tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56222233049582238702024-03-09T21:45:59.564-05:00Thoughts and thingsDorishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04022552895762261014noreply@blogger.comBlogger290125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5622223304958223870.post-14055311048809119222023-11-21T20:20:00.002-05:002023-11-21T20:20:42.501-05:00A Chance<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7XSHtX4ky8ynzadMoB0K_rBfXaF1AIIIYAM9TG1bxc5GzxZG_tYHzzHFnLgBf13JEW3KMFU0MsJkY2r_Jsdr4hOEd5RnamDVrRaUX6ojX2R6s2j8DdroSqnZqAV9EULxlibu918eg-qY3FgaKJL9okIRwtPCAVQtf-YnCY4ZrguJhEqJJXyPeV6fG7wSM/s3845/07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2564" data-original-width="3845" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7XSHtX4ky8ynzadMoB0K_rBfXaF1AIIIYAM9TG1bxc5GzxZG_tYHzzHFnLgBf13JEW3KMFU0MsJkY2r_Jsdr4hOEd5RnamDVrRaUX6ojX2R6s2j8DdroSqnZqAV9EULxlibu918eg-qY3FgaKJL9okIRwtPCAVQtf-YnCY4ZrguJhEqJJXyPeV6fG7wSM/w400-h266/07.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Today I found a severed stem</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">of milkweed, with each pod ajar –</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">so, like a wand, I waved it high</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">to help the tufted seeds fly far.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">And many sailed into the sky,</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">but others tangled in small trees,</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">and so I went to pluck them there</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">and fling them out onto the breeze.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Were I a seed snagged on a bough,</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'd want someone to set me free,</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">and have a chance to reach the earth</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">to thrive where I am meant to be.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">November 2020</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">(from the book Longing For The Light by Doris Potter)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">© Doris Potter</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><br /> </div><br /><p></p>Dorishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04022552895762261014noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5622223304958223870.post-51028471897759545402023-11-16T17:06:00.014-05:002023-12-29T14:27:05.633-05:00New Update on Venus<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Today, November 16th, I contacted the shelter that took in the little fox, Venus, for another update. Here is what I received:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Hi Doris!!!</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Venus is doing fine, her skin and fur are a lot better, she can now stand on her back legs and she is starting to walk ... one of her back legs is worse than the other, so it is going to take time but I am pretty sure that she is going to recover at least 75%. Here is a picture of her beautiful face!</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Marie-Claude </i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjygSQZd3ou0rd3FQXD10Q90eAzegMSeAYeJYm6QIRUOoq0N65Z7PrzkIQn0QPg6g3nu3TzKSPfz2rFZc99Pm0SELnkMGMIJ0Un-vQeDbs0O-GbstnPGLHTtW5P4ChlhdJCTd4vyuPSlMZ-x0D2etzXH6cAALG5mzWbW-zRIqZ4UZLbA7oM3DialvxX3_mV/s4000/1000005028%20-%20Venus.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjygSQZd3ou0rd3FQXD10Q90eAzegMSeAYeJYm6QIRUOoq0N65Z7PrzkIQn0QPg6g3nu3TzKSPfz2rFZc99Pm0SELnkMGMIJ0Un-vQeDbs0O-GbstnPGLHTtW5P4ChlhdJCTd4vyuPSlMZ-x0D2etzXH6cAALG5mzWbW-zRIqZ4UZLbA7oM3DialvxX3_mV/w300-h400/1000005028%20-%20Venus.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">November 16th</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Compare this to how she looked over the last few months!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpEAT9jqa7lHAhvsqR79POmG-fqMuG2B7jrRUMoeGpIY0JMvzpOTPBVU2WRbQ6mMS5qN6jJAbKvzoUG24j32gCzrURIavJvt0okGE3gJJKMwg8TB_g32pCIK7k3mWmPREmU800bdzlvCk2qBwrqg2emvhx5UpKrGeP6V6GmsufVh1IONGz8FHDvgeGOBdz/s1043/0B1A1805_4x6_adj'd_close%20up.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1043" data-original-width="835" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpEAT9jqa7lHAhvsqR79POmG-fqMuG2B7jrRUMoeGpIY0JMvzpOTPBVU2WRbQ6mMS5qN6jJAbKvzoUG24j32gCzrURIavJvt0okGE3gJJKMwg8TB_g32pCIK7k3mWmPREmU800bdzlvCk2qBwrqg2emvhx5UpKrGeP6V6GmsufVh1IONGz8FHDvgeGOBdz/w320-h400/0B1A1805_4x6_adj'd_close%20up.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">July 11th</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> (this may be a sibling but they were all in the same terrible condition)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRvB-0ny6lGtUByrepUmQGevuC5iA6joMRYnUQeqKgLlEHOj0jf3alJ3JS9R3u11uIdZaL8FFVMYjZF5CLi-SsA3p1-dGm0HfBlMsmdJHdnPZXP0SlfCuxQIssFj4-ANDmlc7nTIpgASrWF_W3IQ-R9BJ4YFoVsW5wA7zz6U9BqWN7nTLfQeQIRND76u0W/s1434/2023-09-30%20Venus%20at%20shelter_cropped.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1434" data-original-width="1075" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRvB-0ny6lGtUByrepUmQGevuC5iA6joMRYnUQeqKgLlEHOj0jf3alJ3JS9R3u11uIdZaL8FFVMYjZF5CLi-SsA3p1-dGm0HfBlMsmdJHdnPZXP0SlfCuxQIssFj4-ANDmlc7nTIpgASrWF_W3IQ-R9BJ4YFoVsW5wA7zz6U9BqWN7nTLfQeQIRND76u0W/w300-h400/2023-09-30%20Venus%20at%20shelter_cropped.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">September 30th</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> (just arriving at the shelter)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAWSzpzK8F72dXqwQpVff9DeBh_A4eCk34pBZcl1kOMGjV8embZacu45ngITG6O5S0B0KBFHpFVR0yZRkuOQwm1Aty2Aa7CkS9yWkloP3ZGTGyGt8QdFzIozjvPel3xi_McHyQ_xjuuIyk2xOQkkukfQ6nOnYWC-p-50wQa9XsYGKLFVR0j1RyBHiy4sZn/s1024/Venus%202023-10-16.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAWSzpzK8F72dXqwQpVff9DeBh_A4eCk34pBZcl1kOMGjV8embZacu45ngITG6O5S0B0KBFHpFVR0yZRkuOQwm1Aty2Aa7CkS9yWkloP3ZGTGyGt8QdFzIozjvPel3xi_McHyQ_xjuuIyk2xOQkkukfQ6nOnYWC-p-50wQa9XsYGKLFVR0j1RyBHiy4sZn/w300-h400/Venus%202023-10-16.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">October 16th</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Further update of December 18, 2023:</span><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Hello Doris!!</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Venus is doing so great!!!! She is not anymore in the care place; she is now in the "refuge" where she is walking and she started to run!!!! Her fur is beautiful!!! She does not want me to touch her anymore which means she is going to be able to get back to the wild in the Spring!!!</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Marie-Claude<br /></i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><i><br /></i></span><p></p></div>Dorishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04022552895762261014noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5622223304958223870.post-353382577471264622023-11-06T18:14:00.012-05:002023-11-21T20:22:51.602-05:00Transformation<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">A garden, abandoned and wild –</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">liberated from man's designs –</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">basks in each summer day.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Then soon arrives November's chill –</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">and bitter winds and evening frost</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">mean winter's on the way.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The goldenrod – its treasure spent</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">in wild and wanton revelries –</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">retires in shades of buff.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpGe32NtW5jIYGnXW7YP8l0PnRMO03CqJfcwDNvD-9MKTbifqql_w2jC9MeQHQq4FafHPB2b-MKsv4_yFTWtNPxq3S7Rub27qz1nWrVb5Ijk6g_5S9pNYanBdLw7zGipiK41Wl_EnN1gfT0DwfnyczKtRKr3vJCPNqBE5op1buW1j0G0z6i4gkmXvArnM8/s4914/04.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3276" data-original-width="4914" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpGe32NtW5jIYGnXW7YP8l0PnRMO03CqJfcwDNvD-9MKTbifqql_w2jC9MeQHQq4FafHPB2b-MKsv4_yFTWtNPxq3S7Rub27qz1nWrVb5Ijk6g_5S9pNYanBdLw7zGipiK41Wl_EnN1gfT0DwfnyczKtRKr3vJCPNqBE5op1buW1j0G0z6i4gkmXvArnM8/w400-h266/04.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The aster drops its purple fringe –</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">its yellow center detonates</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">into a soft, beige puff.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zD_2wT3RxEGLl9q3Q4SJPWkB9AvDzqHgdnMXb5E08HmuGFqHU1YQBFJwm5lMh9kt8vesVxLhUNNRKmESS3Zyk5PaH3X1jV7HzAG6OcTZDtnlEemhqiaS7bQ13PjaeTA3u6XCXSmqBLLyJSdHrNgla70a1CIXBBUUWS8krnz8o6AkJamq0Q3X4vWoQrnt/s3458/05.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3458" data-original-width="2766" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zD_2wT3RxEGLl9q3Q4SJPWkB9AvDzqHgdnMXb5E08HmuGFqHU1YQBFJwm5lMh9kt8vesVxLhUNNRKmESS3Zyk5PaH3X1jV7HzAG6OcTZDtnlEemhqiaS7bQ13PjaeTA3u6XCXSmqBLLyJSdHrNgla70a1CIXBBUUWS8krnz8o6AkJamq0Q3X4vWoQrnt/s320/05.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The milkweed's blushing, perfumed blooms</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">give way to tasseled seeds that sail</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">above a pale tableau.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8aZ96hKS4zqrqgDXnpHzwTC_Zns7Nd4kfYSyrqFxIVdtbxg05tXGtASm_cbNqP4_gLOvWBg3Snzfogo49Pte9NpzxmyHwf21B8eQjlm2qUqgwYCF6b-LKrhkS3nVpoiRTSAm6_KqvO9tnNOHGaCJFoJ28j1KoN_ppJrMQxtovbm_l37ng4djnzt1LSrid/s5184/06.