Who doesn’t like butterflies?! Lissome and lithe, their shiny, sparkling, shimmering bodies float from one nectar-filled goblet to the next on gossamer wings, sipping of the sweet life-sustaining syrup. Their habitat ranges from the mountains to the valleys, their sizes and shades cover a wide spectrum, and their metamorphosis from tiny egg to larva (caterpillar) … Continue reading Flying Jewels-Part 2
If we squirrels spoke human, we might have a lot to say. We chatter all the time, and if you don't understand squirrelese, that's your problem. But to foster interspecies communication, here are some possible interpretations of our profound thoughts. "We squirrels are gourmands by nature. We love to eat. That's a dilemma on a … Continue reading Squirrel Talk
Throughout our two-plus decades of married life, my husband and I have hiked many miles in many locations. Wildlife encounters have generally enriched the experience and have, mostly, been of the harmless, and feathered or furred kind – birds, rabbits, squirrels, foxes, coyotes. Our somewhat more borderline interactions with brown bears in Alaska are a … Continue reading Beware The Rattle
Among my favorite rodents are Golden-mantled Ground Squirrels, previously highlighted in at least two posts (see here and here). Native to the American West, they reside mainly in coniferous and mixed forests, but may occupy habitat ranging from sagebrush country to areas above timberline, and are, therefore, frequently seen. As I have to resist the … Continue reading Peekaboo
My name is Prickly. Glad to make your acquaintance. People throughout the ages have mistaken me for a pig, with spines attached, as my name, in several languages, attests. In German, it is “Stachelschwein” (Schwein = pig, Stachel = spine/quill), in French “porc-épic” (porc = pig, épic = spine/quill), and my English common name, porcupine, … Continue reading My Name Is Prickly
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