HAPPY NEW WEEK! I hope everyone has a wonderful week! I’m taking a short break from work to say hello to you all and tell you about my new friend.
Every summer, I seem to have one animal who chooses to stay close to my house and keep me company. Last year, it was the little yearling white-tailed deer. This year, it’s an enormous groundhog! He’s made a burrow underneath the fallen apple tree next to my bedroom window, and he’s been spending his days puttering around my front porch, eating the weeds that I’ve allowed to grow.
He’s a formidable critter. A couple of decades ago, we had a huge groundhog on this land. My Mom named him “Bear,” because he was nearly as large as a bear cub. The current resident groundhog must be Bear’s descendent, because he’s a big fella! He has immense teeth (I think he’s fairly old) and long, thick claws. Despite his scary appearance, he’s been friendly to me. Groundhogs generally avoid people and can be hostile to humans if they feel crowded or cornered, but Bear II makes no effort to leave when I go outdoors. When I talk to him, he tilts his head like a dog and stares at me with interest. LOL He makes me laugh, waddling around the yard.
I didn’t try to photograph him, because I read that mobile phones and other devices emit electromagnetic fields that some animals, including groundhogs, can hear (or feel?). He looks like the one in this photo, though.
Groundhog, Shenandoah National Park, Virginia NPS photo labeled “Public domain” (copyright free)
AQ: I'd made the same assumption about the mono-bridge. I've spent decades singing the wrong words to various pop songs until I saw the lyrics written down! Oh my, they're singing THAT!? Where did you go in Western Australia and what are you considering for next May's trip? Well now, I had to Google that "grandfather had a farm....." quote and Prochnow and all I found was a Jurgen Prochnow (German actor from movie Das Boot) plus a YouTube video version of "Old McDonald" but with Old Grandfather...." and showing an Indian gentleman, complete with turban in a farmyard with dogs!
OG: A good evening out then. :-)
Wendyb: Hope the weather isn't too bad for your week away; nice that you had sun for daughter's visit.
Lindybird: Interesting about house designs. Here, people want open-plan kitchens and living areas and - at least according to Home & Garden TV, "bonus" rooms and a play room for the kids. Playrooms? We were lucky to have toys growing up! It's also a case of larger houses on smaller lots (a far cry from Hyacinth Bouquet's boast of a sister with "a Mercedes, swimming pool, and room for a pony"). I know from photos that your house overlooks fields, etc., as does my sister's house in Lincolnshire, which is one of the reasons they are resisting moving closer to the kids where they'd get much much less house and a pitifully small garden for more money).
Heather: Re clothes, we seem to be going to ankle or mid-calf wide-leg pants all rather unflattering. My go-to store for pants is JJill, which has a line of Tall pants that were made for me (they also have great and frequent sales!). Still, it's a chore.
Diane: I see there were tornadoes just east of you in Pendleton that knocked out power and that they've closed the town. We have a settled forecast for the next 10 days. I do hope that somehow breaks the awful pattern of storms that's plagued the Plains and Midwest. By the way, I'm reading The Man Who Caught the Storm - a biography of tornado-chaser Tim Samaras and the history of tornado forecasting by Brantley Hargrove. Fascinating and a good read too. This is a good year for tornado chasers.... :-(
Off to start the day.... Take care all
Thank you, Annette and Forest Boar.
Forest Boar, I'm keeping you in my thoughts for a good resolution to your health issues.
Annette: Not only Pendleton. Tornadoes swarmed over central Indiana, including the city north of me where my brother's kids live. One small town in that area had hail the size of grapefruit. That's not an exaggeration. At least 52 tornadoes hit 8 states yesterday. Catastrophic destruction in Ohio. Widespread damage in Indiana, but no fatalities yesterday. However, in my region a 4-year-boy was swept away in creek floodwaters 4 days ago. Crews are still looking for him, but the search is hampered by the ongoing high water and storm conditions. Severe thunderstorm warnings and watches are already being posted for tonight for central Indiana (including me), and storms will continue Wednesday and Thursday.
BJane: I hope you're okay.
Dreadful weather news from your area, Diane. I do hope, that as Annette says, it's the last gasp of the tornado season. We did hear short reports that there had been some destruction, but our News has been so overloaded with politics lately, all other news has been pushed aside. Including foreign news. Annette: A lot of people are knocking two rooms together and creating open plan. But then they want more other rooms to get away from one another! We didn't have a playroom, either: more like a toy shelf!!! LOL!! House prices here are crazy. Some places have gone through the roof, mostly South East. (London area). But we live in a sought after area of the North (purely by chance, as my OH was born here) and our houses have crept up the ladder. Consequently, our little extended bungalow would buy three houses this size in the Midlands, where our Youngest lives. But ---- Our house would only buy a one bedroom flat in the town North of London, where our Eldest lives in an extended semi detached. Very desirable area as near enough to commute to London, but not actually IN London, which is fast becoming unaffordable for many. Been to the Docs today for an MOT and discussion over my meds, as they keep an eye on us these days which I suppose is a good thing. But I saw a pharmacist who is attached to our Docs practice. . Do you ever get out of breath? she asked. Only when climbing steep roads, I said. How often is that? ..... I looked at her. When it's a steep climb, I said, and according to how steep!
http://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/things-to-do/wildlife-webcams/loch-of-lowes/
RSPB Giving Nature a Home
Playrooms? If we wanted to play, my Mom told us to take Pugsy and go outside! LOL (Pugsy was our dog, a wonderful Boston Terrier who accompanied me everywhere.)