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Ricky Raccoon Learns a Lesson About Stealing. Part Four.

31 Monday Aug 2015

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Worlds-cutest -raccoons-26-the -chive.com. Found on Google on 8-30-15.

Worlds-cutest -raccoons-26-the chive.com. Found on Google on 8-30-15.

Ricky was busy. He went around visiting his friends and talked four raccoons into going with him. They were frightened and afraid to break the rules, but Ricky was confident and sure of himself. He said, the other raccoons would see them as heroes.

Found on Google on 8-13-15. The chive-com-raccoons. Worlds -cutest- raccoons.

Found on Google on 8-13-15. The chive.com-raccoons. Worlds cutest- raccoons.

The raccoons went in the dead of  night. Their dark masks made them look like the thieves they were. They crossed over on to the land of the humans and raided their corn fields. Ricky ate some of the corn. It was so delicious, he could not stop. Greed filled his eyes. His friends were eating it too. They carried some of the corn to take back to the community. Just as they started the trip home, some coon dogs caught their scent and barked.

The noise shattered the quiet night. Doors banged, shotguns were loaded, and boots hit the ground running. The raccoons were frightened and could feel their hearts thumping in their chest.They took off running for home, but they had eaten so much corn and carried a heavy load. It all slowed them down. Two of Ricky’s friends were shot and died in the fields. Two of them got away, but Ricky did not feel good about it. They made it home with some ears of corn, but they were filled with grief over the death of their friends. The humans crossed over into the land of the raccoons and started shooting in to the trees. The raccoons scattered until the humans left.

The next morning, the raccoon community had a meeting. They wanted to throw Ricky and his friend out of the group to live elsewhere. The raccoons were angry that the laws had been broken and two of them were dead as a result of Ricky’s disobedience. The theft of corn had endangered the lives of the whole community.

The raccoon King could see the grief in Ricky’s eyes and his tears. He said,” You have broken our rules, involved your friends in stealing, and two have died. I think you have been punished enough. You will have to carry this for the rest of your lives.” Ricky bowed his head to the wise King.

He left the meeting, feeling great sadness and remorse. Last night taught him a valuable lesson: There is always a good reason for a boundary. Rules that are made are always there to keep the raccoons safe. Stealing always carries a price tag. For him it was the death of two of his friends.

Yu/stan/kema

Ricky Raccoon Learns A Lesson About Stealing. Part Three.

30 Sunday Aug 2015

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Found on Google on 8-13-15. The chive-com-raccoons. Worlds -cutest- raccoons.

Found on Google on 8-13-15. The chive.com-raccoons. Worlds  raccoons.

The raccoon community had very few rules, but the rules they had were there for a reason. They usually had to do with the survival of the group. All of the raccoons were told by the elders not  to steal from the Humans. They could fish the creeks and ponds, hunt the marshes,  and climb trees for nuts. They could catch insects and dig for worms, but they could not enter the land belonging to the humans. They were never to steal from them. It was forbidden.

The Fall months were fast approaching and the male raccoons were leaving their mothers to live in groups. They were beginning to notice the female raccoons and wanted to attract some one special and impress their peers with their strength, their ability to provide food, and their intelligence.

Ricky had already decided to form a group with three of his friends. They intended to live together in the woods. They climbed up the surrounding trees and decided on an oak tree that had two hollowed out places, one right above the other. This would be their new home they agreed. They could use one space for shelter and the other to store food for the winter.

Now, Ricky wanted fame and he wanted respect. Most of all,  he wanted to win over the prettiest female in the community. He knew the only way he could do this and achieve his objectives was to do something unheard of. He thought for a while and decided he would cross the boundaries into the land of the humans and steal their corn. He had smelled the corn before and other raccoons said the corn tasted good. His mouth watered just thinking about it. ” That corn belongs to me,” he said. ( Continued in Part Four.)

Yu/stan/kema

Ricky Raccoon Learns A Lesson About Stealing. Part Two.

30 Sunday Aug 2015

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Found on Google. raccoon_procyon_lotor_2-wikipedia. org. on 8-13-15.

Found on Google. raccoon_procyon_lotor_2-wikipedia. org. on 8-13-15.

Months passed, and Ruby watched her son grow into a handsome raccoon. His coat was gray, his face was white, and his ears were small and rounded. A mask of black fur grew around his eyes. He was growing in size. His body was about sixteen inches long and his bushy tail added another eight inches in length. Ricky weighed about fifteen pounds. His  mother made sure he had plenty to eat and Ruby spoiled him. Her grief for his litter mates, who had died before he was born, made her love him more fiercely and sometimes too much.

