tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28348949176653179822024-03-13T11:27:27.655-07:00CFZ Expedition: Texas 2010Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger64125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2834894917665317982.post-70027092073855299062010-03-26T06:58:00.000-07:002017-02-18T03:16:26.238-08:00LON STRICKLER: More Blue Dog Sightings<span style="color: #3333ff;">Hi Jon...I posted an article on your expedition to Texas and have received some interesting emails on other sightings. I have attached. If you want any further information...let me know. Lon Strickler, <em>Phantoms and Monsters</em></span><br />
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<a href="http://naturalplane.blogspot.com/">http://naturalplane.blogspot.com/</a><br />
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<ul>
<li>Lon…Regarding the article about blue dogs. I live in Alabama and on numerous occasions I would ride with my husband who is an OTR driver. One day we were in northern Alabama when suddenly I saw walking on the side of the field was a BLUE dog. This dog walked naturally on the edge of the road as we passed. My husband did not see him as he was driving and the dog was on my side the passenger side. This was broad open daylight around 1 to 2 in the after noon during the summer months about 3 years ago. Is there such a dog species that is actually blue?</li>
<li>Hello Lon. Add us in. About 4 years ago my wife and I were taking a rare child-free trip to a judicial conference in Colorado. We were driving across a pretty flat and desolate part of Kansas (there’s a shock) and it was around sunset. We had recently finished laughing hysterically at some Kansas Department of Transportation guys who were striping the highway by having one of them lean backwards off the back of the truck with the striping paint in his hand while another worker held his legs (this made the trip fairly memorable by itself) and my wife had drifted off to nap while I drove.</li>
<li>I noticed an animal coming from a field across the highway from left to right and I slowed to let it cross in front of us. In Oklahoma one has to make way for deer, free-roaming ranch dogs and coyotes this way in the rural areas so it was no big deal. In our neighborhood one can come home at twilight and find a coyote in the front yard or walking casually down the street toward the nearby golf course—a coyote is not a particularly exotic sight. </li>
<li>As we got closer, I noticed this was neither any breed of dog I recognized nor any type of coyote I recognized. For one thing it was pretty big. It had extremely short hair (or none, I couldn’t tell), a really long and odd looking snout and a distinctive dark blue color which I assumed was being exaggerated because of the sunset light. It didn’t dart across the highway, but looked over at our car and trotted across. Very odd looking critter. Given the reports about blue canines in Texas, thought I’d pass this report on to you. Whatever they are, we saw something basically fitting that description in western Kansas. </li>
</ul>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2834894917665317982.post-24232568978758606212010-03-23T09:42:00.000-07:002010-03-24T11:48:57.681-07:00OK, BUT WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSJOKAcUTovl1J46ZEmEF1HXdhzNHr0EzcfCDGAzC-d6-x2gmn1NdPQL80MYbRwaMAPaNabjbExBoqsdHZEl6UHwM6KJ1ImQg-Q4r7gCkxetxYBQsdw6FiLxzUA6iIWGXLDg5OrhvMSdA/s1600-h/L2-06.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451873510787354514" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSJOKAcUTovl1J46ZEmEF1HXdhzNHr0EzcfCDGAzC-d6-x2gmn1NdPQL80MYbRwaMAPaNabjbExBoqsdHZEl6UHwM6KJ1ImQg-Q4r7gCkxetxYBQsdw6FiLxzUA6iIWGXLDg5OrhvMSdA/s320/L2-06.jpg" /></a>Thanks to everyone who commented on the photographs of the skull that we posted up the other day. I am certain that it is indeed a raccoon skull. Chris Kraska wrote:<br /><div><br /><br /><div><span style="color:#6600cc;">'The other options were ringtail or coatimundi as they have similar dentition but the paroccipital process and auditory bulla are wrong for both. Also the skull shape is distinct. It's a very young animal as the sagittal crest is not developed as it is in older animals. The dead giveaway is the length of the hard palate and how far it continues posteriorly of the teeth.'</span></div><br /><br /><div>It was found on the land of Devin Macanally, close by the location of several blue dog sightings. Ironically a trail camera placed there two nights before picked up images of a ringtail <em>(Bassariscus astutus),</em> which, though also a type of raccoon, is known locally as `the ringtailed cat`, and I had vaguely wondered whether the skull was of this species.</div><br /><br /><div>But what the hell is this?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMooLwNTRYfRfqkSX8Bj10Ui75bUHv2khQbO_kFA_cIgESUUy0IM4BbZdYRiRGzeJaVEfDrLHkTsbojcEL18fHgucFXKDl6G2YJu3lT6a1BPuhUKv_qcKtKLreae2YxZhkAl3cj7n83rA/s1600-h/P3040062.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451872769604618754" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMooLwNTRYfRfqkSX8Bj10Ui75bUHv2khQbO_kFA_cIgESUUy0IM4BbZdYRiRGzeJaVEfDrLHkTsbojcEL18fHgucFXKDl6G2YJu3lT6a1BPuhUKv_qcKtKLreae2YxZhkAl3cj7n83rA/s320/P3040062.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div>It was found in several locations nearby, draped on branches, and also fallen on the ground. It is organic and smells disgusting....</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2834894917665317982.post-15742836592897457312010-03-23T09:14:00.000-07:002010-03-24T11:47:18.096-07:00Newspaper Article<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6fOllQBBlHkMd-ot40cnRZ3uzUZNFq28fmgOhWlTCFtC44ErWNDGWRDiQKwJ0NYvBm_aDs2BOayEojISJdjEZbMdikC3LXqNmHT7iwbOy1j8nxDT5cgvaLXq98dTNhO7y-0weTX2piZk/s1600-h/40137_b1.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 222px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451935641095111474" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6fOllQBBlHkMd-ot40cnRZ3uzUZNFq28fmgOhWlTCFtC44ErWNDGWRDiQKwJ0NYvBm_aDs2BOayEojISJdjEZbMdikC3LXqNmHT7iwbOy1j8nxDT5cgvaLXq98dTNhO7y-0weTX2piZk/s320/40137_b1.jpg" /></a><span style="COLOR: rgb(102,0,204)">'Mystery and science fiction novels are a weekend hobby for some, but one local couple is turning their free time to attempting to solve strange mysteries in nature.<br /><br />Richard and Naomi West just returned from a weeklong trip around Texas collecting pictures and video based on reports of strange blue-skinned, dog-like animals around the state that some have called the answer to the "chupacabre."<br /><br />The Wests, along with the founder of a British nonprofit supporting cryptozoology, hope their reports from the expedition will help them gain support for a more in-depth mission to study and hopefully capture what they believe is not a being of folklore, but a new species of canine similar to a coyote.'</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.kdhnews.com/news/story.aspx?s=40137&q">Here</a> is the complete article in the local newspaper concerning Jon and Corinna's visit.Richiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12183724465598931419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2834894917665317982.post-65331413833845692892010-03-22T03:36:00.000-07:002010-03-22T05:47:14.537-07:00Goodbyes<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOkn2r4DkIdHiVa6t5ABWNGYKtjqwtlC1fxeZsLfkVquLqdKKn9TLmis0OPN8tz42w8cXfKURimnqCkUrb9qIIydzs_KU4FYGp1cXpCrZ9Ry22MDAsEr73rW3NqG-JkK1Cu_btrqdDmDA/s1600-h/Escelator.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 180px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451408747976951154" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOkn2r4DkIdHiVa6t5ABWNGYKtjqwtlC1fxeZsLfkVquLqdKKn9TLmis0OPN8tz42w8cXfKURimnqCkUrb9qIIydzs_KU4FYGp1cXpCrZ9Ry22MDAsEr73rW3NqG-JkK1Cu_btrqdDmDA/s320/Escelator.jpg" /></a><br />It was with heavy hearts that we said goodbye to Jon and Corinna yesterday. We miss them terribly.Richiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12183724465598931419noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2834894917665317982.post-38921324804416356892010-03-20T21:12:00.001-07:002010-03-22T05:46:27.143-07:00CORINNA DOWNES: Some pictures from TexasCORINNA'S DIARY: Saturday, 20th March<br /><br />OK, photos on a blog posting can be classed as a cop-out, but it has gone midnight and I still have some packing to do.