Maggie's Farm

We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.

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Monday, October 8. 2007

The Shy Newt and the miracle of amphibian metamorphosis

Newts have unusual life-cycles. Actually, this is a photo of a Red Eft I took yesterday. Red Efts are the land-dwelling intermediate form of our Eastern Red Spotted Newt.

They go from egg to gilled young newt to Red Eft on land and then, after a few years, back to adult air-breathing, breeding water newt.

Saw many of them yesterday in our Hemlock groves up above the beaver marsh, poking around the leaf litter on the balmy October day. They are surely only days away from hibernation deep in the leaf litter. 

Although they look like Gummy Salamanders, their orange color announces their toxicity to predators. Cute little critters that provide instant good cheer when seen.

 

Posted by Bird Dog in Natural History and Conservation, Our Essays at 11:20 | Comments (9) | Trackbacks (0)

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And here I thought this post was going to be about why Gingrich won't run for President.
Fascinating, nonetheless.
#1 JC Loophole (Link) on 2007-10-08 11:25 (Reply)
BEDEVERE:
What makes you think she is a witch?

VILLAGER #3:
Well, she turned me into a newt.

BEDEVERE:
A newt?

VILLAGER #3:
I got better.

VILLAGER #2:
Burn her anyway!

to read this entire scene from monty python and the holy grail visit:
http://www.mwscomp.com/movies/grail/grail-05.htm

if you're really looking for a laugh, go to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yp_l5ntikaU

i apologize if i just brought down the intelligence level of this blog. couldn't resist.
#2 kab on 2007-10-08 12:10 (Reply)
Yeah, heh. What the report doesn't say by omission or error is that this newt is migrating further north where there'll be better climes due to global worming and all.
#3 Dr. M. Fibius on 2007-10-08 12:56 (Reply)
...conquering newt territory?
#3.1 buddy larsen on 2007-10-08 16:28 (Reply)
like a sillymaunder.
#3.1.1 Dr. M. F. on 2007-10-08 17:05 (Reply)
then there's the chameleon-like salmineonder
#3.1.1.1 buddy larsen on 2007-10-08 20:44 (Reply)
OK, now, still haven't figgered salmineonder out and, worse, i've accidently triggered "Narrator." Just imagine how a run of bad puns (mine primarily, but newt, too-- be fair) sounds like on that...
#3.1.1.1.1 Dr. M. F. on 2007-10-08 23:04 (Reply)
well it was a stretch. i needed a 'sal' for salamander, see, and Sal Mineo (50s actor, "Rebel Without A Clue", starring James Dean) was all i could think of--which i thought would work, because actors are chameleons, and chameleons like newts are lizards.
#3.1.1.1.1.1 buddy larsen on 2007-10-09 00:14 (Reply)
OK, sounded/ looked familiar but i couldn't place it. Am very glad it wasn't a salt mine yonder. Interesting actor, and the pun works except for being ruint by having to explain it to the one person who didn't get it.

Actors without a cause. Would love to see them do TV spots promoting that.
#3.1.1.1.1.1.1 ashes on 2007-10-09 02:08 (Reply)

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