Elk Rapids Almanac - November 2019
November 2 - A new book by Richard Louv, acclaimed author and past guest of Green Elk Rapids, explores the impacts of human-animal interactions. In Our Wild Calling, through fascinating stories and extensive research, he urges us to consider how connecting with animals can transform our lives. Inspired by his book, we collected a few animal stories from around the community and share them below.
The Coyote - In September I was field mowing with a tractor at Maple Bay preserve. Suddenly a coyote bounced out of the weeds in front of me. It stayed about 30 yards in front of me as we both traversed around the field. It kept looking over its shoulder at me. I was told later it was probably hoping that the tractor would produce a meal for it to chase! Sharing that time was mesmerizing -Gary Stauffer
The wren - In 1992, I was sitting near a brush pile behind our home when a family of tiny Winter Wrens emerged from the pile. It was the nestlings' introduction to the world's grand stage. I was thrilled; Winter Wrens are a favorite of mine. But my joy descended into despair at the awareness that they are losing ground, largely because of people like my husband and me who destroy their nesting habitats for their own wants. That sadness inspired our move from a waterfront home in favor of the 47 acres of Charter Sanctuary, and the ultimate establishment of Saving Birds Thru Habitat. I owe my entire career in conservation to that family of little wrens. -Kay Charter
The fox - When I was in eighth grade, a classmate brought 4 little orphaned fox pups to school. Their mother had been shot while stealing chickens (really!). I took one pup home, determined to raise it as a pet. Although loved and cared for by all five of us siblings, my fox Peppy soon developed mange. An old neighbor farmer advised me to rub the fox down with (used) axle grease, which my brothers and I collected from our tractor. Amazingly, Peppy survived, and grew healthy and beautiful. He napped with his head on my foot in peaceful companionship, and walked on a leash with me around our farm. This lasted for a year, and though he returned to the wild, he would frequently yip from the nearby fields and our dog would answer him. My siblings and I posted No Fox Hunting signs around our property, determined to protect him as best we could. My affection for foxes continues to this day -Royce Ragland
The Fawn - As my husband and I were walking through our woods, we suddenly came upon a tiny newborn fawn, still wet, its coat glistening in the sun. The fragile creature lay motionless with its big brown eyes staring up at us. We slowly backed away. I was concerned that it had been abandoned but my husband assured me that its mother was close by watching us, and explained that fawns have no scent when first born, which protects them from predators as long as they remain motionless. Again, he assured me that the doe would return for her fawn once she was finished grazing. Not sure I believed him, I returned to the spot about an hour later to find he was right. Years later, I still frequently see that precious fawn in my mind protected by nature and instinct. -Diane Butler
The Dog - Thinking about dogs always warms my heart, as they bring so much joy to those around them. Our golden retriever, who was raised to be a PAWS dog but failed his final training phase, came to live with us at age one. He was a wonderful member of the family who liked to help carry in groceries. He happily greeted anyone at the front door, often with something in his mouth to proudly present "as a gift" to the extended hand. I miss our loyal friend and would love to have another one someday. -Cheryl Bachman
The Wild Ones - Communicating with animals in the wild gives me a sense of connectedness with nature. I enjoy imitating their sounds and they often respond by showing themselves. Deer respond to bleats, rattled horns or grunts. Turkeys to a hen call. Geese and ducks to their feeding and gathering sounds. Fox and coyotes to squealing rodent sounds. These and others have given me many hours of enjoyment in the outdoors. -Mel Matchett
The Monarch - My grandma taught me how to find a Monarch caterpillar. Every summer, we spent time at an old cabin in the wilder part of Gaylord. We went on walks through valleys. When we happened by a stand of milkweed, I'd stop to carefully lift up a soft leaf—hoping that I'd find a white, black and yellow-banded caterpillar, munching away. When I turned 28, I received a gift of Swamp Milkweed to plant in the yard of my first home. I often find several caterpillars on this plant. As the caterpillar grows from the size of a fir needle into a plump fellow, it prepares for a transformation, a process that scientists still do not fully understand. When fully grown, the caterpillar sews a tiny silk button on a surface, then suspends itself in a J-shape, sheds its skin, revealing a delicate green vessel, decorated in gold. When I turned 32, on a windy day, I witnessed for the first time, an orange and black wrinkled butterfly unfurl from its chrysalis and take flight. -Dani Knopf
Wild birds - I have always loved wild birds. As a child, I would spend hours looking through my dad's Audubon Birds of North America books. On vacations, he would always point out birds to me and at home we always had bird feeders. As an adult, I would walk trails in my hometown and loved hearing the birds in the quiet. They were one of the reasons I enjoyed walking so much and why I started to research nature (trees, plants and other wildlife). When I was pregnant with my youngest, I was reading about birds and came across Wrens. I fell in love with the name and I saw some of my first Wrens while pregnant with her and knew it was meant to be. Wren, my daughter, loves seeing the birds on our hikes and in our yard. I am glad my love for wild birds carried over to my very own little bird!. -Kerri Esterley