<br /><br />Both Jon and I have lots of stories to tell and we shall write about them anon. In the meantime, I shall sign off from our Texas Expedition blog and will see you again soon when back in Blighty.<br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF61w8OqFyYfnttLlN7CYXY0csW0ridd_DIMfRORLi8up_v21PnmpYk47xMr7FxN8avshHkacrrR2cxlOcGcbj-zr2Ddrx-lxsqh-D5J171iy9vn5aAKsWbENQZ5SMW1UDIbFYtl0MJifY/s1600-h/IMG_2201.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF61w8OqFyYfnttLlN7CYXY0csW0ridd_DIMfRORLi8up_v21PnmpYk47xMr7FxN8avshHkacrrR2cxlOcGcbj-zr2Ddrx-lxsqh-D5J171iy9vn5aAKsWbENQZ5SMW1UDIbFYtl0MJifY/s320/IMG_2201.JPG" vt="true" /></a></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix_zLCyMIqybbQ4fUiP-ENCqPE68HC35_zBHHXQd8ehs8DSZOTuhSNPEkqHN-CPxQDeE8l8NNBDDdeFLuOx2VuJdT0gi0o1xa1UHrD4z1xg-gVGsyMVMCgNWRehpiZY9bXSVLNFhw_9m5R/s1600-h/IMG_2216.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix_zLCyMIqybbQ4fUiP-ENCqPE68HC35_zBHHXQd8ehs8DSZOTuhSNPEkqHN-CPxQDeE8l8NNBDDdeFLuOx2VuJdT0gi0o1xa1UHrD4z1xg-gVGsyMVMCgNWRehpiZY9bXSVLNFhw_9m5R/s320/IMG_2216.JPG" vt="true" /></a></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxoyHMet3XscTVbZ6MTVHhhwUXUas9UzmH7xQjob9hxHEZPbbSMURR5V94eXCrjeiPgWaKK7JCh_ECmRSHNpgw2J5DSxnoG7kb8lhPIqt9J1QCmSyEVO1sUNyqL_zrEJN9leQxcSje3Os8/s1600-h/IMG_2479.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxoyHMet3XscTVbZ6MTVHhhwUXUas9UzmH7xQjob9hxHEZPbbSMURR5V94eXCrjeiPgWaKK7JCh_ECmRSHNpgw2J5DSxnoG7kb8lhPIqt9J1QCmSyEVO1sUNyqL_zrEJN9leQxcSje3Os8/s320/IMG_2479.JPG" vt="true" /></a><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHbBKnAgnYmcVMtLxFUlGBW6xnuXPc9l5v_79eGXeJDiVqwDt9bfeL6pVCl9StF5tOT_mePCPSru4YpqcW3KuVq-LRSYQN6coxgYInTKWjiBcTb64WQoAUNzocOaJWSqYMAoHN7dBqUOGg/s1600-h/IMG_2545.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHbBKnAgnYmcVMtLxFUlGBW6xnuXPc9l5v_79eGXeJDiVqwDt9bfeL6pVCl9StF5tOT_mePCPSru4YpqcW3KuVq-LRSYQN6coxgYInTKWjiBcTb64WQoAUNzocOaJWSqYMAoHN7dBqUOGg/s320/IMG_2545.JPG" vt="true" /></a></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh96ZkF6gURVTFHfwr0WZtR9NHcLM4q4Kkaln7qw9m-1TTcff0BSqZ2cw9hbB1I2cxhY2sGHLUTxYJiyj9lUSn8CmWqS6hBcMC-rSyyj5-F4-stICqtzR1GcZrek-riXHMgOOuIAeCgjpbV/s1600-h/IMG_2364.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh96ZkF6gURVTFHfwr0WZtR9NHcLM4q4Kkaln7qw9m-1TTcff0BSqZ2cw9hbB1I2cxhY2sGHLUTxYJiyj9lUSn8CmWqS6hBcMC-rSyyj5-F4-stICqtzR1GcZrek-riXHMgOOuIAeCgjpbV/s320/IMG_2364.JPG" vt="true" /></a></div>Corinnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02510292249777697226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2834894917665317982.post-87278901335562412072010-03-20T20:44:00.001-07:002010-03-22T05:45:07.882-07:00CORINNA DOWNES: Last night in TexasCORINNA’S DIARY: Saturday, 20th March<br /><br />Returning from Austin, where Jon gave a talk, it has been an evening of packing and re-squeezing things into suitcases. At least this time it doesn’t matter whether clothing gets crumpled into a mass of creases as it will all go into the faithful old washing machine upon our return to Woolsery. It has been a wonderful two weeks and I can only thank Naomi and Richie for their tremendous generosity and hospitality. It is one of those occasions where the two words ‘thank you’ do not seem adequate but I cannot think of any other way of expressing my gratitude.<br /><br />Jon has thanked people on his posting so I won’t repeat all the names, but I would like to extend my personal thanks to all those mentioned.<br /><br />I have enjoyed my first proper expedition abroad with Jon and have had great fun meeting Jon’s friends and making some new ones. I hope we can come back soon to continue with the investigations into this rather enigmatic creature that has caught our imaginations during the last fortnight.<br /><br />Tomorrow we shall begin our long haul back to our own little homestead in Devon and although sad to be leaving Texas and Naomi, Richie, Salem and Tiberious, I am looking forward to seeing Biggles again and hope that he will not be too disgruntled with me for leaving him for so long.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEZ99SqnAE-ZcYzplY4qTZNdxZ05s1JUXYUn0edf_KmTltrKb8jWOPxlVrsnqBiqvT9c5XvLIiFN6-7_4pKrh3WUicoSq51oaPiozrXXsHbGoidtcdc0jadTe0CVvP6pRqoe4OgBGs_6_h/s1600-h/IMG_2485.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEZ99SqnAE-ZcYzplY4qTZNdxZ05s1JUXYUn0edf_KmTltrKb8jWOPxlVrsnqBiqvT9c5XvLIiFN6-7_4pKrh3WUicoSq51oaPiozrXXsHbGoidtcdc0jadTe0CVvP6pRqoe4OgBGs_6_h/s320/IMG_2485.JPG" vt="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3D8SLlpCa_wIdCochL7hAofQBXE8N_4mflTq0mg7emyvjsk3oCeR7rzugjvKSQBhVdgqJA10kY34py6dOK4lEtKxZVupilLS7lyrxRsZoB1mlV_STKdRlY-x49jpBovu_Cl7bg2LmQegC/s1600-h/IMG_2425.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3D8SLlpCa_wIdCochL7hAofQBXE8N_4mflTq0mg7emyvjsk3oCeR7rzugjvKSQBhVdgqJA10kY34py6dOK4lEtKxZVupilLS7lyrxRsZoB1mlV_STKdRlY-x49jpBovu_Cl7bg2LmQegC/s320/IMG_2425.JPG" vt="true" /></a></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator">Salem</div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO0DSkztqNHluz4WYjbmcyaUVxMFk7SKG5u-3JEbcmu1kYK19G0qDacQlC3zpwmgaCYRqtpSAxYHrWutW6IOuaaox1QGl5fYDn9mxBh2VUfK3tDoq-cGrQVpcwbFV8RJvai_ZJEANcfSkY/s1600-h/IMG_2449.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO0DSkztqNHluz4WYjbmcyaUVxMFk7SKG5u-3JEbcmu1kYK19G0qDacQlC3zpwmgaCYRqtpSAxYHrWutW6IOuaaox1QGl5fYDn9mxBh2VUfK3tDoq-cGrQVpcwbFV8RJvai_ZJEANcfSkY/s320/IMG_2449.JPG" vt="true" /></a></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Tiberius</div>Corinnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02510292249777697226noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2834894917665317982.post-4741591413804090462010-03-20T19:14:00.000-07:002010-03-22T05:07:27.613-07:00RETURN OF THE NATIVESBy the time that you read this we will probably be just about back in England. From where I am sitting Graham, Lizwiz and the rest of the gang have done a pretty good job in our absence.<br /><br />They do not know it yet, but as we are both likely to be horridly jetlagged for a few days, I would not be THAT surprised if I end up asking them to carry on for a few more days. But thank you guys - you done well!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2834894917665317982.post-79721803497803938522010-03-20T19:11:00.000-07:002010-03-22T05:05:09.330-07:00WHAT A LONG STRANGE TRIP IT'S BEENI have always hated transitions. As I type these words I realised that I said exactly the same thing in the first posting to this blog all those weeks ago. But it is true. I like being in America. I like being in England. I just don't like the transition. But you read all about that in my first post weeks ago, and although I feel that I am rapidly approaching my dotage, I try not to repeat myself too much.<br /><br />It has been a wonderful trip. I am writing this late on Friday night as Corinna packs the cases. Just in case anyone accuses me of arrant sexism here, Corinna apparently believes that case-packing is one of the Eleusinian Mysteries that are only to be carried out by those not in posssession of a Y chromosome, and I have been banished from the bedroom.<br /><br />As always, we have far more stuff with us now than we had when we arrived, and there were even more things that I would have bought if I hadn't been skint. I am feeling particularly melancholy at the prospect of leaving Texas. We have seen so many old friends and met so many new ones that it really seems as if (with only a very few exceptions) that the state of Texas and everyone in it has taken us to its heart.