tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58085502871509365882024-03-05T10:36:21.605-05:00Adventures With Ari: Life as a Canine NaturalistKathryn and Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15428974324817935286noreply@blogger.comBlogger166125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808550287150936588.post-56928615621324285892009-07-16T16:38:00.003-04:002009-07-16T16:42:28.130-04:00All Dogs Considered<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTA01ZE0h550ev5IrdWFoX8jQ2KjTQ0JVNGNQ_fTw3F5EajTS2hZw0V0TWvFjgwrjzHKSolmpeJdl1nDuvh85zSVL0wo5Pocn76zr0dVfMcsHGg59tVsn3dQ6JIo4flSTeVkoG_UdA1ZQ/s1600-h/hotchner_lo_dtlogo.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359160469608302594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 167px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 83px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTA01ZE0h550ev5IrdWFoX8jQ2KjTQ0JVNGNQ_fTw3F5EajTS2hZw0V0TWvFjgwrjzHKSolmpeJdl1nDuvh85zSVL0wo5Pocn76zr0dVfMcsHGg59tVsn3dQ6JIo4flSTeVkoG_UdA1ZQ/s400/hotchner_lo_dtlogo.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><p>Adventures with Ari is hitting the airwaves again. This Saturday morning at 11:30 EST, we'll be appearing on "Dog Talk," NPR's favorite canine call-in show. You can <a href="http://www.traciehotchner.com/dt/podcast.htm">listen live by clicking here</a> or download a <a href="http://www.traciehotchner.com/dt/podcast.htm">podcast </a>once the show had aired. And don't forget: we always love hearing from you on these shows.</p><p>-K&A</p>Kathryn and Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15428974324817935286noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808550287150936588.post-19614795009609812882009-07-10T16:46:00.004-04:002009-07-10T17:06:36.612-04:00Fragaria ananassa<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgseq8BB0DPBFjs30IkaxOGSiBwF_wLbcTazX0F0yQXEGxCWGIWpZH1KJA28aby8PYgJ7rqSZ18ikXP-LFHXu6lFDUXhhEoT16RL8UW_3ogpeiCa1ppCywO1rKbxiIWAI6sD6UFeatcP8s/s1600-h/IMG_4198.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356936888690826690" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 301px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgseq8BB0DPBFjs30IkaxOGSiBwF_wLbcTazX0F0yQXEGxCWGIWpZH1KJA28aby8PYgJ7rqSZ18ikXP-LFHXu6lFDUXhhEoT16RL8UW_3ogpeiCa1ppCywO1rKbxiIWAI6sD6UFeatcP8s/s400/IMG_4198.jpg" border="0" /></a> <blockquote>High: 72° F<br />Low: 54° F<br />Conditions: Sunny.<br /></blockquote><br />I'm not going to lie: it's been a hard-fought summer here in Maine. So hard fought, in fact, that it hasn't seemed much like summer at all. At least, not until late this week. On Thursday, the clouds broke--as if by magic--and the rain abated. Mainers--including those who pride themselves on their staid Yankee reserve--were positively ebullient. Total strangers stopped one another in parking lots and famers markets, just for the sake of celebrating the return of the sun and all those things normally associated with a New England July.<br /><br />Here at caninaturalist central, those things included a return to our annual agricultural inquiry as well. The subject of our study this week? <em><span style="color:#ff0000;">Fragaria ananassa</span></em>, or the domestic strawberry. Picking them is big business in our house, where we freeze enough to serve as our main fruit source for the year. We were frankly worried about the effects of the omnipresent rain and cold over the last six weeks. And, in truth, it did delay the season and limit overall yields. Nevertheless, this morning we returned with two full flats of our favorite variety, known in the strawberry world as "sparkle."<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB5PQWHodlptlrjtSPpX_fYqjwH2_ajR7uQI-Hx6RaIZpYLqLQ8f-ypVoNkuUWWfjUm9EBhXOkMzp-Xt1G5KjaBze2UhRvck4erxHbAYMXwa5k3heZC_bBKgPOOF_1pwfoQ96FqMI6L5g/s1600-h/IMG_4196.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356936716943614690" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB5PQWHodlptlrjtSPpX_fYqjwH2_ajR7uQI-Hx6RaIZpYLqLQ8f-ypVoNkuUWWfjUm9EBhXOkMzp-Xt1G5KjaBze2UhRvck4erxHbAYMXwa5k3heZC_bBKgPOOF_1pwfoQ96FqMI6L5g/s400/IMG_4196.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Something as simple as a smallish berry is enough to make us giddy this year. So much so that our resident pest, Mouse, couldn't even wait for the berries to be hulled before diving in. Taking the idea of "pick your own" a little too literally, she tried to eat the entire box of berries as soon as they arrived (and by "box" we really do mean BOX):<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirQBzeLA5Imh4qa7n02PXmorFJreICLr_aJquuARMvZIqWzLFeFnhDK_ism0LaDGp-jIXOq_9GrbWHoZNIF_IVWuTT-dCEJBdHcZTQsXwz_Knszako7BBZZMCpaBIMmlAO9fzeNoeh4L4/s1600-h/IMG_4201.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356936226360966930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirQBzeLA5Imh4qa7n02PXmorFJreICLr_aJquuARMvZIqWzLFeFnhDK_ism0LaDGp-jIXOq_9GrbWHoZNIF_IVWuTT-dCEJBdHcZTQsXwz_Knszako7BBZZMCpaBIMmlAO9fzeNoeh4L4/s400/IMG_4201.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />At the ripe age of three, Ari has learned a certain restraint where culinary matters are concerned. And she's developed a seriously discerning palate at that. As we cleaned and bagged and froze and jammed and canned, she remained aloof, watching the process with the removed interest of a well-worn foodie. It wasn't, in fact, until our last batch of jam was complete and fully set that she was willing to imbibe.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdzptNVHC4YwJYTg3L2G7LQIgQD0ggy13wendIIgNzwlxG-uH-9oRwYBRM2RY-efaoGoV5kPURG9imn-CB9P6DCUXi0Elyzaxg0ytIRx7oURmPb9Pj6KxnqS5W606RieXA2zDglav7r8s/s1600-h/IMG_4197.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356935966106272786" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdzptNVHC4YwJYTg3L2G7LQIgQD0ggy13wendIIgNzwlxG-uH-9oRwYBRM2RY-efaoGoV5kPURG9imn-CB9P6DCUXi0Elyzaxg0ytIRx7oURmPb9Pj6KxnqS5W606RieXA2zDglav7r8s/s400/IMG_4197.jpg" border="0" /></a> The verdict? Summer has arrived in all its ooey, gooey, syrupy splendor. And thank goodness for that.</div></div>Kathryn and Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15428974324817935286noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808550287150936588.post-6938530538150444832009-07-02T10:39:00.009-04:002009-07-05T17:38:19.961-04:00It's a wet, wet world.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNPvX9xs_WqteaBkpBtpx8_8hFCnO2v_xP2hxtbEKJ8wlWX7Y4usYhw8Mm8HqDpm1gK3BAIDphEuutKi8Th4UdQuhkcI5wtqsQB8uzcUbqooU8xdQZlP2PzIwJSC89vObTynSHPLGA1vQ/s1600-h/trough.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353873101533157202" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNPvX9xs_WqteaBkpBtpx8_8hFCnO2v_xP2hxtbEKJ8wlWX7Y4usYhw8Mm8HqDpm1gK3BAIDphEuutKi8Th4UdQuhkcI5wtqsQB8uzcUbqooU8xdQZlP2PzIwJSC89vObTynSHPLGA1vQ/s400/trough.jpg" border="0" /></a> <blockquote>High: 66° F<br />Low: 58° F<br />Conditions: Continual showers.<br /><br /></blockquote><br /><div>The statistic on today’s morning radio said it all: it’s rained 28 out of the last 30 days here in Maine.</div><div>.</div><div></div><div></div><div>Everyone—human and animal alike—is feeling the effects in his or her own way. </div><div><br />Meteorologists and historians are interested as can be. They talk about the unique stalled trough off the coast of New Brunswick that keeps pushing sea air onto the mainland, saturating Maine with omnipresent drizzle and humidity. They note that last month was the third rainiest June on record. It was also one of the coldest, with high temperatures rarely exceeding our normal lows. </div><div><br />The whitewater kayakers in our lives are thrilled, too, since they are able to run hidden creeks and streams normally reserved for winter snowmelt. Probably there are other tiny niches of people—ones with fins and webbed toes, I suspect—who are also happy to be occupying soup that puts even Seattle to shame. </div><div><br />But that doesn’t mean much if you’re a canine naturalist. </div><div></div><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353872942574477090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNsB5p1O301aeNQzB646z8luX5tN-m4FJrVo_Aotw-LkQfqWhgaVnVLBFpUP8tNB0j94LAruZqaUPZAuesnCPfaJY9_BeujdmkULvmuq2mWb5OKvuyrAdsh6uDhTJ09SkmOlvuNhoai20/s400/droopy.jpg" border="0" /><br />Ari is a dog driven by sun: it wakes her in the morning and pushes her outdoors in the evening. Without it, she snoozes in a kind of timeless vacuum. Meal schedules become irrelevant. So too do otherwise precisely timed walks. And why not? The moral imperative for any good caninaturalist is to get outside and observe the world. But, really, that’s only interesting when there’s a world to observe.<br /><br />Sure, there’s plenty to see outside right now: incredibly lush trees, the first blackeyed susans of the year, armies of slugs and earthworms, those intrepid whitewater paddlers. These sorts of things, though, have never really had the draw other species have had for Ari. This damp and dark has sent everyone retreating for dens and caves--a little bit of cozy dry in an otherwise soggy world.<br /><br />It's almost as if Ari's favorite creatures—the martins and deer, the squirrels and neighborhood cats—seem to have come to the same conclusion she has: So far, this summer has gone anywhere but to the dogs.Kathryn and Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15428974324817935286noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808550287150936588.post-63866645214634363922009-06-28T21:02:00.010-04:002009-06-28T22:01:30.148-04:00Gorge-ous<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ae1etuasGUbMpV_lClhqzRP5yb_nQu-uE2z5TFK5JU3_OTIYlSQAbz-MFxGmJt-VyzXpKjNa4CXSyoT5DlY_WW_s8FPIaJl_Bq_u5VLTZFXEtT3Q99E1BJ_t_rfgLuusNghc_ZXrfhE/s1600-h/IMG_4104.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352549260993804754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ae1etuasGUbMpV_lClhqzRP5yb_nQu-uE2z5TFK5JU3_OTIYlSQAbz-MFxGmJt-VyzXpKjNa4CXSyoT5DlY_WW_s8FPIaJl_Bq_u5VLTZFXEtT3Q99E1BJ_t_rfgLuusNghc_ZXrfhE/s400/IMG_4104.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a name="frittata"></a><blockquote>High: 68°F<br />Low: 55°F<br />Conditions: Persistent rain.<br /></blockquote>Upstate New York has a lot going for it. There are wineries and pastureland, historical sites aplenty, and plump squirrels just asking to be chased by charismatic young canine naturalists.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352552952631547378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1G_NQoSuwhDoWhwc_0mzeivYAdLR5_uzVVvOOAOgn3RwDf_mg78TQfTtzlWmWNGEfBDs0t6_ooerE3jKNqJsidJ-5AosP-zLjPJF3Wfj-F8_zAxD-fn9IrNMXV5D6oxNvWxofNJL8f6I/s400/IMG_4116.JPG" border="0" /><br />But what really distinguishes the area is its geology. Thanks to a combination of deep river valleys and the even deeper effects of glaciation, the region is demarcated by steep trenches and troughs measuring hundreds of feet deep. Some, dammed by residual sediment, have formed the Finger Lakes. Others, still freely flowing, created some of the most stunning waterfalls around.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352549851931804018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4evXH_qFCpH8IisI-jlkAz03cYPu1GmLPoMDLlcS_CxKeczdiWH4x3GCqKXkHXf_sjfFdQsEz-ia7AFGXXSdX5B16PGe-dHbK8VR0D9QR5nKxLuVvoaSEyh8y7Pgye3rfh92RdA4ylxQ/s400/IMG_4106.JPG" border="0" /><br />The most famous, of course, is Niagara Falls. And while Ari's naturalism has usually been more of a life, rather than earth, science, she nevertheless showed a keen interest in diversifying her study there. Even more appealing to her that day, however, was the Falls' termination: Lake Ontario—apparently some of the tastiest drinking water around (and thanks to recent environmental initiatives, surprisingly clean water at that).