Here and Now...What's Happening?

[Playdo of Ataraxas]

As above, so below. Check out this flying creature that I had no idea existed. A siphonophore. It looks like a cousin of the creatures from the movie The Abyss. I wander what else is down there that I don't know about?

http://www.wimp.com/rarecreature/

[Dennis Leahy]

Yesterday morning, I looked out my back window, and there was a critter that was doing its best impression of a meerkat at high alert. It was so tall and skinny, it couldn't possible be a chipmunk (though it was standing very close to a chipmunk's den entrance.) Then, it chirped a single note, and scrambled into the chipmunk hole. It was a chipmunk, but not just sitting up on his haunches in his typical fashion, he was straining to stand as tall as possible before he bolted. Then appeared the reason for the unusual behavior: an unusual guest - a fox. A Gray Fox (I'm nearly certain), which is a relative rarity in northern Minnesota (though they are now known to be moving their range north.) He was definitely disappointed that the chipmunk spotted him and escaped being breakfast.

I also had a visit by a raven yesterday. (There are 60,000 to 100,000 raptors, mostly hawks, that migrate through the Duluth, MN area every year at this time, and that makes for lots of excitement among birders - but I am somehow more pleased to see the birds that come to my yard rather than chase after them with binoculars and a bird book.)

Today, a fawn, a downy woodpecker, and a bluejay paid a visit. The woodpecker and jay were not too thrilled with the bird feeder, as the perches and feeder holes are just right for little birds (chickadees, finches, etc.) but too damn close together for the big birds. I think I'll have to add a feeder designed for big birds. Has anyone ever had luck with "suet" or the peanut-butter-suet cakes? Seems like the squirrels always find them and destroy the suet feeders before any birds get a chance. Reminder to self: get a squirrel feeder too.

Lung hurt today - can't take a really deep breath, again. Return of the pleurisy? Luckily, I see the doc tomorrow...

Dennis

[Robin]

Posted by Dennis Leahy (here)
Today, a fawn, a downy woodpecker, and a bluejay paid a visit. The woodpecker and jay were not too thrilled with the bird feeder, as the perches and feeder holes are just right for little birds (chickadees, finches, etc.) but too damn close together for the big birds. I think I'll have to add a feeder designed for big birds. Has anyone ever had luck with "suet" or the peanut-butter-suet cakes? Seems like the squirrels always find them and destroy the suet feeders before any birds get a chance. Reminder to self: get a squirrel feeder too.

Excellent observations, Dennis! One does not need to have a wildlife degree to be a naturalist.

May I suggest a squirrel-proof bird-feeder...?

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=FgDa_cpgHWs

Or, better yet, maybe this is what you're looking to build in your yard:

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=1EnDwkclDcA

[markoid]

Jeez you could make a carwash with multiple 'twirl a squirrels'!!
Awesome videos Samwise.

[Dennis Leahy]

My current bird feeder IS squirrel-proof. A squirrel and a chipmunk are regular visitors - but, only on the ground, beneath the feeder, finding tidbits from sloppy birds. The squirrels destroying suet cages - and one of those wooden feeders with holes for suet - were all in a different area that was squirrel accessible. They ripped open the suet cage and chewed through the wood.

My primary bird feeder has a "baffle" (sort of an upside-down bowl) over the post, and then at the top of the post, a piece of metal was extended farther, and farther, until no squirrel could possibly jump that far. In fact, any squirrel that makes it that far will be adored and glorified as the latest religious icon, and made into a new religion.

Dennis

[Violet]

The (neighbour's) cat is back again. When I heard him meow this night, I knew I'd find him in my backyard this morning. He's hiding in the vent pipes again...(sigh). Not sure what to do...

Thanks for the birds observation, Dennis, a very enjoyable read! I only have pidgeons on the neigbouring roofs and they mess up my backyard with poop and (not so beautiful as Paula's) feathers, so I'd rather have very different birds come and visit me. Like Nora's or Playdo's, enjoyable birds (Did Solomon talk to birds too? I wonder):



My bird hotel is still empty (though if it were big enough to hold a pidgeon, I'm sure it wouldn't).

Sometimes I feel like taking seeds and breadcrumbs with me in my bag, just in case I encounter a lone bird wandering outside, but I can risk being fined for that because of the general pidgeon problem.

Nora sync, dragonfly stayed with us for dinner last night.

[Taurean]

Kevin Bloody Wilson, an Antipodean bard.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=hK1eRYmoCTE

sorry couldn't resist it.

[Violet]

Hahaha!

No, man, it's not a fjucing cat...It's actually a very nice and smart cat. He just solved his own problem by throwing down my plants and bird hotel to jump up one level to then jump up another level back home.

Had just gotten the ladder out...oh well...

Now I better find my bird hotel a safer place.

[araucaria]

Posted by ulli (here)
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/tr...#ixzz3DOzWOTWd

Top ten islands: Barbados is in 8th place.

This reminds me of the holiday journalist who recommended some unspoilt beauty spot: it was hardly that any more by the time his millions of readers had finished. On the other hand on Crete, there is a beautiful quiet beach where no one goes. It was mentioned in the guidebook, but the book actually guided you down an oversized road to a place full of shops and restaurants recommended by itself. Rather sly but effective, unless you just head off for the other place.

For another kind of ‘stunning’, try some of Europe’s capitals

London’s exploding pavements/sidewalks
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/v...avements-video

and Kiev’s exploding population
http://www.theguardian.com/world/vid...rliament-video

[eaglespirit]

Birds...now why would I be interested?

uuuhhhhhhh....because they started talking to me in 2007 : )
that's why!!!

[araucaria]

Posted by eaglespirit (here)
Birds...now why would I be interested?

uuuhhhhhhh....because they started talking to me in 2007 : )
that's why!!!

