Filed under: The Landing
We got lucky today. Extremely lucky, indeed. Since boasting about playing peek-a-boo with baby alligators, I had still not managed to capture a photo of a such encounter. I claimed in my post,
Alligator Peek-a-Boo that the babies are curious enough to swim up and take a look at us strange looking humans, while the adults keep midstream in an attempt to stay away from us. I’ve seen a couple of babies this spring, but they have been too busy swimming their rounds. ‘Round and ’round the lake they go.My spouse had the day off from work today, so we went out back with our morning coffee. It was he that discovered the baby alligator swimming by. We then saw it stop and turn around, seemingly wanting to swim toward us. Hubby stood completely still down at The Landing, with his back turned to the little creature. Showing that he was no threat by not looking at him, the baby headed our way. Of course he only wanted to show his head, and play ‘rock’, just in case, you know. A rock with eyes. I had just enough time to sneak inside to fetch my camera. This little gator did the same as the previous one. He floated in place, stared, and didn’t back down from the game.
It is quite fascinating as they have large, dark eyes, that seem bottomless. It eventually grew tired of the game, turning to continue his rounds around the lake.
Have a great weekend!
Filed under: The Landing
Heh! Gator sex. Made you look, didn’t I? You sick, sick, people. I am just kidding. After all of these relationship posts, I had to spice it up a bit.
Do you see that picture? Do you see those two gators headed for each other? I was so excited! I never know what will show up for the The Landing posts. It has been so peaceful around here lately, and I was kind of hoping that something out of the ordinary would happen. As usual, the best things happen when I least expect them. Sneaking in for my camera was a ‘no problemo’, because they were preoccupied with staring each other down. Closer, and closer they floated towards each other.
When I got outside, they kind of noticed me, so I played it real cool, sat down in my chair to wait, and thought ‘action’! I watched the whole thing unfold. Let the best beastie win!
Tami’s thoughts as they rolled through her simplistic little head:
-Hehe. It’s gonna be a showdown at The Landing. Showdown at sunrise. Or, was it sunset? Ooo, look. That one looks like he’s guarding his territory. I wonder who the new kid in town is? He kind of came out of nowhere. It’s like, Texan Wild West Gators! This is gonna be good stuff.
-Eh (cringing nose) Maybe it’s a girlie fight?!
-Hm (squinting eyes to look closer). I wonder if it’s a male AND a female. Oh man, look away Tami. Maybe they need some privacy. Should I go inside?
-Naw, wait a minute. They have got to be two males. They are just too big to be females. Two males, and they are about to?? Oh no, you guys. Hang on a second! No hanky-panky of that sort here. This is Baptist country. That ain’t allowed ’round these parts. (remember: edit that out of the weekend post. Someone will get pissed off at me).
-Nope. That wasn’t it either. They are just staring each other down. Yepp, this is going to be a Wild West showdown. I knew it. Man, I wonder if they’ll lock jaws, flying breasts out of the lake, grrrrr. Biting, and blood all over. Just like in National Geographic.
-Sit still, Tami. You are watching survival of the fittest in gator-land. How cool is that? All we have up in the Pacific Northwest are salmon and apples.
-(gasp). They’re moving closer. This is it! Oh, but they are coy, aren’t they? Hehehe. Just a little closer (camera ready).
-Hey! Where did they go? Underwater? Aw, man! They’re fightin’ it out under the surface, and I don’t get to see it! Oh, I bet they’re rippin’ each other to shreds. Okay, then. It’s OK. I’ll just get shots of the blood as it surfaces.
-(after 3 minutes or so. Waiting and waiting). What’s that over to the right? Whaaat? Wait a second. That’s the one warrior. What’s that over to the left? The other one swimming away?
-Swiiiimming away? Are you joking me? Aw, man! Come on you guys. Come back here, and duke it out! This is Texas for ******* sakes. You can do better than that?!
-What a couple of chickens. Turn the other cheek. I swear these are the laziest gators. Squirrels crawl over them, and birds land on their heads, and they go back to sleep.
-Hm. Or, were they procreatin’ under there? I was really hoping for a gator fight. I don’t know about you, but I’m starting to think that these alligators are acting a little Buddhist-like. They are just too peaceful.
Filed under: The Landing
A new morning at The Landing. Sunrise following sunset. My eyes perceiving the hues, as light branded the sky.
The simple pleasures of The Landing never fail me. The sights never disappointing. I find myself repeatedly sighing over the relief I feel that I do not have to run around preparing for Easter as others may choose to do. I do not have to do anything, if I choose not to. I can sit each passing minute in silence, relaxing and enjoying. Having extended a verbal and heartfelt ‘thank you’ to my spouse yesterday evening for the allowance to delve and disappear into my work without complaints of ’should do’s’, a little peace returned my way after the experiences of the last few days. I could disappear into the confines of my office for days on end, only to emerge to a smiling face happily observing my happiness. A shared breakfast, and a caring hand on my back, easing the recent frustrations in genuine understanding.
So, what made an appearance at The Landing? Two curious creatures swam my way as I passively sat and observed. The male leading the way, and the female in a straight line behind him. I had to laugh as it almost seemed as though they believed that it was a drive-thru, and that I was waiting to take their order. I wonder which neighboring humans have conditioned them to equate tall two-legged creatures with food.
I entertained the humorous thought of an elderly couple out on a Sunday drive, as this male zig-zagged his way over to me. As he zigged, she zigged. And, just as she was adapting to his zigging; he zagged, and she zagged. I could almost imagine her mumbling under her breath that it was high time they invested in a GPS, and was it not at least now time to stop and ask for directions? He, of course, seemed confident. Completely unaware that from the outside he seemed utterly lost. Confused at best.
By the time they reached me, he swam back and forth as if wondering where the entrance to the drive-thru could be found. At one point he stopped to stare at me. Realizing that there were no edibles to be found at this joint called The Landing, his female companion obviously lost patience. Enough was enough. As you see in the picture here, she had ruffled and turned her pretty little feathers around, determined to travel off on her own path, and leave him behind.
He seemed to awaken from his confusion at this point, and discovered that she was headed off by her lonesome into the morning sun. Within a snap second he turned, feverishly paddling his webby feet to catch up to her. A beautiful sight as he settled in beside her, no longer leading the way.