<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352550446913535186" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNb_zSi2OefNsUEE7d89lggOzoDLFRE721jssgFeCEACmDboFWQtIw-xjMhGvATETV6Z2ZUmeSV1RSuY3Pnd6rdWIMElzgBdGMs1QcPaHlMLanHQdd3-M1Taiu7bjOz8pBguvtTaUF6Mk/s400/IMG_4113.JPG" border="0" /><br />The real hidden treat of the region for both of us, though, were the innumerable gorges and glens tucked into hillsides and anchoring many a state park. We did our best to hike as many as our days allowed.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352553445703583058" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioTo0N0vBaBz-D23ncxr6rSU9btlxuoHROsqUH-qGMbPRdCRnz1SUEOJCrbOWz1CyCDre1rNo1dWkPCku-83PCPZ9C0vm1ldADv89VY5IYkM9N8OU-Pc1l8UXZaTm6ns8DSdp_T2jHXbo/s400/IMG_4130.JPG" border="0" /><br />There's a certain timeless energy to the constant flow of water--just enough din to make the less savory parts of everyday life sift away. Throughout the trip, we found ourselves standing motionless, taking in the passing of geological time: the power of water to dig through rock and epoch in a way any husky would surly admire. Gorgeous.<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352555216625557330" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQmXcMOxvRIEbqS9ItLMjdVhSexYAgjSE4lkkpXCK1ooqOmu0ff5kI3I2mRTkS1swwYRQz5m_Ng6N9qUTSW3oHpZq2GbIH2ZRc5Faxk_5xh-iH3PMGUDM2B8TGbV5ISbIo1mBp7uHKz4c/s400/IMG_4124.JPG" border="0" />Kathryn and Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15428974324817935286noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808550287150936588.post-27609283251449886072009-06-21T21:38:00.009-04:002009-06-22T08:21:01.193-04:00We heart NY, Part I<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgogo8AbwgN0PcJdCIqxDJoIy8C0arR9Ni6BMyr-3QTfzY44xXn-HxwhSESdjQF17CCaeJP_Qn6Qswsbb8R6S5K7kRuvvEplKhfMk0jlVSmgWZs-30GO0VqimyHT1kwRPGLwLQiXqnZSfc/s1600-h/IMG_4089.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349961653188207986" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgogo8AbwgN0PcJdCIqxDJoIy8C0arR9Ni6BMyr-3QTfzY44xXn-HxwhSESdjQF17CCaeJP_Qn6Qswsbb8R6S5K7kRuvvEplKhfMk0jlVSmgWZs-30GO0VqimyHT1kwRPGLwLQiXqnZSfc/s400/IMG_4089.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><blockquote>High: 63° F<br />Low: 55° F<br />Conditions: Persistent Showers<br /></blockquote><div></div><br /></div><div>Friends,</div><br /><div>Last week the canine naturalist and I took a tour of New York State. Later this week, we'll tell you more about the interesting caninaturalist opportunities we found there. But in the meantime, we want to tell you about some of the wonderful people and organizations we also discovered.</div><div></div><br /><div>We began our trip at Buffalo's Bidwell-Elmwood Farmer's Market, where we met with many of the wonderful vendors there (including a woman who was spinning malamute hair into wool!). While there, we also gave a reading for market shoppers.</div><div> </div><div> </div><div></div><div></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349963076909657906" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYbMWMd34D842QRwJ1Gnje5zibtyK7HR1reUtE7BYqtBOWtXEOUNAjCZCuQySvmImpV-nyf3UgWcoJwhlbB2r5QEQMtEnHc34Yi3c_LdguJrq_dLxjifPUcg49SFRqhl5ZnxxTeLUJzds/s400/IMG_4101.JPG" border="0" /></div><br /><br /><p>Next, we traveled to "Writers and Books" in Rochester, NY, where Ari had the distinction of being their very first visiting dog.</p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349968744228728994" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 319px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeZ5nO5vYW_oS0qHt3pRilZLwm8BXTUtrAdOLhRFgwOtPmx5Dwi6HrEEwSZSX7HIfPslsEvN4WvPcG_QNBX3mSkWSX0AEGTY41uqu2X6ev0UvDswuNa9FghcvLWIDyiI4caDdGqEt9jlA/s400/IMG_4139.jpg" border="0" /></p><p>Finally, we visited the Downtown Writers Center in Syracuse, where we were warmly received by some wonderful people and fellow bloggers, including one of our very favorites, <a href="http://fireantville.blogspot.com/">YourFireAnt</a>, who took this photo.</p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349963964631994418" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3-cn4EWQxZt8V7tDfKByphn0_tzCw7YAZ6nW9m63Snm795NMPyWaV70pH0kKrtIuBjTzHzd_awwIgAeEZvZqaxb9e_9CNOkFvgPR_ID8MJCGqemVf406sLcfAp8OxgocIkEKHzW6aqhM/s400/Syracuse+reading.jpg" border="0" /></p><p>I'm not going to lie: It was a long trip. We drove a <em>lot. </em>And simple things like finding a toilet or a place to eat lunch can be really tricky when you are traveling with a four-footed companion (not to mention one who has a coat that causes her to overheat at the drop of a hat).</p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349962009335780466" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizb5VF15wrAaiqmqQHKKbhR409C4AWCnsC0x-0v7u_5RIllKB9Qyu9xPcmfOSHpdBE1eytlf5qWmiFpRVuU2p8xs-xKrlTsmR-vZcoCDfPDb8C-1NDNVsyDegW7VkrmOr2C6VXjj_4JNY/s400/IMG_4085.jpg" border="0" /></p><p>Nevertheless, these inconveniences seem a small price to pay, considering how many turly fantastic people we met along the way. Would we do it again? In a New York minute.</p><p>_____________________</p><p>Just in case you haven't become completely tired of the<em> Adventures with Ari</em> train, we'll be making another stop this Wednesday on The Blend's "Nature Connection" radio show, which airs at 6:00 p.m. EST. You can learn more and find a <a href="http://www.blendradioandtv.com/Nature-Science-Guide/Adventures-Ari.htm">link to listen live here</a>.</p>Kathryn and Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15428974324817935286noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808550287150936588.post-56157793579310536082009-06-12T09:26:00.000-04:002009-06-12T09:57:44.441-04:00Shuffle off to BuffaloAdventures with Ari is hitting the road for a book tour in New York State.<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346262330647818274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 129px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 97px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQAV4ZXOFIcdrpJiF2-ZOggCbeyUFowMQuh4Y75oZ8OauhJfuL7TotvpNhbaDsLhj8s6OxbUczvVuCMVpmavSNkfu9e3hPZfxmPuD3c25P_jsSjzsiA-eUTkfUinsRX0dLcl2htmbCXzw/s400/e-b+farmers+market.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br />We'll begin with a reading at the <a href="http://www.elmwoodmarket.org/">Elmwell-Bidwell Farmers Market </a>in Buffalo, where we'll be hosted by the wonderful independent bookstore, <a href="http://www.tleavesbooks.com/miles.htm">Talking Leaves Books</a>.<br /><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346262844442025474" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 74px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 98px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKUxsrcQ-SDaF752oOSzBQGRN-aKHCYRr_CM1Zd-5_ZXKXQF8JLjpC9XiChz5xDlzJYgFHvsElsO_0Qjwo9pn6Rn7FMqN1Wkw_DXmtpEnYWNCL6P4kfZ7IiitBwqUC2s9T3URnuh-8oEo/s400/talking+leaves.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br />Next, we'll be appearing at <a href="http://www.ymcaofgreatersyracuse.org/media/documents/2009/6/dwc_summer_brochure_2009.pdf">Syracuse's Downtown Writer's Center </a>on June 16th.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj57FuxXcnxJIUma3n-YJU9ISqiCgSUoYHGIdY8UglqjCNFf0_JJGdf0gWdtYqa5JlxPz_RnWofo_O43kROjyQqtXyqfwbrkOUiftp408Km_vhxgySldHZ8icaD8p8rP3SlW7xnyQacUk4/s1600-h/syracuse+downtown.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346262665615940546" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 143px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 84px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj57FuxXcnxJIUma3n-YJU9ISqiCgSUoYHGIdY8UglqjCNFf0_JJGdf0gWdtYqa5JlxPz_RnWofo_O43kROjyQqtXyqfwbrkOUiftp408Km_vhxgySldHZ8icaD8p8rP3SlW7xnyQacUk4/s400/syracuse+downtown.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Finally, on June 17th, we will be giving a reading at the <a href="http://www.wab.org/">Center for Writers and Books </a>in Rochester, NY.<br /><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346263078584778706" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 65px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-MMDv1RcEgY0ozem9X0eLZd4tMt4nrMVuekxHY165c8iAQBvGET9wX7zST6gGjoYHb4YY_lAR7SP_5Gb6pOuopTBgOp9Vf_oOiZPbZ3dj-i8x44oN6ZgwiQ5EjlAvdMMxn6kTdAACZPo/s400/writers+and+books.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br />It should be a great time. And, along the way, the canine naturalist and I will be looking for our next great adventure. We'll have a full report when we return. In the meantime, happy exploring, all.Kathryn and Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15428974324817935286noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808550287150936588.post-17873556261621831482009-06-09T21:27:00.005-04:002009-06-10T11:44:29.071-04:00Tall Tail<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEKrbsqiXHH_a4VPBPCwvJ8oqJ-k3BVG3N7KyvrmvE3U7JmPHuBbqrGWoBB3SPl6gVqVlR26FmH-J_q4PEEAsXuL-dulkD-Z2NP6EgeBgna1zpMws8Y0nkKJnvha1wcVvcK7aUhSSPBZw/s1600-h/IMG_4077.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345505502441128098" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEKrbsqiXHH_a4VPBPCwvJ8oqJ-k3BVG3N7KyvrmvE3U7JmPHuBbqrGWoBB3SPl6gVqVlR26FmH-J_q4PEEAsXuL-dulkD-Z2NP6EgeBgna1zpMws8Y0nkKJnvha1wcVvcK7aUhSSPBZw/s400/IMG_4077.jpg" border="0" /></a> <div><blockquote>High: 55° F<br />Low: 41° F<br />Conditions: Persistent drizzle </blockquote><br />It was, as usual, Ari who first found the object. Resting as it was on the driveway to the abandoned camp across the street, I almost confused it for a woman’s wig: the cheap kind you might find in a girl’s dress-up trunk, discarded by a great aunt years earlier. Except, of course, that these coarse curls were attached to a very long tail.</div><div> </div><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345506158769347634" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7AfhQaQBYb7XBj9UN8XpHZVX6LDn7m_KlD10nIqMTsJyMqq-dBXK6hQ1vgeG0cRJ-6rm6nO7qNZvgF5k3xIHl9t7tGKid4CsFrFb4fJyXUJ6-ptfRloL0oyPMCq5ilV1CCAKJa18-vZw/s400/IMG_4078.jpg" border="0" /><br />What was it? Stretching three feet long, it exceeded the length of any wild appendage we knew of. And with that singularly moppish tassel, it certainly didn’t resemble the hind end of the usual suspects in our neighborhood: not the moose or bears, the bobcats or foxes. Not even the rumored mountain lions thought to be roaming, perhaps half feral, through Central Maine.<br /><br />Maybe then, it wasn’t so wild after all.<br /><br /><br />I speculated cow, if for no other reason than—even in this degraded state—it sparked images of pastoral bovinity. Our friend Carissa, a vet, confirmed the identification.<br /><br /><br />But that still left other questions. Like how did this tail lose track of its body? And how did it migrate the two miles from the nearest dairy farm.<br /><br /><br />Carissa thinks it was probably Ari’s friend, the coyote, who did the transporting. As for how it lost track of its body, she say that’s anyone’s guess. Maybe a farmer docked tails, thinking it would make for easier milking. Maybe it was all that was left from a dead cow. Maybe something else entirely.