<br /><br />I would like to thank Naomi and Richie for financing the trip and being so kind and generous to us over the past few weeks; Doug and Ronnie and family; Denise and family; Harvey and Deric and all at the Hyatt Ranch; Devin Macanally; Chad and Jonathan; Dr Phyllis Canion; Morgan and Jo from Minnow Films. There are dozens of other people who deserve our thanks, like Karina and Jamie for their kind presents; Nick and Dana Redfern; Ken Gerhard; Smiles Lewis; all at Dallas and Houston MUFONs; and many more (including, of course, Salem and Tiberius who I will miss tremendously) but I am feeling all emotional and can't really type any more....<br /><br />slainte<br /><br />JonUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2834894917665317982.post-24744220833953561672010-03-20T19:09:00.001-07:002010-03-22T05:01:59.412-07:00JON AT THE ANOMALY ARCHIVES<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2mB3U06w6pErY6PkT389yvjVvaVETGGhRH5bWKhqckuJQamkxRvbd43MZP16UbL6wHp8UBml9bImduOsWjdoBe_t61RmZl1UdW4xqMz7O499XnqbL63ConQqXblI_IP9uCjuhMpoS3RM/s1600-h/DSCF0940.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450903727156787122" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2mB3U06w6pErY6PkT389yvjVvaVETGGhRH5bWKhqckuJQamkxRvbd43MZP16UbL6wHp8UBml9bImduOsWjdoBe_t61RmZl1UdW4xqMz7O499XnqbL63ConQqXblI_IP9uCjuhMpoS3RM/s320/DSCF0940.JPG" /></a> with SMiles Lewis<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz67GeTgatxFusJ2OUJ-x53liPnkTI57LC2PSFiDWKAL7ElmejEH-bHwkI5Ll3nWiO7nMvDhG-JUqNnmrwotkShaNmFh5dr7lIYxkWk3DqNi7s_RDdkwRkFEW2e7zESERjYDVNupyIapM/s1600-h/DSCF0932.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450903625656538754" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz67GeTgatxFusJ2OUJ-x53liPnkTI57LC2PSFiDWKAL7ElmejEH-bHwkI5Ll3nWiO7nMvDhG-JUqNnmrwotkShaNmFh5dr7lIYxkWk3DqNi7s_RDdkwRkFEW2e7zESERjYDVNupyIapM/s320/DSCF0932.JPG" /></a>with Craig Woolheater<br /><br /><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2834894917665317982.post-8086591469987804862010-03-19T19:45:00.001-07:002010-03-22T05:01:24.343-07:00EXPRESSWAY TO YOUR SKULL<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator">This skull was found in southern Texas last week. Can anyone identify it?</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator">We are making no claims whatsoever about it - we would just like to know what it is, so we can (in the words of the Old Bill) eliminate it from our enquiries...</div><br /><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH8Co8pEtMbfHGTgObTas-isrhrcZQXyNOwm5YEpdThz2GZvHC7PwzexS_8SHIk0hR2kjmqoQd2yPo3ZNdeptVLzWgm_D4Eu5mxrlIsLXB_gaQ0GxiMwbU255-ePH7t780WtEqa_5f_tnp/s1600-h/IMG_2625.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH8Co8pEtMbfHGTgObTas-isrhrcZQXyNOwm5YEpdThz2GZvHC7PwzexS_8SHIk0hR2kjmqoQd2yPo3ZNdeptVLzWgm_D4Eu5mxrlIsLXB_gaQ0GxiMwbU255-ePH7t780WtEqa_5f_tnp/s320/IMG_2625.JPG" vt="true" /></a><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8KJqA-kIu3lYnwNVLleeiElJvDr31KOszgT8bmLcF0miAHIoirEXtJqRcKoEnVdUuN-lzxAXmNfVn_zLzNMbIOwmeCZ1yVUDn1aGVWBuyRAPPNT4ePCiVIGwVmOki0Hjm2VXz_9a6cw6P/s1600-h/IMG_2624.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8KJqA-kIu3lYnwNVLleeiElJvDr31KOszgT8bmLcF0miAHIoirEXtJqRcKoEnVdUuN-lzxAXmNfVn_zLzNMbIOwmeCZ1yVUDn1aGVWBuyRAPPNT4ePCiVIGwVmOki0Hjm2VXz_9a6cw6P/s320/IMG_2624.JPG" vt="true" /></a><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXPlP7VKdFRAn1tM6GiavlUpvCKMJX_VdC9_whmrsOFbWp8g-4DLFiMP00LWHTeh1QBYjPml46el1sgQS5isWsF8xwE8BfNTbnozY7pin_CDR1-ZM74Zp-6HEI5xmXaCIibZLKaa0ClS46/s1600-h/IMG_2626.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXPlP7VKdFRAn1tM6GiavlUpvCKMJX_VdC9_whmrsOFbWp8g-4DLFiMP00LWHTeh1QBYjPml46el1sgQS5isWsF8xwE8BfNTbnozY7pin_CDR1-ZM74Zp-6HEI5xmXaCIibZLKaa0ClS46/s320/IMG_2626.JPG" vt="true" /></a><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWeTZUmbTO3FV2e6IoSIpMTPlbGBvyKw21nZY2-0-GRD11aKkXEXEOjeptlbHMevXnlcnjKz9H9D7mf2dRen9KXhLmg1Kp2boKX0gaQE5q7-czGuka34dPyTwXhbWt433Z2rTcOMJzFjpt/s1600-h/IMG_2628.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWeTZUmbTO3FV2e6IoSIpMTPlbGBvyKw21nZY2-0-GRD11aKkXEXEOjeptlbHMevXnlcnjKz9H9D7mf2dRen9KXhLmg1Kp2boKX0gaQE5q7-czGuka34dPyTwXhbWt433Z2rTcOMJzFjpt/s320/IMG_2628.JPG" vt="true" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2834894917665317982.post-91827423862317374802010-03-19T19:30:00.000-07:002010-03-22T05:00:29.892-07:00HABEUS CORPUS? Sadly not...As we were leaving Cuero the day before yesterday we had a telephone call. It was Harvey, all the way over in Fayetteville. Apparently one of his neighbours had shot a blue dog. We were making plans yesterday, as we left San Antonio, to do a fevered last-minute rush down to Fayetteville to grab what was left of the carcass (the un-named neighbour had apparently thrown it out "for the buzzards" (turkey vultures).<br /><br />But at the last minute we received the disappointing news. It was merely a coyote. I was not sure what I was gonna do with the suppurating remains of a dead canid, but somehow I would have managed to get it back to England: after all, Richard had brought human bones and dried scat back through Moscow airport. Surely the honour of the CFZ was at stake if I could do no better.<br /><br />But it wasn't to be.<br /><br />I hope that we shall have better luck next time. In the meantime, here is the best song ever written about my favourite city - San Antonio.<br /><br /><br /><p align="center"><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/RRVSBGE7zOM&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><br /><br /><br /><br /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/RRVSBGE7zOM&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="385" width="480"></embed></object></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2834894917665317982.post-4379632663833015642010-03-19T16:09:00.000-07:002010-03-22T04:57:04.691-07:00JON AND CORINNA HAVE BEEN IN TEXAS TOO LONG<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2p1vUAdb9XR1DfJ6rLwyyJ6mlk3RHOr-qWL5KEasjfSuw5VnMES42zd60Efcyljm7fvGRhQvIv9WC4CG0N0JfS8LHYGDCKQHqiYKsIUaDCPJtJs0KXk3cYRWijnjIkLcbBUAVSi1R_jE/s1600-h/IMG_2708.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 435px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450486537880803010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2p1vUAdb9XR1DfJ6rLwyyJ6mlk3RHOr-qWL5KEasjfSuw5VnMES42zd60Efcyljm7fvGRhQvIv9WC4CG0N0JfS8LHYGDCKQHqiYKsIUaDCPJtJs0KXk3cYRWijnjIkLcbBUAVSi1R_jE/s320/IMG_2708.JPG" /></a> OMG They've gone native<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2834894917665317982.post-88600306284849529932010-03-19T12:00:00.001-07:002010-03-20T06:09:43.663-07:00CORINNA DOWNES: The Director of the CFZ is speechless - is this a first?<strong>CORINNA’S DIARY </strong><br /><br /><strong>Friday 19th March</strong><br /><br /><br />After visiting Devin the four of us intrepid travellers continued on our road down to Cuero where we were to meet Dr Phyllis Canion – the lady who had appeared on a recent National Geographic TV documentary about the chupacabra that had aired on American TV the week before we had left home. Our good friends Nick Redfern and Ken Gerhard had both appeared in the show, but for copyright reasons it had not been aired in the UK. Dr Canion had the body of a ‘chupacabra’ in her freezer and we were to meet and talk about her findings and hopefully see the body.<br /><br />We left Morgan and Jo back at Devin’s place – they would meet up with us later. Dr Canion met us in the foyer of our hotel and just as we were leaving to go to the Country Club, the two film crew arrived at the hotel. It was arranged that they would join us later after they had freshened up after their journey from Elmendorf.<br /><br />Dr Canion is a remarkable woman. She is a qualified nutritional practitioner and is also a rancher who has a great knowledge of the land around her. I will not go into details of the dinner and its conversations as this has been covered elsewhere on the blog but when we got back to her ranch we were all totally gob-smacked of what presented itself to us as we walked through her door. Jon was, for I think the first time in his life, speechless, as were all of us. There, on the fireplace, was a preserved specimen of the creature we had been hot on the heels of ever since our feet touched American soil almost two weeks before and which we had been distance-investigating for longer.