Sunday, April 18, 2010

Three For Tea

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Three For Tea


My friend popped in
on her walk
and so I made a cup of tea
and we slipped into the nest
for a chat
As we talked she let out a groan
as an intruder emerged
from my bedroom







she grabbed a chair
and adopted her lion tamer stance
which she employs 
to keep Murray at bay





while I went for a broom
and the camera of course...

Gertrude the Goanna, meanwhile 
had attempted to escape 
through the ground level window
to no avail
and had become increasingly agitated
Just look at her claws




another dead end Gerty
come this way...




she reared her head
arched her neck
and thrashed around 
like a dinosaur
from Jurassic Park




at the whiff of fresh air
she changed direction



and shot out the door



run run
as fast as you can


  
down the terrace




around the corner
and into the garden

I went into the bedroom to check
and found no doors open
but I had 
a few hours earlier
opened a door when
I was hot vacuuming

the wind must have blown it shut
and Gertrude became trapped...

I did look under the bed 
before I went to sleep last night
in case she had a friend...


and I will be more vigilant now
that I know we share the same territory
Gertrude may be around more often...


*

54 comments:

  1. What a fabulous and exotic-looking neighbor you have in Gertrude. It makes me happy that your response was more curious than fearful. Deep in our mammalian brains is a fear of reptiles, so it takes some mindfulness to allow yourself the space to be curious instead of afraid. She really is quite a beautiful creature, and I'm sure she was more interested in getting back outdoors than in sitting down to tea.

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  2. Love the photos! I'm not big on lizards, but yours is almost comical looking.

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  3. Oh MY GOSH! I agree with Dan, how fantastic Delwyn! and i'm glad you were not afraid and took photos instead. Thank you for sharing with us, I think he is beautiful!

    (i was wishing it was i who had stopped in for tea!)

    love,
    lori

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  4. i forgot to say Tea for three was perfect and the photos were great!
    i love this.

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  5. Hi Dan

    I think that they are rather beautiful too. This one seems young because she was thin and her markings bright compared to old Murray's jaded faded textures skin.

    I wasn't going to get too close though as I didn't want her mistaking me for a tree.

    Happy days

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  6. Hello jane

    thank you for calling by. Its a shame it wasn't yesterday then we could have had four for tea....

    Happy days

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  7. Hello Lori

    My friend was surprised I returned with the camera but whats a blogger to do given such an opportunity...

    Five for tea would be even better...

    Happy days

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  8. Thank goodness it was just a Lizard of Auss and not a poisoness snake!
    Remember if you sit in a 'nest' lizards will come looking for eggs to eat - it's just basic indoor Australian survival knowledge - jeeezzz Delwyn.

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  9. Hi Mr Attenborough-Smith

    of course...and speaking of David did you see that he is stuck up in the Arctic somewhere...can't even charter your own flight anywhere these days...

    happy days

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  10. Hello Delwyn!

    What a long tail!!
    Great pictures.

    Best
    Tracy :)

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  11. I love your photos!!
    Im not quite sure would I feel that in love if its roaming around my kitchen but i do love the look of them!!

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  12. I don’t care if David A spends the rest of his life in an igloo but I do care about the fact that you failed to notice I spelt poisonous incorrectly. What next, more rampant misspellings? A pelican in the loo? A jumbuck up your jumper? Jeeezz Delwyn.

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  13. I'm afraid I do not find anything reptilian endearing. I remind myself that they are an integral part of the planet and have, as you say, their territory too. But I would have been a little rattled by your third guest for tea!

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  15. And, not to put too finer point on it, if one had taken the trouble to follow that Iguana back to its house one would have found a pile of tea cosies in the corner, which proves my point doesn't it. Would one ever find this lizardy thingy in front of a grain silo? no, never, I rest my case.

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  16. What an exciting life you live, Delwyn! And what interesting neighbors you have.

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  17. So nice of Gertrude to call, and in all her finery.

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  18. poor poor little Gertie...
    i had a family of ducks trapped in my backyard once as they were moving from their nest in my front bushes to a pond about a half mile away...had to open the back gate for them...
    good thing Gertie didn't know about that.

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  19. Your Tea Party was certainly different, Delwyn. That miniature dinosaur wasn't miniature enough for me. It's size alone would have caused spilt tea for me!

    ♥...Wanda

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  20. I love that you ran for your camera! I would have done the same. Also, that you are cheerful about sharing space with your spotted neighbors.

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  21. An uninvited guest like a mouse in the house is stressful enough. This one is the subject of nightmares.

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  22. Mr Attenborough with the teacosie hat,

    I am sorry to tell you that I did not fail to notice your issue with poisonous but thought I would give you a break today...retired teachers and all that...

    however I will pick you up on the confusion between iguana and goannas, an easy error, my friend...
    and could you please explain the grain silo...I am at a loss there...

    Happy tea cosies

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  23. Oh what a beautiful creature. Such a long neck and a long tail. I'm glad you helped her find her way out.

