It Runs in the Family

In case we were wondering where Makela gets her animal rescuing gene, I captured and released an 8-inch lizard today. I found it running around the garage after we returned home from the library. Turns out it was a Southern Alligator Lizard:

When I sent Joe this picture, taken from "The Lizard Lounge" web site, he had but one thing to say: "Glad it didn't bite you, Ranger Rick."

Mermaids Do What?

Makela is currently obsessed with mermaids. She pretends to be a mermaid on the playground, at the dinner table, and of COURSE in the bath tub. She often asks if they are real. But she made me laugh pretty hard with today's burning question: "Mom, how do mermaids go to the bathroom? That's what I'd like to know."

New Neighbors

Oh how I've neglected this blog for the last eight months. Wish I had more time to write. But with Charlotte doing new things every day, and Makela saying and doing hysterical things, it's time to start doing a better job with this thing. So here's a conversation that Makela had mostly with herself today, after she found a little snail next to the sidewalk on her way home from the library with Daddy and Charlotte today....

M: I see his little breathing hole.

M: Oooh, he's got tiny little eyeballs.

M: What if he gets stepped on? I'm going to stay & watch over him.

J: But Makela, you can't stay -- it will take hours for him to get to the sidewalk.

So Makela gently moves the snail over by a tree.

M: Now he's safe from predators. Dogs like to eat snails, you know.

M: Look, it's a whole snail home!

M: That must be his mom & dad. I bet they were worried about him.

M: Just have to say one last goodbye. (Transfers kiss from finger to shell.) That's your home now. We need to keep you very safe.

M: They're our neighbors! We have new neighbors! I think the one I helped is Snaily. He has a sister, Shelly. The Dad is named Slime & the Mom is named Swirl.

M: I'm very good with animals, you know. I didn't just grab him up, I used very gentle fingers, like this.

J: You're an animal rescuer, Makela.

M: I am! I *am* an animal rescuer. Maybe I could work with Diego.