Sunday Morning Thoughts

It's Sunday morning again and it is gorgeous out. We are having the most beautiful fall weather. The picture for my header is from a couple of years ago. The colors just haven't been that pretty on the road leading to my house since then. The reds have disappeared and have been replaced with oranges and yellows. The railroad did some rather intense spraying after that picture was taken and I'm afraid that the colors just disappeared. It's a shame, because I drive that road almost everyday and I really looked forward to the beauty of it all. Last week a red fox crossed my path while on that road. I parked the car to watch him. He wandered slowly across the road and up into the yard on my right. I sat there watching him wander about, when a car came down the long drive. A man, who lived in the house on the hill, pulled up along side of me and rolled his window down. He asked what I was looking at and I told him. We both sat there for a bit and then he said that there were a number of wild turkeys up closer to the house. I looked closely and there they were...maybe a group of eight. The fox didn't really seem interested...maybe he was waiting for us to leave. Then a couple of days later I saw a turkey wandering away from the group, near the street that I live on. I parked the car again and called him in my best turkey call. He looked up and then continued with his head to the ground. I wondered about his "tameness" I once read a book by Jimmy Carter, where he related that turkeys are very smart birds and extremely hard to hunt. I think that I could have got out of my car and he would have just sauntered down the road. Joe says that they know when it is hunting season. They can tell if you are carrying a gun. (Give me a break...) I once saw a groundhog in the same area...he was just moseying around munching on the green weeds. No fear of my car or me, it seemed. Deer have crossed my path many times..they are elusive and in a hurry to get out of my sight. There are so many ducks and geese just before I hit this road. They are here all year...I don't think that they are too welcome in people's yards close to the river. I guess that the animals get used to their surroundings. We all live on this planet. Here are some things to think about...

Deforestation is a major problem for wild animals.We have kicked them out of their natural homes...we must find a way to co-exist. Encouraging wild animals to get close to people puts their lives in danger, when they get used to people...they can become pests. When you see a wild animal, just sit back and enjoy the view. We should teach out kids this. We can do things in our own yards to help animals and birds through the winter. Put out bird seed in the winter... only if we will continue it. They depend on us feeding them once we start. We can plant trees in our yards. I have added so many trees to our yard...ones that bring beauty in the spring and fall. Do not litter.... period. I see so many people toss a candy wrapper or Mc Donald's wrappers out the window. Some organizations get together and clean up a part of a road. Realize that we only have one limited planet, and we should raise our children to understand this. Resources are limited, if some people take all the resources, it leaves little for others. If we live within our means we actually leave more for everyone.Share our excesses. Remember that zucchini in the garden is something another family will treasure.

Well, I got off my original post about wild animals on the road to my house. My mind just kept thinking of things and before I knew it..the topic had changed. These are things that I think of everyday. We have such a beautiful world...let's not spoil it.

Balisha