In For a Landing – Day 1020

Posted on August 28, 2021August 28, 2021 by Lisa Weikel Leave a comment

Snowy Owl Coming In For a Landing – Photo: L. Weikel

In For a Landing

A line of thunderstorms came through our area just as the sun was contemplating setting. Besides billowing harbingers of potential mayhem and torrential downpours, one scenario depicted in the sky was a snowy owl coming in for a landing.

I’d actually just completed closing Sacred Space following a session with a client when a deep and prolonged rumble of thunder rippled out across the sky. Stepping outside, I got goosebumps when I took in the scenario unfolding above my head.

Sometimes it doesn’t matter whether anyone else can see what you see. Not if the magic of a moment infuses with you awe. Or hope. Or maybe even the tiniest sliver of a sense of being part of something much greater than the superficial illusions that we normally chase and often cherish.

Besides these clouds, there were a few rainbow moments that, oddly, appeared to be less a rainbow and more a multicolored bar. I couldn’t manage to get a photo of it fast enough, but the traditional colors of a rainbow made a brief appearance in the sky sporting the sharp, clean, rectangular edges of…a flag. Or a banner. It seemed more a statement than a wish.

I was so frustrated that I missed the shot.

Speaking the Truth – Photo: L. Weikel

An Evening Chorus

The last several nights have been deathly silent as I wrote my posts. Those moments when the rain wasn’t falling and tink, tink, tinking on the metal casing of our window air conditioner, the air was still and close. The atmosphere was super-saturated (my skin’s assessment, not a meteorologically defined status statement) and no self-respecting insect, plant, or animal wanted to exert an ounce of unnecessary energy in pursuit of movement or song.

But tonight is different. Perhaps this shift will last and the weight of fearing to embrace change will lift from our psyches. It’s up to us to give our true selves permission to sing, just as the voices of the katydids, crickets, and annual cicadas are nearly deafening this evening.

We’re being pushed to question the way we’ve been doing a lot in our lives. What beliefs do we hold onto until our fingers bleed? Where do we place our faith? How do we know what’s true? What approaches to life are we so sure about that we’re willing to build our reputations on them?

What principles do we believe in so passionately that we’re finally going to risk finding our voice and speaking out?

Conversations – Photo: L. Weikel

(T-91)

Gorgeous – Day 740

Posted on November 21, 2020November 21, 2020 by Lisa Weikel Leave a comment

Our new friend – Photo: L. Weikel

Gorgeous

I was going to title this post ‘Reputation,’ since that’s the keyword attributed to Skunk in my tried and true Medicine Cards* by Jamie Sams and David Carson. But after I looked at the photos I have to share, there really is only one word that comes to mind. Gorgeous.

Just look at this amazing creature. I can only presume this is the same one that got spooked last week (and let it’s displeasure be known) when Spartacus suddenly bounded in its direction. Clearly Spartacus’s presence has not dissuaded it from finding the plethora of sunflower seeds much to its liking and well worth the stress of dealing with a cat and a dog that uncannily resemble some of its closest relatives. (What is it with us and black-and-white pets?)

In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised to discover that Cletus and our Skunk Friend are involved in a little inter-species flirtation. They bear an uncanny resemblance to each other. In fact, I saw Stinky bolt from underneath the feeders, waddling furiously to take refuge, alarmingly, underneath my car. Had I not seen Cletus bound down the flagstone path only moments before, I would have assumed it was he and not given it another thought. They’re almost identical in size and fluff.

But just look at this skunk’s luxurious pelt! Its back is almost entirely white with a black stripe – as opposed to black with a white stripe – and its ample and impressive tail is adorned with a flourish of brilliance.

Adorable – Photo: L. Weikel

Sassy and Adorable

What gets me is the sassy and adorable attitude. I know I should be viewing this beautiful beast’s presence in our yard with more dismay, but I can’t. I love that it’s sharing space with us, at least for the time being. I just hope Spartacus has learned to be at least a bit more circumspect when catching sight of it.

And it most definitely feels quite at home. The other night, when I took these photos, it initially loped in a frenzy to take refuge underneath my car. But it bravely peeked out and waddled back toward the porch where I was standing within less than a minute. I was astonished.