<br /><br /><br />Ari may know more than she’s letting on, but she’s not willing to say a word. Not about species or detachment. And certainly not how it came to settle on a disused gravel drive. Is it a pact held by canines? A smugness caused by the glee of knowingness? A lack of interest in causality? Or do the details, like so much else about canine naturalism, not matter nearly as much as the unexpected result?<br /><br /><br />Only Ari can say for sure.Kathryn and Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15428974324817935286noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808550287150936588.post-29402017982884306782009-06-03T10:26:00.001-04:002009-06-03T17:26:40.378-04:00Bangor City Forest<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_xbpHg3ETWLTbzyHRtKE3zye2k3kbQO0IkSgjMdFmswhapOTZ98T7yOh1bMbYPWC18cTPE5406v2QgiQhZo5ckg4dTKM2cKnP4dMz2ilM48WCWqN3bweaGto9Mc8qUhKheZOvaiSLqj0/s1600-h/IMG_4063.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342183209304446738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_xbpHg3ETWLTbzyHRtKE3zye2k3kbQO0IkSgjMdFmswhapOTZ98T7yOh1bMbYPWC18cTPE5406v2QgiQhZo5ckg4dTKM2cKnP4dMz2ilM48WCWqN3bweaGto9Mc8qUhKheZOvaiSLqj0/s400/IMG_4063.jpg" border="0" /></a> <blockquote>High: 69° F<br />Low: 43° F<br />Conditions: Chance of showers<br /><br /></blockquote><br />Earlier this year, the Bangor City Forest made the <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/03/09/ap/strange/main4854958.shtml?source=RSS&attr=_4854958">national news </a>after a string of cross country skiers were mugged on the forest trails. Who was the perpetrator? Not marauding highwaymen or punk teenagers. No, this criminal was of the decidedly avian sort:<br /><br />A great horned owl.<br /><br />It seems the skiers (and in some cases, their dogs) inadvertantly got to close to the owl's nest. So he responded by clocking them on the head as they went by. The blow was enough to knock down at least one visitor to the forest.<br /><br />State wildlife officials responded by posting these signs throughout the vicinity--perhaps hoping that, if they couldn't stop the owl from divebombing, they could at least give folks a heads up (as it were).<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342182363756835810" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbreVGFoyhEua6yPBuYua6Nm_AcJtcCNzk0Da1JOwJmErI9fouFn9_e-aoBiPKoSFfCAeW82CXP3HXg9pLjh1i9whVFTsPxyfC34YzjgEZ_H68smCO432459xluBpo1rP5wN3uJ7cn_Ps/s400/IMG_4045.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br />Earlier this week, the canine naturalist and I visited the forest, hoping we might find evidence of this aggressive flyer. We picked the trail we thought might most appeal to him, and set out to see what we could find.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdVK64iR_rCCQAEqXrerHSMn6mNN4SxAf5ONfmEs4U10ujhejgEEYgnDNF4e1P924KMGeO2weLzsT2ggOJwmOs9-oncZxGhDAFfs__BB9Z2J_kDkFzUBOLRsPyibmV0vG_iCi6j0rfVSo/s1600-h/IMG_4061.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342182772946568114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdVK64iR_rCCQAEqXrerHSMn6mNN4SxAf5ONfmEs4U10ujhejgEEYgnDNF4e1P924KMGeO2weLzsT2ggOJwmOs9-oncZxGhDAFfs__BB9Z2J_kDkFzUBOLRsPyibmV0vG_iCi6j0rfVSo/s400/IMG_4061.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />No owls--assaultive or otherwise--but we did find some lovely spring wildflowers:<br /><br /><div><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzyFL2Xzy-J94zkdETuUGU4j-oMuSZvW-j6PZ_qiCF43x_6f5cuRuEg5j1AlUF32ZVv12UaUvewp_Ll5PFckszCw6OjjbVNsqCRF_xWkLkItks1uJjhlhlIchFgtudfSJHD_U0oXEr4Ak/s1600-h/IMG_4046.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342182152414496866" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzyFL2Xzy-J94zkdETuUGU4j-oMuSZvW-j6PZ_qiCF43x_6f5cuRuEg5j1AlUF32ZVv12UaUvewp_Ll5PFckszCw6OjjbVNsqCRF_xWkLkItks1uJjhlhlIchFgtudfSJHD_U0oXEr4Ak/s400/IMG_4046.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />And plenty of rodent nesting holes to sniff:<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisofWcujGEJaQucpAaFHIzdvlVniHI5bSPLQvRHa7EaXRE3h0iZF3IuNi_Rgngjgd0y7i5XK2751jl4yEyXQH-due8-MYGI-Lu4re9OohJ9IFJfbp4iE4LWaWAsUda0jZxw2K8YhaD5yk/s1600-h/IMG_4050.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342181896909587154" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisofWcujGEJaQucpAaFHIzdvlVniHI5bSPLQvRHa7EaXRE3h0iZF3IuNi_Rgngjgd0y7i5XK2751jl4yEyXQH-due8-MYGI-Lu4re9OohJ9IFJfbp4iE4LWaWAsUda0jZxw2K8YhaD5yk/s400/IMG_4050.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />We tried out some great granite benches:<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcMGwcYAMfXXzrMflvsgg9WwW4AO4KVdHQj04JqqO1huIgwidZHcJsNMGr2kxRuGQVqzCL6Z6V8uhQ6qv8sK-gZG91jgjonvOM2ra6V-q-w8DuMM71ngmPRQGAsE-sbx7mdP2q956nBB4/s1600-h/IMG_4052.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342181364932050850" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcMGwcYAMfXXzrMflvsgg9WwW4AO4KVdHQj04JqqO1huIgwidZHcJsNMGr2kxRuGQVqzCL6Z6V8uhQ6qv8sK-gZG91jgjonvOM2ra6V-q-w8DuMM71ngmPRQGAsE-sbx7mdP2q956nBB4/s400/IMG_4052.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />And the forest watering holes:<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji7A7cA4kCG9xigKzbUsr_yoCr3rdiKNHUGN3oygJF2wYhhhn4xXkU3BRBX2mK1d0XncPkwwxe3z8lioMorcSRv4zKMkcaoWPs6Z1Yq2ctxlZNtUR6qHdfbT0V6OHmSj1WwpzeOg-3kqo/s1600-h/IMG_4057.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342180807146918066" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji7A7cA4kCG9xigKzbUsr_yoCr3rdiKNHUGN3oygJF2wYhhhn4xXkU3BRBX2mK1d0XncPkwwxe3z8lioMorcSRv4zKMkcaoWPs6Z1Yq2ctxlZNtUR6qHdfbT0V6OHmSj1WwpzeOg-3kqo/s400/IMG_4057.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Best of all, we even found some flora suffering from the same coat condition that Miss Ari is undergoing:<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZPfcKpeSQk6dq0l8rtTSk3cS-Gi_9EejD1O91gwmi6IXotloe-bv1nOCFta6rQp0xdZ7K1aQ9KR6S5YzOlIg9QezJC9iVlN57sZg-I8HUkiOb-w_L6hn7yqN0idknq5EQjb0bKvbJ0s0/s1600-h/IMG_4054.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342180496280391090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZPfcKpeSQk6dq0l8rtTSk3cS-Gi_9EejD1O91gwmi6IXotloe-bv1nOCFta6rQp0xdZ7K1aQ9KR6S5YzOlIg9QezJC9iVlN57sZg-I8HUkiOb-w_L6hn7yqN0idknq5EQjb0bKvbJ0s0/s400/IMG_4054.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div>As for the marauding great horned owl, that'll have to wait for another trip. Probably a good thing, since it sounds like we might need to wear hard hats when we finally meet him.</div></div></div></div></div></div>Kathryn and Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15428974324817935286noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808550287150936588.post-24511331208644804972009-05-29T16:14:00.007-04:002009-05-29T16:35:21.853-04:00What Not to Wear<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUteCdTYsEpRJiB6aqNxV2FAusdAgySFO3GwXH3SYIqX6cUaviZSbfnTg_zul_8CIrjb4-nQwcNJ-nVF46S4s74eosl7uGyD7Bx5hc5pFyHHSzeeILa2x_af9hpcLG7qkwihRPFkqwRU4/s1600-h/what+not+to+wear.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341343269998705330" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 145px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUteCdTYsEpRJiB6aqNxV2FAusdAgySFO3GwXH3SYIqX6cUaviZSbfnTg_zul_8CIrjb4-nQwcNJ-nVF46S4s74eosl7uGyD7Bx5hc5pFyHHSzeeILa2x_af9hpcLG7qkwihRPFkqwRU4/s400/what+not+to+wear.bmp" border="0" /></a> <blockquote>High: 53 °F<br />Low: 48 °F<br />Conditions: Continual showers. Thunderstorms may be possible.<br /></blockquote>No one--not even fashion historians--can say for certain from where the rules originate. Even still, any classically-trained fashionista knows them well: no white before Memorial Day. No wool or other winter fabrics from Memorial to Labor Day. No open-toed shoes after that time. And how do these couture mavens feel about such guidelines?<br /><br />About like this:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiuJ0BFwxP3Qc0UCulZlN3p4sf2E3ZSBaOSOxCJu0bJaEthtihAkjyR9V7glwhsSq-eIcZTyZjtfyiGnP7uk6HLFlAsyvnRCnu6fUW1hGp3xWrR9sKfDtcJkQtrNbbDkKhV08gLf_dYSU/s1600-h/IMG_4039.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341342987994560674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 258px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiuJ0BFwxP3Qc0UCulZlN3p4sf2E3ZSBaOSOxCJu0bJaEthtihAkjyR9V7glwhsSq-eIcZTyZjtfyiGnP7uk6HLFlAsyvnRCnu6fUW1hGp3xWrR9sKfDtcJkQtrNbbDkKhV08gLf_dYSU/s400/IMG_4039.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />I've never considered Ari much of a girly-girl. And certainly I've never pegged her as a Vogue-reading, trend-spotting, rule-following fashion diva. But what else can explain her decision to wait until Memorial Day to begin blowing her coat?<br /><br />And when I say blowing, I mean it. Check out a photo of today's progress (Complete with mangy bald swath across her lower thigh.)<br /><br /><blockquote></blockquote><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYMkkMicvyFZ7YWgu_nGU5Ca7vRvlbTb0mJ_rjXYUn3JlT2dGMnQHAy_vG3DGwB_ljoUViDr_Jxg3NuGvvBpZ1_dSstyv_cFuSOXaFFsNbXJldCLO8x12o5zjr2Xm__l8re1j-zGIu3hE/s1600-h/IMG_4038.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341342816934818066" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYMkkMicvyFZ7YWgu_nGU5Ca7vRvlbTb0mJ_rjXYUn3JlT2dGMnQHAy_vG3DGwB_ljoUViDr_Jxg3NuGvvBpZ1_dSstyv_cFuSOXaFFsNbXJldCLO8x12o5zjr2Xm__l8re1j-zGIu3hE/s400/IMG_4038.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />It's hard work keeping up with antiquated fashion rules. Looking at this much-suffering dog, I'm reminded of W. B. Yeat's poem, "Adam's Curse," in which the poet opines:</div><div></div><div><blockquote>. . . . And thereupon<br />That beautiful mild woman for whose sake<br />There's many a one shall find out all heartache<br />On finding that her voice is sweet and low<br />Replied, 'To be born woman is to know-<br />Although they do not talk of it at school-<br />That we must labour to be beautiful.'<br /><br /></blockquote><br />And so labor Ari shall, until she's at her summer best. In the meantime, I'm collecting her efforts for my own fashion project.<br /><br /></div><div></div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhey3MdJCtp-XCWzGNzjFXHAAoHEnoL4Aew0JDJKWwkyb-fJ6RsrfFrS9H56gLxL1kaZ4LMEby2Aocs7bHWCHtOpjN-2qoPtR5JpmH0Uqh_yN3WN0oF6uCjtSpPMoMAqAoTZaiiprECfj0/s1600-h/IMG_4044.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341342455524781682" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhey3MdJCtp-XCWzGNzjFXHAAoHEnoL4Aew0JDJKWwkyb-fJ6RsrfFrS9H56gLxL1kaZ4LMEby2Aocs7bHWCHtOpjN-2qoPtR5JpmH0Uqh_yN3WN0oF6uCjtSpPMoMAqAoTZaiiprECfj0/s400/IMG_4044.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />In case the scale is lost in the photo, that's a gallon-sized Ziploc bag. And it's <em>filled</em> with Ari hair. I'm hopping to spin it and then maybe knit a scarf or hat.<br /><br />But one important question remains. If my project works, will I be able to wear it before Labor Day?