Tag: animals

Are you surprised? You shouldn’t be. After all, my type of farm animal is rather intelligent.

You may call me swine, hog, or domestic pig. Be sure to include domestic when using the final. I don’t want to be confused with the wild branch of the family.

Humans and my kind have been interacting practically since the beginning of time. I used to forage in the forest, stir up the soil with my snout for some easy planting. I’m not a fussy eater — leftover produce and crops are welcome in my diet. In case you wonder — I’m not being lazy. With my rather small lungs — stamina is not my strong suit. Heat also bothers me and I’ll seek out puddles or other shallow water to find relief. (Not unlike humans with their beach and swimming habits.)

What am I thinking about today? I’m puzzling why I didn’t get mentioned in Fine Lines. Here I was, reading along and enjoying the story. I actually got a little excited when they started talking about the park where I live. But did they mention me? No — hay storage. Poultry. Longhorn. They get a line or more. And me? Nothing. It’s enough to make me go find some mud and sulk.

Aside from my absence, Fine Lines is a great read. It’s an excellent choice for any weekend or even a mid-week escape from the chores and cares of the day. Here’s a link: https://bit.ly/49FtvjF

Many workplaces have scheduled meetings for employee groups. Often they are used to keep employees informed of changes and timelines. Perhaps once a week for mid-managers. Or once a month for line workers.

Does the business work around-the-clock? Do they schedule these meetings easy for non-day-shift to attend? Mandatory? Strongly encouraged? What happens if a person doesn’t appear for two or three in a row?

Do your multiple shifts have an end-of-shift report? Written? Oral?

Ms. Speckles, standing at upper left, calls the daily meeting of county park hens to order. First agenda item is egg production. Second is to devise a schedule for sitting on the eggs secreted from the humans last week — it’s past time this flock raised children.

A flock similar to above needs calming after the fire department and other emergency personnel is called to a nearby structure. Cal Collins, lead detective on the arson case, has his own micro-adventure that same morning. Check out Fine Lines, a later-in-life romance for the complete story. Here’s a link: https://bit.ly/49FtvjF

Frank, the bald eagle here. My mate, Hali, writes as if she’s an avian public relations expert. Bah!

            We’re a normal couple. Our primary interests are raising a family, gliding on the thermals, and eating well. Fresh fish is high on our desired menu. But neither one of us is above grabbing from another raptor, bear, or human. You would have laughed yourself silly watching me snatch a bass right off the hook in front of an angler last month.

            Of course, life’s not always a clear day with great air currents. We need to be careful around electrical transmission lines. I love my wingspan – a nice six-feet – but it can be hazardous. Hali, she’s a big girl and goes seven feet tip to tip, has to be extremely careful if we decide to rest on a metal tower.

            Well, time for me to report for incubating duty.

            What follows sunrise and sunset Serena Carter’s list of favorites to photograph? Birds – on the wing, in the nest, or perched and staring at the camera. Check out the later-in-life romance, Morning Tryst, to find some of her bird adventures in Missouri State Parks. White feathers take on a new meaning when they are a gift. Check at the link for more information. https://amzn.to/35gH37S

            How did you end that sentence? Landed? Nested? Soared?

            I favor the word “arrived”. It’s especially appropriate at this time of year. My mate and I – oh, I forgot to introduce myself. Where are my manners? Did I leave them at our summer home?

            I’m Hali, shortened from Haliaectus, the first of my Latin names. I’m a bald eagle living along the upper portion of the Mississippi River. During the warmer months, I live near the river and roam between Minnesota and Wisconsin. As the river freezes in the early winter, I follow the border of ice and open water and find the fishing excellent at one of the dams connecting Illinois and Missouri.

            Bird watchers and photographers, from novice to professional, seek me out during these months. I don’t object. But I do like my privacy. That’s why I insisted our nest be constructed in a tree on a small island.

            Well, time for me to go. My mate, Frank, has returned to take his shift incubating our two eggs.  

            Several Missouri State Parks are visited by bald eagles each winter. Photographer Serena Carter, in the later-in-life romance, Morning Tryst, enjoys the challenge of capturing their image. Follow the link for more information about her adventures. https://amzn.to/35gH37S