Found on Google on 8-13-15. Jim Cruce. Raccoons. Audubon Society of Portland.

Found on Google on 8-13-15. Jim Cruce. Raccoons. Audubon Society of Portland.

Ricky grew up feeling entitled to everything around him and he had problems respecting the rights of other raccoons. His mother knew this, but her love for him made her blind to his weaknesses. He loved to stand on his hind legs and watch the world around him. He was proud of his front paws which had non-retractable claws. They were very sensitive and touch was important to him. Ricky’s front paws looked like hands with fingers but no thumb. The fingers could unscrew lids and douse food in the water and clean it. He was intelligent and could figure out how to solve problems quickly using his agile front paws.

Ricky loved to go down to the feeding grounds. He would eat, sleep, and play with the other raccoons. They would explore the woods and go down to the creek to catch fish and wash them. It was so exciting to find frogs, hunt for bird’s eggs, and eat worms and insects. He and his friends would bring back some of the food to the community and try to impress the female raccoons.

Raccoons in the wild are lucky if they live more than a few years. They usually die from harsh winters of starvation or freeze to death. They also die from being hunted and shot by humans. ( Continued in Part three).

Yu/stan/kema

Ricky Raccoon Learns A Lesson About Stealing. Part One of Four.

30 Sunday Aug 2015

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Ruby Raccoon and her son, Ricky.

Found on Google+ on 8-10-15. Gary Seloff. John Michael Garcia.

Found on Google+ on 8-10-15. Gary Seloff. John Michael Garcia.

Ruby was a gray raccoon with a black mask across her eyes. There was some red hair in her dense fur. She was going to give birth to her kit in the spring. Ruby was looking forward to talking with her relatives when they met in the forest clearing for their monthly meetings. She couldn’t wait to tell them about the four little raccoons moving inside her body. Ruby wanted to find out who else would be giving birth in the spring, and ask others where the best places were for catching fish after the ice broke. This would be her first litter. Her front paws loving touched the bulge in front of her body.

Ruby lived in a tall oak tree in the forest. The tree had a large hollowed out space, carved by Mother Nature. It was so deep that it stayed warm and dry when it rained. It was just the right place for her to wait until Spring. She closed her eyes and slept deeply and dreamed of the wee ones growing inside her. She knew they would be welcomed with joy and excitement by the other raccoons in the community.

Spring came early and the snows had receded. The hollow was warm from the heat given off from Ruby’s body. It was telling her the baby raccoons were about to come. She looked up as her sister entered the den. “It’s time,” she said. The long, hard labor was getting to Ruby. She was tired and counted three babies. She nuzzled two of them and got no response. She kept on licking them. They were girls but they were still. She moved to the third raccoon in the litter and licked it. Over and over she licked the lifeless raccoon until her sister stopped her. Her heart was breaking with grief. She would never get to watch them grow. Her sister said, “Ruby, you must rest,” and she carried the baby raccoons out to a special place in the forest while Ruby slept.

When her sister returned, she found Ruby in labor again. Out came the baby raccoon. She looked down at him and heard soft, bird like twittering sounds. Her heart grew large with joy. She licked him until he was clean. She moved close to him and he started to nurse. Ruby looked at him with tenderness and said, ” Your name shall be Ricky, Ricky Raccoon.” She smiled with pride at her new-born son. ( Continued in Part Two ).

Yu/stan/kema

Timothy Heron Learns A Lesson In Courage. (Part Four).

08 Saturday Aug 2015

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Found on Google on 8-6-15. Great Blue Heron. Magnolia Gardens.DSC 0261.

Found on Google on 8-6-15. Great Blue Heron. Magnolia Gardens.DSC 0261.

Timothy’s eyes filled with tears. Here he was feeling as low as any one bird could feel. He felt lonely and not like his true self. He wanted to live. He was born to fly high in an endless blue sky, but fear tied him to the earth. His mother stood before him and said, “Life has been difficult for you. You almost died. It makes sense you would feel afraid. Fear does not define you. You are more than fear. Embrace your fear. It is part of you, but not all of you. You must make a choice of how you want to live. If you want to be shackled by fear and never taste what you love to eat; If you want to never feel your heart soar, nor do the things you love to do; If misery is what you desire; then choose to be controlled by fear.” Timothy didn’t want that for his life. His mother stood, eyes filled with love and acceptance.

