Fears

Well, I was always scared of the Tyranasaurus Rex, a fierce looking Dinosaur. I was sold a pair of 'special BluBlocker ' sunglasses,guaranteeing that they would keep me safe! Well, haven't seen any T Rex since I started wearing them! Best $200 I ever spent

So there I was, wearing those 'special glasses'

waiting for the Sepiatrain

and whata ya think I saw?

a blue moon

Gorgeous, big, full, blue moon in the sky! I had no fear. Just got home from an end of the summer dance party. Danced like crazy, til I thought I would drop. I'm tired, but feeling very good....I wish I didn't have to get up early for work....oh well.

Well, having bought and moved-into a 220 year old house in June, I've finally settled all the boxes, books, etcetera....and I've moved on to clearing out an enormous wooded/tangled swath that lies between the back garden (which has been maintained over the years) and an open field.  There are a few, long-neglected outbuildings covered with grapevines, old piles of brush and bricks from two former chimneys....bascially, you can tell that the owners had, since sometime during the Garfield adminsitration, used this as the area in which to dump everything they didn't want to think about.  I know the feeling, myself.
 
And, yes, it's full of copperheads.  As a general rule, I actually like snakes....but not slow, ill-tempered copperheads  (rattlers are just fine;  like a lot of people, they make so much noise that you can simply avoid them).
 
In any case, and having figured that it would be better to surprise them than to be surprised by them, I went copperhead-hunting this past week and killed two in the first hour (I know where to look; if nothing else, you can SMELL the things).  This morning, I'm suiting up and going forth to the backlot to see how many are left and deal with them.
 
My fear (to answer your question) is that my rowsty dogs (I keep west highland terriers who, the moment I've turned my back, have never paid much attention to anything I say) won't have memorized my list of places-you're-allowed-to-go & places-where-you-are-not-allowed-to-go.  So, off we go a-snake-hunting.
 
Later today, the yard man (who's very enthusiastic about this whole endeavour) is coming by with an enormous, gas-powered bush-hog and a pistol (my weapon-of-choice is just a mattock, which is very effective...and I stand very little chance of chopping off my own head with a mattock, whereas a pistol is a different story)  Presumably, we can all sink back into pastoral torpor afterwards, without having to worry about hauling folks or dogs off to the emergency room.
 
Apprehensively yours,
 
David Terry
www.davidterryart.com

Mr. Terry
Before somebody takes a swipe at you for advertising, I very much enjoyed your dogs.

Oh no, snakes are a deal breaker for me. Can't even look at a picture. They are absolutely are my worst fear. That and waking up dead.

HOUSE GUEST..you devil, you.

DAVID PERRY welcome and what he said.

So many neuroses, so little time.

Oh, "house Guest".....I wasn't exactly "advertising" by citing my website.  It's just an easy way to reply directly. I should also emphasize that, given that there's a webmistress who's paid good money to delete anything I'm not likely to find productive and/or amusing, I don't sign-off with my "private-email". Folks can, as you'll know, spam an email-address and cause all sorts of havoc...but they can't spam the website.
 
In any case, I always like it (when I've read an interesting comment by someone on some blog) to follow a link and simply see what they do for a living.  I'm nearly always pleasantly surprised.
 
One of the most (maybe THE most) productive/gratifying aspects of following the six or so blogs-that-I-follow is the regular realization that the world is chock-a-block with all sorts of interesting folks of whom I'd know nothing if I didn't read their comments.
 
Just for the record?....I distinctly recall reading Peterman's catalogues back in the late 80's, when two of my unavoidably smart and chic female friends (one in Charlottesville and one in NYC & both a bit older than me, so I was properly in awe of them at that young age) LIVED for the arrival of the Peterman catalogue....and its evocative "product descriptions".
 
I once (and even on my gradskool-stoodint's budget) ordered a sort of Australian/Indiana Jones hat from the Peterman catalogue.  I had it for years....until five-or-so years ago, when my fly-fishing, 91 year old neighbor&friend Felton spied it on my kitchen table, declared "That's a GOOD HAT!  Where'd you get that???"...and Felton promptly(and without asking) appropriated the danged thing.  He wore it ALL THE TIME until he died this past year.  I'm not kidding or exaggerating sp?).
 
