My cousin's house is partially built into the hill. I say partially because instead of the house being set in the hill there is actually a very narrow yard, maybe five feet and a retaining wall made of field stone outside the back door.
I remember looking out the door one morning when I espied this fellow in the midst of it's morning ablutions. It sat there for a bit, cleaning its fur while perched on the wall until I got a little too close. It then darted along the wall, with me slowly in pursuit, occasionally pausing to see what I was doing. I got this picture just before it disappeared into the wall.
I know my mother in law does not like chipmunks, or at least the one plaguing for flower beds, but I always liked them.
Showing posts with label animals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label animals. Show all posts
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Wednesday, November 09, 2011
Artist of the Week: Penguin
Max is the week's artist.
This picture was from the same party that had the bunnies. In fact Max has the more heavily marked rabbit in his lap. Max enjoyed the animals, but I think he had more fun with the boy that had arrived with the petting zoo. The boy is roughly the same age (maybe a bit younger) and seemed to be the son of the owners. Max thought the boy was a guest and when it was time for the animals to leave Max was shocked that his new friend had to leave as well.
Anyway, Max had a good time.
As for this week's art, this little gem was found as I was clearing out some old school papers from Max's school work drawer.
I don't remember seeing it when it first came home, but I'm glad I eventually got to see it. The smart little penguin is on an eight inch blue disk of paper that was carefully cut out. I like the confident air of the penguin as it appears to walk towards the viewer. The one upraised foot neatly coveys motion to the figure. I love the over-sized flippers and how the penguin is not quite centered on the disk.
I think it is a charming picture and I'm glad I made its acquaintance.
This picture was from the same party that had the bunnies. In fact Max has the more heavily marked rabbit in his lap. Max enjoyed the animals, but I think he had more fun with the boy that had arrived with the petting zoo. The boy is roughly the same age (maybe a bit younger) and seemed to be the son of the owners. Max thought the boy was a guest and when it was time for the animals to leave Max was shocked that his new friend had to leave as well.
Anyway, Max had a good time.
As for this week's art, this little gem was found as I was clearing out some old school papers from Max's school work drawer.
I don't remember seeing it when it first came home, but I'm glad I eventually got to see it. The smart little penguin is on an eight inch blue disk of paper that was carefully cut out. I like the confident air of the penguin as it appears to walk towards the viewer. The one upraised foot neatly coveys motion to the figure. I love the over-sized flippers and how the penguin is not quite centered on the disk.
I think it is a charming picture and I'm glad I made its acquaintance.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Meet Dave
This is Dave, the latest addition to our menagerie.
Last week Nate asked if he could have a gecko, they are quiet, clean, and virtually no scent. These are all wonderful qualities, but I said no.
Literally the next day I got an IM from a friend in the neighborhood. She was wondering if we would like to have a gecko. Her middle child had gone off to college and her youngest had no interest.
When I read her initial question I burst out laughing. Apparently we were meant to have a gecko. After a quick call to Larry to clear it with him, I told my friend yes. We will take the gecko.
Sunday afternoon we stopped by to collect our new pet. His full name is Dave Matthews, but we'll stick with just Dave.
Last week Nate asked if he could have a gecko, they are quiet, clean, and virtually no scent. These are all wonderful qualities, but I said no.
Literally the next day I got an IM from a friend in the neighborhood. She was wondering if we would like to have a gecko. Her middle child had gone off to college and her youngest had no interest.
When I read her initial question I burst out laughing. Apparently we were meant to have a gecko. After a quick call to Larry to clear it with him, I told my friend yes. We will take the gecko.
Sunday afternoon we stopped by to collect our new pet. His full name is Dave Matthews, but we'll stick with just Dave.
Thursday, September 02, 2010
Tricked Out Chicken
Of the many fine and wondrous things you can see at the County Fair is the chicken tent. Every year we go and see all the different varieties of chickens that are being raised in the area.
Most are fairly normal looking, a few have bizarre dandelion poufs of white feathers on their heads, and then there was the "tricked out chicken."
He is a handsome little rooster with a classic cock's comb and tail feathers. What made him all tricked out to my kids was the extravagant cascade of feathers on his feet. They begged me to take his picture and so I did.
It's not the greatest picture from my cell phone, but it came out fairly well considering the twin challenges of a moving target and low light levels.
Most are fairly normal looking, a few have bizarre dandelion poufs of white feathers on their heads, and then there was the "tricked out chicken."
He is a handsome little rooster with a classic cock's comb and tail feathers. What made him all tricked out to my kids was the extravagant cascade of feathers on his feet. They begged me to take his picture and so I did.
It's not the greatest picture from my cell phone, but it came out fairly well considering the twin challenges of a moving target and low light levels.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Busted!
