Carol A. Hand
Imagine, for a moment,
what it’s like to be born
to a life where one is prejudged
and regarded with fear or with scorn
I don’t smell like a flower
but I do have a scent
to protect me, a gentle creature
if healthy, with no malicious intent
I’m usually nocturnal
and not quite like any other
grazing now in the daytime
to feed my young, I’m a mother
It’s true I’m an omnivore
I do eat eggs, berries and bees
but I eat beetles, grubs, grass hoppers
and your untended garbage if I please
I mean you no harm
but if you give me a wide berth
I’ll contribute my skills
working with you to care for our earth
***
Some facts about skunks:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skunk
http://www.wildskunkrescue.com/skunkbehaviors.htm
http://www.havahart.com/skunk-facts
http://www.wildskunkrescue.com/rabies.htm
***
***
I find it hard to keep my distance from these sweet creatures! But yes, after sundown, you have to keep an eye out for them so as not to come up on them suddenly in the dark and disturb them.
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They are beautiful, aren’t they Diane? But you are so right about the need for vigilance when the sun sets, especially in the fall here. 🙂
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Lovely poem and wonderful photos, Carol. My old dog Slinky, who was the same breed as Willow, used to like running up to skunks and sticking her nose under their tails, then a good yelp and she would run back to me, smelling to high hell, rubbing her face on the ground and whining! She would have a look of embarrassment for for about a week. But she never turned up an opportunity to do it again. Some things are their own reward, I figure. Thanks for reminding me of old Slinky. Take care Friend. Bob
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Oh Bob, thank you for making me laugh with your wonderful memories of Slinky. 🙂 I can see her rubbing her face on the ground. It’s what Pinto did when I first got him and we surprised a baby skunk in the front yard one morning. Fortunately, I had him on a leash and the baby didn’t seem to know how to aim spray yet – it just filled the atmosphere in Pinto’s direction. Pinto whined, rolled and rubbed his eyes furiously. 🙂
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Ha ha! I can see Pinto doing that!
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It was a funny scene. Poor Pinto thought he had finally found a friend about his size – until the aroma hit him. 🙂
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🙂
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My beloved Woody got skunked once. The tomato juice thing didn’t work and I had to throw away the coat I was wearing. Still, you make a good point. They are sweet little creatures until they decide to spray you.
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Thank you so much for sharing memories about Woody’s encounter and the fate of your coat, Method Two Madness, and for your thoughtful insights about these lovely creatures.
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Delightful poem, Carol. But her stink is not!! (smile)
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Thank you for lovely, playful comments, Cynthia. Fortunately for me, my spectator presence didn’t scare her. 🙂
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Charming visitor indeed & so bold! And a poem-riddle is nice too. Thank you, dear Carol.
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Thank you so much for your thoughtful, lovely comments, Maria. ❤
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🙂 I think the visitor came to your house to get some knowledge. Or, may be, he mixed up the way to school. 🙂
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Such a kind thing to say, Maria. The only wisdom I had the day of our encounter was to take photos through the window. 🙂 ❤
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🙂 May be he will return back! You know one day we discovered a polecat in our flat in the mountain area. It was attracted with smell of Marsiglia soap. We still keep this bar with prints of its teeth. 🙂
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Gorgeous words Carol … and what a grand visitor you had…I think the worse smelling thing in the UK is a wet dog !! Nothing worse I’m afraid .. lol xxx
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Pat, it’s so good to hear from you. You don’t know you’ve been missing until you meet a skunk! I love your humor, my dear friend, and hope all is well for you, the lovely Christine. and the rest of your family. ❤
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It always good to hear from you mon ami.. the family are doing well though I’m still struggling a little with this ticker of mine. I must do some writing or vlogging soon, just don’t seem to have the strength and motivation lately. When I read your posts it does make me reflect on ‘things’ and want to ‘get on with things’…thanks for sharing Carol … 🌹🌹🌹🌹❤️❤️❤️
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I wondered about your “ticker,” Pat, when I listened to your last vlog post. Please know you are in my thoughts, dear friend. ❤
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Yeah, skunks have alwys gotten a bum rap. Even Pepe Le Pew never got respect. 😆
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They do get “a bum rap,” except for (maybe) “Flower,” the little skunk in the old Bambi movie. But I’m sure that was long before your time. 🙂
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Well, the movie was made quite a while before I was born, but I saw it as a young boy. Dumbo was made back then, too, but I saw that and still remember a lot of it. One of my mother’s favorite family stories for some reason was about me crying silently while watching Dumbo at the age of four. 😀
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Such wonderful memories! Can you remember why you were crying? The only thing I remember about the movie Dumbo was watching it with my mother in NYC when I was very little. We went to a movie theater with a “new” innovation – an especially large screen. 🙂
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Sorry: *always 😀
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🙂
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Yes, I remember. I cried during the scene in the movie when Dumbo was separated from his mother. I thought that was the worst thing that could happen to anyone. 😀
Your comment reminds me of seeing a movie in a theatre on a huge screen. I saw Star Wars in 1977 in a theatre in Queens that had the largest screen in NYC outside of Manhattan. It was huge.
