Sunday, February 24, 2013

Our Recent Visitor

While doing dishes the other day,
I glanced out the window
to a surprising
sight.
 
Not that I haven't seen these
in the yard before,
but my sightings have always
been after dark.
 
I called to Becky
and to Max so that they could
greet the visitor.
 
 
 
Max doesn't seem to concerned.







 
Actually, neither does the
possum.
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
I was prepared for a battle...
 
 
 
 
 

 
yet they were very nonchalant
about the encounter.
 
 
 
 
 

 
Well, maybe not so much.
I asked him politely to leave
and all I got was attitude.
Apparently,
(s)he's met my kids!
 
 
A few possum facts
from Google:
 
 
Whither “opossum”?
The name “opossum” comes from the Algonquin Indian name for the animal, pasum. How the initial “o” was appended no one seems to know for certain. Some have suggested that when Capt. John Smith asked his Indian friend what the animal was called, he uttered a short grunt before saying the word. The theory that the opossum descended from a family of Irish O’Possums has been entirely discredited by modern scholarship. America’s kangaroo? The opossum is the only marsupial in North America. This means the animal carries its young in a pouch, much the same as does the Australian kangaroo. Once a female opossum mates, she gives birth a mere 13 days later to a litter of roughly a dozen baby opossums that are each no bigger than a honeybee. These tiny, blind, and naked babies crawl on their own all the way to their mother’s pouch. There they each latch on to a teat from which they receive milk. They remain there for nearly three months. A four-legged bus Once the young opossums leave the pouch, they’re still not ready to face the world on their own. For the next 10 to 15 days they go about clinging to mother’s fur. Eventually they become too heavy to hang on during these trips and one by one fall off. By the time this happens, the young opossum is fully weaned and able to forage for himself.
 


29 comments:

TexWisGirl said...

i'm so impressed - with both the dog AND the possum being so blase! not in my yard!

Raindrops and Daisies said...

Oh he's not a pretty fellow is he Jill?

I think I would have a heart attack if I saw him outside my window!!!

Hope that all is well with you and your lovely boy and girl.


Have a good week

x Fiona

Chatty Crone said...

Okay I can't believe they met and nothing happened - if that were Disco - there would be trouble. Lol.

Lynne said...

Unusual sighting indeed . . .He is kind of cute 'till he opens his mouth!

Beth said...

I never realized that possums had such sharp teeth. You got some really great shots!

Thistle Cove Farm said...

That would never work in my yard; the dogs HATE trespassers. You did get some fabulous photos.

Debbie Jones said...

Great pictures of your little visitor!

Optimistic Existentialist said...

They look like friends :)

Debbie said...

Harmony in the wild, nice!

Jeanne said...

Funny how they did not find each other threatening. Very unusual.
My cat did the same thing. From the opposite side of a window no less but still did not react to the possum.
They just regarded each other.
Funny.

Paula said...

All I can say is NASTY!!! Those creatures give me the heeby jeebies!

~Kim at Golden Pines~ said...

They really aren't the most attractive critters are they? But I have to say, I'd rather see them this way than where I usually do, on the road....

Marie said...

Not the prettiest creature, but I'm interested in ALL creatures, so thanks for sharing! I hear they like cat food, so if you leave a cat dish outside, he may be hanging around for that.

Nancy said...

I grabbed a possum by the neck one time to remove him/her from our chicken coop. They are mean. Period.

Elizabeth Edwards said...

love what you have done around the blog. so pretty.

i'm glad they are friends & not mad at one another. i hope that will stay that way. makes you wonder?

have a great week. big big hugs. ( :

Susan said...

Never see possums anymore. When I lived in California we had them all the time in the yard. I'm glad your dog was so calm about the whole thing!

Jackie said...

aren't you glad it wasn't a skunk :)

Paula said...

Your dog and the possum seem to be friends like Susie our cat and the skunk who came to visit.

Ellie said...

Wow almost looks like they could be buddies :))
I've never seen a possum before - he does look a bit cheeky though.

Buttons Thoughts said...

Cool I have never seen one around here I am not even sure if they are here. Great shot I am so glad that scary snarly face did not hurt your little guy. B

Donna said...

I once petted one by accident while sitting on our patio...Thought it was our cat...so when I felt the familiar "bump" on my chair leg, I reached down and ran my hand down the length of the animals back...and froze...mid pet...Gently turning my head to look at what owned the course hair I had just lavished my love upon, I was greeted with a look of happiness and graditude from Not my Kitty...but from Mr Possum!
Love the photos!!
hughugs

My Mind's Eye said...

WOW I'm impressed with Max's lack of interest!! Such a gentleman but I suspect Cupid would not be so polite.
LOL
Hugs C

Rosemary said...

It looks a little scary but that could be because we don't have possums where I live. I don't know about you but I get so used to having the yard to myself that it's always a bit of a surprise to find somebody else out there!

At Home in English Valley said...

Yikes! We even had them in Chicago, and they were not friendly. Maybe they are more laid back in the wild;-)
Have a great week Jill. Love, Penny

Unknown said...

Your dog is adorable! I'm impressed they didn't get aggressive around the possum. That's a friend for life right there!

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Anonymous said...

I'm surprised the possum did not run or drop to the ground and play possum :>)
Great captures Jill.

EG CameraGirl said...

I have never seen a possum before. I doubt that I would be as indifferent as Max. :))

Lisa @ Two Bears Farm said...

It must be hungry to be out in the day like that.

Anonymous said...

Wow! They are usually very mean! (At least the possum's here in Ky are!) Great shots!