Recently, we were thinking about the birds in our lives. I realized recently that I have a contradiction in my reaction to birds. On one hand they seem, well, alien. I know they are distantly related to dinosaur and I can sense that when I watch them.
I may have seen Alfred Hitchcock's movie when I was young, but they often seem a little scary to me. I can't 'read' them, so I don't trust them. On the other hand, when I look at images of birds, it's easy to anthropomorphize them.
Why am I going on about birds when the topic is trails? Because there's a connection. I've been looking at trails lately. It's not easy right now as there's a lot of ice and the snow is hard. We're not into the wet season yet, so I don't see trails in mud. When I do see trails, I seem to wonder where the trailblazer is going.
Are they heading out for lunch? Are they fleeing because they are someone else's lunch? Every now and then I'll see a trail that seems to end in a small flurry of activity and, well, you know where my mind is going.
I"m not sure if it's just me, if I have a vivid imagination or whether it really is a constant life and death struggle for animals in the wild. Maybe I read too many thrillers and it frames my view of the world.
I’m betting that for most animals it is a life and death struggle. And yet, the birds still sing and animals everywhere care for their young. They’re different but very much like us humans. Or maybe we’re more like them.
I wasn’t at home this week, but I went to a nature center in Georgia and saw many different kinds of turtles, a stingray, crabs and other fish, snakes, and alligators. Except for the snakes and alligators who seemingly ignored us, the others were very aware of us and almost seemed to want to engage. Okay, the stingray maybe wanted to sting me.
One of the employees talked to us about the “personality” of one particular turtle who had been rescued as a baby. He is now 3 and will be released into the wild at 5 years. She said that he recognized different people and would play ball. In other words, there is a relationship.
This made me think of our pets and how close and attached we can get to them. I’ve only had one dog for a long period of time. Daisy was with us for 16 years and was my constant companion. I grieved her death as much as my own parents.
I believe it is a good idea to expand our relationships with animals beyond our pets to other animal inhabitants of our place. Have you had a special relationship with a particular animal in your neighbourhood?
Recently, we were thinking about the birds in our lives. I realized recently that I have a contradiction in my reaction to birds. On one hand they seem, well, alien. I know they are distantly related to dinosaur and I can sense that when I watch them.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CFa2tDDAkiv/
I may have seen Alfred Hitchcock's movie when I was young, but they often seem a little scary to me. I can't 'read' them, so I don't trust them. On the other hand, when I look at images of birds, it's easy to anthropomorphize them.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CFHyQPQgY43/
Why am I going on about birds when the topic is trails? Because there's a connection. I've been looking at trails lately. It's not easy right now as there's a lot of ice and the snow is hard. We're not into the wet season yet, so I don't see trails in mud. When I do see trails, I seem to wonder where the trailblazer is going.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CaR7IIlrkE2/
Are they heading out for lunch? Are they fleeing because they are someone else's lunch? Every now and then I'll see a trail that seems to end in a small flurry of activity and, well, you know where my mind is going.
I"m not sure if it's just me, if I have a vivid imagination or whether it really is a constant life and death struggle for animals in the wild. Maybe I read too many thrillers and it frames my view of the world.
I’m betting that for most animals it is a life and death struggle. And yet, the birds still sing and animals everywhere care for their young. They’re different but very much like us humans. Or maybe we’re more like them.
I think we forget that we are them.
I wasn’t at home this week, but I went to a nature center in Georgia and saw many different kinds of turtles, a stingray, crabs and other fish, snakes, and alligators. Except for the snakes and alligators who seemingly ignored us, the others were very aware of us and almost seemed to want to engage. Okay, the stingray maybe wanted to sting me.
One of the employees talked to us about the “personality” of one particular turtle who had been rescued as a baby. He is now 3 and will be released into the wild at 5 years. She said that he recognized different people and would play ball. In other words, there is a relationship.
This made me think of our pets and how close and attached we can get to them. I’ve only had one dog for a long period of time. Daisy was with us for 16 years and was my constant companion. I grieved her death as much as my own parents.
I believe it is a good idea to expand our relationships with animals beyond our pets to other animal inhabitants of our place. Have you had a special relationship with a particular animal in your neighbourhood?