At One with Nature or Robin 1, Squirrel 0, Spiders 1-1

The view out my kitchen window regularly provides entertainment, good clean fun. There was the time the neighbor's fence was on fire and I singlehandedly put it out. I barely got a thank you for that by the way but mostly I'm talking about the antics of the neighborhood squirrels and birds. I happened to witness the funniest interaction between a robin and a squirrel last week but it also got me wondering.......what decision would I make given their same dilemma?

It's evening, 5:30 or so, as I'm passing the kitchen window. I look up on the power line and see a robin sitting there and about 10-12 ft. away sits a squirrel. Neither one looks upset, is making any noise, or more interestingly, neither one is making a move to force the other to make a decision. It's a stand-off or their version of a game of chicken. I've never seen that before and had to see it play out, so I watched. For about seven minutes they just sat there. The robin actually acted like the squirrel wasn't there with her scratching, turning and pooping. I admired her moxie. The squirrel on the other hand could have forced the robin to fly off the wire. It was certainly bigger and I'm sure knew that just by creeping closer the bird would have flown away. I admired its patience. Finally, the squirrel decided to turn around, go back to the pole and take the opposite direction. As I watched to see where it was headed, I glanced back......robin flew away.

The spider incident happened the next day. I'm out of bananas and cannot make my delicious oatmeal, banana, blackstrap, cinnamon breakfast the next day if I don't buy them before I leave work. I grab a bunch of organics and head for the cashier. As I'm standing in line......spider crawling up my chest, blood curdling scream, jump while swatting spider, looks of annoyance. Hello! I've seen and heard about banana spiders and I am not taking any chances.  Leaving, I ask the bagger guy...."Do you see it on me still, I feel like it's still there." Bagger guy, "Yea, it's still there"......Me loudly, "Get it off"! He swats it to the ground, he's embarrassed to kill it, I just want it dead!

Later, at home, I go into the bathroom and as I'm sitting there I notice another spider in that crevice between the tub and the floor. Dang It! Not another one! Unable to kill it at the moment, my mind wanders to the 8-legged fact and when that happens I naturally have to count legs....1...2...3...4...5...6...7..........wait....1...2...3...4...5...6...7...............hhmmmmm. Could it be? Quickly I finish my business, get a glass jar and capture it. Sure enough! On closer examination this spider has only 7 legs! And just like that....the phone call from the governor, that spider earned a stay of execution.  It was released, outside.

Drivin' 55

Just like the song, I can't drive 55!  I can't slow down but I don't want to speed up either, so 55 it is! I'm going to enjoy the scenery, explore new routes, and see where the road takes me. Feel free to "hitch" a ride anytime, I welcome the company.