ELEPHANTS DO CRY

Although the science world may not be able to explain whether elephants tears are a result of emotion, their behavior to me suggests they do have emotions. We had travelled by van to a remote area in the Thailand jungle to ride the elephants. I was so excited. This was something on my bucket list and I always wanted to be up close with an elephant. I had a lot to learn that day, a lot I did not know until later. For one, Asian elephants have smaller ears than their African counterpart and they are actually an endangered species. The dark truth about the Asian elephants in Thailand tourist industry is shocking. Elephants are intelligent and friendly creatures. As tourists, we want to ride them and watch them do tricks. The horrible fact is that the elephants need to be tamed before this can be accomplished and the taming process is brutal and begins at a very young age. This crush of the elephant spirit is called Phajaan, pronounced ‘fajohn’ It involves taking baby elephants from their mothers and confining them to a small space where they cannot move. They are beaten into submission, starved and the use of bull hooks are employed to control the animal. Traditionally they were used for logging or military use, a part of Thai culture, now most are used to entertain the tourists. So, I was excited as I crawled atop this massive beast, completely ignorant of its abuse. We started through the jungle trail all the while the guide was riding on his head whipping him with a stick. Still I was oblivious. I was having fun, even taking a turn at riding atop his head which I must tell you is no easy feat with this giant creature lumbering back and forth. Earlier we had watched elephants hit a ball around an arena and even paint. What and experience. The real experience that day was yet to come. The trip was then over and we were able to feed our elephants bananas. It was then I noticed my elephant had tearing streaming down its face. Tears. I had no idea. I patted him gently, talking to him and still tears flowed. It was time to leave and I could not drag myself away from this creature I now had a bond with. Eventually I did have to leave, heartbroken that the elephant and I had made a connection but that I had to leave him behind. So whether science believes or doesn’t believe that elephants cry, I am convinced they do. My heart was forever touched by this massive giant who cried.

Deadly Feud - excerpt from chapter 2

The coroner arrived just past eight. Triplett had asked all the basic questions and now it was up to the coroner to figure this out. Howard Marcus was the lead coroner and had been for about ten years. He didn’t really know the Hansen’s and had little dealings with Triplett. Not many questionable or unattended deaths occur in this community and he had a large area to cover. This was probably just another farming accident or natural death. Triplett immediately got the impression that the coroner was “put out” from having to come all this way after quitting time. Triplett and Marcus made their way to the shed. Triplett had asked Abram, Mark and his grandmother to stay inside the house until the coroner was finished with his initial examination. He certainly didn’t want Ms. Hansen to see her husband lying there. It would be too much of a shock for her. It was hard enough for him to witness it. Marcus began his inspection of the body which was difficult considering it was pitch black in the shed. Triplett stood by with the flashlight to help him examine Hansen, wishing he was a million miles from there. “Looks as though he has had a blow to the back of the head, he said as he rolled the body slightly. Don’t think this is the normal farming accident.” Marcus advised and pointed to the red stained shovel in the far corner of the shed. “We will need to seal off the area and see if there are any prints on that shovel.” He added.