As I was driving up to the garage yesterday I got to see the deer in action.
I slowed down to a crawl and then stopped the car so as to watch four does daintily pick their way among the plantings and enjoy the pumpkin buffet I had so thoughtfully laid out.
Luckily I had my camera in the car and I was able to capture one of the does just before she nibbled on a pumpkin. I missed one really great shot of a deer clearly licking a pumpkin as I fumbled with the camera case.
The picture quality isn't that great, but that's what you get when shooting through a grubby windshield.
The second picture came out much better. It is of a doe mucking about in the bushes in front of our house. She really wasn't at all bothered by the car or the sound of the garage door. She looked up when I peeked around the corner to take the picture. I think the only reason she left was because the others had already moved into the woods.
Shortly thereafter I carted all the pumpkins down to the far edge of the woods. The deer can now enjoy their buffet without having to go near the house, not that it stopped them.
This why I call them tall rats. They are cute, but they are pests.
I slowed down to a crawl and then stopped the car so as to watch four does daintily pick their way among the plantings and enjoy the pumpkin buffet I had so thoughtfully laid out.
Luckily I had my camera in the car and I was able to capture one of the does just before she nibbled on a pumpkin. I missed one really great shot of a deer clearly licking a pumpkin as I fumbled with the camera case.
The picture quality isn't that great, but that's what you get when shooting through a grubby windshield.
The second picture came out much better. It is of a doe mucking about in the bushes in front of our house. She really wasn't at all bothered by the car or the sound of the garage door. She looked up when I peeked around the corner to take the picture. I think the only reason she left was because the others had already moved into the woods.
Shortly thereafter I carted all the pumpkins down to the far edge of the woods. The deer can now enjoy their buffet without having to go near the house, not that it stopped them.
This why I call them tall rats. They are cute, but they are pests.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Nature, Red in Tooth and Claw
I was out by the shed today, cleaning around the doors. The dogs had followed me out and were poking about the woods, John in particular was rooting about the leaf litter with a great deal of enthusiasm. After a bit he pulled back and starting barking at what he had found. I ignored him at first, thinking it was another stupid deer. But it was a different sort of bark, not his usual all out barkapalooza for deer (for some reason John is deeply offended by deer).
I looked over and asked him "what's up boy, did ya find a snake?"
He continued barking and looking over at me so I decided to check it out.
It turned out I was not too far off. It was indeed a snake with the added bonus of the snake eating a toad. To spare the snake phobic out there here is a link to the picture I ultimately took of the snake and toad. So don't blame me if you don't like the picture, it's your own fault if you click on the link.
Anyhoo, I had haul John inside in order to get him to quiet down. I felt bad for the toad, but that's life. I'm just happy it was the nonpoisonous Eastern Garter snake. I found found a dead Copperhead just the other day in front of our neighbor's house. What John found in our woods is far more preferable.
I looked over and asked him "what's up boy, did ya find a snake?"
He continued barking and looking over at me so I decided to check it out.
It turned out I was not too far off. It was indeed a snake with the added bonus of the snake eating a toad. To spare the snake phobic out there here is a link to the picture I ultimately took of the snake and toad. So don't blame me if you don't like the picture, it's your own fault if you click on the link.
Anyhoo, I had haul John inside in order to get him to quiet down. I felt bad for the toad, but that's life. I'm just happy it was the nonpoisonous Eastern Garter snake. I found found a dead Copperhead just the other day in front of our neighbor's house. What John found in our woods is far more preferable.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Tired
I took the crew up to DC today. We went to the National Zoo, which was great fun, but tiring.
We didn't see the whole thing since we left home a bit late and I needed to get Jake home in time for a bit of dinner before his 7:30 base ball practice. I took a bunch of pictures and I'll post them as soon as I get them developed.
We didn't see the whole thing since we left home a bit late and I needed to get Jake home in time for a bit of dinner before his 7:30 base ball practice. I took a bunch of pictures and I'll post them as soon as I get them developed.
Monday, November 05, 2007
Pumpkin Buffet
Saturday afternoon I looked out the front door and saw three deer availing themselves to the pumpkins on our front steps. I gasped in surprise, called out to Larry and ran to grab the camera.
The noise I made was sufficient to spook two of the deer, but the one was greedy enough to keep on munching on my pumpkin. I was able to shoot the first picture through the window flanking the door. Rebecca then came in to see what was up and she too saw the deer.
I moved to another window to get a better angle when I heard a door slam in the background. The noise caused the deer to briefly lift its head, but soon it was back to chowing down on my pumpkin. Then suddenly the deer startled and looked up the pathway to the driveway.
At that moment I realized who slammed the door. It must have been Rebecca. Just before she came into view the deer bounded away and I told Larry "I bet it's Rebecca coming to see the deer."