The Whippet - I was never a dog person. Twenty years ago, my wife-to-be was very MUCH a dog person. We agreed that I would get to pick the breed who would join our family — hypo-allergenic, good-with kids, not too large — and settled on a Whippet. The deal at the time was that she would mostly care for it. But lo and behold, her pregnancy made the slightest smell of our newly acquired Lily The Whippet sick. So wouldn't you know it, I largely found myself walking/training/feeding/etc for the rambunctious puppy. It became so stressful for the two of us that at one point we'd almost decided to give her up for adoption. Flash-forward 12 years and she was my best friend. "Wedged" behind me while napping. Cuddled on my lap in the backyard lounge chair. Inspired our short film DOG HOUSE. And then she broke our hearts when she got cancer and died in front of us one night just 3 weeks later. I've never experienced such pain... But I'm also so incredibly grateful for having enjoyed such love. -Jeff Turick
Big Red - When Big Red, the beautiful 10 year old Aussie became a permanent fixture in my life in spring of 2005, I had no idea he would become my savior too. The transition from being his baby-sitter to becoming his mom was relatively smooth, but for the fact that my sister in CO was battling non-Hodgkin's lymphoma-which involved trips back to CO to help her and the rest of the family. After my sister's death, Big Red's importance in my life revealed itself fully. Until his death in the spring of 2010, our relationship was one of not just mutual dependence, but of my certainty that he alone kept me going after losing my sister. My journey with Big Red taught me many things, the most important being the power of love and its ability to transcend human understanding. Whether between sibling, friends, spouses, offspring or animals, because it is so fleeting, it's important give love freely and often. -Liz De La Rossa
The Eagle - I'll never forget the first time I heard the voice of the Bald Eagle. While outside one Autumn day in Kewadin, I heard a scritchy, almost prehistoric noise from above, I looked up and between the trees two eagles soared overhead carrying on a conversation. Not the voice I expected from this regal bird, but it was extraordinary nonetheless. While Bald Eagle sightings are not uncommon in these parts, I still consider each and every one special. A visitation of sorts and a sign of something special to come. -Kristen Turick
November 2 - A new book by Richard Louv, acclaimed author and past guest of Green Elk Rapids, explores the impacts of human-animal interactions. In Our Wild Calling, through fascinating stories and extensive research, he urges us to consider how connecting with animals can transform our lives. Inspired by his book, we collected a few animal stories from around the community and share them below.
The Coyote - In September I was field mowing with a tractor at Maple Bay preserve. Suddenly a coyote bounced out of the weeds in front of me. It stayed about 30 yards in front of me as we both traversed around the field. It kept looking over its shoulder at me. I was told later it was probably hoping that the tractor would produce a meal for it to chase! Sharing that time was mesmerizing -Gary Stauffer
The wren - In 1992, I was sitting near a brush pile behind our home when a family of tiny Winter Wrens emerged from the pile. It was the nestlings' introduction to the world's grand stage. I was thrilled; Winter Wrens are a favorite of mine. But my joy descended into despair at the awareness that they are losing ground, largely because of people like my husband and me who destroy their nesting habitats for their own wants. That sadness inspired our move from a waterfront home in favor of the 47 acres of Charter Sanctuary, and the ultimate establishment of Saving Birds Thru Habitat. I owe my entire career in conservation to that family of little wrens. -Kay Charter
The fox - When I was in eighth grade, a classmate brought 4 little orphaned fox pups to school. Their mother had been shot while stealing chickens (really!). I took one pup home, determined to raise it as a pet. Although loved and cared for by all five of us siblings, my fox Peppy soon developed mange. An old neighbor farmer advised me to rub the fox down with (used) axle grease, which my brothers and I collected from our tractor. Amazingly, Peppy survived, and grew healthy and beautiful. He napped with his head on my foot in peaceful companionship, and walked on a leash with me around our farm. This lasted for a year, and though he returned to the wild, he would frequently yip from the nearby fields and our dog would answer him. My siblings and I posted No Fox Hunting signs around our property, determined to protect him as best we could. My affection for foxes continues to this day -Royce Ragland
The Fawn - As my husband and I were walking through our woods, we suddenly came upon a tiny newborn fawn, still wet, its coat glistening in the sun. The fragile creature lay motionless with its big brown eyes staring up at us. We slowly backed away. I was concerned that it had been abandoned but my husband assured me that its mother was close by watching us, and explained that fawns have no scent when first born, which protects them from predators as long as they remain motionless. Again, he assured me that the doe would return for her fawn once she was finished grazing. Not sure I believed him, I returned to the spot about an hour later to find he was right. Years later, I still frequently see that precious fawn in my mind protected by nature and instinct. -Diane Butler