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5184" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8aZ96hKS4zqrqgDXnpHzwTC_Zns7Nd4kfYSyrqFxIVdtbxg05tXGtASm_cbNqP4_gLOvWBg3Snzfogo49Pte9NpzxmyHwf21B8eQjlm2qUqgwYCF6b-LKrhkS3nVpoiRTSAm6_KqvO9tnNOHGaCJFoJ28j1KoN_ppJrMQxtovbm_l37ng4djnzt1LSrid/w266-h400/06.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Autumnal hues once warm and strong,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">fade slowly from the cooling scene,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">soon to be blanched by snow.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">November 2020</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">(from the book Longing For The Light by Doris Potter)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">© Doris Potter</span></p>Dorishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04022552895762261014noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5622223304958223870.post-52689611552773851672023-10-26T20:45:00.003-04:002023-10-26T20:48:39.708-04:00Update On Venus<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I contacted the shelter that took in Venus and got this reply on October 16th:</span></p><p><i style="font-family: verdana;">Hi Doris!!</i></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Her skin is a LOT better!!! At the end of the week she is not going to be contagious anymore [referring to the mange] and we are going to start her physiotherapy for her to get back her muscles in the back legs ... she is a lot too skinny, so for sure is going to be with us for the winter ... That's the news for now, thank you for helping her.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Marie-Claude Poirier</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I then asked for a photo and received this:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8eUgvem9yd0LEujE7t_qo8lQRj31pdnnIb00pwOeynU2gcuz-B8Abd9GgzfDq8Dnnn35CMe_AJ8sx3YDDqnhrIozdlbR2TMJdXnZDI6OKx3REEBqS7nQW9sIAVaO39sKBWRX8BLm6ot1SLkhMT4DSJtYB69gy5waM65M3mqmZPhkBHB0RXY6lIQGnRhhv/s1024/Venus%202023-10-16.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8eUgvem9yd0LEujE7t_qo8lQRj31pdnnIb00pwOeynU2gcuz-B8Abd9GgzfDq8Dnnn35CMe_AJ8sx3YDDqnhrIozdlbR2TMJdXnZDI6OKx3REEBqS7nQW9sIAVaO39sKBWRX8BLm6ot1SLkhMT4DSJtYB69gy5waM65M3mqmZPhkBHB0RXY6lIQGnRhhv/w300-h400/Venus%202023-10-16.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The most positive thing to me is that her eyes are wide open! With the elimination of all her parasites, I'm sure she is feeling much better and hopefully her appetite will improve soon.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Then there was a big surprise in store for me when I returned to the area to try to get a glimpse of Jupiter! A third fox kit has appeared!! I call him "Saturn".</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhop-Qm1eaYLMRcaG-mXlZSY9z9DuQ82F5Jgyj3R1mTHeN_lbCL0sSaI272cuIH74WS3y2TzkKsG3rqk8hVHTHCiQ3v9ZI9fqPPkT5Kunv_WGdShKh4ayJRxescx7ttvQ5jv-aezt31b1OzEKHVJ9Zonmr0Ub1-LzA0sqHEAfNF3zrAHcRK0I21QIESm1FL/s1383/0B1A4420_Jupiter%20and%20Saturn.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="921" data-original-width="1383" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhop-Qm1eaYLMRcaG-mXlZSY9z9DuQ82F5Jgyj3R1mTHeN_lbCL0sSaI272cuIH74WS3y2TzkKsG3rqk8hVHTHCiQ3v9ZI9fqPPkT5Kunv_WGdShKh4ayJRxescx7ttvQ5jv-aezt31b1OzEKHVJ9Zonmr0Ub1-LzA0sqHEAfNF3zrAHcRK0I21QIESm1FL/w400-h266/0B1A4420_Jupiter%20and%20Saturn.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">That's Jupiter in front (with a redder coat) and Saturn behind (with a straw-colored coat).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Back in July, I was talking to a woman who lives in the area and she said there were <u>three</u> baby foxes. I only ever saw two together. We both presumed that the third one had died. I'm really glad to see that they all lived. I will be monitoring both these kits and hope they stay in the area in case they need emergency care.</span></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p>Dorishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04022552895762261014noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5622223304958223870.post-49296924368969195312023-10-12T20:33:00.002-04:002023-10-12T20:33:34.147-04:00Jupiter<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJPr1RMkFxZNpB2k3hGqEmWaXdmC5za8tE6BkxJireObmGeW8pCNYjFpwITnaEzdVidIYjwr8Nw92tQvqp1Ao8ISvhgqfzanRrHSeo0tDvqrAt39kf99nuOiHix3zPa_tfpsY0tjhxEl34Dhz9h2mYHbzT61nrdeUkKOrvppreLSENe2fMMF25b6F9Xv_h/s1992/0B1A3589_8x10_adj'd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1592" data-original-width="1992" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJPr1RMkFxZNpB2k3hGqEmWaXdmC5za8tE6BkxJireObmGeW8pCNYjFpwITnaEzdVidIYjwr8Nw92tQvqp1Ao8ISvhgqfzanRrHSeo0tDvqrAt39kf99nuOiHix3zPa_tfpsY0tjhxEl34Dhz9h2mYHbzT61nrdeUkKOrvppreLSENe2fMMF25b6F9Xv_h/w320-h256/0B1A3589_8x10_adj'd.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I was glad to get a sighting of Jupiter today! He is, of course, in bad shape from his mange but is still able to get around and his coat is getting thicker.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I am still hopeful that we can capture him (like we did with his sister Venus) so that he can be treated and brought to good health.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This video shows that he can walk and even trot although a close look (especially in other videos) shows that he is favoring his left hind leg.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sXT7-3D3gSg" width="320" youtube-src-id="sXT7-3D3gSg"></iframe></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><br /><p></p>Dorishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04022552895762261014noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5622223304958223870.post-18607452674986194752023-10-07T11:47:00.016-04:002023-11-21T20:10:24.773-05:00Venus and Jupiter – two little foxes<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This is a story of extreme resilience and courage on the part of two small fox kits. In particular, it is about a female kit whom I have named Venus.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Back in April of 2023 I got a quick sighting of an adult fox on land behind a local cemetery.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWEoE9DYssXw5rkEtCmRTcUlP4mL7MpV187bUJBcmitnlc5y0qry0JkZ1euE3UvlOBVnUtd-7u1CL1zS4MOR8xrNQ7TBGJR2ipNreE2tFI4eFrfLWttWGVMzGyMQskqpOM1CrGMxpcw6Tp2NDoIRvzblMrH0BHteRxNiBx25pvmBrVJkLO5L3IB9UYmuIu/s2421/0B1A9886_8x10_adj'd_sharp2-25.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1935" data-original-width="2421" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWEoE9DYssXw5rkEtCmRTcUlP4mL7MpV187bUJBcmitnlc5y0qry0JkZ1euE3UvlOBVnUtd-7u1CL1zS4MOR8xrNQ7TBGJR2ipNreE2tFI4eFrfLWttWGVMzGyMQskqpOM1CrGMxpcw6Tp2NDoIRvzblMrH0BHteRxNiBx25pvmBrVJkLO5L3IB9UYmuIu/s320/0B1A9886_8x10_adj'd_sharp2-25.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This was followed by a sighting of a different adult fox in the same area in May.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9q5mvNpMbO_x0RSlbIDzllTi21dAH8pFK41JSgHiKeIGYGrViCXcVNL7DJUz-8l7rebORL6pAwWaWG0FUWenAUantObwVL1TLYGWad0LheGy89QKmdjfRQx290RtOIYQfnrzFUuUrXdEZ_u5wtZs1KoBJhVkfnqM1Fyp93vr-rww1bfPZV9MgQNvNr2Zi/s1377/0B1A6166_8x10_adj'd_sharp2-35.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1101" data-original-width="1377" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9q5mvNpMbO_x0RSlbIDzllTi21dAH8pFK41JSgHiKeIGYGrViCXcVNL7DJUz-8l7rebORL6pAwWaWG0FUWenAUantObwVL1TLYGWad0LheGy89QKmdjfRQx290RtOIYQfnrzFUuUrXdEZ_u5wtZs1KoBJhVkfnqM1Fyp93vr-rww1bfPZV9MgQNvNr2Zi/s320/0B1A6166_8x10_adj'd_sharp2-35.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Shortly after those sightings, I heard from a number of people that fox kits were seen in the area as well. I suspected the adults pictured above were their mother and father. But it was only until mid-July that I finally saw two fox kits. I was shocked by the sight of them! They both had a severe case of mange (mites which burrow into their skin) causing their fur to fall out and their skin to become infected and covered with crusty scabs. They were barely able to open their eyes! I videoed them and photographed them and made an online report that night to an animal rescue group called Sauvetage Animal Rescue (SAR).</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX718hLcTwp_yT76dHrHN1qAUXFynkgG8Mowj95HKwUTeghUx4ShP_AdFYDzbo8__qybru_DMwIEt8eWkyV5ExPrZiBF729dKR26O9r26zyyxsnofthrG18fI3H6mMucTkADHO6QWMtT6Zs28m_OJuf_uHwbeLNBo5gJ-HaG1hczPbDfmeaOjI78x_SUrC/s928/0B1A1852_Red%20Fox%20kits%20with%20mange.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="619" data-original-width="928" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX718hLcTwp_yT76dHrHN1qAUXFynkgG8Mowj95HKwUTeghUx4ShP_AdFYDzbo8__qybru_DMwIEt8eWkyV5ExPrZiBF729dKR26O9r26zyyxsnofthrG18fI3H6mMucTkADHO6QWMtT6Zs28m_OJuf_uHwbeLNBo5gJ-HaG1hczPbDfmeaOjI78x_SUrC/s320/0B1A1852_Red%20Fox%20kits%20with%20mange.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">I called the group the next day. As eager as they were to help, they had to seek special authorization from the Quebec Ministry of the Environment to use a live trap on foxes and so I waited. When several days went by, I called again. They were still waiting but said they would contact the government again. More time passed and I was told finally that permission had been denied. All we could do was wait for them to become so weak that they could be caught in a net!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtLnZUzgMMKFUx7d-Apxtb4ZrYI4svlRxsACuAxIAvqqbPzJco4t29Bt9UAwroHX0Op3r54xTtuSiMXmNj8AwI_dbsg8Q6tvYg9aycBYFDZexGvdIO_Yqhj_Y1h3Dzbzr53qQ3bJeuNuvPc2tldQ0iJ7XCQPQIv0V84Bu6_jC5d7jRI9FXXp8v4cu08ulj/s1490/0B1A1805_Red%20Fox%20with%20mange.