Nature Songs ~~~~



October 1, 2002 ~ Wooly Worm Time Again ~~ It’s that time of year once again, when mountain folks come together for the wooly worm competition and festival. The people from afar like to come and take part in all the fun and racing taking place. I noticed in the newspaper that someone had written in to the weatherman to inquire about those furry little creatures. Seems they are on the lookout for the wooly worms and wanted to know how to read them.

Yeap ~ mountain folks use the wooly worms to predict what kind of wintry weather may lay ahead and prepare for it. Thus, Eric Thomas, the weatherman for WBTV in Charlotte was asked to explain the facts about the wooly worms. He does the weather for the Charlotte Observer as well and included his facts in newspaper. He quite easily found the answer by going online with his computer. He looked up the N.C. Traditional Weather Lore page on the Web and found what he needed to answer the question.

All the fun of folklore is comparing notes on what they have heard of the many different versions circulating and believing all that they have heard. The web page lists a lot of weather lore and Eric found it most amusing as he read the description of their list. “It said, ‘All of them are guaranteed to be true (sometimes).’ “ He found two entries for wooly worms :

1. If the wooly worm’s head is more black than colored, the coldest part of the winter will come in the first months of winter.

2. The more black than brown a wooly worm has, and/or the wider the black stripe, the worse the winter.

Now any good mountaineer of these here parts can tell you right away that these two facts are talking about the same things and they are the fact! Where the black is on the worm and how much of it there is, shows the time of winter to expect the coldest, hardest wintery weather. Simply stated, the blacker the black the colder the weather. Bands of brown or tan thrown in along throughout the black bands denote the warmer days and of course, the width tells how long it will hang around.

Eric Thomas reports that some folk lore can be readily explained scientifically, while other folk lore is mostly fun. Now anybody can tell which kind of folk lore the infamous wooly worm falls into! After all, it is the official forecaster of winter weather in these here parts. My only concern this year would be how many of those furry little creatures can be found crawling around this year - what with all the drought conditions. I’ve not seen but one and that was earlier, even before the season to be on the lookout for them. That one I happened to see was almost all black. Hummm, makes me wonder? Would it have been too early to read it for the upcoming winter? Now I don’t rightly know if the time of year you read that wooly worm has any effect on the outcome of the weather or not ... I’ll just have to ask some of the mountain folks the next time I happen upon them.


October 3, 2002 ~ I Thought I Could - But! Can I? ~~ We were synchronized and working like clockwork. Last night, DynoKid and NascarKid chose clothes to wear today and they laid in waiting this morning. I had only to call them one time and they bounced into action. I got up and ready to go before calling the boys. Hot water awaited in the microwave for oatmeal should it be chosen, but DynoKid wanted the toasted bagel halves spread with peanut butter which took little time to prepare. Giggles was left in bed sleeping while her Aunt Cotton listened for any sounds. The three of us were off and racing across the two counties meeting the first bell sounding at each of their schools.

The procedure was reversed from the usual routine since NascarKid’s classes began the earliest and that gave little time for that mad dash between schools making it a hair under the deadline along with quite a few other rushing carloads of eager pupils. Coming back home meant crossing the mountain and this time a road crew was busy clearing back the brush from the right-a-way. Several cars had to wait ahead of me and then we wove from one side of the road to the other to get around the huge machines chewing up the trees and bushes working both sides of the road at the same time. It took about an hour and a half to make the round-trip, but the return lope across country would loam ahead all too quickly. Being my first time out on the road in over a week, the energy flow was low and it took little to sap that little bit completely up. I was ready to rest when I returned home.

Rest? Whoa! What is that word? Why would anyone wish to rest so early in the day? I walked back into a house occupied by two other adults, an energetic three year old and seven dogs. True, only one of the dogs is a large breed, but she is the one that considers herself a lap dog like all the others. Thinking back to when she was first brought home, she has made tremendous changes. She was rescued from a puppy mill where she had spent her whole life locked up in a very small inclosure and used solely for breeding more of her kind to sell. Her muscles were not developed and it took time and patience to teach her to run and to climb steps, even. One doesn’t have to worry about putting her behind our low fence, because she doesn’t know she could jump it now if she were a mind to. She has become a champion in agility and lives up to her AKC registry that once kept her caged up.

One of the Basenji’s had to jump the fence and be brought back indoors. Once the dogs are inside, we all have to be aware of which ones are where at all times. Several of them can be together, and most of them have to be kept apart. We have a double gate rigged at my door to protect Giggles, Charlie and Oreo when some of the dogs are out. Fran and Louie can run around with my two. Strider can be with them by himself. Ginger is really the only dog that has to be kept to herself. She believes herself to be the ruler of all and will tolerate no barking. This is always the quietest that Charlie ever is when Ginger is around. --Oh, there was not rest ...

