Another dead thing

Just in time for Hallowe'en .... I found this guy on Victoria Drive on my way home from school today (thank god the cat didn't kill him).

Based on my description over the phone, local bat nerd Mandy thinks it's a little brown bat. Update: after actually seeing the bat and pulling out her calipers and bat guide, Mandy decided it was a Myotis californicus rather than a Myotis lucifugus.

Back of wing

Front of wing with thumb at top. Are they called thumbs on bats?

Oh-so-cute bat paw.

I pinned him out and passed him onto my friend Rory who's attempting to turn his whole class into nature nerds. I figure this'll be a good Hallowe'en treat for the kiddies. The bat will be coming into a grade 7 class with me on Thursday too, so long as he doesn't start to stink too much.

A Gift

Gee Salix, Thanks.

late afternoon sunlight

trembling aspen on bracken fern

golden star moss (I'm guessing here)

River

Sometimes, if you stand on the bottom rail of a bridge and lean over to watch the river slipping slowly away beneath you, you will suddenly know everything there is to be known. ~ Winnie the Pooh

Ski Season has Begun!

Good turns and no rocks in early October. I love Revelstoke!

Dan shows off James' ancient Tua's. I thought they went well with his early 90's red and purple ski pants. Nice work on these skinnies Dan!

Salix

This is Salix. He showed up in our yard on Canada Day in 2005 and decided it was home. We had just decided not to get a cat for various reasons, so we were intent on sending him to the pound as soon as it reopened. But by the end of the 3-day weekend he had us convinced and got to stay. I'm rather smitten with him.

He is definitely an outdoor cat and is rather fond of snow, or at least he likes it a whole lot more than rain.

Looking fondly outside. Photo by Ned Woods.

Last spring he went missing. James and I were both very sad and after a few days we figured he'd been munched by a coyote, bear or cougar. Five days later he came through the cat door at 2am. He was thin and dirty, but very happy to see us. He spent the next day alternating between eating, sleeping and being unusually affectionate.

Last year he almost never slept on this cozy chair in front of the woodstove, but this year it's proven to be a favourite spot. Until yesterday... I heard a loud crash from the kitchen and he came sprinting out. He started acting all funny, yowling and limping and hiding. I guessed that he had jumped onto the woodstove and indeed I found four little claw marks on top of it this morning. He didn't do any major damage, but I think he learned a good lesson. He's still acting a bit mopey and he refuses to go into the kitchen, let alone near the stove, so he's being fed in the living room for now.

sore paw