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Sunday, May 18, 2008
SNAKE!
Today we came upon the little fella you see below. We were driving along, minding our own business when we spotted this 3 1/2 foot-plus snake sunning himself on the warm asphalt of the road right in front of us. At first we were thinking he might be a rattlesnake, but, upon closer (yikes!) inspection, we saw he was a bull snake.
I did NOT take these photos. I "guarded" the car while Mr. CarolForPeace got out and got too close for MY comfort.
When we first saw him, he was all stretched out, but the presence of a human-looking giant nearby started to make him nervous.
Did you know that red-tailed hawks live an average of 21 years?
I did NOT take these photos. I "guarded" the car while Mr. CarolForPeace got out and got too close for MY comfort.
When we first saw him, he was all stretched out, but the presence of a human-looking giant nearby started to make him nervous.
Here he's thinking a big, clothed animal might be stalking him, so he's positioning himself to exit stage left. He was stunningly beautiful as he slithered off; his markings undulating in perfect grace.
Two rattlesnake experiences:
I was hiking with a friend one early fall morning. We were bushwhacking on a grassy mountainside. My dog needed a drink, so I turned to put my pack down and to pull out the doggy bowl and water. Right before I put my foot all the way down, I saw that I was putting it down on a RATTLESNAKE!!! Because it was still very cool outside, the snake was slow and I got away before it moved.
Another time, Mr. CarolForPeace and I were hiking a local trail when Mr. Buddha dog stepped over a rattler that was stretched out across the trail. Buddha was on leash - the snake hanging out between him and me. I had to make the decision to call him back, meaning he'd have to step over the snake again, but fortunately, that worked out. Then Mr. CarolForPeace didn't believe me that it was a rattler, so he dropped a blade of grass on the snake, which immediately coiled and rattled that threatening tail of his. (Hubby wants me to tell you that he's not proud of this.)
So anyway, this morning, when we had our snake encounter, we were on our way to visit Mr. and Mrs. Owl's abandoned home. Sure enough, when we got there, everyone was gone. The "For Sale" sign was up and everything. The kids were probably practicing their flying lessons. I'll miss them...
BUT, baby Hawk was sitting on his nest. He's getting so big! Through the binoculars, I could tell that he still has that "sweetest little baby face".
I was hiking with a friend one early fall morning. We were bushwhacking on a grassy mountainside. My dog needed a drink, so I turned to put my pack down and to pull out the doggy bowl and water. Right before I put my foot all the way down, I saw that I was putting it down on a RATTLESNAKE!!! Because it was still very cool outside, the snake was slow and I got away before it moved.
Another time, Mr. CarolForPeace and I were hiking a local trail when Mr. Buddha dog stepped over a rattler that was stretched out across the trail. Buddha was on leash - the snake hanging out between him and me. I had to make the decision to call him back, meaning he'd have to step over the snake again, but fortunately, that worked out. Then Mr. CarolForPeace didn't believe me that it was a rattler, so he dropped a blade of grass on the snake, which immediately coiled and rattled that threatening tail of his. (Hubby wants me to tell you that he's not proud of this.)
So anyway, this morning, when we had our snake encounter, we were on our way to visit Mr. and Mrs. Owl's abandoned home. Sure enough, when we got there, everyone was gone. The "For Sale" sign was up and everything. The kids were probably practicing their flying lessons. I'll miss them...
BUT, baby Hawk was sitting on his nest. He's getting so big! Through the binoculars, I could tell that he still has that "sweetest little baby face".
Did you know that red-tailed hawks live an average of 21 years?Labels: bull snake, hawks, owls, rattlesnake
posted by Carol at 5:28 PM
13 comments
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Healing Waters and Birds
A week or so ago, when I wrote about being scattered since my surgery, when I wrote about feeling lost since the day they cut my shoulder, my friend, Judy, could hear how hard this has been. She emailed me with loving understanding and offered to drive me to the Indian Hot Springs if I'd like. Her words were balm to my frayed soul and her offer a remembrance of a way to heal. Thank you, Judy!
So yesterday Judy and I soaked in the mineral water caves of Indian Hot Springs, on the six-week anniversary of my surgery. Ahhhhhhh.....
Before I write about melting in the heat, I have to say that, while soaking I thought about the fact that the Ute and Arapaho used these waters without all of the stuff that has been built around it now. We killed or pushed them aside so that we could take the land and we "modernized" the springs by building structures for comfort. I wonder which people will be the next to take over ownership.