<br /><br />It almost snarled at us in defiance as we stared open-mouthed at its form, this beast that had been killed by our modern-day mode of transport like so many other creatures these days. I was charged with taking measurements of its body and although my creaking bones complained bitterly at sitting on the hard wooden floor of Dr Canion’s sitting room, it was an awe-inspiring task to do so. I silently thanked the goddess of fate that the stitching on my bag had started to unravel itself upon our arrival in the States, which prompted my need to purchase a travelling sewing kit complete with tape measure. It is strange how one annoyance can lead to something so utterly magnificent.<br /><br />I became paranoid that upon trying to move my sluggish body up from the floor to change position would cause me to trip and come crashing down upon the creature and that those other preserved animals that looked down upon this newcomer would laugh silently to themselves at my misfortune.<br /><br />The form was thin – not quite as thin as a whippet – but almost. And it was smaller than I had imagined. It did look undernourished to a certain extent and upon its legs there seemed to be faint darker patches on the skin that looked a bit like stripes. There is excess skin upon its neck and behind the large ears, but it is the weird scone-like discs upon its buttocks that are so strange. They are around 2” in diameter and are equidistant of the long thin tail. They remind me of old-fashioned flying goggles in their protruding roundness. What on earth are they? Is this creature so emaciated that its bones are sticking out at the back? Not that I can see and from recorded biopsies these discs are primarily meat. They are not the anal glands according to Dr Canion either. But they are present on several other photos of dead creatures of this kind that have popped up in recent years.<br /><br />As Goethe stated – and as the CFZ motto quotes: <em>In her abnormalities, nature reveals her secrets</em>. Well in this case, it appears that this is most definitely true.Corinnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02510292249777697226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2834894917665317982.post-68978331435209510372010-03-19T11:46:00.000-07:002010-03-20T06:02:32.137-07:00MIKE HALLOWELL: Canids in Native American lorePerhaps as much as any other indigenous peoples, the original inhabitants of North America possess an affinity with the flora and fauna of their continent. Bereft of written languages, Amerindians of all types and persuasions – or, if you like, tribes – relied on iconic imagery to teach and communicate in an other-than-verbal form.<br /><br />It's common to hear people use the phrase, "American Indians believe…" but a degree of caution has to be exercised here. There are literally hundreds of tribes, each possessing their own culture and belief system. There are commonalities, of course, and some of them – such as their affinity with the natural world – are almost universally present.<br /><br />However, when it comes to animal totems things can differ from place to place and people to people.<br /><br />Canines have a special place in the heart of most Amerindians, and in some societies have been seen almost as a template upon which other creatures were based. There is an amusing story attached to some Indian names for the horse, for example. It is generally accepted that horses<br />were only introduced into North America with the arrival of European settlers. There is some evidence that horses were in the New World much earlier than that, I reckon, but died out long before their re-introduction. Hence, when Indians saw horses for the first time they didn't know what to call them. Out of homage to their dearly loved canines, they named the horse, 'Big Mystery Dog.' It was, from their perspective, a genuine compliment.<br /><br />Some canines are held in universal esteem by Amerindian peoples, such as the wolf. In Europe, the wolf is often seen as a symbol of power and authority. This isn't at all inaccurate, but the Indian perception is often more subtle. Whilst recognising the power of the wolf, many Indians also see it as a symbol of wisdom. Some tribes refer to the wolf as "the teacher." The colour of the wolf in question can be important regarding its iconic usage, but interpretations differ from Indian nation to Indian nation. White, often a sign of purity and/or insight, may give the white wolf a special status. However, when tribal members are named the colour (and indeed the animal) may simply be the result of providence. For example, if an elder 'dreams' someone's name for them, then they'll be given the name Grey Wolf if it was indeed a grey wolf that appeared in the dream.<br /><br />Foxes are also important in some Amerindian cultures, the fox often being seen as symbolic of shrewdness, industriousness and creativity. White foxes may (although not always) possess somewhat negative associations and in at least one tribal perception signify violence, anger and/or aggression.<br /><br />Perhaps the coyote is the most controversial canine in Native American lore. The perception of the coyote is often negative, signifying deceit, cunning, lying and slyness. I once carried the coyote name, and it caused a degree of consternation with some members of certain tribes who<br />saw it as "bad medicine". I didn't see it that way, however, and drew from the coyote much in the way of positive imagery and lessons. Animal totems are, in the final analysis, just what you make of them.<br /><br />One thing that many people don't realise is that, in many Indian cultures, 'medicine names' are not fixed for life. In Europe, if you're called John, Sally or Fred at birth, then the likelihood is that you'll die with those names. In some Indian cultures a person's name may change with the advent of a life-changing event. In 2006, when I had a near-death experience due to an undiagnosed heart condition, I was very lucky to be revived. It was then suggested to me that my 'coyote name' might no longer be appropriate. I had graduated, if you like, and was<br />given a wolf name instead to mark the change that had been wrought both in my circumstances and perceptions.<br /><br />Although canines in Amerindian cultures – collectively speaking – are generally imbued with positive attributes such as loyalty, courage, strength, etc; it is the bearer of their name that must make of it what they will. However, the adoption or bestowal of a 'medicine name' is not something that should be entered into lightly.<br /><br />When living on a reservation for a short while some years ago, I was told a story about a man who got above himself and fancied himself as a shaman, teacher, elder and just about anything else that, in his mind, carried any kudos. He carried the wolf name, but decided that it wasn't<br />enough. He renamed himself 'Ten Wolves', or something like that, to boost his authority. Now in some tribal cultures a name like Ten Wolves may be perfectly acceptable, but in the culture of the tribe that he belonged to it was seen as incredibly arrogant. To call yourself Ten Wolves indicated that you actually believed yourself to have the insight and power of not one wolf, but ten.<br /><br />A chief told him, "You shouldn't do that. You can't handle the medicine of ten wolves. Abandon the name, or it will consume you. The name Ten Wolves is too much for you; it will destroy you."<br /><br />The man ignored this timely advice, and almost overnight a sudden change was wrought in his character. He degenerated into drug addiction, alcohol abuse and a whole world of negativity. Within six months he died of a drug overdose in a trailer park.