Adventures in Nature

My Mom was telling me a story  the other day. It seems that while she was was on a walk by my house BEFORE I moved  and she saw a bush shaking and deafening moans and groans. She moved closer, ( oh like you wouldn't...) and she said it was a group of black birds doing it.  When she got home and told my Dad, he didn't believe her and actually did a bit of research on line. As stories go it was a good one.  In her telling she was able to focus to weave three of her favorite tropes,  the importance of exercise, the wildlife that I will experience here, and the "he never believes a thing I'm telling him" into one story. 

And I told you that to tell you this.  I am experiencing all sorts of wildlife here. There is an owl in the back forest at night and while I've never seen him I have heard him.  Which makes  today encounter with nature interesting.  I was outside with Dash,  and I heard this big WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH.  My first thought was the same of yours ... SQUIRRELZILLA!  Wait, does Squirrelzilla have wings ... because I hear a huge rustle and the whooshes again.  Immediately I thought of my owl, and from the sounds of it, it was huge. I started to consider  taking dash in right away. I look up ... and it is no owl.  It's a TURKEY VULTURE.

Quick! Name a girl who loves Turkey Vultures more than me.  That's right, you can't. There we were, starring at each other. He was sitting up in the tree looking down on us, and while Dash was looking up surely thinking "Dear God, that thing is hideous!" I was delighted.  Once again, I cursed my lack of camera,  then I remembered cell phone!  IN MY POCKET!   At the same time, Turkey Vulture said "Not today, girl and her little dog."  And he soared away.  So instead of  a Turkey Vulture in my backyard, you get a picture of the tree he was in. 

In case you haven't seen a turkey vulture - here ya go ... 

They are AWESOME! 

My Mom comes over with some peaches. Oh don't think she was just being sweet,  yes I appreciate the peaches, but have no doubt that she was really there to check my pantry and fridge to make sure I don't have soda in the house, which I also appreciate.  I was still giddy with delight  from my sighting so I told my Mom all about it, expecting her to roll her eyes and tell me I was a doof.  Instead, she was smiling and nodding her head. 

"Now you know why I was so freaked out when I saw a group of them doing it in that bush." 

So, who loves turkey Vultures more than me? How about the lady that spent an afternoon watching them have group sex?  Peeping Mom. 

Photo Friday - Dog

Apparently I am the kiss of death with cameras, mine is broke again. So until my birthday, we are cellin' it.  This is you know who about an hour after our walk . He's had a change it attitude since we moved here,  that entry's coming up. 

I know you all like dogs, so check our photo friday for more doggie goodness. 

RISU!

So in true Snow White fashion,  I'm trying to be a good neighbor to my animal neighbors.  I went on line and went to check what was best to feed the deer.   ( they love apples and watermelon rinds) I keep the bird bath filled.  And while all the animals might not appreciated  my failed tuna casserole attempt,  I know the armadillos did. 

I felt that I was neglecting the birds, and as we know Snow white would have never done that, at least not the Disney version, so I bought the cutest little bird feeder and some bird seed, and I set it up all secure in the tree that I see  the cardinals hanging out in.  I went to bed please in the knowledge  that I had done my best to help the cardinals, and the robins.  We have a blue jay in the front yard.  We don't  like him though. He does not believe in "love thy neighbor"  . He is constantly swooping down on us, and screaming at us.  No bird seed for blue jay! 

Anyway, I thought  you'd like to see my pretty little bird feeder, so this morning I went out into  the back yard to take a picture. This is what I found 

WTF?  Not only was it knocked out of the tree, but it was BROKEN. 

BROKEN!!! 

Seriously, it was ripped apart! 

It makes me wonder what kind of beast lives in the forest behind me. What kind of abomination haunts the woods? Is it him that I hear shrieking in the night? 

There can be only one answer....

SQUIRRELZILLA! 

New Adventures everywhere

There are are a lot of new and interesting things here in Arkansas, at least new and interesting to me, and I feel a little like Caddie Woodlawn  - always in search of another adventure. 

I'm doing things I have never done before, like feed the deer. There is a doe that brings her two fawns by the house almost every day. I can watch them out my window, and I help her out a little. Hey, I was raised by a single Mom, I know how tough it is out there.  I leave her watermelon rinds, cut up apples, carrots and veggie leftovers. Eating right is important, that's a lesson I'm learning.  I've been trying a few healthier meals myself. 

Ladies and Gents, may I present tonight's dinner. 

I know what you are thinking "Why, I didn't know you liked zucchini!"  NEITHER DID I!  If you press your face against the computer, you'll see not only is there is zucchini, but also some sort of yellow squash that I don't know the name of, and there a bit of tomato and chicken in there too.  I just heated up some olive oil, added a bit of onion and garlic, threw the other veggies and the chicken in there, added a pinch of Maggi chicken bouillon and BOOM! Yumminess achieved.  (Why Maggi? Because I'm Teutonic that way. Maggi rocks.) 