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="994" data-original-width="1490" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtLnZUzgMMKFUx7d-Apxtb4ZrYI4svlRxsACuAxIAvqqbPzJco4t29Bt9UAwroHX0Op3r54xTtuSiMXmNj8AwI_dbsg8Q6tvYg9aycBYFDZexGvdIO_Yqhj_Y1h3Dzbzr53qQ3bJeuNuvPc2tldQ0iJ7XCQPQIv0V84Bu6_jC5d7jRI9FXXp8v4cu08ulj/s320/0B1A1805_Red%20Fox%20with%20mange.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I knew that those kits could have been trapped quite easily. I don't know what happened to their parents as they usually remain as a family unit for 7 months. These two were about 4 1/2 months old. My frustration (with the government, not the rescue group) grew as I saw these baby foxes suffering immensely from the mange. After every few steps they would stop and scratch, shake their heads, or rub against each other. They were in total, unrelenting misery.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A 90 second video can be viewed below. (It may be best to play it on mute due to a loud whine of construction work nearby).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Vwhilww4H7s" width="320" youtube-src-id="Vwhilww4H7s"></iframe></div><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">On August 11th, I saw Venus and she was looking better. Her fur was growing in and I felt that maybe she could overcome the mange.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsS5hjP7rNuEH8_zn72irXGdNvwEdMVf7PQMchP646aapNFV4AFAFZs4JUEeaFOUxl7O54cO4Zs-QBtars4Th6iDDbGsvuYsUBOyG3nwFp0GeX5YRk59kj_Tuxtkwq9u3aXaIgsx_Z0yQzveEZijBRn9O6McNcEZJ4OAFV0DZ0L_4heKz37eGPewScdtvH/s1372/0B1A6619_8x10_adj'd_reduced.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1098" data-original-width="1372" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsS5hjP7rNuEH8_zn72irXGdNvwEdMVf7PQMchP646aapNFV4AFAFZs4JUEeaFOUxl7O54cO4Zs-QBtars4Th6iDDbGsvuYsUBOyG3nwFp0GeX5YRk59kj_Tuxtkwq9u3aXaIgsx_Z0yQzveEZijBRn9O6McNcEZJ4OAFV0DZ0L_4heKz37eGPewScdtvH/s320/0B1A6619_8x10_adj'd_reduced.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">But then on September 21st, I was devastated to see her dragging herself across a field. Her hindlegs were useless and I didn't know what to make of this. Had she been hit by a car or maybe a train?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8oPmZiuQlLM1049hMhhE5pDLawwnOJxqs2TvLwMKiFuqP1u_CvlZ1kiqaGcmjSAuURnlMNQ2WiGScebsvd-2SQC-0stUew2KcT2dipxhblT0JhhLNPcMI7ri9GP30n73PSHxIT6iwQmevVSZz6TIVDmNJcSDqDsFu9wimxzcvKuLW4WpDcp9GKDszgDBV/s1677/0B1A2705_8x10_sharp2-25_reduced.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1341" data-original-width="1677" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8oPmZiuQlLM1049hMhhE5pDLawwnOJxqs2TvLwMKiFuqP1u_CvlZ1kiqaGcmjSAuURnlMNQ2WiGScebsvd-2SQC-0stUew2KcT2dipxhblT0JhhLNPcMI7ri9GP30n73PSHxIT6iwQmevVSZz6TIVDmNJcSDqDsFu9wimxzcvKuLW4WpDcp9GKDszgDBV/s320/0B1A2705_8x10_sharp2-25_reduced.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">One week later I saw her again and watched as she dragged herself across two fields and then along railroad tracks over large chunks of gravel and rocks that must have cut into her legs. A very long freight train came rumbling down the tracks and, once it had passed, I looked in fear of seeing her crushed body but there she was still hobbling over the rocks. (She is to the left of the tracks near the center of the photo below).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKHuKmrzQ8t1ROcG2Rd9HHz-ECZfTnTlYrYlR2HHaRug1PUIOX5GCugYOJcVaPnWRlSGVBNaA-W3mI2B8KpezpCOh2Ez0bU1NUKVO8jQfISrpg53HgQ6QxCNCg1Q4cV0N9nauh2YEknkdTI9NlAu5j0yYca0vuXgGoT38VEJlZUA4d0FZD959MEsT_4tvq/s2006/0B1A2712_8x10_adj'd_sharp2-25_reduced.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2006" data-original-width="1605" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKHuKmrzQ8t1ROcG2Rd9HHz-ECZfTnTlYrYlR2HHaRug1PUIOX5GCugYOJcVaPnWRlSGVBNaA-W3mI2B8KpezpCOh2Ez0bU1NUKVO8jQfISrpg53HgQ6QxCNCg1Q4cV0N9nauh2YEknkdTI9NlAu5j0yYca0vuXgGoT38VEJlZUA4d0FZD959MEsT_4tvq/w320-h400/0B1A2712_8x10_adj'd_sharp2-25_reduced.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I took a video and made a new report to SAR. With the fox in such a weakened state, maybe we could get her. An attempt was made on September 22nd when a team of three rescuers arrived only to miss her by 15 minutes! (She had been sleeping).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Then, on September 30th, I spotted her in the distance in a grassy area near some greenhouses. We looked at each other and, to my astonishment, she started an arduous trip through the grasses and fallen leaves until she was right up beside me!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Check out this 30 second video:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YNyZP7vugdU" width="320" youtube-src-id="YNyZP7vugdU"></iframe></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">After that, she dragged herself into a shady place to rest and I called the group again. They could come within 40 minutes with nets to try to catch her! Great!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I was hoping she would stay put but this little fox was always determined to keep moving even though it must have been exhausting and painful for her to do so. She dragged herself to an area behind the greenhouses where there were some large metal storage containers and wooden pallets. At one point she got spooked and wedged herself between a container wall and a large wooden pallet leaning against it. I was able to block off both the entrance and the only exit (or so I thought) with weighted down plastic bins. When the team arrived, they soon discovered that there was an opening under the container (just fox-sized!) and the little one had crawled through it. She then managed to crawl from one container to another and only through a team effort and quick action was she finally confined to a place where she had only one exit available.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Then came even more hard work (by the rescue team) to hold a flashlight and gently prod her with a long pole until she emerged. I was standing at one end of her exit route with a net and as her head emerged, I watched her size up the situation. She first looked at one of the team members on her left, then she turned her head to the right and looked straight into my eyes, hesitated, and finally made her move toward me. In a quick motion, the second team member was able to immobilize her and she was transferred to a carrier without incident. The whole process took over an hour and I am so impressed by the dedication, quick-thinking, and physical effort these young women exhibited! I am very grateful to Sauvetage Animal Rescue and their volunteers.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidarSb-Uym3WJgmWrD6FADYgW-OHu3Kc-sX-Ad9vPTevcDX7wQ7hjXMleI_n0osuXSWwn7GRBYNPDJ8uA-cjx9zeYbdIRqzPJJKjvUl3c6D-O1ulqtBkg737W2cq4C5sMDUWhkB8j3rxXFc9lbgfpBQTVtzs3ufHLWoVcOr5h6xJmWcz4WQF0YRf9Jl-CT/s2475/2023-09-30%2014.25.16_8x10_sharp2-25.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1980" data-original-width="2475" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidarSb-Uym3WJgmWrD6FADYgW-OHu3Kc-sX-Ad9vPTevcDX7wQ7hjXMleI_n0osuXSWwn7GRBYNPDJ8uA-cjx9zeYbdIRqzPJJKjvUl3c6D-O1ulqtBkg737W2cq4C5sMDUWhkB8j3rxXFc9lbgfpBQTVtzs3ufHLWoVcOr5h6xJmWcz4WQF0YRf9Jl-CT/s320/2023-09-30%2014.25.16_8x10_sharp2-25.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Soon thereafter, Venus was being driven to a wildlife rehabilitation shelter in an undisclosed location. Immediately upon her arrival, primary care was provided which included rehydration, medication against mange, bathing and feeding.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Later on, I received an update that the shelter staff (these people are saints!) had spent over 3 hours cleaning her fur and skin that was infested with mites and larvae. Two days later she was examined by a vet and found to be in pretty good shape despite being extremely thin. The vet also determined that her legs were not paralyzed but were very weak due to loss of muscle mass. The latest update said that she will be "on her feet" within 2 to 3 months.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZtZQqaDVeIzPY4BCr6fpKGlc_zvz3XzOXl_b3cABeUqyrETA4wq-KBqk31B6xFLcoZFVYMmW09WvZVuzv9Naob_g4BCFir-eh0ApkeM0d5rAHFo_ITB0bz__yY5WRGJAUr9huRZQ_40RpEs0UaGxh6pTdFWmruAa_J1fpIk_ERaPriWnjyGJuz-Eo_878/s1271/2023-09-30%20Venus%20at%20shelter%20receiving%20care_cropped.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1271" data-original-width="1075" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZtZQqaDVeIzPY4BCr6fpKGlc_zvz3XzOXl_b3cABeUqyrETA4wq-KBqk31B6xFLcoZFVYMmW09WvZVuzv9Naob_g4BCFir-eh0ApkeM0d5rAHFo_ITB0bz__yY5WRGJAUr9huRZQ_40RpEs0UaGxh6pTdFWmruAa_J1fpIk_ERaPriWnjyGJuz-Eo_878/s320/2023-09-30%20Venus%20at%20shelter%20receiving%20care_cropped.jpg" width="271" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZs2BifgUT45OciiGLilpHvZBajiR9b3qumJ9A6IlRTt77csTSFEIVZfAs5SWy2s4p3zZJ8qz2TA3dJ3eEin7GvsoPYUKSSun6kmKOlqk5rSmaidEdplaL_yNSzlRPHqgrcWt6ar6S4M6AcUv_w_J-mXc5w8vx3wogKcSVUbkW4QEhuMX5f_xZ_PE-i8SL/s1434/2023-09-30%20Venus%20at%20shelter_cropped.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1434" data-original-width="1075" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZs2BifgUT45OciiGLilpHvZBajiR9b3qumJ9A6IlRTt77csTSFEIVZfAs5SWy2s4p3zZJ8qz2TA3dJ3eEin7GvsoPYUKSSun6kmKOlqk5rSmaidEdplaL_yNSzlRPHqgrcWt6ar6S4M6AcUv_w_J-mXc5w8vx3wogKcSVUbkW4QEhuMX5f_xZ_PE-i8SL/w300-h400/2023-09-30%20Venus%20at%20shelter_cropped.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Now I am trying to monitor the second kit (whom I've named Jupiter). I saw him yesterday (just a glimpse) and I have recruited a couple of "look-outs" in the area who will let me know when they see him. His mange looks just as severe as was Venus' but, so far, he is strong enough to be able to run (although I have noticed a slight weakness in one hindleg). I hope I will be able to give positive news on Jupiter's situation in a future post.