This Saturday I thought I would change things up a bit…..

Local–NO rain for about 2 months….temps in low 80s and low 70s at night….it may sound idyllic but we have 8 months of high temps and humidity so we look forward to some cooler weather…..so far we have been disappointed.

Personal–I got a break until early December from my treatments and then hopefully it will be limited until after the new year.

This first story has lead me change the format a bit….this week I will focus on animals.

A Pennsylvania man is recovering after his dog inadvertently shot him in the back with a shotgun, police say. The incident took place Tuesday night in Shillington, where officers responded to a report of a shooting and found the 53-year-old victim conscious but wounded on the floor, reports ABC News. The man told police he had been cleaning his shotgun and set it on the bed. He then sat down, at which point one of his dogs jumped onto the bed, apparently triggering the firearm. “He’s not sure what stage of cleaning he was in at the time, so it’s [unclear] if the dog’s paw may have gotten caught inside the trigger and the safety was off,” or if there was perhaps a malfunction,” Cpl. Michael Schoone tells WFMZ.

The Berks County man was struck in the lower back, cops say. Paramedics transported him to nearby Reading Hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery, reports WHP. Police said he was expected to need at least one more operation, though it’s not known exactly how badly he’s hurt, ABC notes. The Shillington Police Department described the shooting as accidental but noted that the incident remains under investigation. “Obviously, you should be treating every weapon as if it’s loaded,” Schoone says.

First of all….what kind of idiot cleans a loaded gun?

That story lead me to look at the stupid that people do when wildlife is involved….

This guy is an idiot and should be barred from any national park.

Proves the old saying ‘can’t fix stupid’….are selfies that important?

A bear shares snacks with a child…

This wolf uses brains for a meal….

I recently wrote about a wild fox that became interested in a guy playing a guitar on a hillside….so I thought I would show just how interesting foxes can be….

This fox found a dog toy and had a bit of fun….

Next we have a pack of fox pups playing…..

Wolf pups with dad….

So even animals have grumpy old men.

Then I read a report with some troubling news in it…..California is killing wolves….

California wildlife officials have confirmed the existence of a new wolf pack in southern Plumas County, bringing the state’s total number of wolf packs back to 10. The new group, known as the Grizzly pack, was given official status after a pup was spotted on a remote trail camera, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s latest report. Officials say evidence of reproduction is one of the criteria for pack status, SFGate reports. The pack includes a male wolf from Oregon and a female from California’s Lassen pack, reports the Los Angeles Times.

• This is the fourth new pack identified in California this year, a sign that the state’s wolf population continues to recover as wolves from neighboring states like Oregon establish new groups and reproduce. In 2015, official said they were “amazed” to find a wolf pack in the state for the first time in almost a century.
• The Grizzly pack was found in the remote Sierra Valley, where the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Range meet. The discovery comes shortly after Fish and Wildlife killed four members of a different pack in the same region due to repeated cattle losses—70 in under six months. It was the first lethal action California had taken against wolves since their return to the state. Despite extensive nonlethal efforts, including drones and 24/7 field teams, officials say the wolves had become “habituated to cattle as a primary food source” instead of their usual prey of elk and deer. Authorities are hoping to relocate any surviving juveniles from the Beyem Seyo pack to sanctuaries.
• Ranchers like Rick Roberti say the losses were so frequent he stopped reporting them. “Ranchers don’t want to see all the wolves removed, but we do want the right to protect our private property just just like anybody would with property,” Roberti tells SFGate. “We’re not rejoicing. It was bad for the wolves, and it was a terrible summer for us, and stressful financially. But we’re sleeping a little better now.”
• Axel Hunnicutt, gray wolf coordinator for Fish and Wildlife, says the state’s wolf population is growing and “robust,” with at least 31 pups born the year and the formation of two more packs expected, the Los Angeles Times reports. He says the Whaleback pack had a record 10 pups this year.
• “This year has brought both joyful and tragic news about wolves’ homecoming to California, but I’m elated there’s a new pack and more than 30 new pups roaming our state,” said Amaroq Weiss, senior wolf advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity, said in a news release. “Wolves are still in the early stages of recovery in California and these new arrivals keep their recovery on a positive trajectory.”

So sad that they are being punished for existing.

Finally a very loyal visitor to IST, John and his wife have gone on safari and he has been writing a series on their trip….if you, like animals and truly amazing vistas then please visit his blog…..you will not be disappointed….

Have You Hiked Victoria Falls? Here’s “The Smoke That Thunders” – With Soaking Wet “Moonbows!”

Wow!  This post was truly soothing….I enjoyed writing as much as I did watching the videos…..I hope you were entertained and a bit amazed.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and is preparing for Thanksgiving……and as always….Be Well and Be Safe….

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”