Daily Archive: January 1, 2024

When I’m at the beach, either sitting or walking, I generally don’t engage other people on the beach in conversation.  I’m just not that kind of guy that can easily walk up to a stranger and start a conversation. Barb on the other hand can talk to anyone. She can chat up other dog walkers or just anyone. She actually met a couple that we’ve gone to a couple of concerts with. She’s good that way.

So I was sitting at the beach today after walking Sweetheart, just watching the waves and the world go by. More people than normal for a winter’s Thursday. Mostly because it was great weather after freezing temps last week. 

I see a guy down the beach walking this way. Didn’t pay much more attention until he was steps away asking me if I wanted my dog to go to heaven with me when I die. This gentleman seems to be about my age. Big belly. Shorts and a tank top that says Jesus on it. He was either mildly drunk or full of the holy spirit, I couldn’t tell which. He went on a bit more about something or other (Jesus) as sweetheart tangled his legs up with her leash. Good girl!

As he got himself untangled and was about to  go on his way, he said that I should not go north of the pier near Neptune Beach because many witches live there.

Noted

I think it was when I was in Long Beach watching Betty that the whole crow thing started.  I knew previously that if you treat a crow nicely and feed it snacks that one day that crow may bring you a treasure.  When in California Kelly had a crow that she was trying to befriend. I was feeding it while she hiked and really did start a routine of showing up and being fed every day.  Barb’s girlfriend Marie has “adopted” a couple of crows that she now feeds daily.

There are crows in our neighborhood that we see (and hear)  all the time. Especially when we walk along the creek trail by our house. There is a myriad of wildlife hanging out there. Ducks, geese, Ibis, turtles crows and more!  So we took it upon ourselves to start the great crow experiment.  For a couple of months now we would bring a small bag of nuts on our dog walks and if we saw a crow we would put a nut on the post by the trail. The crow would immediately swoop down in gobble it up.  We’d place  a nut on every other post and sure enough the crow would follow us down the line. Around the bend and headed to home, we would place a bigger pile of nuts on the last post before heading home. Barb even started calling to them on our walks. She’d use the clicking/clucking type noise that you hear crows do. We’d get on the creek trail there and start clicking and clucking away. Good thing only the crows heard us!

So we’ve been doing this regular for the last two months that Kelly has been here. Morning creek trail walk with the dogs. Bring nuts. So now on most days the crows see us before we see them.  The come flying in and hanging out, waiting for a snack.  Sometimes just one crow. Mostly its three that hang our together but a few times we had up to five crows hanging out for morning nuts.  Still putting a big pile on the last post before heading home, but on a few days these crows would follow us all the way (not very far) home. If they made it all the way home with us they would get what’s left of the nuts in a stepping stone next to our mailbox. So a couple of time now there have been crows waiting for us outside the house when we start our walk! Coincidence? I think not. 

Kelly suggested that we start looking for crow treasure. From reading up, most people have a designated spot. One spot and one spot only, to feed the crows. then the crows would reciprocate by bringing treasure to the food box. Crow treasure and include shiny things like bottle tops, the tab from an aluminum can, a button, little pieces of colorful plastic or metal. Since we feed “our” crows all along the creek trail I had to keep an eye out. There has been nothing until today. 

Normal morning creek trail walk. The crows caught up with us eventually and I gave them small bites along the way. Then at the last post where we usually put the final big pile of nuts, I see laying there a bone! Yes, a BONE!!  At first I thought someone just put a bone there for whatever reason. I threw on the grass and placed the pile there and proceeded on our way. When I got home I called Kelly and told her about the bone. “THATS A TREASURE!” she said. Turns our that crows do leave bones that they find as a thank you. She also informed me that we now need to get a crow box to store the crow treasure.  Definitely looking for an upgrade from bones but its interesting!