Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Mouse Adventures



They're predicting a cold snowy winter in our part of the world and I'm beginning to believe it. I've never had mice in this house before and I've heard either an old wives tale or old native legend that stated; when they start moving into places they don't normally go, it's going to be a cold winter.

After moving here and until we decided where we wanted to settle, we rented a unit in an off season resort. It was furnished, right on the lake with graceful weeping willows lining the banks. We shared our front yard with Canada geese, ducks, Coots and turtles. It was a wonderful place and we loved it. Unfortunately it also had way too many mice.

One evening, while watching tv, a brave little mouse popped out from under the couch. When we didn't react too strongly, he stayed. Most evenings, he'd find a crumb or stray popcorn and he'd sit there eating it with us and perhaps enjoying the show. Some days, we left the occasional grape or peanut on purpose.

As cute as he was, we knew he'd soon be trouble, so we told the landlord who provided us with a live trap. We caught him, handed him over to the landlord who then released him right behind our unit and that evening he'd be there again.

As spring approached and the resort came to life to prepare for the upcoming tourists we were still searching for the place we wanted to settle. We rented another place on an acreage in the country and there we met a whole new community of mice.

I know that living in the country can mean putting up with more critters but these guys just took over. I don't have the heart to use traps and didn't want to use poison because I had a toddler at the time so we used the live traps again.

But what to do with them after you've captured them? I figured with just a few we could take them far away in the back part of the property where maybe they could find a new life in the wild. My plan failed because of the sheer numbers of them. I was catching them so fast and in such huge quantities it would have been a full time job taking them so I began to save them in a very tall bucket.

Once the bucket was full, we would take them for a drive into the wilderness where there were no homes and release them. As silly as it sounds, it was easier on me than killing them and we had a laugh over it.

We did eventually move out of there and into the city where this is my first experience with a mouse in my house in many years, so maybe this really is going to be one cold winter or maybe it's the peak of their cycle. That would certainly explain the huge number of coyotes in the area.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Cat Face Spider & Cougars

I know this is an odd combination for a posting but I found this huge spider resting in the corner of my siding just outside my studio where I was painting a cougar. 

Although she was very docile in the cold weather, I can imagine my fright if she were active and running around in my house.
Having never seen anything like her, I did a little research and found that these spiders are apparently not harmful and the markings on her huge body are supposed to look like a cat face.
They can vary in size from  5-7 mm long and 4.5-5.5 mm wide.  This one had a body about the size of my thumb but I couldn't figure out how to hold it next to her without scaring her or me.
I'm normally not a fan of spiders but I'd never seen anything like her.

Here's a great site for information if you're interested http://wiki.bugwood.org




Now for the other half of the post. 
Wikipedia link : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cougar

COUGARS- also know as the Puma, Mountain Lion, Mountain Cat or Panther

Although they are beautiful, they keep me alert and nervous when walking in the forest alone.
Cougars are predators - the top of the food chain - and their actions are often unpredictable. We have little understanding about what might trigger an attack, but following these general guidelines will reduce the risk of cougar conflict and prepare you in the unlikely event of an attack.

Cougars seem to be attracted to children, possibly because their high-pitched voices, small size, and erratic movements make it difficult for cougars to identify them as human and not as prey.

Talk to children and teach them what to do if they encounter a cougar.
Encourage and supervise children to play outdoors in groups.
Make sure children are inside before dusk, and stay inside until after dawn.

Do not attract or feed wildlife, especially deer or raccoons. These are natural prey and may attract cougars.

Roaming pets are easy prey. Bring pets in at night.

Do not feed pets outside. This not only attracts young cougars but also many small animals, such as mice and raccoons, that cougars prey upon.
Keep a radio playing.

Hike in groups of two or more. Make enough noise to prevent surprising a cougar.

Carry a sturdy walking stick to be used as a weapon is necessary.

Watch for cougar tracks and signs. Cougars cover unconsumed portions of their kills with soil and leaf litter. Avoid these food caches.

Cougar kittens are usually well hidden. However, if you do stumble upon cougar kittens, do not approach or attempt to pick them up. Leave the area immediately, as a female will defend her young.

If you meet a cougar:

Never approach a cougar. Although cougars will normally avoid a confrontation, all cougars are unpredictable. Cougars feeding on a kill may be dangerous.

Always give a cougar an avenue of escape.

Stay calm. Talk to the cougar in a confident voice.

Pick all children up off the ground immediately. Children frighten easily and their rapid movements may provoke an attack.

Do not run. Try to back away from the cougar slowly. Sudden movement or flight may trigger an instinctive attack.

Do not turn your back on the cougar. Face the cougar and remain upright.

Do all you can to enlarge your image. Don't crouch down or try to hide. Pick up sticks or branches and wave them about.

If a cougar behaves aggressively, arm your self with a large stick, throw rocks, speak loudly and firmly. Convince the cougar that you are a threat, not prey.

If a cougar attacks, fight back! Many people have survived cougar attacks by fighting back with anything, including rocks, sticks, bare fists, and fishing poles.




Thursday, October 7, 2010

Marshmallow Farming

These are not two words you often see together but since we moved to this area, we've been intrigued by how the farmers protect their bales of hay.  You have to admit these bales really do look like marshmallows.


                               



                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 A little further down the road, we found the mint marshmallows.  They were a lovely shade of minty green and we began to wonder why no one makes a mint flavored marshmallow.
They would be great in hot chocolate and even in s'mores. 

Then just as we were going home we found the lucky ones that will be getting these marshmallows .

Monday, October 4, 2010

Adam's River World's Largest Sockeye Salmon Run

a Dreamhost Reviews


In my last post I wrote about Kokanee Salmon.  Forgive me for not giving you more information about it.  The Kokanee is a completely landlocked Salmon.  Many of them are raised in our schools and hatcheries then taken out and released where they live in the lakes.  In the fall, they return to the little creeks.

This next batch of photos comes from the Adams River about 1 1/2 hours north of where I live.  Here is a link to the Adam's River Salmon Society http://www.salmonsociety.com/     This is the Sockeye Salmon run and apparently it's the largest one in the world and the biggest here in 100 years.   These Salmon travel over 500 miles upstream to lay their eggs here where they were born. 

T








Biologists are studying them to see if they can figure out what is causing the numbers to be so high this year
Unfortunately, after spawning they end up like this all along the shores.
But they become food for bears, wolves, eagles, ravens, crows, seagulls etc.
Here is a link to the National Geographic's article on them. http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/fish/sockeye-salmon/