I have no idea why the weather is so damned screwed up but thankfully, we didn't miss July all together. It just took until September to get here I guess.
This Labour Day weekend was full of so many things that I really love to do.
Friday: I took some time off work to hang around with my boy's, DonKaaa and brudder CC at the Golf course. Together we played 27 holes, before brudder CC had to make a dash for the highway and get up even further North. DonKaaa and I just didn't want to quit, so we called the girls and got them to come out for an additional 18 holes. Golfing with Peb's and Queen_Kaaa, helped make it a really wonderful start to the weekend.
Saturday: One of my favorite things on this big ol' flying rock of ours, is getting the opportunity to help out our neighbours down the road at Bear Creek Wildlife Sanctuary. On Saturday I made plans to run over all of the leftover building supplies from the back deck. I topped that load up with a bunch of framing 2 x 4's that I knew would come in handy for many of their varied structure and habitat plans on the go. So many people think that food and water is all that it takes to keep these animals alive. Hardly anyone takes the time to consider the atmosphere of the surroundings and what it means to a captive animals quality of life! Mary and Warner do though and that means building supplies can make a pretty big difference when they are made available.
There's also the physical needs of the animals, as 'play' and 'hunting' techniques need to be taught to the young as well. I think that this is where Mary feels I can be of the most assistance to her program! It seems my role as 'prey,' just isn't duplicated by anyone else that's happened to come along. It's a job I take very seriously and also a great deal of pride in! I have been 'mauled' by Lions, Tigers, Cougars, Lynx and Jaguars over the years and you know what? I've considered myself incredibly fortunate to have been so! So this Saturday my job was to help teach a couple of 3 month old Jaguars, the play that leads to going for the kill! Not-so-mini-Peb's came along for this trip and based on this sequence of shots she took, I'd say my lessons were really sinking in for this little fellow wouldn't you?
OK kids, pay attention!
I am made of meat and fatty tissue and just like the food you should be hunting, there are bones inside me too.
"Watch me go Sis!"
Teeth, check! Claws, check!
***NOTE***
I like to have a lot of fun with this obviously, but as you can see by the "tools of the trade" that this little bugger is about to unleash on me, this type of work is really not for the faint of heart!
Also as a bit of a gentle reminder of how a three month old Jaguar is muscularly better developed and so very much stronger than most 15 & 16 year old boys,
the going for the jugular lesson needs to be thrown in there as well, BY MY STUDENT!
Peb's and I normally host a charity Poker Tourney for Bear Creek every Summer, but things got a little out of hand for us as time went on, and we never quite got around to it. That is going to change next year! With all of the habitat building and the seemingly non-stop supply of un-wanted and left for dead animals being taken in by them from private sources and Zoos alike, these folks could really use the help. As an example of the extreme costs that are involved and required to be made up in a totally non-profit manner, think of the Veterinarian bills alone if you can! These are not Poodles and Tabbies that need to be nursed back to health when they arrive and YES! Almost every animal that they have taken in and provided a home to as an alternative to death, has started out requiring some very serious medical help right off the bat. Some to the point that you'd probably be ashamed to be called a human being, after seeing what someone could do to an unsuspecting animal.
I get asked all the time what people can do to help and honestly, it's as simple as a small donation. Here's a link that get's you to a page where you can do what you want to help them out. As someone who has seen first hand the love and care that these folks put into everything they do, trust me when I say that every single penny is put back into the health, happiness and well being of every animal on the property. Do what you can and if you get the chance, spread the word as well! The more the merrier I always say. As you will see on the donations page, options include all major credit cards and PayPal. Tell'em Bam-Bam sent you!
Sunday: Peb's and I played another 18 holes in some spectacular September weather, with DonKaaa and the lovely Queen_K. My Game went for a dump and it felt like I'd never held a club in my hands before, but man the company was awful nice!
Monday: I always thought Labour Day, was meant to be celebrated by a lack thereof. You know! Lay around and do nothing even remotely close to actual 'Labor.' Apparently I got my signals crossed!
Peb's had me helping her clean out the barn, getting the Truck fired up/cleaned up and then stored away for the Winter. She busted my azz for most of the morning! :)
The afternoon was spent watching a rather creative new neighbour, come up with a strategy for combatting the weeds overtaking his little pond.
I have no idea what the fish in his pond thought of all the commotion but as a spectator along the sidelines, it sure was a lot of fun to watch!
Particularily just before this point, where one of the "weed whackers" who'd suddenly discovered that there was an 8 foot deep part of that "little" pond, needed a little help getting back on solid ground.
Good times!
My sincerest thanks for dropping by....
6 comments:
The picture of the baby biting you on the neck is adorable . . . makes me wish I were a baby jaguar.
:)
Interacting with the baby tigers at Bear Creek is in my top 5 life experiences. It's an amazing place.
Wow, it might have been warmer in Bedrock than it was in Vegas!
I am jealous of all of your golfing over the weekend. My family was in town (including 3-year old nephew), so no golf for me.
Great post. I explored the link you gave, and saw this: Jaglion? What exactly is that? It sounds like half jaguar half lion, yes?
That's exactly what Tzunami and Jhadzera are double M.
The sanctuary was given care of a female lion and a male jaguar at just about the same time. Both were less than 3 months old and in a very bad way. Through their recovery period, they became inseparable. In fact after forcing them to live apart for nearly three months at the age of one, they both nearly starved to death out of misery. All of the vets were consulted and one thing seemed abundently clear, He could never be a daddy because he was sterile and she, had too many problems early on to ever become a mom. So none of the experts saw any reason for them to be apart any longer.
Nature works in mysterious way's indeed! So much for the experts!
They are the only two known to exist in the world and yes, I have been "prey" for them and loved every single minute of it!!!
:)
Amazing, thanks for the jaglion info.
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