And I was right.
Here is what is left of my poor little pumpkin. It was the ghost, but alas the ghost has been chewed away. I haven't seen the deer since Saturday, but the pumpkin has been getting progressively smaller and moving closer to the edge of the lawn.
I guess the deer couldn't wait for me to chuck the pumpkins into the woods this year.
The noise I made was sufficient to spook two of the deer, but the one was greedy enough to keep on munching on my pumpkin. I was able to shoot the first picture through the window flanking the door. Rebecca then came in to see what was up and she too saw the deer.
I moved to another window to get a better angle when I heard a door slam in the background. The noise caused the deer to briefly lift its head, but soon it was back to chowing down on my pumpkin. Then suddenly the deer startled and looked up the pathway to the driveway.
At that moment I realized who slammed the door. It must have been Rebecca. Just before she came into view the deer bounded away and I told Larry "I bet it's Rebecca coming to see the deer."
And I was right.
Here is what is left of my poor little pumpkin. It was the ghost, but alas the ghost has been chewed away. I haven't seen the deer since Saturday, but the pumpkin has been getting progressively smaller and moving closer to the edge of the lawn.
I guess the deer couldn't wait for me to chuck the pumpkins into the woods this year.
Monday, July 23, 2007
Wild Kingdom
The critters were out in force this weekend.
On Sunday I was out on the deck with my feet up when a dragonfly came by for a visit. It buzzed around a bit and then landed on my big toe. It would stay for a few moments and then fly away, only to return. After the third time I decided to send one of the kids in for the camera. Obviously this insect wanted its picture taken.
After a few false starts and a bunch of pictures with either Max or Rebecca, it once again alit on my toe. It stayed there a good 5 minutes before it flew away, this time for good.
I love the iridescent blue of its tail and I got to get a very good look at the coloration of its body. It seems that it has diagonal stripes all along its thorax in a very striking black and white pattern. At first I thought it was checkered, but it looks more like stripes upon closer inspection.
I don't know why it was so attracted to my deck and my feet in particular, but I did enjoy the time it spent on my toe. Its feet produced the gentlest of tickling sensations. It didn't hurt and I knew it wouldn't, Dragonflies are only dangerous if you are a mosquito (another reason to like dragonflies).
Then today I spotted this attractive fellow dangling from a tree in front of our house. I was just pulling out of the garage when I noticed something odd about the tree. One of the branches seemed to be extended a bit farther than I remember and the end was entirely leafless. Then it hit me, it was a Green Snake!
I parked the car, admonished the kids to stay in the car and dashed in the house to grab the camera. It had pulled itself back onto the branch by the time I returned, but I was still able to find it nestled amongst the leaves. I shot over a half dozen pictures, hoping at least one would turn out. I ended up with two good shots, this one is the better of the two.
We also have a family of bunnies bouncing around in the yard, but they are far to quick for me to catch with the camera. These rabbits are not dumb, they know that when the back door opens they need to run and hide. Our dogs would be very happy to snag a rabbit if given a chance.
On Sunday I was out on the deck with my feet up when a dragonfly came by for a visit. It buzzed around a bit and then landed on my big toe. It would stay for a few moments and then fly away, only to return. After the third time I decided to send one of the kids in for the camera. Obviously this insect wanted its picture taken.
After a few false starts and a bunch of pictures with either Max or Rebecca, it once again alit on my toe. It stayed there a good 5 minutes before it flew away, this time for good.
I love the iridescent blue of its tail and I got to get a very good look at the coloration of its body. It seems that it has diagonal stripes all along its thorax in a very striking black and white pattern. At first I thought it was checkered, but it looks more like stripes upon closer inspection.
I don't know why it was so attracted to my deck and my feet in particular, but I did enjoy the time it spent on my toe. Its feet produced the gentlest of tickling sensations. It didn't hurt and I knew it wouldn't, Dragonflies are only dangerous if you are a mosquito (another reason to like dragonflies).
Then today I spotted this attractive fellow dangling from a tree in front of our house. I was just pulling out of the garage when I noticed something odd about the tree. One of the branches seemed to be extended a bit farther than I remember and the end was entirely leafless. Then it hit me, it was a Green Snake!
I parked the car, admonished the kids to stay in the car and dashed in the house to grab the camera. It had pulled itself back onto the branch by the time I returned, but I was still able to find it nestled amongst the leaves. I shot over a half dozen pictures, hoping at least one would turn out. I ended up with two good shots, this one is the better of the two.
We also have a family of bunnies bouncing around in the yard, but they are far to quick for me to catch with the camera. These rabbits are not dumb, they know that when the back door opens they need to run and hide. Our dogs would be very happy to snag a rabbit if given a chance.
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