KD^3C^3 - 20260628 Looks like a snake to me
Many days after work, I like to go sit out on the porch to decompress. Often we get to a point in making dinner where things can just sit for 15 or 30 minutes (usually in the oven) and that gives myself an my sweetheart a chance to sit and chat and watch the nature go by. Since I live in The Woods, there’s no shortage of wild animals around. And over the past week or two, we’ve started recognizing the same ones popping back around, and because why not, we have started naming them. I don’t know if there was a direct cause, but I will say watching The Sheep Detectives around when we started was possibly a contributing factor. Here’s who we have named so far. Keith the hummingbird - We noticed Keith around the hummingbird feeder (not surprising). We know he’s the same bird every time because after feeding there are two specific branches on different bushes he gos to hang out at. Keith is a little aggressive, if he sees another hummingbird come up to the feed while on one of his branches, he will fly over to harass the new bird away. Keith is a jerk. Rebecca the spider - Rebecca has set up a rather large nest on a birdhouse (unoccupied previously) on the porch banister. She’s been there long enough that the weather has knocked the web around and he has had to rebuild it. She sits right in the hole of the bird feeder, ready to scurry back if a threat (like a large human) comes close or rush forward if something gets stick in the web. Joan and Frankie a pair of turkey hens, who seems to always wander around together. Most of the other turkeys in the neighborhood stick to a larger flock or wander off in solitude. I like that Joan and Frankie stick together. We see them in the backyard more often than the front and of this menagerie they’re the ones we’re most likely to see when not at home. Steve the falcon - Steve is a falcon. I’ve never seen him land, but our house is part of his territory. Most days I manage to spot him overhead at least once. Lamar the black bear - Lamar is the latest one to get names, but he’s probably the easiest one to spot, so I’ve been seeing him longer than the others. Lamar is the smallest of the neighborhood black bears, likely a year or two old (I don’t know, I’m not a bear biologist). Lamar doesn’t stay put anywhere for long, but we’ve seen him more than a few times wandering under the solar panels or lumbering though the back yard. I should also clarify, that despite being the smallest black bear in the area, that means he’s probably still at least 100+ pounds and should not be approached. Giving him a name makes him no less (but also no more) dangerous. Is it a good idea to name these animals? I have no idea, but I do think it has ended up making me just a little bit more aware of the space i inhabit, reminding me that where I live is shared with others, even if those others aren't people. Plus I think it's kind of funny.
Read more →
