I also learned that a bunch of turkeys is called a rafter, gang, posse or dole.*
What I mean by Bird Law is that you should pay attention to birds that are acting weird. And this gang of rafters on the dole were a questionable posse. They were hanging out near a grill and acted as if I interrupted an avian tailgate party.
There were more wild turkeys creeping off to the side. Normally there's only one or two giving you the stink eye from the middle of the road.
And the neighborhood cranes are still here instead of GPSing their way down to Florida. Which brings me to the ominous clouds percolating behind them.
I was looking for rocks on a humid still too warm for October Saturday because I thought Dane County ROCKS! which paints and hides rocks around the county would be a fun hobby for my 92-year-old mother and me. My cousin mentioned them when I posted about these girls selling rocks—notice the wellspring of product behind them.
After I drove past this camo turkey I wound my way back to the beach. To make a long story short (too late) a swift wind blew my glasses off the park chess table where I was texting my cousin about rocks and baseball as a tornado touched down seven miles away.
Bet you didn't see that coming and neither did anyone else since there were no sirens.
The thing about losing your glasses is that you need them to find your glasses.
Crouching on the ground blindly taking pictures with my phone didn't work. Mostly because I panicked and tried to get to my car as fast I could before looking at the photos.
"As fast as I could" meant trying to walk to the path across the lawn. It also meant getting lost in "woods" about the size of my living room.
I somehow Magooed my way out of the shrubbery, stumbled onto the walking path and back to the car.
I drove halfway down the walkway and schlepped over to the last place I saw my glasses using an old pair from the glove compartment and a dull flashlight I mostly keep because it matches my car.
The wind was picking up and it was threatening to pour.
Not a single warning siren went off and if one had I would have passed out.
I decided the hell with it, turned on the brights and drove a few feet from the chess board and there they were, upside down and spotted with raindrops in the middle of the pavement.
So I guess the lesson is to heed wild turkeys. Maybe I should have saved this story for Thanksgiving.
*From the National Wildlife Federation's Blog
Oh my goodness, I knew I didn't trust those turkeys for some reason! Thanks for joining the Thankful Thursday Blog Hop!
ReplyDeleteThey were a shiftless rafter, Brian.
ReplyDeleteHello, I like the posse of turkeys and the cranes. Glad you were safe from the tornado, looks like a lot of damage. I hope no one was hurt. Happy Thursday, enjoy your day!
ReplyDeleteStrangely enough no one was, Eileen. Those cranes can be a bit annoying yet are part of the neighborhood and I miss them when they're gone. Who knows, maybe this is the year we don't have winter and the cranes stay...
DeleteGood gravies! Those turkeys were trying to tell you something. I think a lot of animals and birds and such have a third sense. Glad you found your glasses!
ReplyDeleteGravy, turkey, mmmmm must have turkey and gravy.
DeleteOh my goodness! Glad that you found your glasses and glad you weren't in the path of that! We had an earthquake here once and it was my little cockatiel that tried to tell me a few moments before it struck. He started flying wildly around his cage.....x Karen
ReplyDeleteWow, what a good pet, Beatrice. The cat tries to tell me helpful things now and again but it gets lost in the feed me, pet me, brush me, play with me, open the hallway door for me, clear off the top of the refrigerator for me meows.
Delete...looks like Mother Nature wasn't happy in your neck of the woods.
ReplyDeleteIt was quick and weird causing a lot of damage in a small area then taking the highway to the next town.
DeleteWe have lots of turkeys around here. Glad you were safe from the tornado.
ReplyDeleteWe have quite a few as well but I've never seen so many in one place.
DeleteWow, I hope nobody was hurt. That is something else. We had a freak tornado here in OKlahoma a few months ago that popped up and caused some intense damage in a small area.
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard of any injuries but there were streets I didn't see that got it pretty bad. Hopefully insurance will take care of it but having your AC blow through your living room and a tree crash into your kitchen must be pretty traumatic.
DeleteGlad everyone is safe - sometimes there isn't a warning when Mother Nature has a fit. I live in Florida and I'm waiting for the cranes to come on down.
ReplyDeleteHa, Carol, I'll let them know. I think their kids took off already or at least I haven't seen them, unless of course these are the kids all grown up.
