jenaconti posted a reply in
Art and Religion about the Romanian icon I inherited from my father. I am totally blown out of the water (frozen as it is) that she was able to find out what the painting is all about. I owe you a dinner when I get to Norway, Jena! I am not religious, but was raised as a Lutheran and am aware of the role various religious beliefs and superstitions play in world culture. I appreciate the good things that have been done in the name of these beliefs and the evil that has been purveyed by these same beliefs. Mr. Spock would say that these things happen when humans are involved.
We set up the critter cam at near the site of the wolf-killed deer shortly after the incident. We checked the results a couple of days ago and had 477 pictures of deer and absolutely nothing else. The wolves moved on and the rest of the herd seems to have gotten on with their lives. Not very exciting, but often reality isn't.
Winter has been a bust this year. Hardly any snow and temperatures well above normal. The wind often blows the snow off my pastures and into the woods where it is about knee-deep. It's a pretty bleak picture. Here it is before sunrise on Friday morning.
Normally, the snow depth would be about knee-deep in the open areas and crotch-deep in the woods, but every year it just gets weirder. I got a new (used) camera a couple of weeks ago and am just starting to get the hang of it. I have big plans for getting some great shots around the neighborhood, but will have to work to get those plans to come to fruition. I was playing with it the other evening while sitting on my favorite sofa with one of my favorite cats, Orange Ruffy, He was just slightly anoyed, but tolerant of me sticking this thing in his face. Apparently, I was disturbing his hardly needed rest.
It has been a quiet week along the shore of Gitchigumi, which is just as well. The perpetrator (alleged) of the courthouse shooting died of a bacterial infection a week or two ago while in custody. The state legislature addressed courthouse security last week and measures to improve security should be implemented soon. It is still difficult to stop a determined nut case who wants to do some damage, though. Speaking of nut cases, the process of the Republican presidential nomination has has left me shaking my head in disbelief. To think there is a good possibility of these candidates leading the political structure of the U.S. is scary to say the least. They will say and do nearly anything to get a vote and deny that they have ever done anything wrong or self-serving in their pathetic lives. I think the empire is starting to crumble.
We have also had hardly any snow here and it has been unseasonably warm. We did get over a foot within the last week but we're falling back into our previous dry pattern. The winds are a-changin'.
ReplyDeleteOrange Ruffy is the perfect name for that bored little guy. He personifies disdainful tolerance. Love it!
And of course I concur with your observations about the empire. Can we sneak some smart pills into the people's water?
It's been very mild here in England too, as it is most winters, but having just come out of two cold ones you really notice it this year.
ReplyDeleteI love your cats. They have a good life.
And I watch as little about elections anywhere as possible. I know I should care more. They just always seem to have the same outcome.
CD, I wish there were a smart pill. An adequate education would be a start. Hope you are feeling better!
ReplyDeleteIRBII, the climate seems to be getting a bit more dramatic. And yes, politics can be a strain. My wife really can't stand to watch the idiocy.
Hey! Thanks for stopping by my humble blog and leaving a comment so I could find your blog. I´ve read the first few posts trying to get an idea who you are...when I read the first post on your page, I was thinking you were living in Norway when I heard the description of the winter you´re having. Ours is also weird! But now I´m gathering you´re somewhere near Canada- (north enough!) and judging by your name you´ve got Scandinavian roots if not full blooded!
ReplyDeleteI love your kitty...Cats don´t like to have their pictures taken- I´d focus your attentions on your horses and mule. Do you have any dogs? That would make my visit here complete!
Yeah, it´s not any better watching the republican race overseas either..I´m afraid the empire has been crumbling for quite some time...
Thanks again for saying hi, I´ll be back :-)
Have a great evening- Amy@Eventyrhus
Thanks for stopping by my place and adding to the Monday giggles! You are welcome anytime!!!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed hat I've read/seen here and am adding you to my list so I'll be back. So many blogs -- so little time!!!!