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Jupiter</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTccG4LYnwuaddXnugBTxUvH37b1BF2WoLbmayb3Exb_szPR7AZg3J1kN9B-vsfJoZMz4FX7TBsPAhp7RdrCTFt-za1zyPmfOcz5IFdjb8DqZR-dWwWXkWmrGbCqLBQoSzF7XEhBEI_SHC4fyv02SLuweQjvkR51W18rzZCfbI0aC31eUGw74nYX8XKsKL/s2773/0B1A1214_8x10_adj'd_sharp2-25.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2218" data-original-width="2773" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTccG4LYnwuaddXnugBTxUvH37b1BF2WoLbmayb3Exb_szPR7AZg3J1kN9B-vsfJoZMz4FX7TBsPAhp7RdrCTFt-za1zyPmfOcz5IFdjb8DqZR-dWwWXkWmrGbCqLBQoSzF7XEhBEI_SHC4fyv02SLuweQjvkR51W18rzZCfbI0aC31eUGw74nYX8XKsKL/s320/0B1A1214_8x10_adj'd_sharp2-25.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><br /></span></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><br /></span></div></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p>Dorishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04022552895762261014noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5622223304958223870.post-4992095866396391752023-07-23T19:32:00.002-04:002023-07-23T19:32:24.732-04:00Playful young Cooper's Hawks<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPL8SsCszqhnAs1s97iHdlYaW72cXHy00lCRhBi-pBvP0v9Riou0vPUum9EPN2G7E-mP-55dQlFWQ5bvMh7CQa2pX9vFum_h8Sutjeed5rEWf4o8ckMgIhhdnFUQFOFBSm2qKpmQPo9Egyi30jbMTDCAw8l3KKXfPpr71a0mJ_T32oICE46zxsmncSuz0v/s999/0B1A2146_Cooper's%20Hawks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="999" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPL8SsCszqhnAs1s97iHdlYaW72cXHy00lCRhBi-pBvP0v9Riou0vPUum9EPN2G7E-mP-55dQlFWQ5bvMh7CQa2pX9vFum_h8Sutjeed5rEWf4o8ckMgIhhdnFUQFOFBSm2qKpmQPo9Egyi30jbMTDCAw8l3KKXfPpr71a0mJ_T32oICE46zxsmncSuz0v/w400-h320/0B1A2146_Cooper's%20Hawks.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As in previous years, a pair of Cooper's Hawks raised a family in a nearby cemetery. The nest was not well situated to get shots of the nestlings but as soon as the four young hawks were flying about, they have been giving me many photographic opportunities – especially when on the ground and being playful.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I have been entertained by their antics: running around a small tree and "ambushing" each other; throwing leaves up in the air to pounce on; sneaking up and pulling each others' tails; etc. I was lucky enough to get a two minute video of the four of them playing around a small tree. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">You can watch it here: <a href="https://youtu.be/WLFmqYfhSvA" target="_blank">young hawks playing</a></span></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Enjoy!</span></p>Dorishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04022552895762261014noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5622223304958223870.post-41857571402155705482023-07-10T22:28:00.003-04:002023-07-11T07:20:23.798-04:00Enraptured by Raptors<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKo1diRDYEPYu74WPJaiykIWKlmjKRtpesa-rb9UDXR3_nUFgiMb8-rKhu44f8YD1p_iM7A1OSrNBAjWtIMktz3s6mEdhQzd-6AqqvIu8OS5v1EQe9TdLZ-p28SJN8oTOKOd_zM-wAEIKG4tK_EFKVQcPCipBGqq5YmD7BzYUHKTNV9s70aU01wtHXkCC_/s1459/0B1A7067_Turkey%20Vulture.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1459" data-original-width="1167" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKo1diRDYEPYu74WPJaiykIWKlmjKRtpesa-rb9UDXR3_nUFgiMb8-rKhu44f8YD1p_iM7A1OSrNBAjWtIMktz3s6mEdhQzd-6AqqvIu8OS5v1EQe9TdLZ-p28SJN8oTOKOd_zM-wAEIKG4tK_EFKVQcPCipBGqq5YmD7BzYUHKTNV9s70aU01wtHXkCC_/w320-h400/0B1A7067_Turkey%20Vulture.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Turkey Vulture</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihADxfI5gmD-LelqZ_0N8MXEwWpItX0P_tt-efllnDl95Zk1bK_hJH_KpWYPGHGW1DS7UnAfgZOjGVeKDaDeD0tDdzfPtpFjaEVIHKkgud9zrxxmg55aVM1PkiH7gxZnsBxCwCO4FbxWhichDtZv1ehAfRtlbkAt64EPfjCAR5qXX3tWGovfYo4h1ZVXmN/s671/0B1A2431_8x10_adj'd_sharp2-20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="671" data-original-width="538" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihADxfI5gmD-LelqZ_0N8MXEwWpItX0P_tt-efllnDl95Zk1bK_hJH_KpWYPGHGW1DS7UnAfgZOjGVeKDaDeD0tDdzfPtpFjaEVIHKkgud9zrxxmg55aVM1PkiH7gxZnsBxCwCO4FbxWhichDtZv1ehAfRtlbkAt64EPfjCAR5qXX3tWGovfYo4h1ZVXmN/w321-h400/0B1A2431_8x10_adj'd_sharp2-20.jpg" width="321" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Bald Eagle</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVntrqDJCXBiFn8eMEdOs-sgkXJYX8cPKjERn6H-NERWSBubO3wrmrfzyltbBvFpH9SJTSB1SoTlNTFwRPTAM27KrYwrJiXMI1n5813Xrp8yQAAKOEFStUbKrCB2BkVwNHqEgSZQxlNLV7yoNByGZ4urLo2dTT5N9-Bp7kL0MS_uq1G6oCA5DBLswdq4_0/s1883/0B1A0420_close%20crop_8x10_adj'd_sharp2-20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1883" data-original-width="1508" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVntrqDJCXBiFn8eMEdOs-sgkXJYX8cPKjERn6H-NERWSBubO3wrmrfzyltbBvFpH9SJTSB1SoTlNTFwRPTAM27KrYwrJiXMI1n5813Xrp8yQAAKOEFStUbKrCB2BkVwNHqEgSZQxlNLV7yoNByGZ4urLo2dTT5N9-Bp7kL0MS_uq1G6oCA5DBLswdq4_0/w320-h400/0B1A0420_close%20crop_8x10_adj'd_sharp2-20.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Red-tailed Hawk</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8cEoJjle_ItuHjxh252zDc1YfWkAQSgC3Z9mgzheHzeBmYr5XIoFcZLced6a-nwBiUXmJieEljtBnN2TGWwr9OB2_PH_3ne0Vlp3V0cQImfyisP_CB4jdXcPcr3clb5r92TtVcNGuqHrNSeSYs3uXzgqRNoMr2R4w5UUbin8Eqzs-UqYluHchW-RnJbGj/s1501/0B1A0981_8x10_adj'd_sharp2-25.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1501" data-original-width="1201" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8cEoJjle_ItuHjxh252zDc1YfWkAQSgC3Z9mgzheHzeBmYr5XIoFcZLced6a-nwBiUXmJieEljtBnN2TGWwr9OB2_PH_3ne0Vlp3V0cQImfyisP_CB4jdXcPcr3clb5r92TtVcNGuqHrNSeSYs3uXzgqRNoMr2R4w5UUbin8Eqzs-UqYluHchW-RnJbGj/w320-h400/0B1A0981_8x10_adj'd_sharp2-25.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Red-shouldered Hawk</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9sAbnHsrnMwci9VFj_r9uvzHrGE61Goc9Q4japsk_XOZQmnn3mofpLczrUMWSLJq36na28yOznRcn4xhVkI1RzFRKuip37Eyd0bv_ZNLt3Vot77Hp5mxBQScuDIIGttLnusX98n2ngS0Yq-ry_4WESModxq-s09K7fIx4NQ_2ow1r5u-0JPru1h8n0PC4/s2173/0B1A3212_4x6_adj'd_levels%207_sharp2-20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2173" data-original-width="1448" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9sAbnHsrnMwci9VFj_r9uvzHrGE61Goc9Q4japsk_XOZQmnn3mofpLczrUMWSLJq36na28yOznRcn4xhVkI1RzFRKuip37Eyd0bv_ZNLt3Vot77Hp5mxBQScuDIIGttLnusX98n2ngS0Yq-ry_4WESModxq-s09K7fIx4NQ_2ow1r5u-0JPru1h8n0PC4/w266-h400/0B1A3212_4x6_adj'd_levels%207_sharp2-20.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Cooper's Hawks</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2fLbcHErX9nLznzVyYsrRbCniS9H8gfSpH1KsAmiL5SOZIfbZ4s2aIbtObcz2eHBL9qkmzMcjfgdfEN2wTP1b1ef0EB_BXWxW_EgBp-TkOOD1zmsssSgA5bToEZqPDLu5ZE1DQEI1aJy6g7QVwBiNUaLgZ6G4AEox0gmGjjCDyr0JGoJysTFw9yCqDhYv/s1809/0B1A1586_8x10_adj'd_sharp2-20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1448" data-original-width="1809" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2fLbcHErX9nLznzVyYsrRbCniS9H8gfSpH1KsAmiL5SOZIfbZ4s2aIbtObcz2eHBL9qkmzMcjfgdfEN2wTP1b1ef0EB_BXWxW_EgBp-TkOOD1zmsssSgA5bToEZqPDLu5ZE1DQEI1aJy6g7QVwBiNUaLgZ6G4AEox0gmGjjCDyr0JGoJysTFw9yCqDhYv/s320/0B1A1586_8x10_adj'd_sharp2-20.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Sharp-shinned Hawk</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3mCz0-tueWjIqXLUZAvad62ho4XFg9_2ins-qwma47M57RRmtDsFhune-AON-I2tHQN56W5aMX5kSPgFbsCyx6c32FlTOfRbveYsLUOHE1WKpSjbzTBoPqSuciQtcLqvEHisYFdaFxxHGQgf5HQmlkOX8_CGALIVxHo7SVgt-hnpHZWCixzPY-dCPREeS/s1309/0B1A7821_4x6_adj'd_sharp2-30.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1309" data-original-width="873" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3mCz0-tueWjIqXLUZAvad62ho4XFg9_2ins-qwma47M57RRmtDsFhune-AON-I2tHQN56W5aMX5kSPgFbsCyx6c32FlTOfRbveYsLUOHE1WKpSjbzTBoPqSuciQtcLqvEHisYFdaFxxHGQgf5HQmlkOX8_CGALIVxHo7SVgt-hnpHZWCixzPY-dCPREeS/w266-h400/0B1A7821_4x6_adj'd_sharp2-30.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Merlin</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwglTZGN7dXbibuqC3b4doZJmrt8H9PVu44pNXJpB5jUmFS5pKGaV7TCJTJEuWA10Xk_5Kw_OhjbPFEBqAC5Ys-X0vyuje7BrdftCGOjB23tsZI5olnS0s7Blx0r_8DA-7IoqDHtylG0PPn6L8NOyhCu0zdYMF-WgHhaGjb5YDlslfLs_GbUUxLCw55dgw/s1266/0B1A2031_8x10_adj'd_sharp2-35.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1266" data-original-width="1013" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwglTZGN7dXbibuqC3b4doZJmrt8H9PVu44pNXJpB5jUmFS5pKGaV7TCJTJEuWA10Xk_5Kw_OhjbPFEBqAC5Ys-X0vyuje7BrdftCGOjB23tsZI5olnS0s7Blx0r_8DA-7IoqDHtylG0PPn6L8NOyhCu0zdYMF-WgHhaGjb5YDlslfLs_GbUUxLCw55dgw/s320/0B1A2031_8x10_adj'd_sharp2-35.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Kestrel</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">All these birds were photographed within or passing over college campuses a few minutes walk from my home. I am amazed every day by the variety of birds in this small green space – one of very few that has so far escaped development.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><br /> </div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><br /><p></p>Dorishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04022552895762261014noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5622223304958223870.post-14663045852590510752023-07-01T14:25:00.002-04:002023-07-01T21:20:32.009-04:00Thrush<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyKtsAo_mqXzxt-x0Ojd6lJ8Nh9IGtOKINM2uQok1rLHBzRO-juTKdIl0iJVffoqWKacvPE2rwu0Rnohh1q6ZdtkkCs-qFazspGw0DyLJNfjn4Vpj6GNOO3VCfgokZai_1cZtF37YDryZ7wxr3wuXh3gfMvd4M5U8uB6nYzyVZAQGbaDS1UsLq4oFl7yU2/s2289/03.