Animal Companions

[silent thunder]

Animals have been living with me, in my home my entire life, with the exception of the three months upon first getting out of my own.  Bodha, my first familiar found me then and we spent the next 21 years bonding in ways I did not know were possible, even with all my previous experience with animals, both domestic and not.

 

I've had animals to interact with on a familially intimate basis, my entire life and have learned so many valuable lessons and garnered invaluable insights through these relationships... so here's a thread to share our appreciation for our companions non human.

 

Cats and Dogs:  I've lived with 11 cats.  An Abyssinian, a Tortoise Shell, three American Short Hair, a Spotted Tabby, three Jet Black Cats, a Maine Coone and a Norwegian Forest.  I grew up with 6 dogs.  An Irish Setter, American Water Spaniel, Black Lab, Irish Wolf Hound, German Pointer and a 50/50 German Shepard/Samoya.  I speak fluent canine and feline, including wild varieties.

 

Birds:  I've spent a fair amount of time living in the home of two birds.  A Trace Maria, and an African Grey.  I've always had an innate affinity and understanding of bird language and mentality.  They are kindred.  One of my totem spirits is the Red Tailed Hawk.  Birds and I converse daily, freely and innately are drawn to one another. 

 

Ferrets:  Two females... one albino and one sable.  Talk about teamwork and problem solving...  They taught me the unbreakable power of true persistence and the indelibly high skill of play.  When they've set their mind to something, nothing dissuades that until completion.  And whatever they go about, they do it innately playfully.  They taught me the incredible power of turning a mundane process, into a playful endeavor.  What might have been draining and drudgery, can become absolute bouyant joyful process.  Amazing beings.  And curiosity...

 

I recall them working together one night, figuring out how to open the larder where we stored our dry goods.  Upon opening the latch and getting in, they decided to pull the small flour bag under our sofa.  Well, it wouldn't fit, but we could see the trail of flour around the entire circumference of the sofa where they'd tried.  Upon failing to get the bag under, they then tore it open fully and shoveled all the flour under the sofa, for their nap.

 

It was not possible to anger at such blissful pure playful joy.

 

I've not yet, but always long to have a deep relationship with a Bearded Dragon.

 

We've always had at least one Betta fish... they are mesmerizing... i can achieve deep trance sending attention into and sharing their space.

 

 

That's about it for the animal's I've lived with intimately.

 

 

Then there are all of the non domestic animals I had lasting, intimate relationships with.

 

The rancher, who about went into cardiac with worry when he saw me walking among his herd of utterly wild horses... (i was about 7 or 8 at the time, didn't have any concept of potential danger, just approached and was accepted instantly).  He kept a large swath of land for them and left them feral, warned me off said he could never get close.  I spent many afternoons wandering among them daily, hanging out, lounging and occasionally mock chasing them.  They occupied the land East of my Dad's place, which was the last house on a bay that feeds into the Mississippi river.

 

Countless squirrels, raccoons, ravens, crows, pigeons, gulls, possams.  Generations of them, getting feedings morning and evening most days from what is overfull in our pantry.

 

And myriad encounters in the wild.  Bear, Moose, Mountain Lion, Wolf, Coyote, Badger, Otter, Eagles, Osprey, Hawks, Owls.

 

Not even touching yet the insects.

 

 

What I appreciate perhaps most about animal relationships... is the utter authenticity of their presence and essence.

Never a lie among them, in all my countless interactions.

 

 

That's the first rant. 

Some pics to follow for sure...

 

and please share your appreciation of our non human companions on this miracle dot we live on!

Edited January 20, 2020 by silent thunder

[Nungali]

As well as the animal companions  I have described here before, here are two friends that I dont think I have mentioned

 

'Land Mullet'    ,   I like 'Mulley'  sometimes they scoot long, using the body more than the legs 'land swimming'

 

 

 

And the 'wood lizard' or 'Tangerine bellied skink ' . They get big for a skink .   I cleaned up the wood pile they where living in, so now they just wander through the cabin, across the floor, stop to look at me and   ...   " Ahhh ....  he won't do nothing ." and carry on hunting bugs .   I wonder what they think of me when we have eye contact and a stare off  ? 

 

 

[silent thunder]

That is pure awesome!

 

as a general warning... expect a PM from me if/when I make it down that way mate.

We got some hanging out to do!

[silent thunder]

Wife just turned me onto this story of the
Aussie Shepard saves hundreds of sheep from fire

 

[Earl Grey]

 

My furry friends who all live here with me and make getting up to face the bullshit of the world worthwhile. 

[Nungali]

2 hours ago, silent thunder said:

Wife just turned me onto this story of the
Aussie Shepard saves hundreds of sheep from fire

 

 

 

 

 

[silent thunder]

The Gulls and Crow were really singing to me in spirit this morning!

 

Their knifing through the heavy winds, spoke volumes, wordlessly.

 

All of nature has a voice... and is always communicating.

 

"It is a poor man, who not listening, clomps about proclaiming nature to be mute."

[Nungali]

A few days back  the black cockatoos signalled rain ..... it arrived yesterday .

 

 

 I have seen limb damage on trees after black cockatoo  pulled them apart where you can see each bite mark is bigger than (and looks just like)  a huge chisel has been hammered into it and ripped off pieces up to 110mm thick and 30 wide , in one bite . They can step down and work their way into a hugely thick branch , half way through into the grubs in the middle .