The flying squirrel is the oldest living type of modern squirrel. When he wishes to move from one tree to another he launches himself into the air, flaps his fluffy wings, and glides for up to 200 meters with his tail puffed out like a parachute. He tends to be nocturnal because it is at night that the surrounding airspace is largely free of the birds, kites, and airplanes in which he could easily become entangled. The flying squirrel is the second fastest mode of transportation known to man, after the rocket.
The terrapin is a turtle-like creature that lives in fresh and brackish waters. He has a rigid beak, outstanding night vision, and a bony shell derived from his ribs. No matter how hard he tries, a terrapin can not crawl out of his shell. In addition, he can not stick out his tongue. The pattern on a terrapin’s shell is achieved by weaving colored threads in an alternating manner to form blocks of color that repeat in a series of squares and lines. The pattern and colors of a particular terrapin can be used to identify the Scottish clan to which he belongs. 
Published at October 15, 2007
in General.
In April of 2005 I moved into my apartment. Today, I picked my toolbox up off the floor where it has been living for the past two and a half years and put it away in the closet.
Published at April 26, 2007
in General.
This is a painting titled “The Field” by T. Peters. It was painted in 1987. I know this because it is written on the back of the canvas, in pen. I think it is a very beautiful painting. I bought it from an old woman (T. Peters, I assume) in New York City. She had a small display set up along the wall that divides Central Park from 5th Avenue. Assuming I purchased it the same year it was painted, I would have been 10 or 11. I don’t know how old the old woman was, but I guess I wanted to encourage her artistic endeavors. She told me that the building in the painting is not a house, but a shed, because it does not have any windows. The painting had a white mat around it and instead of having a piece of glass or plastic protecting its front, it was covered carefully in saran wrap. For many years, it hung on the wall next to my bed. Just recently I had a new, proper mat cut for it and framed it in a proper frame. It is hanging by my bed again.
Published at April 9, 2007
in General.
Sadly, the Waynesboro wildlife center just called to tell me that Hebron, the little Easter bat, passed away this morning. Apparently he was too cold and dehydrated to make it. Poor Hebron. Perhaps one day he will rise again since he was, after all, an Easter bat.
R.I.P. Hebron.
Published at April 8, 2007
in Paco.
Hayley was kind enough to make this lovely daisy hat for Paco.
Published at April 8, 2007
in General.
Today, Hayley and Liz and I went to the Hebron Baptist Church for Easter services. Before the service started I found a small brown bat lying in the parking lot. It was freezing cold out and at first I thougth he was dead, but then I noticed he was breathing. Hayley scooped him up with a piece of plastic and deposited him in an old Ugg shoe box that Liz had in her car (ha ha, Liz has Uggs). After church, we took the bat to the wildlife center in Waynesboro. They said he seemed OK and that they would fatten him up and then release him. Apprently, the weather we are having (really warm out and then suddenly really cold) causes a lot of problems for bats, because they unhibernate, innocently enjoy the high temperatures, and then turn into little bat popsicles when the temperature unexpectedly drops. Poor bats.
I have named the bat Hebron. Here is a picture:
Interestingly, or not, depending on your point of view, Hebron is not the first bat I have found.
Once when I was little I was walking in Central Park with my mom and I saw a small brown bat lying on the ground. He seemed hurt and we did not know what to do. My mom wanted to kill him, because she thought he was suffering, but by this time a small crowd had gathered and they were against any type of bat murder. It was decided that my mom and I would stay with the bat while another man went to find a park ranger. As we were sitting there, watching the bat, he suddenly got up, scampered a few feet, and then flew away. We were quite happy at this turn of events, but soon grew concerened that when the man and the park ranger returned, they would think we had killed the bat against their wishes. We waited a while but soon became bored (because there was no longer a bat to look at) and wanted to leave. So, we left a note on the ground that said “Mr., the bat flew away.” I think we also drew a picture of a flying bat.
I have no idea if the man ever returned and found that note, but if he did, I hope he believed it.
Published at January 20, 2007
in General.
I took this cool picture of a tree.
