Author Topic: Outside My Windows IV - Friends Around America  (Read 43307 times)

Offline MountainMan

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Outside My Windows IV - Friends Around America
« on: May 06, 2006, 11:56:40 PM »
This is the official start of the fourth "Outside My Windows" thread series:

Outside My Windows IV - Friends Around America

The Outside My Windows series is now into its fourth thread.  Feel free to go back and review them - great posts and pictures.  The first three OMW threads (A Magical Morning - A Feel Good Gathering - Around The Campfire)  went for a total of:

43    Pages
7605 Views
621   Replies

The series was started as a place were forum friends could gather and post on ANY topic that made them feel good and/or they wanted to share.

There is only one rule for posting on the OMW thread:

DRIFTING AND HIJACKING THIS THREAD IS HIGHLY ENCOURAGED

« Last Edit: May 07, 2006, 01:09:17 AM by MountainMan »
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Offline MountainMan

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Re: Outside My Windows IV - Friends Around America
« Reply #1 on: May 07, 2006, 12:01:37 AM »
And to start us off:





One of Spencer's favorite games - stealing my socks as I'm trying to get ready for work and having to chase him all over the house to get them back.

« Last Edit: May 07, 2006, 12:24:59 AM by MountainMan »
"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but the moments that take our breath away..."


Offline MountainMan

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Re: Outside My Windows IV - Friends Around America
« Reply #2 on: May 07, 2006, 01:12:58 AM »
Tom Watson - "theirishguard"

In case your missing our good friend Tom I understand he is having internet connection problems and may not be back until Wednesday or later.
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Offline Michigunner

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Re: Outside My Windows IV - Friends Around America
« Reply #3 on: May 07, 2006, 10:00:30 AM »
Dave,

I like that dog of yours!  He sounds like a fun guy to have around.

We had eight wild cats born here in our wood pile.  I felt sorry for them, and have always given them food and water.

The vet gave us a special deal about getting them fixed.

I caught them in a humane cage trap for their journey to the doctor.  Each time he would shave a strip on their back  to indicate they had been processed.

I could not catch the last one, no matter what.  Finally, in desperation, I went to Wendys where they just introduced a new bacon cheeseburger with special sauce.  Right away, she got caught using the new morsel.  Wendys makes good products.

Bill

Offline Richard S

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Re: Outside My Windows IV - Friends Around America
« Reply #4 on: May 07, 2006, 04:47:09 PM »
Dave:

Thanks for opening No. IV!

We have some new "friends" down at Critter Creek.  Two of them are a little shy, but allow me to introduce Sophia and her older daughter, Surprise:  



But there's nothing shy about the third one, Sophia's younger daughter, Bridgette:



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Offline MountainMan

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Re: Outside My Windows IV - Friends Around America
« Reply #5 on: May 07, 2006, 06:59:23 PM »
Bill when you said "wild cats" I first thought you meant mountain lions or bobcats - when I was growing up we called them "wild cats".

Very nice Richard - are they a part of your family?

This was posted I think on the Seecamp forum - maybe RJ - don't remember.   These horses are all made of driftwood - amazing.

http://www.rense.com/general70/drift.htm
« Last Edit: May 07, 2006, 07:04:31 PM by MountainMan »
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Offline Richard S

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Re: Outside My Windows IV - Friends Around America
« Reply #6 on: May 07, 2006, 07:30:07 PM »
Quote

Very nice Richard - are they a part of your family?

This was posted I think on the Seecamp forum - maybe RJ - don't remember.   These horses are all made of driftwood - amazing.

http://www.rense.com/general70/drift.htm



Dave:

You might call us the "God Parents."  They actually belong to our neighbor, who looks after Critter Creek during our absence.

Those driftwood horses are indeed amazing!  I would love to have one at the entrance to the compound at Critter Creek.
« Last Edit: May 07, 2006, 07:32:41 PM by Richard_S »
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Offline Michigunner

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Re: Outside My Windows IV - Friends Around America
« Reply #7 on: May 07, 2006, 08:42:07 PM »
Richard,

I love to see those wonderful animals.  They look well cared for.

Offline Michigunner

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Re: Outside My Windows IV - Friends Around America
« Reply #8 on: May 07, 2006, 08:50:46 PM »
Dave,

I did see a bobcat one time.  I was going up a mountain road near my town in Arkansas.  It crossed at a "hair-pin" curve.  It was pretty exciting.

Last summer, we were sitting on our deck up north, and a humming bird landed right next to us on a limb, and we looked at each other for five minutes.  First time it ever happened.

Three or four years ago, we were sitting in yard chairs out in the sand, at 2:00pm on a brilliant, sunny day.  A great meteor came ripping across the sky, and exploded in a white ball with many other colors present.

