Sunday, May 20, 2007

Caution!! Graphic images below!

We'll save those for last.

First, Carol took some more wildlife photos on the golf course, and I thought you'd enjoy those. Here we have three water turtles enjoying the May sunshine on a rock.



Here's anpther kind of turtle you don't see too often. It's a soft-shelled water turtle. Yes, its shell is actually soft and flexible!


Aren't they weird-looking creatures? Of course, they probably think the same thing about us!

This gal had dug a shallow pit for herself and was in the process of laying eggs:


No, we couldn't get an actual shot of the eggs without moving her, and we didn't want to disturb her so we left her alone.

This was a pretty fellow. A Tiger Swallowtail, our book tells us:


Finally, if you read my last post and the comments, you'll have noticed that Jan made a (somewhat snide) reference to the fact that I wear sandals and admit the same on my blog. She had the nerve to mention "manhood," as if the wearing of sandals somehow cast suspicion on that aspect of this person.

WELL!

Although she DID have the grace to state that my manhood was not actually in question, I feel that her comment demands a response.

1. I went to college during the "hippie" era of the 60s, and back then it was quite fashionable for "real men" to wear both beards AND sandals. I forbore those, however, because I found both uncomfortable at the time.

2. To me, my wife's opinion is the only one that matters. SHE has no issues with my "manhood" OR with my wearing sandals.

Here is a picture of my actual sandals on my actual feet. Some of my hairy legs are in view, so ladies, please try to control yourselves!


As you can tell, I wear golf shoes (with socks) and shorts when I play golf. Thus the "golfer's tan" on my lower legs.


Now I ask you: Do THOSE look like the legs and feet of a man who should be ashamed of his sandals?

Of course not.

12 comments:

Peter said...

Hi John, I for one certainly won't doubt your manhood for wearing sandals as I wear them most of the time too, they are comfortable, casual, and easy maintenance so why not... but not with socks as some Pommies (English) do though.

Anonymous said...

Now that I see the actual sandals with which you are shod, my comments are rescinded.

But I'm not sure about those pink socks.

o, wait...

kenju said...

Those are MANLY sandals! and I am so glad they cover your toes. Mr. kenju needs sandals like those, John, so where did you get them? Are those the Keen sandals you referred to?

That soft-shell turtle is a new one for me. He looks like he could be related to a horseshoe crab.

Anonymous said...

I'm not into making comments about men's legs, but one small suggestion. You need to tan the lower parts also.

Badabing said...

I think the sandals are a perfect match with the golfer's tan :-)

And, I'm not ashamed to admit that I own two pairs of flip flops and one dressier pair. When the weather gets warm I hate to wear anything else...on my feet, that is.

Karyn Lyndon said...

Perhaps you can even out your tan this summer on the beach...you do live near a beach, don't you?

Duke_of_Earle said...

Some people!

I was showing you folks the SANDALS! I could have left the legs out of the picture. Or, I could have edited the pics to make it LOOK like I had a tan all the way down past the ankle. But no. And what does innocent honesty get me? RIDICULE!

But that's OK. I learned to accept rejection by writing query letters to literary agents.

(Plus I was anxious to see what Jan and Karyn might say. . . :))

Christina said...

The sandals look fine. As you know, i live in Florida, near the beach and I wear sandals pretty much year round, as do my husband and most men around here. Our legs are tan all the way down though.

Serena said...

I grew up in the 60s with plenty of beards, beads, and sandals, so the sandals look fine to me. I'd work on tanning those pink "socks," though.:)

Monica said...

Um, I'm sticking to a safe subject...the turtles reminded me of all the ones my son and I saw along the highway between here and Oklahoma a few days ago.

Nice pictures.

Duke_of_Earle said...

THANK you, Monica!

(Harrumph!)

robotjam said...

The nature pics were great, it all went down hill with those sandals though, put me right of my marmite and cheese baps.