</div>Kathryn and Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15428974324817935286noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808550287150936588.post-43368631097536534092009-05-25T13:08:00.006-04:002009-05-25T13:16:31.170-04:00Ari is a Lucky Dog<a href="http://www.luckydogshow.com/index.html"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339809720715822754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 160px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVHNe7V5ijEMe9wNccZ6YjfUv72cvWmILKTaQgMgHkoX_uKzJPMzg9XMi9aFtBaCZr2HuGA-uFcresWSymldYzw14LBkvd_szamG9HJd_k82W1qv7nW1jA7I1v6Nw4EPmq0zz1fNh5NJw/s400/dogradioshow2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Friends,<br />Lucky us! This week, we will be the featured guests on "The Lucky Dog Show." Hosted by Lisa Woody, the show is a 45-minute call-in program featured on Sirius and Animal Talk Radio. You can listen live (and even call in) on Wednesday at 9:00 p.m. Central time by <a href="http://www.luckydogshow.com/upcomingshows.html">clicking here</a>. If you miss us, you'll also find the episode archived at the show's <a href="http://www.luckydogshow.com/archives.html">homepage</a>.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339809850490154962" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 216px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 288px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZOSndGSnHM4DylzBAcjroNSZMlVXwKWsxfxO0VVkH5cEq-lJKZBNeX08EzmMZO4QUKbnZyKbC8C-HSZKULskpgb6NKfr6QXM0IUTMNXueYUzcEMFK2WbHWSFMo5EvdYDV3z15WTz1Qn4/s400/dogradioshowweds.jpg" border="0" />Kathryn and Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15428974324817935286noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808550287150936588.post-89962450686834433162009-05-21T21:30:00.012-04:002009-05-23T08:09:48.676-04:00Nursery Tails<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338456222244675058" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp-LSW1j23urckw0zbmKsODH1YyjfnLGykJ-zJy_ruJVnP-9CbME6bDrpyxlUiG17mrycLp9zIC_EehvE5MIJtkpq4LIo8IxxvGOLxwNIaohKGenikUNV6eiGcc_sZRB7noTmDI18M8EI/s400/IMG_4026.jpg" border="0" /> <blockquote>High: 77 °F<br />Low: 41 °F<br />Conditions: Increasing Clouds.<br /></blockquote><div></div><br /><br />Signs of spring are all around us. Our neighbors report that the local fox family has given birth to three kits, and rumor has it that mom is letting them spend their early mornings romping in the hay field.<br /><br />Just this morning, Ari and I found remnants of avian newborns as well:<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiezX83gLp4UKCljUik2kTW2RAWUk4fE8I00jE41fMIvLWRg7rIWYFdlBbCh2YZjGnwjBr_biPhYOsH1Y_jmUHQm_YQpO0FhfEUG60MaDQjmpekkXSYYDMyyYcva7vtm2EXbe9aGmnPrME/s1600-h/IMG_4034.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338457045547287938" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiezX83gLp4UKCljUik2kTW2RAWUk4fE8I00jE41fMIvLWRg7rIWYFdlBbCh2YZjGnwjBr_biPhYOsH1Y_jmUHQm_YQpO0FhfEUG60MaDQjmpekkXSYYDMyyYcva7vtm2EXbe9aGmnPrME/s400/IMG_4034.jpg" border="0" /></a>What I really wanted, though, was to find out what's been happening with our local amphibean population. We've seen them as adults:<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxB0wL0T6Acw_lughaK4TNZiNOIxDGq7WH_hmYSQrNw3Gs73w6S9E7i5hjzvhpzNbmsi9GKv8OH6xoQnM_l3izHedxeFtJVvWkjc8h7pz4D2J_O7Zo-ue7MW8btsY3fzvPMFgNSbhSvbw/s1600-h/IMG_4031.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338456761946024466" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxB0wL0T6Acw_lughaK4TNZiNOIxDGq7WH_hmYSQrNw3Gs73w6S9E7i5hjzvhpzNbmsi9GKv8OH6xoQnM_l3izHedxeFtJVvWkjc8h7pz4D2J_O7Zo-ue7MW8btsY3fzvPMFgNSbhSvbw/s400/IMG_4031.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><div>And as eggs:</div><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338458592659646226" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQOo0RhV_tPXxYg5za5GDfgOi73FC2NlfH4fY-MOw5GLalrnthdDfeemNDlkSA_ivgApZHKH0g8Nznsrh7zzRcnbrx7QRWv5IDlYJy5sEMFjY7ZurVTG12uewKqbhq0iO4l-dd0AUYGzI/s400/IMG_2090.JPG" border="0" /><br />However, our knowledge of what happens in between has always been more theoretical than practical. That is, until today.</div><div>.</div><div>It was Ari who found the tadpoles on our morning run. And, in truth, hers was more of an accidental than a deliberate discovery (read: she simply wanted a drink of water).<br /></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI1Ua0mTr3lW0702CntQY0PMLXiovcIOCb7tpGMFBghzFJm5aKVIH47fORPzAdRQ9_pCgc-7-nZ8y7gDR9LFXmcgEAYo-TAO9_i1HqLUJmel4cXdMMJ6oIU9orAfwK9XAX69hUVfvH9Go/s1600-h/IMG_4025.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338456558141470354" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI1Ua0mTr3lW0702CntQY0PMLXiovcIOCb7tpGMFBghzFJm5aKVIH47fORPzAdRQ9_pCgc-7-nZ8y7gDR9LFXmcgEAYo-TAO9_i1HqLUJmel4cXdMMJ6oIU9orAfwK9XAX69hUVfvH9Go/s400/IMG_4025.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><div>But once she got past the simple need to alleviate thirst, the canine naturalist was transfixed by what she found: a whole puddle full of these guys.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338455485970845858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUdtNXp6nGbT0Z66Mk7KxKfzebLeJyehwfW-28fiuKh94LxXF0auKwaIP-3pFWiDVsZdC6L6Zb0-xZxV_N1oSBczl5-qerN6yX1k0rbBSgKEAvkAZTmuZW7g2zcy1z0Oq_k66ALz5iVuw/s400/IMG_4023.jpg" border="0" /><br />Left as eggs by their parents (who return to their home ponds), these tadpoles have to weather all kinds of threats to their wellbeing, including porcupines and raccoons.<br /><div><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiihz_2WeedrthHS9NBvu4orqfPQ6a6tpBkCXvC6b6HrYvVzXFzNXjx01x0ieE5PRvcqakGL-C6d4cE0gfV-mgWoMmlg8yjq6ii49wjQ5q4v2gOgttuo7pXFjsv4Ak7E-IZw8bVqKwvwys/s1600-h/IMG_4010.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338455710340324546" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiihz_2WeedrthHS9NBvu4orqfPQ6a6tpBkCXvC6b6HrYvVzXFzNXjx01x0ieE5PRvcqakGL-C6d4cE0gfV-mgWoMmlg8yjq6ii49wjQ5q4v2gOgttuo7pXFjsv4Ak7E-IZw8bVqKwvwys/s400/IMG_4010.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div></div><div>Those that make it will eventually sprout legs and, driven by primordial DNA, will seek out their elders in the home pond. That is, of course, if they manage to weather a gregarious canine naturalist's doggy paddle first.<br /><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8KBH5Z653A6QH0SR_EHiL4j6JV-JFmVrh4vtUrLcLtWFJGtNIb6c5PJHemNsYQMHcQXaqdsNdTV7Q5op6QYtJ-eGhNO-d2Im_gr22Uup1hzoXT7SSgjbpCTcZuho8aVBFSR3k06EoMe8/s1600-h/IMG_4021.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338455240532935282" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8KBH5Z653A6QH0SR_EHiL4j6JV-JFmVrh4vtUrLcLtWFJGtNIb6c5PJHemNsYQMHcQXaqdsNdTV7Q5op6QYtJ-eGhNO-d2Im_gr22Uup1hzoXT7SSgjbpCTcZuho8aVBFSR3k06EoMe8/s400/IMG_4021.jpg" border="0" /></a></div></div></div></div></div>Kathryn and Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15428974324817935286noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808550287150936588.post-62926680570835807422009-05-15T20:26:00.013-04:002009-05-15T20:57:41.924-04:00Wildlife Prairie Park<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiImOwYDkVzickDUIPgUOsHx1_WXkJxKY7DQiSQiu6KXkPKZnc0zWPj_bltzR6pY6UZ-yjm_t8vS36uScMuijUbhdpLMu07IRZTMgVmaAs-HjeKdFiw4Z3GHKBsRaWgDLgxCMuyW_dVkvM/s1600-h/wildlife_logo.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336215605298230818" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 225px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiImOwYDkVzickDUIPgUOsHx1_WXkJxKY7DQiSQiu6KXkPKZnc0zWPj_bltzR6pY6UZ-yjm_t8vS36uScMuijUbhdpLMu07IRZTMgVmaAs-HjeKdFiw4Z3GHKBsRaWgDLgxCMuyW_dVkvM/s400/wildlife_logo.jpg" border="0" /></a> <blockquote>High: 59 °F<br />Low: 38 °F<br />Conditions: Showers likely.<br /></blockquote>Friends, last week the <em>Adventures with Ari</em> book tour took us to Peoria, IL. While there, we toured <a href="http://wildlifeprairiestatepark.org/">Wildlife Prairie Park</a>, a really wonderful animal sanctuary that features indigenous prairie animals (including several extirpated or endangered) in spacious natural settings.<br /><br />Here are just a few of the residents we observed while there.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoyvtEKtUWfqb63f3zzMSpTJz7IsbtNCfcy5nAVmOy9RXJZ2ErygXYCxQgsNYR5gIUlWc-PycGttgRO2QQyJ74tlxsEZTJzsoGXabPyL40p5UQ8ODNPjcIAkh5KxjdOtRdMh3i3n6uuQA/s1600-h/IMG_4006.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336215040501324082" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoyvtEKtUWfqb63f3zzMSpTJz7IsbtNCfcy5nAVmOy9RXJZ2ErygXYCxQgsNYR5gIUlWc-PycGttgRO2QQyJ74tlxsEZTJzsoGXabPyL40p5UQ8ODNPjcIAkh5KxjdOtRdMh3i3n6uuQA/s400/IMG_4006.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZdUWWSnfnvtqDmDn5ZrEu3JvxFZxwRpwbuz1UFsKcr7wdmx1UeJz3UiT7AfyzITq9t8-gbRxnBjhI13976xRq2FwHHhJibTOoUwIGuwDmQ5zAHJqaobt9KYXxiqBU4q5uXwDn0fyXHTs/s1600-h/IMG_4005.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336214719892200274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZdUWWSnfnvtqDmDn5ZrEu3JvxFZxwRpwbuz1UFsKcr7wdmx1UeJz3UiT7AfyzITq9t8-gbRxnBjhI13976xRq2FwHHhJibTOoUwIGuwDmQ5zAHJqaobt9KYXxiqBU4q5uXwDn0fyXHTs/s400/IMG_4005.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336213058603337586" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTwK7QYwAE9YCFVsyJ8zUowygw75ACvpCHJzt-_ib28ghchTaaptYdkY9phXBcfUaRRDpNH1SI2eR9csIpFNmCqDeWi0Y8kzu4ZlP9BENC6o49dCZxU6pPb_2NXPXH7eiUSYnh-d4j3xU/s400/IMG_3962.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaYQnyZTDZW20iSmLbFgQa4EJzy3SMDoAqYh0mDluyKSK9tu2K5SDaw38gVfFQ9sDx7Vmh07poI7EbczF3jJckrlR_hAe4r-NWgFf7ZtgvkYnw51VCYf_LAG9wcDPAbCMqbDPknlUUGks/s1600-h/IMG_3978.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336213888897274674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaYQnyZTDZW20iSmLbFgQa4EJzy3SMDoAqYh0mDluyKSK9tu2K5SDaw38gVfFQ9sDx7Vmh07poI7EbczF3jJckrlR_hAe4r-NWgFf7ZtgvkYnw51VCYf_LAG9wcDPAbCMqbDPknlUUGks/s400/IMG_3978.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPM88gDPHtpZVnARsaFcJYsgfrzYjo5d7eXyZCWQT03uI656Ka-4Oeq9_vIR_uAa5BVt4rkOeS953vo503M8SbgkcGdM3Li1u56X7W84DEY0u9IXAXra2bqI_KzgxVN36nlrI-BuwgKio/s1600-h/IMG_3975.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336213646751022594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPM88gDPHtpZVnARsaFcJYsgfrzYjo5d7eXyZCWQT03uI656Ka-4Oeq9_vIR_uAa5BVt4rkOeS953vo503M8SbgkcGdM3Li1u56X7W84DEY0u9IXAXra2bqI_KzgxVN36nlrI-BuwgKio/s400/IMG_3975.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336214234014149858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp8eMZ_FWMn-AbJfBzr4wu-u_yBvzdeMeY15pbMB0Js5sg9f5MhwTH6F2IMknFb8LAoiwd7hfd_WXiO4vYD43OJgWTuauogn5Y8-jvzlATWDIJcfJW59yxtCJZf6B18Oz6jwCv4MqLRcI/s400/IMG_3993.jpg" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336212574317685378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkHTMS3ZvZIlqlR1OjovG2S-IBdsAyNd7G7PHMTN5o-FvetXg1awIxFbG4sqXy51jvy9Jq6saL7-B017QsAIq9_HM-EJ_MK5e8WKhKwIQ-mt2l4vYpT0ORfOHXkDl19_S7TY-J8KoVra4/s400/IMG_3957.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9rvBoduQ105vIhjKG6Q3OO8TpD4TFtX9taLe3z3Oc53rKmsV18XP1PB2KpYe3cr31jVSQyvOc4GOPkz2gbE-5C2rqI9PXa1qLRBDd67FGvz16g-uChJJrUV44uLWfkdv26T0JyXktiDE/s1600-h/IMG_3969.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336213367829870690" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9rvBoduQ105vIhjKG6Q3OO8TpD4TFtX9taLe3z3Oc53rKmsV18XP1PB2KpYe3cr31jVSQyvOc4GOPkz2gbE-5C2rqI9PXa1qLRBDd67FGvz16g-uChJJrUV44uLWfkdv26T0JyXktiDE/s400/IMG_3969.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq88TPtn-AJBgUhhJ3-cs5yjT9zsjHyVDjdIr24vwITr_chDFP_yadjHuwSAWmZe_7hkpdhVSDkSFhej1YrsLO4y8lh7wueIAQqMonBLplw3hn_RnMbBhPywt0nQSZnMHYy6jvM0quEPM/s1600-h/IMG_3956.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336212386444731762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq88TPtn-AJBgUhhJ3-cs5yjT9zsjHyVDjdIr24vwITr_chDFP_yadjHuwSAWmZe_7hkpdhVSDkSFhej1YrsLO4y8lh7wueIAQqMonBLplw3hn_RnMbBhPywt0nQSZnMHYy6jvM0quEPM/s400/IMG_3956.