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1831" data-original-width="2289" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyKtsAo_mqXzxt-x0Ojd6lJ8Nh9IGtOKINM2uQok1rLHBzRO-juTKdIl0iJVffoqWKacvPE2rwu0Rnohh1q6ZdtkkCs-qFazspGw0DyLJNfjn4Vpj6GNOO3VCfgokZai_1cZtF37YDryZ7wxr3wuXh3gfMvd4M5U8uB6nYzyVZAQGbaDS1UsLq4oFl7yU2/w400-h320/03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A thrush steps through the fallen leaves</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">With gracefulness and care,</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Then stops to cast a dreamy glance</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">And shyly lingers there.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Her breast's adorned with misty spots</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">That fade from taupe to buff –</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">She flies up to an aspen's branch</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">To call her "chuff", "chuff", "chuff"...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">November 2020</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">(from the book Longing For The Light by Doris Potter)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">© Doris Potter</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><br /><p></p>Dorishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04022552895762261014noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5622223304958223870.post-51978367174693117522023-06-24T13:16:00.002-04:002023-06-24T13:16:21.434-04:00View From A Window<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_pUWbMDqPJHbig56o7YhD5Oun5KwQzUOvBPbthukNrRTzecTZXfyhnnvvLHoh-xxJU-b8JAgl-lzqIIEH7NOfYTPxK0Vt4NPLFacqGo24beSx77yGARDzjVvA9rtvlr8YfgnPblEXw8JSqLfsZIUPGTvl1_BYr4dzLvtfJP6cJonwZm2_XsYv_b6WMdNc/s5346/02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3564" data-original-width="5346" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_pUWbMDqPJHbig56o7YhD5Oun5KwQzUOvBPbthukNrRTzecTZXfyhnnvvLHoh-xxJU-b8JAgl-lzqIIEH7NOfYTPxK0Vt4NPLFacqGo24beSx77yGARDzjVvA9rtvlr8YfgnPblEXw8JSqLfsZIUPGTvl1_BYr4dzLvtfJP6cJonwZm2_XsYv_b6WMdNc/w400-h266/02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Battered by rain and wind,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">the window pane shudders</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">from the violent assault.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Spattered glass displays</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">trees that sway and buck</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">in defiance of the gale,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Until a swift alchemy</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">turns the leaden skies</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">into streams of gold.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">2020</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">(from the book Longing For The Light by Doris Potter)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">© Doris Potter</span></p>Dorishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04022552895762261014noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5622223304958223870.post-51810110417254668052023-06-18T23:13:00.004-04:002023-06-24T13:08:42.389-04:00Starlight<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhCBRveLGC-Ovn0D9CiowDSMa_KnvZ-zepGWmnRFCky3xKMxqe1XnxVE1HhS0x4gbzoO49OGQK87PciU7oV7viYiwtCfscG4gbQsILR72fcqHyjQfIGf0QuUMhm1pewmNx24Ry5vFv7dif4Yj7IjP_akLts8UZQMUYe-FtXdDOJBkr8Zz6eIHs9_N1k3di/s1919/01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1919" data-original-width="1535" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhCBRveLGC-Ovn0D9CiowDSMa_KnvZ-zepGWmnRFCky3xKMxqe1XnxVE1HhS0x4gbzoO49OGQK87PciU7oV7viYiwtCfscG4gbQsILR72fcqHyjQfIGf0QuUMhm1pewmNx24Ry5vFv7dif4Yj7IjP_akLts8UZQMUYe-FtXdDOJBkr8Zz6eIHs9_N1k3di/w320-h400/01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I stumble through the night</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Wishing there were starlight.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The path is long and dark</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Lacking any landmark.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Then as the end comes near</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Strong winds arrive to clear</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The sky of all that bars</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The grandeur of the stars.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">They shine on me below,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Offering their guidance,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">And my starlight shadow</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Walks with me in silence.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">2021</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">(from the book Longing For The Light by Doris Potter)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">© Doris Potter</span></p>Dorishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04022552895762261014noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5622223304958223870.post-91860788841589866922023-06-04T09:00:00.004-04:002023-06-04T09:01:46.025-04:00If You Can't Find Me In My Bed<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">If you can't find me in my bed,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">come out and look for me under the moon.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Listen to the notes of the robin's song in the pre-dawn night.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'll be in the shadows with the cats and skunks and raccoons.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'll be crouching between wall and wheel filling up their bowl.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">And I'll be filling my lungs with the scent of trees and grass and earth.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">And I will listen to the notes of the robin's song in the pre-dawn night.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">June 2018</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">(from the book Discoveries In The Dark by Doris Potter)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">© Doris Potter</span></p>Dorishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04022552895762261014noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5622223304958223870.post-32222296458827996042023-05-14T16:14:00.002-04:002023-05-14T16:14:49.521-04:00Daffodils and Dandelions<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiti9iK1t3u0ep3pZ-GblLeGIO2CxpEVj9QufZ9xuYruhA6HVdWh3Vhud6qqQsor2CXQkZM6br659LaGRCnzKutke4nVQLk_h_puP5qbMEj3ZQJLax3QBAWV8WWRTRpETb9IGQgXlsTcnb7lzMfpHIIpXPOBazSmR8hE57p3R8iKAzZYOWSm3k4xAEodA/s5025/20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3350" data-original-width="5025" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiti9iK1t3u0ep3pZ-GblLeGIO2CxpEVj9QufZ9xuYruhA6HVdWh3Vhud6qqQsor2CXQkZM6br659LaGRCnzKutke4nVQLk_h_puP5qbMEj3ZQJLax3QBAWV8WWRTRpETb9IGQgXlsTcnb7lzMfpHIIpXPOBazSmR8hE57p3R8iKAzZYOWSm3k4xAEodA/w400-h266/20.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The daffodil – tended and tame</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">fashioned by man to an ideal –</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In gardens wide it draws acclaim</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">and yet for me there's no appeal.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The dandelion – scorned as weed,</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">yet rivalling the sun's bright glow,</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">thrives on its own and has no need,</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">for metal spade, nor trowel, no hoe –</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">And spreading far by windblown seed</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">it's wild and free to simply grow.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">For me that's all I need to know.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">2020</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">(from the book Discoveries In The Dark by Doris Potter)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">© Doris Potter</span></div><br /><p></p>Dorishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04022552895762261014noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5622223304958223870.post-59605631898342089622023-05-06T09:17:00.000-04:002023-05-06T09:17:01.380-04:00Golden-crowned Kinglet<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmmU0Ibc4wJQGnzzOTvKuuMpz1j4NrHUFkLIGu9UG57klDUlWB31k5g748vjLJ9KFSGX6tKtmFP1uS85_x_5LXJabMnuYrxe9DMbid4PIg_XGk638HMXU8g0f1Zt16MHG9_BJbe_4_SD83JLyA97ZHXwmWu1AHgCgYViPW_phZWHJ9CIM0TYUcw3whUQ/s1145/27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1145" data-original-width="917" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmmU0Ibc4wJQGnzzOTvKuuMpz1j4NrHUFkLIGu9UG57klDUlWB31k5g748vjLJ9KFSGX6tKtmFP1uS85_x_5LXJabMnuYrxe9DMbid4PIg_XGk638HMXU8g0f1Zt16MHG9_BJbe_4_SD83JLyA97ZHXwmWu1AHgCgYViPW_phZWHJ9CIM0TYUcw3whUQ/w320-h400/27.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Such tiny head to hold a crown –</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">how was your coronation?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I hope you deigned to settle down</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">during the grand occasion.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Your fleeting visits come in spring –</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">and loyal subjects greet you.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">In fall you're once again passing</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">although we wish to keep you.