I hope that makes Mr. Peterman more than a bit proud of himself and his catalogue/tastes in hats. If it were possible on this blog to post photographs, I'd show you one of 91 year old Felton (he really was a good friend)...proudly wearing his hat that afternoon I caved-in and decided he should just HAVE the hat if he loved it so much.
 
Level Best as Ever,
 
David Terry
www.It's9:30am&IStillHaven'tGoneOutToKillMoreofThosethoseDamnSnakes.org

Dterrydraw....yep, hate those too and yep, they get in my house too. I don't look at them long enough to tell you just what they are, I'm busy running and screaming for help.

What a great way to start a day! Welcome, Mr Terry.

Dterrydraw....beautiful, beautiful work.

As I live near a woods and a fair-sized pond, my respect for mosquito and spider
bites has grown tremendously. Mosquitoes love me, which is annoying, but the buzz around these parts is the increased risk of West Nile virus. I have always admired
spiders for the delicacy of their craft, but dealing with the brown recluse is a bit
more - and a bite more - than I care to contemplate.

My irrational fear: having anyone's hands - other than my own - on my face.
I become quite panicky and fear suffocation. Snakes, with the exception of the
poisonous types, I rather like. I don't mind holding them - they are not slimy - and
some are very beneficial. A little green garden snake is really rather cute. Just shows
how truly individualized our fears can be.

DAVID TERRY:
Welcome and you can post photos here. Go to your identity page and a little down on the right "upload photos" or something like that. Works for us.

Blue moon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7giOrKYIwpQ

GRAYGOOSE:
Are you saying you have west nile disease?
If so feel better and recover quickly.

Update:
I went to my doctor yesterday and got some really good drugs.
The pain is more under control. Should have gone back on Monday instead of waiting.
I go back next week and then he's talking physical therapy.
All is good.

KORTHAL...Good! I am so glad!!

thanks "Korthal" for your suggestion....I just posted a photograph of Felton...taken the afternoon he decided that he WANTED my J.Peterman hat. I was awfully fond of him for years and saw him daily.....and I was glad to give him that good and useful hat from Peterman's.
 
By the way?.....he was always in perfect health.  We (I lived with his daughter in Felton's mother-in-law's house for seven years) always said he'd die while out hunting or fishing. He ended up dying, instantly (we were told, later) when the brakes on his ancient truck failed, and he slammed into a telephone pole 100 yards from his house, two years ago. 
 
Not a bad way to go..Felton was happy and VERY LOUD (he was deaf) & BUSY until those last few moments.
 
And I've still got the hat...it hangs prominently on a hook in the front hall of this old house.
 
so, yes...I'm sentimental about the J. Peterman catalogue for all sorts of good (I think) reasons).
 
--david terry
www.sentimentallyYoursAsEver.org

I know someone, and so do you, who is afraid of mice but he is crabby and well armed so we'll let it go at that.

No worries here. Two cats.

HAZEL--Hope you are settling in and will be back on line soon. Fear of moving is another healthy phobia--sit down! Have a drink!

an earlier mention of spiders, made me remember something I saw a couple of weeks ago. I have those storm shutters over my basement door, the ones that are steel,and at an angle sliding down. I don't use them often,rather going into the basement from the indoor stairway. Spiders make giant webs in that relatively undisturbed space,between the basement door and the storm doors. When I do need to use outside access, I open the basement door,and use a broom,or the snow shovel,to clear the webs. Then, I can unlatch and open the doors. An inside only latch. Well, this time, when I went through that procedure, and as I was standing in the basement looking out, I was greeted by the most curious thing; little birds,sparrows mostly, came right in and plucked those little 'cotton ball' looking things that I believe are spider egg sacks. And bigger birds came and grabbed the spiders that were in the area formed by the now open doors and the base of the doors. The birds ignored totally that I was there! I guess spider eggs are a rare treat for them, but they all seemed to know about it.

DAVID TERRY:

I like that photo. He looks so happy with "his" new hat.
 
