Dolittle's Domain

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I miss the singing

It’s quiet in East Texas when the tree frogs go silent for the winter. They make an awful racket all summer long and the closer you are, the louder the noise. Since we don’t live right next to a body of water we hear them from a distance, making their song a pleasant backdrop in the evenings. After almost stepping on him one fall day last year, this little guy jumped to the side of an outbuilding. He would become virtually invisible in the grass once he hopped down, being in danger of being stepped on. There was nothing but open space and cats between him and the nearest tree line, and being the sucker I am, I moved him to the trees to make sure he had plenty of places to hide. He didn’t react much. Who knows, he may have enjoyed the ride.

American green tree frog (Hyla cinerea)

Kitt-wit the cat

Since most outside critters are taking a seasonal time-out, I’ve found inside furry friends to fill the void. This is Kitt, a friend’s cat. Kitt is a little different, special if you will. He fears little, loves to sit in front of the TV to watch the movie “Ice Age” and thinks people are his personal animated toys. His mom was building rabbit cages, hence the roll of cage wire in the house. Kitt had to play the poor kitty card, so he hopped into the center of the roll and put on his best pitiful demeanor to gain some attention. It worked flawlessly.

The slob fairy stops here.

There is definitely something odd about the utility room in our house. Maybe there is slob dust on the floor. Or perhaps some invisible gas is causing our usually bright and perky pets to turn into blobs of fur looking for all the world like they need to go crash to sleep something off. Teddy & Rascal found themselves in similar positions while sitting in the same room. The photos were taken days apart and we we’re pretty sure the dog didn’t teach the cat how to sit like this, but around here you never can tell.

Unseasonal Toad

I had thought snakes and toads would find a warm cozy place to wait out the cold of winter, but this little guy proved me wrong. He’s just one of many toads we find parked under the outside light all night, along with the bats and armadillos. Seems awfully late in the season for him to be out and about, but I guess he got hungry.

I had the camera right in the toad’s face and he never budged. I’m surprised the flash didn’t wash him out in a way as to not know what he was. I can tell he’s put up with me before.

Cattle egrets

I have chased these birds for months, never to come out with a decent photo. I’m certainly glad for digital photography for I surely would have gone broke having all my less than steller photos developed to photo paper. This photo was taken through a window. The birds didn’t seem to mind my being there, unlike when I was outside. Sometimes stealth just means going inside the house.

The end result of cooler fall weather

Ahhh fall is in the air. Crisp days and chilly nights create some strange bedfellows. Poor Snoopy doesn’t have much hair, so when housemates pile on, she doesn’t mind too much. The added warmth overcomes her aversion to the cat. Even Rascal will cease tormenting Snoopy long enough for a nap.

Drama outside the back door

Stepping outside early one evening I was amazed to see real life drama happening just above my head. At first I couldn’t understand how a sphinx moth could be flying in a perfect circle. Knowing that had to near impossible, I stepped closer for a better look. One strand of a spider web had the moth held fast, causing the circular motion.

The moth’s frantic efforts to free itself stretched the web until I could see the spider just barely above the moth. The photo is out of focus and not very crisp because of the motion and lack of light, but it does capture the poor moth becoming dinner.

Rain Rain go away…

We are close to setting a new October record for rainfall in our neck of the woods. That means people in low lying areas are in misery. Folks all around us are using boats as the only means to get to their homes. I pass one home built on stilts that has a party barge tied to the front porch, evidently their means of reaching home. Businesses on the area lakes are suffering because they are totally surrounded or completely flooded by water and paying customers can’t get to them.
We’re up on a hill so we aren’t in the thick of it, but lots of our friends are staying in motels or with relatives. Sad part is, there is no end in sight. No one is predicting when the rain will finally stop or when the waters will go back to normal levels.

Fall visitor

This little guy comes to eat just outside our back door nearly every night. This photo was taken while I stood on the top step under the carport. He glanced at me when I first stepped outside, then resumed his dining. The little nub of antlers explain why he is so far from the females that are beyond him down over the hill. He has likely been driven off by the girls because of his age. Not ready to be on his own, he lingers where he can see the others, but not so close as to cause trouble.

Poor skinks

With 4 outside cats patrolling the immediate territory, skinks have a tough time keeping their tails on in this neighborhood. This little guy appears ot have dodged the bullet so far. When I find skinks I pick them up and move them into the trees by the water spring. Hopefully their chances of survival will be better there, away from the cats.