Red Foot or Big Foot

I currently volunteer in a Florida State Park.  There is no pay but I am provided a spot to camp in the park. This is the view of my backyard as seen  from my bed when I roll up the window shade in the morning. 


Keeping Warm...

We had a delightful French Canadian couple in the campground with a small Class B camper van.  In the cool dark evenings they built a camp fire. Apparently an opossum found them congenial too.  She spent her evenings sitting  by their camp fire with them.

Teenagers and Giggling Bears...

When they first showed me their contraption, I laughed but had no idea what they were up to.

They made a science project of a big empty 33 ounce coffee can and a wet shoe lace. From what I understand you use a nail to knock a hole in the bottom of the empty coffee can, then thread the shoe lace through the hole, tying a knot so the lace won't fall out. You hold the lace with your thumb and forefinger, scraping your thumbnail on the lace. The can amplifies a wild animal noise such as a bear grumbling. Different things makes alternative noises, you can use a rubber band or a rawhide shoelace.

After dark the teens took a hike around the campground road, with their bear growling coffee can. Apparently a few tent campers were a bit alarmed.  The next day it was the talk of the campground. "Did you hear that growling?" But someone else pointed out that  besides the bear growling, they could hear muffled snickers and giggles.

Puppy Love...

Harley has a new girlfriend this week. She is a 6 pound short haired chihuahua named Gizmo.

Santa Paws Came Early...

Two different campers gave Harley a new  toy. How does he do it?  Talk about wrapping people around his wittle paw!


Red Foot or Big Foot...

I saw something huge and red run past in the woods. Harley was barking like crazy.  It was much too tall to be a deer. But later on I had second thoughts. Maybe it was a mega buck running.   Maybe it was a reindeer flying by. I have seen deer run for their life with a coyote on their heels when I was in northeast Georgia. I was super impressed because the deer take big flying leaps that make you think they are trying to take flight. Still, whatever we saw, was BIG.

Raccoon Mischief...

In the campground where I am a volunteer workamper, there is a raccoon who tries to open the large hinged heavy lid to the garbage can. I hear "Bang! Bang!  Bang!"  The raccoon is no longer afraid of me merely shining a flashlight on him. Now he just sits there waiting for me to turn the light off.

So the other night, rather annoyed by his banging and Harley's barking, I went outside to shine my flashlight on him. He didn't run off. So I growled at the top of my lungs.

He scampered away.

Perhaps i will make my own coffee can contraption.


Monkeys on the Loose...

Something big swings through the trees at night. Could it be a bobcat or a monkey on the loose?  Bobcats may climb trees but I doubt they swing from tree to tree.  A little research has turned up that indeed Florida does have wild monkeys on the loose. Some are decedents from those imported by Colonel Tooey in the 20's or 30's. He put them on an island near  Silver Springs, so folks could see them during their jungle cruises he was running up until the mid 80's or so.  The  monkeys escaped from the island, taking up residence along the Silver River.

Another troop of monkeys  are reported to have escaped from a roadside circus or zoo a few years back.

Monkey Nickname...

Harley dog is affectionately called Monkey by some of his friends.