“Timothy. your destiny lies within you. If you want to soar in endless space; If you want to eat fish and  you prefer fish; If you want to continue to do the things you love; If you want to live free and be the real you; Seize this moment and take control. Choose courage instead of fear. Chose life and not death. Feel the fear, but do what you love to do. Say to yourself when you feel fear:’ breathe’. Imagine my wings protecting you when you feel afraid. Keep your mind on something else as you battle fear. Bite your fish in pieces before swallowing. Focus on flying. Be space. Be the wind roaring past your body. Be the clouds you fly through. Find ways to meet your objectives. I cannot do this for you. You must choose and do the work to accomplish your goals. Remember always, I believe in you. Believe in yourself. You can do this. I am with you. Carry me inside your heart. Carry God within your soul. Live, my dearest one, live!”

Timothy saw her fly away, but he felt OK. He knew he carried inside the things he needed to live free. He walked down to the pond and he caught a fish. He tore it in pieces and swallowed it piece by piece. He lifted his wings to take off and felt the fear inside him. He took a breath, and he became one with the wind, the sky, and the endlessness of space. His heart soared and he became the heron he believed he could one day be.

Yu/stan/kema

Found on Google. Blue Heron Counseling. www.holistictherapywnc.

Found on Google. Blue Heron Counseling. http://www.holistictherapywnc.

Timothy Heron Learns A Lesson In Courage. (Part Three.)

08 Saturday Aug 2015

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Found on Google + on 8-3-15. Herons. St. Petersberg, FL. Rick Schwartz.

Found on Google + on 8-3-15. Herons. St. Petersburg, FL. Rick Schwartz.

Timothy’s friends were watching when they saw him fall from the sky above and hit the water below. They flew over to where he had landed and as a group, they were able to pull him on to the edge of the pond. Several of the herons jumped on top of him and water was expelled from his bill.  Slowly, Timothy opened his eyes. He was grateful his  friends had saved his life. He was acutely aware he had barely escaped death.

The next several months were busy for the herons, for it was nesting time. Timothy’s friends were out in full force trying to impress the female herons with their strength and their agility in flying.  Every week they would look for Timothy’s happy disposition, but he was absent from the social gatherings. They missed his wit and his ability to make them laugh. They had gone to the nest he had built-in the tallest tree, but he wasn’t there.

Timothy had moved his home to a nest of reeds. He no longer had the desire to fly or eat fish. Every time he would think of those two things, a feeling of dread took over his mind. Fear grew inside his soul. He no longer believed in his ability to fly. The thought of eating fish made him choke. Because he was afraid and felt shame about his fear, he hid from the other herons. He missed his friends but he could not bear them knowing how far he had fallen in his own expectations for himself. He brooded in silence. He would eat only the smallest of mice and tiny insects. He loved fish but could no longer eat them. He loved to fly, but he had to stay grounded or he would die. His nights were sleepless because the feelings and thoughts of almost dying would come back to haunt him. He was miserable, but he didn’t know how to stop it. He thought he would feel like this forever.

Found on Google at www.scientificillustrator.com on 8-6-15. Great -blue-herons. Gina Mikel.

Found on Google at http://www.scientificillustrator.com on 8-6-15. Great -blue-herons. Gina Mikel.

Night fell and as he tried to sleep, he saw a light in the far distance coming towards him. He kept his eye on the light and the closer it came, he realized it was a heron. She came and stood before him with a heavenly glow. It was his mother as she once was: full of dignity and spiritual strength. Her eyes were full of love and compassion for her son. (Continued in Part Four.)

Yu/stan/kema

Timothy Heron Learns a Lesson In Courage. (Part Two.)

08 Saturday Aug 2015

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                                                      Timothy Heron

Found on Pinterest on 5-23-15. Taken by Rick Schwartz.

Found on Pinterest on 5-23-15. Taken by Rick Schwartz.

Morning came and Timothy woke up to the sound of birds calling to one another. He stretched his blue and white wings and shook off droplets of dew that fell on the large tree branch below him. His best friend, Bobby, yelled up at him, “Cut it out, Timothy! I’ve already had my shower for the week.” He and a group of his friends flew down to the corn fields near the pond.  Bobby signaled for Timothy to take the lead in hunting  mice for breakfast. Between the four of them, they had just enough mice to give  to those with disabling injuries.

