The word of the day for March 2, 2008 is "taunt" — noun — : a sarcastic challenge or insult.
It's raining out now. Earlier, a group of starlings landed in the hickory tree across the back fence. Bubbles paced the fence in hopes that one of them would forget itself long enough to land in front of him. He had been chasing robins and grackles this morning. Since he charges them from clear across the yard, they just flirt their tails and hop out of way just as he thinks he's going to have a snack.
Birds can be mean that way. When we lived on the High Desert in California, we had a female roadrunner that nested at the bend in our drive. She spent most of the morning in the creosote bush there. We acquired a toy collie whom we called Sally-Down. One afternoon, the dog started an unholy ruckus of barking and whining. I looked out the window toward the porch where we tied her during the day. The roadrunner had come to play. She would get just close enough that the dog couldn't catch her and taunt Sally, who was an exciteable sort anyway. You've seen the cartoon where the dog runs out to the end of the rope and gets pulled off his feet. Poor Sally! Eventually the bird stopped coming every afternoon to tease the dog. Until she stopped, I had to go out nearly every afternoon to chase the bird away to get some quiet.
Our quote for the day is from Walt Whitman (1819–1892), U.S. poet. Song of Myself (Fr. XXIV, l. 556–559):
Seas of bright juice suffuse heaven.
The earth by the sky staid with, the daily close of their junction,
The heav’d challenge from the east that moment over my head,
The mocking taunt, See then whether you shall be master!
;^) Jan
2 comments:
Poor Sally! What a bad birdie! lol. I have seen quite a few badly behaved birds In my garden last year tormenting my cat Purdie when I let her out during the nice weather. One In particular a blackbird, did a merry little dance rather too close for comfort then hopped along as the cat moved forward! I watched, almost holding my breath as I was ready to shout at any moment, Then after a couple of more teasing moments the bird took off. Sadly It didn't end well as Purdie vanished and upon hearing my wee treasures screams, a dead blackbird was dropped on my doorstep! Felt bad for the wee thing and I also know that It was a gift for me but I can't help thinking how cheeky that bird had been and wondered If It was possibly the same one?. A mystery that will remain unsolved! lol. Love Pam xx
I get scolded by the jays around our house, but for taunts...well, that is why we have the squirrels. Sadie-Dog's arch-nemisis.
Stupid things KNOW exactly what branch to sit on to flick their tails at her and chatter. And they know that she can't get out to the big open clearing behind our fence. They often wait for her to come outside to frolick in the back.
Of course there are the times that the squirrels misjudge. Like the day that two dropped out of the elm tree about 10 feet from Sadie. All three animals had a look of "WHA??"
Or when I was a kid, Dad would move the run line that Phred (shortcoated mutt from my childhood) had his chain hooked up to. That messed up the taunting line.
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