I took a cute little video of it meandering around the yard. It didn’t seem to mind at all that I’d flooded the area with light from the garage and porch. It ventured over our Hill of Moss and trotted through piles of leaves, stopped to sniff and snuffle at the base of our maple tree until nonchalantly returning to the source of its evening repast: our birdfeeders. All the while, I sat on the porch videoing and photographing it.

I was reminded of the hilarious video about the honey badger. Honey Badger “just don’t give a shit” – and neither does our resident skunk.

There’s a lesson here for me – and probably a lot of us. Perhaps on a lot of levels. I just know it.

Just look at that tail – Photo: L. Weikel

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(T-371)

Stinky Surprise – Day 729

Posted on November 10, 2020November 10, 2020 by Lisa Weikel 2 Comments

Stinky Surprise

Everybody chime in with me: “If it’s not one thing…” Yeah. If it’s not one thing, it’s another. And we actually encountered a handful of circumstances today that would fit that bill, the latest (but a mere 90 minutes or so ago) was a most stinky surprise.

You can guess what happened. We were watching an episode of one of our latest distractions (Patriot, a quirky and unpredictable series on Amazon Prime), when Spartacus woke up and asked to go out. Karl did his bidding and opened the kitchen door, whereupon Spartacus took off like a shot.

Now, we routinely try to make sure there aren’t critters hanging around the yard when we let Spart out, but sometimes we forget to check. He’s had a couple of encounters with opossums, raccoons, and deer – but it’s been a while since he’s encountered a stinky surprise. (Thank goodness, I might add.)

But alas…

Good Boy

I could tell Karl sensed trouble was ahead just by the tone of his voice as he called out to Spartacus. When I jumped up and joined Karl, calling to him, I saw that he was trotting up toward the house like a good boy. While seeming a bit reticent, like maybe he knew he might’ve done something he knew he regretted but wasn’t quite sure, he entered the kitchen and headed toward his water bowl.

The skunk stink wafted into the kitchen like PigPen’s cloud of dust as he passed by me. But his fur wasn’t ruffled, and he didn’t have the same ‘look’ about him as the last time he got skunked. Clearly, he’d been in the vicinity of a spooked skunk. But had he been nailed? It looked like he’d endured a ‘near miss.’

I’ve had to deal with these circumstances before, so I knew if he was the victim of a direct hit, I’d have to run out to the grocery or drug store for a couple of bottles of hydrogen peroxide. Sadly, because this isn’t our first rodeo (with Sheila too – she was no angel in her younger years), I knew the remedy of bathing in tomato juice is ineffective. Nope, I had direct experience with this recipe, and I know it works.

Slightly (But Enough!) Stinky Boy – Photo: L. Weikel

Tangential Hit

We quickly herded Spart back outside onto the porch. Walking out the door, it was as if we were walking into a cloud. Precious was on the porch, looking totally freaked out, and Cletus was nowhere to be found. I got down on my hands and knees and put my nose right up to Spart’s fur (a dangerous undertaking, believe me). It wasn’t him; or at least it wasn’t a direct hit. It almost seemed as if he may have walked through the spray after the fact. I did notice his mouth seemed to be watering a bit, but sniffing his head and neck, it didn’t seem to be giving off any greater amount of stink than anywhere else.

The mouth watering worried me, though. While I was glad that at least it wasn’t in his eyes, it did look like he might’ve gotten a mouthful. Ack! The last time he got majorly nailed by a skunk, his entire face, including his eyes, nose and mouth had been drenched. And his stench had been so powerful at that time that I’d nearly passed out while trying to clean him up.

The Remedy

While utterly and disconcertingly smelly, I still don’t think he sustained a direct hit. Although I will confess, I mixed up some of the remedy* (baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and a little bit of shampoo) and washed his face and mouth, and even down his back. Sadly, and somewhat inexplicably, I can still smell it.

Whether it was a direct or tangential hit, the skunk definitely made its presence known. And of course me being me, I am compelled to consider the potential message it was bringing. Skunk is all about reputation – having self-confidence in your own abilities and gifts and realizing that your ‘reputation precedes you.’ Perhaps we might benefit from reflecting on how our self-esteem is holding up?

Whatever. If it’s not one thing…