Very interesting, especially about the frequency in which they communicate.
I once read about ewes and rams and realized that maybe we humans got it all wrong about the why part. The rams had a job to do keeping all the ewes happy, to the point of exhaustion. The ewes were very demanding to the point of competing for the ram. Sort of like Bill in Big Love with his three wives, if you've ever seen that show. So I wonder if the rooster sees protecting and keeping the hens happy as his job.
I also say this as my cat clearly sees protecting me that way and even goes after dogs who come near me and drives them away, unless he sees that I welcome them. And he patrols the neighborhood with a regular pattern, and even taught another younger cat to do it too. So I just wonder if these animals see this as their responsibility and take it very seriously.
Really interesting post. Your young self was quite observant!
Ellen, so good to have you, like sitting in the kitchen over cider and ginger snaps. We could say animals take their jobs VERY seriously and come equipped to perform them flawlessly. It also seems to me that observation is a serious job. Animals: taught me how to be one. A topic without beginning or end. Let's look through the eyes of a remorseless predator (a very big cat) for example. First and foremost, "all life is sacred" even though we must murder to survive since worshipping life is part of survival (either all are sacred or none); furthermore, we all have our harsh realities, be we predator or prey. Just a couple remarks from the remorseless opinion of a farmer. Be here now.
We're all remorseless if we eat animals, which most of us do (including me after trying and failing to be a healthy vegan). Agree that all life is sacred, having read a book about trees and learning about how they cooperate and compete with one another, or seeing how plants flourish when beyond their needs you give them positive attention. Be here now -- yes! Relevant to your thinking about the Age of Aquarius and useful spiritual approaches that made their way from the East to the West (but then got highjacked by commercial interests and made into slogans and hot yoga classes). Unending topic, as you say. But relevant to figuring out how to live a meaningful life, I would say.
Cider and ginger snaps -- the best in be here now!
We do know how to party! Coping skills is what we're after here, and something we share with the animals; to accept harsh realities while remaining innocent. And a release from the morass of global affairs.
I like to think of it as a sort of filagree that allows us to grab onto and cross the species divide (in small ways) and enter the World of another. Empathy pretty much sums it up.
As someone who learned to cope fairly well and take care of myself during a difficult childhood, I'm now aspiring beyond that to joyful living, and finding it in interactions with other humans, animals, and nature, as well as trying to live with some greater sense of meaning and purpose. But it is moment to moment and being present with what is, as you say. It could all end in the next moment, so do I value life right now? If I get to listen to another rock song, for example, the answer is an unequivocal yes. And if I get to share it with someone else, even better!
Well, I'll share a little secret here since we're all getting acquainted: the title Strange and Unusual Places is a term for a little-known field within optical fiber and photonics (deep sea, outer space, guidance and navigation etc.). That side of me resides in a different space (hidden post) and is a world you might not want to enter, but is there no less.
I also grew up on a farm that we called a grove. So, I didn’t realize I was a farmer’s daughter until the sitcom came out (eons ago). And I was just as observant and sweaty in our Florida house without ac. But my observations were in watching velvet ants, birds, and snakes.
Dawn, welcome, you're home now. Those childhood years stay with us, don't they? Seems the best I can do is look through those childhood eyes and bring them into the present again, in some way or another. We can learn much from a "farmer's daughter".
Spiders can be a little spooky, but anything that eats fly's is a friend of mine. Of all the arachnids, ticks are my least favorite, they're killing my dogs (Lyme disease).
Agree, the ticks are awful, but have disappeared where I am which is largely forest (I suspect because of geo-engineering, visibly being done 5 to 6 days per week now). The fleas are my big problem, have to comb my cat every night because he picks them up.
I would avoid the fat, furry ones, but household spiders and daddy longlegs won't bite, just afraid that you're going to smush them. I have five living in my bathroom. After saving one from going down the drain, I think word has gone round the spider world that it's safe there, so they've set up a little spider community. But do be careful with deep dark places they can inhabit. I once cleaned the siding and a fat one came out and yelled at me, very angry at being disturbed. Couldn't blame them.
Being the bachelor and consequent slob, there is a network of web in this old farmhouse, and my spiders do a greater part of the housework than me. I tell prospective visitors to call ahead so I can "sweep the floors for them".
Oh dear, I knew I shouldn't have mentioned this as it's rather a touchy topic. I hope it's not happening where you are. It's planes coming and deliberately spraying the skies with toxic chemicals., which affects the air, water, and soil. Farmers were the first ones to fight it as it can cause droughts and deluges, enormous hailstorms, snow in the summer, etc. Tennessee has just banned it. We can see the planes doing it here -- a beautiful blue sky being turned into gray or white within an hour. Here is a site in case you're interested -- https://zerogeoengineering.com. But, you know, I understand when others don't want to discuss these things on their sites, so feel free to delete my posts mentioning this and just let me know it's not a welcome topic. I respect host rules.
That's quite funny. I hope you're not exploiting your spider workforce!
