Month: December 2013

WHAT IS THAT?

As I walked out on the front porch this morning, holding my coffee cup to keep warm, I watched the freezing rain come down and decided that maybe today I would to spend sometime in the shop. This reminded me of an incident that happened a few days ago while I was working in the shop.

I should preface the following story with a simple declaration. Both my wife and I are city folk. We are originally from Los Angeles California. What little we knew about wild animals was probably learn from television programs. Some when we moved to the East wood to Texas, we did not know what to expect by living in the woods. This is not a compliant, but a way to set up the next story.

I am constantly amazed at the variety of creatures and insects and animals that exist in the woods where I live. Let me start with the story of the scorpion. One quiet evening, inside the house, while my wife and I were watching TV my wife gave out a small scream and point to something crawling on the carpet. She stayed at a distance while I went to take a look at what was crawling on the carpet. Slowly she began to edge forward and then declared” it’s a scorpion”. I sporting confidence of an expert declared, “No it’s not it is too little”. I thought scorpion lived only in a desert environment. This started a fairly long debate between my wife and I on whether the crawling creature was a scorpion or not. Somehow I finally took a picture of the crawling creature and send it off several of our relatives for advice on what we’re looking at. It didn’t take long before we received several text messages that the creature was a scorpion. I and my dignity still would not concede that it was a scorpion. So I went to the computer and googled scorpion and after several readings I had to concede to my wife that she was right. It was a scorpion crawling on the carpet inside my home. My daughter-in-law, who was born and raised in this area, stated that she saw many of them growing up in her house. She stated that it was a nasty sting but not a deadly one. My wife was smiling ear-to-ear. And tried not to gloat about the fact that she was right and I was not. Since that first incident we would see one more scorpion crawling across the carpet. On both occasions my wife gave me the opportunity to kill the creature and put it outside in the trash.

Some months later I was working outside near the pond and I noticed something moving near the water’s edge. It was a large turtle. I went to the house and got my camera and came back and took a picture of the turtle. Again I sent the pitcher out to family members and asked if anyone knew what kind of turtle it was. I returned to the scene where I saw the turtle, and it was gone. But I noticed to smaller turtles in the same area so I again took a picture. I grabbed the two small turtles and put them in a box. I then sent out another e-mail telling my son that I had captured to turtles wondered if his children wanted them. A short time later, one of my other sons returned my first e-mail stating that the picture was of a snappy turtle. I replied to him that I was thinking of giving it to his brother’s kids. He replied back that that was not a good idea, those turtles will snap at anything put in front of them including a toe. My giving them as a gift to my grandchildren was not a good idea. So I took the turtles back to where I found them and release them. I watch as they quickly scampered or waddled out of sight.

A few months later, after listening to the news about feral hogs damaging the local farmland, I observed a small feral pig staggering down the road. My wife and I were so excited about seeing it that we took a picture of it. It appeared that the pig was either injured or ill. My wife wanted to know if we could help the pig. I said I thought it was not a good ideal, first. it is a wild animal and second we do not know what kind of disease that can be caring. I do know that feral pigs usually travel in groups. The fact that this was a lone was not a good sign. So we watched him wobble on down the road into the forest trees.

