Chorus of the summer night

Sit outside on your porch and listen to the nightly chorus of birds, frogs, and insects. It is a pleasant sound that most people miss, since they are inside watching television. In Washington D.C. area, it is hot and humid. However, sweating out the night is worth it since you can heard the cicadas buzzing, the frogs going jug-a-rum, and an owl hooting. Watching the fireflies makes the whole experience better than any tv program.

Birds on the Porch

I have been putting out chunks of stale bread on my balcony. I have been visited by flocks of sparrows and wrens. Cardinals come early in the morning, while ravens during the day. The sparrows will fight with each other about who has the biggest piece of bread. They drop the bread and the ravens will scoop it up.

From my ANIMAL Teachers' site: Birds:

Birds fascinate people. Many people set out feeders to attract Birds to their Gardens. Others travel distances to spot a particular bird. People watch Birds fly, perch in trees, and sing to each other. What is it about Birds that draw people to them? People tell you they love Birds for the joy they bring.

Birds teach living in the moment. A flash of brightly colored feathers, then They are gone. The sight of a Condor soaring in the sky makes people pause and watch. Crows amuse people by their antics. A lonely call of the Loon fills people with longing. Constantly in motion, Birds teach people to live in the moment.

Michigan J. Frog

Michigan J. Frog was the corporate logo of WB Network. However, WB has decided to eliminate him since he doesn't draw older people to their shows. However, I thought he was a lot better than any other corporate logo. WB replaced him with a silly flag: Comedy for All.

Frogs have many teachings that WB have missed. Here are a few:

Frogs demonstrate the principle of tolerance. Frogs come in all shapes and sizes. There are the tiny Spring Peepers, ugly Horned Toads, vigorous Bullfrogs, and green Barking Tree Frogs. The old song goes, “All God’s Children sing in the choir. Some sing low, others sing higher.” Listen to Frog songs, and you will here the low jug-a-rum of the Bullfrog, the rasping natter-natter of the Natterjack Toad, and the high peeps of the Spring Peepers. Together in unison, They provide a melody pleasing to the ear.

--ANIMAL Teachers: Frog Family

Cardinals on the balcony

I have been putting out bread on my condo balcony. I had a rare sight of cardinals eating the bread. I always thought they just ate sunflower seeds. However, now I have a surprise - they eat bread too.

The cardinal is a beautiful red bird. At least the male. The female is more of a duller brown. I find their color to be cheery. Their call is cheer-cheer-cheer. So it fits.

A Few Bugs In the Laundry Mat

What I am finding is that my local laundry mat is a haven for bugs. All sorts of bugs like to fly in between the screens and rest on the machines. We have moths, leaf hoppers, and spiders. I never knew that an urban laundry mat could be an adventure in nature.

I have no problem with the bugs but some of my fellow laundry types do. One woman just hates the big bugs and shoos them away. Most of the bugs just sit there and do nothing. However, I guess people just dislike them for being so alien looking.

Inchneumon Wasp

The recent movie, "War of the Worlds" featured Martians that looked like Inchneumon wasps. I guess it was the perfect way of getting people to be afraid of them.



More information can be found at Everything About Wasps and Insects

From ANIMAL Teachers: Crawling Ones:

The Crawling Ones are usually small, creepy, and crawly. Moreover, They give many people "the creeps." Go beyond the “ick factor” and learn what Crawling Ones have to say. They are opportunists, and one of the most diversified life forms.

As long as people have been on Earth, Insects have been a part of their lives. Insects provide food or live off people; protect or ravage crops. One fourth of all living animals are Insects. They are found in every place on Earth, adapting to all sorts of environments.

The Meaning of Turtles

Why should anyone care about turtles, let alone sea turtles?

Nothing on earth today is like Turtle. The Turtle’s unique design–their ribs fused to their shell and leg bones tucked inside their body cavity–is a hallmark of the family. Turtles have been on earth since before the dinosaurs.

