Otter; Weasel; Chipmunk; Porcupine; Pine Squirrel; Marmot; Rabbit; Muskrat; Mink; Beaver; Skunk;
......Wild Turkey; Pheasant; Ruffed Grouse; Spruce Grouse; Grey Partridge; Sharp Tail Grouse; Mountain Quail; Great Horned Owl & Great Grey Owl; Red Shouldered Hawk; Red Tail Hawk; Rough Legged Hawk; Cooper's Hawk; American Kestre(a small falcon--aka Sparrow Hawk); Peregrine Falcon; Great Blue Heron; various wild Ducks & Geese; Bald Eagle; Osprey; Turkey Vulture; Crow; Raven ......... and a great variety of (regular) birds including at least (4) specie of wood peckers, including the very large (crow-size)) Pileated Wood Pecker.
Dependent on the time of year, I see several of the listed animals daily and/or weekly..................others I may only see 3 or 4 times/year.
Same thing applies to the birds and waterfowl.
Due to some age-related limitations, I no longer get up into the mountains and wilderness areas as I used to,............however all of the species listed above have been observed on my 14 acres....................Yes, I know how fortunate I am to live where I do and have the privacy & solitude necessary to have as many "visitors" as I do.
Life is good & God has been kind..............................Carpe Diem!!
D Kitty and Griz, I want to spend time at your places! They sound so lovely.
DH and I have visited the Bitterroot Valley in the past -- I think Labor Day Weekend of '97 was our first time, and then again during our big trip ('08-'10). It's beautiful, but hot and dry.
We also loved every place we went in Florida, but there it's hot and humid. Talk about weather weenies! I think we've got that market cornered.
Today we kayaked over eight miles of the Snoqualmie River, from a put at the end of Fish Hatchery Rd, until this horribly stinky Dairy Farm outside of Fall City. PEEEUUUUUU! I thought I was going to be sick into the water. It actually made my eyes water.
Still, it was a great ride and I wouldn't have missed it for the world. Like you, D Kitty, we didn't see much wildlife, but some. There was the tiniest little bird -- perhaps a titmouse, taking its bath in a sandbar hollow that I wished I could just sit and watch it was so cute. I also saw what looked like the smallest Mallard female ever, but alone, so it wasn't a youngster. Never seen one that small before.
I also saw a kingfisher and a hawk, and a small shoreline bird.
When we got home I walked Bigun over to the park and saw little cotton tails and squirrels, but that doesn't seem noteworthy.
the figs are ripening all at once.
i found 4 avocado plants under the green beans. i transpanted to pots but i am told i gota graft to get fruit. we shall see.
i found 4 avocado plants under the green beans. i transpanted to pots but i am told i gota graft to get fruit. we shall see.
I read that they do not like wind and should be sheltered from it, but never saw anything about needing to be grafted.
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