Monday, October 3, 2011

first of october surprises...


the first weekend of october.
cooler weather...
cool enough to open the windows and let the fresh air in without the A/C kicking on!  yeah!
(as long as the traffic out on the road is sparse...it'll be good.
dirt road + open windows = layer of dirt on everything. ugh.)

the weekend began with this big Imperial moth hanging out on the front porch all night...
and then moving to a new spot...he spent ALL saturday too!

~O~

early sunday morning...sam's voice bellowed
"DEER ALERT! DEER ALERT!"
which means...deer in the yard! deer in the yard!
but by the time i got to the window, all i caught was the tail end 
racing back into the woods.  damn!

as i stood there...at the back door...hoping the deer would come back...

here comes another deer. a different deer. i couldn't believe what i was seeing.
it looked like cross between a deer and a Paint horse!
i raced for my camera...wishing for this magical deer to wait 'til i got back.
he did. he waited. and he wandered in the yard as i snapped away...

i've never seen a deer like this before! 
after he wandered back into the woods...we googled him.
he's a PIEBALD deer
they occur in less than ONE % of the White-tail deer population!
a rare sight.
it turns out that it's a "recessive gene that produces the Piebald condition".  

to many Native American people...the 
"White deer is regarded as a spirit...
an ancestor or benevolent soul transfigured from human form.
the Piebald deer is respected as a spirit in the process 
of transforming to or from the spirit world."

if he happens to get in a hunter's sight...i hope the hunter gives him a break! for if not...

"If a white deer were killed (and without remorse) the hunter might later
 lose his life in a freak accident often involving his hunting or survival skills."

a Piebald White-tail deer.
a ghost deer. a spirit animal.

~O~

later in the day...

wait a minute...let me backtrack a bit...
about 8 months ago we found
a dead 'possum behind the shed. we have no idea what killed it or how it died.
we gave him a nice burial.
i wanted to dig the bones back up after some time had passed...
and make something out of them.
BUT i never really marked the site. i put a grating over the top
so that no animals would dig him up and scatter him about.
but the grating was bigger than the grave.

so i dug...and dug...in my spare time...never finding the entire skeleton.
not in one piece anyway.
just various bones here and there.
jaws. partial skull. leg bones.

then with one flip of the shovel, about 18" deep...i uncovered a...
Worm Lizard/Amphisbaenia
COOL!!!  wow. i was so excited. 
i scooped him up on the shovel and ran around the yard...looking for sam...
trying to keep him from wriggling off the shovel.
another FIRST. i knew what he was, but had never found one myself.
they're closely related to lizards and snakes, they're limbless, blind & have no ears.
their scales are arranged in rings,they burrow underground and prey on smaller insects.
it's rare to see them as they usually don't come above ground unless they
get rained out and have to come to the surface to breathe.
this one was about 7" long. as soon as i took my pictures...
and showed him off to sam...
we set him free on the dirt pile where he immediately began burrowing.
within 6 seconds he was out of sight!

anyway, i'm not finished digging. 
the 'possum vertebrae are still to be found.

~O~

OH, and speaking of BoNES...
i DID do another BoNE DooDLE!  for October...for Halloween.
bOne dOOdle #9
put together with raccoon, deer & armadillo bones.
pictures snapped & then taken apart. 
(see bone doodle page above for more)

~O~

so after such a magical beginning to october...
i can just FEEL that this is going to be a good year ahead...
0ct 2, 2011   7:06:50 pm
Winter is an etching, 
spring a watercolor, 
summer an oil painting 
and autumn a mosaic of them all.  
~Stanley Horowitz 

have a good week.
have a safe journey & enjoy the ride.
laura

32 comments:

  1. the piebald is a beauty! glad you got to see him AND photograph him! i've seen albinos before (in pictures) but never a piebald.

    love your bone doodle!

    and i had this dreaded feeling that you buried that possum alive and he had to dig his way out... glad to know he really was dead at least! :)

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  2. Brilliant, the deer, worm lizard and same again.

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  3. T, thanks...yeah, it was really something else to see that deer! and about the possum...they do a good job at 'playing dead'...but this poor guy was definitely a goner :( now, if i could just find the rest of him...next time i'm putting up a marker! :D)lk

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  4. Thanks Bob! i'll be heading to YOUR place shortly...i'm behind...as usual... :))lk

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  5. That is a very special deer! Never have seen one or even heard of a piebald deer. Definitely had that sacred feel. Wow! And then a worm lizard! I have never seen one or even heard of one of those either. What a magical start to October. :) Oh! And I loved your bone doodle, too. Still can't get over that beautiful deer. You guys were blessed! :):)

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  6. Looks like October really IS your month! Love the bone doodle!

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  7. gorgeous shots of the beautiful ghost deer - I love piebald things (especially horses). enjoy your cooler weather and bones, bones, BONES!

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  8. Great post you sound so refreshed and full of energy after your weekend away .........we have similar legless lizards here called slow worms ............but that one you found was amazing ........and that magic deer .........a good omen I think ....xx

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  9. Gosh, so many beautiful firsts in this post. Love the deer--she is so beautiful. Glad you were able to catch a photo of her to share with us. I had never heard of a piebald deer before.

    And I've never heard of a worm lizard...what a cool living being that is!

    And the big moth is amazing!

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  10. wow- your possums look very different to ours in Australia

    your halloween bones couldn't be more apt for the season

    :-)

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  11. That's a fantastic collection of surprises. Hope it's a sign of good things to come!