<br /><br />Prefixes to medicine names involving canines (and other animals) can often be misunderstood. The prefix 'Crazy' for instance, as in Crazy Wolf or Crazy Dog, does not mean what it implies in European cultures. To the Amerindian, the term crazy means something like 'heterodox',<br />'strange', 'unconventional' or 'unusual.' It doesn't mean weird, loony or psychopathic as we would probably interpret it, and is actually a sign of rugged individuality. 'Crazy' then, is a compliment in a medicine name when suffixed by Wolf, Dog or Fox, but may indeed carry<br />negative connotations if tied to the much-maligned and much-mistrusted Coyote.<br /><br />Because 'dog medicine' is very powerful, it should never be mixed. I once knew an English woman who gave herself the grandiose medicine name of Eagle Wolf. This is a risky business, for two powerful forms of medicine are being mixed together and will almost certainly conflict.<br /><br />Almost all Indians have a special place in their culture for canines.<br /><br />Even now, the relationship between an Indian and their dog is something to behold. A chief once divulged to me the way in which a wolf can be tamed within several days, thus allowing a bond to be formed with its Indian companion that will never be broken. For a number of reasons I do not wish to recount the details of the technique here, except to say that I believe it works.<br /><br />When I was in Louisiana, I almost had an encounter of the too-close kind with a nasty, vindictive little spider called the Brown Recluse. (If you want to know exactly what damage this little bastard can do, just Google Image "Brown Recluse Bites" and then get ready to throw up).<br />Anyway, my canine companion Little Wolf started to bark furiously and dragged me away by the trouser leg from its habitat. It wasn't till later that morning than a friend showed me exactly what Little Wolf had been protecting me from.<br /><br />I just love "dawgs' now, especially those on reservations…Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2834894917665317982.post-52355916270513475742010-03-19T10:29:00.001-07:002010-03-20T05:42:13.521-07:00CORINNA DOWNES: Something in the air<strong>CORINNA'S DIARY: </strong><br /><br /><strong>Friday 19th March</strong><br /><br />On Tuesday 16th March we had a date with Devin Macanally – a man that Jon had met six years ago and of whom he had often talked about regarding the blue dogs. It was to be my first time meeting him and I was looking forward to doing so. Naomi and Richie have been in contact with him for some time researching the blue dogs.<br /><br />We were to meet up with Morgan and Jo from Minnow Films, which we did in a slightly clandestine fashion in the rain, on the corner of a road in Elmendorf. Then came the predicament that one person would need to move from our vehicle so that filming could take place of Jon in the front seat. It was me who was sitting in the desired position and although I offered to move over, it was clear that I was required to vacate and finish the journey in their hired car with Jo. I was not amused – I was comfortable and I was surrounded within my cocoon of bags, camera, jumpers, and empty coffee cups.<br /><br />At the request of Jon, I was to photograph some of the surroundings on the approach to Devin’s home. This was no easy feat as the road soon disappeared and turned into a track. So as we bumped along, rocking from side to side as if on a train traversing a particularly unkempt section of rail track, it became impossible to do anything remotely useful in the photography department other than take pictures of blurred landscapes.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvByVdu2qY2ISs9bLV_KF3sT_ty__uePOG4mW55lBNPPvuM_5U_6g7VkM-YAFIvUXDlpS-I5r9xHLmI3tRc1r6B37-YwVm5fJ_eFh2cV6XgSEYIwqgnh_0uj6AIszgyZjSwf9vb3p6BcMM/s1600-h/IMG_2618.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvByVdu2qY2ISs9bLV_KF3sT_ty__uePOG4mW55lBNPPvuM_5U_6g7VkM-YAFIvUXDlpS-I5r9xHLmI3tRc1r6B37-YwVm5fJ_eFh2cV6XgSEYIwqgnh_0uj6AIszgyZjSwf9vb3p6BcMM/s320/IMG_2618.JPG" vt="true" /></a></div><br /><br />Devin greeted us with a warm smile and as it was still raining we all piled into his home to sit amongst a wonderfully eclectic mix of paintings, ornaments, documents, books and objets d’art . We were introduced to two young men – Jonathon and Chad – who help Devin out and all sat around chatting for a while, catching up and discussing recent findings about the blue dogs. Then the two lads set off with Morgan and Jo into the wilds of Devin’s property to check out the trigger cameras. They had not been gone long when the sound of a single shot punctured the relative quiet outside. Hmmm, had Morgan met his match? Could this signal a different meaning of the term ‘quiet on set, cameraman shooting’?<br /><br />Oddly enough no-one seemed to take too much notice of the sound – and no-one returned to the house either; it was just another ordinary sound in the daily life of a Texan homestead. It was a weird feeling to carry on sitting on the sofa as one does when the sound of a car horn breaks the silence back home – but upon reflection, at the same time it seemed the natural thing to do. We are a world apart from the quiet village life of Woolsery, North Devon. Out here in the untamed land of Texas there is still a tussle between man and nature. There are wild boar that will rip your body open if given the chance and coyote that, apart from attacking your chickens or calves, could quite easily be carrying mange, or even be rabid.<br /><br />After what seemed like ages later but was only about half an hour or so, the two lads returned with Morgan and Jo, and Chad told us that they had come across a group of boar not far from the house and had shot one, scattering the remainder in all directions away from the property.<br /><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv_iSz4Dw7E-waZ27jXGOMvwEOeSh64TYHcU0dwMHPpxzp8Pv5dWjmLU8jRig6utpSAgC2Ks_DrenK-p2NMvIxS3Lg2rOapO8Aj-cuQ5R1HCwXBu0AIq7koCl-UQRNqEqu1R_qpKzEiyTW/s1600-h/IMG_2675.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv_iSz4Dw7E-waZ27jXGOMvwEOeSh64TYHcU0dwMHPpxzp8Pv5dWjmLU8jRig6utpSAgC2Ks_DrenK-p2NMvIxS3Lg2rOapO8Aj-cuQ5R1HCwXBu0AIq7koCl-UQRNqEqu1R_qpKzEiyTW/s320/IMG_2675.JPG" vt="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br />They also came back carrying a bag of some weird deposit found on some vines hanging from a tree some distance away from the house. Jon had a whiff of it – unfortunately a bit too much of an inhalation as it almost made him feel ill. Ancient proverb: ‘Never stick nose into a recently opened bag when you are not sure what is contained within.’ No-one seems to know what this deposit is but it is apparently to be found hanging abundantly under the vines around some of the trees. Most peculiar indeed.<br /><br />The images captured on the trigger camera were downloaded onto Naomi’s laptop and a couple of results were truly intriguing.<br /><br />The two young lads are two of the sweetest guys you could possibly meet. The fact that they never go out on the land without a rifle is not really to be unexpected in Texas and although it is difficult for me to comprehend hunting I appreciate that it is a natural thing for those who live and work on the wild land.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Pb97JG_uUChskso-hNOz_MF-RfFKjrWaLooifHjJowkwFpTf8xUcehEm6JPwE3NMBSMASk4-BS7ebOrpmkubPwo_3IPX2Ihk9FioEp3nmwafJXw8euYYyFXOhkNWRjFtPebfwYmZEoo7/s1600-h/IMG_2632.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Pb97JG_uUChskso-hNOz_MF-RfFKjrWaLooifHjJowkwFpTf8xUcehEm6JPwE3NMBSMASk4-BS7ebOrpmkubPwo_3IPX2Ihk9FioEp3nmwafJXw8euYYyFXOhkNWRjFtPebfwYmZEoo7/s320/IMG_2632.JPG" vt="true" /></a></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Chad</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcjd1bQhKnlvxPMT03TplNKHw7s1cQ8q3kaH-gSJwBsmSEqX3NcJJPwtETxnrPnxT_dlAZipBv33iuNJMVYSQsWypor_dTvWozfO5TU0XFHZUzKSXgn-oirN_Y9L3vOEYssPmMjm6PgH2y/s1600-h/IMG_2633.