The Indian Hot Springs is located in Idaho Springs, a short way into the mountains. There, waters flow out of the ground at 125 degrees. The caves were created by drilling into the rocky mountainside in the early 1900s. Walking into the stony womb, the hot, steamy air just about takes one's breath away. I don't know the temps inside that cave that drips with mountain sweat, but my body said that the waters - cooled down to 104 to 112 degrees at that point - were hotter than the air, so maybe the air temp was only in the 90's. There is no little window or vent to create some evaporation so EVERYTHING was wet - BEFORE even getting into the water! I haven't ever done a Native American sweat lodge, but I am guessing that the heat there is as breathtaking (literally) as it is in these caves - the difference being the 1000% humidity found in the cave.
Anyway, after steaming every muscle until it was soft, pliable clay, I could actually raise my arm to an almost normal point with no pain!
Later in the day, I spoke with a friend who had visited the Owl family earlier in the morning. She told me that she saw two of those little guys out on a limb by the nest. You know what that means??? Most likely, by this time next week, we will no longer have the privilege of watching this lovely family. The sons and/or daughters are getting ready to leave home. They will be hanging out in various places in the area for awhile, but the soon-to-be leafed out trees will offer them protection from being seen by the likes of me.
My friend discovered this owl nest a day or two before my surgery, so throughout the last 6 weeks of recovery, I have been able to witness the amazing experience of watching this family. It has been so healing!
I'm a little sad to think that I won't be seeing those little featherballs much more, but at the same time, I'm happy that they have grown so big and will soon fly.
It all just comes and goes, doesn't it?
So yesterday Judy and I soaked in the mineral water caves of Indian Hot Springs, on the six-week anniversary of my surgery. Ahhhhhhh.....
Before I write about melting in the heat, I have to say that, while soaking I thought about the fact that the Ute and Arapaho used these waters without all of the stuff that has been built around it now. We killed or pushed them aside so that we could take the land and we "modernized" the springs by building structures for comfort. I wonder which people will be the next to take over ownership.
The Indian Hot Springs is located in Idaho Springs, a short way into the mountains. There, waters flow out of the ground at 125 degrees. The caves were created by drilling into the rocky mountainside in the early 1900s. Walking into the stony womb, the hot, steamy air just about takes one's breath away. I don't know the temps inside that cave that drips with mountain sweat, but my body said that the waters - cooled down to 104 to 112 degrees at that point - were hotter than the air, so maybe the air temp was only in the 90's. There is no little window or vent to create some evaporation so EVERYTHING was wet - BEFORE even getting into the water! I haven't ever done a Native American sweat lodge, but I am guessing that the heat there is as breathtaking (literally) as it is in these caves - the difference being the 1000% humidity found in the cave.
Anyway, after steaming every muscle until it was soft, pliable clay, I could actually raise my arm to an almost normal point with no pain!
Later in the day, I spoke with a friend who had visited the Owl family earlier in the morning. She told me that she saw two of those little guys out on a limb by the nest. You know what that means??? Most likely, by this time next week, we will no longer have the privilege of watching this lovely family. The sons and/or daughters are getting ready to leave home. They will be hanging out in various places in the area for awhile, but the soon-to-be leafed out trees will offer them protection from being seen by the likes of me.
My friend discovered this owl nest a day or two before my surgery, so throughout the last 6 weeks of recovery, I have been able to witness the amazing experience of watching this family. It has been so healing!
I'm a little sad to think that I won't be seeing those little featherballs much more, but at the same time, I'm happy that they have grown so big and will soon fly.
It all just comes and goes, doesn't it?
Labels: friends, Indian Springs, owls
posted by Carol at 8:05 AM
2 comments
Sunday, May 04, 2008
For Nick
We went to visit the Owl and Hawk families tonight. They put on a great show.
Dad
Mom
Notice that there's a western tanager on a branch below mom. It was an amazing deep, deep orange (looks kind of red in this photo). It was also very noisy and we wondered if, at some point, mom was going to decide it would make a nice appetizer.
The kids
Kind of blurry, but we were losing light and didn't have a tripod. You can see all three babies here. After visiting the Hawk family, I walked back to the Owl nest just in time to see two of the babies munching on a little dinner. It didn't take them long to gulp it down and turn to watch me.
Our neighbor, Jonathan, came with us tonight and brought along his huge, powerful telescope. Through that scope I saw a baby owl so close up that I could see inside the little nostrils on his beak. And even though the hawk nest is really high, I could look right into the eye of a baby in the nest.