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  12. thanks everybody...rita, tumbleweed,alexia,artymess/lorna,kateri,kel and snail!!
    YEAH! i do think it's all a sign of good things to come!
    thanks...for all the kind words and taking time out to enjoy these FIRSTS!
    >>happy tuesday...uh...almost wednesday for some of you! :)

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  13. WOW! How exciting!!!

    The moth, the deer and the worm lizard! FANTASTIC!

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  14. wow. what an unusual and fascinating post. A worm lizard! And I started off super jealous of that amazing moth, but that was just the start. Never seen or hear about a spirit deer. TOO cool. You must have some rockin' karma, of late. =)

    And those bone doodles. So interesting and SO nicely DONE!

    Cheers!

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  15. Wow, that dear is amazing! Love your bone doodle too ;-)

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  16. I just found your blog through Kateri's blog. Awesome! I love your unique slant on nature, especially the bones. I am now following and look forward to your next post. Have a great week.

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  17. Fantastic Laura. So cool - to have that beautiful Piebald deer come so close. Such rare and privileged photos, thank you.

    What a surprise the possum had for you - wow, such a cool worm lizard. Your findings are great.

    Another beaut bOne dOOdle too Laura... and an amazing moon to complete your wonderful post. Many thanks, and good wishes to you.
    Cheerio for now :D)

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  18. A fascinating deer! It almost looks albino...he came for you to capture his unique image Laura! A great find indeed!

    And your bone doodle is really cool-you're in the spirit allright! You just live in a great place! So much to find. I'm banking on your comment about the 'good year' ahead! And it always starts with October! Have a good week!

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  19. I love checking your post, you always have neat critters and photos. I love the moth, deer and that weird looking lizard. I have seen one deer like yours at Shenandoah Natl Park. It was beautiful, I am so glad you got photos. I hope it is a great year but for now have a wonderful day.

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  20. it's always nice to get on here and see that people wandering through...stopped and took a minute to leave a note!
    glad you all liked the 'spirit' deer...the BIG imperial moth, the weird worm lizard...the moon shot & the newest bOne dOOdle! thanks smantha, biobabbler, erika jean, heidi (welcome!), susan (TX), susan (australia) and eileen! ((i'm home right now between app'ts...and hopefully will have toime to get over to your place...if i haven't already...get in some 'catch-up time) :)lk

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  21. hi Laura,
    so fun to see your spirit deer! I saw a white deer once in Ca. I have deer here in Montana passing through daily, but never a white or spotted one.
    Interesting to see your possum bones, I always have to stop and look at bones. lovely autumn to you.

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  22. From one Laura to another, what animal-filled days you have had. How cool is that deer?! Your newest follower, XOLaura

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  23. LOVE the white deer photos! Welcome to Fall!

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  24. Tammie Lee, (another)Laura in the UK, and Makropoulos...thanks for stopping by...and welcome...and taking a break at the end of your hike...to leave a note!! i really appreciate that A LOT!! happy friday to all! xxxooolk

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  25. Wow! That deer is amazing...Ive never seen anything like it either! Glad you managed to get pics!

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  26. What an interesting post! I don't even know where to begin to comment. Like your story, adventure...amazed that you actually dug out the posum's bones and what a very creative Halloween idea!

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  27. Hi Wonderful Laura,
    Almost impossible to imagine car traffic passes your Sanctuary, but oh yes, know about the dust that travels from dirt roads, especially when drivers don't have the intelligence to drive slower on such roads... I do hope the cars were and are sparse... open windows and fresh air is always a pleasure to experience.

    Your beautiful Imperial Moth... a Messenger of the Night and the element Air stayed where the Light glowed best... not surprising at all with that bit... you are a glowing Light of warmth and caring for all.

    Then your Piebald Deer... gosh Laura it stayed a while too, grazing and browsing your yard of wonders... a beautiful gift.
    Interesting words from the Native American people's way of thinking. They have, from what I have read, a deep resonating connection with the Natural World... always special to read.

    I remember the Possum bit... what a lovely gift you have been given for burying it. Possibly why it died near you. Knew it would be given respect and remembrance.

    The colouring of your Worm Lizard is wonderful. Living within the Earth's soil and being such a rich shade of pink... amazing. Love the ribbed look of its body. Their whole body would be ultra sensitive too with being blind and not having ears.

    Like the bone doodle for Halloween. The Vest effect looks great.

    The poem about the Seasons is one of the nicest I have read, and of course your Moon photo a wonderful finishing touch to a rather magical spiritual filled adventure.

    Loving hugs from Magda and Family in Australia
    PS Thoroughly enjoy your new "a little macabre" too.

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  28. That deer AWESOME and the legend is even better! Now that worm lizzard thingy??? Seven inches?????
    YIKES! The bones from the possum were scattered? What would have done that? The Halloween bone doodle is totally YOU!...:)JP

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  29. Love the piebald deer and the story that goes with it. The worm lizard is cool, and the bones make me think o that song, "I'm digging up bones...I'm diggin up bones..." by Randy Travis.

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  31. Sorry Laura, I could have sworn I already commented on this post. Oh well, better late than never as they say. Thanks for the chili info!!
    I can remember my first sighting of an albino deer. It was amazing!
    I feel a bit sorry for your piebald (a bit of projection there, I think) do you suppose the other deer make fun of him, like Rudolf?
    meggs.xx

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  32. WOW! What a great way for October to begin! Sorry about the 'possum skeleton - that reminds me that I have a squirrel one to dig up one of these days. Nature's "trash men" sure do a number of dead animals - glad we have them around to do some dirty work for us. THANK YOU for sharing your unique view of the world and just for being who you are!!

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thanks for stopping by! it's always nice to hear from fellow wanderers!