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August NEWSLETTER 2007 |
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***************************** Poems & Quotations I do not count the hours I
spend Emerson, Waldeinsamkeit ~~ Nature does not proceed by leaps. Linnaeus, Philosophia Botanica ~~ There
is a pleasure in the pathless woods Byron, Childe Harold, IV ~~ I'm
truly sorry man's dominion Burns, To a Mouse ~~ The human spirit needs places where nature has not been rearranged by the hand of man. ~Author Unknown |
Nature Rules From season to season, year to year, the yard is in constant change under the direct supervision of Mother Nature. It's very humbling to realize we have very little control over the living things we come in contact with day to day. For the most part, we can only stand back and observe the changes. I love the colors each new season brings, observing the changes in the wildlife that come and go in the yard, and of course, watching the new little ones that are born throughout the year. With that comes a responsibility to provide a place where they feel safe, where they can find food and fresh water, and find safety should a predator be near by. While there is a great deal of joy that comes from all of this, there is also sadness. Not all my little friends return and I am left to wonder about their fate. This summer it was Newbie who ventured off in search of his own territory. Like a mother who watches her children grow, get married, and probably move away to begin a new life, so it was with this handsome chipmunk. I can only wish him well and hope, like Old Mr. Ballsnall, he will return, on occasion, if only for a brief visit. But, Mother Nature, true to her word, does not leave a void in our lives. The empty chipmunk den was soon occupied by a new comer who has taken complete control of the stoop. Her name is Lulu deMunk, and she is a beautiful chipmunk who came to us from somewhere beyond the great stone wall. She looks to be about a year old, well nourished, and in very good physical condition. She has no apparent nicks or scratches so common to the chipmunks in the yard who compete against each other for food and attention. I must say our new chippy is quite dominant having taken over the stoop as though she was born here. Everyone is now aware she has arrived and plans on staying for a while. You might say she's a real Lulu! |
The Newest Member
Lulu deMunk Ours is not to reason why... ***********************
Sweetie Pie Mug
$14.99 + S&H
********************** Featured site: For those interested in learning about squirrels, rabbits, chipmunks, and other small animals The Squirrel Board (TSB) is the place to go. Great pictures the whole family will enjoy. Warning this site is addictive! ~~~ A place of interest: Humane Society of the United States - newsletter |
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This charming bear comes with a friendly reminder to us all that "Earth Matters" The Earth is our Garden of Eden, and we are the keepers of the garden. We can watch it wither and die or cultivate it and watch it grow.
Click her to go to our store where you will find more great gift ideas. |
~~ A Brief Visit from Mama Ears It's been nearly two weeks since Miss Ears went into her nest to have her babies. As if she knew how much I worried about her when I don't see her every day, there she was, last night, right after supper, sitting on the backstairs waiting for me. She seemed nervous, and my guess is she was worried about her little ones. Watching her from the woodpile in the driveway was the bratty chipmunk, Sugar Plum. The moment she saw me at the door, she leapt to the ground, jumped through the grass, dashed across the patio and up the stairs to chase Miss Ears away. I grabbed a large handful of sunflower seeds and sat down on the stoop throwing enough at the end of the patio to get Sugar Plum out of the way. I called Ears a couple of times and finally she came out of hiding. She immediately run up the stairs and up on my lap where she hastily began gathering up her seeds. She had hardly filled her cheeks when she looked up at me and then dashed away to her den. It was so good to see her, if only for a few minutes, and it was quite a surprise. Usually wild chipmunks stay in their well stocked nests for the first four weeks after having their litter. Sometime during the following two weeks they will venture out with their young. When Ears had her first littler last fall, I saw her during that two week period, but never the babies when I was outdoors. My only glimpse of them was from my sunporch window as they scampered through the woodpile under Mom's watchful eye. Whenever I was outside, Ears would make sounds, barely audible to my ear, that must have warned her babies to stay hidden while I was around. This was a far cry from Ears Mom, Chip E. deMunk, who often left me with her kids on the back stoop while she went off somewhere. (She was probably taking a nap). This is perhaps the most exciting time for me as I anticipate my first sighting of the new babies. It is also very troubling because I don't get to see little Miss Ears every day and like a true chippy Mom, I worry about my adopted kids.. ** |
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Chippy Tails - The
Scoop from the Stoop ©
2006-2007
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