My brother and his partner have a farmhouse and they don't even sweep for guests. They have ducks and a garden, and two firewood stoves, so stuff is always getting tracked in, and she teaches piano to kids and never gets out the broom or vac before they and their parents come. If you have a proper farm, I would imagine it's even more the case for you tracking stuff in (unless you have a no shoes rule).
But 'consequent slob', I'm not buying, David. There are very neat bachelors. What you're saying is that you're an Oscar Madison not a Felix Unger? Not for me to judge as I'm a bit lax on that front myself. I also tend to wait for guests to come as an excuse to engage in a flurry of cleaning. I like to think of myself as 'relaxed'.
You’re right, I cook on a woodburning stove and heat with coal (Anthracite) both more or less carbon neutral but dusty as all get out, split kindlin’ in the house and rarely wipe my boots (what a life!).
And, Ellen, no topic is taboo here. I stay away from politics unless it's in regard to environmental issues and have been embroiled in that dilemma seemingly from the beginning of time. Lost all respect for the experts long ago (Three Mile Island). No words will solve our political morass; but we have a First Amendment, a Second Amendment to defend the First and Constitution of The United States. You can engage me in politics, just buckle up! Lastly, there is a global war against farmers since we represent an existential threat to Global Elites. Farmers and the peasantry have always been marginalized, nothing new here. It's all fun and games till the food runs out.
Yes! I love this story! But it begs the question, "Which came first? A Rooster or another crowing?" I suggest an answer. The human can be a surrogate rooster and inadvertently do the crowing himself. One morning it was 9:30am, well past daybreak, and no crowing came from my chicken pen. Did this mean my rooster was dead? No, but still asleep. I went out and "crowed", which woke him up and he returned the crowing and never missed a day after that.
Just a word about my warrior side: Pennsylvania in recent election cycles has shown itself to be disgraceful with voter fraud, corruption, assassination attempts etc...people with their feet close to the soil beneath them have had about a belly full. So we'll see.
And yes, this site is seeing a lot more activity. Comments is my favorite place because it's public (keeps us honest) and because comments mean people are reading (my most valued metric). So it's always time to throw another stick in the fire, and feed the people who do the work.
Very interesting, especially about the frequency in which they communicate.
I once read about ewes and rams and realized that maybe we humans got it all wrong about the why part. The rams had a job to do keeping all the ewes happy, to the point of exhaustion. The ewes were very demanding to the point of competing for the ram. Sort of like Bill in Big Love with his three wives, if you've ever seen that show. So I wonder if the rooster sees protecting and keeping the hens happy as his job.
I also say this as my cat clearly sees protecting me that way and even goes after dogs who come near me and drives them away, unless he sees that I welcome them. And he patrols the neighborhood with a regular pattern, and even taught another younger cat to do it too. So I just wonder if these animals see this as their responsibility and take it very seriously.
Really interesting post. Your young self was quite observant!
Ellen, so good to have you, like sitting in the kitchen over cider and ginger snaps. We could say animals take their jobs VERY seriously and come equipped to perform them flawlessly. It also seems to me that observation is a serious job. Animals: taught me how to be one. A topic without beginning or end. Let's look through the eyes of a remorseless predator (a very big cat) for example. First and foremost, "all life is sacred" even though we must murder to survive since worshipping life is part of survival (either all are sacred or none); furthermore, we all have our harsh realities, be we predator or prey. Just a couple remarks from the remorseless opinion of a farmer. Be here now.
We're all remorseless if we eat animals, which most of us do (including me after trying and failing to be a healthy vegan). Agree that all life is sacred, having read a book about trees and learning about how they cooperate and compete with one another, or seeing how plants flourish when beyond their needs you give them positive attention. Be here now -- yes! Relevant to your thinking about the Age of Aquarius and useful spiritual approaches that made their way from the East to the West (but then got highjacked by commercial interests and made into slogans and hot yoga classes). Unending topic, as you say. But relevant to figuring out how to live a meaningful life, I would say.
Cider and ginger snaps -- the best in be here now!
We do know how to party! Coping skills is what we're after here, and something we share with the animals; to accept harsh realities while remaining innocent. And a release from the morass of global affairs.
I like to think of it as a sort of filagree that allows us to grab onto and cross the species divide (in small ways) and enter the World of another. Empathy pretty much sums it up.
As someone who learned to cope fairly well and take care of myself during a difficult childhood, I'm now aspiring beyond that to joyful living, and finding it in interactions with other humans, animals, and nature, as well as trying to live with some greater sense of meaning and purpose. But it is moment to moment and being present with what is, as you say. It could all end in the next moment, so do I value life right now? If I get to listen to another rock song, for example, the answer is an unequivocal yes. And if I get to share it with someone else, even better!
Then you're in the right place, I'm afraid to say, since it's all so strange and unusual.
