What Happens Next?

Last week’s post featured a video of a turkey stalking a newswoman. This week, I looked outside just in time to see an enormous shadow move across the yard. A gigantic turkey touched down on the grass and I understood the woman’s fear. Believe me, that turkey had the whole yard to itself. Within five minutes, two playful groundhogs scampered across the yard; we were experiencing a real National Geographic moment. We typically have just one groundhog poking around, except for the time a family of five moved into the space under our shed. We didn’t charge rent and the little varmints didn’t even thank us when the trapper carried them away in cages. But that’s not the reason for my like-dislike of groundhogs. No, it goes deeper than having unappreciative guests.

You see, on Groundhog’s Day, I hear two comments: “Happy Birthday!”  and “Have you seen your shadow yet?” I just smile. I didn’t laugh the first time I heard that joke and I haven’t laughed in the decades that followed. Guess what else? It won’t be funny next year or THE YEAR AFTER THAT OR THE YEAR AFTER THAT OR—!!  Okay. Sorry, I’m calmer now.  Actually, I don’t shun all things groundhog-related. I like the movie Groundhog’s Day where the lead character relives the same day until he realizes he has a chance to become a better person.  Watch how his behavior changes over a series of days:

Sometimes, regardless of our best efforts, we can’t change outcomes. Still, who wouldn’t want to relive a day or two once in a while?  If you could do-over a day, what outcome would you alter or what wonderful day would you want to relive?         

Angry Birds and the Thrill of the Chase

What’s the attraction between kids and birds? On vacation last week we visited the historic Jamestown replica of early settlers’ cabins in Virginia. Chickens and roosters freely roamed the area and not surprisingly, my child decided to stalk the rooster. The bird looked strong and healthy. It had beautiful red and brown feathers and weighed more than you might imagine. I gave warnings to leave the rooster alone while hoping the bird wouldn’t recognize who really had the upper hand—it certainly wasn’t my child.

Earlier that week, I saw a similar scene at the beach. Several kids decided to chase the seagulls that blanketed the sand. Oh sure, there’s a thrill in the chase until a horde of angry birds stops running away from you and starts running toward you! I believe this lady knows what that feels like:

I love the music. Just when the newswoman thought the mail truck had saved her, the chase continued. Did you see how the turkey sidled up to the window to bully her even after she retreated to the car? And then it ducked down and circled the vehicle like a shark! My advice to you: Stay away from angry birds!  When it comes to chases, the tables can turn at any moment and in a flash, the pursuee quickly becomes the pursuer. Are you pursuing something? What are you chasing?        

The Uninvited Guests

Dragonflies! The name should strike fear into your heart like it did in mine when one flew into our vehicle and bumped against the windshield. The inside of the car magnified its buzz, causing a deafening sound. Okay, maybe that’s a slight exaggeration, but I’m glad I was parked when the bug buzzed in. I jumped from our car with one mission in mind: Get the insect out! Fortunately, the dragonfly found an open window and escaped on its own.

Of course, this scary incident prompted me to research these mini-monsters. Thanks to this link, I learned several eye-opening facts:

1.      A dragonfly remains in the larva stage for up to three years, feasting in ponds and rivers.

2.      While living in water, the insects are large enough to devour small fish.

3.      Dragonflies do not bite or sting humans. Good to know!      

I had a harmless guest, but the guest in this video has teeth made for biting and devouring. Take a look:

Hmm, maybe her mountain lion statue functioned like a beacon, summoning the real thing right up to her front door. What uninvited guest have you encountered? Was it friend or foe?   

English as a Foreign Language

I’m glad I already speak English because many of the idioms and nuances of our language make it difficult to master. I can’t imagine entering the United States as a non-English speaking person. Think about our silly terms like whatchamacallit, thingamabob, thingamajig and whosit. When memory fails us, we resort to all kinds of interesting placeholders.

