Nature

[medtran49]

When DD was about 6 months old, my ex had to go to Chicago on business for a good while so he brought us along. We went to the zoo there and went into the petting zoo area. I had dressed her in a very pretty red dress with white lace trim, and her panties over her diaper were red with her behind covered with rows and rows of white lace. I was carrying her and we were feeding the baby goats, which she got quite a kick from. Then, she started squirming and fussing. We couldn't figure out what was wrong, as she'd stop for a few minutes and then would start again. Finally, I felt a tiny little hoof on my thigh, twisted around and the baby goat twisted with me because its teeth were attached to her panties. Apparently they'd been nibbling on her behind hard enough for her to feel it, though she wasn't bruised or anything and only a little bit of lace had been pulled loose. I got a kick out of retelling that story every time we took her to the zoo as she got older.

 

[ElizabethB]

When DD was about 6 months old, my ex had to go to Chicago on business for a good while so he brought us along. We went to the zoo there and went into the petting zoo area. I had dressed her in a very pretty red dress with white lace trim, and her panties over her diaper were red with her behind covered with rows and rows of white lace. I was carrying her and we were feeding the baby goats, which she got quite a kick from. Then, she started squirming and fussing. We couldn't figure out what was wrong, as she'd stop for a few minutes and then would start again. Finally, I felt a tiny little hoof on my thigh, twisted around and the baby goat twisted with me because its teeth were attached to her panties. Apparently they'd been nibbling on her behind hard enough for her to feel it, though she wasn't bruised or anything and only a little bit of lace had been pulled loose. I got a kick out of retelling that story every time we took her to the zoo as she got older.

How long did it take her to begin rolling her eyes and saying MOM!

 

[JAS_OH1]

That usually happens around the age of 12, LOL!

 

[Milkduds]

Okay see that is why I never go camping or boating. No way in freaking double $#@* . If I can't have a hotel room I am staying home.

 

[ElizabethB]

Okay see that is why I never go camping or boating. No way in freaking double $#@* . If I can't have a hotel room I am staying home.

Camping at my age - not unless it is in a luxury motor home. Which will never happen since those things cost as much as a house.
When we were younger - much younger - we had a slide in camper that slid into the bed of G old F150 pickup truck. We actually had some very nice trips. We tent camped - once.
Now - I want a hotel room with room service and a spa or a cruise where I am waited on hand and foot.
Spoiled? You bet. At my age I deserve the best life has to offer - or the best that we can afford.

 

[JAS_OH1]

Absolutely. When I was in my teens and early 20s I could sleep on anything. Over the decades I have evolved into a Temperpedic mattress and I can't imagine sleeping in a tent in a sleeping bag. I also cannot do without hot water or proper air conditioning (or heating).

We went white water rafting a few years back and spent the night in a small "cabin" near the river and it was awful, the worse bed I have ever slept in. Never again.

 

[rascal]

When DD was about 6 months old, my ex had to go to Chicago on business for a good while so he brought us along. We went to the zoo there and went into the petting zoo area. I had dressed her in a very pretty red dress with white lace trim, and her panties over her diaper were red with her behind covered with rows and rows of white lace. I was carrying her and we were feeding the baby goats, which she got quite a kick from. Then, she started squirming and fussing. We couldn't figure out what was wrong, as she'd stop for a few minutes and then would start again. Finally, I felt a tiny little hoof on my thigh, twisted around and the baby goat twisted with me because its teeth were attached to her panties. Apparently they'd been nibbling on her behind hard enough for her to feel it, though she wasn't bruised or anything and only a little bit of lace had been pulled loose. I got a kick out of retelling that story every time we took her to the zoo as she got older.

I was attacked by a kangaroo in Sydney on one of my first trips there. Luckily staff were on hand, but gave me a hell,of a fright. My kids still laugh about it.lol.

Russ

 

[rascal]

Lake Martin is not far. A few miles away, just off of the Old Breaux Bridge highway. It is a lake but feels like a swamp. Mostly shallow water, lots of old, moss draped, Cypress trees. It is an attraction. White Herons and Roseate Spoonbills nest in the Cypress trees. It is also home to some very large, very old alligators. The road is on a levee with the lake on the left and camps on the right. The camps range from shacks to mini mansions - all on pillars.
A spring picnic to Lake Martin is kind of a tradition. For decades there was a huge, ancient, bull alligator, partially submerged near the levee. He was easy to find because he was always in a 50 - 60 yard area of the levee. He was a majestic creature. A few years ago we could not find the Old Man. Nor the next year or the year after. On a whim we took a Swamp Tour. Not one on an obnoxious air boat. A flat bottom boat with a 15 hp motor. Our guide was amazing. He had degrees in both Zoology and Botany, focused on regional flora and fauna. I asked him about the Old Man. His response brought me to tears.
The Old Man had gotten into the habit of crossing the levee. He ate several camp owner's pets - mostly dogs. Push came to shove when a curious child encountered the Old Man. Fortunately the child's family was near by, snatched up the child and drove off the Old Man with heavy branches. An alligator is capable of running at 35 MPH. If every threatened by an alligator run as fast as you can in a zig-zag pattern. Alligators are fast in a straight line but can not make quick adjustments to direction.
I am off track.
After the incident with the child Wild Life and Fisheries got involved. Instead of moving the Old Man to another, remote location he was killed.
A moment of silence, please.
What a horrible thing.
Even after three years our guide was livid. He has guided and fished Lake Martin for decades. He knew all of the resident wildlife, especially the alligators. I asked him about the size of the Old Man. He said the gator was no less than 12' maybe 13' long. The largest he had ever seen. Measure that out.
He took us off of the normal tour route to show us another abomination. The carcass of an alligator, belly up, tail hacked off. A victim of poachers.