After breakfast, the group of young herons slowly walked down to the edge of Eagleman’s pond. They used their long , skinny toes to dig into the mud. They waited for their prey to come closer to the edge. The day was hot and humid.

While he waited, his mind went back in time to  the days when his mother was alive. They had a good relationship and she had taught him many skills. Most of all, she gave him knowledge that enabled him to survive. He mourned the loss of her and his heart still hurt with the pain of her death. He heard the group stir, and he walked into the pond with the water touching his belly. He heard a big splash and grabbed a huge fish with his bill. It was so big, he could hardly carry it to the bank of the pond. He could not resist swallowing it whole. He could not help himself and felt the fish slide down his throat.

Found on Google on 8-6-15.- Great-blue-heron-preparing- to-www-jokeroo-.com.

Found on Google on 8-6-15.- Great-blue-heron-preparing- to-www-jokeroo-.com.

The giant fish caught in his throat. It was choking him, and he could not breathe. He struggled to force the fish down his neck. He thought to himself,” If I could just fly, the choking will stop.” He took to  the air and spread his wings . He flew a short distance,  and spiraled out of control. His body hit the water hard. Water closed around him and he felt like he was drowning. Panic arose in him so great, he could not think or function. He could feel he was sinking. “Mom, I’m coming to find you,” Timothy said and he let go. (Continued in Part Three.)

Yu/stan/kema.

Timothy Heron Learns A Lesson In Courage. ( Part One).

05 Wednesday Aug 2015

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                                           TIMOTHY HERON

Found on google on 7-31-15. Stow Lake. Great blue heron.

Found on google on 7-31-15. Heron Watch at Stow Lake, Golden.

It was a beautiful day at Eagleman’s Pond  when Timothy left his nest hidden in one of the tall trees. He flew through the currents of air and landed on the ground by the water. The bird stood with long, thin powerful legs and took in the golden light of the sun. His life was going great and all was well with the world. He felt young, strong, and invincible.” How wonderful life is for a great blue heron,” he thought.

He was a handsome bird and he had not reached his full size. Timothy had blue-gray plumage, stood about four feet tall, and had a wing span of about five feet. He was proud of his wings which were blue-gray and the top side of his wings had white feathers. Timothy had one thing he did with perfection– the art of flying. He practiced every day and he wanted to be the best in all bird kingdom. He was born to fly and it gave him great joy.

Timothy loved to soar and ride the air currents down to the surface of the water. The spray from the water, as his wing skimmed the surface, helped cool him in the hot summer wind. His neck retracted as he flew. When he was on land or in shallow water, his neck would expand.

Timothy was also proud of his legs. They were slender and he walked slowly while hunting for food. He loved to grip the mud with his long, skinny toes. Timothy’s bill was sturdy and thin,  shaped like a harpoon. He was a non-swimming water bird that stayed close to shore waiting patiently for food to come to him.

Timothy loved fish and the pond was full of them. His stomach rumbled with the thought of mollusks, frogs, and other insects that loved the water. Most of all, he enjoyed eating mice. There was always more than enough for him and his bird friends. He would sit and wait patiently for his food to come to him. They always did because he was good at finding food. His bill would spear the fish and he would swallow them whole. A few of his friends died from eating fish that were too big. Timothy was proud of his self-reliance and independent nature. His confidence in his accomplishments and abilities gave him strong self-esteem. Little did he know that in the days to come, that would all change. ( Continued in Part Two.). The following references were useful in writing this story.

Yu/stan/kema

_________________________________________________

Wikipedia.org. Great Blue Heron.

Audubon Guide. Great Blue Heron.

National Geographic.com/animals/birds/great-blue-heron.

The Search For Happiness. Part Three.

18 Saturday Jul 2015

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The girl was weary of traveling the road of life. It was hard to keep hope alive. She yearned for the sunshine and the sight of green growing things. She wanted the wind to caress her cheeks and the rain to cleanse the tears from her face. So she kept on walking down the road, one step at a time. Going back was not an option. Not if she wanted to survive and find happiness.

The little girl wanted to feel her emotions, to think her own thoughts, but most of all, she just wanted to be herself and feel the acceptance from others, that it was Ok to be the “real” child  inside. The child who felt pain, sadness, and fear. She was tired of carrying the past alone. She wanted someone to care about her existence. She wanted to know she mattered, that her life had value. Why was it so hard for people to understand  this?

