Japan - Part One

I've just returned from vacationing in Japan. Although only visiting three cities (Tokyo, Kyoto and Hiroshima), I'd hoped to catch a glimpse of some interesting animals to bring back and share with you. Not an easy task. In Tokyo, we stayed across from Ebisu Garden Place, a massive office, retail and restaurant complex. As you can see from the top photo, taken from our hotel room, there's not much green space, yet it was a popular spot for dog-walking. Click on photos to enlarge.



There wasn't a speck of poop anywhere. This could have been because every inch of the public space was scrubbed each morning. Or maybe their dogs just don't poop. I'm not even sure the pigeons poop. I swear that Japan has the cleanest and most considerate animals around. And some of the cutest. Check out this little guy I spotted in Yoyogi Park in Harajuku:



The dog was cute but terribly overdressed -- it was 35 degrees Celsius (95 fahrenheit)! Why do people do that to their pets?


And since we were in Harajuku, I had to snap a few pictures of some of the more interesting Sunday visitors:







Go here to read more about Harajuku's teenagers.

Bottom Floor Dwellers

I helped out at the animal shelter's yard sale on Friday and Saturday. Lovely weather for the sale yesterday, but there was one grey cloud:

A boxed designer men's watch had been donated -- quite nice. We put it with a few other items that appeared to be worth something more than a buck or two. Do you know what happened? Someone attending the sale stole the darn thing. They did leave the box (I suppose strapping the watch and box on one's arm might be conspicuous).

Being a thief is bad enough, but you'd have to take the elevator a long way down to reach the level of someone who steals from a charity.

Thanks, I feel better now that I've gotten that off my chest.

Fledglings

Spring -- a good time to talk about those little feather dusters that you might see hopping around your yard. For the first few days after leaving the nest, fledglings are just learning to fly and may take their chances on the ground. If you're concerned the young bird might be in harm's way, place it in a shrub then leave it alone -- the parents are probably freaking out nearby. Check out this link for more information.

Meeko's a Couch Potato

My cat, Meeko, never really bothered with our old t.v. Every once in awhile, some movement on the screen might catch her eye, but she pretty much ignored it. That's all changed -- ever since we bought a plasma, Meeko's become addicted. I mean, we're wrestling her for the remote. She can become so wrapped up in a program, I'm almost afraid to change the channel. I feel guilty. Shouldn't I be encouraging her to go out and play ball hockey or something?

Spider Sense

Last summer, I noticed a very large spider lurking outside our house. Its tunnel-like web intrigued me, though not enough to make me get too close. I always checked for him whenever I went out to dump the compost because ... well, I always felt better if I knew where he was. You'll have to click on the photo in order to get a better view.

I looked online to see if I could find out what kind of spider he was, and found this:

The Funnel Web spider is a robust, hairy spider with long legs and a body length of 12 mm. It nests in the corner of garages, basements and other ground level areas. Its web is a flat funnel that leads to a short tunnel. It can deliver a painful bite but is not poisonous except to those who may be sensitive and are allergic to spider venom.

Spiders kind of freak me out. I don't mind them, as long as they stay away from me. One night in bed, I awoke when something tickled my lip. I thought it was my hair, so I brushed it away. Then I felt the tickle on my neck, and knew immediately that it wasn't just a stray strand of locks. I clutched the tickler in my fist, and threw it on the sheets. I fumbled for the switch on my bedside lamp, then frantically searched the bedding beside me. The spider's legs were all curled up, and it was now most definitely dead. I looked at the ceiling and walls for more of them, but realized that spiders don't hang out in herds, so I was probably safe.

Did you know that you'll eat about six spiders in your lifetime? For months after that night, I fell asleep with the corner of the pillow case over my mouth. I still get the heebie-jeebies just thinking about it.

Learning to Climb

If you need a reason to smile and have a few minutes to spare, then check out this video. Two squirrels, a wall, and a little help from some friends -- it's my all-time favourite. Thanks to Nuclear Toast for pointing this one out.

Abandoned Nest

A robin built its nest in the crook of the downspout right outside our window, and my cat, Meeko, and I were excited -- we couldn't wait for the little guys to hatch. Unfortunately, even though the mother robin was attentive, there wasn't much she could do when a major rain storm took out parts of the nest. I searched the ground for the eggs, but they must have remained in their tattered home (I'm definitely not looking forward to taking down the nest).




The mother hung around for the next few days, peering over the edge of the roof, but, eventually, she abandoned the nest altogether. Meeko still looks out the window, expecting to see the robin. So do I.

Awww

I took this photo at the shelter and posted it on my other blog. It's just too cute not to share with you. Click on the cats to enlarge.

Heros and Villains

Two weeks ago, in Toronto, Jonathan Breedon heard cries coming from a woodpile near his home. Upon investigation, he discovered ten kittens in a plastic shopping bag, their umbilical cords still attached. Horrified, he took the kittens home, cleaned them, then fed them milk. Once the kittens' immediate needs were met, Jonathan wrapped them in a towel, and took them to the Humane Society where they have been added to an existing litter.

This is one of those stories that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy, yet at the same time, my blood runs cold. The world needs more Jonathans, but it can do with a lot less of those bastards who so easily toss away ten tiny lives.

Thanks to my dad for pointing this story out to me.

Evacuation

Whenever I see construction under way, I think about the animals that may have been killed or left homeless by it -- the groundhogs or chipmunks living in the ground. Last year, they began some construction along Yonge Street (new sewer or water line -- I don't know which, but as long as the workers do, that's all that's important), and so dug a huge ditch alongside the road.

When the digging began, I pictured the poor creatures being scooped up by the machinery, their homes and, most likely, their lives lost. Once I got that picture in my head, I couldn't get it out. So I thought I'd share my personal little nightmare with you. There's nothing we can do about this as we have to maintain the infrastructure, and build new homes. One thing we can do is make our own backyards and gardens more inviting to some creatures. Something to think about.

And here's a piece of trivia for you: pictured above is Yonge Street which used to be known as the "longest street in the world", but lost that distinction due to a technicality. The street is about 1,900 km (1,200 miles) long, and runs from Toronto to the Ontario-Minnesota border. Just thought I'd pass that on, in case you're asked that question while playing an old game of Trivia Pursuit.

Fortune Telling Fish

I picked up these Fortune Telling Fish at Pier One Imports a few weeks ago (I know I'm stretching my animal-themed blog by including them). What's so cool about them is that we had these things when I was growing up in the early 60's -- this is what we did for fun back then. Anyway, seeing them was like a mini-trip down memory lane. To get a closer look, just click on the photo.





According to the back of the package, this means I'm passionate. But since it had turned over, it might mean I'm false. I suppose I'll have to try it again. You see, hours of fun! Who needs video games?

And so it begins ...

Canada's seal hunt has begun. I can't even bring myself to look for a photo to accompany this announcement.