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">And so, my little feathered king,</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">long may your reign continue.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Noblesse oblige is what you bring –</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">this virtue lies within you.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">2021</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">(from the book Longing For The Light by Doris Potter)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">© Doris Potter</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><br /><p></p>Dorishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04022552895762261014noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5622223304958223870.post-3935202288585353672023-04-22T23:13:00.005-04:002023-04-22T23:13:49.340-04:00Return of the Red-winged Blackbirds<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil_Mz7JXsHO_dkcYrdlSrq8JEZH6cplP-3GdQ3n8JgsbIuyTmiY8bX9Gx47jmwlqDWaxf8-PRfox1wGpGVW9XR-f5HC4loeIUylpyxt9-lWCtmrawCTKntnm5pjXUDu0gEVn9lRMA1Rl72kGY3M0gLkR_HhmZWalMW2_0QzBH04MrOIsOSaCX0qOt-jQ/s2521/02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="2521" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil_Mz7JXsHO_dkcYrdlSrq8JEZH6cplP-3GdQ3n8JgsbIuyTmiY8bX9Gx47jmwlqDWaxf8-PRfox1wGpGVW9XR-f5HC4loeIUylpyxt9-lWCtmrawCTKntnm5pjXUDu0gEVn9lRMA1Rl72kGY3M0gLkR_HhmZWalMW2_0QzBH04MrOIsOSaCX0qOt-jQ/w400-h320/02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">With only remnants left of snow,</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">And cold and frost now letting go,</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">There comes my truest sign of spring</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">With scarlet epauletted wing.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">His flash of red is nature's beacon</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">To say that winter's grip will weaken.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">And when the air fills with his song</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Of cheering notes so rich and strong,</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I know that spring will not be long.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">2019</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">(from the book Discoveries In The Dark by Doris Potter)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">© Doris Potter</span></div><br /><p></p>Dorishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04022552895762261014noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5622223304958223870.post-42705835267999506452023-04-01T18:46:00.004-04:002023-04-01T18:48:34.582-04:00A Vegan's Lament<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">How can long-time animal activists fail</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">to see that consistency must prevail?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Not only the steer or broiler </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">suffers under the knife.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The dairy cow and laying hen</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">suffer throughout their longer life ...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">only to meet the same blade.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Pictures flash in graphic display</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">on computer screens, day by day.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Atrocities are not in doubt –</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">no, that secret's out.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">But sadly ...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">convenience trumps conscience;</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">preferences trump principles.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Those whose eyes have seen,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">whose ears have heard, </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">and yet can turn away</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">for a good night's sleep</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">with an egg and dairy meal </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">the very next day,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">fail in a most profound way.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">2018</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">(from the book Discoveries In The Dark by Doris Potter)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">© Doris Potter</span></p>Dorishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04022552895762261014noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5622223304958223870.post-30437787291226481102023-03-18T18:45:00.007-04:002023-03-18T18:50:53.124-04:00Moon Bond<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHHA4qBJQANERsWldjuhv4WeoIqOPfEpRqnJSrZDV4_3-1mIuarpsTnTMyHQ5G18SXoHxjokLG6L3EBMktZDHtnpVlQAeNeiWXUWnz1P2NTO5FkvfsBS_VPB-Hzh7KDj1XuOMuO0y38-pL1ZijT_ymhOOYdnOPzKW68GHJRiJFKdmNoApmBqATtzLa1Q/s1798/09.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1438" data-original-width="1798" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHHA4qBJQANERsWldjuhv4WeoIqOPfEpRqnJSrZDV4_3-1mIuarpsTnTMyHQ5G18SXoHxjokLG6L3EBMktZDHtnpVlQAeNeiWXUWnz1P2NTO5FkvfsBS_VPB-Hzh7KDj1XuOMuO0y38-pL1ZijT_ymhOOYdnOPzKW68GHJRiJFKdmNoApmBqATtzLa1Q/w320-h256/09.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The moon – </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">ever changing yet ever constant.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The overlooking mother.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In darkest sky is when her glow</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">is brightest on the earth below.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Moods respond to cyclic phases.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Blood currents shift in ebb and flow.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Tidal powers from long ago.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The moon – </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">which drew me from my mother's womb,</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">now re-unites us in the night.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In darkest sky she'll always shine</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">upon my mother's face and mine.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">And though apart, we are as one</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">where space and time just fall away.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">And even when the night is done,</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">the comfort lingers all the day.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Note: after moving to British Columbia, at the end of each phone call with my mother she would say, "Ok ... now after we hang up, go look at the moon and I will too. We will both be seeing it at the same time".</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">(From the book Discoveries In The Dark by Doris Potter)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">© Doris Potter</span></div><br /><p></p>Dorishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04022552895762261014noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5622223304958223870.post-42832037034452702072023-03-14T17:42:00.004-04:002023-03-14T17:43:16.490-04:00Misassembly<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Td6R59whzQOlHiWqinl_7ohI5i872aEOpbp2OpgV2HNmYwbuqc8zS0Txrk2WP__Y0nEl_tQ_sHyL3jv1CEHODfZc93m7prFTY6qkB0yJ1fOwf2mWKt59teGZ1TwLX9FMUa6RXMrgF2lJA_AKTdY7eP2cwePKF8YiMNUV_8v8rM7J6tJIGd7cgqEw5A/s1839/2023-03-09%20Willow_reduced.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1839" data-original-width="1377" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Td6R59whzQOlHiWqinl_7ohI5i872aEOpbp2OpgV2HNmYwbuqc8zS0Txrk2WP__Y0nEl_tQ_sHyL3jv1CEHODfZc93m7prFTY6qkB0yJ1fOwf2mWKt59teGZ1TwLX9FMUa6RXMrgF2lJA_AKTdY7eP2cwePKF8YiMNUV_8v8rM7J6tJIGd7cgqEw5A/w300-h400/2023-03-09%20Willow_reduced.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Always follow assembly instructions carefully!</span></div><br /><p></p>Dorishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04022552895762261014noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5622223304958223870.post-22148510253059361252023-03-08T18:04:00.008-05:002023-03-08T21:36:27.369-05:00International Women's Day 2023 Let's Be Radical<p><span style="color: white;"> (This is best viewed on a computer)</span></p><p><i><span face=""Verdana",sans-serif" style="background: black; color: white; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;">I received the
following from Vicki Van Linden, Board Member of Animal Alliance of Canada in
an email today and was struck by the power of this woman's arguments and the
