Darren at Terapod Zoology has uncovered what I think, seriously,may be the worst idea for the future I have ever seen, combining sentimentality, utter ignorance about how the world, society, animals, biology or any science works, along with a readiness (unspoken), to use the most totalitarian means to achieve its impossible goals. His title says …
Month: September 2009
Links
Hecate at Hecate’s Crossroad (Wiccan, guns, and animal training) speaks of the relevance of “clicker training” to gun laws: “So if you’re seeing a whole lot of behaviors you don’t want, you can bet those behaviors are being rewarded, somewhere, somehow.” (Snip) “For punishment to work as a behavior-modification method, it must be a significant …
Sad News
Michael Blowhard has announced that he is hanging up his blogging spurs. All of us here at Querencia owe him thanks for the many kindnesses he has shown this blog. I was lucky enough to share an unforgettable lunch with Michael and his wife three years ago. It just won’t be the same.
Swainson’s family
This family of Swainson’s hawks were perched on power poles outside of Pinedale this week. There was one more juvenile on the pole across the highway. I didn’t have my big lens, so I walked up to visit them, getting scolded in the process.
Glamour shots
Every now and then, I need “glamour” photos to promote my appearances at book signings/festivals, so I turned the camera over to husband Jim last night. Since most of my books are for kids and are about animals, all my glamour shots involve critters as well. I like the photo posted above. Roo is the …
NPR on Mongolia
National Public Radio has a special series on Mongolia this week: Mongolia in Transition.
Babies with fuzzy heads
Didn’t actually get a clear, good shot, but this one explains it. Baby sandhill cranes have fuzzy heads. How perfectly endearing …
San Juan Islands
Connie and I recently returned from a trip to northwestern Washington, where we attended our niece’s wedding. Connie has three older brothers who live in that part of the state, Terry in Seattle, Tim in Bellingham, and Jeff in the countryside east of Blaine. Terry had recently bought a small farm on Lopez Island, out …
The Politically Correct Pet
When Mr P came down for the sheep, he brought a piece of humor he and I had collaborated on when he was in High School. I don’t know what it says about our minds, or that this is the first venue we found for it… Introducing TAPEWORMS— the politically correct,animal- rights- safe pet of …
Of Mutton and Saws- Alls
Our friend Pieter Ditmars raises grass- fed meat sheep on Dunhill Ranch in the western foothills of the Magdalenas, using livestock guard dogs (Pyrenees) and border collies as assistants. We always buy a lamb from him. But we had found him a lot of new customers, and this year he offered us a 5 year- …