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  24. So, my first sighting of a gonna and it in your place! They are much bigger than I thought!

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  25. Isn't it great that wild creatures will still persist in being part of our lives and homes, even it the midst of our dominance over theirs. I loved that cheeky girl goanna's energy and curiosity.

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  26. I love that you went for the camera. My reflexes aren't trained as yet to go for the shot. What a fun little tea party you had.

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  27. I sure you have visited my blog by now and understand the riveting logic behind my grain silo comment. If you still don't then there is absolutely no hope of you understanding.

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  28. I love it. When a garter snaked decides to come into the basement and come up the stairs we have a real frolic see what is the best way to caputure it. It is errie to see it slither by the door way finding it's way around the house. Great photos of a great adventure.

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  29. delwyn - i laughed when i read this and looked at the pictures. that's what i do when a friend comes visiting. i mean a friend from the outside world of course!!! take pictures, look at it. my dad said that when these friends cross our paths they're here to tell us something. i wonder what message she left with you!!! beautiful animal. steven

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  30. she was a beauty hey! We had a similar incident but with a brown snake not as much fun though

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  31. Your great photos really capture her vitality!

    Guess our little geckos really are friendly little guys compared to THAT! LOL



    Aloha from Waikiki


    Comfort Spiral

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  32. I think you should do a blog on the Komodo Dragon - now there is a lizard to be reckoned with - I hope you don't ever have one of those stomping through your house.

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  33. Hi Tracy

    I remembered today that the coiled tail is an indication that she might strike...good thing I forgot yesterday when I was up close...

    happy days

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  34. Hi Alexs

    I am going to be onguard from now on you can believe me...My house is largely glass doors many of which are open all day!

    I heard a rustle later and saw a turkey about to come into my study...

    Happy days

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  35. Hi Bonnie

    interesting what Dan had to say about our inherent fear of reptiles. When you come for tea I will check the house from top to bottom...

    Happy days

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  36. Hi Barry

    I think it is the neighbours that make it so exciting Barry

    Happy days

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  37. Hi Martin

    I really don't know if Gertrude is a he or she but as I've had a Murray the Monitor I thought Gertrude the Goanna sounded just fine.

    Happy days

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  38. Hi Tom

    no I think Gerty might be a little tempted by that sight. Monitors do fancy turkey eggs.

    Happy days

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  39. Hi Wanda

    Gerty was very long but not as thick through the middle as Murray therefore I think she was a youngster. But her limbs and claws and tail were VERY long, perhaps she has some growing to do yet.

    Happy days

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  40. Hi Sarah

    The broom was the first thing on my mind but then I became waylaid...my friend might not have forgiven me had the monitor taken a lunge at her while I was taking pics instead of defending my guest.

    Happy days

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  41. Hi Paul

    I must say I was a little spooked to think she had been in my bedroom for a couple of hours and I had been in and out of the room a few times, so where was she then. The rubbish bin in the bathroom had been knocked over so maybe she hid out in the shower...

    Happy days

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  42. Hi Ellen

    Gerty did have a beautiful youthful complexion and lovely markings.

    I have never seen a monitor thrash around like she did, she must have become very anxious, perhaps hungry after her ordeal...


    Happy days

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  43. Hello Vicky

    thanks for stopping by. ( I wrote spotting by- a slip perhaps because I have been writing about Gerty's markings...)

    Happy days

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  44. Hi Scintilla

    you have never seen one before in AU?

    Oh my, well Gerty is a god speciman, or speciwoman...


    Happy days

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  45. Hi Jennifer

    we are living nestled into the edge of the rainforest and National Park so wild life is in abundance, I miss the river birds but the koalas and monitor and kookaburras are lovely company...


    Happy days

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  46. Hi Maggie

    I think the camera is becoming a reflex of its own...and I see so much more...like his long claws, the coiled tail, the lashing head...all there in B&W


    Happy days Maggie

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  47. Hi Larry

    Is the garter snake poisonous Larry?

    Happy days

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  48. Hi Steven

    I think she may have been reminding me that I am the intruder in her territory.

    My friend has a couple who lounge on her deck. If she doesn't shoo them away they believe they have permanent rights to the deck taking preference over humans and get very fussy when people appear.

    Happy days

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  49. Hi Kim

    how did you get him out?

    that would be a little more scarey, snakes I do have a thing about...


    Happy days

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  50. Hi Cloudia

    Gerty was a feisty little Goanna, give me a lime green gecko any day, we have them too but they are pale in colour.
    Poop much the same....but they do eat the mozzies so I am happy to share the house with them...

    Happy days

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  51. Hi Alden

    Gerty was quite big enuff for this little girl thank you...

    Happy days

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  52. Awesome, fascinating and bordering on scenes from a movie. Thanks!

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  53. I would have to have a chat about boundaries with Gertrude! Now that she's toured your lovely home, i'm thinking she may be a frequent visitor.

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