Mid afternoon, we made plans for Allan to pick up DynoKid and take him to Morganton for his soccer practice. He was sort of forced by two close friends to take both of them on the trip. Buddy Boy would not go with Dad unless Giggles went with him. There was one small flaw in the plans. I failed to get the shin guards and field shoes from my car to his truck. Ended up that we didn’t get him to his practice after all. The rest of us went to NascarKid’s soccer game. I parked where I could watch from the car without having to get out and saw him play for the first time with the school team. It was evident watching the game that nearly all of the players had never played soccer before. This is the first year of their school life that soccer is offered within the school system and there is much to practice for them.

Game over after seven and there is supper yet to come. We called Allan back at the house where he is waiting for us and make plans to meet at Western Steer for our meal. While we eat, the Survivors program comes on and the TV is positioned above our table. With ringside seats, it took little time for the others to get engrossed in the program and when Allan left with Buddy Boy, I waited out in my car with Giggles since we had to put her booster seat inside it anyway. We sat in the car and listened to music while the others watched the ending of their TV show.

Mother has not had a good week. I’ve not seen her since coming home from the doctor’s office. Her new roommate is running her crazy. I call to talk with the higher ups, but I’m supposed to be called back. There was no call back. Over the years we have been quite tolerate with room mates and really worked with Mother toward getting along with them. This is a something has to be done time. One only has to close their eyes and listen for five minutes to a monotone sound to understand what Mother is enduring. There she sits in her semi-darkness and all she has is that constant sound of her room mate to tune in on. It’s sort of like the dripping water routine of the POW’s.. She is really at her wits end and doesn’t want me to say anything because “that poor soul deserves to have someone to look after her and I can’t make them move her away. I keep thinking what if I was in the same fix. I would want someone to care about me.”

Time moves too quickly, it’s already time for getting ready for supper with Wes and his family this evening. This is the first time that Cotton and Hubby have seen the new home. I’m glad we are going there instead of going out to a resturant like we usually have done in the past. At least I have rested quite a lot today. I had to since I couldn’t get up and move around very well.


October 5, 2002 ~ I Chose To Do This - Or DID I?? ~~ Life becomes most muddled for me and for sure, it is my own choosing. After all there is that power in the tiny word, “No!” Mother has always said that I didn’t have that word in my vocabulary and didn’t know any better when I take on some of the things I do. How was I to know months ago that this week would be as it has been. I most certainly did not plan to have an attack of Shingles and wish to never have Shingles again. We knew about Cotton coming for the Agility Trials for a year. This is her third year being judge for the event. It has not been all that long since they learned about the Basenji Event and decided to come visit with us. It’s been so long since our family has been together and we are all excited about having them here. I only needed to be in better shape for all that is happening so I could take part in more. As it is, I’m on the sideline watching and not participating.

This morning I have to get DynoKid off to Morganton in a few hours. He has to be on the playing field to warm up for his soccer game by 9:15. I have a note ready for him to give his coach explaining what happened Thursday.


October 7, 2002 ~ Days Come And Days Go ~~ Some days are long and some days are short. Days can be carefree or days can be hectic. Most of my days of this month have be crammed full of activities to do and places to go. Not that I’ve done all that could have been done, but I have to admit that I’ve done much more than I should have been doing. The one day of running around the counties to schools on Thursday was enough that I allowed the boys to play hooky from school on Friday. Mom and Dad were not happy, but it was too much running for me. It gave them the opportunity to spend some time with their Uncle before he left early Saturday morning heading back toward New Jersey with five dogs lined up on the back seat of the rental car.

He stopped in Pennsylvania and changed over to the motor home which had been repaired due to the tire that blew out and messed up some of the underside of the RV. He spent the night in Pennsylvania and had a dog show on Sunday. The three dogs he ran all earned ribbons and one achieved a step up in her rating. Cotton drove to Charlotte for the end of the Basenji show. Around 100 Basenjis were entered into competition. As it turned out Ginger earned a huge ribbon and prize for having the most points in the hound group. By day’s end all the dogs were home and settled back into the regular routine.

Dinner with Wes and his family on Friday night was fun, but tiring. Cotton got out the parrot and carried it around to let it sit on everyone’s shoulder. She even took it into the bathroom so it could watch itself in the mirror for a while. Surprisingly, it seemed to get scared and she finally put it back into the safety of its cage. She enjoyed playing with the little ones and their toys. The older boys spent most of their time out in the road with the neighborhood boys riding their scooters, bikes and skateboards. DynoKid brought his scooter with him and NascarKid had his skateboard. BingoKid chose to ride his bike. As we were leaving, Giggles had to get out BusyKid’s bike with training wheels and ride it around the driveway some. It was amazing how well she took to riding the bike since it was her first try.