That's the spirit! Saw this last night, from our resident artist dougthepainter at http://www.dougauldprints.com/detail.php?id=12

[Natalia]

Hi Dennis

it would be wowy to see a chipmunk (I typed chippunk by mistake, hehe), and I love squirrels, they are so cute

I hope you feel better soon <3

Posted by Dennis Leahy (here)
My current bird feeder IS squirrel-proof. A squirrel and a chipmunk are regular visitors - but, only on the ground, beneath the feeder, finding tidbits from sloppy birds. The squirrels destroying suet cages - and one of those wooden feeders with holes for suet - were all in a different area that was squirrel accessible. They ripped open the suet cage and chewed through the wood.

My primary bird feeder has a "baffle" (sort of an upside-down bowl) over the post, and then at the top of the post, a piece of metal was extended farther, and farther, until no squirrel could possibly jump that far. In fact, any squirrel that makes it that far will be adored and glorified as the latest religious icon, and made into a new religion.

Dennis

[araucaria]

Posted by Amethyst (here)
I hope you feel better soon <3

And what about yourself, Amethyst: you feeling better than this morning? Go easy on the alternative medicine, OK?

[ulli]

Posted by SamwiseTheBrave (here)

Excellent observations, Dennis! One does not need to have a wildlife degree to be a naturalist.

May I suggest a squirrel-proof bird-feeder...?

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=FgDa_cpgHWs

The free energy people ought to have a look at this video.
My head is still spinning....

My three cats hate the resident squirrel because he runs up the palm tree in the center of our court yard and cackles
horrendous laughter at them from up there.
The cats are too fat to follow him.
Maybe I should get some bird feeders to assure that our cats get more exercise.

[Natalia]

Posted by araucaria (here)

Posted by Amethyst (here)
I hope you feel better soon <3

And what about yourself, Amethyst: you feeling better than this morning? Go easy on the alternative medicine, OK?

I am ok thanks, araucaria, feeling better now after the epsom salt drink scare (so yukky, and I have a sensitive body), glad it is over! lol.

Yes I will be careful! Being in bed mostly is helping me a bit, and I found out today that I got my hospital appointment moved from mid November to next week, so hopefully soon I will be clearer about what I have or don't have.

[1inMany]

I'm wondering this morning whether situations are Divinely orchestrated or not. I used to think everything happens for a reason. That served me well. There was an element of Trust in that. But with each step on my path, it seems things get more complicated rather than simpler. It could be that situations are set in front of us that are appropriate for what we need to learn. Or it could be that all situations are in front of us and our attention is drawn to what we need to learn. Or it could be that we set in front of ourselves lessons we need to learn. Or it could be that we do not need to learn lessons at all. It could be that there is only Fate, and we can change that. But that is one whale of a responsibility, is it not? One would need to be quite sure one is doing the right thing, if one had that type of Power. Of course, what is "right" anyway? I'm not sure there is a "right." Every action is a cause for some other situation. Are any better than any others, really? (Obviously, supposing no harm is intended. Intending harm is a whole other ball of wax. Not going there today.)

I guess I am hung up on wondering where I am supposed to be, geographically. And is there even a "supposed to be." And wondering where I am supposed to go, from this fork in the road. And is there even a "supposed to go."

See, when I was sure that everything happened for a reason, I was trusting something bigger than myself. If I saw something unfold, I figured this "Something Higher" was setting out for me what was needed. There were hints, signs, what have you. But...if there is only Fate, and I can change that, that means that I have a whole lot more say in what unfolds. That scares me. A lot. Because then I start the back and forth with myself...if I do this or go here, then all this stuff over here might happen...if I do that or go over there, then all this stuff over there might happen. It isn't worry. That's not what I mean. It is trying to make a decision. I have posed this to my Self, and I guess I am waiting for the answer.

And as I decide to stop rambling, the dragon in the toy box roars. Haha.

Much Love,

[araucaria]

1inMany, this morning I posted on another thread the story about the golfer Greg Norman who nearly cut his hand off.
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/golf/29221940

"I had this premonition and almost pulled out of it, but I thought it's not a big tree, not a real difficult task to do.

"We all have premonitions. That one was just unusually prophetic I guess. I nearly didn't go down and chainsaw. The moral of the story is to trust your internal mechanism."

That was some slap on the wrist for not trusting his internal mechanism. But he didn’t lose his hand and will soon be back to his golf. This reminds me of a story I told a while back about premonitions of an accident of my own that turned out not too badly at all. I think the premonition has something to do with telling yourself ‘I planned on this, but actually I’ve decided I don’t really need it’, so what happens is a relatively damp squib, like a placeholder for what was scheduled to occur. In other words, ‘Fate’ (which may be yourself before birth) writes the script, but here in the field, while you might have to adlib your way through some unscripted stuff, you also get to cut a few corners. It’s a bit like nightmares: the easiest way to deal with nightmares is to head them off when you see them coming, and just wake up.

[PurpleLama]

1inmany is having kittens as we speak!

[Dennis Leahy]

Posted by 1inMany (here)
... It could be that situations are set in front of us that are appropriate for what we need to learn.

Or it could be that all situations are in front of us and our attention is drawn to what we need to learn.

Or it could be that we set in front of ourselves lessons we need to learn. ...

This is extremely well said (not to discount the "fate" option, but these struck me. #1 is the view expressed by subjects in deep hypnosis, undergoing a "Life Between Lives" session, a la Michael Newton. But then again, even that material speaks about our participation in setting up our lessons (which would be closer to your third observation/question.)

Good food for thought.

Dennis

[PurpleLama]

My answer to 1's above post is

D) All of the Above