Towheeblog

LET IT BEE EVERY DAY

I was ready to dead-head that blown rose, but the bee said “Let it be.” In the mint, already losing its chlorophyll and yellowing, dozens of bees. At least five species including a single golden bee.

Turkeys make our garden more of a farm yard. Seed and feed. Globular globes (redudnant?) of shining turkey poop draw little clusters of feasting flies, a metallic green. I see these flies nowhere else–distant cousins of the fuzzy black flies that like to sneak into our kitchen or onto our picnic? Turkeys are introduced so there must be some varieties of native poop that feed these greenies through the ages. Speaking of ages…

Recent discoveries show that our ancestors were walking on two-legs seven million years ago. Click here for summary. In that story one scientist wonders why we would stand up and walk since it seems to make us slower and more vulnerable. This scientist must be a man with minimal experience around living animals as opposed to fossils. Where are alpha predators often found–up high with a long view of what surrounds. Bipedalism lacking evolutionary advantage? How about being able to see over the tall savannah grass? From kingbirds to owls to upright bears to humans–a long field of vision is a huge plus in the struggle to survive. Our species and its predecessors have been visual animals for eons. Better for our kind to see the food or foe at half a mile than smell it thirty feet away. Or feel it on your throat. Knowing there’s an elephant or giraffe or lion a mile away is better than seeing it just down the trail. We were never destined to be the biggest or fastest or strongest, so better to maximize our advantages which were gang-action and communication and eyesight. Seven million years ago our forebears were likely already gregarious, hunting in packs. So one guy sees a meal or a threat, the whole gang is ready and armed. Armed!!! On all fours what good are hands with opposable thumbs? Would we even have them? Would we have to sit up like squirrels? If so, no hammer, no tongs, no sword, no plowshare. From our brilliant hand and thumb system we have come to make and use all kinds of tools and weapons. And even use keyboards to write stuff. Standing up had huge evolutionary advantage for our ancestors. Despite one scientist’s blindness. Guess our species’ vision is never perfect, even on two legs.

Field trip at Cornerstone in Polk County, next month:

Can pigeons be art?

China today, hellishly hot and dry. Click here.

U.S. Drought or food–you can’t have both and you got no choice. Drought it is. Click here.