poetry of her words. I received permission to reproduce it here.</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td style="font-size: 10pt; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 10px;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td id="m_-7879893974226308598idXnU82Y" style="margin: 0px; padding: 5px;"><div style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="color: white;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva; font-size: 10pt;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: white; font-size: 12pt;">International Women’s Day is here again. And again, we see that women around the world are under threat. Women are still exploited, trafficked, abused, and denied basic human rights in too many nations. Even in westernized nations like our own, women are still underpaid, subjected to violence, and under-represented in positions of power.</span></div><div style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva; font-size: 10pt;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: white; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="color: white;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">There has been progress, but not nearly enough. And as we see unfolding in the United States, hard-won progress can be lost, far more easily than we might have imagined.</span><br /><br /><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">This is what it means to be vulnerable. This is what it means to be impacted by political and economic systems that have been designed to favour groups that have been traditionally more powerful, more privileged.</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva; font-size: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva; font-size: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Now, let’s consider the plight of the most vulnerable of beings,</span><br /><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">non-human animals.</span><br /><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Beings who can never advocate for themselves.</span><br /><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Can never march on Parliament.</span><br /><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Can never go on strike.</span><br /><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Can never vote.</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="color: white;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="color: white;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Let’s consider too the extra burden of being a female animal who is exploited and confined in the animal agriculture industry.</span><br /><br /><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">All animals suffer in animal agriculture, but surely female animals suffer more. It’s hens who are confined in cages so that their eggs can be sold to humans. It’s cows who are used in the dairy industry so that the milk that should nurture their own young is sold to humans. It’s mother pigs who endure the cruel confinement of gestation and farrowing crates so that the flesh of their babies can be sold to humans.</span><br /><br /><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">We can widen our circle of compassion every day, including International Women’s Day, to include female animals who endure exploitation because of their reproductive abilities.</span><br /><br /><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">It takes nothing away from women, does not lessen our resolve to stand by our own human sisters, to include these other female beings in our advocacy and care.</span><br /><br /><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Recognizing and acting to end the suffering of others draws on our compassion, enhances our activism, strengthens our commitment to promote equity, and ultimately makes the world a better place for all.</span><br /><br /><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">We can work for the liberation of all animals while we support the full emancipation of human persons, regardless of gender. We can commit ourselves to working toward equity for all humans as well as all non-humans. We can ‘walk and chew gum’ in our activism.</span><br /><br /><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">The complete liberation of all animals is considered radical by people engaged in animal-using industries.</span><br /><br /><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">The liberation of animals is too radical for some, and certainly not easy to achieve. But every progressive social movement has been considered too radical. Every social movement that sought to advance equity aroused anger, even revulsion, in the early stages of its development.</span><br /><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br /><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">International Women’s Day has its roots in the socialist movement of the early twentieth century in the United States.</span><br /><br /><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">According to an article in National Geographic, a Russian refugee, labour organizer, and member of the Socialist Party of America named Theresa Malkiel, declared the first ‘National Women’s Day’ in 1909. European socialists later embraced the idea, and ‘International Women’s Day’ was born.</span><br /><br /><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">In 1917, during World War I, Russian women marked International Women’s Day by marching to oppose Russia’s participation in the war, and to protest the shortage of food. The women’s march inspired men to join, and a massive workers’ strike soon followed. This women’s march is seen by many historians as the beginning of the Russian Revolution.</span><br /><br /><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Revolution. Socialism. These are radical roots indeed.</span><br /><br /><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Those of us who are women owe the improved status that we do enjoy to the work of people like Theresa Malkiel. We owe our very ability to vote to the suffragettes who endured persecution so that women could participate in electoral politics. We owe our improved opportunities to women who were often reviled and treated as unnatural aberrations in the earlier stages of the Women’s Movement of the twentieth century.</span><br /><br /><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">These women were radical. And they were mocked and persecuted for being so.</span><br /><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br /><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">We, too, can be radical.</span><br /><br /><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">We can state with bravery that we want nothing less than the complete liberation of our fellow sentient beings, the non-human animals who have inherent value as independent beings whose lives belong to themselves.</span><br /><br /><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">I’m inviting you to be radical with us. Let’s resolve to do all we can to drive our movement for animals forward, to work for nothing less than their complete liberation.</span><br /><br /><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Let’s share a day that is dedicated to human women, and fully embrace working for our sisters, and ourselves, and also embrace our non-human fellow beings within our circle of compassion.</span><br /><br /><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Through my involvement with Animal Alliance of Canada, I have seen again and again that it is financial interests that so often work against animals. Hunting generates license fees for provincial governments, and profit for commercial businesses. Animal research is used by manufacturers of products to generate wealth. Animal agriculture uses the very bodies of animals as units of profit.</span><br /><br /><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Exploitation is profitable. But exploitation causes suffering.</span><br /><br /><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">So, let’s be radical and work toward a world where vulnerable beings, human and non-human, are no longer exploited.</span><br /><br /><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Is such a compassionate
world possible? I can’t say. But I do say with certainty that our world can be
better. And that in itself is a radical, and worthy, idea.</span></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>Dorishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04022552895762261014noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5622223304958223870.post-49562120463833830602023-03-04T17:13:00.001-05:002023-03-04T17:13:06.834-05:00Night Air<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The perfumed night air is heavy with mystery and promise.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I inhale its fragrance deeply into my lungs as if to fill my</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">soul with its essence.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">What stirrings are these?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Haloed clouds drift by the moon and I am transfixed.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">It is a delicious loneness –</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">not a loneliness of despair or disconnection –</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">but a loneness, a oneness</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">where the universe is drawn inside me</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">until my body contains it all.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">All the stars, the seas,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">and the long stretching land –</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">nothing remains apart.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The night air,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">with all its dark and lofty secrets,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">with all its heady magic,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">makes this be.