For Honey and Lilly, *BaRk, BaRk* :)

[zippy-kat]

Hey Logan, here's an idea for the next time your furbies tree a critter...


Silly 'Possums
by SCOTT SHALAWAY
Photographs by DAVID and STEVE MASLOWSKI

Sometimes the great outdoors gets a little too close for comfort. One morning a few years ago, I stepped into the pantry at the top of the cellar steps to get some dog food. As I scooped up some nuggets from the bag, I heard something growl. I thought nothing of it­ "The dog's just hungry," I figured. But a few minutes later, after I had put the dog outside, I stepped back into the pantry, and, again, I heard a growl. With no dog to blame, I got curious.

Peering into the dog food bag I noticed a clump of gray fur...a long naked tail...and a snarling mouthful of teeth that looked more like a stupid grin. It was a small opossum. Someone must have left the outside cellar door ajar, I surmised.

Coincidentally, that very morning I was scheduled to participate in West Virginia Heritage Day at my daughter's elementary school. Live subjects always keep kids' attention, so I donned a pair of heavy gloves, picked the opossum up by the tail, and put it in a cage. It turned out to be quite a hit. Most of the kids had never seen a live opossum up close. I pointed out the prehensile tail, which an opossum can easily wrap around a branch; the human-like rear feet; the naked ears; and the pouch on North America's only marsupial. (rest of the article can be found here: Silly 'possums )

The article calls 'em ugly, but I still think these guys are cute! Of course, after having a tame one, Ophelia, I'm not biased or anything...

(FYI Ophelia Opossum lived free in the outdoors but (from what I remember--I was little at the time) seemed to crave human attention. The pics we have of her are when she was tiny...about the size of a full-grown hamster. Even after she grew to be a HUGE mommy 'possum, Grandma said Ophelia would still come around once in awhile.)

[lbaker]

Once when I was little (HAH) my big brother and our GS dog found a possum in the back yard. My mom was in the bath and heard us say "Lucky found a possum!!" My mom yelled down "bring him in" (meaning the dog of course) but NO, my brother brought in the possum wrapped around his arm and left the dog outside then my mom heard me saying "oh isn't he cute" and ran downstairs in a towel and screamed" NO NO 'THE DOG THE DOG. What a hoot hah, KIDS

[Logan]

LOL!!!! They don't look that cute in the pouring down rain and pitch black dark!!

Bark Bark Bark!!!!!

[zippy-kat]

Originally posted by lbaker
Once when I was little (HAH) my big brother and our GS dog found a possum in the back yard. My mom was in the bath and heard us say "Lucky found a possum!!" My mom yelled down "bring him in" (meaning the dog of course) but NO, my brother brought in the possum wrapped around his arm and left the dog outside then my mom heard me saying "oh isn't he cute" and ran downstairs in a towel and screamed" NO NO 'THE DOG THE DOG. What a hoot hah, KIDS

LOL LOL LOL...
Laurie, what is it w/ Mom's-taking-bathes~

Once when I was little, I watched a tv show where W-H-A-T was on written on a chalkboard. I had one of those teeny-tiny chlkbds so I scribbled it onto mine and ran off to find Mom (in the tub). I asked, "what does w-h-a-t spell?" "What." (a little louder-->) "What does W-H-A-T spell?" "What." Well, I'm sure you can see where this is going! lol Mom eventually said, "WHAT! THE WORD SPELLS WHAT!" lol

LOL just 'membered this one:
Equipped w/ the same chlkbd (weren't they fun?!), I asked Mom to tell me what she wanted for Xmas and I'd draw a pic of it. She said "NEW SWEATER"...I heard "IRSH SETTER" & got super excited that we were gettin' another dog!! Mom really had to work on convincing me we weren't getting another dawg...

[zippy-kat]

Originally posted by Logan
LOL!!!! They don't look that cute in the pouring down rain and pitch black dark!!

Bark Bark Bark!!!!!

Bark, Bark, Bark...Scary, tree-climbing, rat-like creatures come to kill us all! Bark, Bark, Bark!

LOL If I ever find a 'possum in stuffed animal form...Honey & Lilly can expect a package from me! lol jk