Thursday, April 23, 2009

2009 is much better.

I just wanted to take a minute to thank my friends and my family's friends for helping us through the last year.  With your dedicated friendships, emails, care packages, medical connections and advice, therapist recommendations, sense of humor, and never ending faith, our family met 2008's challenges with our best feet forward.

This all sounds kind of vague, but if you helped us, you know who you are and you know what you did. And we do, too. 

Thanks again.
We owe you a big one.
***
Naomi Shihab Nye: "Before you know kindness/as the deepest thing inside,/you must know sorrow/as the other deepest thing.../Then it is only kindness/that makes sense anymore..."

Happy Earth Day 2009!

You will see a silly little Plinky entry I wrote earlier, but here's how I really want to celebrate Earth Day- revisiting the beauty of nature in photographs!






I want to tell you more, but Squirrels are really running things on Earth, and they aren't letting me tell you everything!

Squirrels have more than a few tricks up their sleeves. They are kind of like the professional magicians of the natural world. And they're just so darn nutty.



SIGHT:

They have as many points of view as they choose.

Arial view from the top of a tree = No problem!

Diagonal view from the side of a tree? = Sure!

Looking up from beneath their hiding spots behind the bushes? = Gotcha!



TASTE:

They are nature's hoarders.

Nuts & Acorns = they got 'em.

Berries = they'll sell you some.

Bug Proteins = Without a doubt.



APPEARANCE:

They look harmless because of those cute little rodent faces.

Whiskers? = Check Plus!

Tiny Brown eyes? = A+!

Long fluffy tail? = Valedictorian!



AGILITY:

Able to scurry? = Well, yes.

Able to climb? = Naturally.

Able to scamper? = Adorably.



And finally, BRAINS:

Able to do math? = Yes, they can calculate how many nuts they need for survival.

Able to communicate? = Yes, they work together to warn each other of approaching danger with their vocalizations!

Able to love? = With hearts as big as elephants.



And this is just part of the reason that squirrels rule. I would tell you more, but there's a little furry guy holding a gun to my head, and he looks NUTZ!

I'm outta here!