Otters, Otters

Flew to Morro Beach today.   Still took 5 hours.  Speed limit less than 400.   The whales were less than a 1/4 mile off shore.  I'm so tired.  Ran into whale watching shop and asked to catch the last boat ride.  Nope. No whales.  They all left Sat.  Darn it.  So I took the $10 boat ride to see the otters.  Here are some + the ones I found in my favorite hidey-hole.  I am so sun burned.  my skin will never recover.

Vacation is hard work

I'm exhausted.  Up at dawn.  Supper at 8,  Asleep at midnight!  I hope the watchable wildlife appreciate this.  Went to lecture at Aquarium.  Met the top 3 incharge of protecting the sea otter.  Lots and lots of birds are back.  Otters are keystone in ecosystem. Estuaries are returning.  Spent day at Pebble Beach.  Found the squatters.  Their homes were only 1.5 mil.  The maid would have to sleep off the kitchen.  The other homes had maids in their own dorms and gardeners in their own cottage.  Maybe I could rent a closet next year.  They have their own "park".  10 bucks to drive through neighborhood to see deer, homes and bathroom.    And, then they have their own sanctuary:  dolphins, otters, seals and whales.  I want to live that way.

             abalone:  otter delight:  tried to pull one up:  needed a crane

                                                     personal dolphin from pebble beach

                                                  dinner w/ otters:  last nite in monterey

When I grew up

When I grew up there were no South Sea Otters along the California Coast Line.  On this day I was graced to find a nursery.

Gallup , New Mexico

100 years ago I was a student taking wildlife classes.  That was before they had "environmental studies"  I wrote my own curriculum.   I received 6 hours of Ind. Studies working at a zoo.  Lo and Behold no zoo would pick me up for volunteer labor because of Insurance Issues.  I found a lovely small zoo on the Navajo Reservation just north of Gallup.  While there a family came in to get Road Runner Pollen.  It took 45 min to catch that bird.  He was fast.  They needed the pollen for a ceremony  in which their son was running in a competition.  We also lost a turtle that summer and the bobcats contracted feline leukemia.  I had just lost Emily to Feline Leukemia and told everyone who would listen that the bobcats were sick.  No one would listen.  The vet finally came and confirmed it.  At that time, it was believed that wild cats could not catch feline leukemia.  Oh how our knowledge has grown.  Body count :  Pismo beach: 8 am: 9 sea otters, 5 whales, 15+ dolphins, 1 seal. I want to move to a tiny, tiny beach house

I was blessed today.

Sea Otters were hunted to extinction in the 1800's.  Fish and Game reintroduced the North Sea Otter along the southern California coastline.  I grieve over the number of failed attempts the Feds made trying to return the Sea Otters back along the Coast.  They just didn't understand the dangers of stress syndrome.  Now 40 years later the North Sea Otters are safe and secure.(provided no hunting no environmental tragedy)   Went to beach today to see the sunset.  What a bust.  but I did see a pelican, seal and 3 sea otters.  I could hear the pound, pound, pound as they tried to pry open the clams.  Photos tomorrow.  I had on the wrong lens.  That spot on right center is the sea otter.  So at one time:  California had only South Sea Otters :  ( like: husky and dalmation)  So now 40 years later???? am I looking at the north sea otter or the south sea otter?????  Nature:  Life :  is so amazing to know these sea otters are strong and healthy:  when they started from such a small gene pool.  They are moving south:  Pismo beach is 150 miles south of Monterey Bay where they live.  Yippeee!  Hurray for my professor who began the reintroduction of CA. Sea Otters.  I was blessed today when I looked out on the pier and saw my first Sea Otter in the Wild.

                                                              My first Sea Otter

                                                          First time in Ocean

                                                                   San Louis Obismo Misson

                                                                       art museum

                                                                       mission

                                                      Art Museum:  made out of cloth

Reintroduction

Driving through New Mexico and I saw signs of "don't feed animals"  Black Bears have moved back  to both New Mexico and Arizona and are thriving.  It's not like Montana where they have sq. miles and miles to roam.  I tried to find out when they had been reintroduced but its been at least 30 years.  I only hope they put a fence around the wilderness.  I fear that the city fathers are not allowing for these creatures to leave the boundaries when they are cold, hungry and thirsty.  There needs to be a moratorium on building and no resale of property:  yeah right : in a perfect world.  Thank goodness :  for the endangere species laws in AZ and New Mexico.   Sea Otters tomorrow.

