Bugbear: the bats are out and about...

[Bugbear]

You know Ted, the thing I've discovered about writing a fiction novel (as it pertains to me anyway) is that in order to do so effectively, one must immerse oneself into that world and the lives of those characters completely. Quite frankly it's very draining, and I just haven't had the mental and emotional energy for it for a long time. It still exists though, happily on my computer, and I still love it and the other one I started (yes, now there are two. Only one about kilts though). I dream of the day when I will be able to share it with someone else though-- preferably with the members of this forum (and that dream may or may not include myself being interviewed on TV by Conan O'Brien wherein I wear a stunning and colorful little dress and gorgeous heels).

...so... someday...

I very much understand, Ali; except for the part about Conan O'Brien and wearing a "stunning and colorful little dress and gorgeous heels"...

Sometimes you have to put it away and let the book fester in the back of your mind; other times you have to work for hours on a sentence; still other times, you sit for hours writing and have no sense of time.

Good luck.

[cessna152towser]

Bats are into hibernation in Scotland at this time of year, indoors in old buildings or disused railway tunnels. I probably won't see any until March.

[BoldHighlander]

Bats are into hibernation in Scotland at this time of year, indoors in old buildings or disused railway tunnels. I probably won't see any until March.

Probably won't be long before they will be around my neck of the woods too Alex.

[Bugbear]

I think some types of bats out here migrate on down to Mexico as it cools off up here. From what I understand, there's a large canal tunnel over in Phoenix that serves as a bat cave, and bat watchers lurk around it in the fall.

They are welcome in my yard; I don't use chemical pesticides out there, and they are part of the integrated pest management system as far as I am concerned.

[cessna152towser]

Spoke too soon when I said the Scottish bats were in hibernation.
Walking back home from visiting Ann today, in the late afternoon darkness, I heard the repeated squeak of a bat in close proximity though I could not see it.

[piperdbh]

So who else likes to throw small pebbles into the air and watch a bat follow them almost to the ground?

[artificer]

Bats are into hibernation in Scotland at this time of year, indoors in old buildings or disused railway tunnels. I probably won't see any until March.

They're all napping until SPRING here as well. We had our first hard frost a few weeks ago. I don't think I've seen one for over 6 weeks here, and I'm up L.A.T.E (ie frequently all night)

So who else likes to throw small pebbles into the air and watch a bat follow them almost to the ground?

I'll admit to giving the bats fits when I was younger by tossing up a balled up sock or similar and catching them in a towel when they dove down to catch it.

In my defense, we never hurt them, they were just so cool to look at, especially the great huge ones.

I'm lucky enough to live on the largest stretch of wooded land in the entire county, so we get LOTS of bats on a warm summer evening. I'm not mentioning the owls, deer, raccoon, skunk, badger, weasel, fisher, coyote, wolves, etc, etc that haunt our neighborhood.

I got the be-jesus scared out of me when, after (another) sleepless night, I came upstairs to the main levels of the house, made a cuppa tea, and looked out the kitchen window- only to see a HUGE head staring back at me! Some silly deer was standing in my shrubbery, staring at me in my dressing gown- two days of stubble and a half-brewed cuppa in my hand. I nearly widdled myself... It's not the type of thing one expects to see at 0430 out the window. I'm rather proud of myself that I didn't drop my favorite mug or waken the rest of the house.

[Orthzar]

I've been down to Austin and have also tubed the Frio river several times. I always thought bats were like birds, but much more twitchy. I was hoping that Dallas would eventually build a bridge like Austin has, so that the bats can reduce the mosquito population in the area. My only concern about bats would be the rabid bats, but I bet you only get bit if you capture them without leather gloves.

I got the be-jesus scared out of me when, after (another) sleepless night, I came upstairs to the main levels of the house, made a cuppa tea, and looked out the kitchen window- only to see a HUGE head staring back at me! Some silly deer was standing in my shrubbery, staring at me in my dressing gown- two days of stubble and a half-brewed cuppa in my hand. I nearly widdled myself... It's not the type of thing one expects to see at 0430 out the window. I'm rather proud of myself that I didn't drop my favorite mug or waken the rest of the house.

Artificer, if I saw a pair of eyes at 4:30am staring at me, I would first think it was a demon, and then a SWAT team member with some night vision goggles on. I am far too paranoid.

[artificer]

Artificer, if I saw a pair of eyes at 4:30am staring at me, I would first think it was a demon, and then a SWAT team member with some night vision goggles on. I am far too paranoid.

It wasn't just eyes. The deer's great horned head was about 6" from the windowpane, so even in the fairly dim light I wander about in I could see it's whole face, although it's eyeshine was still quite bright.

[Irish Jack O'Brian]

I nearly widdled myself....

I too live in the country and love the open space and the abundant wildlife, though it's only my 5 acres! About two months ago, I was up at about 3:00 AM (a night owl like Artificer) and had gone out into the front yard under a new moon to...well, 'widdle.' Standing in the dark, part way through my assignment, a rhinoceros charged at me from across the lawn, crashing through the cedar break and heading right toward me!!

Or...that's what it sounded like. If you are familiar with the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus), you will know it to be small, nocturnal, common to Texas...and incredibly noisy when frightened.

I leave to your imagination the sight of an old man running for dear life, unzipped, before the snarling giant glyptodon.

[Even my wife doesn't know the whole of this story.]