DeleteGlad you were safe! Whew! The weather is crazy everywhere. I love the Bird Law clip. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia cracks me up! Thanks for linking up today and have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteI was only in danger of tripping over my own feet or twisting an ankle lost in the shrubbery. I love that show too and thought it was a weirdly funny area of law for Charlie to specialize in.
DeleteGreat
ReplyDeleteTa
DeleteLOL... a posse of turkeys! Pretty scary that you didn't get any kind of a warning.
ReplyDeleteI was just reading your blog and pinning a few of your fantastic photos. You really are one of my fav photogs. I see you're 15 miles away from the closest fire but still, that is terrifying and awful out by you. There was a 100 year old couple who died I think in Napa from WI, they went to school here and were a very handsome couple, very sad. Will continue reading when Max Scherzer makes short work of the Cubs in the 5th.
DeleteI retract that last statement. Cubs waking up and chewing up the Nationals.
DeleteSorry to see the damage done by the tornado! Cute shots of birds though.
ReplyDeleteLots of people pulling trees out of their roofs over there. I haven't heard the cranes in the last few days, wonder if the dramatic drop in weather finally sent them packing.
DeleteNice shots of the birds, sorry about the tornado and I can relate to losing your glasses. I am as blind as a bat without my contacts losing one creates instant chaos for me even in nice weather.
ReplyDeleteI've had my contacts blow out of my eyes too, Alasandra. It's nice to meet a fellow bat, a good season to do so (;
DeleteGreat images, thanks for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteHelluva story..glad it all turned out well. I am impressed that you would know when wild turkeys are acting weird...
ReplyDeleteIt effected a small area here then drove down the highway to the next town. Just the fact that there were so many of them milling around in that spot was suspect.
DeleteOh my goodness from the photos it looks like it was a nasty tornado. But what do I know, I have never seen one before. Thank goodness you are safe and sound.
ReplyDeleteI wish I was handier so I could link up with you, maybe for my next batch of cookies or if I think of something cool for holiday decorations. It was pretty bad, I went down a street that I hadn't seen this afternoon and there's still lots of branches and sawed up wood.
DeleteHi Jeanna, always pay heed to the turkeys! They aren't as daft as they look... I would have wet my pants in fright just knowing a tornado was so close. I bet it didn't take long for it to wreak havoc like that either... Rock spotting with your Mum. That make me giggle. If I did that with my Mum I'd have to answer all sorts of question "just because" is never an answer.
ReplyDeletexx
And they looked pretty damned daft. All this on top of a less than stellar morning. It lasted maybe ten minutes? Yeah, mum has already soured on that idea, she's nothing if not fickle. And yes, I have been trying to justify it. She really just wants to go shopping and a long car ride once or twice a week and out to dinner whenever possible.
DeleteI understand what you were feeling without glasses. I am also lost, if I don not have them all the time.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny how we take our contacts and glasses for granted. This was a good reminder because I felt so helpless when I couldn't find them, especially during a tornado.
DeleteGood heavens, what an adventure for you, and NO sirens at all? Maybe no-one but the turkeys saw it coming!!
ReplyDeleteMarjorie and the Dash Kitten Crew
Yes, MD, that IS what I think!
DeleteSeems like horrible weather/climate events everywhere these days..... so glad you found your glasses. probably your cranes will be the same ones we see on our 'front-lawn' when we go back to Florida. I enjoy them (but it is the resort lawn and I don't have to worry about it!) . We have so many wild turkeys here in Oregon -- even our son who lives in a suburb of Eugene (not rural at all) has had them damage his roof.
ReplyDeleteI hear there was a tornado in OR too—what is going on?? I really didn't think I was going to find them and at one point wondered if I'd make it back to the car. Our cranes will be the ones eating cheese curds and chugging Pabst while waving anti Walker and Paul Ryan signs. There is definitely something up with the preponderance of wild turkeys!
DeleteNice shots of the turkeys. Glad you are safe.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen so many in one place, Judy.
DeleteHello, I love the turkeys and the cranes. I am glad in a way they saved you from being close to the tornado. I appreciate your being part of my 200th Critter party. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Happy Sunday, enjoy your day and new week ahead!
ReplyDeleteWooow...I just notice that bird law as well and indeed a lot to learn. And how you manage to escape those horrible disaster..Cheers from NYC
ReplyDelete