Friday bits and pieces

[mirtlemist]

Random thoughts:

1) Spouse told me there were 75 vultures perched in the big oak tree near our bedroom window this morning. He calls them my dream catchers. Whenever they spend time there, my nights are calm and peaceful. They don't routinely hang out here (they seem to prefer the massive white pine across the road,) but I appreciate it when they do

Comments

[patty1943]

We live on a river in North Florida (the Santa Fe). I used to paddle on it for an hour every other day. One cold morning I went down and got in my kayak and started off, and noticed that every tree along the banks had about twenty vultures in it. All the way as far as I could see. The river was misty because it was warmer than the air, and apparently that was why they were there. After a few hundred yards I got so freaked out I had to go back. So reading that you call them dream catchers and welcome them is really, really nice.
We have the kind of owls that sound like crazy people cackling in the woods. Glad you are saving them.

[mirtlemist]

'Crazy people cackling in the woods.' That's exactly what Barred Owls sound like when they get started. I've heard it described as howler monkeys, too. lol. We have a pair in our back woods and they crack me up no end.

I've loved vultures ever since I read Ted Andrew's book, 'Animal Speak.' He relates a tale of a time when the sun lived too close to the earth. The fox volunteered firs to move it, but it burned his mouth, which is why the inside of their mouths are black. The opposum volunteered next and it burned the hair off its tail. Then the vulture stepped forward. At that time it was the most beautiful and powerful of birds. The vulture placed its head against the sun and pushed and pushed until the sun was safely in the heavens, but in doing so, he lost his glorious crown of feathers. To this day, it is identified with purification, death and rebirth and new vision. It reflects that no matter how difficult life conditions, rescue is imminent in your life. Isn't that lovely? :)

[patty1943]

Yes. That is lovely. Thanks for telling me. I will never look at them the same way again.

[violet_prose]

I whole-heartedly agree with #3! :)

I hope you have a warm and wonderful weekend.

[mirtlemist]

Thank you! And to you and yours as well <3

[barbarabaker]

I think I'd freak out if I saw even one vulture. But that little chipmunk (?) is so cute.

[mirtlemist]

They often fly over us when we're outside, which I think is kind of cool. I wave at them and call greetings and they respond by dipping low, circling around and waggling their wings. I like to think they're looking out for us.

One time I was making an alphabet quilt with V for Vulture, but I couldn't find a good picture. In frustration, I said out loud, "I need a vulture!" Two days later, on April Fool's Day, we walked outside and there were 13 of them sitting on our roof. I laughed so hard, I had to sit down in the grass. Bunch of wise guys :)

I'm glad you like the picture. It's a baby squirrel who fell from his nest this past spring. He looked so comfortable, I couldn't resist snapping a shot :)

[patesden]

Your response about the owl totem made me laugh. My husband just came back from the Canadian woods and he saw gray owls almost every day, perhaps that means something. Luckily, they were cruising the logging roads and weren't in danger of smacking into cars.

75 vultures seems like a huge amount to me. At the most we see a half dozen at a time, but 20 years ago there weren't any in Vermont.

Glad I spotted your post.

[mirtlemist]

Maybe it does! Maybe the owls were keeping an eye on your husband and wanted him to see them and know they were looking out for him :)

Yes, that's the largest number of vultures we've ever seen right here around our house this time of year. In the summer they seem to hang around the Gettysburg area mostly, as if there's some kind of genetic memory at work, leaving only a handful here. I'm disappointed that I didn't get to see them. He said they dispersed right after I woke up.

Hope you had a great holiday :)

[crissachappell]

I love owls so much. Lately I've been spotting them in the daytime and wondering what it could mean..

[mirtlemist]

Most of the time, if they're out in the daytime, it's because they've been disturbed somehow, they're courting, or they're hungry. Once they have chicks (around March/April, at least up here,) they have to hustle more to feed them. But if none of that's going on, then I'm thinking they want you to see them. Maybe they sense your affinity for them and want you to know they return it :)

I so totally love that userpic <3