I just posted 3 new photos of the Grandkids on their first day back to school.
 

I didn't know it but the person who gets the baby to sleep gets to nap too.

Mr Terry, I'm glad you snuck that in here! Enjoyed looking at your art & the photo of your friend... I'll look forward to hearing more about your copperhead adventures...I hear they are much more venemous that our prairie rattlers. I've had the pleasure of killing a few of those, as they are quite common in our area. As a matter of fact, one rattler made the mistake of crawling under the threshold of our front door once. It made one helluva racket underneath there...a very distinct sound, the rattles of a snake...Anyway, as I was beginning to dismantle the door jam, the snake started to crawl out from the frame and into our house! It scared the bejeezus out of me and I instinctively started my rendition of the Mexican hat dance right atop the snake. I didn't discontinue my stomping until I had actually managed to pop the head completely off of the snakes body. I was wearing a pair of those dreadful "Crocs" at the time. No one (except the rattlesnake) was harmed in the making of my snake charming dance and the family still thinks it may have been the series of foul language I produced while dancing atop the snake that actually killed it, rather than the disembodiment. I kept the rattles, as a trophy of sorts.

RoadYacht, what a curious thing to witness?! I can visualize you standing there amidst all the fluttering birds saying "hor d'oeuvres, anyone?" Feeding caviar to the feathered friends...

Korthal, yes, can you believe I have the West Nile Virus?! One day I was feeling fine and then the next day, I barely knew what hit me. I'm outdoors a lot and I have been picking wild plums for home made wine this winter when I must've been bitten. I rarely get sick so I knew I needed to see a doctor when all the symptoms came on...I have faith in my doctor and I feel that the shots/medication have improved my condition already so for now, all I have to do is rest. I am so glad to hear you got some more meds! I hated to think of you suffering. I've always felt like it helps your body heal faster if you're not miserable with pain.

GRAYGOOSE:
It also help you sleep if you're not in pain. Last night I only woke up once, at 3 am, from the pain and took another dose of meds. Then I slept till 9 am.
I hope you make a quick recovery.
Sick and/or hurting is not a good thing.
Prayers and light hugs coming your way.

Welcome Tderrydraw.  You spin a pretty good tale.  I don't have many fears: my husband has enough for both of us.  I like snakes (though I live in an area where we don't have poisonous ones) and spiders, I would be startled by any small animal (besides my cats) that would make its way into the house, but I wouldn't be frightened. In fact, I've had to deal with a bat in the house twice. Both times my husband cowered in another room while I figured a way to let the poor creature out.  (My husband is a great guy, he just has a lot of fears).  When I was small I was terrifed of moths, but now I think they're cool.                                                                                 Korthal, glad you are able to manage your pain better now, Greygoose--get well soon--West Nile???Not fun, I'm sure.  RY-I have those kind of doors too but never witnessed a bird feast when I open them up. How very interesting...

Graygoose, sorry I misspelled your name!

So glad you got better medication, Korthal.  Those great grandkids need a happy, healed grandmom.  Loved their pictures.
 
With the west nile just do as the doctor says, Graygoose.  Hope it's nipped soon.
 
 

Living in the country you either get over your fears or swallow them when faced with them.  I've had blacksnakes in the house, rattlers in the yard and copperheads under the porch.  In this old house the 750 generation of spiders are living and even a regular spider search doesn't get them all, also some nights are so dark you can't see your hand in front of your face.  Been over 5 days without power with 25 inches of snow. 

DavidT-I just love old old properties!!! There is an old home and barn not far from us built probably around 1880. The guy that lived there was in his 40's. He was a drinker and smoker and depressed. I bought some old wood from him and old table legs and doors. He burnt himself up and passed away recently. We met his brother who lives in Pa and are getting wood from him. Anyway, I love the energy and history of old places. You are so lucky to have this place, I know you will enjoy getting it the way you want it to be. Perhapsyou will even encounter some Spirits there, so great!!:) Goose-I had chickens a few years back and I could not figure out wh they were not laying. I spoke to them and said get the eggs coming. Anyway one day I went into the coop to find a HUGE black snake with three eggs inside his body. I scooped him up, placed him in a large dry wall bucket and escorted him down the street to a wooded area. Another time my neighbor screeming out her back door ekking there is a snake in my tree just hanging them. Needless to say I had to dispatch him also.I send you healing energy, be well. Korthal, I send you healing energy also.