Miracles all of it. Truly miracles.
Dad
MomNotice that there's a western tanager on a branch below mom. It was an amazing deep, deep orange (looks kind of red in this photo). It was also very noisy and we wondered if, at some point, mom was going to decide it would make a nice appetizer.
The kidsKind of blurry, but we were losing light and didn't have a tripod. You can see all three babies here. After visiting the Hawk family, I walked back to the Owl nest just in time to see two of the babies munching on a little dinner. It didn't take them long to gulp it down and turn to watch me.
Our neighbor, Jonathan, came with us tonight and brought along his huge, powerful telescope. Through that scope I saw a baby owl so close up that I could see inside the little nostrils on his beak. And even though the hawk nest is really high, I could look right into the eye of a baby in the nest.
Miracles all of it. Truly miracles.
One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
posted by Carol at 9:47 PM
11 comments
Saturday, April 19, 2008
A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood
This morning, the sun was hanging brightly in the sky and the temps were teasing us into coming out to play. We weren't the only ones to hear the call. OUR PARK, the place where we go to rejuvenate in nature, has been discovered by mountain bike enthusiasts. By the hordes. It's getting dangerous out there! Standing and watching our Owl and Hawk families, we risked getting run over by bikers spinning past in a blur.
They don't even know what they're missing.
And I'm not telling...
A short way down the trail from the Owl family, the Hawk family resides. The Hawks live in a high rise, so it is hard for peeping Carols like me to get a look at the kids. Today, though, mom and dad gave an incredible show. We were watching as one parent was in the nest and the other flew in.
While I watch these magnificent creatures, I forget that I exist. I am more than myself. There is only one-ness.
They don't even know what they're missing.
And I'm not telling...
A short way down the trail from the Owl family, the Hawk family resides. The Hawks live in a high rise, so it is hard for peeping Carols like me to get a look at the kids. Today, though, mom and dad gave an incredible show. We were watching as one parent was in the nest and the other flew in.
Here you can see them both in the nest. The red of the tail really stands out (that's why they call 'em red tailed hawks). You can enlarge the photos by clicking on them.
Mom and Dad look pretty much alike - except the female is larger than the male - so I don't know who is who here. One parent took off with some food in its beak. It landed in a nearby tree and ate whatever it was carrying.
I think that we were starting to make mom or dad nervous, so one of them flew to a tree over our heads to check us out.
Then he/she flew off.
Yesterday, my friend called to say that she saw three babies in the Owl nest. I haven't been there yet when all three wanted to show themselves. Here you can see two of them as they looked today. They are getting so big!
And here's mom in a nearby tree.
While I watch these magnificent creatures, I forget that I exist. I am more than myself. There is only one-ness.
posted by Carol at 11:22 AM
10 comments
Thursday, April 17, 2008
When is She Going to Quit Talking About Owls?
Oh, in about a month. When the young'uns fly away.
But I won't just write about owls for the next month, I promise.
This owlcam that I mentioned before... If you haven't checked it out, just for the sake of a smile, you might want to now. Mom is leaving the nest more often and the babies sit there looking as cute as possible.
I was worried yesterday when mom was gone for most of the day. It was a cold, snowy day and the little guys just huddled up together. For hours, I suffered through anthropomorphic thoughts:
"Oh, where is mom? It's so cold. We're all alone. This is a cold, cruel, lonely world."
Watching those two little balls of fluff all nestled up against each other, I figured they had to be bonding through adversity.
My day was way harder and more worrisome than theirs, I'm sure. They were just doing what owls do and I was creating human suffering in a place where it wasn't.
But they made it through the wintry (still is - and it's getting old) day and the cold, dark night, so now I know that owls know exactly what they're doing and don't need my worry or advice.
Whew!
But I won't just write about owls for the next month, I promise.
This owlcam that I mentioned before... If you haven't checked it out, just for the sake of a smile, you might want to now. Mom is leaving the nest more often and the babies sit there looking as cute as possible.
I was worried yesterday when mom was gone for most of the day. It was a cold, snowy day and the little guys just huddled up together. For hours, I suffered through anthropomorphic thoughts:
"Oh, where is mom? It's so cold. We're all alone. This is a cold, cruel, lonely world."
Watching those two little balls of fluff all nestled up against each other, I figured they had to be bonding through adversity.
My day was way harder and more worrisome than theirs, I'm sure. They were just doing what owls do and I was creating human suffering in a place where it wasn't.
