Prairie Dogs and Killer Basketballs

This weekend, the boys and I took a nature walk in the preserve across the street from our house. We always find lots of interesting wild life hanging around....geese, ducks, muskrats, squirrels, prairie dogs, coyotes, etc. We decided to walk by the prairie dog colony that is near our house because they were all out and about. As we walked the length of their colony (called a township), we noticed that there were probably about 50 prairie dogs all watching us from various mounds entrances across the prairie. They would bark a high pitched bark as we walked along and then disappear into their mounds as we got close. Other prairie dogs would pick up the bark and watch us until we got closer. They were watching us and communicating to their colony members where we were and if everything was safe. It was interesting. The boys asked me what they ate and what their tunnels were like under the ground. We decided to go home and do some research on the interweb. We found out that they eat seeds, grasses, and roots. We learned that they are highly socialistic animals that like to hug, kiss, and nuzzle each other. They do, indeed, communicate with each other. Their barks have meaning and is used to warn other colony members about danger and safety. Their tunnels are intricate and consist of entrances, exits, and rooms that are dedicated to sleeping and meeting. They even have chambers that act as toilets and a nursery for their babies. Fascinating! We enjoy our neighbors. I like to watch them romp and play as I wait for the bus across the street. They are fun. It's more fun to watch them now that we know more about them. I love the internet.

On another note...this morning, as I was getting ready for work, I had a mishap. I was picking out some clothes from my closet. I found what I intended to wear and turned to walk to the bed to put them on. What I didn't see was my basketball (which is usually on my side of the bed but was near the closet - probably because some of my little ones were playing with it). I placed my first step square on the ball and, just like in a cartoon, my feet were swept from under me. I came tumbling down in a heap, crashed on my butt-bone and slammed into the wall with my side. I made no small noise as the full weight of my body came crashing down onto the floor and sent a reverberating crash through the entire house. As I lay there, wondering what had happened, I could hear my wife scrambling up the stairs in a panic. In her mind, I had passed out due to a massive heart attack or something of that nature. No! I was just trying to do a circus balancing act on a Wilson Basketball. I wasn't very good. No joining the circus for me. As I communicated that I was okay to Joi, the boys came out wondering what they giant noise was. I had woken them all up at 7:05am, much to my wife's chagrin. Aside from my ego being damaged, my butt bruised, and a nasty scratch on my side...I'm okay. A little sore, but okay. No fun! Not a great way to start a Monday.