Lots of things happen when you don't have a camera.   :)

Offline MountainMan

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Re: Outside My Windows IV - Friends Around America
« Reply #9 on: May 07, 2006, 08:57:14 PM »
Bill

But you did have a camera and you just showed me the pictures - thanks.
« Last Edit: May 07, 2006, 08:59:01 PM by MountainMan »
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Offline Richard S

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Re: Outside My Windows IV - Friends Around America
« Reply #10 on: May 07, 2006, 10:16:52 PM »
Quote
Dave,


Last summer, we were sitting on our deck up north, and a humming bird landed right next to us on a limb, and we looked at each other for five minutes.  First time it ever happened.

That happened to me once about 25 years ago.  I was between "projects," was sailing a sloop on bareboat-charter out of St. Lucia, and had dropped anchor and gone ashore at Palm Island in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.  While getting myself pleasantly "plastered" at the patio bar of the Palm Island Hotel, a hummingbird (which I later identified as what I believe to have been a Green-throated Carib [Sericotes holosericeus]), landed on the branch of a vine growing next to my table. The bird was literally within the reach of my arm.  

After five days on the water -- and with two tropical rum concoctions working their magic in my brain, I sat there for about five minutes staring this minute and beautiful bundle of energy in the eye.  I remember that, for that brief span of time, I was absolutely mesmerized . . . and strangely at peace.  

The bird lost interest before I did and suddenly flew away.  But I remember the experience vividly to this day.  

And here is a textbook photograph of the bird:


Some time later, shortly after arriving in Lagos, Nigeria, I was sitting in the patio bar of the Ikoyi Hotel when a small green lizard darted out of a hedge on my right and disappeared into a hedge on my left, pursued by a larger grey lizard with a bright red head.  A few minutes later, the larger lizard with the bright red head emerged from the hedge on my left with the tail of the smaller green lizard dangling from its mouth.  I remember thinking at the time that the hummingbird on Palm Island was a better omen.  And so it proved to be.    
« Last Edit: May 07, 2006, 10:23:26 PM by Richard_S »
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Offline Michigunner

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Re: Outside My Windows IV - Friends Around America
« Reply #11 on: May 07, 2006, 11:27:40 PM »
Very fine story, Richard.  I'm glad you shared that.  Excellent!

Many years ago in USAF pilot training, I was practicing aerobatics by myself for one hour, and decided to do a spin to reduce altitude for the return ride home.

The baggage door tore open, and tie-down ropes caught in the tail.  I was unable to control the nose and had to bail out.  The plane circled around and was not too far from hitting me.

Anyway, that night I was sitting on the barracks steps looking up into the brilliant star-filled sky.  There, to my amazement, was a comet painted among the stars.

It was my own little personal comet.  It was an erie feeling.  I felt it was a celebration of my good fortune.
« Last Edit: May 08, 2006, 08:13:10 AM by Michigunner »

Offline R9SCarry

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Re: Outside My Windows IV - Friends Around America
« Reply #12 on: May 07, 2006, 11:29:19 PM »
Richard - we get some humming birds here tho if we forget to put out a feeder it's hard to see them a lot.

Some friends tho have several feeders out and I have several times just sat and watched - mesmerized too - they are astonishing and I have yet to know just how energy useage to energy required ever balances as an equation!

This summer I plan to take camera to these friend's place and patiently attempt to get some pics - not easy but, will try.
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Offline Aglifter

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Re: Outside My Windows IV - Friends Around America
« Reply #13 on: May 08, 2006, 01:13:09 AM »
I'll have to ask my mother -- when I was a little kid, we had some plants around the house she put in to attract humming birds -- used to constantly have them around.  Had little red, deep flowers.
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Offline MountainMan

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Re: Outside My Windows IV - Friends Around America
« Reply #14 on: May 08, 2006, 08:59:47 PM »
Bill,
We are all glad you made it back to land - did you get any grief for losing the plane?

Humming birds seem a mircle of nature.  

Two things happened wth birds with me today.  All of my years on earth I have never seen two birds mating - until today.  Leaving for work this morning two turkeys were mating in my drive.  True not your usual small bird and they are rarely in trees, but a sight never less.  The male tom fanned the tail feathers out like a blanket - no camera.

Back in OMW III a hawk nest was posted that can be viewed from inside the house.   The below picture was taken early evening through the window of a hawk perched right outside the house - a liitle zoom helps.  I believe he/she was waiting for a possible chipmunk.


« Last Edit: May 08, 2006, 09:01:20 PM by MountainMan »
"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but the moments that take our breath away..."