What makes finding these birds stand out to me is that over the past few weeks I’ve become kind of obsessed with a weird question. This happens to me a lot. I come up with a weird question and I can’t figure out the answer and it gets into my mind and won’t go away, but it’s almost always something nutty.
For instance. An example that is not the question I am currently obsessed about. A long time ago I thought up a question that I still don’t have an answer to that I find satisfactory. The question is this:
Why do men have nipples?
I’m just saying. I know it’s a weird question. I know it reveals that I probably have some kind of psychological disorder. But, still, I wonder . . . why? They are pointless.
And, so, back to the birds. I have been mulling over another question the past few weeks that won’t leave me alone. And it goes something like this:
This world is FULL of animals, wildlife of all kinds, birds by the trillions, foxes, cats, mice and rats and squirrels. And on occasion you find a dead one. I found a dead squirrel in the tree in my backyard last year. And it really stood out to me because how often do you find a dead squirrel unless it has been hit by a car on the road, right? So, here are the basics of the question:
Where are all the animal bodies? Where are all the dead animals? They don’t have tremendously long life spans, and yet you just don’t see a lot of animal bodies laying all over the place. Are the animals having secret little squirrel funerals in the woods that we don’t know about? Elephants have graveyards, but what about rabbits? Where do all these animals go when they die? Is the process of decomposition so fast that they are gone within a day? Even so, why don’t we see more of them before they decompose. Is it a part of their instincts to get under a bush somewhere to die?
This world is full of things that can make us wonder, wonder, wonder. Don’t you think?
Peace to you.
© LW Publishing 2010
I have a dead bird skeleton in my garage. Just haven't gotten to it. It was most likely introduced to the other side by the neighborhood cat that has claimed my property as its own. When I first moved into my house there was a rat skeleton in a wall. Maybe all dead animals are hidden in walls? I need to find a wall for that cat.
ReplyDeleteYou could probably go a little longer with the window cleanings.
ReplyDeleteA moth just flew into my computer screen and killed itself. I had to come back to tell you.
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to know you're with me in this.
ReplyDeleteI've pondered that same question several times. Every time I stumble upon a dead animal, actually. Here is my theory: they go somewhere private and hidden to pass. We aren't usually looking for those places, so that't why we don't normally see them.
ReplyDeleteI thought the same thing, but then why aren't there piles of animal skeletons under the bushes and such? Maybe there aren't as many animals much evidence of the passing of wildlife out in the woods either, at least not that I've seen.
ReplyDeleteYep. I wonder so similarly to you, Dave. Truly. I thought of that very same thing just recently! I used to think that maybe other animals ate them, but then wondering more, realized that not that many animals are scavengers. So back to the drawing board. We used to have dozens of squirrels in our back yard... this year, only a small handful. Where did the rest of them go? And how many licks DOES it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop? The same answer applies to both, I think... The world may never know.
ReplyDeleteI can at least answer the "Why do men have nipples?" question for you. Upon conception, all fetuses begin growing female organs first. It's not until later development that the male chromosomes take effect and stop the female organ development. Thus, the male is left with nipples. So if someone wants to see your feminine side, just show them your nipples!
ReplyDeleteAh. Thank you my good friend Steve. You tell me "how." And it is fascinating. But I still don't know "why." The "why" is what really gets me. "Why" is a whole 'nother language to decipher.
ReplyDelete