The Only Way To Get Stories

There was only one turtle, but I got started anyway. It didn't take long for another to join him. And another. A few minutes later, I heard the Kawasemi bird's whistle and looked over at the branch to the side--sure enough, Peter had come too!

I'd written a second "Koree the Cormorant" story, this time "Koree and the Growing Fish", and I went to Far End to tell it to him, but only the turtle was there. But he seemed to want to hear it, so I told him. But by the time I was done, it seemed there were at least half a dozen turtles and several other critters of that Far End pond who heard the story. I asked the turtles to tell the cormorant a story's been written about him, but maybe I didn't need to ask them specifically; I'm sure he'll hear about it somewhere.

After I was done at Far End, I went to my buddies at the dark and dingy Irrigation Ditch--never want to forget them--to tell them the story too. I realized, after I got there, a lot of the turtles at Far End followed me.

"But you just heard the story," I said to them.

I forgot they can't read books or listen to recordings whenever they want to recall a tale; the only time they can get it is when they hear it told live--mebbe that's why animals are NEVER critical of the raunchiest storytelling!

There are 8 species pictured here: can you pick them out? (The answer will be posted after Koree's story tomorrow.)

JUST PARK ANIMALS

Call me crazy. But I tell you, SOMEONE who reads blogs is telling the critters at the park about the posts!

Because I wrote about the animals in Okinawa coming out where it was warmer, and not to be outdone, when I went back to the park up here in Iwatsuki, altho' it's still Feb., in one day I was met with spot-billed mallards, greenhead mallards, egrets, great blue herons, kawasemi, turtles, carp, pigeon, wagtail, thrush, and the usual crow and sparrow.

Then I wrote about the Cormorant, and from the neighboring river, not only did the cormorant come to the park, and not only did he bring a companion, but as I wrote in my post, he brought 2!

Yesterday, I posted a drawing made 2 years ago, made from imagination. I found another one made of the birds at the park, but it included the Starling. Altho' I thought about posting it, I said to myself I haven't seen Starlings here for months now (it is an autumn bird), so maybe I shouldn't post it...but when I walked into the park this afternoon, guess what bird first met my eye? The Starling!

"Starlings don't wink, do they?" I e-mailed my sister. It felt like this one did!

Today, for reasons I won't go into, I didn't take my memo or drawing pens with me. But it seems the birds were all smiling and trying to keep me guessing. Egrets, kawasemis, herons, crows, wagtails, thrushes were all out, joined by turtles and carp.

"What? You think we can understand human words or something?" they seemed to say; "We're just park animals!"