But they made it through the wintry (still is - and it's getting old) day and the cold, dark night, so now I know that owls know exactly what they're doing and don't need my worry or advice.
Whew!
Labels: owls
posted by Carol at 8:08 AM
4 comments
Monday, April 14, 2008
Babies!!!
(click to embiggen)Do you see them?
At the bottom of the nest, you can see the little eyes and beaks of two babies - one on the far left and one on the right. Momma's head is on the right, above one young'un.
Gotta get a more powerful camera lens...
Labels: owls
posted by Carol at 9:40 PM
12 comments
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Camouflaged Owls & Women Who Stand Out
One reason people don't notice owls.
She blends in nicely, eh?It was 28 degrees, cloudy and windy when we went to visit the Owls early this morning. We didn't see Dad, which I hope is a good thing. Up until today, we have always seen Dad sitting in his tree a few yards away from the nest. I had started wondering if he was doing a good job of hunting and feeding his family, since he seemed to be planted in one place. Hopefully today he is out getting them a big juicy rabbit. Oh...
The first time we visited, we saw a little baby movement for a moment. A week ago, my friend saw a set of baby eyes peaking out. But this morning, I think it was too cold for a little ball of down to want to come out from under Mom's warm belly.
I'm wondering if there is only one baby. Usually we see two or three. Stay tuned. The roving Owl reporter will keep you updated as events unfold.
***
Back to Black...
Hooray! I've missed my Saturday standing over the past couple of weeks. I just got back from standing for part of our vigil. It was SO GOOD to be back among the powerful Women in Black. Even though I enjoy the women, admire their dedication, and find it entertaining to watch the people in rolling metal go by, I am OK if violence retreats into kindness and caring for all. I promise. I'll find something else to do and another excuse to visit my friends. Until then... you'll know where to find me on Saturdays.
Labels: owls, Women in Black
posted by Carol at 1:59 PM
6 comments
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Harold and Maude
As far as I can tell, the local Owl family (whose individual members will remain nameless) has escaped fame. But in Boulder, Harold, Maude and kids are on camera at all times. Wow! Good thing they did their little child-creatin' before nesting so as to at least have had THAT time in privacy. Can you imagine living your life on camera?
Oh, I guess there are those of us who do just that. And make a lot of money doing it.
Well, if you're into peeping, click here to view this fine feathered family.
Oh, I guess there are those of us who do just that. And make a lot of money doing it.
Well, if you're into peeping, click here to view this fine feathered family.
Labels: owls
posted by Carol at 5:07 PM
5 comments
Sunday, April 06, 2008
Update on the Owl Family
This is Mr. Owl the way he looked yesterday.Isn't he just magnificent??? I could just stand there looking at him all day. These are great-horned owls. We have found nests many years over the last ten or so years. This year's was found by my sister-in-owlness, Darla.
I also found a hawk nest the weekend before my surgery, but it's so high that we won't be able to see the babies in it until they're pretty big.
Yesterday, we saw that the Owls have remodeled and now it is impossible to get a good look into the nest, so it's also going to be challenging to see owl youngsters. Yesterday, all I could see was Mrs. Owl's eyes and ears poking up over a thatch of sticks.
This is a very wise family. As we watched and Mr. CarolForPeace photographed, a few people hiked right on by, not noticing the miracles around them (we do people look-out and when someone comes, we act interested in anything other than the owls). Mrs. Owl, in her newly camouflaged nest, blends in very well. And Mr. Owl silently sits up high in his tree-matching brown feathers and watches rodents running and people walking. If someone isn't looking for huge feathered creatures, none will be noticed.
In some ways I feel bad about not sharing. This wildlife feeds my soul and it just might feed the souls of others.
But out of respect for this beloved family, I've decided that if passersby don't see them on their own, I'm not talking. I don't know if everyone else will treat my fine feathered friends with the dignity that they are due.
And a family can only take so much gawking.
Photograph courtesy (again) of Mr. CarolForPeace. In 2 months, I plan on being able to use my camera again.
Labels: owls
posted by Carol at 9:13 AM
7 comments
Sunday, March 30, 2008
It's That Time of Year
Proud Pop
Meditating Mom
Yesterday, I got to visit the new family in the neighborhood. One very young young'un flapped for a moment to let us know he was down there staying warm and comfy under mom. Once they get a little bigger, it will be fun to find out how many little ones are hiding there.
Photo courtesy of Mr. CarolForPeace.
Photo courtesy of Mr. CarolForPeace.
Labels: owls
posted by Carol at 9:48 AM
5 comments