Terrible, they move them in ozzy, even fly them out of the area. I get hedgehogs here, and the odd stray cat, although I havnt seen a cat since daughter moved in with her dog. I once had 4 cats living under my back deck. Took a week to get rid of them, it's one hell of a story too.

Russ

 

[caseydog]

Camping at my age - not unless it is in a luxury motor home. Which will never happen since those things cost as much as a house.
When we were younger - much younger - we had a slide in camper that slid into the bed of G old F150 pickup truck. We actually had some very nice trips. We tent camped - once.
Now - I want a hotel room with room service and a spa or a cruise where I am waited on hand and foot.
Spoiled? You bet. At my age I deserve the best life has to offer - or the best that we can afford.

My camping has evolved over the years, too, but not as much as yours has.

I started camping when I was about 12. It was a father/son kind of thing, minus my father. I went with other kids and their dads. I had good and bad experiences, but learned a lot, and by the time I was an adult, it was almost all good.

In my 20s and 30s, it was all tent camping -- sometimes backpacking deep into the woods. I worked for REI (a coop for camping, cycling, climbing, paddle-sports and other outdoor adventure sports). They carry the best of the best, and I got it for 30-percent off current pricing, including sale pricing. My backpacking tent weighed 2.8 pounds, my sleeping bag is (I still have it), 2.2 pounds. I also had a car-camping tent that got for 30-percent off sale price. A $600 tent for 300 bucks. I still have that, and still use it about once a year. That one weighs about 7 pounds, and can stand up to incredible winds.

As I moved into my 40s and 50s, sleeping on the ground was not what it used to be, so I built a teardrop camper. It had a sleeping compartment and a galley, covering most of my basic needs. I usually camped with other tear droppers at "gatherings" around Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana. We used our teardrops for sleeping and cooking. The rest of the time was social time, with a big, perpetual campfire. Drinking began right after breakfast. Mid afternoon was redneck margarita time...

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBm04npLu6I


Ours was built by Tony, an engineer, so it looked and worked better.

And water balloon slingshot fight time.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oI2HPutucw


Note: The balloons are biodegradable.

CD

 

[caseydog]

Terrible, they move them in ozzy, even fly them out of the area. I get hedgehogs here, and the odd stray cat, although I havnt seen a cat since daughter moved in with her dog. I once had 4 cats living under my back deck. Took a week to get rid of them, it's one hell of a story too.

Russ

We love our feral cats. When they moved in, our rat problem went away. Some nimrod neighbor called Animal Contol, and they rounded up and went to be euthanized. The rats came back. But, we are starting to see one or two new feral cats moving in.

CD

 

[rascal]

We love our feral cats. When they moved in, our rat problem went away. Some nimrod neighbor called Animal Contol, and they rounded up and went to be euthanized. The rats came back. But, we are starting to see one or two new feral cats moving in.

CD

Daughter is moving out in a few weeks, so I can expect visitors again. We have a large reserve at out back gate. Hogs and cats. I've only ever had a mouse problem once in wife's shed outside. Snap! They're gone.

Russ

 

[JAS_OH1]

Back in the 90s when I lived in NW Florida, I had dinner with some friends at their home in the country on a river. There were lots of wild boars in the area. I was leaving their home shortly after dusk in my Jeep. As I was driving down the red clay road on my way back home, I saw shining eyes ahead of me and there were 4 boars standing in the road. I stopped. They approached my vehicle fearlessly and began to rub against the bumper, scratching their hides and rocking my vehicle from side to side. Scared the heck out of me. They weren't moving and they had tusks (I was afraid they were going to puncture my tires) so I slowly started to move, and they ran off into the woods.

 

[rascal]

Back in the 90s when I lived in NW Florida, I had dinner with some friends at their home in the country on a river. There were lots of wild boars in the area. I was leaving their home shortly after dusk in my Jeep. As I was driving down the red clay road on my way back home, I saw shining eyes ahead of me and there were 4 boars standing in the road. I stopped. They approached my vehicle fearlessly and began to rub against the bumper, scratching their hides and rocking my vehicle from side to side. Scared the heck out of me. They weren't moving and they had tusks (I was afraid they were going to puncture my tires) so I slowly started to move, and they ran off into the woods.

I have some tusks here somewhere from a wild pig that charged my friends 4x4 in hokitika.

Russ

 

[JAS_OH1]

Glad your friends made it out okay. Apparently the pig did NOT.

 

[Duck59]

Various scientific studies have shown that spending a few minutes in nature every day can make a lot of difference to mental health. It doesn't even need to involve going for a walk. It's easier, of course, for those who have a garden. If you do, then letting it grow a bit wild makes a huge difference as it will attract insects and birds. We have no garden, but there are green spaces close to where we live and we usually take a little time each day to look out for anything interesting.