Just a few days ago I was working in my shop. Next to my shop is a 8 by 12 shed. I’ve always thought that a skunk lived under that shed but never saw any real evidence of it. So as I was working in the shop my, wife was about to bring me some drink and food for lunch. As she was walking towards the shop she stopped in her tracks. She tried to use a whispering voice to get my attention. Eventually I looked her way and she signaled by hand moment to come outside shop. Not speaking, she frantically pointed in one direction. I looked in that direction and there was a large white and gray with black stripes skunk. He was moving slowly, away from our location. I can only guess that the skunk was looking for a mate. It seems like during this time of year there are a lot of dead skunks on the road. So I guess this is the mating season. I believe that skunks don’t normally come out during the daytime. My wife relayed to me that as she was walking towards the shop she observed the skunk to walk slowly right next to the open door of the shop. She was afraid I would startle the skunk and it would spray me in the shop. As it was, the skunk slowly walked away. But now I’m faced with the question, what do you do with the skunk? I certainly didn’t want to try to scare it or herded  it away. But I also didn’t want it to come back and live under that she had with the lingering smell of skunk at the shed. I brought out my gun and thought I might try to shoot it, a ways from the shop. But the animal moves so gracefully I could not bring myself to shoot the skunk. So I said and watched him wobble around for a while at one point he walked back near the shed. I slowly walked around to where the shed was an effort to encourage the skunk to move on. Eventually, I came up with the ideal to pack clay around the bottom opening of the shed in an effort to keep the skunk from going back underneath. The next morning I looked around the bottom of the shed and there was no evidence of the skunk returning.

Finally, while I was walking my dogs in the back of the property, my dog alerted on some creature and chased it to the bottom of a tree. I quickly went to the tree and look down to see a large striped tail slowly crawling into a hole. I did not know if this was the large snapping turtle that I had spotted on another occasion. So once again I went to the computer research through Google and call the local neighbor to ask them if they knew what was. It wasn’t long before I was told it was an armadillo. Talk about a scary looking creature. I have seen a few of them after they’d been hit and lying on a road. But I had not seen one so close and a live.

This brings me to the title of this blog. I am constantly asking,” what is that”. This city boy had seen a lot of the wildlife of the city. But I am amazed at the different, size, diversity and abundance that exist in the woods where live. I’m no longer so cocky as to think that I know what everything is. That started with the scorpion sighting. I know that dear roam my property I have seen a coyote walk along the fence line. So now I find myself like a young student, constantly being amazed about the creatures in the woods. I hope that you would find yourself the same way. Not too old to learn. And still feeling young enough to be excited when citing a new creature.

Pops

T’ was the night before Christmas and all through the garage,

I heard the sounds of croaking I hope it is the O Christmas frog.

The golf cart was parked in the garage with care

in hopes of the car would fit with room to spare.

The dogs were nestled all snug in their beds.

While visions of doggie treats danced in their head.

And momma in her T-shirt, and I and my shorts.

Had just finished watching; the news the weather the sports.

When out in the front yard there arose such a clatter.

I stumbled from my bed to see what was the matter.

When what to my wondering ear shall I hear.

But the constant croaking frog that was near.

The big croaking of frog so lively and strong.

I knew in a moment it was the O’ Christmas frog.

Wearing a headset around his tiny years.

The frog was in communication with Santa and his reindeer’s

He was giving directions to Santa and reindeer.

on the best approach to land on the roof or in the clear.

While Santa was preparing an approach to land.

the O’Christmas frog was forming the presents distribution plan

He would hop through a wall look all around.

And make sure that all the sleeping children were found.

With great quickness in a blast he relayed to St. Nick.

The placement of the tree and where the presence went.

As I drew my head and was turning around.

Down the chimney St. Nick came with a bound.

O’ Christmas frog was watching both left and right

to make sure there was no interference in sight.

O’ Christmas frog’s head had a small hat upon it.

Held on by the headset what a cute little bonnet.

His voice was deep and made the sound.

Of a deep croaking whose echo abound.

He had no other clothing. no shoes on his feet.

He was one in 1 million, a frog elite.

He covered Santa’s action till it was done.

Then he hopped into a time warp and to find the next one.

Santa spoke not a word but went straight to his work.

Just nodding occasionally and turning with a jerk.

He was getting directions from O’Christmas frog

To make sure that each delivery was properly logged.

Santa sprang to his sleigh to the reindeer he gave a whistle.

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

O’ Christmas frog he would to hop out of sight.

And I heard a loud croak as Santa would say, Happy Christmas to all and all a good night.

