Seeing Spots 2

Better known as Firehouse mascots, Dalmation dogs are easily identified by their spots (even in their mouths!), though they are born without any.  It takes about 4 weeks for spots to appear on their little snow-white bodies.  Dalmations are excellent companions for hunters, or as trail hounds, and are energetic retrievers with exceptional memories. While a great many Dalmations can’t hear very well, their good looks and friendly personalities keep them in spotlights such as circus acts, movies and TV commercials. You might never guess that coaching is their favorite thing to do as they run alongside teams of horses pulling coaches. They’re quite good at keeping stray dogs and other obstacles away. And it’s easy to see that Dalmations are very good friends with horses, such as the Appaloosa.

Definitely show-worthy horses and one of the most popular breed in the US (State horse of Idaho), Appaloosas have appeared in old Western movies, cartoons for children, and TV commercials. Their vision is not good at night but that has not stopped the beautiful Appaloosas from racing and even winning in Kentucky Derby races.

While they might not win any races, Spotted Turtles are incredibly active during the day and their shiny black shells with bright yellow spots (females have yellow chins!) are always amazing to look at. The Spotted Turtle can be found in swampy regions of Florida and similar areas in Canada. They enjoy foraging in leaves on land sometimes, though most of their hunting is done underwater where swamp mud is also a great place to hide from predators or when hibernating.

Are you seeing spots at your house?

Seeing Spots

Smallest of the ‘Big Cat’ family, Cheetahs are often mistaken for Leopards, but Cheetahs have round, solid black spots and black ‘tear’ tracks from the corner of their eyes to the top of their mouths, on either side of their noses. This helps deflect the sun from their eyes as they hunt during the day. Exceptional eyesight allows the Cheetah to see its prey 3 miles away! Lanky and built for speed; they are the fastest land mammals on earth.  Cheetahs cannot roar. Instead, they purr, and chirp, churr, yowl – and growl. Non-retractable claws and rubber-like paw pads prevent the Cheetah from climbing trees but provide excellent traction for quick turns during high-speed chases. Ancient Egyptians once kept Cheetahs as pets and hunting partners, though they are now considered an endangered species.

Leopards have brown/black blotches that some describe as ‘roses’ or ‘wings.' These blotches offer optimal camouflage and allow the leopard to easily sneak up on his prey. Occasionally, the Leopard’s dark blotches are so numerous as to appear one solid color and he is mistaken for a Black Panther. Though not as fast as the Cheetah, the Leopard is much more powerful and can drag his lunch all the way up a tree and stash it there for later enjoyment. Though Leopards do indeed roar, they usually bark when they have something to say. Some folks believe the bones and whiskers of the Leopard can heal sick people, which may have contributed to their dwindling number. They can be found in many environments, including wetlands, rainforests, deserts, and coastal scrubs.

Could you tell them apart (without reading the sign at the zoo)?

Words to Work With - 3

“Choose a job you love, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life” ~ Confucius

From sweeping porches to cleaning windows, there’s something just so satisfying about getting paid for a job well done. Before long, we realize that bigger jobs mean bigger paychecks. So whether you’re thinking of what job you will have, or which you would have liked to have, I’d love to hear which jobs seem appealing, or which ones absolutely don’t ;-)

S.     Secretary, Scientist, Social worker, Ship’s Captain, Song writer, Snake Milker

T.     Teacher, (professional) Tennis player , Tax preparer, Taxi Driver

U.     Undertaker,  Underwriter (Ins), Underground Mine Safety Engineer, Urban Planner

V.     Veterinarian,  Video Game Tester,

W.    Wildlife specialist, Web Designer, Writer, Wallpaper Hanger, White Hat Hacker

X.     Xylophone player , X-Ray Technician

Y.     Youth counselor, Yawn Counter at Sleep Clinic

Z.     Zoo Keeper, Zigzag Machine Operator, Zipper Setter, Zoning Engineer