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Tuesday, August 18, 2020

Happy Tuesday and Tuesday Show and Tail

My sister Pat, who went to heaven in 2001 was married on this date in 1957.Here is a baby photo of her with our dad. She was his first born and the apple of his eye. Photo 1937.
My sister was the oldest and here she is with brother Bill and brother Ed . This is 1946.
My sister's wedding day. I was not quite three years old so you won't see me here. Cousin Ron, far left and the bride and groom are no longer residents of this earth. My brother Bill, cousin Charlotte and cousin Jeanne are still here along with our sister Mary and cousin Sharon.
My sister was so beautiful. She had a kind heart and so did her husband Gary. They lived many places while he was in the U.S. Army.
I wanted to share my sister with you for Happy Tuesday
These little prairie dogs reminded me of the fun we had with Tuesday Show and Tail. I Know they are not friend to farmers and ranchers and horses and livestock. But they have been slaughtered and forced out of their homes underground for years. If you knew them like I do you would see how very smart they are. Here are 8 facts about prairie dogs:
1. They are tough. They have very powerful teeth, are skilled fighters and have very sharp claws.

2. Their entire mating season is just one hour long in the winter. The female has 3 to 8 pups and only half will usually survive.

3. They live in tight knit family groups called couteries. Males often jump ship to other couteries but females stay together for life.  There are usually one or two breeding males and several females. Also the females new pups.

4. Their vocabulary is more advanced than any other animal language that has been decoded. to us they may sound squeaking, high pitched and repetitive but actually they can alert one and other to danger. For instance, instead of saying a human is approaching their burrow they say a human wearing the color blue.

5. They are cousins to your backyard squirrels and also groundhogs, chipmunks, marmots and woodchucks in their biological family of relatives.

6. Their historical range has shrunk to just 5%. Humans invade their spaces and take away their homes. They are smart little creatures. I Hate seeing them wiped out.'

7. They are still threatened by the same plague that caused the Black Death in Europe. Rats came over  to North America on European ships carrying the disease. They are still threatened by it today as it can wipe out an entire colony.

8. Black footed ferret depend on the prairie dogs. We are working to protect both of them.  Prairie dogs are the primary food source and habitant for the black footed ferret. At Fort Belknap Indiana Reservation in Montana. Tribal partners  are collaborating with WWF to monitor the prairie dog colonies. In 2015 new black footed ferrets were released into a healthy prairie dog colony and they quickly darted down the holes.

OH Maxine!

9 comments:

Cathy Kennedy said...

Annie,

Your oldest sister is a year older than my daddy. I'm blessed to have both parents still living. They have health issues which worry me but unfortunately that's part of the aging thing sometimes. It pays to take extra good care of oneself so to not have medical problems later on in life. It's tough enough just dealing with getting old. I loved looking at your vintage photos of your siblings and what fun to read the tidbits about prairie dogs. They are cute critters. I had no idea that they are so smart. Wouldn't you know it the females stick together and the males fun off. What dogs! lol Maxine is so funny but I'd say I have to agree with her. Morons have a way of making me steam up, too. Have a great day!

Mevely317 said...

I'm both fascinated and super sad about those adorable prairie dogs. Stupid ferrets. Nature's sure a cruel mistress. (I'm not supposed to bend my wrist, so typing with my index finger on my phone face.). Have a great day!

Linda said...

HA! Maxine!!!! Thanks, needed that laugh. Just stopping in to tell you I was thinking of you...I know, I know...return the email! {{grin}}

Sandee said...

Your sister was indeed beautiful. What a lovely life she had too.

I love the prairie dogs and I didn't know that about them. Thank you for the history lesson.

Thank you for joining the Happy Tuesday Blog Hop.

Have a fabulous day, Anne. Big hug. ♥

Brian's Home Blog said...

Hugs as you remember your sister on her anniversary. Those prairie dogs are really cute critters. Hey Maxine, right on, Moron Alert!!!

Edna B said...

I think the prairie dogs are adorable. I would be sad to see them wiped out. Thanks for all the info about them. I did not know most of it. That Maxine is right on target! You have a super day, hugs, Edna B.

messymimi said...

Such a happy post full of good memories, thank you for sharing them!

pilch92 said...

Beautiful family photos. Interesting facts about prairie dogs. XO

Louca por porcelana said...

Adorable Family photos!Loved seeing them!Hugs!