As I sit on the porch this morning drinking my coffee and watching the leaves fall from the trees my thought is one of giving. During this time of year I am usually bombarded by all the charities asking for donations. And I, like you, have to make a decision on who will get the donation. I found it interesting this week while I was watching TV. I observed all of the request for donations. In one five-minute session on TV there was a request for donations for a charity that sponsored children in foreign countries. The pictures show small sickly looking children supposedly housed in tents and the squalor of a war-torn nation. The charity asks you to give $.50 a day to change a child’s life. Then about 5 min. later there was another charity as you to give $.50 a day to change your pet’s life. This group also showed pictures of poor malnutrition and simply frightened animals. Both of these commercials were designed to tug at your heart. And try to convince you that $.50 a day would save this young child or pet from their existing horrible lives.

During the last year there has been some major natural disasters. Whether, it was a request for money for the victims of hurricane Sandy on the East Coast or request for money for typhoon victims in the Philippine Islands. Some request for charities are based on a local event. And it seems like no matter what time of year it is there some commercial on TV requesting you to send the money for a good cause.

For me is always been hard to choose a charity to donate to. There is constantly a call for money for research concerning cancer, all cancers. My family has experienced the loss of loved ones due to cancer so when the call goes out for donations we usually partake in the giving. And through all the years there is one organization that seems to respond to any disaster anywhere in the world, the Red Cross. This giant has always been there for the victims of national disasters such as a tornado or international events such as in earthquake. I believe that this charity delivers constant help whenever asked upon. This is not to say that other charities are not good, not thorough or they do not deliver the goods. But there are so many I don’t know any watchdog organizations who keep an eye on the charities.

What I think of is that each of these charities has a business side. The money that is donating has to be accounted for. Someone has to manage it and someone or board has to decide on who gets the help from the money received. Most charities do not disclose on what they do with the money received other than to say it is used for a good purpose. And looking at a certain breast cancer organization I was amazed at the amount of money paid to the officers of that organization. I mentioned this so that when you decide on what charity to give your funds to take time to go on the website and look the charitable organization. If you can find out what percentage the money received actually goes to the purpose of the charitable organization. Whether its St. Jude’s Hospital or mothers against drunk drivers, both great causes, you still need to know about how much money goes into the running of the business of the charity and how much goes to the actual purpose of the charity.

Many senior citizens are duped into sending money to what they believe is a charitable organization only to find out that the money goes into the pockets of the con men and con women working that charity. I do not know if all the money I’ve ever sent into a charitable organization actually went to the described purpose. And if you confront the people associated with these organizations, the people on the front lines truly believe and that organization. So do you become a detective and try to find out all the information about the money you have given to the different charities. I think not.

I think it just comes down to the good feeling you get when you give to your community, to your church or to a charitable organization. By giving your money, or some food, or some cloths and even your own blood; it makes you feel good. I don’t believe that’s actually being selfish, but it’s the hope that the funds actually help the cause. This action makes you feel good. I do not believe that you should give until it hurts. You should take care of yourself and your own family first hopefully, making it that you don’t become recipient rather than a donator to a charity.

There will always be people who don’t have what they need and there will always be charities asking you for donations to help those people or pets. It’s your decision where those funds should go or even where your help should go. This year I was amazed at the response to a small child’s wish to be Batman. The people of the city came out in hundreds to help that small child achieve that dream. There was a feel-good moment and I believe worth giving to and participating in. I know there will be more natural disasters and more crimes against humanity and someone will try to put together a movement to become a charity to address those needs. Whether, you drop some of your pocket change into the kettle for the Salvation Army or that you volunteer to go to the inner-city to check on the homeless or the seniors that live alone; these are acts of giving, and you will feel good in participating.

Tis the season for giving. To be honest giving goes on all year long. I would ask you to take a little time to look at the charity. Whether it’s in your time, or in money, in blood ; participate and you’ll feel good.

Pops