Gerold Jampulski says Fear=F-falseE-emotionA-AppearingR-real

Gerold Jampulski says Fear=F-falseE-emotionA-AppearingR-real

Gerold Jampulski says Fear=F-falseE-emotionA-AppearingR-real

Good grief, sorry kids for the re-peat. went to my first book signing today for Daddy's Magic Lunchbox. I went fabulous! I am so happy, hee hee!When I put it into my 93year old daddy's hands, he lit up like a Christmas Tree, what a gift this book has been to me from the way it came to me, which is on the back cover, to all the reviews and comments. It's a great day in the Village!!

I am proud and happy for you

Gosh,Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SMILE

Magicangel~ congratulations! That is a wonderful accomplishment and gift...and thank you for sharing your joy here with us. I will buy the book for my 9 year old son...he still loves to read bedtime stories...I miss him tonight while I'm confined to this hosp bed...but SWEET DREAMS! Better days ahead :)

David Terry,
Terrific posts indeed. Your description of hunting copperheads in an old outbuilding full of nooks, crannies, and shadows could be the stuff of a white knuckled horror film.

Looking forward to many more.

Dr. Who RULES!!!

David, nice post. Re the hat, if it has Aussie connection, it is an Akubra, It looks like one anyway.  I have made additional comments on your photo. http://www.akubra.com.au/index.html  ;  Jane, a full moon party! How fun! Did anyone howl?   I had a massive headache over this period and wonder if anyone else gets affected. I don't normally but it is a humongous full moon. We have noticed that in our client base, certain characters act strange during full moon. One of us, would often say, "Is it the full moon?" and we would realize it is. Some others seem to come out of their "bat cave" only this time of the month. A friend in retail also says it is well known in the retail trade that consumers are weirder are at this time.    RY: love your story! Saw it in my head! Korthal, prayers and light hugs coming YOUR way too. Graygoose, how awful! I hope you get well soon too! Magicangel, what a beautiful day! Congratulations!    I hate cockroaches, and in Singapore, they always seem to appear no matter how clean your house is.  The flying ones are the worst. The most frightening thing I ever saw was a flying albino cockroach ....eeeeeeeeeekss!!!!!  Fortunately, Tassie's weather is a bit too cold

grrrr....the formatting is having a full moon day kind of day too

We went out late last night to look at the Blue Moon and maybe howl a bit, but were thwarted by cloud cover. We did however leave the front door open long enough to invite one of the bats that hang out in the parkway maple trees.

It took a few hours, about 3:00 am, but i was finally able to do a trap and release using a colander from the kitchen. Plan B was a frying pan. I gotta find the net I used the last time this happened.

Korthal, i hope all of your parts feel better soon.

Peace out..... Enjoy the rest of the weekend

Venomous Snakes are not my favorite thing but then seldom do I chance across one. Lots of black widow spiders in this part of California but they tend to be very reclusive and I have a strong belief in "live and let live". Everything was put on this earth for a reason and I rspect that.     Now if you want to REALLY mention fearful things you need go NO further than most POLITICIANS. I get heart palpatations and the galloping heebie jeebies everytime I listen to a news cast or pick up the morning paper. Talk about poisonous snakes..HA! I rest my case.    Nothing to fear but fear itself folks.*grin*

Thank you all for your good wishes. These new drugs are helping a lot and I'm getting into my bed and hoping for a good night's sleep.
Blessings on all the Village.

Quick, painless recovery to Korthal and Graygoose.
dterrydraw, it's funny, my husband just bought a mattock at the flea market today and was remarking how a lot of people don't know the names of many older tools....at least not the mattock....a very useful tool indeed. Welcome to the village.
Nice to see you here PL. I thought you had taken a leave of absence like Stoney.
RY, very cool!...bird story.

Jane, thank you! This was just a much needed short-term leave.