On Safari for the Ultimate Starter's Kit!

[dwsizme]

Day 2
My journal
Back on the computer to travel the internet to the big cat web site to visit Little White Dove again (see Day 1). Love it that the song is included with her bio. I love that song. “Running Bear loved Little White Dove with a love that wouldn’t die……” Brings back wonderful memories of childhood….no anxiety, no responsibilities, no worries…

Continued on “my safari” to find her boyfriend, Running Bear. Laughed out loud when the page loaded – what a face!! He looks like a warrior. And I think I can actually hear his growls and roars in my imagination. Makes me want to duck behind a tree (click on Google….type in “Tree” real fast)! What a perfect match and they look well suited to their names. How sweet that they hang out together in real life, even though it was stated that bobcats don’t usually hang out together, they prefer solitary lives….but these two hang together all the time. They share a “penthouse” in the trees! How cool!



- The entries are dedicated to myself. I smoked for most of my life, quit many (many, many, many) times but never left cigarettes so easily before. I was wrapped up in the fun of vaping before I even realized I wasn’t smoking cigarettes anymore. So as a gift to my family (and me) of me staying around for a few more years than expected, I would keep the prize for myself.

 

[dwsizme]

Day 3
My journal
What an adventure this internet “safari” has been (See Days 1 & 2). I discovered another aspect of animal rescue that I didn’t know about - Large Cats. I know about dogs and cats – have 3 rescue dogs. Would have more if I had the room. Nothing more satisfying in life than to be adored by an animal. They think you’re wonderful! All the time….

I searched the web page virtual forest today and found “Tiger Lilly”. That name caught my eye and I thought of the story of Peter Pan while I clicked on her name. The bio says Tiger Lilly is shy, I can relate to that. Me, too. She’s beautiful. Silver fur - same color my hair is turning – another thing we have in common. I never knew there were silver bobcats. Her bio also says, “Through operant conditioning, slowly Tiger Lilly is becoming a more outgoing bobcat.” Through operant conditioning…..that’s a mouthful of a phrase….wonder what that means…..whatever it means that’s wonderful she is trusting her keepers and becoming more comfortable with where she is.
My Safari ended at the “get involved/roar” page. I bookmarked it. I will definitely try to “roar” about this. And see what I can do, too. Seems there are lots of ways to be involved even if you don’t have a lot of money to send. I will definitely explore and try some of the options.
Thanks for the eye-opening adventure. If nothing more, my horizons have been widened both with this new information and also in trying to write about it.



- The entries are dedicated to myself. I smoked for most of my life, quit many (many, many, many) times but never left cigarettes so easily before. I was wrapped up in the fun of vaping before I even realized I wasn’t smoking cigarettes anymore. So as a gift to my family (and me) of me staying around for a few more years than expected, I would keep the prize for myself.

 

[Thornie]

Day 2


Day 2

I started out a little earlier today, in hopes of seeing the beautiful little sand cat I had come upon yesterday and perhaps spending a little more time watching it before the sun went down. As usual I had my walking stick, my e-cig and my iPhone, but today I decided to bring along a small bag containing a water bottle and some salmon jerky. As I meandered along, pausing to take a photo of a particularly gnarled boxwood here, a tiny lizard nearly hidden in the dappled shade of a sagebrush there, I thought about the Sand Cat. How had it come to be here? I'd googled it when I got home last night and I was correct. Their native habitat was far, far from here in the deserts of the middle east. I'd discovered a rescue organization that charmingly included these tiny wildcats in their rescue efforts. "Big Cat Rescue" it was called, and I chuckled softly to myself at the thought. When I again came to the rock I'd sat upon yesterday there was no sign of Genie. I sat down, had a sip of water and determined to enjoy the Ylang Ylang vape I'd just gotten. My mind wandered as I vaped, inhaling the sweet and spicy flavor that seemed a perfect blend for the desert summer sunset. I never heard a sound but again caught a flash of dark striped movement against a sand colored background. There she was! It was Genie! As I watched her, another cat slowly, hesitatingly came into view from within the small crevasse. This one was a little larger, and shared the same large pointed ears in the characteristic splayed position. I wondered if he were her mate or a sibling? I decided to call him Canyon. I watched them awhile and was so enthralled I completely forgot to take any photos. As the light faded from the sky, Genie and Canyon retreated to their little den and I shredded a few pieces of my salmon jerky to scatter around my rock seat before I began my walk home.

*Gotta get vaping. Yes, I need a starter kit for myself Thanks for the opportunity to enter the contest and to learn a bit about these amazing creatures.

 

[Thornie]

NAE

Wow. I came to enter and stayed to read. All of these are just too much fun!! Thanks for the contest and for all the wonderful stories.