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcjd1bQhKnlvxPMT03TplNKHw7s1cQ8q3kaH-gSJwBsmSEqX3NcJJPwtETxnrPnxT_dlAZipBv33iuNJMVYSQsWypor_dTvWozfO5TU0XFHZUzKSXgn-oirN_Y9L3vOEYssPmMjm6PgH2y/s320/IMG_2633.JPG" vt="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Jonathon</div><br /><br />The time flew by and our schedule meant we had to get on the road again, so we arranged to meet up with Devin, Jonathon and Chad again the next day. It was lovely to meet them all – and Devin is certainly a lovely and honest man full of interesting tales to tell and an obvious love of the land upon which he lives.Corinnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02510292249777697226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2834894917665317982.post-2751465637297367612010-03-19T09:22:00.000-07:002010-03-20T05:31:27.357-07:00Goodness graciousThis is just a quickie to answer comments and criticisms following on from yesterday's blog post, which presented the first pictures of the Cuero beast.<br /><ul><br /><li>The DNA evidence from five different laboratories (I have seen the reports from two of them) categorically states that the mother was a coyote and the father was a wolf. I have not commissioned any of these tests myself, but I am prepared to accept what Dr Canion says without question, and to accept the endorsements of the National Geographic TV channel.</li><br /><li>The strange lumps on the rear of the animal are what previously aired interviews included in the National Geographic show refer to as `pouches`. The fact that this term has been used in conjunction with discussions of thylacines led several researchers including myself to assume that it was being alleged that these animals are marsupials. This is NOT the case. Someone or other once wrote that we (UK and US) are 'two great nations divided by a common language.' Well duh!</li><br /><li>The colour of the eyes was indeed that vivid blue. Dr Canion showed us a photograph of the beast when newly killed, which confirmed this.</li><br /><li>I have a long and detailed interview with Dr Canion on video. I will be issuing it over the next few weeks. Dr Canion is a medical doctor as well as a field naturalist. She confirms that the lumps of flesh on the 'buttocks' are categorically not the anal glands. She carried out the dissection of the animal, and examined the<em> actual</em> anal glands, which were healthy and not impacted. I have been asked for a written report of this biopsy by one person with a history of onloine attacks upon the CFZ. Forgive my paranoia, but the inference here is that I and my team have either made this up or are somehow interpreting the facts for our own ends. This is most certainly not the case and he, like me and everybody else, will just have to accept the words of Dr Canion, who is - in my opinion - a lady beyond reproach.</li><br /><li>Incidentally, the creature appeared to only have one testicle putting him in such hallowed company as Adolf Hitler and our own dog, Biggles, both of whom are/were monorchid.</li></ul><br /><p>We are not claiming to have discovered this creature, and are merely reporting on what we have been told by Dr Canion and others. However, once again the CFZ were lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time. We have a hell of a lot more news to release over the next few days, so watch this space.</p><span style="COLOR: rgb(102,0,204)">On an administrative note, when I set up this blog I forgot to put comment moderation on. This has now been rectified. Only one person's comments have been removed, but I would remind them that when I ban someone, especially for repeated attacks upon me, my professional and financial ethics, and those of my friends and colleagues, the ban is forever.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2834894917665317982.post-16149385461843518452010-03-18T23:15:00.000-07:002010-03-19T15:22:52.308-07:00WHAT YOU HAVE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz-yED4lYt1NxUKOyzIKxKLOka1iz7q09EHdhkl-VcAJCj8W1Mu4wLQjHeyqzy2ld0NQTHR8aJYBSGsB1pTdrEjBIqPOvi_D_lmKYE47ALwoiMFzQN2I0VI-RTkW82K4x-VKx7d88srTE1/s1600-h/DSC00757.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 180px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450210587391003026" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz-yED4lYt1NxUKOyzIKxKLOka1iz7q09EHdhkl-VcAJCj8W1Mu4wLQjHeyqzy2ld0NQTHR8aJYBSGsB1pTdrEjBIqPOvi_D_lmKYE47ALwoiMFzQN2I0VI-RTkW82K4x-VKx7d88srTE1/s320/DSC00757.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl31KdEX-qkHgqBudlr6JRE5gXp54zOdkT7B8YFTgqFcjKVfmPb51fUhFE0pKndb2NmY1Mu7ZKT_B_pBDRauY3bCXgLwn7uEOalFtNqPsTJmi8f1rv2s-LtUdofUupEODnWKOZ0L0yIup2/s1600-h/DSC00737.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 180px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450209402258244418" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl31KdEX-qkHgqBudlr6JRE5gXp54zOdkT7B8YFTgqFcjKVfmPb51fUhFE0pKndb2NmY1Mu7ZKT_B_pBDRauY3bCXgLwn7uEOalFtNqPsTJmi8f1rv2s-LtUdofUupEODnWKOZ0L0yIup2/s320/DSC00737.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQLlm4mqt3AAeUIq4Kigl369OwJjYbhPpHizzGlS080zPkKPojwrFLK0AXwUD1ah21Y6dqx9Ek42rnPsUjqaSosU-J1ZAxx0JZCm-k9gz7tL-05WfVUOjxUAASAfP1IH9Gj9sjM-m5nTqo/s1600-h/DSCF0768.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450208934108348050" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQLlm4mqt3AAeUIq4Kigl369OwJjYbhPpHizzGlS080zPkKPojwrFLK0AXwUD1ah21Y6dqx9Ek42rnPsUjqaSosU-J1ZAxx0JZCm-k9gz7tL-05WfVUOjxUAASAfP1IH9Gj9sjM-m5nTqo/s320/DSCF0768.JPG" /></a><br />This is the first time that these three pictures have been posted anywhere. They show the preserved Texas blue dog in the collection of Dr Phyllis Canion. Note the peculiar pads of flesh on the hindquarters of the animal; what would be buttocks if doggies had such things.</div><br /><br /><div>There will be more photographs and more comment in the next few days, but for now these will have to do because I am so exhausted that I think I shall sleep for a week...<br /><br /><div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2834894917665317982.post-86301150558113409982010-03-18T23:13:00.000-07:002010-03-19T15:21:11.330-07:00NAOMI WEST: Strange Days IndeedIn the past few days I have learned just how much of a hunting-happy place Texas really is. I have lived around hunters all my life but this week I got more of an “up close and personal” glimpse of the hunter mentality. It boils down to this: if it moves, shoot it. The strange thing is (strange to an animal-lover like myself) the hunters we have met this week have been very likeable people. They just have a mindset completely different from mine.<br /><br />One young man proudly came onto the scene and told us how he had just shot a hog (which explained the gunfire Corinna and I had heard minutes before). I looked at him in momentary shock that he would burst in with this 'good' news. While I considered how to respond he broke into a proud and excited grin, clearly anticipating my delight at this kill, and immediately my judgment melted and I returned the smile. It hadn’t even dawned on him that I would do anything else. After I had recovered from that episode we had the privilege of following said young man to our next location. During the drive Corinna and I noticed that he suddenly began shifting wildly around in the car and then pushed his rifle through the open window. I sucked in my breath sharply. “Oh, Dear God, what’s he going to kill?” Corinna suspected he was still attempting to shoot a coyote he had been after. I waited in dread, praying while he shifted again and stuck the rifle out another window. In the end he shot nothing, to my relief.<br /><br />Later a lady who had won us over in many ways took us to her very lavish hunting-lodge-style house. The décor turned out to be a dizzying collection of animal heads from around the world: there was a moose, a zebra, an antelope, many deer and probably other things I didn’t take the effort to notice. I almost expected General Zaroff - from Richard Connell’s <em>The Most Dangerous Game</em> - to appear in a fancy dressing gown and offer me some fine wine.