Stress hurts.

Each and everyone of us need to learn about stress.  We need to learn how to handle stress.    The experts knew about stress prior to 1960.  NPS and the feds learned it was safer to air vac a big horn sheep or  drive non-stop with a grizzly bear than to take a journey while travelling with an animal being reintroduced.  Since college, I always wondered about stress syndrome but could never understand it.  Now I know.  Stress can kill.  Our baby-sitter for the dogs was unable to sit.  So at the last moment we decided to bring the dogs with us.  My poor Maggie.  She became caught up in stress syndrome.  George:  brought her bed and food dishes.  First nite motel:  she was terrified.  Second nite she no longer ate.  4th day:  as we returned home:  She would not let George Junior out of her sight.  She was terrified one of us would leave her.  She drank excessive water and shedded terribly.  Poor Maggie.  We got her home.  She curled up on her bed and slept.  The next day she was still sleeping and had fever.  Tried to feed her to no avail.  The second day of our return she had fever.  I spent part of the afternoon laying on the floor next to her.  Late that nite her fever broke.  A week later Maggie is eating but not up to her old self.  Please take care of your health.  Please find a way to deal with the stress in your.  Work is a job:  not your life.  Things are things:  not needed or can be replaced.  Put your priorities back in order and:  get rid of your stress.

College Days

I remember way back when......my college days:  I took wildlife classes from a world renown Wildlife Professor.  Wish I could remember his name.  He was a fish biologist.  Back in the late 60's and early 70's when everything was new and experimental.  He spoke all over the world on reintroduction of animals into the environment.  He helped reintroduce the North Sea Otter back along the California Coast.  He told the story:  they transported 80 North Sea Otters back to the California Coast.  79 died due to :Stress Syndrome.  My professor became a specialist in reintroduction of fish.  He said when 79 sea otters or 45 big horn sheep die everyone becomes upset.  When 200 fish die:  no one pays attention.    Check back tomorrow and learn about stress syndrome and other adventures.

 I wonder if my professor taught people who learned to protect and save these creatures.

a deep dark hole

Went to the Race for Cure website to post story for October about cancer survivor.  While there I went to the link for New Balance since I need shoes.  Every time I got on computer today:  I received advertisements from both New Balance and Nike.  Now how does that happen??  I saw advertisment when I opened the internet.  went to email and visited facebook.  No wonder my credit card that I never ever use ended up in New Jersey.  And, now people are using phones to order online and bank.  Pretty soon it will have to be an eye scan to use a debit card or buy a pair of shoes.  George and I are saving my sheckles to go to Alaska.  I want to chase salmon w/ the bears in Alaska.  Oh my!  no more quilting stuff until I use it all up.

unbelievable.

  How can a three day weekend set you back.  Slept in late.  Stayed in jammies late.  Watched a movie and paid bills.  Oh the joy of paying bills when you don't have enough money.  I would have enough money if I didn't spend it all on quilting stuff.  Speaking of stuff:  have you noticed that the big box stores:  not Walmart:  but Nordstrom's etc:  are only carrying average sizes:  so if you are too small or too big:  they say:  "I can order it for you!".  How can they order it:  if it is the wrong size:  wrong color:  forcing me to become an online junkie:  And then:  they have these little robot advertisements that are driving me crazy.  Crazy!  not my fault I have little feet!  Have to wait a week for shoes.  ugh!

ummmm? a 3 day weekend???

Drove to work on Friday.  Had this really weird feeling when I went into office and my name was NOT on the mailbox.  Oh!!* I was so tempted to look.  Driving to work today was even odder.  It was just this odd feeling I couldn't shake because I new it was my last day.  No responsibility ,  no discipline ,  no investing.  Oh how very odd.  Worked like a dog and got the deed done.  Hope you all have a wonderful 3 day weekend.  I begin mine:  everyday.