 

[kico166]

Kia - this is a beautiful gesture on your part! Your "Ultimate" starter blows "starter kits" out of this world! Gee - wish I was on the fence! Bless your heart, it will find the perfect home in it's time!

 

[XIVChrissyVIX]

NAE:

I know I can only enter 3 times (though I have considered writing more stories and listing them as NAE), but I have been coming back to visit nearly every day to read more of the stories other are writing. I hope more people decide to visit. I have told a few people about this contest and the important message both for the Big Cats Rescue and the potential to help a friend or loved one quit smoking. I hope we get more entries!

 

[ShogaNinja]

NAE:

I know I can only enter 3 times (though I have considered writing more stories and listing them as NAE), but I have been coming back to visit nearly every day to read more of the stories other are writing. I hope more people decide to visit. I have told a few people about this contest and the important message both for the Big Cats Rescue and the potential to help a friend or loved one quit smoking. I hope we get more entries!

NAE:

Yeah, Kia set the bar pretty high for this one, but I like a challenge. In this coming season of giving thanks, it's important for us to also recognize those who need our charity. I think more contests should be about something positive like this.

Excellent spirit Chrissy! I enjoyed everyone's entries and I am glad to see a couple more popping up! I salute you.

 

[whodat2112]

Day 3

I awoke from my scented sleep to find myself sourrounded by many beautiful big cats. Simba was there as welll as many others. They were all vaping and enjoying themselves. I realized that I had nothing to fear from them when I witnessesed Bubba dancing with one of the largest, most beautiful felines that I had ever seen. I also knew that we were led to the "watsamatta u wanna vape" lounge by these majestic creatures. I was overjoyed to be amongst all the happy cats. Bubba was dancing a jig in the middle of the room as Simba vaped and banged a tambourine with her tail.
It was at this point in time when my wife shook me and woke me from this wonderful dream. She had come home from work and picked us up some dinner on her way home. As I walked into our dining room, on our kitchen table was a meal consisting of baba ghanoush and an article from the Tampa newspaper about "Big cat Rescue".
Maybe, just maybe, it wasn't a dream

Journal entry dedicated to my lovely bride.As I have stated we have been married for twenty eight years and she deserves something for putting up with me for that long

 

[dcav]

Day 1.

I ventured into the brush with nothing but a camera in one hand and a canteen in the other. This safari was the culmination of months worth of planning and research. It began simply enough, when news reached me that there had been sightings of a Tiger nearby. The tiger, being my power animal in a shamanic sense, naturally aroused my curiosity. I pressed the messenger for more information.

"Where has this tiger been seen?"
"They say it has been roaming the South-lands. I have spoken to the locals there"
"Why would such a magnificent creature be here, so far from its natural habitat?"
"I cannot say, but all who have glimpsed it speak of its fearsome size"
"How large could it be, so far from its hunting grounds?"
"The locals estimate that it must weigh close to 800 pounds."
"800?"
"That is what they say."

That conversation was the beginnings of my obsession. Tigers are rare in these parts, but not altogether unheard of. A tiger that large, even if the locals were exaggerating, was something that I had to see with my own eyes. I began to research these cats. I learned that they are primarily solitary animals with a fondness for swimming among other things. I familiarized myself with their habits, their history, and their vocalization. Once I felt that I was knowledgeable enough and funding had been secured, I set forth on my safari.

When I arrived, the sun beat mercilessly on my brow, and I feared that I had not brought enough water along. Knowing that tigers too must feel this heat, I ventured cautiously towards the river bank. Tigers have been known to cool themselves in water during the heat of the day, so I carefully set up a lookout point. My camera sported a large telephoto lens as I had no desire to be face to face with such a legendary predator. I felt as if I sat there for an eternity, or perhaps only minutes. I scanned the banks of the river through my lens. A short time after the sun had passed its apex, I spotted a slight rustling in the brush on the opposite side of the river. My heart raced. I could feel it beating as a kick drum in my chest. Slowly, the rustling neared the river until finally, a gorgeous orange face poked through. I snapped picture after picture, my shutter exceeding even the speed of my heartbeat. The tiger, now lapping at the river, seemed very large to me. It was an awe inspiring beast that both captivated and frightened me. I watched the tiger for several minutes until it retreated back into the foliage.

When I arrived back at camp that evening, something seemed to eat at me. I could not downplay the sheer awe that I had felt, but something wasn't right. I am no good judge of a tiger's weight, but it had fallen short of my expectations. Showing the pictures to a local, I learned that the tiger I had seen was called China Doll, and she was the mate of the tiger I had come to see, whose name I learned, was Shere Kahn.