Arkansas has been a wealth of new experience for me,  screaming peacocks, Nascar crock pots, and zucchini.  

As for tomorrow, who knows - I'm going to Walmart. 

Barefoot In The Park

In the city I liked walking  my guy in the park across the street. I always felt I was lucky to have it there, and I was. It was a great place. 

I love walking my guy  in the parks here, but the parks are a little different.  Since I plan on hitting the lotto big this weekend, I thought it best that we get tickets. My mother also advised me to get the local paper on Wednesday because Walmart will honor all sales.  we saved $4 on our strawberry  purchases last week, because Aldi had a sale.( I have learned that Aldi has the best prices on fruit.)   So I went "in town"  and on the way home we stopped at my Mom's State Park . I should say that it's not really named after my Mom, it's just the park that is closer to her house than mine. 

She lives closer to the lake. 

This is my  park. 

I live by the river. That's the path we walk on every day. Ask me again why I love it here. 

Did I mention...

... that my Mom lives 10 minutes away? 

I'm looking at this also as a chance to "get right" with her. Not that there is anything truly wrong with our relationship, I just want to be a better daughter. She can be tough on me,  and I do get my feelings hurt when we talk - but I am learning that is because she is, shall we say "plain spoken" and I am extremely sensitive. Like so many things it is how I choose to react that matters. 

We've had a few bonding experiences. We call then garage sales.  I left a lot behind,  and a lot needs to be replaced. Like my beloved crock pot. We shant  speak of Swampy. 

I got this at an estate sale.  

$8 and it steams shit.

After further inspection, my mother began to covet my new steaming crock pot. She stroked it lovingly. She peeled off the price tag and told me  how it was a good deal and had she seen it first, she would have gotten it.  Garage sale-ing in these parts  is apparently a competitive sport, and the only blood that matters, is the blood that is spilled on the way to the check out table.    She asked me if I would trade it for her crock pot.

This is the woman that found my little home in the wilderness, and cooks extra sausage for Dash at dinner, how could I say no?  I was willing to go in blind, but Mom insisted that I see it before  the deal was made.

Sunday I packed up for dinner with the parents, and I brought my cool steaming crock pot to my parents house.

This is what she wanted to trade

Okay, let's wrap our heads around the fact that NASCAR crock pots exist.  And apparently this is   Richard Petty crock pot. The king of racing  and crocking.  I wondered, " Am I ready to own a freaking NASCAR crock pot, no matter how kingly it is."

Thankfully my Dad stepped in The King would not be leaving the house.

On the way home I tried to decide what the best part of my day was, the discovery that there were NASCAR crock pots, that I almost owned one, or that it was so treasured that it wasn't allowed out of the house.

Honestly, I think it was when I took a picture of The King ( and really shouldn't it be an ELVIS crock pot? Which I would gladly own.)  My Mom screeched "Why are you taking a picture? YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE FUN OF IT ON THE INTERNETS."

Yes, Mom. Yes, I am.

... and then she moved to the country

...because her life in the city was making her sad. 

I've always maintained that life is like a Cher song, people can be divided into three categories  gypsies, tramps, and thieves.  I'm a gypsy - and in true gypsy fashion, I packed up and left when it was time to go.  I know it seems rash to some, but for me, it was the right decision.  

After a 11 hour drive,  I'm home. I've achieved what all southern girls aspire to, I am trailer trash. 

It's kind of adorable inside. 

Here's the backyard 

Did I mention I live in the forest? The only thing that's missing are 7 dwarfs - and a really hot Huntsman that bares more then a passing resemblance to Thor, the God of Thunder.  Although, to be honest, I prefer Latin waiters, which are few and far between in these parts. 

Here is the front yard. 

Kinda awesome, no? It's as peaceful as it looks. There's a heavy deer population, and I'm getting to know three of them personally.  There is a doe with a spot on her hindquarter that stops by regularly and quite honestly, she's a peeper.  She's always looking in my office window.  There are also two bucks, with velvet still on their antlers that hang out here often. They are not near as  interested in me as the doe is. Also, there's a peacock that lives on the edge of the forest and spends a lot of time in the yard next to mine. Did you know a peacock's call sounds  exactly like a woman screaming? I found that out at midnight. For the first few nights I would lay in bed and I would pray "please let that be the peacock... please let that be the peacock..."

 I'm making an active effort to keep my life as simple as possible. No facebook, no twitter, only this here blog, and it's working out for me. 

  I'm eating better, lots of fruits and veggies. I've made a few discoveries. For example,  I kinda like zucchini.  It's not my favorite veggie,  that would be the Lima bean, or butter lettuce, but zucchini  is not the horrible squash I thought it was. Fruits have always been easier because fruits are nature's candy, and I love candy.  I will say that there does seem to be a Snow White thing going on, as I have received 14 apples from kindly older women in the past week. 

 I'm writing more. I think I'm writing better. I'm exploring different types of writing - which might be bad, but trying something new is always good. 

I'm giving the first two weeks in Arkansas five stars.