Do you "lub-dub" or "pitty-pat"?

Way back when, my goal was to become a scientist. Specifically biology.....research....genetics. I wanted to find a cure for leukemia. Lofty goals indeed, and long ago discarded for a different path, but I have remained fascinated by biology and the advancements that have occurred in the past decades. I've always admired the elegance of mathematics as well - okay, okay, so I'm a nerdy girl. Guilty as charged.

A few months ago I was listening to NPR, a discussion about animals and relative longevity. (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyID=12877984) We've always known that smaller animals generally have a shorter lifespan than larger ones, and that their heartbeats are much faster. So one might logically conclude that a small animal's heart just plain wears out sooner.

It turns out that this is true - but there's more to the story. There's a mathematical connection to this fact: All animals' hearts have a capacity for about 1.5 billion heartbeats in a lifetime. Wow! Interesting...and there's more.

Scientists at the Santa Fe Institute in New Mexico call it Quarter Power Scaling: larger animals have so many more cells to keep going that they have to be a lot more efficient. Their cells actually are slower and do more work than those of smaller creatures. So elephants, rhinos, and whales take a lot longer to use up their 1.5 billion beats than mice, moles, and butterflies. Prof. Geoffrey West, head of the Institute is now proposing that big cities and small villages have a similar relationship: the larger cities - by necessity - are more efficient.

Add this phenomenon to the fractal nature of .....errrr....nature. The closer we look, the more predictability and pattern we see.

Do You See What I See?

Here are three more photos from Montezuma and the Adirondacks. Tell me what you see....

West, then North

It was a Sunday-in-Montezuma-Monday-in-the-Adirondacks excursion with Max. We had hoped to see loons on Monday but they weren't cooperating. Otherwise it was a great couple of days. First, the photos from Montezuma:



































And the ones from the Adirondacks:

Kelsey and Oma's Excellent Adventure

The day started with a trip to the park on Lakeshore... we splashed in the lake and played in the sand. Then home for lunch shared with Riley and a quick nap. We visited the turtles in the back yard pond and then took Riley for a walk. Aunt Mia came home from work so we went back down to the park to show her how much fun it is to get our clothes soaking wet. Back home again we enjoyed a cheerios and pudding snack...What a great day! I don't know about you, but we're beat!

Independence Day in Nature

Montezuma yet again. I got there before 8 am thinking the morning light would give me better photos. Eh...maybe not. The light was almost too strong but fortunately for me we were there well into the afternoon. Once again, the not-so-great photos here are included because I like the content. My next task in learning photography: quicker reactions and keeping the camera steadier.

In Memoriam

This post is a eulogy of sorts for two very important friends who came into my children's lives at a time when they needed them most.

Fresca was a lab-shepard-husky mix. I first met her at a school bazaar in a box with her litter-mates. She was the only one who had the Lab look and I knew instantly that she was what I was looking for. My son Ben, then 13 or 14, was struggling. School was hard - life was hard. He was one unhappy kid. We'd discussed what might help Ben and had considered a pet but it wasn't until I met Fresca that I knew I had found Ben's therapeutic pal. But Fresca was more than just therapy, more than just a pet. She was Ben's constant loyal companion, confidante and protector and when Ben married Laura, when daughter Kelsey was born, Fresca steadfastly protected them all. In the past months Fresca - now age 14 - was showing her age. No longer that frisky puppy who engaged with Ben in barking contests, Fresca under the bed and Ben on top of it, Fresca was losing her hearing and it was obvious she was suffering from the aches and pains of old age. She had become the regal matriarch, tolerating Kelsey's playful advances but having patience for little more. And then one sunny spring morning walking with Laura and Kelsey, Fresca walked onto the railroad tracks adjacent to their house. Despite Laura's coaxing, despite the tracks' vibrations which she must have felt, she refused to budge and yes, Laura and Kelsey watched in horror as Fresca lost her life to a passing train. She was old and perhaps ready to choose the time and circumstances of her passing. I know, it sounds ludicrous just saying it. But I have seen this before - animals and even humans who seem to have decided it was their time to go. Fresca served her master well. She was loving and loyal and she came to Ben at a time when he needed exactly what she had to offer. What greater purpose can one serve?

Alexander Graham - Alex or Allie to his closest friends - was the companion of another lonely teen, my daughter Amelia. He came to us via Grandma's garage. I would have chosen his timid sibling but Amelia saw and loved Alex's devil-may-care attitude right from the start. When Alex moved in Fresca adopted him as her son, even allowing him to latch on and massage her nipple with his tiny tongue and paws even though she had nothing but comfort to offer. It wasn't long before Alex took his rightful place as king of the household. Known as the kamikaze kitty and later the evil gato de la muerte, he often curled up on the dresser waiting for some unsuspecting human to pass by. At just the right moment his lighting fast paw would fly out, raking the intruder's arm.....just to be sure he or she knew who was boss. When new pets made their appearance he was the quintessential Garfield who ruled his domain with a bored yet tolerant attitude. He was a loyal feline to Amelia, she being the only human he truly loved and trusted. He was her friend and protector, softly purring his affection only for her. This week, we had to say goodbye to Allie. Amelia was too distraught to be there and worried that he would feel betrayed - abandoned - so I stood by his side and held him, petting and reassuring him until he was gone. At 13, holding her very own kitten, Amelia envisioned the long life they would have together. It wasn't to be, but Alex gave her a wonderful 7 years - seven years that would have been bleak and lonely without his reassuring purr. Alex, Garfield had nothing on you...you were the best.