DynoKid played well in the soccer game, but his team lost to the team from out of town. I noticed as he moved about on the field that he favored his knee that he hurt in a tumble from the scooter the night before. He had skinned both elbows in that tumble as well. While he played, I sat in the car and watched. I bought some breakfast and decaf coffee on the way and enjoyed having breakfast in the car as the game progressed. We stopped by to visit with Mother on the way back home. That was the first time I had seen her in about two weeks. I got her Coke on the shelf so she would have it and fixed the candy I brought in the bowl for the staff to enjoy. Once back home - it was time to rest and rest and rest ...

This morning was grooming time for Oreo and Charlie. Cotton rode with me through the back country roads and helped with getting the dogs in to the groomer. I only wanted them washed and shaped up so it didn’t take long to have them ready for my trip back through the country to pick them up. We brought back two very happy dogs brimming with pride as they sported their plaid bandanas for all to see.


October 14, 2002 ~ A Whirlwind Week ~~ As time comes and goes, this past week has to be classified as one of the fastest weeks ever to fly by. Cotton had things to do for her work and spent much of her time using her company computer and the telephone. Then she had calls to people concerning her private business of training dogs. She shared the webpage she made for people to use, while she was at my computer checking her own email. One of her friends from Texas spent two nights here with her nine dogs. They all stayed downstairs and in her camper. She had eight Basenjis and one Whippet. Her dogs were taken over to Wes’ old house so they could run in the fenced in backyard. I went with them the day they left and saw the dogs for the first time. After their run around the yard, they were all loaded back in their crates and headed off toward Texas. She kept the two young Basenjis in the front with her and all the others were in the camper on the back of her truck. That’s a long way to have to travel with only the dogs to keep one company.

My new online classes began today. As I look over the offerings and begin to take note of what is required I am more than aware than a whole lot of work is ahead for me. You would have to ask why someone would attempt to take on so much. It’s certainly not because I am bored. There is never time to be bored around this family that has the ability to turn into a five ring circus at the tip of a hat. Guess the answer lies in the fact that the very classes than interest me most are all presented at the same time.

BingoKid was with me Thursday and Friday of last week since it was the end of the term and teachers had workdays and conferences set up with parents. He enjoyed the time spent with Aunt Cotton and got to ride with us to take her to Charlotte. He forgot to call Mom as he was told to do. I did call her, but my cell phone was not powered up and the message cut off after I began the message, but before she knew what I had to tell her. She even called Mother to see if she knew where her child was. When she called Wes at the Furniture Market in Highpoint, he told her where the lost child was.

We took Cotton by the site of the trials so she could check things out. Little Buddy Boy and BingoKid helped her as she measured and marked off some spots for the first trial. The equipment couldn’t be put in place until the morning of the agility trials. Only then would any of those associated with the proceedings of the day get to see the layout for the morning. There would be two changes during the day. Sunday morning another set of plans would be handed out and put in place for more events. There were 250 dogs in this event. Usually, Cotton will only accept the full quota of 300 to judge, but this is a group she now knows and it has the fringe benefit of bringing her close home to family.

Mother got a surprise when I was able to go over and spend a little time with her. I chose to rest more last week while Cotton was here and let her spend time at the center in my place. Mother doesn’t understand that I need rest and that coming over to the center everyday is not resting. I do have to note that she is less tense and shaking less since she is on medication to calm her. It does not do anything about the tension brought on by the constant noise of her roommate.


October 18, 2002 ~ Schoolwork Can be Fun ~~ Working with the Paint Shop Pro Program is not something to do in a few minutes and be finished. In fact, it is addictive. Once I begin doing an exercise, I want to go on and do more. We are only working with the most simplest of projects and already I have learned a lot. I can now do my name in different ways and I can make buttons to use on websites. I can change the type of colors used and mix and match. And, it is all fun to do. The Cascading Spread Sheet is a real challenge for me. Getting to use the computer is the biggest challenge of this week.

The week has not given me much time to myself to do what I needed to be doing at the computer. I’ve had to remind myself that some things are more important than the computer and I can put it off till later. Giggles was with me on Tuesday for her regular day. It rained buckets and buckets of rain. I had to take her out in the rain and drive through the counties. She immediately went to sleep and slept most of the trip going. NascarKid had to get his eyes rechecked and pick up some new contacts. I was given checks to pay there and to stop at the Orthodontist and make a payment. That was not to be. I left the checks laying in the Kitchen at home. Oh well, that’s not the first time for me to do something like that. I’ve also misplaced my bill for the homeowners’ insurance and need to find it pretty fast. I’m just not thinking and doing things as efficiently as I should be able to. Could it be the pain and the fact I’m having to rely on pain pills with the shingles that won’t go completely away?

Most mornings I get up and the pain isn’t bad or gone. As the day progresses I feel it more and as I tire, it seems to spread. I’ll start to lean back in a chair and I’m stopped by pain before I can lean back all the way. It is inside, but close to a spot that is external but fading away some. Doing that in bed is much worse. It’s hard to imagine that as I try to lean back on a soft pillow and so much pain can scream out, “Stop!”





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