razor, barbed wire

When we visited my family in the Central Valley this past holiday, Andy took a short run around the couple blocks or so in the neighborhood. While my adoptive kin own large, fancy, enviable houses, Andy noticed razor wire strung along the fence of a daycare center and the homeless people who were very friendly to him. My family joked during lunch that the place he found was a "preparatory" school for what life would be like in prison. Looking back it's not that funny. It's sad. Then, later that evening I listened to stories from cousins about their experiences of loud domestic fights they heard from neighbors, such that police evacuated them in the middle of the night at gunpoint. Homelessness, razor wire around daycares, gunpoint evacuations? This doesn't seem like the US, does it? Do we put up irritating fences to keep people in or to keep them out?

http://hwyfly.blogspot.com/2011/12/little-fence-for-big-horses.html
http://dawn-dancingintherain.blogspot.com/2011/11/on-vision-and-mind.html
http://themaxefiles.blogspot.com/2011/11/urban-prison-3-hemming-us-in.html

And as an extension of these thoughts...
http://66squarefeet.blogspot.com/2011/12/mimi-needs-little-help.html
http://talesfromthecoast.blogspot.com/2011/12/things-happen.html

it's a matter of perspective/perception

http://gowestferalwoman.blogspot.com/2011/11/thankful.html
http://natureinquiries.wordpress.com/2011/11/23/winter-campfire-ahtilas-the-house/

Happy Thanksgiving!

I really love the sentimental and the creative nature blogs out there. May many blessings be with you where ever you are.

http://hwyfly.blogspot.com/2011/11/home-from-holiday.html
http://ozarktrailguide.blogspot.com/2011/11/happy-thanksgiving-im-thankful-for-this.html
http://seagullsteve.blogspot.com/2011/11/pelagic-hell.html
http://talesfromthecoast.blogspot.com/2011/11/thanks.html
http://thedragonflywoman.com/2011/11/25/thankful-entomologist/
http://northwestnaturalmoments.blogspot.com/2011/11/wild-turkeys-giving-thanks-for-simple.html
http://gallimaufrylife.blogspot.com/2011/11/thankfulness-over-knoll.html
http://bluejaybarrens.blogspot.com/2011/11/turkey-feast-and-guest.html
http://thedragonflywoman.com/2011/11/24/happy-thanksgiving/
http://ecobirder.blogspot.com/2011/11/thanksgiving-by-lucy-larcom.html
http://shootingmyuniverse.blogspot.com/2011/11/happy-thanksgiving.html
http://snailseyeview.blogspot.com/2011/11/happy-thanksgiving.html
http://flwrjane-smallbutcharming.blogspot.com/2011/11/i-like-to-be-in-america.html
http://myrmecos.net/2011/11/24/ants-overeat-too/

commentary on (over)consumption

http://phyteclub.org/2011/11/23/consume-rhymes-with-doom/
http://gallimaufrylife.blogspot.com/2011/11/heres-something-i-never-thought-would.html

snowy owls

Is it just me, or does seeing a white owl remind you of Hedwig and her reproachful looks from Harry Potter? I have another owl list o' links.

http://www.audublog.org/?p=6791
http://baron-troutbirder.blogspot.com/2012/02/owls.html
http://www.thefreequark.com/2012/02/wildlife-photography-ethics-matter/
http://seagullsteve.blogspot.com/2012/01/winter-tour-part-ii-ocean-shores.html
http://blog.patulrichphotography.com/search/label/snowy%20owl
http://billofthebirds.blogspot.com/search/label/snowy%20owl
http://hannibalsanimals.blogspot.com/2011/11/snowy-owl.html
http://jkissnhug.blogspot.com/2011/11/snowy-owl-harrison-twp.html

non-snowys:
http://kadirbekci53.blogspot.com/2011/11/doga-ve-insan.html
http://jkissnhug.blogspot.com/2011/11/barred-owl-on-bittersweet-photo-by.html

examination of leaves

I didn't read these until after I posted my bigleaf maple and CA sycamore.

http://bluejaybarrens.blogspot.com/2011/11/leaves.html
http://tmousecmouse.blogspot.com/2011/11/madrone-or-toyon-youd-think-that-would.html
http://matthewwills.com/2011/11/20/5574/
http://66squarefeet.blogspot.com/2011/11/fall-on-terrace.html

smuggling and poaching... of insects

While many people associate smuggling with illicit drugs or weapons and poaching with large animals like elephants, tigers, and sharks, few would think these illegal activities occur with insects. Here are examples of ants and butterflies on blogs:

http://antsbeesbutterfliesnature.blogspot.com/2011/11/illegal-ant-smuggling.html
http://myrmecos.net/2011/11/11/ant-smuggler-gerhard-kalytta-is-finally-caught/
http://skepticalmoth.southernfriedscience.com/2011/08/miami-blue/

Veterans Day

Thanks, Dad, Uncle Danny, and Uncle Lynn.

http://aspenimage.blogspot.com/2011/11/veterans-day-usa.html
http://flowerhillfarm.blogspot.com/2011/11/glimpses-from-edge-wildlife-sanctuary.html
http://hwyfly.blogspot.com/2011/11/veterans-day-111111.html
http://belfiebird.blogspot.com/2011/11/remembering-those-who-gave-so-much.html
http://flightplot.wordpress.com/2011/11/11/remembrance-day-2011/

Occupy the Nation

Yep, I'm a little slow on catching up with this movement. From what I've read, I agree with most of the principles. However, the specific goals as presented by the media, e.g., total debt forgiveness and $20 minimum wage, seem ill-informed.

official sites:
http://occupywallst.org/
http://www.occupythenation.com/resources/6-principles-of-solidarity-working-draft

other 99, NOT the current protest movement:
http://www.whatisthe99.com/about.html
http://the99percent.com/
http://www.99wallstreet.com/

blogs:
http://jeffputz.com/blog/when-the-only-story-is-civil-disobedience-you-have-an-annoyance-not-a-movement
http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/2011/11/23/proper-pesticide-application/
http://drystonegarden.com/index.php/2011/11/occupy-oakland-with-gardens/
http://littermob.blogspot.com/2011/11/occupy-woodland.html
http://myrmecos.net/2011/11/20/i-was-wrong-about-occupydavis/
http://deepseanews.com/2011/11/octopi-wall-street/
http://deepseanews.com/2011/10/we-are-the-99/
http://myrmecos.net/2011/10/30/why-i-support-the-99-movement/
http://drystonegarden.com/index.php/2011/10/occupied-berkeley/
http://hwyfly.blogspot.com/2011/10/99.html

Halloween

Is it just me, or is Halloween becoming a bigger "holiday" these days?

http://falltoclimb.wordpress.com/2011/10/31/happy-halloween/
http://curbstonevalley.com/blog/?p=8068
http://phyteclub.org/2011/10/31/acid-casualties-claviceps-purpurea-and-the-salem-witch-trials/
http://marinecology.blogspot.com/2011/10/happy-halloween-wildlife-cam-style.html
http://bluejaybarrens.blogspot.com/2011/10/halloween-2011.html
http://wanderinweeta.blogspot.com/2011/10/scaring-ducks.html
http://shootingmyuniverse.blogspot.com/2011/11/el-dia-de-los-muertos.html
http://shootingmyuniverse.blogspot.com/2011/10/happy-halloween.html
http://nwdragonflier.blogspot.com/2011/10/halloween-fun.html
http://www.audublog.org/?p=6126