Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Alarmadillo












The sound of the alarm clock signals Spring Break is over, so it's out the door and back to work.












The daily commute is scenic. At least the traffic isn't bad today.


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My desk is a mess...just like I left it a week ago.

20 comments:

doubleknot said...

I miss seeing armadillos around even though they did cause damage in gardens sometimes.

Anonymous said...

What a cutie. I'll probably change my mind someday soon, but for the time being I'm kind of glad they're around.

Spring break always seems like the REAL break, to me.

Anonymous said...

Ah, summer break is coming (or will you be teaching summer classes?). I've read that armadillos are spreading north because their primary predator is now gone -- humans, specifically Native Americans who had hunted them. I've seen 'dillos at Roundrock a couple of times, and I'm pretty sure I've identified a few of their den openings.

Rurality said...

We see these dead on the road all the time but I've never seen a live one here!

Thunder said...

As you know, I had never seen one live until I came to Florida. Since then I have seen them as far north as southern Missouri too!
Nice photos!

Anonymous said...

We have an agreement with our armadillos - we leave them alone, and in exchange they agree to stay out of the horse pastures ('dillo holes + horses = disaster).

So far, the truce has held.

robin andrea said...

I love seeing photos of wildlife that I know I will never see up here in the northwest. What a cute creature. Great shots, FC.

Karen Schmautz said...

That's one critter we don't have here in the Sierras, so I don't know too much about them. I saw a lot of dead ones on the road when I spent a couple of months in west Texas one summer. I always felt bad about that...the dead armadillos, that is. Although, excuse me for saying so, but west Texas doesn't have a lot to offer other than dead armadillos and jackalopes.

Your photos are great.

Anonymous said...

Great shots! It's rare to see a live armadillo, I just realized. ;)

That's my idea of a traffic jam, too.

Summer break is almost here for us, the last day of school is May 16. Will you be teaching this summer as well? If so, would you like to take my kids? LOL

R.Powers said...

Y'all seem inordinatley fond of 'possom on the half shell...

doubleknot,
They are like little rototillers.

wayne,
wait until they shred your pitcher plants looking for earthworms...

Pablo,
The spread of the coyote may put a dent in their plans. Supposedly, they are an exotic in Florida, released from a traveling circus/zoo thing in the 30's...could be rural legend.

Rurality,
They have an often fatal of jumping straight up when alarmed.

ThunderD,
They are following you!

RD,
You should see a baby one...tres cute.

Hick,
I could mail you a few...trade for those 24 (almost) inch pine cones!
Heh!

Laura,
Not rare at my house. This guy lives behind my garden. Want one?

Summer unpaid, unemployed break, thank you for not calling it a vacation...some folks think that's a paid vacation....May 26 for the kids here.
I never teach summer school since I don't really believe in the whole premise that a kid can do in 2 weeks what they failed to do in 180 days, so I don't participate.

From what I've seen of your talented kids, I'll take a class full of them...but not until fall
:)

OldHorsetailSnake said...

And here I thought the armadillos belonged to Texas. I love learning from you, Florida.

swamp4me said...

I still have a few days left on spring break and I'm down right giddy with the freedom :)
We don't have any "Texas speed bumps" in these parts...wouldn't be surprised it they show up one of these days though.

R.Powers said...

Hal,
Yeah, but how do they know?

Hoss,
There thick as fleas here buddy.

Swampy,
It seems if they can handle Missouri, they could survive NC winters.
Enjoy your freedom!

R.Powers said...

Hoss,
"They are" not there...I really can spell...

Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...

Wow and armadillo...I have never seen a live one and I think I saw a couple as road kill. How on earth did you manage to get so many pictures of one when I can't even get a glimpse of one. We don't have them here so I'll have to come visit you to see one. hehehe (Don't worry, I'm just kidding)

R.Powers said...

Abandoned,
They hear well, but see poorly. I heard this one rustling around in the back "yard" and stalked him quietly.

xariklea,
I know, but I didn't think to mention that.

Anonymous said...

We have lots of armadillos here in the Florida panhandle. They love my garden plants. My sister lives out in the woods and she has a real problem with them. They drive her dogs crazy. Several years ago we took the kids to Disney World and stayed at one of the resort hotels. The first night we were taking a walk around the resort and saw one digging in the grass. He couldn't care less about us, didn't even look up.

R.Powers said...

debbie,
If I had a pet one, I would name it Troybuilt :)

Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...

Are you saying that I'm tooo noisy? hehehe

R.Powers said...

abandoned,
uh...uhmmmm,well...