The Dog - Thinking about dogs always warms my heart, as they bring so much joy to those around them. Our golden retriever, who was raised to be a PAWS dog but failed his final training phase, came to live with us at age one. He was a wonderful member of the family who liked to help carry in groceries. He happily greeted anyone at the front door, often with something in his mouth to proudly present "as a gift" to the extended hand. I miss our loyal friend and would love to have another one someday. -Cheryl Bachman
The Wild Ones - Communicating with animals in the wild gives me a sense of connectedness with nature. I enjoy imitating their sounds and they often respond by showing themselves. Deer respond to bleats, rattled horns or grunts. Turkeys to a hen call. Geese and ducks to their feeding and gathering sounds. Fox and coyotes to squealing rodent sounds. These and others have given me many hours of enjoyment in the outdoors. -Mel Matchett
The Monarch - My grandma taught me how to find a Monarch caterpillar. Every summer, we spent time at an old cabin in the wilder part of Gaylord. We went on walks through valleys. When we happened by a stand of milkweed, I'd stop to carefully lift up a soft leaf—hoping that I'd find a white, black and yellow-banded caterpillar, munching away. When I turned 28, I received a gift of Swamp Milkweed to plant in the yard of my first home. I often find several caterpillars on this plant. As the caterpillar grows from the size of a fir needle into a plump fellow, it prepares for a transformation, a process that scientists still do not fully understand. When fully grown, the caterpillar sews a tiny silk button on a surface, then suspends itself in a J-shape, sheds its skin, revealing a delicate green vessel, decorated in gold. When I turned 32, on a windy day, I witnessed for the first time, an orange and black wrinkled butterfly unfurl from its chrysalis and take flight. -Dani Knopf
Wild birds - I have always loved wild birds. As a child, I would spend hours looking through my dad's Audubon Birds of North America books. On vacations, he would always point out birds to me and at home we always had bird feeders. As an adult, I would walk trails in my hometown and loved hearing the birds in the quiet. They were one of the reasons I enjoyed walking so much and why I started to research nature (trees, plants and other wildlife). When I was pregnant with my youngest, I was reading about birds and came across Wrens. I fell in love with the name and I saw some of my first Wrens while pregnant with her and knew it was meant to be. Wren, my daughter, loves seeing the birds on our hikes and in our yard. I am glad my love for wild birds carried over to my very own little bird!. -Kerri Esterley
The Whippet - I was never a dog person. Twenty years ago, my wife-to-be was very MUCH a dog person. We agreed that I would get to pick the breed who would join our family — hypo-allergenic, good-with kids, not too large — and settled on a Whippet. The deal at the time was that she would mostly care for it. But lo and behold, her pregnancy made the slightest smell of our newly acquired Lily The Whippet sick. So wouldn't you know it, I largely found myself walking/training/feeding/etc for the rambunctious puppy. It became so stressful for the two of us that at one point we'd almost decided to give her up for adoption. Flash-forward 12 years and she was my best friend. "Wedged" behind me while napping. Cuddled on my lap in the backyard lounge chair. Inspired our short film DOG HOUSE. And then she broke our hearts when she got cancer and died in front of us one night just 3 weeks later. I've never experienced such pain... But I'm also so incredibly grateful for having enjoyed such love. -Jeff Turick
Big Red - When Big Red, the beautiful 10 year old Aussie became a permanent fixture in my life in spring of 2005, I had no idea he would become my savior too. The transition from being his baby-sitter to becoming his mom was relatively smooth, but for the fact that my sister in CO was battling non-Hodgkin's lymphoma-which involved trips back to CO to help her and the rest of the family. After my sister's death, Big Red's importance in my life revealed itself fully. Until his death in the spring of 2010, our relationship was one of not just mutual dependence, but of my certainty that he alone kept me going after losing my sister. My journey with Big Red taught me many things, the most important being the power of love and its ability to transcend human understanding. Whether between sibling, friends, spouses, offspring or animals, because it is so fleeting, it's important give love freely and often. -Liz De La Rossa
The Eagle - I'll never forget the first time I heard the voice of the Bald Eagle. While outside one Autumn day in Kewadin, I heard a scritchy, almost prehistoric noise from above, I looked up and between the trees two eagles soared overhead carrying on a conversation. Not the voice I expected from this regal bird, but it was extraordinary nonetheless. While Bald Eagle sightings are not uncommon in these parts, I still consider each and every one special. A visitation of sorts and a sign of something special to come. -Kristen Turick
Winter Wren. Photo: Kay Charter
WiFi the helper dog. Photo: Cheryl Bachman
Lily the Whippet sits on the lap of her dad. Photo: Kristen Turick
