Category Archives: Animalia

Three Letters

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Letter One

birdbath

Dear birds who
frequent my front yard:

A voice whispered in my ear,
“Buy it and they will come.”
I was confused, and said, “Buy what?”
The voice said, “Cheep!”
So I went to the store and looked for something cheap.
I found a colorful glass birdbath
on a wrought iron base.
It was on sale.
I bought it.

I set it up in the front yard,
filled it with water,
added three big rocks (for ambiance),
… and waited…

No one came.

Okay… one bird came.
An avian bath critic, perhaps,
who apparently voted
two wings down.

Perhaps I should have splurged
on the Jacuzzi model, or maybe
the optional water slide.
But I did not.
After all, the voice did say cheap.

Henceforth, little birds,
If you aren’t going to utilize
the colorful glass birdbath
on the wrought iron base,
please stay downwind from me.
There are few things worse
than an unbathed bird.

And please,
stop whispering in my ear.

Sincerely,
Birdbath Owner

= 0 = 0 = 0 =

Letter Two

letters2

Dear dog who sits at the bathroom door
every time I pee:

You’ve taught me a lot
since you came to live with me.
Like not to leave socks lying around.
Or pens. Or slippers.
Or granola in a bowl of milk.

I’ve tried to teach you things, too.
Like barking to alert me
of your need to go outside.
Like NOT barking to alert me
every time the neighbors walk by.
And that it’s bad form to drink from the toilet
or to try to hump the cat.

I’ve seen you staring out the window
at the colorful glass birdbath
on the wrought iron base.
Could that have something to do
with its unpopularity?

Please don’t chase the birds.
I am fairly certain they do not want
to play with you.

Cordially,
Alpha Pack Leader

= 0 = 0 = 0 =

Letter Three

letters3

Dear Cat who
shares my domicile:

There’s a new water dish
in the front yard for you.
It’s made of colorful glass
on a wrought iron base.
We can remove the three big rocks
if you don’t like the ambiance.

I’m really sorry about the dog thing.
What can I say… he likes you.

Faithfully,
Filler of the Water Dish

= 0 = 0 = 0 =

In Search of Wild Horses

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I wrote this poem a couple of summers ago, about a weekend trip to the Ochoco forest in central Oregon. A beautiful, unforgettable experience with wonderful people and stunning scenery.

 

 

IMG_0086 On Friday we set out in search of wild horses.
leaving the city with all its frenzy,
eager to begin our wilderness adventure.
We crossed sparkling rivers and overgrown creeks,
and saw wild rhododendrons
sprawling in the shade along the wooded roadside.
We found a stream bank that would make a great watering spot,
but alas, we saw no wild horses.

 

IMG_0115

On Saturday we set out in search of wild horses.
We watched ospreys diving for lake trout.
We hiked steep mountain trails,
pausing to admire the grandeur of snow-capped peaks
and the delicateness of wildflowers
swaying in the gentle breezes.
We saw hoof prints in the soft forest floor,
but alas, we saw no wild horses.

 

IMG_0066

On Sunday we set out in search of wild horses.
We enjoyed the scent of pine trees and lilacs,
watched lizards scurrying down rough-barked junipers,
and climbed hills to discover what lies beyond.
We marveled at piles of sun-hardened manure
scattered amongst the trees by our elusive prey.
We saw grass trails bent down where they may have passed by,
but alas, we saw no wild horses.

 

IMG_0134

On Monday we set out for home.
En route we passed the Painted Hills that
undulate in shades of rose and verdigris and taupe and ochre.
We saw weathered barns sagging wearily in the fields,
antelope grazing in a verdant pasture,
and watched a man feed ice cream to his dogs.
We basked in our weekend revitalization.
And, by the way, we saw wild horses.

Triumph (and a promise)

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[Editorial note: Yes, it’s another dog post, but I promise to swear off dog posts for the rest of the month, maybe even longer. Promise. Cross my paws — fingers  — heart.]

