The QQ pet & critters thread...

[GOS]

Lamar is chilling in my office

 

[Sonik Wiz]

Altho I garage park, when getting aromatic take out (pizza, BBQ, fried chicken) I crack the windows to let the car air out. If I over do it the cat (who is not a licensed driver) takes advantage of it:

Once on the way to work I felt a cold nose on my right elbow. Scared the bejesus out of me. It was just Gussie. But since it was not a bring your cat to work day, I returned home & was late to a meeting. No one believed my reason why.

 

[JediJoker]

At some point in the last month, a duck (mallard, I think) made her nest in my front yard:

I'm currently on holiday. A neighbor informed me that her eggs have hatched! And sent this:

I can't believe I missed it.

 

[ar surround]

And the kid didn't even lose a wink...

 

[SyrinxTemple]

 

[barfle]

At some point in the last month, a duck (mallard, I think) made her nest in my front yard:

View attachment 81177

I'm currently on holiday. A neighbor informed me that her eggs have hatched! And sent this:

View attachment 81178

I can't believe I missed it.

Similar situation here in Idaho. Yes, she’s a mallard.

We have an irrigation canal running behind our lot, and it certainly attracts mallard ducks and Canada geese.

 

[Clement]

Miss Charlotte doing her impression of Lamar chilling!

She has her catnip-filled sloth between her front paws–that might account for the chilling!

 

[JediJoker]

Similar situation here in Idaho. Yes, she’s a mallard.

We have an irrigation canal running behind our lot, and it certainly attracts mallard ducks and Canada geese.

The odd thing is that I'm pretty far from any water, in an urban setting. I hope mama and babies made it out alright!

 

[J. PUPSTER]

The odd thing is that I'm pretty far from any water, in an urban setting. I hope mama and babies made it out alright!

Had a mama Mallard on the family ranch. She nested up by the house in a flower bed. She had about 8 little ones. All good, until she led them down to the pond in a couple days after hatching. The Bass pond
The... Largemouth Bass pond.
She showed back up to the house the next morning with no ducklings.
Those were some well feed 5 & 6 pounders

 

[SyrinxTemple]

Thanks to all who post in this thread. I never tire of these pics, and this is one thread that ALWAYS makes me smile. Hard to be in a bad mood after seeing all these pics. Love it!

 

[SyrinxTemple]

Miss Charlotte doing her impression of Lamar chilling!
View attachment 81216
She has her catnip-filled sloth between her front paws–that might account for the chilling!

Miss Charlotte exposing her belly is a sign of total trust. So sweet!

 

[Sonik Wiz]

Had a mama Mallard on the family ranch. She nested up by the house in a flower bed. She had about 8 little ones. All good, until she led them down to the pond in a couple days after hatching. The Bass pond
The... Largemouth Bass pond.
She showed back up to the house the next morning with no ducklings.
Those were some well feed 5 & 6 pounders

Yee Haw, pardner! You have a family ranch? Tell us more!

 

[DuncanS]

Had a mama Mallard on the family ranch. She nested up by the house in a flower bed. She had about 8 little ones. All good, until she led them down to the pond in a couple days after hatching. The Bass pond
The... Largemouth Bass pond.
She showed back up to the house the next morning with no ducklings.
Those were some well feed 5 & 6 pounders

Yee Haw, pardner! You have a family ranch? Tell us more!

That got me thinking of Bonanza

and

The Beverly Hillbillies, two programmes I loved as a kid (Yep we got them in the UK, in Black & White!)

 

[Sonik Wiz]

That got me thinking of Bonanza View attachment 81220 and View attachment 81221 The Beverly Hillbillies, two programmes I loved as a kid (Yep we got them in the UK, in Black & White!)

Yeah, those two shows were definitely representative of American reality.

In 1974 I had the pleasure of meeting two couples from Cardiff that visited my area for about a month. I hosted one pair at my place & a friend hosted the other ones. We had a blast. When ever they would hear a police siren they would make machine gun rat-tat-tat noises. Why? They totally associated it with the Elliot Ness police gangster show.

 

[J. PUPSTER]

That got me thinking of Bonanza View attachment 81220 and View attachment 81221 The Beverly Hillbillies, two programmes I loved as a kid (Yep we got them in the UK, in Black & White!)

Funny you should mention Bonanza, our family took a trip up to the Ponderosa Ranch amusement park near Lake Tahoe in the late 60's. Don't remember too much about it now though.

Our own place was a small semi-rural ranch about 20 miles north of Sacramento on 20 acres, The folks raised all kinds of livestock, including Appaloosa horses, Cattle, Goats, Chickens, Ducks etc.

After Pa passed and Ma got too old to care for the place (mid 2000's); it was sold for a smaller place in town for ol' Ma.

Lots of wild critters about also like Coyotes, Racoons Skunks, Opossums, Hawks, etc.

I get the feeling folks that have never visited California may think it's mostly urban areas like L.A.; but it's actually mainly farm, ranch and public forest land, very rural mostly.

Lots of fond memories for me fishing in that pond (about an acre an a half pond.) We stocked it with Largemouth Bass, Bluegill (for Bass food) and Catfish (lots of Bull Frogs resided there also.)

 

[Sonik Wiz]

That is pretty cool thanks for sharing. When you live in a place like that with those memories it's hard when it comes time leave/sell out & not go back.

Now, with all due respect, I am thinking your description conjures up more vision in my head of Ma & Pa Kettle than Ponderosa.

I get the feeling folks that have never visited California may think it's mostly urban areas like L.A.; but it's actually mainly farm, ranch and public forest land, very rural mostly.

My wife is from the Chicago area. Mention Illinois & the 1st thing people think is Big City Chicago (and The Blues Brothers that took place there). But there's only one city like Chicago in Illinois, and that's Chicago. The rest is like Springfield, Joliet, Gibson City...

 

[cbmmm3]

That is pretty cool thanks for sharing. When you live in a place like that with those memories it's hard when it comes time leave/sell out & not go back.

Now, with all due respect, I am thinking your description conjures up more vision in my head of Ma & Pa Kettle than Ponderosa.



My wife is from the Chicago area. Mention Illinois & the 1st thing people think is Big City Chicago (and The Blues Brothers that took place there). But there's only one city like Chicago in Illinois, and that's Chicago. The rest is like Springfield, Joliet, Gibson City...

Gibson City......folks there are Crazy !!!!!!
They're not Normal....but real close

 

[GOS]

Gibson City......folks there are Crazy !!!!!!
They're not Normal....but real close

LOL! Gibson City, now where have I heard that from?

 

[Bill B]

I was a little hesitant to post this because it isn't exactly my pet but a story about another person's pet, but I am pretty sure the people that visit this thread will appreciate it.

This bit was on CBS Sunday Morning last week....

 

[barfle]

The odd thing is that I'm pretty far from any water, in an urban setting. I hope mama and babies made it out alright!

We see a lot of mallard moms with chicks grazing in our yard. The flow in the canal is pretty fast, and occasionally the count drops a by one or two. Being a baby in the wild can be tough.