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Important memories about what made you cry, and about large-screen movie theaters in the “old days.” 🙂
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Excellent use of images. Loved it, and YIKES!
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Thank you so much for your kind and lovely comments, Jim. 🙂
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Thank you Carol! I love skunks! I just do not meet them very often!
This was beautiful. Thank you!
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Thank you so much for your kind and lovely comments, Hector. I’m delighted to hear that you love skunks, too. They are so lovely. But like you, I try my best to give the “a wide berth.” 🙂
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Hello, Carol, we’re sorry we have been unable to follow your wonderful blogs of late. My old pappy has had a little hitch or two in his get-along, but he is coming along and hopes to be posting my blogs and keeping up with delightful posts such as yours. That little skunk is a good example of ignorant prejudice; she’s as good a stewardess of our dear earth as any of us, but unaware of her contributions, many of us only complain of the odor of her defense system.
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Thank you for your update about your old pappy, Buster. I trust you’ll let him know that I send him (and you) my best wishes. I appreciate your kind and thoughtful comments. ❤
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Love this and it is so true! 🙂 ❤
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Thank you for your lovely comments, dear Natalie. ❤
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My pleasure lovely Carol❌⭕️
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Such an adorable and bold visitor, wonder what bounties it brought your way? Hope you are well Carol? ❤
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Thank you for your lovely comments, Saadia. I am a bit busy these days – grading student papers is one of my least favorite tasks and I still have many to grade today. But comments from friends like you and visitors like the little skunk remind me to take time to appreciate small gifts around me anyway. ❤
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Good animal analogy to a current topic of interest.
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Thank you for your thoughtful, intriguing comments, USF Man. I’l like to hear more about your current topic of interest. 🙂
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A delightful poem, Carol shouting out the positive elements of the skunk – I like the first person voice of the poem, very moving and considered. Great photos too…take it you didn’t get too close!
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Thank you so much for your lovely, whimsical comments, Annika. I have to admit that the incident and poem made me laugh, but I was hesitant to post the poem at a time when so many people are struggling with the aftermath of storms, forest fires, and war. Then, it occurred to that others might benefit from reading something somewhat on the lighter side. 🙂
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I’m so glad you posted it, Carol – we need the lightness of spirit, especially in difficult times! 😀 This really had me smiling and has stayed with me today – whimsical is always a winner with me!❤️
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Thank you, Annika. ❤ 🙂
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Lovely reflection Carol. We have had a momma and her little ones survey our campsite once. Large or small, they seem to have a strong sense of determination about them. As you mentioned, it was after dark and it was quite the scene several flashlights tracking our visitors. Perhaps they thought they were onstage under the spotlight. Peace to you Carol.
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Ray, thank you for sharing your story about a delightful encounter with night visitors. 🙂 It’s always a gift to hear from you, and I’m grateful for your kind comments.
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A lovely ode to the skunk Carol! I’ve never seen or smelled a skunk as we obviously don’t have them in the UK, so they’re a bit of a mysterious, intriguing animal to me.
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Thank you for your comments, Andrea. I didn’t realize they didn’t live in the UK. People here who have experienced the scent firsthand tend to be cautious in the future. Nonetheless, I find them beautiful. 🙂
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