The Hobbit Hole XXX - Then world behind and home ahead...

http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/ ^

[Sam Cree]

"Yes, but trust me, I have first hand experience of what it will be like."

Yeah, me too, but my in laws are now dead, luckily.

Just kidding, I wish they were still around.

[RosieCotton]

Overrated Armageddon would *not* be a good name for a band.

[SuziQ]

Yep, it's Kate. She's real cute, and she and Clare got along really well. She said that her Mom and I would get along well too, both being homeschoolers. Her Mom is flying with her down to FL, so I'll meet her later this week.

Apparently the kids (all 12 of them) are homeschooled up until 9th grade, then they're off to high school. She was funny talking about high school, because she said that sometimes she'd just get bored with class and leave! LOL! She went to a private all girls Catholic School, so I guess they didn't get too wierd about it, cause she sounds like she was a good student.

[g'nad]

She slept most of the afternoon and is up and doing much better.

better living thru narcotics...

[SuziQ]

It's the confessional culture.

[g'nad]

Hey...take a look at this and tell me what you think...

yeeesh... I needtuh take a shower...

[RosieCotton]

Oh, cool! You'll really like her mom, I think. Of course, it's been years since I last knew them very well...they actually lived in Vermont for a time, too! Their oldest is about my brother Ben's age, so the younger guys in my fammily would all play with them some of the time when I was over visiting Therese.

I knew them down to Kate, mostly...the others were born after they moved.

[JenB]

Overrated Armageddon is obviously a heavy metal band. They all wear big black wigs and a lot of mascara.

[RosieCotton]

Oooookay. This was in a recent paper back home. Is this lady a kook or what? I almost couldn't read it for laughing. I bet she thinks badgers and wolverines are cute and cuddly, too.

To the Editor:

I love coyotes. Coyotes are like wild golden retrievers or German shepherds hanging out in the woods - they are gorgeously beautiful dogs, smart, adaptable, working cooperatively in their own social groups, extraordinarily healthy - all without expensive commercial dog food and vet bills. Nature does it best, eh?

The coyotes in my woods spend much time watching me and my dogs. They know as much about me as my dogs do, as I know about myself. And I have spent a lot of time watching them, learning from them. Neat, neat animals, my favorite, of course.

Deer's worst enemy is human beings. The loss of wild habitat due to our expanding living areas, legal and illegal hunting, deer/car collisions - all these human activities take the most deer lives.

Coyotes kill very, very few deer. A mouse or rabbit scurrying by is a much simpler take than a deer. An absent-minded rabbit ... All my years of woods' experience (and I am not just in and out of the woods, I'm in there all the time), all my college studies of wolves and coyotes and every study and statistic I have ever come across, all say coyotes take very few deer, contrary to popular belief.

Popular belief said that wolves carried all kinds of plagues and diseases, that wolves killed people and stole babies from their cribs. There was a mass hysteria about wolves for centuries both here and abroad. So people exterminated them.

Now that hysteria seems applied to the coyote. I've never come across a rabid coyote, to my knowledge. Bears and moose have charged me, mink and fisher hiss and snarl at me, a raccoon once bit me, but coyotes have never shown any aggression toward me. And we are always in close proximity. Several times I have come within inches of a coyote sleeping in tall grass; they always slink away, always trying to avoid conflict.

A well-respected hunter once told me that coyotes will attack my dogs, give me rabies, and besides "they can snatch children." Kind of reminds me of my college days and the hysteria surrounding wolves ...

The deer herd on my property has approximately tripled to quadrupled this past year - and I have not killed a single coyote. Somehow, suddenly, the deer herd has rebounded from the bad winter of five or so years ago. Nature did it, not any killing on my part.

I could not look into my own dogs' eyes and truly love them if I were out there shooting their cousins, trapping them and leaving the poor things to die a miserable death in a trap, poisoning them, or whatever method people use.

Please think and act intelligently to counteract this unfounded hysteria that surrounds the beautiful coyote.

When a coyote does kill a fawn or deer, it is completely for food. Not an evil act. Coyotes never kill for sport or for a trophy.

Coyotes follow me all the time in the woods, and I feel so privileged. Go out there and experience them. Respect all wildlife by enjoying it, leaving it alone, not creating misery for it. Enjoy and spread the words so others will do the same.

Coyotes are just delectably beautiful wild dogs. They constantly interact with my own dogs in a most respectful manner. I return the favor, I hope. By the way, my German shepherds and Rottweiler, who have more natural instinct perhaps than myself, are not afraid of the coyotes. They understand all that is going on, more so than I do, and these dogs think the coyotes are fine as well.

Thanks so much for your time. Please think about this.

Sincerely,
Kathleen

Umkay. She must not get out much, or she'd know how many people who have smaller dogs, cats, chickens, etc., etc., etc. *do* have trouble with coyotes killing or chasing them. The population has grown a lot recently, and they're a problem. I guess she'd rather they starve.

On the other hand, today's paper had a pretty interesting interview with Charlie Daniels. So there's that.

[HairOfTheDog]

Heh... Have you hugged a coyote today? Such strange use of words... delectably beautiful?

OK - they are kinda cool, and they aren't ~evil~, but they are still predators... You're right, I'm sure she'd feel differently about them if she raised chickens and poodles instead of German Shepherds and Rottweilers :~)

[RosieCotton]

I think coyotes are kinda cool, and I think it'd be sad if there weren't *any* left, though I'd probably feel differently if I raised certain animals. But she's still a kook.

And "wild Golden Retrievers" is an oxymoron. ;-)

[HairOfTheDog]

All of her descriptions of them are just weird.

I think the coyotes here are providing a function. Rabbit holes can break a horse's leg if the rabbits went unchecked. We never have possums, raccoons or other varmits... everything in balance... right? If they get too bold, or let themselves get too close, they'll have to go. Until then, I'll keep the cats in at night and let them do their thing in the woods.

I'd rather just not have chickens than I would hold a vigil with a shotgun every night.

Speaking of cats, I'll be over in a minute to pick up the fat slow one :~)

[300winmag]

"This is a rare and valuable piece of American History...these knives were distributed by ordinary citizens who were Tolkien admirers and great patriots. Although I know you'd never sell this meaningful part of your family's history, this knife, were it to come to auction, would likely sell for a quarter of a million dollars."

I'd like to see it as the exact opposite. "The markings on what are otherwise ordinary knives are a source of great sentimental value, so great care was taken to pass these knives on to future generations. Their survival rate is quite high, and on some models, it's almost impossible to find one without the Hobbit Hole marking."

[JenB]

Good morning Hobbit Hole! Happy Wednesday. Maybe.

[RMDupree]

Mornin'. ~sip~

Got 7 more episodes of season one (LOST) to go. I can't figure out whether Ramius is intrigued or annoyed by all of the plot twists. :-D

[Corin Stormhands]

I think the coyotes here are providing a function. Rabbit holes can break a horse's leg if the rabbits went unchecked. We never have possums, raccoons or other varmits... everything in balance... right?

Do they eat chipmunks? If so, send me a couple.

[Corin Stormhands]

I'm just sayin' is all...

[RMDupree]

Oh brother. :-/

Good thing there's a whole lot of ocean between Debby and VA. She should turn back out to sea if she has any decency in her.

[TalonDJ]

Of all the..... Sheesh

[Corin Stormhands]

should I tell 'em it's photoshopped?

After all..the five-day model has Debby turning north......so there's that.