Turtle teaches tenacity. They have walked on the earth for millions of years. While other species have come and gone in that time, Turtles are still here, alive, well, and going about their lives. From ANIMAL Teachers: Turtle Family

“As about, so below, and within. The gentle sea turtle acknowledges the delicate balance between ocean and earth, and reminds us of the importance of respecting both.” Copyright: “Wisdom of Australian Animals”, Ann Williams-Fitzgerald.

A Good/Bad Month for Sea Turtles

(Olive Ridley Nesting from Sea Turtle Restoration Project)

First the bad news, there was a carnage of sea turtle bodies in one of Mexico's protected beaches. The poachers wanted only the eggs for sexual purposes. WHEN WILL PEOPLE REALIZE THAT TIGER WHISKERS, SEA TURTLE EGGS, BEAR GALL BLADDERS, DO NOT HELP! The more we can convince people of the non-health effects of these and other animal parts, the better the animals will survive.

The good news, a Green Turtle made a nest in one of the beaches in Virginia. This is first time north in a long time, that a turtle had laid her eggs this far north. That beach has been protected by the Commonwealth against evil poachers.

I call them evil for the simple fact of greed. Pure simple greed.

How can you help these turtles? Adopt a nest
Adopt a Nest

By adopting a nest of baby turtles, you will be helping protect a species that has existed since before the dinosaurs. Adoption funds support sea turtle conservation work, including:
projects to protect sea turtle nesting beaches
efforts to ensure that sea turtles are not needlessly caught and drowned in industrial fishing lines and nets
international programs to teach local communities about sea turtle conservation.

Swallow Family Update

The Swallow Family that lives on the porch of my neighbor is still here. They are still raising their second batch of young. We see them on summer evenings catching insects. I find them to be cheerful and optimistic.

"Prior to the advent of Christianity, the swallow was symbolic of the afterlife and personal resurrection. In Egypt and Babylon, swallow images were associated with funerary practices and represented the hope of a richer life after death...In pictures of the Annunciation and the Nativity, swallows represent the incarnation of Christ...The swallow is also associated with motherhood, good fortune, prudence, prayer, fidelity, unfaithfulness, courage, and danger." From ChristStory: Swallow

A Big Green Bug

While I was doing the laundry at the laundry mat, a big green bug rested on the inside wall. It was a huge insect. Naturely I wanted to know what it was.

Unlike most people, I find bugs to be friendly creatures. Most are and are worthy of our notice. In the Middle Ages, when bugs infested crops in Europe, they had trials. The bugs had an advocate who pleaded their cause. Sometimes, people would decide to build a place for the bugs to feast. Other times, they asked the bugs to leave.

At Bob Patterson's Entomology Hobby Page, there is a color picture of 'my bug' - the leaf hopper. He writes, "Shape, Color and Pattern: You could decorate a small christmas tree with these Leafhoppers of the Family Cicadellidae, not Cicadas, Family Cicadidae. Features making them stand out from Planthoppers: overall body pattern, different wingshape, and spines along the hind tibia (leg), not to mention wing veination." Imagine your tree decorated with beautiful insects.

A Lizard is Not A Lizard is Not A Lizard

One of my pet peeves is that people who look for wisdom from animals, think that all lizards are the same. They are reptiles who lie in the sun and bask. Their tails detach and they escape. Not So.

Lizards are found all over the world. They come in many sizes and shapes, which is their secret of success. Lizards range in size from tiny Geckos to huge Komodo Dragons. Chameleons are tree dwellers that can change color. Race Runner Lizard of North American runs fifteen miles an hour. Horned Lizards have short, flat bodies covered with fierce looking spikes.

Lizards display a variety of survival adaptations, from gliding through the air to pattering across water. One well-known survival technique is that They are able to shed their tails when caught by a predator. Tail shedding distracts the predator and allows the Lizard to escape. Tail loss is serious since the tail is used for balance, but most Lizards can regrow their tails within a month.