Little Green Hat

On 24 October 2011 I did something I have always wanted to do. I waved to the Queen of England and heard myself yell "God Save the Queen." The Queen visited Brisbane Australia and I was one of about 45,000 people who lined up to see Her Majesty in the stifling summer heat and humidity. God Save the Queen is the National Anthem which was composed in 1745. It was written after the Scottish invaded England. The invasion was a serious threat to the monarchy and that explains the words of the National Anthem that forms a prayer of petition for the safety and wellbeing of the monarch. The Queen arrived at the Brisbane airport, motored into the city then boarded a boat to travel up the Brisbane River to disembark at Southbank in Brisbane. It had taken me 30 minutes to walk there from where I was working in the city. Everyone at work thought I was crazy. They just couldn't understand wanting to pay homage to such a grand lady. Australians aren't very patriotic. Queen Elizabeth turns 91 in 2017 and she has been the Queen over the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand since 1952 and is the longest reigning British monarch. There have been a total of 12 US presidents since she first began her reign. She loves her dogs, especially corgis and also breeds thoroughbred horses. On a personal level there were two times when she personally was threatened. In 1981 she was riding in a special military parade when a man in the crowd pointed a gun at her. He fired, but fortunately, the gun was loaded with blanks. The next close encounter was the following year when an intruder scaled Buckingham Place and confronted Her Majesty in her very own bedroom. The Queen doesn't require a drivers license or license tag or even a passport. And, she celebrates her birthday twice, once on April 21st and the other in June when the weather is better. She carries cash in her purse but only on Sundays when she donates money to her church. Of course I took photos of my encounter with this royal lady that day but they are of her hat. Yes a beautiful green hat. And one fact I haven't mentioned is that she is only 5'4". I tried everything to get closer. I followed a news crew with no luck. Then a lady a couple of rows in front fainted from the heat. Still no luck. So, I have my fond memory of that little green hat and yelling "God Save the Queen."

Moreton Island

Four of the largest sand islands in the world sit off Queensland coast in Australia. The first is Fraser Island, then Stradbroke, Moreton and Bribie islands. The last 3 are within a ferry trip across the bay from Brisbane. Moreton has the highest coastal sand dune in the world at 285 metres above sea level. On a previous trip to the island, I clawed my way to the top of Mt Tempest for one of the most majestic views you could find anywhere in the world. And for the ride down I rode a toboggan which was fantastic fun until you reach the bottom with half the sand dunes in your underwear. Moreton was the center for major coastal defense bases during WWI and II and still has the remains of 2 gun emplacements. During the 50's and early 60's the island operated as a whaling station. Moreton is 95% National Park and has a freshwater lake at the northern end of the island as well as a working sandstone lighthouse on the northern tip of the island built in 1857 by convicts. Interesting thing about Moreton is that it has no kangaroos or koalas but lots of snakes. And wild pigs were introduced as a source of food for anyone shipwrecked there. There are also 15 shipwrecks just along the shoreline which you can dive or snorkel if you brave the current which is quite bad there. The crystal clear waters give way to a beautiful array of tropical fish. The island is surrounded by blue waters and beautiful white sand giving home to over 180 bird species. Cape Moreton has a perfect viewpoint for watching marine life including the humpback whales migration from June to November. In the 1990's the owners of the resort on Moreton fed a dolphin leading to the dolphin accepting a fish by hand. The offspring of that dolphin and their babies now visit Moreton each night to be fed by tourists. The dolphins on Moreton Island that I fed are wild and as such you must sanitize your hands before feeding them and you are not allowed to touch them. Care is taken to assure that they are only fed 10% of their food so they will not lose the natural instinct to hunt on their own. Our trip to Moreton was very extraordinary as we were able to observe a baby calf only a week old. The handlers kept it away from the feeding so as not to endanger him. He was just adorably cute and playful darting all around the area. You walk away in awe of nature and all the beauty that there is to see on Moreton. And although it was pouring rain the entire time we were feeding these wonderful creatures it was one of the most awesome experiences I have ever had.

Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Since we had been putting the dogs outside during the day and their food in the pergola we had birds coming in there in the droves. So, I went to put up a shade across one section to keep them out. I was in the garage measuring the length when I saw 2 women and a guy in the street with a long crowbar trying to get one of the manhole covers off. So, I ventured out there to see what was going on. Seems that a dog had chased a baby plover down the drain. Now these are the most pesky birds on earth. They swoop at you continuously. I have stood on our front porch swinging a broom at them. So, the guy was lifting the manhole off to rescue this bird I hate. So, I regretfully said how can I help. The next thing I know he was down one manhole further down the street and I was down the other with my pool net. Now the storm drain isn't the most pleasant thing to be exploring especially for a 60 year old woman who isn't even wearing a bra. I know that last bit was too much information. "I can hear it" the guy kept saying "but it sounds like it is behind me". So up the next manhole he went. I climbed out of the one I was in and ventured to the one he just came out of. My first clue should have been when it was a bit smaller than the other I had just come out of. Oh well, down my fat ass went. The other women stood guard so that someone didn't run over us while we were down there. We kept hearing chirp chirp and momma bird was swooping all around. We then find that the little innocent baby bird, who by now I would like to kill myself, had run up to yet another manhole. So, I proceeded to put one foot on the rung to get out but because the manhole was so small there was no room for me to put the other foot on the rung. Thus a fat, no bra, 60 year old lady is stuck in the manhole. The 2 women are saying "We can lift you out". Right. Thank goodness along comes another guy from the street and the 2 men lifted me out. How embarrassing is that. Thank goodness I was not on the 6:00 news coming out of the drain. The next plot was to pour water in the drain to wash the bird down the drain into the net. I can tell you that I was worried about what else was going to get washed down with it. Oh well, I had decided I wasn't going back down there again. Then up the street to yet another drain the momma bird is going crazy. It was there we finally scouped the bird up in the pool net and back to his lunatic momma. My parting words were "This was definitely not on my bucket list" So I get back home to sleeping beauty who awakes to find me covered in a reddest brown dirt. Now here is the x rated part. "What the #&*@ where you thinking?" "There is god knows what down there" And, finally, "No telling what kind of germs you have on you." So the morale of the story is "Don't ask. Don't tell".

Sorry

Such a simple two syllable word but so complex in it's meaning and use. It can be worth millions or worthless as a counterfeit bill. I am sorry for all I have done but if it is not accepted it is useless, worthless. I am sorry I have hurt you but the hurt is done and sorry doesn't lessen your pain. I am sorry that I was not there for you and you will have lost trust. A trust that may never recover no matter what I say after saying sorry. I am sorry. It does not erase the past. It doesn't erase countless harsh words. I am sorry and the scar of my actions is forever stamped upon my soul. I am sorry for I am tormented night and day, with every breath, for this is my punishment. I am sorry's prisoner never to be unchained. I am sorry. I feel it strongly. It is heartfelt. Honest. Permanent. Will it ever be enough? I can be sorry person. I can wear sorry as though it were a coat hanging off my shoulders. I can live sorry day in and day out. I can choke on the word sorry like it were a bad cough. Sorry. It feels good to say. Like a weight is lifted from my body. Healing. Comforting. The word though needs someone to receive it. Take it to heart. Take it for all that it is worth. All that it cost. Take it from my heart. And accept it as truth. Be willing to move on. To rebuild. Forge a new beginning. The beginning of hope. We know not what the morrow brings. I for one believe my sorry has value, carries weight and in part I hope will give me peace.

Licking a Green Ants Butt

I know you must wonder about the title but I must first take you on a trip. A trip to North Queensland in Australia. We boarded a boat that ferried us down the river to enjoy the sights of birds and yes even crocs. Our first stop was a remote little area that was thankfully shaded by a large tin roof. We made our way thinking we would be served morning tea as it was not quite lunch yet. Our guide took us to a nearby tree on the edge of the rainforest where we noticed ants crawling everywhere on the tree. As a matter of fact, they were green ants or weaver ants as they are sometimes called. The guide encouraged us take a green ant by the head. And as their name says, they do have a green butt. I knew from experience that these little buggers have a heck of a sting so I was a bit reluctant. But being the adventurer I am I carefully picked up the ant waiting for my next instructions. He said “Now lick his butt.” I thought surely this guy doesn’t want me to get bit on my tongue. I bravely took a lick. I was wondrously surprised by the lemon taste. The aboriginals love these ants as they serve a lot of purposes for them. Come to find out these ants weave large nests forming a ball of leaves in trees by interlacing leaves together. The Yangga or green ants are used for medicinal purposes for coughs and colds and by dunking the entire nest in water they make a lemon drink. In fact, ants and insects of all kinds were used for everything from pigment in paintings, sweetener, and food, to anesthetics by the aboriginals. So, when you visit Australia be sure to lick a green ants butt.