The Gathering Hordes (of Raccoons)

Humans are in a pandemic as I write this.

Covid-19. Perhaps you’ve heard of it?

Yet the Old Ones still gather daily and nightly in our yard.

I’ve often fretted about making offerings to The Old Ones. I make sure I offer enough to supplement, not enough to fulfill. I want them to find food their normal ways and not grow dependent. I worry what might happen to them once I pass.

Who will care for them?

I forget that they are Old Ones. They have survived human pestilence save humans being pestilence towards them.

I know certain diseases have ravaged wildlife.

I wonder if they know a disease is affecting Two-Legged life, or do they not care. Do they say amongst themselves, “They are Two-Legs. We were here before them, we will be here after them.”

I wonder how long the current pandemic will last. Or will it decimate Two-Legged life? Were the survivalists correct all along? If you’ve ever read Earth Abides or The Stand, you know the next chapter of humanity may not be all that pleasant.

And still, the Old Ones gather.

I’m sure they will after we’re gone.

The question is, how will they remember us.

So I’ll ask; how do you want to be remembered? Enter a comment. I’d like to know.

 

Coming to the Convention? Or is it a Convocation? (Of Turkeys)

We continue to be blessed with a preponderance of Turkeys.

We don’t mind. Most aboriginal cultures recognizing turkeys consider them signs of abundance. Not quite success but close to.

We’re experiencing much abundance even though the world (as I write this) is concerned with the corona virus.

In the early part of the outbreak, people googled seeking a connection between Corona beer and the corona virus.

Made me wonder if the virus could target stupidity. Ignorance I don’t mind. Sometimes ignorant people recognize they’re ignorant and take steps to educate themselves. They read a book, watch a documentary, take a class, talk with neighbors, …

But then you get the folks who know they’re ignorant and chose to remain so.

I’ve never understood that; the willful choice to remain in the dark when one step away is so much light.

But I also understand knowledge can be fearful. Discovering you were in error on something? Especially if it’s something you hold dear, close to heart, sacred? Something you’ve based your life on?

Such happens all too often in science, sorry to say.

I’d like to think people with scientific training are immune to such ego based ideals, are able to recognize truth as truth and promote it.

Nah…what am I thinking?

Scientists are people, too.

Some of them are just stupid ones.

Meanwhile, the Turkeys congregate and convocate and discuss what they’ll do when we’ve long past.

 

Our Turkeys Like Frampton

It’s wonderful when you discover someone with similar tastes to yours.

There’s that wonderful moment when you realize they’re into something you’re into.

You start sharing experiences, memories, anecdotes.

It’s wonderful.

So it was for me when I realized our visiting Turkeys are Frampton fans.

I’ve been a Frampton fan since before people knew who he was. Met him once in a very out of the way place. It was glorious.

I doubt our Turkeys know this.

But that’s okay. They still do a Frampton Strut.

I’m good with that.

 

Vernod Dines Alone

We are so blessed.

Almost every night and often during the day friends come to our table. In the backyard. On the ground. Makes after-dinner clean up so much easier.

Vernod, one of last year’s kits but I’m not sure whose, usually comes with a host of others. Most nights we have four to seven raccoons of various ages.

Some are cookie mongers. They’ll come up to me, actually stepping on my feet, to get peanut butter cookies (I love them myself. That’s how we discovered they were a raccoon favorite).

Others will take a cookie, yes, thank you, much away then return for peanuts in the shell. Unsalted, of course. Don’t want raccoons with high blood pressure.

Our guests dine healthy.

Give or take a cookie or two.

 

New Year’s Turkeys (2020)

What do you do with a backyard of glorious birds?

You wish them well in the New Year.

It’s a human-decreed new year, not a natural one.

Then again, most human-decreed western cultural holidays for the past 2,000+ years have not followed nature’s timelines.

All things in cycles, all things in circles.

Wise ones – usually taught by Old Ones – know how to rise above the cycles while still riding them.

Like thermals. Seagulls. Hawks. Eagles. Most raptors and quite a few others. Stay aloft without effort.

Letting the rising air lift them above events on the ground. Above near troubles to see more. See better.

Pay attention to what’s going on around you but only when you’re in it. Otherwise, leave tomorrow’s troubles for tomorrow.

There’s enough to do today.