Caption This - Week 8

Many rural areas in Texas still have mounted deputies.  This officer had to work on a Saturday at a local festival and doesn't look too happy about his job assignment.  Let's hear it for all the great captions that I know are just waiting out there.  Post your caption in a comment and come back next Saturday to see them all.

Last week's komodo dragon in an arm (?) brace garnered some great captions.  Here are some of my favorites:

1.  "Threw my shoulder out catching flies" - TexWisGirl of The Run*A*Around Ranch Report

2.  "You think this is funny?  You should see the other guy ... oh, wait, you can't.  I ate him" - Sharon of Phoenix Daily Photo

3.  "This is nothing!  The other guy's in a body cast! - Marie of A Colorful World

Sorry for the late post.  I've had computer problems the last few days.  A new printer, then discovered that all my USB ports had quit working!  My computer guru seems to think I may need an updated OS and possibly a new hard drive.  So in the midst of trying to install software on a laptop for my printer, scanner, clean out my pictures and save them to storage (which I can't because the USB ports aren't functioning) our power went out!  Living in the wilds of the Piney Woods is not for sissies!

Wisteria on Run Away Lane

Caption This - Week 7

This week's Caption This is a photo of a Komodo dragon who has a splint/brace on one of his upper extremities.  Can't wait to see the captions my blogger friends write for this picture.  Post your caption during the next week and visit back next Saturday to see the favorites!

Some of last week's best captions were penned by

1.  Marie of A Colorful World - "These field rations sure have improved!"

2.  JoAnn of Scene Through My Eyes - "Back to the future!"

What's in a Name?

While I was in Stephenville, Texas, a few months ago to photograph their historic courthouse, I couldn't help but smile when I saw this sign painted on a glass door across the street.  I'm sure this lawyer has been the butt of many jokes during his career about his name.  The courthouse is shown in the reflection of the glass.

Spring Robin

I thought you might need a break from chimps!  I have a few more photos I'd like to show you but maybe I should wait a few days.  I don't want to overdo it!

Chimp Haven Babies

Chimp Haven is a sanctuary for retired research chimps and not a chimpanzee breeding facility.  In fact, the philosophy is that chimps should be born in the wild, not in places where humans have put them.  Most of the community is elderly, with the majority of chimp residents being in their 50s.  Despite attempts to control breeding, there have been three babies born at Chimp Haven south of Shreveport, Louisiana.

Tracy is now a six-year-old and loves to climb the tall loblolly pines on their island.  Usually only wild-born chimpanzees will learn to climb trees.  Many research animals, until arriving at Chimp Haven, had never seen the sky nor had ever walked on anything other than concrete.  They are usually too afraid and are untrained in climbing trees.

After Tracy's birth it was discovered that a large percentage of the males in her colony had failed vasectomies and DNA testing proved her father was Conan.  He was revasectomized.

On February 14, 2012, Flora came out of the woods holding a newborn in her arms.  No one on the staff even knew she was pregnant.  The baby was named Valentina Rose and she is now 13 months old.  Her father was also to be discovered to be Conan, who underwent a third vasectomy, and the females, just as an added precaution, were put on birth control.  It is estimated that it will cost the facility $425,000 to care for Natalie during her lifespan.

Valentina and one of the adults seem to be having a very intense conversation here.

Flora, Valentina's mother (although both Flora and Ginger, Natalie's mother, seem to interact playing mother to both of the youngest girls) gives Valentina a gentle kiss while Natalie seems to be engrossed in something else.  Even though she has gray hair, Flora was 29 years old when Valentina was born.

Ginger is the mother of baby Natalie who was born on August 13, 2012.  I have not read if her father's identity has been determined.  Here Ginger carries both girls, Valentina on her back and Natalie on her belly, to get their share of the fruit distribution.  I hadn't even realized Natalie was also a passenger until I cropped the picture and saw the extra hands and feet hanging on for dear life to Ginger's side.

Ginger and Natalie sharing a mother/daughter moment.

Chimp Haven

Baby Natalie with Flora, learning to get treats from the artificial termite mound 

on the grounds of Chimp Haven, 

a sanctuary for chimpanzees, most of whom spent their lives as research animals,  

near Shreveport, Louisiana.

Natalie at age seven months.  She was born on August 13 to Ginger, a 42-year-old mother.

Sixty percent of a chimp's diet is fruit.

I'm on another marathon work fest so I'll be posting some more photos 

from my weekend visit to Chimp Haven over the next few days as time allow.