To read more about lizards and their meanings, go to: Animal Teachers
Animal Teachers: Lizards or Who Zoo

It's A Boy (Panda)

Living in Washington D.C. means seeing the pandas at the zoo. Ever since the first pandas - Mei Ling and Hsing-Hsing - came, people have been panda crazy. A visit to the National Zoo to the panda palace included seeing the boxes the pandas came in. When the first two pandas died, people were bereft.

Now, we have new panda family and a new panda cub. It is exciting and fun. The new cub turned out to be a boy. (Picture from the National Zoo web site.) Here is the panda cam and zoo site: http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/GiantPandas/ read all about the new panda that captured our hearts.

Ever since pandas were found in China and brought to the West, people have fallen in love with them. They seem so cuddly and cute. However, pandas are neither. Relatives of the bear family, pandas are large mammals who rely on bamboo for food.

Panda Insights:

"In China they call the Panda "Xiongmao", which means Giant Cat Bear. The Panda was believed to have magical powers that could ward off natural disasters and evil spirits" From World Kids: Endangered Animals Center http:///www.worldkids.net/eac/panda.html."

"Pandas live alone except when breeding, indicating a solitary lifestyle. Those with this medicine will be happiest when living by themselves. Relationships can be acquired and maintained but only if a partner respects the need for privacy and sacred space. Although relationship issues are common for those with this totem a panda medicine person will be forced to rely on their intuitive voice for nourishment and guidance. This aids them in developing a deeper understanding of who they truly are. From the perspective of spiritual growth this understanding is a fundamental requirement for the souls evolution." - From Sayahda's Animal Totems: Panada http://www.sayahda.com/cyc3.html

A Gift of Feathers

While on a walk, I found a crow tail feather. I have a collection of crow, pigeon, and blue jay feathers. I use them to fan sage with when I cleanse my home. Feathers are magical and are a gift from the birds themselves.

Most people prize eagle and hawk feathers since they represent spirituality and bravery. However, in the U.S., it is illegal to possess such feathers without a permit. Also treaties cover migratory birds such as herons and the possession of their feathers. I write this since in the late 1800s and early 1900s, thousands of birds were slaughtered for their feathers. Women's hats, at that time, were decorated with heron and egret feathers.

Back to crow feathers, these like the birds are sooty black. They are used for mourning and for letting go of situations. For followers of the Norse religions, crow and raven feathers have symbolic meaning as well. The two ravens of Odin told him of the happenings in the world. Among the Arapaho of North America, crow feathers were widely used in their Ghost and Crow Dances for making ceremonial items.

I have a personal connection with crows. When I am looking for direction or advice, they drop feathers on my head. Sometimes, they will come and eat my lunch or at least try. When I do listen to them, I have to think quietly of what they are saying to me. Sometimes, I get it and sometimes, I don't. However, the crows seem to understand and try some more. That is the way between people and animals sometimes.

Swallowtail Butterfly In the Flowers

As I was taking my laundry back and forth to the laundry mat, I saw a huge butterfly. It was a large yellow creature that lingered by the flowered bushes. I later looked it up to find out it was a swallowtail butterfly.

People are amazed by butterflies, that seem to be new life and new beauty. But in Europe, butterflies were the sign of the dead person's soul. Some insects scare people, but butterflies are beloved by everyone, it seems.

http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/klamath/images/phototour/pages/butterfly.html
A picture of the butterfly from the Klamath National Forest in the U.S.A.

Red Koi in The Pond

Next to the main U.S. Department of Interior building is a koi pond. Well not exactly a koi pond, more like a wildlife pond with turtles, dragonflies, ducks, and of course koi. It sits with in view of Constitution Avenue in Washington D.C. ( http://www.doi.gov/ )

I saw the turtles sunning themselves among the boxes of marsh reeds. Walking closer, I saw a school of small red koi with two large black ones. They looked like a drill team swimming in unison around the boxes and turtles. Sometimes, they would encounter a large koi, and change direction. No stragglers or confusion. Just turn about face and swim!

