Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Today I saw a bird fly straight up a telephone pole, until coming to rest on a wire. Straight up. I was jealous.
Funny, when I was out walking Bigun yesterday, I saw a sparrow fly straight up about three feet from the ground, and then zoomed off horizontally. It so startled me that I stood there gaping for a moment (until Bigun's prompting pulled me out of it)!
Do you think they're evolved for living in confined spaces?!
DH took his dog, Ritzie, to camp in the LT Murray Wilderness area in the mountains south of Thorpe, WA while he participated in Field Day 2013 this weekend. They were supposed to return today. I received a call from that area's repeater station operator around 9:50 AM to tell me DH was on the radio and had a message for me: "He'd lost Ritzie this morning and had been looking for her but could not find her." I quickly set up a place to meet him so we could return and look for her together. It took me just over an hour to get there, and another half hour for us to reach his campsite. I took Bigun in hopes that he might catch the scent of whatever might've drawn her away. We started following his nose.
As he led us away from the camp, DH was telling me how Ritz never went more than ten yards from the tent all day yesterday, except for the time they both went out for a walk, so he did not think anything of putting her out to relieve herself this morning. As I listened and we searched, I noticed fresh cat scat -- very large cat, and very fresh.
We followed Bigun's nose beyond any distance Ritz could make on her own, and I came across more scat, some older. I became very nervous about scouting further out. We circled back, taking different routes. More sign. She'd been wearing her red coat, so we felt certain we would see her, but there was no red anywhere. DH seemed to think if we just kept looking we would have to find her, but it had already been seven hours, by the time we searched another three. She was gone, and with that much sign in the area there was no way she went that distance without help.
My poor DH is feeling so awful and there is nothing I can do to help take away this pain. He is a city guy, and I don't think it has ever truly hit him before now that wilderness areas are not just pretty. He knows now, but our poor Ritzie pays the price.
In memory of Ritzie
This is so sad. I'm sorry for your loss. RIP little Ritzie!
Funny, when I was out walking Bigun yesterday, I saw a sparrow fly straight up about three feet from the ground, and then zoomed off horizontally. It so startled me that I stood there gaping for a moment (until Bigun's prompting pulled me out of it)!
Do you think they're evolved for living in confined spaces?!
That space must be very tall. I think they're evolved to have awesome flying skills, which I wish I had for a while. Since this is a magical wish, I'll need a magic carpet to transport me in an instant to all the neat places I'd like to fly around: the Grand Canyon, the forests of Appalachia in autumn, Washington DC, Paris, London, the great wall of China, Ayer's rock Australia, etc.
That space must be very tall. I think they're evolved to have awesome flying skills, which I wish I had for a while. Since this is a magical wish, I'll need a magic carpet to transport me in an instant to all the neat places I'd like to fly around: the Grand Canyon, the forests of Appalachia in autumn, Washington DC, Paris, London, the great wall of China, Ayer's rock Australia, etc.
Well, there's always planes.
I love that the yellow tiger swallowtails come to my yard each year to feast upon the dianthus (which are in their final stages of blossom). There is one out there right now that is huge!
Those butterfly bushes are going to have to pep it up a bit on the back fence, if we are going to keep them around. I noticed the hummingbirds were checking out the butterfly bushes this morning, but they might've just been going after bugs.
I love that the yellow tiger swallowtails come to my yard each year to feast upon the dianthus (which are in their final stages of blossom). There is one out there right now that is huge!
Those butterfly bushes are going to have to pep it up a bit on the back fence, if we are going to keep them around. I noticed the hummingbirds were checking out the butterfly bushes this morning, but they might've just been going after bugs.
LFM do you have Cosmos flowers? We got a lot of them and butterflies are everywhere in our little garden Saw only once a hummingbird.
LFM do you have Cosmos flowers? We got a lot of them and butterflies are everywhere in our little garden Saw only once a hummingbird.
We DO have cosmos plants, SP, but they come up later -- at least I think we still have them. Let's say that I reseeded them from last year's blossoms. (I had DH do a bunch of clean up this Spring and it's possible that they disturbed that bed.) I don't normally see many butterflies on them, but historically they've been in the bed in front of the butterfly bushes so those probably drew the most.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BECLAZONE
These little ladies can dance.
I have a yellow rose that buds exactly like that... is yours a climber?
Quote:
Originally Posted by BECLAZONE
This one may be a pest, but is a good looking one.
I always give caterpillars their full life to evolve. Whether they become pests or beneficials is irrelevant to me, I just cannot cut short their potential. (Now if I could feel so consistently toward my own species! )
DH and I have been keeping very busy trying to fend off the grief of losing our little dog, Ritzie on Sunday. It's been hard, but getting better. I just don't understand why with all life's suffering, our endings cannot be peaceful, like passing in our sleep, at home, in bed.
As my teacher teaches: "Let my sorrow free others from sorrow."
Have a happy day, please.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.