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Animal Encounters Entries

Scoundrels!

Saturday, November 15th, 2014

This morning, two woodpeckers started pounding on the water storage shed I've been building. Most of the 2x4s in the framing are scraps that have been laying in various states of cover for the last year… left over bracing from the workshop construc...

Late October Horsecart Ride

Sunday, October 20th, 2013

This morning, while Tyler worked with Charlie splitting wood, I headed over to West Arlington for another horsecart ride with the Washington County Draft Animal Association. It was colder than last time, and most of the leaves had fallen from the t...

An Autumn Ride by Horsecart

Sunday, September 29th, 2013

On many occasions, I've written about how much I love our new home, about how it's a magical, beautiful place where wonderful people do interesting things that make my soul come alive. Today, as we join our friends Jenna, Patty, Mark, and the whole...

Little Hopper, the Bunny from Home Depot

Tuesday, May 28th, 2013

While Tara and I were at Home Depot this evening, a little bunny popped out of some corrugated pipe we were buying. Both we and the little fluff-ball sat totally frozen, staring at one another for a good twenty seconds before it tore off down the ...

Farmwomen's Apprentice

Monday, March 4th, 2013

Today, Tyler and I went back to Cold Antler Farm once more. I wanted to be there in case Bonita and Francis decided to have their babies, and I was eager to help welcome two twelve-week-old pigs that Jenna had purchased. So, while Tyler programme...

Dinner on the Wild Side

Saturday, February 5th, 2011

It is much later in the evening when we venture into town for dinner. It seems we've waited a bit too long, as everything is closed—except one dimly lit wooden shack. While inspecting the buffet dishes outside, I notice the plate of deep fried ra...

Morning in a Mountain Village

Monday, January 10th, 2011

I'm not sure how early it is, but I'm ready to go. As I clumsily dislodge myself from the hammock, all knees and elbows, I leave Tara curled up like a burrito in the netting, dead to the world. After I've padded around camp gathering twigs for a ...

Into the Jungle: Part Three

Friday, October 22nd, 2010

Arriving at an intersection, at what we hope is the top, we're unsure of which way to go. Just then, a man in a truck pulls up to see if we are lost. We ask him about accommodation, and he tells us there's a campsite about four kilometers up the...

Into the Jungle: Part Two

Friday, October 22nd, 2010

Tyler: At the entrance of Khao Yai Park, we fork over a whopping 400 baht ($13 US) each. Normally, there is fee for bicycles too, but the guards waive it for us with a wink, a friendly smile, and a bemused look about our choice of transport. It...

Lopburi's Monkeys

Monday, October 18th, 2010

During a lull in the rain this morning (it has been pouring non-stop since we got here), we rode to the center of Lopburi to see what the town is most famous for: wild monkeys living a life of luxury in the middle of the city: They roam the ...

Dry and Dusty

Friday, September 10th, 2010

I'm not entirely sure where the boundary begins, but I'm pretty sure we're in the Gobi desert. What started as intense mountain scenery has transformed into flat, rocky desert, complete with sharp, pokey shrubs, and numerous full skeletons of the ...

Absurd

Thursday, August 5th, 2010

We dismiss Evgeniy's wise warning about traffic, and our own rule about not rushing, and leave Moscow at precisely the wrong time. We've stayed in the city until five o'clock, and are now running around to drop off Evgeniy's key, buy groceries, an...

Sounds of Sibiu

Sunday, May 16th, 2010

I was roused this morning around 7AM by a raucous, twittering racket just outside our tent. The early birds in the trees surrounding us were tweeting and chirping so loudly they may as well have been in our tent. I felt like my eight year old sel...

Precious Cargo

Wednesday, April 28th, 2010

For the really important decisions in life I've found that no list of "pros and cons" will help. Logic doesn't really apply, nor does rationality. There's simply a knowing, a gut feeling that what we've chosen is the right thing to do, and it req...

A Chance Encounter

Tuesday, April 27th, 2010

This morning, while I was securing our camera to the back of my bike, Tara announced, "here comes a flock of sheep!" A shepherd and his menagerie were approaching, complete with several barking dogs. The sheep didn't seem to mind us, they must've...

Typical

Sunday, April 18th, 2010

Today was a typical day. We woke up, and hoped that when we unzipped our tent, it would reveal a nice day. It did, though by the time we were done with breakfast, dark clouds had rolled in, threatening a cold rain. We bundled up, grabbed ou...

Athens Animals

Sunday, March 7th, 2010

There are lots of stray cats and dogs running around Athens. Actually, to be more accurate, they are usually loafing around. Here are two such loafers: And then there are other animals… these guys belong to the Museum of Popular Greek ...

Climbing in Crete

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

I drift in and out of sleep, in a very cozy morning haze. I think I hear a truck crunching over gravel… probably Pietro off to milk his sheep. Before I drift back into unconsciousness, the thought: "so glad that's not me" crosses my mind. I roll...

Pushing Through Paradise

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

We were thankful for the shelter of our tiki hut this morning when we discovered it had rained in the night. We really and truly no longer take having a roof over our heads for granted! Since the area was rather deserted, and we rarely concern ou...

Hotel Pansea in Ksar Ghilane

Tuesday, January 5th, 2010

First, the thank yous. Our luxury tent, complete with bathroom, table and chairs, shelves, blankets, and of course, beds, is a lot nicer than we are used to. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for making our stay here today possible, Mom (J...

Howard

Thursday, August 27th, 2009

I was on the phone with my parents when I heard a faint little squeaking noise and thought I saw the shadow of some small animal burrowing under the corner of our tent. Then I spotted the culprit—a brazen little mouse came scurrying up to our food...

Wild Boar

Friday, July 31st, 2009

"Tyler… TYLER!" Tara hissed at me. "Do you hear that!!?" It was still very dark outside our tent, and some large animal was making really loud noises not too far from away from us. In an effort to put Tara's mind at ease, I reassuringly told her...

Unexpected Guests

Thursday, June 25th, 2009

With three blissful days of rest behind us we bid farewell to Bluesoleil Campground and started our trek southeast to Estelle (just outside Millau). We are hoping to reach Ingrid and Yvves of BikeAway by Monday. It'll require riding 70+ kilomete...

Rest In Peace

Thursday, June 18th, 2009

As I was making crepes this morning, Tyler was bustling around, busily stowing things away in our panniers. Normally I stuff my bolster-sized clothing bag and one of the Downmats into my own clothing pannier, but for some reason this morning Tyler...

Hedgeley Hall

Friday, April 17th, 2009

We coasted into the Hedgeley Estate around 5:30pm. Affixed to the door of Hedgeley Hall was a note from our host, Katie, letting us know that she had run to the next village to visit her mother. The note also included instructions to make ours...