I understand why people enjoy koi ponds. It is peaceful to watch them swim with their tail fins floating in the water. Their colors lend brightness to the murky water.

--------

Koi are members of the carp family. More info and pictures can be found at : http://www.vcnet.com/koi_net/

Slow Motion Gets You There Faster

Watched a slug wend its way over a water main. Slowly, slowly, but surely the slug moved forward until it was crawling in the grass. I remember the old Hogie Carmichael song, "Slow Motion Gets You There Faster", and the lesson of the slug.

Sometimes just moving along at slow pace helps you to focus on what direction you want to do. You get there just the same but you get to see the scenery along the way. As for my slug friend, it was doing fine eating insects.

Slugs eat a lot of harmful insects, so don't kill them. They are helping gardeners eventhough many think of the slugs as an enemy. I think it has to do with how a slug looks. Long, slimey, and ickey.

--------------------

Slugs are of both sexes. There are no hes or shes, justs heshes or its.

A Visit from The Toad

Most people think of toads as ugly little creatures. I think they are wonderful in their warty way. Toads have a certain dignity about them that frogs don't.

My late father-in-law looked like a toad - short, squat, and warty. We called him "The Toad". When he died, we were visited by the biggest, fattest, ugliest toad you ever saw. This huge toad greeted us daily by the front door. I was told that it was my father-in-law looking in on us as a protector.

I saw a small toad today in the grass. A tiny thing hopping towards the pile of rocks, I wished him well. I felt happy that a toad had come to visit.

Toads are magic. They have the mythic toadstone on their head. That is one of the reasons for the stories of the enchanted frog (which is what toad is). Next time you see a toad, think magical thoughts.

Swallow on the Roof

A family of barn swallows come yearly to my condo building to nest. For about 15 years now, they come and build their nest under the porch lights. It isn't spring until they come.

I watch them swoop through the air catching insects. Recently, they fledged two young swallows. The fledgling was on the ground crying to his mother to come feed him. She flew near him trying to get him to fly. He would hop and flutter a bit. Finally, he flew.

I saw one of the fledglings on the porch roof. He was just sitting there preening himself. Looking like he owned the place.

I enjoy the swallows. They seem so cheerful in what they do, and fearless too. They recently decided to start another clutch. So, I conclude that they must also be hopeful too.

No That's Not A UFO

That strange buzzing sound that you hear from the trees is not a UFO but a cicada. The sounds of the periodic cicadas are often heard in sci-fi movies. So if you think that you hear a strange sound, relax, it's only a huge bug.

People forget that insects are teachers too. Cicada's teach about time and living in the present moment. They live underground as larvae, then emerge as adults. For a brief while, they call to the available bugs, "Hey how about some ....?" Then they mate and die shortly afterwards. So take a clue from the cicadas and live for today.

Squirrels Eating Candy Bars

The squirrels that live on the U.S. Interior Department grounds are sneaky. One of them decided to steal a nut bar from the corner vendor. He crept up to the wheel of the truck. Then jumped just below where the vendor sat. Suddenly, he jumped with a candy bar in his teeth. He hopped to a safe tree and proceeded to take the wrapper off. Twirling the candy around, he ate his fill. A neat trick.

A day without squirrels is a day without sunshine.

No Squirrels in the Noon Day Sun

Still very hot and humid.

There is a family of squirrels that live on the grounds of the U.S. Interior Department (South Building). This building has lots of oak trees for squirrels to nest and play in. There is also a vendor selling nuts and hot dogs at the corner.

I see the squirrels, very early in the morning, dive bombing into trash cans. They pull out sandwich wrappings and half-eaten bagels. Sometimes, they find a nut that someone threw away.

However, come noon in Washington D.C., and nary a squirrel can be seen. I think they must hide in the branches and sleep. I would if I was a squirrel.

Squirrels teach me when to rest and when to work. They know when to stop and sleep in the sun. In a place like D.C., we could learn a lot about relaxing from the squirrels.