SueBears.com Blog

Just when I thought I had posted all the strange animal stories I could find to this blog, along comes this one. It seems that Mr. and Mrs. Loretta of South Carolina were about to sit down to a lovely dinner of barbecued chicken when “somebody” knocked at the front door. I am REALLY happy this lady peeked out first before she opened the door! A very good idea but not for the reasons you usually think. Imagine her surprise to see a 6 foot alligator! By the time guards arrived from the local security company the aligator had travelled the neighborhood a bit and took off before they could do something about it - uhm, what would you do? Now here in Southern California where I live it is not uncommon to have bears visit the backyard or spa, but alligators! Whoa!!!!

Some of you who read this blog are aware that I have been following the Peregrine Falcon nestbox at the Kodak headquarters in Rochester, N.Y., for eight years now. Currently there are three babies just about ready to fledge (fly away on their own) and begin their lives as super birds!

Well, I learned that Robert Redeford (sigh) is about ready to direct and star in a film entitled, “Aloft”, based on the true story of a naturalist and pilot tracking a peregrine falcon’s transcontinental migration from Alaska to Central America. Mr. Redford will play the pilot. The movie is based on the Alan Tennant’s book, “On the Wing: To The Edge of the Earth with the PF” documenting his experiences tracking Peregrine’s in his plane. Redford will play Tennant. These falcons can dive 200 miles per hour (called a stoop) when catching their prey (smaller birds). Should be exciting to watch!

According to the LA Time of June 15, 2006, “President Bush today will create the world’s largest marine protected area, a total of 140,000 square miles of Pacific Ocean surrounding a necklace of islands and atolls that stretch from the main Hawaiian Islands to Midway Atoll and beyond, senior administration officials said. The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands National Monument will be larger than all of America’s national parks combined. Fishing will be phased out, and the mining of coral for jewelry will be prohibited, along with other practices that can damage delicate reefs.”

Well, this is defnitely a postive step in the right direction! Why is it that I keep thinking it’s a bid to improve his political standing. But we wont argue here - at least it is being done!

Last weekend I went to see Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” and I strongly urge you to do the same! You will be surprised at his humanity and horrified at the images and statistics you will encounter in the film. It plays like a college lecture with very effective images and charts. He reveals a little about himself (his son’s automobile accident when the child was six and his sister’s death from lung cancer) leaving me to lament why we didn’t see this side of him during the election. He begins by stating, “I used to be the next President of the United States”. After some laughter and applause he mutters, “I don’t find that especially amusing”! A great line!

All this aside, I was struck by several moments in the presentation. He pointed out that China does not buys cars from us because their emission standards are so much higher than ours. Unbelievable! Another is that we already have all the knowledge we need at the moment to correct or at least reverse the effects of global warming. Occasionaly the film lapses into animated segments which I didn’t especially like at the tjme but the audience I shared this film with did. Then again, maybe the cartoon image of the swimming polar bear trying to climb on a sheet of ice that breaks into pieces was more effective than I first thought. I can’t forget that bear swimming in a vast ocean with no way to climb out.

I refuse to believe that the political/economic issues will prevent us from taking action to save our environment, indeed our planet. So see it, comment about it to your friends and urge them to see it, blog about it, and take groups to see it. You owe it to your grandchildren and furture generations. You can read more about the film here Another good site can be viewed at this site too.

The photograph shows Peru in 1980 and 2002. There are many more such images in the film that are even more dramatic!

Anothr fun bear in the backyard story! A black bear wandered into Donna Dickey’s yard in New Jersey and was in for a BIG surprise. Jack the family tabby protected his territory and sent the bear packing up the nearest tree! According to the owner this little tabby is always on duty, chasing small animals away. But a bear - really, Jack, be careful!

Check out this picture - you can clearly see the bear in the tree but that tiny speck on the ground is big, bad Jack!

Now this doesn’t look like stress relief to me but I guess it does to these Japanese citizens taking a steam/sand bath in Ibusuki, southern Japan. These spas are becoming very popular. Healing industry services are one of the fastest growing in the country. I think I will just stick to listening to soft music!

Operation Gratitude, which I described here with more pictures, is in full swing again for the year. This terrific group has sent oer 125,000 boxes of goodies to our troops and plans to send many more after the current drive. I am including another picture of folks working hard but on a busy day you can hardly move. The action takes place at the National Guard Armory in Van Nuys, California and I usually fill out custom forms for the boxes. It really tugs at your heart when you see the name of the soldier who will be receiving the box you are working on! I will spend a few hours Saturday, Sunday and Monday doing what I can to help. Very worthy way to spend some time!

Senator Bill Frist, also a cardiac surgeon, recently examined Kuja for signs of heart disease. But Kuja is a gorilla! Apparently, Frist has cultivated an additional practice of helping to care for the gorillas at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. Actually, dealing with a 350 pound male silverback gorilla loaded with testosterone is probably not that much different than dealing with the Senate!

Here is a great picture from a webcam of an Osprey nest in Conneticut (courtesy of the Conneticut Audubon Society). Apparently these birds are fond of bringing any manner of “treasures” to their nests and this one clearly decided on a blue teddy bear!

Have a wonderful Mother’s Day all you Mom’s. I really believe that all women are moms. Even if you don’t have children you probably take care of someone by your support and friendship not to mention the pets we care for. I am now three weeks away from my last chemotherapy, feeling pretty good and will be spending the day with my children. And all that is a good, a very good thing! Have a great day!