Triumph is when you are doggedly chasing after a goal,

triumph4

and you finally catch up to that thing you’ve been chasing,

triumph2

but you manage to come away with a smile

triumph3

in spite of it.

Photo 101 Assignment 20: Triumph

Muse – Weekly Photo Challenge (photo essay)

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This week’s Daily Post Photo Challenge theme is “Muse.” The question posed is “So what’s your muse — what subject do you turn to frequently, more inspired each time?”

Hmm… that’s a tough one. Not! I suppose it’s the subject that’s appeared in about 10% of all my posts so far. That would be my dog Chihuly.

hose

I usually call him Chules on social media as a courtesy to the glass artist, Dale Chihuly, after whom Chules was named. I don’t want search engines confusing the two. People looking for gorgeous glasswork and finding a gorgeous dog instead might be confused, because let’s face it, Chules sucks at glass art.

I also on occasion refer to him as Fuzz Butt. My dog, that is. As you can see in the photo below, that is an apt nickname.

“What’s going on? Let me look!”

“What’s going on? Let me look!”

He’s a dog of many faces.

tongue out

Someone on Facebook referred to him as a chameleon. He has his tender moments…

Friends forever.

Friends forever.

but he can be macho, too.

stick


Nothing like a good toothpick after the evening kibble.

He can be silly…

mic

Tap. Tap. “Is this microphone on? Okay, great! I’d like to dedicate this first song to my house mate, the tuxedo cat. Buddy, this one’s for you…”

He watches out for me.

deep end

Chules is checking out the deep end. He heard I’d gone off it.

And at the end of the day, he’s just a great companion.

resting

So you may be seeing more of my muse around here, but I’ll try to control myself and keep it under 15 percent. And for good measure, I’ll toss in the occasional photo of Sebastian, the tuxedo kitty.

Sabs

“Chules is such a show off, he gets all the attention. That’s okay. Everyone knows I’m smarter. And better looking. And I have a fuzzier derriere, too, but that’s beside the point.”

Weekly Photo Challenge: Muse

World Oceans Day (photo essay)

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Expansive and deep,
beautiful but volatile,
ample force to turn
vessels to splinters.

ocean3

Teeming with life,
ceaselessly churning,
an indefatigable
dynamo.

ocean4

Kissed by the sun,
caressed by the winds,
extolled by poets
and sailors alike.

ocean1

Sustainer of life
as we know it on Earth,
yet with all its
grandeur and might…

still fragile.

ocean2

What could be big enough to threaten and endanger our oceans (and thus our planet)?

Microplastics.

Microplastics particles, which are smaller than five millimeters in size, likely pose a massive environmental and human health risk when they enter our natural waterways.

Toxins including DDT, BPA and pesticides adhere to the particles, and because they can resemble plankton, they’re often ingested by small aquatic life. The toxins biomagnify as they move up the food chain, accumulating in birds, fish, marine mammals and potentially humans.

Adventurers and Scientists for Conservation (ASC)

June 8th, 2015 is World Oceans Day.

What can we do to help “turn the tide” on the dangerous amounts of plastics polluting the oceans?

  • We can work to increase awareness of the issue. Here’s a video of how one artist is doing that: Invisible Ocean: Plankton and Plastic. But it doesn’t have to be that complicated.
  • We can choose not to buy and use products that contain plastic microbeads (as in certain brands of toothpaste, facial cleansers, soaps…).
  • We can avoid using disposable plastic bags. (Take the Better Bag Challenge.)

These may seem like small steps toward tackling such a large problem ( just “a drop in the ocean,” so to speak), but that’s how things get done. Small actions lead to big changes.

Let’s act today.

starfish with rock

Thanks to Jane (Just Another Nature Enthusiast) and her challenge at UNLESS: Earth-friendly Chroniclers: Challenge 11~ “Healthy Oceans – Healthy Planet” for the inspiration.