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Pretty great, huh? But here's the thing: one of Rod Blagojevich's last act as governor was to slash$828,200 from the park budget, leaving them unable to function as a refuge and education center.</div><div>.</div><div></div><div>We here at caninaturalist center feel strongly about the importance of places like Wildlife Prairie Park, and we hope you do too. Please consider supporting WPP, either by <a href="http://wildlifeprairiestatepark.org/">making a donation or sending a letter</a> in support of the outstanding work that they do. </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Kathryn and Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15428974324817935286noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808550287150936588.post-64922238899269186492009-05-12T07:00:00.000-04:002009-05-12T07:00:00.445-04:00Ari on the Morning Airwaves<p>A few of our followers asked if we would post the interview we did this week on the "Greg and Dan Show." To them we reply: <em>hey, why not</em>?</p><p> </p><p align="center"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzEmsZevqPIgUcROrRCfPrlraRYcPGCOhtWv7tQr4as3v00OwpVL07oH8aI14NWtXmT1DXaUxw4SojS6NI40Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p> </p>Kathryn and Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15428974324817935286noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808550287150936588.post-67897886523482114252009-05-09T10:54:00.000-04:002009-05-09T10:54:00.167-04:00Will we play in Peoria?<div><div><div>Friends, </div><div><em>Adventures with Ari </em>is hitting the road. This week, we're travelling to Central Illinois, home of Caterpillar Incorporated, Bradley University, and what is still the largest consumer test market demographic in the country. </div><div></div><br /><div>For well over a century, everyone from Broadway musical producers to Pepsi stylists have been asking if their show, product, gimick, or great idea will play in Peoria. Now, it's our turn.</div><div></div><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333097267486471698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 100px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 96px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBcg2P7EdyV-viUTZxIXvcA1OhZrM03zxcI41eTHQWdL_5uEZW52_ZunH1iUSkqXUpbQMkR783s2JJfNB-4EkXpb88oqTrJfFklxrRlNivScosC99F1bUAofNzbcGYcYecoBiprSXglfE/s400/GregDan-blk-100x96.png" border="0" /> On Monday, May 11th, we'll be appearing on the "Greg and Dan Show" on WMBD, Central Illinois's #1 radio talk show. The interview will take place around 8:10 a.m. Central Time, and you can <a href="http://www.1470wmbd.com/">listen live here</a>.<br /><br /><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333097976801758578" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 156px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwSA2bbmw8OWdTCFpT8A2ItKE_aufolzW0j81ujUtIOOa_gKGB8bHOgvnBZNFwkT7_rU638gO28J0AhS7rFbVoJCOUFv6Yy7172VM27BUkYu1f_jO-_oderclYVQ6n4WKU9n298LvNlc4/s400/Adventures+with+Ari+Cover.jpg" border="0" /> <div>Later that night, we'll be visiting with some book clubs that are currently reading <em>Adventures with Ari</em>.</div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333097503643583522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 274px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 174px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgryeE3kJZDLpgZPPxQJUgmW4ikxvvCk8TaT2KiDg9hKltVYrxPdamBQWFHPFRLeQdnD5pGGTfRJZGEjUV6NlcmB2pPFXsjfydSVu0Z7xge29dUcMdqGL0RFAzr-JpHoXGoPLWpO6ALaLk/s400/i+know+you+like+a+book.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div>And, finally, on Tuesday at 5:00 p.m., we'll be giving a reading and book signing at "I Know You Like a Book" in Peoria Heights.</div><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>We'll have a full report when we return. In the meantime, hope to see you there!</div><br /><div>K&A</div></div></div>Kathryn and Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15428974324817935286noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808550287150936588.post-69794129414301537322009-05-06T10:00:00.011-04:002009-05-07T09:34:20.353-04:00Pilot Fish<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-6bUG484fAA5bXBViOCidk8UZazefmikX4troe77PPM1PcQQey1KGrxJjBrOtSRrtjnh4pJI4zY4qi3VQjzjJc9tOjN5ByuA0xmJCnm4jxa-QBcA87lxXTUMx8yIPw9LINErkaeXJd7U/s1600-h/IMG_3267.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332720453977371762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 328px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-6bUG484fAA5bXBViOCidk8UZazefmikX4troe77PPM1PcQQey1KGrxJjBrOtSRrtjnh4pJI4zY4qi3VQjzjJc9tOjN5ByuA0xmJCnm4jxa-QBcA87lxXTUMx8yIPw9LINErkaeXJd7U/s400/IMG_3267.jpg" border="0" /></a> <blockquote>High: 52 °F<br />Low: 44 °F<br />Conditions: Rain showers throughout the day, could be heavy at times.<br /></blockquote><br /><br /><br />Friends,<br />Many of you have no doubt heard of the pilot fish (<em>Naucrates ductor</em>), a carnivorous fish that feeds on ectoparasites attached to sharks.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3MPMH0qYMiHQEHt8eYtrXIWwt5sUkGKR5ZE2Dl9xZJpvAU2tEyAvCgowG6q82hadonYdZdSMQhTLp86tOq_zDevYxwceMqCROHYswdMY6ylCgi5OzVQv9MmLA4Mw-7xQW42g-F9OU1Qc/s1600-h/pilot+fish.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332720164355880146" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 369px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 260px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3MPMH0qYMiHQEHt8eYtrXIWwt5sUkGKR5ZE2Dl9xZJpvAU2tEyAvCgowG6q82hadonYdZdSMQhTLp86tOq_zDevYxwceMqCROHYswdMY6ylCgi5OzVQv9MmLA4Mw-7xQW42g-F9OU1Qc/s400/pilot+fish.jpg" border="0" /></a> The relationship between a shark and pilot fish is a mutualistic one, in the sense that the pilot fish gets a steady meal while the shark gets the equivalent of a living, swimming heartworm tablet each day.<br /><br /><br />Here at our house, however, we have a very different kind of pilot animal. Meet Mouse (aka, <em>Peskus felinus</em>):<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOq0oPYSzBxCmKcf6ZqG9W8WNfsXfQwWNH_Ur_TzSa9EtwMQAApslQm6_4XlXbKp3cWu8xBwrbQ7obqP_JYBPiPdan1R1HVqGBSTi6rlqBhZBCXhbGo3W_OrbZt4xUqhnki7v0JaDAVlM/s1600-h/mouse.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332720001327793714" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOq0oPYSzBxCmKcf6ZqG9W8WNfsXfQwWNH_Ur_TzSa9EtwMQAApslQm6_4XlXbKp3cWu8xBwrbQ7obqP_JYBPiPdan1R1HVqGBSTi6rlqBhZBCXhbGo3W_OrbZt4xUqhnki7v0JaDAVlM/s400/mouse.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />What does a brazen polydactyly cat have to do with a pilot fish, you might ask?<br /><br />Good question.<br /><br /><br />Admittedly, there are some profound similarities between the species. Like a pilot fish, Pilot Mouse spends most of her time hovering around her host animal.<br /><br /><br /><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332718803509379714" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiczYpy9GugYmf9A405f6VNAeA7ha-oHKzrpMIpEhGdjhEcyzlkRDvgDecgvFTdtxbNO_GxJyAbPfXLoBrfMnBrZO2HMu0HA6mmPaBQEk4DYOh4kH4KvQO8jrNMaK1cHEqqJTp3e3ypHas/s400/IMG_3660.JPG" border="0" /></p><p>And, also like a pilot fish, Pilot Mouse occasionally grooms her host:</p><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332719181221435218" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 270px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwe3E5HkaOTMhokNzqLY9gL1EecTuYzI_xk-mcEbWsnQIY8b0-aH-aD_4BHPCfc3tGQYW2oSkm3tvNt3zHsrXW9jbsOI45bVWpgEbXCAGcsZTwphebqQnIIywEyvWWvyRMzGXkecz4CLg/s400/IMG_3942.jpg" border="0" /><br />Most of the time, though, she prefers just to hang around the host animal, generally making a nuisance of herself and sometimes annoying said host.</p><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQgUyDsfl9MGysLLK9AtllesnD8jQ05Qq9UMCPI0Pt3SsizFYypIyv3zDXR5kWrmbKYHMTyqwcHAkyMZsJW5aQ6Ut4lYa9e7EIRu6aNVWGTvLVl2GBbN_Udpypyj4vHuqX-_K4Ejf3jFo/s1600-h/IMG_3336.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332719514723587858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 302px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQgUyDsfl9MGysLLK9AtllesnD8jQ05Qq9UMCPI0Pt3SsizFYypIyv3zDXR5kWrmbKYHMTyqwcHAkyMZsJW5aQ6Ut4lYa9e7EIRu6aNVWGTvLVl2GBbN_Udpypyj4vHuqX-_K4Ejf3jFo/s400/IMG_3336.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Particularly when that host is trying to eat her breakfast:<br /><br /><div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0CEDEeg47lxLQrQUv4ExpIC16DTdYYkP2075DzyrJqC2lsKppKuvZMtmRVL8Ip_OEwbK4EO7fPxzACtz-F2V2Lw37V9toJv2_CcH04BRC-XIjbmS5lECiaads5N-ARrPnSHQbAy6DwwY/s1600-h/IMG_3947.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332718412977578162" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0CEDEeg47lxLQrQUv4ExpIC16DTdYYkP2075DzyrJqC2lsKppKuvZMtmRVL8Ip_OEwbK4EO7fPxzACtz-F2V2Lw37V9toJv2_CcH04BRC-XIjbmS5lECiaads5N-ARrPnSHQbAy6DwwY/s400/IMG_3947.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><br /><div>Is it a mutualistic relationship? Mouse certainly thinks so. As for Ari, she's pretty sure she doesn't need any grooming help--from a cat or anyone else. And she certainly doesn't need any help figuring out where her food is each morning.</div><br /><div></div><div>Still, even this independent dog can admit that having a pilot cat around can make for a cozy afternoon.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332724621371132434" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlNG6KuiCPL-zKxTCAoSG4sXeNeykw_1rmf_mxZZNz1VvLWIFOFLC_6vidkmvzlsXDcJ3Y23_Hj7keccIfaMmSfTAEaliTI3ORYU1h1iVjk13dlkIKMmdHV8O9HN3TgJLzZe81n3LrqW8/s400/IMG_3495.JPG" border="0" /></div></div></div>Kathryn and Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15428974324817935286noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808550287150936588.post-65394889316781589232009-05-02T11:48:00.003-04:002009-05-02T11:56:36.768-04:00Ready for My Close-Up Now<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQE0a1rem53q37fxjhEOIKNBqJq55Oi5fdgX1HnuzU7fPcb2OYdkVqTqGxlot8JvUzy-9fcfrbFnjD8yikyXDSzd8pXOLcyzr9l_pQGyFnDVIhb_f0nAuyTXfzgNlX_cWtJYlLJ0TOb78/s1600-h/tv.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331255218284745410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQE0a1rem53q37fxjhEOIKNBqJq55Oi5fdgX1HnuzU7fPcb2OYdkVqTqGxlot8JvUzy-9fcfrbFnjD8yikyXDSzd8pXOLcyzr9l_pQGyFnDVIhb_f0nAuyTXfzgNlX_cWtJYlLJ0TOb78/s400/tv.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>This past week, Ari and I travelled to the television studios of "207" for an interview about our new book. Here's a link to the clip (in which Miss Ari shows that huskies can go out of their way to avoid appearing on moving, as well as still, film):</div><div></div><br /><div><a href="http://www.wcsh6.com/video/default.aspx?maven_playerId=immersiveplayer&maven_referralPlaylistId=playlist&maven_referralObject=1109993187">http://www.wcsh6.com/video/default.aspx?maven_playerId=immersiveplayer&maven_referralPlaylistId=playlist&maven_referralObject=1109993187</a></div>Kathryn and Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15428974324817935286noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808550287150936588.post-77052805453740428452009-04-29T18:00:00.012-04:002009-04-30T10:25:57.617-04:00'Tis a Puzzlement<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV5yHa2xxqti7j9VStVnIB-h_R5MVLob_WjYNW0k9juPQAhLOnymNEtH7043t3KpWyyeU6lr_R1836Tp0T2HBuCnH0_1hMif9vE1afx46wg0xBVls0XdlgGHi1D6xXIYwi3kPoerRrwHs/s1600-h/IMG_3921.