Caption This - Week 6

What excuse do you think this Civil War renactor is giving for eating a hamburger and drinking a Sunkist orange drink at a local East Texas festival?  Submit your caption in your comment and be sure to check back next week to see all the great captions that I'm sure your blogger friends will contribute.

Last week's greatest caption awards go to:

1.  "Hey guys!  Look what I found ... a buffet" - Sandra from Mad Snapper

2.  "Geez!  Late for breakfast, again!" - TexWisGirl from The Run*A*Round Ranch Report

3.  "Those birds haven't left anything worthwhile in there ... or let's see ... was I here yesterday?" - Sharon from Phoenix Daily Photo

4.  "Mine eyes have seen the glory" - Beth from Day by Day with Beth Marie

Cedar Waxwings

The cedar waxwings flew in last week for their annual vacation where they have a drunken good old time eating the berries off our red-tipped photinia bushes.  These "bushes" are more like trees.  Three of them grown in a solid row and measure about 10 feet high, 12 feet long and 6 feet wide.  I don't think I would be exaggerating if I say they have hundreds of thousands of red berries on them in very early spring.   Waxwings actually have a reputation of getting knocked-down dirty drunk from feasting on berries!

The photos are less than stellar because the lighting conditions were pretty horrible on both days we had these masked-bandit visitors.  Two years ago there was a flock of about 20.  I missed them last year because they were early and came in February while I was in Arizona.  This year there were at least a hundred, if not more.  You know they've arrived when you suddenly have tons of bird poop on your vehicles, your front steps, and the driveway!  I think they've been gathering all their friends and relatives telling them that we have a berry buffet for their offering.

In a matter of two days all the berries were gone and so were the waxwings.  But as long a we have berries, they'll be back next year!

Pine Valley Farm

On a recent day trip I drove past this beautiful little farm near Linden, Texas.  I was tempted to drive through those open gates and down the road into the valley ...

... which just happened to be planted with the makings of a nice pine forest which will probably come to maturity 30 to 40 years from now.

It seemed like a prosperous enough place, with an electronically controlled gate and a security camera.  I just knew I'd find out a lot more about it when I got home and looked for Pine Valley Farm on the Internet.  No such luck.  Not a mention.  Perhaps it's just some gentleman farmer's personal pride and joy.  There's probably a big house down in the valley on the other side of that hill but we'll never know because I decided it might not be a good idea to go through those gates uninvited.  They could just close behind me, you know.

Watch Your Step

Obstacle Court Ahead

Caption This - Week 5

Okay, captioners, let's hear it for the thief of Pine Hill Road!  What do you have to say about this guy?

Some of last week's favorite captions for the coach's speech bubble:

1.  "I have the ball in my hand.  What are you doing?"  Sandra, The Mad Snapper
2.  "Oh, oh.  What was that ripping sound?"  Judy, Prescott Area Daily Photo
3.  "Did I lock the front door?"  Marie, A Colorful World

Come back by next Saturday evening to check out all the creative captions and get a peek at the next challenge.

I'm sorry to say I'm still on the overload of work.  I got a small break but only had time to get sick for a few days; now I'm back burning the midnight oil.  I promise to be back to blogging and visiting ASAP!

Trip Aborted

I had planned to stop by the zoo in Lufkin, Tx, during a trip with a neighbor, but after arriving and getting my camera gear organized, I decided it was just too windy.  I couldn't keep the hair out of my eyes, the wind was cold, it was turning out to be a miserable day.  Plus I had been very ill the past three days, chills and fever, delirium, probably had no business being away from home and the hour plus drive was already taking its toll.  I decided that baby giraffe would just have to wait to have its official Kathy portrait taken, but I was graced with this elegant great egret who landed just down the way from me in the lake by the zoo.  I can't figure out the long tail feather so if any of you are the wiser, please fill me in.  A search of Google Images show some birds with this appendage and some without.  I found one discussion page but there were no answers.  Any clues out there, bird fans?

Caption This - Week 4

This coach has a very serious thought here.  What do you think the text in the speech bubble should read?

Last week's top captions go to:

1.  Whose idea was it to do this Polar Bear plunge?  If I end up with pneumonia, I'll know who to blame.
Sharon at Phoenix Daily Photo

2.  Hey Myrtle.  Throw me a towel.
Jeanne at In Search Of

3.  Myrtle!  Are you doing a load of laundry?  I ran out of hot water AGAIN!
Marie at A Colorful World

4.  I've got an itch right.  Back.  Here.
Lara at One Lit Chick