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">1996</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">(from the book Discoveries In The Dark by Doris Potter)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">© Doris Potter</span></p>Dorishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04022552895762261014noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5622223304958223870.post-7159697052053992722023-02-25T18:13:00.001-05:002023-02-25T18:14:51.299-05:00Surrender<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I gaze into soft brown eyes that smile</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">as warm hands hold me, melt me.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Slowly ... slowly the clothing falls away</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">and I am left exposed – delighting in</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span>my nakedness, in the desire in</span><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> your eyes.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>Your kisses reach inside me; touch me</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> in wonderful places; soft, quiet</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> places of my soul.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>Your gentle hands stroke my face, cradle</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> my face ...</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>And my body opens to you, ready and longing</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> for your touch.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>And you fulfill me – as I gaze into your eyes.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>It is you: your hands; your tongue; your presence –</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>That bring me to such heights –</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> to such delights.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>1980</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>(from the book Discoveries In The Dark by Doris Potter)</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>© Doris Potter</span></span></p>Dorishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04022552895762261014noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5622223304958223870.post-66828367176746520822023-02-21T15:05:00.000-05:002023-02-21T15:05:27.056-05:00Survivor<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">At the flower shop she made her choice.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">She'd found the one with nicest bloom.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In her expertise she did rejoice,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This plant would glorify her room.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">And then at home, a fine surprise!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Beneath the leaves was another shoot</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">That had escaped her searching eyes</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">And defiantly had taken root.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">She was intrigued, and marvelled at</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This little plant – what could he be?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Exotic species? no doubt about that!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Unique and special she could see.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">She named him "Survivor", and sought to tell</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">His story to all who saw him there.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">She watched him grow and thrive so well –</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">A testament to her skillful care.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">And then one day, she learned that he</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Was a common weed that had taken root</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In another's pot – and shamefully</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">She'd mistaken him for a special shoot.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">"Survivor", she thought, was her claim to fame</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">But her judgment of him had been too rash.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In the end he had only brought her shame.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">She threw him away with the trash.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">1999</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">(From the book Discoveries In The Dark by Doris Potter)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">© Doris Potter</span></p>Dorishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04022552895762261014noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5622223304958223870.post-18316330276736673522023-02-11T11:00:00.001-05:002023-02-11T11:00:23.358-05:00Winter Descent<p> <span style="font-family: verdana;">She struggles forward – her head bent low</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> Buffeted by winds and blowing snow.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> Deep drifts and gusts erase her path,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> She vainly battles winter's wrath.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> Strength is lost with every step.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> Finally, there's nothing left.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> Laying down her head</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> On a snowy bed</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> So soft and deep</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> Inviting sleep.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">2019</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">(From the book Discoveries In The Dark by Doris Potter)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">© Doris Potter</span></p>Dorishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04022552895762261014noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5622223304958223870.post-41301739077019560672023-02-04T19:19:00.001-05:002023-02-04T19:19:16.075-05:00River Side Blues<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLq0OOkbLWZxxW15nV1pYng-5KGitmBK7V8HV6G_y-nXbicBFe168yIoGmrfWzlKFkmrSScZ9E2W7MHCwQxks1345OIRooxH2byQMh7nl6lD55n9SfjaXhHkB2xZ0uuJvC-ttSELoR1avenmFRH-0eFlgszcWrUTkhh87dcyzV8kkNx7TE-glrnUGYWA/s2000/15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLq0OOkbLWZxxW15nV1pYng-5KGitmBK7V8HV6G_y-nXbicBFe168yIoGmrfWzlKFkmrSScZ9E2W7MHCwQxks1345OIRooxH2byQMh7nl6lD55n9SfjaXhHkB2xZ0uuJvC-ttSELoR1avenmFRH-0eFlgszcWrUTkhh87dcyzV8kkNx7TE-glrnUGYWA/w320-h400/15.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The tree stands at the river's side –</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Its gangly roots exposed</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">like the legs of a young girl</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">with hiked up skirt</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">to wade into the waters.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">But for all her longing,</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">she cannot enter</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">to follow its seductive flow ...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">for her roots go deep</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">and she's held steadfast</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">despite her downstream dreams.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The tree stands at the river's side –</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">and cannot leave her place</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">even when the rising waters</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">entice with playful laps</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">at exposed ankles.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">2001</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">(from the book Discoveries In The Dark by Doris Potter)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">© Doris Potter</span></div><br /><p></p>Dorishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04022552895762261014noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5622223304958223870.post-90013067578237431842023-01-29T11:18:00.000-05:002023-01-29T11:18:58.929-05:00Enlightenment<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">We humans endlessly aspire</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">to reach new levels ever higher.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Such lofty goals for sullied souls ...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The animals – already there –</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">know not of triumph nor despair.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Content to be, regardlessly.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">They have a knowing far beyond</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">that which we seek.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">And with the planet have a bond</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">that is unique.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">A turtle basking in the sun,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">has he not managed to be one</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">with the Universe?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">2018</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">(from the book Discoveries In The Dark by Doris Potter)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">© Doris Potter</span></p>Dorishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04022552895762261014noreply@blogger.com4