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330245440650735682" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV5yHa2xxqti7j9VStVnIB-h_R5MVLob_WjYNW0k9juPQAhLOnymNEtH7043t3KpWyyeU6lr_R1836Tp0T2HBuCnH0_1hMif9vE1afx46wg0xBVls0XdlgGHi1D6xXIYwi3kPoerRrwHs/s400/IMG_3921.JPG" border="0" /></a> <div><div><div><div><div><div><div></div><div><blockquote>High: 63 °F<br />Low: 29 °F<br />Conditions: Sunny and calm.<br /><br /></blockquote></div><div>Being a canine naturalist--especially a springtime canine naturalist--can be really confusing sometimes. We thought we'd illustrate this conundrum with the help of some file photos.</div><br /><p>This is a lamb's ear:<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330238065792053490" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_fFvJzND-bEfVr1VttochG-tFesa3CrAlI76D2C-m_ffJi5_Ozd6KEsObFzfEmeuTPvlgrsuWWph_Kxs4to03qzLS57Y3wc67soa40UJUCu6EtUCSjiIdLgM0p7fjKL5NbcwVAZ1t2kc/s400/lamb's+ear.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br />This is an Ari ear:</p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330238841514108946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 344px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkxaTZrnkLVTIDkvxeX_maJNtIlmk90QW7u1Z9dsApY0UzEjRDKS3t9zITSuseF4qZYiaAE7gxI1foPlHpXgbqTjYzziVJDLPVjj_7AhdSawfT_Kmc6fcN7VlsjAK4puvNnofbakD-fqk/s400/ear.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><div>This is a dogwood:</div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330238957393611986" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 316px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWE8cvsDGPjzi6Q5sODi8l_XyJ-po3lA7B89SYUgt7iT8J7HLbOaFsEa9V6ZV_LH4NPYl_rsbiqfn82YQi8FJ6zS9-NyAzH47RAXvSsxQP4_LZehdWhC84Pz_4ar6i0fZCadLZckLKw28/s400/dogwood.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><div>This is a dog's wood:</div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330243408036215490" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmocBKFCoscPYt3u_-wkEjlv9dwFlyf_vX-HUBRvY3ptpjlWxXmJbUr4torzmmMZDqIrZ8nqeZgfwSV7X-1xFhAgjJwWBad5xldQlfBTwSQQQB_8co67jEWfIFAsu0Zjs16XAyYKQASMY/s400/IMG_3327.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>These are catkins:</div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330243698859383298" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 255px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GLUjiD02N2o7WXsALwhL3QIC2yZBq9l4Lm9Qc2UuaQ8DiQAmWSjwJUa8n_bF_h208jEgnUEv1woM3pQH16diAJKeQYI-Re5rbT82wY3nwRUmiMVpArF5UmHtQUBQeawBC7ll0DLPpnE/s400/catkins.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><div>These are cat kin:</div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330239680878913970" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqJ0TL5u9M2x9CztoJBBTyC4oUeZU9-CIyDagNdBLN1uUor5qbbUqGh6sw1XPTIt-CXPqZi6DTbMzypyoC-uU4Ytdiy_94CCg_s-jgttzkxu4RVIC0e40DF5WGowXZdzmN2YQ34olP4Po/s400/IMG_2653_1.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><div></div><div>See what we mean?</div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Kathryn and Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15428974324817935286noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808550287150936588.post-20281018327572316232009-04-25T18:54:00.012-04:002009-04-26T08:17:24.675-04:00Reading in the County<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCpSnD-lBbCjjjGtGecmz6uFYvHdEBDy1GgMTc_v-3I4KonAKpTzR5IOMrmPcvnrCDMwXEdHQwpoLm4cHEDqmvgqX9ASzdB3DO5krn5_YRvC7AG4mK7S7HdfsWyjJGsG0BTqMb6Uc7KqM/s1600-h/IMG_3930.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328769032297188722" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 321px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCpSnD-lBbCjjjGtGecmz6uFYvHdEBDy1GgMTc_v-3I4KonAKpTzR5IOMrmPcvnrCDMwXEdHQwpoLm4cHEDqmvgqX9ASzdB3DO5krn5_YRvC7AG4mK7S7HdfsWyjJGsG0BTqMb6Uc7KqM/s400/IMG_3930.jpg" border="0" /></a> <blockquote>High: 69 °F<br />Low: 54 °F<br />Conditions: Ahhhhh, springtime.<br /></blockquote><br /><br />If you take I-95 North, past Katahdin . . .<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328771607723998098" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKJ_n49m48ASimEzmFrwBtxO2Y2zHgluEbVFmHQx-hZw_dBEDFoKEz7W7d8Lb1w2OPncolKMX1npHFnCgmTCQiOKom-Xn5kLJk6nYqfQoBt4YY_ShTGhj1JqpPkd_ed_T1YwQG2p8V9No/s400/IMG_3927.jpg" border="0" />. . .and up towards the Canadian border, you will reach the greater Presque Isle region---an area perhaps best known for these:<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328769265828371938" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 360px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 360px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ-i1D9zV-7ARun292cOHZ9H5IP_O0ekpiR1w8KC73PHa-43p_Wli9wzmpalTqNpQuk4JcFlXUYo0stzD0rkHQoGhMMuZ-146JwOHIAg0NsJwjSxlhtsg6IEV8coQSgtEwNpa4BAv0Mj8/s400/Holland_Potato.jpg" border="0" />That's right. Spuds. In fact, Arostook County (known simply as "The County" in Maine because of its enormity) rivals only parts of Idaho when it comes to per capita potato production. If you've ever eaten a Frito Lay potato chip or McDonald's french fry, there's a pretty good chance it originated here.<br /><br />Presque Isle has plenty of other attractions, too. Like this, the launch site of the Double Eagle II--the first transatlantic balloon.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia8nmx5mbZSAInRX0-zpI0TX0_YE0WanPMpLRUjE3zj8dH9aWX6_zH-NYrfwka43CMs1Hd8XHsa1R_svrmoTi29kY8NxA08xr8rnDAUqEQ-_B20TbNW8xteM8ih7orLF1UPBNJBAvmHi0/s1600-h/IMG_3934.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328768308710663010" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia8nmx5mbZSAInRX0-zpI0TX0_YE0WanPMpLRUjE3zj8dH9aWX6_zH-NYrfwka43CMs1Hd8XHsa1R_svrmoTi29kY8NxA08xr8rnDAUqEQ-_B20TbNW8xteM8ih7orLF1UPBNJBAvmHi0/s400/IMG_3934.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Or this, a 40-mile long model of the universe, built perfectly to scale.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB6oJb8EqPDX4WNP-n5M2U_GTgYNnd2h6YeyVTR-XC7R3_dzV_RrH-vzWBpl1vC-if9dmpr3mW70oydY2qJ6XRY2mISHNXwYQIyaf-E9xp9qh9lslqYBLGyiWmj9FZHputifvyjUK6z0E/s1600-h/IMG_3940.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328767921213064978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 306px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB6oJb8EqPDX4WNP-n5M2U_GTgYNnd2h6YeyVTR-XC7R3_dzV_RrH-vzWBpl1vC-if9dmpr3mW70oydY2qJ6XRY2mISHNXwYQIyaf-E9xp9qh9lslqYBLGyiWmj9FZHputifvyjUK6z0E/s400/IMG_3940.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />But the real reason Ari and I made our way north this weekend was to visit the wonderful people at the <a href="http://www.presqueisle.lib.me.us/">Turner Memorial Library</a>.</div><div><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328767266184718322" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU9IbNa1UBylIE5QOny59fSXUxjsB8a3VYW7Hla1qidZSlB6RtQ5vXnVHH5f0Xuz3KG6PDP1Ve9o8_7oPZUHI8hybnBMWTnNuvwIGG_igxKWsWWBLnsQD3BkJC1orTljiApycKVOQPZZg/s400/IMG_3938.jpg" border="0" /><br />Library staff members invited us to join them this weekend for an Earth Day reading of <em>Adventures with Ari</em>. We had a wonderful time meeting the residents who joined us (and eating the biscuits graciously provided by the librarians).<br />.<br />We also met two of our youngest--and brightest--fans.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328766851290134610" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ5gsJ0i7ieVtQo8l6MudElQKELMVcHyy9O9SX4NWk5VM0J1qujgU30EgmqH4YNN50mRYeRn9oqx6e4cplDqH49B3d5jhHm9qQ1N86Ey8hQjRziN2eXPt6ZAbwQQsms5j3-_CdeUFd9oI/s400/IMG_3936.JPG" border="0" />It was a perfect day. And we thank all those who made it possible, particularly Sonja Plummer, the chief librarian and fabulous host of our event.<br />.<br /><br />We hope they invite us back soon.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOAadQ3uP0W7b_gXunTiRR6gA4DTHmBJxxDQQJLHh3W_DvP7z9OwADrK94Ace0kYQcqAlhi21EP4whmSBWNNy-2CKH0A6y9I9hE3lp8DYDxt8FeOeMHLtjYPBgB5E_lQfPpdpDiyFsrOs/s1600-h/IMG_3937.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328767542676823218" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOAadQ3uP0W7b_gXunTiRR6gA4DTHmBJxxDQQJLHh3W_DvP7z9OwADrK94Ace0kYQcqAlhi21EP4whmSBWNNy-2CKH0A6y9I9hE3lp8DYDxt8FeOeMHLtjYPBgB5E_lQfPpdpDiyFsrOs/s400/IMG_3937.jpg" border="0" /></a>Kathryn and Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15428974324817935286noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808550287150936588.post-76137700776300255632009-04-22T21:18:00.012-04:002009-04-22T21:48:48.797-04:00Hug a Tree<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327693990126374898" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAtJWvQTyHrbEcx3x5_j_c_azamMAWRkyaX4H6BaGOYAq1jA-DlfTCJdis3R7XaMbUP_udJUjuyieX2J1OPw6rukAL7LLDFXYSRra79yxzoBhYuujDfOI1gIbEhXbjm88wKK9u0auCq9M/s400/IMG_3912.jpg" border="0" /><br /><blockquote>High: 54 °F<br />Low: 34 °F<br />Conditions: Showers with gradual clearing across the region.<br /></blockquote><br />Happy Earth Day, friends. It seems that, with each passing year, there are more ways to celebrate this all-important event. Today was certainly proof positive of that trend.<br /><br />Our local legends, the Red Sox, commemorated the date with special pro-recycling uniforms:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2_rRqBUmOdEr6nIMUNowW-7jvl-7i-_JjGmVOVij493Zz3bCi6hx7g8B6Fu4bWX0vsfJtBOxmPhyrefzDWTfMMvUeaJwes5c51Wir0gZpObOJVyRUn9f3kaKdNDPtVvXSr-9jBA8eVhM/s1600-h/soxgreenpatch-thumb.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327694367120990978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 250px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 234px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2_rRqBUmOdEr6nIMUNowW-7jvl-7i-_JjGmVOVij493Zz3bCi6hx7g8B6Fu4bWX0vsfJtBOxmPhyrefzDWTfMMvUeaJwes5c51Wir0gZpObOJVyRUn9f3kaKdNDPtVvXSr-9jBA8eVhM/s400/soxgreenpatch-thumb.jpg" border="0" /></a>If a complete wardrobe change is not quite your cup of tea, you can also head to Sunnyvale, California, which marked the occasion with a special thermometer exchage: for every mercury thermometer (oral or other oriface) brought in to the town office today, Sunnyvale citizens received a brand new, heavy-metal-free digital one in its place.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327694489466817570" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 309px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 274px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-omUaLc024VILS8WhBbVMHb5CmT3zkutmEIV2qjgUjfaDOoIf723IT0KaACTs7GzSwj0eNIxfD8gHUNMQvUZq5snOvEEyUVq0WfzV7TYdGwDdgUCbuC7PnlnGKvdn847yMXqlX9uM7jM/s400/sunnyvale.png" border="0" />Looking for something a little less . . . pragmatic? Then you could always try one of Hallmark's brand new Earth Day e-cards:<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkHf6bQo1sgWxvKT2t-Kr7P_G4VehvY34mQXjj-OJAv1y5PoIFSo10fnvkDZyZJCdUpGlynrSa8yedeqLmFmsRBNjIWyKHR9tB6YwmBfwyAudvxVWb67alUz6dVvyc9gM-dRaqIuGwnhs/s1600-h/hallmark.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327694164245353730" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 95px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 95px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkHf6bQo1sgWxvKT2t-Kr7P_G4VehvY34mQXjj-OJAv1y5PoIFSo10fnvkDZyZJCdUpGlynrSa8yedeqLmFmsRBNjIWyKHR9tB6YwmBfwyAudvxVWb67alUz6dVvyc9gM-dRaqIuGwnhs/s400/hallmark.gif" border="0" /></a><br />As for us here at caninaturalist headquarters, we opted for something a little more traditional: </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>a walk in the woods.