I dedicate this entry to Barney, a coworker of mine who would like to make the switch. He has tried the convenience store ecigs to no avail. I am a relative newbie myself, and it pains me that I don't have any extras to give to him to help him along this path. I think that this starter kit would be great for both he and his wife, as I know they currently smoke more than 2PAD each.

Thanks to Kia2 for this extremely generous contest. One day, I might make a RL safari to BigCatRescue, but for now I will continue to support them from afar.

 

[Racehorse]

Journal entry #1, dedicated to my friend who is a wildlife rehabber, both he and his wife smoke analogs and would love to gift them a vaping kit so they can live long and continue to take care of all the bears, bobcats, skunks, coyotes, birds of prey, songbirds, eagles and snakes in our beautiful national forest here when they are injured or become homeless due to weather events, logging, etc.


Ah, early morning, the whippporwills song will soon give over to that of the day birds, my favorite time of day, just before sunrise. I sit in the yard, vaping, and looking out at the woods and the pond. There are rustlings in the leaves, turtles poke their heads out of the water, and some swirling on the water, minnows chased by bigger fish perhaps.

The usual calm of morning is shattered by the sound of breaking twigs, tromping leaves, and odd sounds:
http://www.myoan.net/sounds/CONTACT.wav
and then furious bleating and squeaking.

What is this vocalization? Then, I see something, at blazing speed......a young deer, bounding toward the pond bank, and suddenly, afterwards, a big SPLASH!

I have never seen a deer in the pond before, but that is what it is! Further behind, in the borders of wooded brush, a larger deer, quite a ruckous, lots of acrobatics.

What is going on here?

 

[kia2]

NAE

C'mon, we need more journal entries!!

 

[Uncle]

NAE

C'mon, we need more journal entries!!

I like what I have read so far - however I totally agree . . . WE NEED MORE ! ! !

 

[NancyR]

nae

Well I can only do one more, and I will just been swamped

 

[ShogaNinja]

NAE: Here's a bump and this thread has also been bumped on the PIF Contests thread. This is the best I can do. I can't make people write, but I wish I could

 

[Uncle]

NAE:

Too Bad this isn't also posted on the "New Members Sub-Forum" . . .

Boy - NOW, wouldn't that be something . . .

Maybe if you reached out to "j0ker" or one of the other Administrators to make an exception to the ECF Rules, so it could be post there . . . I'm pretty sure there would be a few people who would enter - and could help someone there get what they need too . . .

 

[NancyR]

NAE:

Too Bad this isn't also posted on the "New Members Sub-Forum" . . .

Boy - NOW, wouldn't that be something . . .

Maybe if you reached out to "j0ker" or one of the other Administrators to make an exception to the ECF Rules, so it could be post there . . . I'm pretty sure there would be a few people who would enter - and could help someone there get what they need too . . .

NAE
that is an awesome idea, tho I like most of you all can no longer start a thread there or I would

 

[kia2]

NAE

I can't post in the new members forum, either, and there's this sorta kinda rule about "spamming" the forums with cross linking threads. I can't do it, but I certainly wouldn't complain if anyone recommends the thread...

 

[XIVChrissyVIX]

NAE: I have posted information about this contest on other forums, but to no avail. I will go try and spread the word some more today to see if we can't get some more entries.

 

[Poeia]

CHITTIN' THE CHAT
(It is important to never pass up a legitimate opportunity to quote [H]ouse.)

Big Cat Rescue is a great organization and you are wonderful for doing this for them and for vapors. I'm sure your mother would be very proud of you.

 

[Striker911]

Day 1.

It was spring up in the small Mountain Home town hidden in North Central Arkansas at the Southern end of the Ozarks. I heard what seemed to be a rather large animal jumping around in the wooded area on the North end of my property. So I grab my camera and slowly work my way over to see just what it was. All of a sudden I see it!!! Its a Doe Deer. It looks like its having fun playing with something. So I reach for the camera hanging on a lanyard, and turn it on as I work my way into an unobstructed view.

Then all of a sudden like a bolt of lightning it hits me. I can see what the Deer is playing with. Only its starting to seem like its not really playing at all. As I snap a picture I notice that the deer is pushing and kicking a BOB Cat!!! I recognize this cat. He is the neighborhood tramp. We call him Alexander. Now I dont mind smacking him with the end of the broom to get him away from the trash cans but this time it looked like he was in real trouble. So I picked up a small rock and hit the deer with it. Just then the deer noticed me and ran away. In the end poor old Alexander was just fine. Wish I could say the same for my trash cans.

Included, is a picture of the culprit. If you see this deer roaming around, seek shelter.

This one is dedicated to ME cause I am broke and have one PV that was defective and cant get the vender to help me with. Only heard cricket when I tried to contact them.