| 801 | On the Streets Blimp |
2013-04-26 |
During some recent walks, dog walks, runs, and bike rides, these are a few interesting observations ...
Blimp
Our dog, Jake rules over the backyard. He barks to scare things away - including vicious animals such as squirrels, birds, and chipmunks. At times, it seems as if he is just barking to to show us he is doing his job, patrolling his backyard.
Then, a few weeks back, we were in the backyard on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. We were busying ourselves with projects and Jake was patrolling and naturally barking. Now, this is not an uncommon occurrence. Squirrels run along a utility wire in the easement behind our house. Jake sees it as his job to warn the squirrels to stay away.
On this particular day things were a bit different, Jake would get up, walk toward the back fence, bark for a while, then stop barking and dutifully return to the back porch. A short while later he began the routine again. We really didn't think much about it, but then we finally looked to the sky and saw why he was barking. It was not a teasing squirrel, a heckling bird, or marauding chipmunk - it was instead a bright blue blimp.
The blimp was flying high overhead about a mile from the house. As the blimp flew toward us, Jake would fiercely stand his ground, courageously barking a warning. Then the blimp would turn (we assumed it was flying over some event at Vanderbilt University) and go away. Satisfied the intruder was leaving, Jake would return to the porch, that is, until the blimp circled in our direction again.
The blimp barking continued for the rest of the afternoon. The blimp was scared away each time it attempted to come our way. Good dog, Jake. Ha!
Now That's a Woman
On Tuesday I visited Pickett State Park near Big South Fork. On the drive, I took Hwy 62 from Monterey to Clarkrange. As I neared the small town of Clarkrange I saw a woman holding a massive log over her head in someone's front yard. After a quick double look, I saw that the was not a real woman. it was yard art, but it looked real and I've always heard the women are a little stronger from up on the Plateau. I have a good friend from Clarkrange, I am sure she would agree.
Street Cleaner
In front of the house last week, lay a dead squirrel. The poor guy was probably hit by a car. His remains lay on the asphalt for a short time until an opportune buzzard swooped in for lunch - the street cleaner had arrived.
The buzzard picked at the road kill for quite sometime. Of course he had to dodge rushing cars, but he remained on the scene until the job was complete.
RIP, dear squirrel and mister buzzard, thanks for cleaning up our mess.
Happy the Blimp is Coming trails
other On the Streets from the Journal
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On the Streets - Late December - 750
On the Streets - February - 774
On the Streets - Sidewalks - 856
On the Streets - Halloween 13 - 878
On the Streets - December - 890
On the Streets - Christmas '13 - 896