<br /><div><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV2m9vaUCdxPwbdDCnNJueBRrtkSDHll32f3Y-LDo7UjX2mUT4uR4j2mlKUJNCIJPzWe4569MaOV1IZRF32qkHCtc5NyrYiD17fbBWBgc1-BCEwarnulNd4DAtoWAFsArKJMlqHhCPHJM/s1600-h/IMG_3923.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327693685406101234" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV2m9vaUCdxPwbdDCnNJueBRrtkSDHll32f3Y-LDo7UjX2mUT4uR4j2mlKUJNCIJPzWe4569MaOV1IZRF32qkHCtc5NyrYiD17fbBWBgc1-BCEwarnulNd4DAtoWAFsArKJMlqHhCPHJM/s400/IMG_3923.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />On this grandest of days out, we humans were particularly thrilled by the appearance of wildflowers slowly taking over the monochromatic landscape:</div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDyW52Bsbim0b097bzzLins6AZMdNvR0-pSGiM0rvj_dwnlyQOUoDdJkyuKnLUxmPh_FzuewuR7Kbu5DcOqgloljXeFf3lIqXDK0i431mrRc_Hu_Uz1-OPLFXsbBJkVNZcjUDOxneQb90/s1600-h/IMG_3917.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327693235412854338" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDyW52Bsbim0b097bzzLins6AZMdNvR0-pSGiM0rvj_dwnlyQOUoDdJkyuKnLUxmPh_FzuewuR7Kbu5DcOqgloljXeFf3lIqXDK0i431mrRc_Hu_Uz1-OPLFXsbBJkVNZcjUDOxneQb90/s400/IMG_3917.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Miss Ari, on the other hand, was for more taken by the discovery of fox scat:<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf2cT0Frtj933SW6GDBWK40GMXUcFK9_ZIRppahyy3UAKl_8KBh1Ly8j13x71kqhmJRmzRw5Qsl6HSZqxyammZ745pdBqbLSgdZHZDga9yMi0qiuKu32DrBkwOVNRcifxanR4WDp7A2J0/s1600-h/IMG_3914.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327692701576594338" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf2cT0Frtj933SW6GDBWK40GMXUcFK9_ZIRppahyy3UAKl_8KBh1Ly8j13x71kqhmJRmzRw5Qsl6HSZqxyammZ745pdBqbLSgdZHZDga9yMi0qiuKu32DrBkwOVNRcifxanR4WDp7A2J0/s400/IMG_3914.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />And, true to Rule #1 of canine naturalists worldwide, she celebrated this discovery in rich form.</div><div></div><div>(namely, by rolling in it).<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR4_H8EguEX70xIsCn-NvdkMpGkvfcmNNTRhPmjhRX1Lz6d8RHNqZWNPSoEiN4x2H_Ob3RKwTcnyUFWRi5H7URf_2ch0ZWUGLLnBNm6kD9UVTYxzU2HtHF-jNg9n3Y5wuHUm5kZVJTjNM/s1600-h/IMG_3915.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327692276238926258" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR4_H8EguEX70xIsCn-NvdkMpGkvfcmNNTRhPmjhRX1Lz6d8RHNqZWNPSoEiN4x2H_Ob3RKwTcnyUFWRi5H7URf_2ch0ZWUGLLnBNm6kD9UVTYxzU2HtHF-jNg9n3Y5wuHUm5kZVJTjNM/s400/IMG_3915.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div></div><div>(and everything else in the vicinity)<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQxfOGa2SQDTAma5cmCU33jWQc-g4jsT6-0LtUpka2SMBIQ-vUfi2WSduJVOepN4iCiJFNv9d1DC9S47roXMf-WO4SeVVPfYoP2wJ15iSZzz3sejUlXMkijPdKfFK6yJtf7VMB5PcL7Nw/s1600-h/IMG_3916.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327691788913331618" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQxfOGa2SQDTAma5cmCU33jWQc-g4jsT6-0LtUpka2SMBIQ-vUfi2WSduJVOepN4iCiJFNv9d1DC9S47roXMf-WO4SeVVPfYoP2wJ15iSZzz3sejUlXMkijPdKfFK6yJtf7VMB5PcL7Nw/s400/IMG_3916.JPG" border="0" /></a>Because, really, why hug a tree when you can <em>wear</em> one? Especially, I guess, on Earth Day.</div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Kathryn and Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15428974324817935286noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808550287150936588.post-7426525919147294492009-04-18T15:51:00.005-04:002009-04-18T16:14:46.014-04:00Good to See Green<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7FbNqnChkrbtVeTS3L9Gwym78owHqTWb3lpDCMp0UyBwU-d4VvlBNEVuDDS_5aduRLpaUxKshbr6pFBpfU_r4Lqsbt0uSXqcN6Cq6YFbiGz1NcYLrv5ujSVrLLgRc9Xq-SK9fa6rV0yI/s1600-h/IMG_3906.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326123571712268802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7FbNqnChkrbtVeTS3L9Gwym78owHqTWb3lpDCMp0UyBwU-d4VvlBNEVuDDS_5aduRLpaUxKshbr6pFBpfU_r4Lqsbt0uSXqcN6Cq6YFbiGz1NcYLrv5ujSVrLLgRc9Xq-SK9fa6rV0yI/s400/IMG_3906.jpg" border="0" /></a> Fearless by Tim Siebles</div><div>.</div><div>Good to see the green world </div><div>undiscouraged, the green fire </div><div>bounding back every spring, and beyond </div><div>the tyranny of thumbs, the weeks</div><div>and other co-conspiring green genes</div><div>ganging up, breaking in, despite </div><div>small shears and kill-mowers, </div><div>ground gougers, seed-eaters. </div><div>Here they come, sudden as graffiti </div><div> </div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326124923062595314" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdr-hS1vHaYFqi5T4AeSMHWztdtkcXj5Ep277J-7oCAAkAxsFlFztZAk0an8G3kZ4-aub9ddWfmhwTc4abiwxnZVavzP1EpX7DkvQGhpWNKy4iyzGlIUduS6LX7NFTHPW5wrZD9TpmAUQ/s400/IMG_3713.JPG" border="0" /></div><div>not there and then there-- </div><div>naked, unhumble, unrequitedly green-- </div><div>growing as if they would be trees </div><div>on any unmanned patch of earth, </div><div>any sidewalk cracked, crooning </div><div>between ties on lonesome railroad tracks. </div><div>And moss, the shyest green citizen </div><div>anywhere, dreaming between bricks </div><div>on the damp side of a shack. </div><div>.</div><div>Clear a quick swatch of dirt </div><div>and come back sooner than later </div><div>to find the green friends moved in: </div><div>their pitched tents, the first bright </div><div>leaves hitched to the new sun, new roots </div><div>tuning the subterranean flavors, </div><div>chlorophyll setting a feast of light.</div><div> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326123088185811186" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg37Ml1PQTWXMz8OT2r8tU3Ym5041LdOo76mwg3p1PCQIUioJ1X_Awv8RDxVFx3igXZ2b06mDXCKVR3_1R1l5OkeL3MEqsNke0MnaXPRTG8mluaynjpcCb27rcpQrf2vY9tqZLCeiAm_wI/s400/IMG_3897.jpg" border="0" /></div><div> </div><div>Is it possible to be so glad? </div><div>The shoots rising in spite of every plot </div><div>against them. Every chemical stupidity, </div><div>every burned field, every better </div><div>home & garden finally overrun </div><div>by the green will, the green greenness </div><div>of green things growing greener. </div><div>The mad Earth publishing </div><div>Her many million murmuring </div><div>unsaids. Look </div><div>.</div><div>how the shade pours </div><div>from the big branches -- the ground, </div><div>the good ground, pubic </div><div>and sweet. The trees -- who </div><div>are they? Their stillness, that </div><div>long silence, the never </div><div>running away.<br /><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdtVuxmCsmUKr0daFkgkAtzCYBaPG3Pfx86DvwhMkDIiiRLiRP03WXbaRX5mLE5XliCaqO7Neby79kq1TQHsuXlh5jx-iAXLCpLIA9NeWsO080gjUonZbRG1hBgclhkBgv2sTbhMbPiZo/s1600-h/IMG_3925.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5326122355558146034" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 315px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdtVuxmCsmUKr0daFkgkAtzCYBaPG3Pfx86DvwhMkDIiiRLiRP03WXbaRX5mLE5XliCaqO7Neby79kq1TQHsuXlh5jx-iAXLCpLIA9NeWsO080gjUonZbRG1hBgclhkBgv2sTbhMbPiZo/s400/IMG_3925.jpg" border="0" /></a></div></div></div>Kathryn and Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15428974324817935286noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808550287150936588.post-72831315725112484512009-04-14T19:37:00.010-04:002009-04-15T08:10:53.650-04:00Advice for Bo, The White House Dog<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKXi7ZpfbdPd_ZSOschdMtlwy9NKfj_0mcJoD7pZ0v6abF_cEgcF5uKvtmoWY97ZeiTyZpHPoBcN0Ci1wTXRiX5OSJKdrbWRfXXR9u1P0mWyw2wZZ1JfQrfuvQqZCPlPSP1cnCQmlypX4/s1600-h/bo_running_blog.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324697283061440194" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKXi7ZpfbdPd_ZSOschdMtlwy9NKfj_0mcJoD7pZ0v6abF_cEgcF5uKvtmoWY97ZeiTyZpHPoBcN0Ci1wTXRiX5OSJKdrbWRfXXR9u1P0mWyw2wZZ1JfQrfuvQqZCPlPSP1cnCQmlypX4/s400/bo_running_blog.jpg" border="0" /></a> <div><div>Dear Bo,</div><br /><div>Congratulations on becoming the first dog. Frankly, we have no idea what that must feel like. But we do know a few things about being a rowdy puppy. Forgive our hubris, but we thought we might offer you a little advice.</div><div></div><br /><div>First, you're going to need to figure out where the humans keep the snacks. Probably, that's going to involve a fair amout of subterfuge on your part, since we suspect there are several layers of paid humans working to keep you separated from the really good stuff. But if Ari can get catfood off of the top shelf of a locked closet, we know you'll be able to figure it out. And when you do, don't forget to gorge. Dainty grazing is totally over-rated.</div><div></div><br /><div>Secondly, the best way to get attention is by taking things the humans really like or need. In our house, that's usually books or wool socks. In yours, it'll probably be more along the lines of Mideast peace accords. Anything with a national seal on it will probably subsitute in a pinch.</div><div></div><br /><div>Third. Work on your best winsome stare. You'd be amazed how effective it is--even on steely world leaders. Rubbing your snout with your front paws or flopping onto your back with a sigh works, too. Don't underestimate the importance of learning cute well: once you've mastered #1 and #2, you're going to need this extra skill.</div><div></div><br /><div>Fourth. Master the art of timing. As any good actor knows, it's positively crucial. Decide you need to pee just after the State dinner has begun. Be sure to yowl during the climax of the important speech. Wait to race around the White House lawn until the military helicopter has landed and your humans have boarded.</div><div></div><br /><div>Speaking of that White House lawn, don't forget to explore every single inch of it. And remember the most important rule of all: if it smells bad, eat it. If it smells really really bad, roll in it. </div><div></div><div>Good luck. We think you have the makings of a great caninaturalist.</div><div></div><br /><div>K&A<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324697172989489858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 399px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 197px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwrJUhl4eF_Il7yBLhIALCcnHslMrxttsH5npwItv82PcJIbWpVVERPp8O0OjX8r5JmDeM0Et2aIqu8Lrms5MDaNML1nTlY9g2vgRAjpbeTweoXYAsWkntp7fJ8Nmhjqw-UJaU0RFaE4A/s400/capt_a5edb9bf136c4277bb4d40575e971373_us_obama_dog_debut_whcd111.jpg" border="0" /></div></div>Kathryn and Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15428974324817935286noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808550287150936588.post-56735250635379058012009-04-11T14:28:00.005-04:002009-04-11T14:46:19.787-04:00Click and Treat<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkhcsM2G2uJOQNRU019qmEh99tnFMVa1LQytLKWSkprCHPddeKw_HdR2WeofBnzYf6NSca9BlMaADCvXHXp3YVbDEiCO7hueIthmolQQwwqOSZeUBOMzlpcH9j7j5EPnyZ-34bM5ob_AM/s1600-h/IMG_2175.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323502980714373442" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 311px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkhcsM2G2uJOQNRU019qmEh99tnFMVa1LQytLKWSkprCHPddeKw_HdR2WeofBnzYf6NSca9BlMaADCvXHXp3YVbDEiCO7hueIthmolQQwwqOSZeUBOMzlpcH9j7j5EPnyZ-34bM5ob_AM/s400/IMG_2175.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><blockquote>High: 45 °F<br />Low: 24 °F<br />Conditions: Mostly Cloudy<br /></blockquote><br /><br /><br />It is a simple yet brilliant premise: behavior + click = treat. You can call it postive reinforcement or operant conditioning. You can call it bribery for all we care. Here at caninaturalist central, we know it as only one thing: the best way to achieve harmony within our home.