The child walked until she came to a quiet. peaceful place. She sat down in the meadow and started to talk to the flowers. She closed her eyes and smelled deeply the rich green grass. She smiled softly as she heard the different birds call out to one another. The sun beat down upon her with warm, gentle rays. She drifted off and slept.

When she opened her eyes, she saw a woman sitting in the grass a distance from her. The woman was smiling and she was doing the very same thing she was doing. Soon, they were both breathing in the sweet smells and enjoying the beauty around them. The woman got up and sat down again, a little closer to the child. She could see joy in the woman’s  eyes and the laughter in her face. They stared at each other for a very long time.

The woman stood and moved  closer to the small child until she was just an arm’s length away. When the little girl sighed, the woman sighed. When the child’s tears fell, the woman’s tears fell. When the little girl laughed, the woman laughed. It had been a long time since she felt this safe.

After a while, the little girl gave a big sigh of relief, and she came and sat beside the woman. She breathed in the woman’s clean smell, counted the freckles on her face, and sensed the goodness that lived inside the woman’s soul. She could feel the warmth coming from her heart. She could see truth within her eyes. The child could feel the love all around her, bathing her in a golden light. The woman sang songs to the little girl and she told her stories  about her childhood. Soon, the little girl slept feeling safe and serene.

When she opened her eyes, the woman said, “It’s OK for you to be you. It’s Ok to just be you.” The little girl smiled with great delight. She said to herself, ” I have worth. I like myself. Someone likes me. I can feel my pain and cry my tears. I can let the sadness come and go. I can feel my fear and just be scared.”

 “I know the answer,” the little child said. “I know what happiness is. It’s the freedom to be what I choose to be. I’m free to be me. I’m free to be me. It’s sharing and caring for someone else. It’s about me learning to accept myself and others accepting me.” The little girl danced in the flowers and grass and the woman sang a  song. The child felt loved for the very first time. She knew what happiness was.

Yu/stan/kema

Found on Pinterest on 7-17-15. Andrea-joki.

Found on Pinterest on 7-17-15. Andrea-joki.

The Search FOR HAPPINESS. (Part Two of Three).

17 Friday Jul 2015

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The little girl walked until she could walk no more. She sat down by the side of the road  and saw  a woman passing by. She waved to her and motioned for her to come and sit  for a while. Soon she began to share her feelings with the woman. The woman taught the little girl that facing her past could harm her. Focusing on the grief and pain would ruin the day for every one.  “If you are strong and act like the present can bring forth good things, you’ll survive. I will help you learn to cope and others will feel happy. Happiness lies in pleasing others,” the woman said.

And the little girl sat down and proceeded to meet the needs of her teacher. She learned

Found on Pinterest on 7-16-15. Grace-uncommon.

Found on Pinterest, 7-16-15. Grace-uncommon.

to hide her emotions and to smile when she felt sad. She locked away anger and she locked away pain. She denied her needs in order to please. But happiness still eluded her. With a sad, sad smile, she finally got to her feet. She realized it was time to move on. “I still feel like a zero,” the child said. Her eyes filled with tears.

The little girl started walking again. The ground began to change with each step she took. Green tufts of grass started appearing around her. Flowers nodded to her as she walked by. She waved to another woman she saw by the side of the road.  “I have become a master of coping,” she said. “I know how to please people and I can make you happy.” She began to show the woman how smart she had become and how well she could solve problems. The woman sat and listened. She barely spoke a word to the lonely child.

The less the woman spoke, and the less she smiled, the more desperate the child became to see herself mirrored in the lady’s eyes. She wanted the woman to notice her and to accept the little girl within.

Found on Pinterest on 7-17-15. lizzie-chuckguire-

Found on Pinterest on 7-17-15. lizzie-chuckguire-Pinterest photo

The woman began to speak. “The way  to be happy is to be self-sufficient. Ask nothing of me. I will listen, but that is all I want to do. “The little girl yearned to be herself. She learned that if she released her anger, the woman would purse her lips. If she spoke about sadness, the woman would shut her eyes and ignore her. When the child spoke about fear, the woman would turn her face away and say nothing. The sound of her silence became deafening. “I am not responsible for you,” the woman said. “Where is happy?”  the child asked. “I feel like I am nothing. It is lonely here and barren.” With a weary sigh, the child stood up and started walking again. (continued in part three.)

Yu/stan/kema