Beasts

Three posts coming up to leave a photo and thought record of some memorable moments over the past couple of weeks.  No particular theme except to divide them in categories of beasts, birds and blooms.  

My interpretation of the word "beast" is very broad.  Here, some photos of a cat, a rabbit, a Chihuahua, a turtle, and Black Jack.  "Beast" almost always conjures up positive images, but I include a couple of photos of a baby goose bullying some ducks.  They should theoretically have been included in the bird post, but I guess they represent one instance where "beast" has negative connotations. 

This is Jocelyn with her cat Charlotte. They live in my building, and were enjoying some outdoor time Saturday morning, along with their rescued poodle, Philip. Philip is elderly, and quite deaf.  He wandered out of range of the camera, so his picture will have to be posted another day.   I know absolutely nothing about Charlotte, except that she has a very expressive face, and she is loved.  As for Jocelyn, her expression says it all. 

A couple of weeks ago, Bill and I were walking with Black Jack and saw this little Chihuahua.  The girl said she is a "teacup" variety and was rescued from the SPCA.  I have heard there is no official breed called "teacup" and that the term is only used by backyard breeders.  Still, I am very glad this dear little dog found someone to love her.  She lives with a very large cat who declined my portrait request, wandering off, much as Philip did.  If you look closely, you can just catch a glimpse of the cat's ears.

I took the next two pictures on that same walk.  We stopped at a thrift store and I bought a navy blue cushion.  Then I stopped to buy some groceries and Bill waited with Black Jack in the park across the street.  When I returned, Bill had put the cushion on his knees, and Black Jack was enjoying her soft seat, as she checked out the nearby trees for squirrel action.  Bill always considers Black Jack's comfort, just one of the things about him that warms my heart.  I mean, think about it.  There is Bill, sitting on a hard rock, while Black Jack sits in luxury.
Here is another example of ways Bill tries to make Black Jack's life better.  He knows that, for a little dog, getting a good view of the action in trees can be quite a challenge.
Another day, I took Black Jack along Point Grey road to Tatlow Park.  She hopped across the rocks in this pond.
I've just recently become aware how comfortable she is on rocks.  I love her alert expression in this picture as she spots something of interest.
Phyllis, Bill's sister, knows much more about rabbits than I do.  She has a black and white Dutch bunny named Nudge.  Some day, if she gives me permission, I will post a picture of Phyllis riding her bike in Winnipeg, with Nudge sitting happily in the basket.  The bunny below was at Jericho Park a couple of days ago.  I am wondering if a heartless human dropped it off.  I'm worried that it will have a very difficult time surviving if it was previously a sheltered pet.  I continue to look for it, but have only seen it that one time.  Maybe, Phyllis will be able to tell me what type of rabbit it is.  Could it be a Dutch bunny?

I have never come to terms with the fact that beasts eat other beasts.  That hunting instinct is becoming more and more evident in Black Jack.  It both fascinates and saddens me.  Recently, she has begun to crouch low and creep up when she sees rabbits.  Have no fear for the rabbits.  Bill and I are both really careful to make sure Black Jack has no chance of satisfying her prey drive.
More Black Jack photos.  She loves checking out the action in the water under the bridge.
Here, she has spotted a family of geese.
I was fascinated to watch some families of ducks and geese competing for food.  Here, the photograph is quite poor, but if you click on it, you will see that a young goose is trying to intimidate the ducks.
The adult duck is telling off the adult goose at the left (who is unfortunately cut out of the picture).  I had the feeling he was saying something like, "Can't you supervise that kid of yours?"  Meanwhile, the delinquent goose continues to glower menacingly at one of the ducks. There was a time when I thought of nature as an example of harmony among living beings, but that all changed one day when I watched some seals on a rock.  There was always one climbing up to push another off.  Watching the herons at Stanley Park and the eagles on the web cam are more examples of sibling rivalry that can be lethal for those with the poor luck to hatch later. I guess all living beings have the potential to be cruel - one of those facts of life I will never be able to fully accept, as much as I understand nature's need to weed out the weak to strengthen the species.  
Last night, Bill and I walked Black Jack at Jericho.  Bill spotted this turtle, quite a distance from the pond, and pointed away from the water.  It's back was completely dried out, and we perceived it to be dying, or at least, in extreme distress.  As I have mentioned over and over, Bill is one of the truly gentle souls in this world, and one more time, my heart was warmed by his actions.  He carried the turtle to the pond, even as he pondered the wisdom of doing so.  He remembered a scene from the film March of the Penguins when one baby penguin marched in the wrong direction to certain death.  The people filming were told not to interfere with nature, and did not turn the penguin around, a small step that could have saved its life.  I don't know.  Perhaps there were good reasons why we should have left that turtle alone.  I would be interested to read your thoughts on this.
Once in the water, the turtle began to swim, but then seemed to be stuck under this heavy branch.  I used a stick to lift the branch, and it finally moved on, I'm hoping to a long and healthy life at Jericho.
I began this post thinking I would just put in the photos with very little comment.  It is interesting to me that blogs, as Jean once mentioned, "...take on a life of their own."  Stay tuned for part 2 (birds) and part 3 (blooms) in this series.  Articulating thoughts I barely knew I had is one benefit of posting, although I must add that whenever someone takes time to comment, the input makes me feel especially privileged and stimulated.