Sunday morning while cleaning and reorganizing the studio I picked up a small whistle I had made during my first season at Quietude Pottery in Alaska. It was a small Beaver and the tail fell off in my hand. I knew at once that the Beaver spirit wanted it as an offering. In the next breath I knew the Beaver spirit wanted me to take it down the wash to a fork where the forces of nature are in the process of creating a damn. It was also very clear that I was to leave Moon home and take the camera. Oh boy! Oh boy! About two thirds of the way there I came upon a small gang of Javalin snoozing away under a low lying mesquite. Before I could silence my feet and walking stick they were on to me. The most vulnerable headed out. Just the rear guard hung back. Of course that would be the largest male and his less imposing side kick.
Xavier advanced. I held my ground. He held the high ground. I had the middle of the wash. I decided the photos were worth the risk. He wasn’t overly aggressive, but moved closer, close enough for me to get some sweet photos.
I knew as soon as I saw them under the tree that beaver spirit wanted to remind me that the community I seek, as always, will continue to include the spirit animals I work with and their physical body counter parts in nature. It was a sweet reminder. They are such precious animals. Precious Peccary!

Last Monday morning on Moon doggie and I’s regular route we had the great and good fortune of coming across a swarm of bees bunked up for the night on a tree. I ran Moon home and came back with the camera. (Moon is absolutely indignant in the company of bees) It was still chilly enough that the swarm was undulating but mostly intact. Just the first few individuals were venturing off the mass. Those on the bottom and shady sides were still: stone cold still, with body temperatures too low to move. Because of their early morning inactivity I was able to photograph them from about 3 inches and got some pretty great photos right up until they started to get tangled in my hair… just a couple, but it seemed like a good and polite time to make my exit. A few of the bees escorted me out of the area. One followed me about half way home. It was a beautiful sight to see.