Well, I'll share a little secret here since we're all getting acquainted: the title Strange and Unusual Places is a term for a little-known field within optical fiber and photonics (deep sea, outer space, guidance and navigation etc.). That side of me resides in a different space (hidden post) and is a world you might not want to enter, but is there no less.
I also grew up on a farm that we called a grove. So, I didn’t realize I was a farmer’s daughter until the sitcom came out (eons ago). And I was just as observant and sweaty in our Florida house without ac. But my observations were in watching velvet ants, birds, and snakes.
Dawn, welcome, you're home now. Those childhood years stay with us, don't they? Seems the best I can do is look through those childhood eyes and bring them into the present again, in some way or another. We can learn much from a "farmer's daughter".
Ants, birds and snakes are all such fascinating creatures to watch. I would add spiders to that list for myself, love observing them.
Spiders have always freaked me out. I've been bitten a few times and awoke as a child with one on my face. But, I'm getting better.
Spiders can be a little spooky, but anything that eats fly's is a friend of mine. Of all the arachnids, ticks are my least favorite, they're killing my dogs (Lyme disease).
Agree, the ticks are awful, but have disappeared where I am which is largely forest (I suspect because of geo-engineering, visibly being done 5 to 6 days per week now). The fleas are my big problem, have to comb my cat every night because he picks them up.
I would avoid the fat, furry ones, but household spiders and daddy longlegs won't bite, just afraid that you're going to smush them. I have five living in my bathroom. After saving one from going down the drain, I think word has gone round the spider world that it's safe there, so they've set up a little spider community. But do be careful with deep dark places they can inhabit. I once cleaned the siding and a fat one came out and yelled at me, very angry at being disturbed. Couldn't blame them.
Being the bachelor and consequent slob, there is a network of web in this old farmhouse, and my spiders do a greater part of the housework than me. I tell prospective visitors to call ahead so I can "sweep the floors for them".
Please define "geo-engineering".
Oh dear, I knew I shouldn't have mentioned this as it's rather a touchy topic. I hope it's not happening where you are. It's planes coming and deliberately spraying the skies with toxic chemicals., which affects the air, water, and soil. Farmers were the first ones to fight it as it can cause droughts and deluges, enormous hailstorms, snow in the summer, etc. Tennessee has just banned it. We can see the planes doing it here -- a beautiful blue sky being turned into gray or white within an hour. Here is a site in case you're interested -- https://zerogeoengineering.com. But, you know, I understand when others don't want to discuss these things on their sites, so feel free to delete my posts mentioning this and just let me know it's not a welcome topic. I respect host rules.
That's quite funny. I hope you're not exploiting your spider workforce!
My brother and his partner have a farmhouse and they don't even sweep for guests. They have ducks and a garden, and two firewood stoves, so stuff is always getting tracked in, and she teaches piano to kids and never gets out the broom or vac before they and their parents come. If you have a proper farm, I would imagine it's even more the case for you tracking stuff in (unless you have a no shoes rule).
But 'consequent slob', I'm not buying, David. There are very neat bachelors. What you're saying is that you're an Oscar Madison not a Felix Unger? Not for me to judge as I'm a bit lax on that front myself. I also tend to wait for guests to come as an excuse to engage in a flurry of cleaning. I like to think of myself as 'relaxed'.
You’re right, I cook on a woodburning stove and heat with coal (Anthracite) both more or less carbon neutral but dusty as all get out, split kindlin’ in the house and rarely wipe my boots (what a life!).
And, Ellen, no topic is taboo here. I stay away from politics unless it's in regard to environmental issues and have been embroiled in that dilemma seemingly from the beginning of time. Lost all respect for the experts long ago (Three Mile Island). No words will solve our political morass; but we have a First Amendment, a Second Amendment to defend the First and Constitution of The United States. You can engage me in politics, just buckle up! Lastly, there is a global war against farmers since we represent an existential threat to Global Elites. Farmers and the peasantry have always been marginalized, nothing new here. It's all fun and games till the food runs out.
Here's an early post that deals with the Agrarian (another metaphor) and offers a bit more insight: https://open.substack.com/pub/daviddrayer/p/the-spell-of-ai-2bd?r=28bk2b&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Yes! I love this story! But it begs the question, "Which came first? A Rooster or another crowing?" I suggest an answer. The human can be a surrogate rooster and inadvertently do the crowing himself. One morning it was 9:30am, well past daybreak, and no crowing came from my chicken pen. Did this mean my rooster was dead? No, but still asleep. I went out and "crowed", which woke him up and he returned the crowing and never missed a day after that.
Or maybe the rooster who he was accustomed to went the way of the everlasting fires.
Just a word about my warrior side: Pennsylvania in recent election cycles has shown itself to be disgraceful with voter fraud, corruption, assassination attempts etc...people with their feet close to the soil beneath them have had about a belly full. So we'll see.
And yes, this site is seeing a lot more activity. Comments is my favorite place because it's public (keeps us honest) and because comments mean people are reading (my most valued metric). So it's always time to throw another stick in the fire, and feed the people who do the work.