Amy, I have been stopping by your blog for quite some time, actually. It is a very nice blog. Faren min kommer fra Bergen men jeg bor i Minnesota. Jeg snakker og forstår bare litt Norsk. I have only one dog presently and will put his picture up soon. I have a cousin near Oslo who also has Leonbergers. Very cool dogs!
ReplyDeleteKay, I always look forward to your Monday groaners and your take on the realities of Ohio.
I'm disappointed there were no wolves on the critter cam. Was looking forward to some pictures of them. I have never seen one in the wild but even the ones in captivity have an alluring look in their eyes. Would love to meet one up close and personal on their turf.
ReplyDeleteAn old buddy and I were talking this weekend and decided that since there isn't a darned thing we can do about anything political that we were going to stop worrying about it and take it for the joke it is. Don't worry, be happy!
Mr.C., We don't see them very often, but we do hear them regularly. Especially on cool, quiet nights. I have walked in the woods and felt like I was being watched, but rarely have seen what was watching me.
ReplyDeleteLots of things to comment on here! First, you are welcome about the info on the painting, as I said, I took it as my own research project. :) I am easily fascinated I guess. As for dinner in Norway -- much too expensive! A coffee will do.
ReplyDeleteI would be over the moon with 400 + pictures of deer, but maybe that's because I never see them. I am convinced that no animals live in Norway. All the time people claim to see elk /moose? (still not sure what the English of "elg" is, but it looks like a small moose) but I always miss them.
And since you mentioned the election I'll have to put my 2 kroner in (worth way more than 2 cents! hah!) I read in Aftenposten today that Floridians are choosing Romney because he is the better businessman. It occurred to me that a business and a country are quite different species: the purpose of one is to make money, the purpose of the other is to protect itself and its people. Now my question is: who convinced (and how?) the American people that what they wanted was a business and not a nation?
Jena, A round of coffee for everyone, then! Elg is the same as moose. Ours are larger than yours, but the ones in Alaska get fairly huge. A big one here is about 1200 pounds (545 kilos). If a country keeps it people safe, healthy and well-educated, business will be able to take care of itself. Hmmm, maybe I could get a job at the agriculture school outside of Bergen taking care of the animals.
ReplyDeleteAw, you have a big orange critter as well, aren't they great! I am green eyed over your icon. I have three Russian Icons as well as a silver egg with raised embossing of religious figures. My prized possesseion is the Romanian painting smuggled out in a suitcase lining in 2003! It was a gift but evidently the government does not take kindly to art being brought out of the country without receipts of cash and provence!
ReplyDeleteEntre Nous, thanks for stopping by. Ruffy is my "buddy" cat. I don't know if the icon was a gift or if my uncle bought it, but he usually had diplomatic immunity when he was with UNESCO, so getting it out of the country would be easy enough. It does seem to have a lot more "story" than most of the other Icons I have seen.
ReplyDelete"Not very exciting, but often reality isn't"
ReplyDeleteYou have just described my life.
Love Orange Ruffy! Haha, I get it, orange roughy fish. Haha! Knee slap!
The republican candidates? Are laughable and frightening all at the same time. Agree with you completely.
Dawn, Ruffy's mother is Orange Mamalade.
ReplyDeleteWhile we do have some snow, it's not as much as usual and this winter has been mild with too much freezing rain!
ReplyDeleteOrange kitties are the best.
And the Republican nonsense boggles my mind. So much vitriol!
Thanks for commenting on my post, I was looking for you. I thought about your deer/kill situation while watching the movie "the Grey". I'm guessing the actions of the wolves weren't accurate (attacking people), but the literary metaphor was superb.
ReplyDeleteI agree. It's scary that these fella's tearing each other down are asking to be leaders of democracy. BRRRRRR.
Ah-hah. You have solved the "elg" mystery ... a tiny moose. That makes sense. Now, if I could only manage to see one someday.
ReplyDelete"If a country keeps it people safe, healthy and well-educated, business will be able to take care of itself." = socialist democracy simplified! Well said! :)
Jena, "tiny" is relative. These are all pretty big, leggy animals, but their sizes are like brown bears, size being relative to their particular habitat and race (same species, though).
ReplyDelete