Not long ago at a gathering, a lady forgot someone’s name so she referred to an acquaintance as Mrs. Blah Blah. Given our fast-paced, stress-filled lives, it’s a wonder we can remember anything. Substituting Mrs. Blah Blah for a forgotten name seemed like a convenient way to keep the conversation rolling and keep everyone laughing! It’s a good thing the ladies were on friendly terms. Under different circumstances, calling someone Mrs. Blah Blah might cause big trouble and lots of drama.

Emotions boil over quickly when people feel attacked for their English-speaking abilities. If you’re fortunate enough to travel, be it Louisiana or London, the English you hear may sound like a foreign language and you could become the speaker people ridicule. Watch how one soldier handles his communication situation:

With so many accents, dialects and new slang words in America, we could all use subtitle assistance once in a while. What peculiar phrases have you heard recently?

On Your Mark, Get Set, Cheese!

The family wanted to watch the Olympic trials. They complained and grumbled because I preferred to watch Secret Civilizations, a show about Mayan culture.  I squeezed the remote to get a better grip on it. Ambushed! Believe it or not, they actually cheered after they wrestled the remote from my sweaty hands.

My taste in TV shows doesn’t always please my family. You can’t deny that my choices inform and entertain, although we tend to disagree on the definition of “entertain.”  I usually bypass most TV sports, but since our family has two sports enthusiasts plus another child who sides with them—I’m outnumbered! I do plan to watch the actual Olympics and if I found a show about one of these events, maybe we would all watch it:           

The video’s number one sports event, the cheese roll, is outrageous! Someone created a “sport” where participants chase a wheel of cheese down a hill. What’s the prize—cheese? I’d willingly give up the remote if any one of these events showed up as a TV sports show.  What do you enjoy about watching or playing your favorite sport? 

Facing The Past

Last week I saw a TV show that I hadn’t seen in years. You could tell it was filmed a while ago because of the film’s dreamy quality and actors’ clothing. After doing some quick research, I discovered that the show first aired over thirty years ago. Time passes so quickly!

ALF, which originally premiered in the 1980s, featured a witty, fuzzy, brown, sarcastic alien as the star.  Prior to the popularity of today’s reality shows, ALF aired when TV had an entirely different level of innocence. Old shows always contained a bit of spiciness, but nothing like today. 

Just like an old TV show, a child’s school portraits, from one year to the next, indicate the passage of time. Some people believe faces reveal more than the passage of time.  Chinese face reading supposedly tells the kind of personality traits people possess. Here’s a bit of analysis:

I wonder if a scientific experiment would prove the credibility of Chinese face reading?   I can see how our responses to life’s experience might become etched on our faces. When you look in the mirror, what experience does your face reveal about your past?   


Note: Former video exchanged for a more family-friendly one.  

Flying the Coop

What a gift it is to have such a wide variety of bird life in our community.  At any given moment, we can glance outside and see enormous robins (who ate well during our warm winter), cardinals, blue jays, even woodpeckers and humming birds. I enjoy regular sightings of the neighborhood blue jay as its cautious mate perches nearby. Our house cat seems to enjoy seeing the pair, too. Simply seeing the birds together prompts me to run for the camera.

Last week, I went to the curb to bring back the garbage can and discovered a small collection of feathers littering the area. I wondered what had caused a bird to lose so many feathers. Was food in such short supply that a bird and raccoon tussled over the garbage? Not likely. The plot thickened after I found a second scattering of feathers a few feet away. Then, tucked beside the curb, I spotted a motionless blue jay lying on its back. The poor bird probably went looking for seeds and now, somewhere in the trees, its mate waits for food that won’t come and a mate that's gone.

Speaking of gone, June is the time of the year when students make plans to “fly the coop.” High school students graduate and prepare to move from their parent’s homes into dorm rooms. College students leave the security of dorm life and go out into the real world. The end of a school year feels like a time of change. Some people greet this season with excitement and anticipation of the future, while others harbor melancholy thoughts about the life left behind. Here’s an amusing video of a little boy girl with a big personality and even bigger plans for the future:

When kids move from one level to the next, we often feel a combination of apprehension and excitement. We wonder if they are adequately prepared for the future. Rest assured, they usually are and if not, they figure it out. In general, what are you feeling about your future?