<br /><br /><br />Although she might not always act like it, Ari has graduated from multiple dog school sessions--multi-week courses ranging from basic behaviors, to "clicks and tricks," even to (my favorite) "manners for the real world." Did we pass with flying colors? Definitely not. Did we need extra credit whenever we could get it? Absolutely. We're probably never going to pass our canine good citizen test, but we at least internalized the basic premise of each of these courses: do something good, and you get a treat.<br /><br /><br />These are words to live by at our house.<br /><br /><br />But what if you do something and your human isn't there to see it? Say, you resist the urge to chase a feline housemate. Or you bark at the UPS guy who has the audacity to leave a package on your door. Or you achieve a perfect sprawl across the bed that really, when it comes right down to it, is nothing short of art. No one was there to click that behavior. But you're sure--no, make that <em>absolutely certain</em>--that the human would have done so if she had seen it. And you also know perfectly well that a click is always, always, always followed by a treat.<br /><br /><br />The human's not there to do that part, either. But you're a good dog, right? And good dogs get treats, right? And if you happen to know where those treats are kept (and your HULA membership is still all new and shiney), then who could possibly blame you for doing a little self treating? Just a biscuit. Or two. Or ten. It's like homework, right? Or maybe even an independent study. And you know for a fact that it was well deserved.<br /><br /><br />Surely any reasonable human can't argue with that kind of logic, right?<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323503315660063714" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpzAFoA9RB0pAVH6Sd6r4smw0tDXsgAFpx4hLIEcDmW8lU0W9owBcs-pCMKiI3t0UUHTgPsHXNsTxsnRvTo2TXWv0tl6K9l0NgqKSnq2JJOC4YXcvzkqMM44uhPBcXaHcx_yxAIA03qOg/s400/IMG_3910.jpg" border="0" />Kathryn and Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15428974324817935286noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808550287150936588.post-68054617703176329062009-04-06T06:35:00.000-04:002009-04-06T06:35:00.961-04:00The LaunchThis past week was the launch of our new book, <em>Adventures with Ari: A Puppy, A Leash, and Our Year Outdoors</em>. Sponsored by Unity College, the event included a reading and book signing, plenty of time for the canine naturalist to mingle with her guests, and great food (including bone-shaped cookies for the humans). Here are some photos from the event:<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319303123944754418" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir7H1SniQ8TJbylPPZxiEEHwIvvKuuRe0INCFsDZaQOVbqDfpTv7zvidMmBZWVkCMgZngztNDNe2C0eFsCGGTidmWb8wVFk3Bu765MgnH9ho7bxn_c-IAn1BUGQlxUGgJ-1h2dwvUuXLg/s400/IMG_3757.JPG" border="0" /> <div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319303557006427538" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie8_uXldZSrIqOThMdovyr19gnPQTZxPXn83nbtgUuL_xsONuYWABU2VoVKGdKLbEktSfq7lMkCyIN8dJy4C7a3oW3hiSzfqo7CzHZn3yH59LE7ojaCsWIotdvXkT71643Q1dno9x6GiM/s400/IMG_3772.JPG" border="0" /></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319303794253507570" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizsrTiuXJalXshqfJT8z_5To6HYhprkII9acltPwY29oSAso8LLq4qSPciSW0Y2VTmLOTpP566RkvpFeaT3IxCuocfRDTOklJyElzb6wbDQLwPrn1k7FAVBhhyaNJmUYwCUSlPhGZ5Vv4/s400/IMG_3773.JPG" border="0" /></div><div> </div><div> </div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319302855899066034" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 322px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJh_EM-Wq1Jazn4Viq-6-t5JWDrX8UYCQImGqob1gSTlDR0g19ohnoC3v_1uDyXg8JgdmDV7uzSviFHJddt_kuEJRuLiPB04_dYvaOoFhexUiQ9ozMEVpyhHmeRcNejaEjgiW141MX-G4/s400/IMG_3759.jpg" border="0" /></div><div> </div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319302558841443298" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Q7LCBrJmhBWc70PvOW02RKwqrpk3DiX0ofScAsvI-9jRdUfEISZKbxfS08tvlk7xpKZH2v8-GngdrsYpDyWOGmR7M7gno0CJO77QWx0eCcvH9rQatK7ENrv4YE2Izo8akVT6yu1yP5g/s400/IMG_3782.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319302276433628914" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMKLu_skvlwD4Drlc5xO4oWkgwrw2JysXRlb5MQKGoQSg_kTVlz6EEyuZj3cDYNI5de9pmv0_to8GWMZTfU2Bt_fFlNazZBunHCFF5wSULB2smwLevTaHFlIAn93Jb0PxUK2ROL9BIEao/s400/IMG_3753.JPG" border="0" /></div>Kathryn and Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15428974324817935286noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808550287150936588.post-3005755555051471992009-04-03T07:00:00.000-04:002009-04-03T07:00:01.159-04:00canis familiaris?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKufZUMBRV2UshmnlTBxzTXKKRaDlBOjoN2FYmB5-2JVywZH-9fRK5_uLuxn3Wwbc_7seUx0k2O9eH70HC2ugzkQf4Hfkj3hS9-YXIFFvTbn6FbKp9DTNA8n3bw6mKpDRmPQ1yVL31H1s/s1600-h/red+fox.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319178459881855202" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 272px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKufZUMBRV2UshmnlTBxzTXKKRaDlBOjoN2FYmB5-2JVywZH-9fRK5_uLuxn3Wwbc_7seUx0k2O9eH70HC2ugzkQf4Hfkj3hS9-YXIFFvTbn6FbKp9DTNA8n3bw6mKpDRmPQ1yVL31H1s/s400/red+fox.jpg" border="0" /></a> <blockquote>High 53 °F<br />Low 35 °F<br />Conditions: Rain likely.</blockquote><br />The fox appeared mid-way through the play session. It was late afternoon at the dog park--an acre or so of fenced in area bordered on two sides by busy roads, one by a small private airport, and the other by brush, bog, and a few trees. It was from the last of these that he appeared. Slinking and low on his haunches, he lugged his enormous tail (longer than his body in fact) through the tangle of raspberries and towards the dog park fence.<br /><br />The three humans froze, mid conversation. They watched him creep along the length of the fence, then stop. “Will the dogs notice?” asked the man. We turned to see. The cocker spaniel and lab were oblivious to the visitor. So too was the canine naturalist—at least at first.<br /><br />Maybe the winds changed. Or the hair on the back of her neck rose like it does when you know someone is watching you. Something like that, anyway. She whipped her head around in the direction of the fox, took one sniff of the air, and raced towards the fence.<br /><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319179106411745810" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGv_T4T3LNAev8VN8cpiHCtW_M5otls4PpBMygQXAemSxq7uO1_BNIONiB9jrBl_JMXompTUVTTizZzYc47SYWu2kIZDbHXgXUOUI8WI22Zr3Wdagv7Otfu9CO_bM2VWKycwTt53fiSDQ/s400/IMG_0558.JPG" border="0" /><br />We’ve written before about the fox family that lives in a pasture near our home. We’ve told you before about how Ari and the kits have a confused—but friendly—relationship. They look similar and sometimes even behave the same way. That makes them think that maybe they could be friends. But it never works, since she is hooked to a leash (and a human) and, in truth, they are very different species.</p><p><br />That seemed to be the way we were heading at the dog park, too. When Ari raced towards the fence, the fox began to bolt. But instead of retreating to the bramble and the trees, he stopped about 50 yards from the fence. He sat, ears erect, and watched Ari. Ari smiled and gave her best yodel.</p><p>That’s when things got interesting.</p><p>The fox responded with one of his own. Ari pawed at the fence. The fox rolled in the snow. Ari yodeled louder. The fox returned the greeting. And so it continued: one clowning move, met by another. </p><p>It was only the arrival of another human, along with her car and dog, that broke up the session: sending the fox back into the wild world he normally inhabits, and leaving us to wonder what this chance encounter might mean.</p>Kathryn and Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15428974324817935286noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808550287150936588.post-57796322022741664222009-03-30T09:32:00.005-04:002009-03-30T09:50:51.346-04:00We did it!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs1wrsNM4MbUyNXATsC9d1VswrC6KgD_nC4hj6sCAkbz5MZ14HmnvUqkkNCHRYA6bGV2584bksTE_JAfyFEbxRNICpWJgSURdo4FJ9QNDl4qJYlxqxf1yvIpQbap0gF9ygLfIRchyphenhyphenAM0w/s1600-h/hula.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318974417043013778" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 226px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 173px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs1wrsNM4MbUyNXATsC9d1VswrC6KgD_nC4hj6sCAkbz5MZ14HmnvUqkkNCHRYA6bGV2584bksTE_JAfyFEbxRNICpWJgSURdo4FJ9QNDl4qJYlxqxf1yvIpQbap0gF9ygLfIRchyphenhyphenAM0w/s400/hula.jpg" border="0" /></a> There's a moment in every dogs' life when they realize the dream of their species. Maybe a lab makes the perfect catch while launching himself off of a dock into a summer lake; a beagle tracks deer for miles and miles, abandoning her owners for the afternoon while she finally gets the chance to follow her nose and all of its magical powers. And then. . .<br /><br />And then there is the husky.<br /><br /><br />Sure, huskies like to play in snow. And many relish the opportunity to tie into a team of yowling brethren and race across a frozen lake. This is not, however their <em>raison d'etre</em>. No, as any human living with a husky will tell you, this breed has one--and only one--true reason for being: rampant destruction.<br /><br /><br />Now, as many of you know, Ari is only half husky. The rest of her DNA is Korean jindo, a dog known for being both serious and sensitive. Think of it as the angel on her right shoulder, the voice of reason in an otherwise devious mind. So Ari had to work extra hard--and extra long--before she was final able to embrace her full husky self. That's why our fellow dog bloggers were so thrilled with our recent soup incident. And why she has finally earned the highest possible honor for any husky: membership into HULA.<br /><br /><br />Needless to say, we were overjoyed when we received our notification. Here's what Queen Meeshka wrote:<br /><br /><br /><blockquote>"Dear Ari,<br /><br />HULA membership requires a lot of dedication, evil plotting and planning, and finally; devious deeds to drive your humans insane. I had to say that when I read the tale of the soup... I piddled in the human woman's chair. It is so fiendish and clever that it would be an injustice not to welcome you into the HULA Hoop.<br /><br />Display your certificate with pride... or rip it to shreds, whatever makes you happy, and welcome to the HULA Hoop.<br /><br />Meeshka"<br /></blockquote><br /><br /><br />Knowing Ari, the certificate will probably be shredded eventually. But for now, we are honored to display it here, along with our pride in a breed fully realized.<br /><br /><br />K&A<br /><blockquote><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318976924731483762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 338px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1gAB8HJVOv8XwjJmCO7Xbaz4Sg86m9no2qL_IUBtA6BPMJgp91084VWM1USJuHVjbGyzqvWb3XIftLBlMvPYGGSWz4Jt53TWvf1iCLo0UzkzVE2Z_NVzvZZhenHg2RpV_U3tFiIvEP5M/s400/IMG_2984.jpg" border="0" /></blockquote>Kathryn and Arihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15428974324817935286noreply@blogger.com19