<br /><br />However, the animal heads lining her walls captured our attention only for a few seconds. For as we ventured into the living room, our eyes were drawn to the display ingeniously placed in front of her fireplace: the 'chupacabra'. This carcass was one we knew she had, as it had been featured on the National Geographic documentary with Ken Gerhard several weeks ago, but we had expected it to be frozen. Instead, it was magnificently mounted on a platform of sand, its head turned toward us with mouth open in frozen ferocity.<br /><br />Despite the fact that I would much rather see this creature alive, the display allowed us to examine it in detail. The most noticeably striking features were its arched back and hairless skin. It truly was something different from the average canid. But there was something else: two pads on the buttocks, features that don’t exist on any known canid.<br /><br />On the National Geographic documentary these pads were referred to as 'pouches,' a term that threw Jon off as they brought to mind a marsupial pouch designed for carrying young. But the pads on this creature were not designed to carry anything. My initial and amateur diagnosis was that they were tumours, as a hamster I had as a kid developed on her stomach two tumours that looked similar to these pads. Jon asked if they were possibly anal glands but the lady assured him that she had located and suppressed the anal glands. Furthermore, a biopsy revealed the pads were made of meat, a revelation that did nothing to solve the mystery other than to prove they were neither anal glands nor tumours.<br /><br />I suspect one thing: these pads are possibly unique to the male species of the Texas Blue Dog. Both the Elmendorf Beast (Devin Mcanally’s creature) and the Blanco creature were female and did not have the pads.<br /><br />As for the commonality of these pads among other Texas Blue Dogs, I did discover these same pads on the Pollock creature in a picture we happened upon while flipping through an album of newspaper clipping and photos. I believe these pads are among the best evidence that we have struck upon a canine species that is either new or as Jon speculates, a recurrence of an extinct species.<br /><br />One thing is for certain: these aren’t mangy dogs….Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2834894917665317982.post-11719833771712706702010-03-18T22:56:00.001-07:002010-03-19T14:38:22.881-07:00CORINNA DOWNES: An Englishman Abroad<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTQCl7pw7rHBsdtbw0Ds7HNhUC7-jeBU5SMzNfbJ_DN04H9jIzAuvz6wdz5tdEEQO6t8GlpUtolck1o_jpsfzBNA-s0fU9c3kJdrtEmAjIwLUKSnAk6FXfOYjNDD4-CVcnKu8MM68ZosY/s1600-h/DSCF0893.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450221450615677666" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTQCl7pw7rHBsdtbw0Ds7HNhUC7-jeBU5SMzNfbJ_DN04H9jIzAuvz6wdz5tdEEQO6t8GlpUtolck1o_jpsfzBNA-s0fU9c3kJdrtEmAjIwLUKSnAk6FXfOYjNDD4-CVcnKu8MM68ZosY/s320/DSCF0893.JPG" /></a><strong>CORINNA’S DIARY: </strong><br /><br /><strong>Thursday, 18th March.</strong><br />It had been intended to pay a visit to The Buckhorn Saloon & Museum in San Antonio today. Richie dropped Naomi, Jon and me off while he went to park the truck, much to the annoyance of some bad-tempered harridan who rolled down her window and shouted something at us about holding up the traffic. Well, sorry ma’am for delaying your trip by a few seconds whilst a disabled man eased himself out of the front seat of a vehicle that was stationary at a stop sign. You obviously missed the fact that the light turned green before he had managed to complete the movement. Those few seconds must have really held up your journey <em>so</em> much. The fact that I shouted ‘oh shurrup’ probably didn’t reach your ears as you had quickly wound up your window to secure yourself behind its protective barrier. May your electrics fail whilst in the car wash and may your abusive mouth be filled with soap suds.<br /><br />After such unnecessary verbal abuse we then discovered that the museum was charging an exorbitant amount of money to enter – although if we bought a ticket we would get a discount in the café area. The trouble is they seemed to think that paying such a price and securing a ticket that would allow entry for two days was a marvellous and enticing reason to part with our dollars and they seemed uninterested when Naomi asked whether there were any tickets for just one day’s visit. What a stupid arrangement.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbsR9ThJm0aysegNn1PWl19LpCIQK7bbMugDYVlkheHS4Vva_NSQjCIe4ZjbKgkr_OMEKcGj1f5fSn64wKXYuFvte-eafUv8CJQOB1XDZ6DLU4eMX6RSwpbeTI38LP33KhK6UTbfNNf3Ti/s1600-h/IMG_2691.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbsR9ThJm0aysegNn1PWl19LpCIQK7bbMugDYVlkheHS4Vva_NSQjCIe4ZjbKgkr_OMEKcGj1f5fSn64wKXYuFvte-eafUv8CJQOB1XDZ6DLU4eMX6RSwpbeTI38LP33KhK6UTbfNNf3Ti/s320/IMG_2691.JPG" vt="true" /></a></div><br />Jon refused to succumb to such a tantalising opportunity and proceeded to redden in the face with anger and disgust at such a capitalistic establishment. We left disgruntled and waited for poor Richie who was completely unaware of the situation and was still trying to find a parking space.Corinnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02510292249777697226noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2834894917665317982.post-41921763220496819352010-03-18T21:58:00.000-07:002010-03-19T14:32:36.234-07:00RICHIE WEST: Simply Incredible!The past few days have been a whirlwind. We have traveled to and fro across the hills of Texas: Lufkin, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Fayetteville, and then to Cuero. It seemed that Cuero would be a normal stop on our quest for data on the Texas Blue Dog. We have gathered photos, eyewitness accounts and samples of this wolf-dog creature. Our trip to Cuero was to be magnificently different.<br /><br />Naomi made arrangements to meet with Dr Phylis Canion, a much publicised Texas Blue Dog researcher. Our plans were to eat dinner and then go over to her house. I found Phylis to be the quintessential professional. She is a nutrition consultant who has a clinic in Victoria and in Cuero, TX. She and her husband own a large ranch south of Cuero. We exchanged greetings and stories during dinner and I found her to be charming. She told us her story of how in 2007 three creatures had been killed in her area within a few hours. She told us that she would let us see the carcass. We were excited. At the end of our dinner she called over some young boys who seemed to treat her like Santa Claus. She talked about having them over to see the creature. It seemed all too cryptic to us and we did not quite understand what she was referring too. Little did we know.<br /><br />After dinner we drove out to her spread. She welcomed us into her home, which looked more like a museum for the various animals she and her husband had hunted throughout their 30-year marriage. She had bobcats, zebras, antelope, deer, and …… a Texas Blue Dog? What?!<br /><br />There it was: a canine mount with blue eyes! Lest you think that the taxidermist was being creative, Phylis showed us pictures of the animal, and it indeed had blue eyes. This creature was incredible. Its skin was very smooth with sparse hair that looked more like a bald man’s head than a canine’s coat. I looked closely at its skintone. It was coloured mostly charcoal grey with some reddish marbling. There were curious lighter random marks on its skin that appeared to be scars from possibly mesquite thorns or scraps with other animals. Its torso looked more like a deer’s in that it was very narrow. The shoulder blades and the pelvis were slight, unlike a dog’s. The most unusual feature of this animal was two circular buttocks pads approximately 2 inches in diameter and protruding approximately one inch from the leg muscle. The pad skin looked tough like elephant hide. At first I thought they were tumours but their symmetry with respect to the tail told me otherwise. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrEc7rkh5Cc2hrnsupVeQsXV1iYRv6Oh-6Uirp9j3tkWkh8XBcppXKa8S-Mycaa5H0xp_Jv_EbrAfdXnuFx2BFjgCYad38SrEE7Wnms4Bh6b4Wv55bXpn2UFUCt5OdMS6u4_hUaCHTVxs/s1600-h/Pollak_Chupacabra.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 385px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 313px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450207597881465826" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrEc7rkh5Cc2hrnsupVeQsXV1iYRv6Oh-6Uirp9j3tkWkh8XBcppXKa8S-Mycaa5H0xp_Jv_EbrAfdXnuFx2BFjgCYad38SrEE7Wnms4Bh6b4Wv55bXpn2UFUCt5OdMS6u4_hUaCHTVxs/s320/Pollak_Chupacabra.jpg" /></a><br /><br />What is this animal? Are there anymore? What are these buttocks pads? What are they used for? These questions, and I am sure others, hopefully will be answered as we continue our study of this cryptid.<br /><br />By the way, Naomi noticed in the Pollock Blue Dog photo that the creature in that photo appeared to have the same buttocks pads!Richiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12183724465598931419noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2834894917665317982.post-76334653117913055902010-03-18T21:47:00.001-07:002010-03-19T14:26:06.069-07:00CORINNA DOWNES: Thirteen Fateful Days in 1836CORINNA’S DIARY: Wednesday, 17th March<br /><br />Last night we partook in an evening of celebration to commemorate St. Patrick’s Day, US-style. We were in San Antonio to take part in the annual merriment and perambulated down the Riverside Walk – a kind of towpath that runs alongside the river that weaves its way through part of the city. There was an abundance of green of various different shades everywhere – it was like the early summer countryside of England before the sun has dealt whatever torment it wishes on the earth below; at least during those summers where the sun does shine in the UK for more than two days in a row, that is.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7jZ_eJzkDW6gfkOT9PD_ujnqLtkq42rrx7Cb2DguokURir1yWVvoY0FAgaZex51RgCLB0bMHLwdxwcGZ9pjpRHraQq_TytloLchMjSv9jMo5tFF53u7SXwpKSZRxwmJZYv4N_ZOoDG2Y/s1600-h/DSCF0861.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450206013465853378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7jZ_eJzkDW6gfkOT9PD_ujnqLtkq42rrx7Cb2DguokURir1yWVvoY0FAgaZex51RgCLB0bMHLwdxwcGZ9pjpRHraQq_TytloLchMjSv9jMo5tFF53u7SXwpKSZRxwmJZYv4N_ZOoDG2Y/s320/DSCF0861.JPG" /></a><br />Everywhere you looked you were confronted with leprechauns of all shapes and sizes, and all nationalities too. In fact, we did wonder on more than one occasion how many of those sporting <em>habillement vert</em> did actually have Irish heritage, but that is by the by considering everyone concerned appeared to be enjoying themselves thoroughly, especially those who owned the riverside eateries that were packed to the gills with revellers. But I suppose that is a trifle cynical – but as you have probably realised by now, I AM a trifle cynical.<br /><br />But back to St Paddy’s Day. We ate in a Mexican restaurant where we were joined by Ken Gerhard and Jon enjoyed a couple of double margaritas in a ridiculously oversized glass (only in Texas, eh?), the size of which I had never seen before. But then when on holiday, it is no bad thing to relax in the company of friends over a nice meal and a drink or two.<br /><br />Earlier in the day we had visited Devin again and taken him, Jonathan, and Chad (more of whom tomorrow) out for a drink at a nearby bar, along with Nancy who runs the local store in Elmendorf and whom Jon knew by reputation but had always wanted to meet.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggTFRmZcuRqg4-24-pYjvYiphIn5pI-aiOsCOS56CW-UocOuLpNneVQAoVgR62wUirZ0wgrnl2PNe5hfRpkNfFQWmXHGaUL-BzCdEzn4Im_eIs4E_4ohm6BDouutG2MMeXogv94EyQpKra/s1600-h/IMG_2680.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggTFRmZcuRqg4-24-pYjvYiphIn5pI-aiOsCOS56CW-UocOuLpNneVQAoVgR62wUirZ0wgrnl2PNe5hfRpkNfFQWmXHGaUL-BzCdEzn4Im_eIs4E_4ohm6BDouutG2MMeXogv94EyQpKra/s320/IMG_2680.JPG" vt="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">From left: Richie, Devin, Naomi, Me, Jon, Chad, Nancy and Jonathan</div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><br /></div>We then set off for San Antonio to spend a day or two as holidaymakers and to celebrate the saint day mentioned above. But first we visited The Alamo – somewhere I had wanted to visit for a long time. It was a poignant visit – as soon as I walked through the doors into the mission the desperation and bravery of those who fought to the death in “thirteen fateful days in 1836” firmly hit me between the eyes. As I always do in such places I laid a hand on the stones. It is the only way to get the vibe of a place such as that – feel the stones and feel the history absorbed by them. It was a moving time as we made our way through the building and grounds outside.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1EDByrP6ESf7SAt5QYCrW0U0DuIy6SYzqu1EhSeoX9g-Bmxc4cZkyIYpgECBNviwkgbLHqwkppJAQbaRiHPa8nL3BiQg9iFPXgN2voE80fR_3kaX31-TvI_NDUQKhz4q6l4feObO7oJGL/s1600-h/IMG_2681.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1EDByrP6ESf7SAt5QYCrW0U0DuIy6SYzqu1EhSeoX9g-Bmxc4cZkyIYpgECBNviwkgbLHqwkppJAQbaRiHPa8nL3BiQg9iFPXgN2voE80fR_3kaX31-TvI_NDUQKhz4q6l4feObO7oJGL/s320/IMG_2681.JPG" vt="true" /></a></div><br />After our evening out Jon and I took a carriage ride back to the hotel. It was a lovely evening and our driver, who was a jolly nice chap, steered his horse Hardy around some of San Antonio pointing out landmarks as we went along. It was a lovely treat and the first time I had taken such a trip by that method of transport.<br /><br />After a shower it was crawl into bed where I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.</div>Corinnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02510292249777697226noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2834894917665317982.post-58644838382964685002010-03-17T07:11:00.000-07:002010-03-18T02:53:19.734-07:00LAST MAN STANDINGAs most readers of this blog will be aware, I am in relatively poor physical health. It is amusing, therefore, to report that I am presently the most healthy member of the expedition. The other three are riddled with allergies, head colds and sheer tiredness whereas yours truly (who feels like crap most of the time) is just toddling along.<br /><div><br />I was really worried about Naomi last night as the poor dear looked dreadful, but hopefully she will be recovered this morning. Corinna looks much better today, but has lost her voice as her throat has puffed up due to some allergy or other. She is outside having a fag (in the English sense of the word) whilst I am typing my blog entries and doing my emails.<br /><br />Today we go back to Elmendorf to see Devin Macanally for the second day running. He looks older than he did the last time I saw him, and more frail (it HAS been six years) but he still is a remarkable man with a remarkable tale to tell....</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2834894917665317982.post-67194281529317764652010-03-17T06:55:00.000-07:002010-03-18T02:51:43.360-07:00AT LASTLast night we were priviliged to meet Dr Phyllis Canion at her home in Cuero, Texas, where we were the first people to actually examine the mounted body of her Texas blue dog specimen. The taxidermist delivered it at 3:30, just fifteen minutes before she met us for dinner at the local country club.<br /><br /><br />It really is a remarkable-looking animal and we have many photographs. However, as a matter of ettiquette (as well as the fact that I am currently in a motel room with no connecting leads) we shall not be releasing those photographs until after Dr Canion posts her pictures on her website today or tomorrow. We shall be posting them tomorrow evening or Friday, but sufficient to say that they are remarkable.<br /><br /><br />This really has been a bizarre tripUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2834894917665317982.post-87382563448133079632010-03-16T04:48:00.000-07:002010-03-18T02:46:21.166-07:00AN ALLEGED BLUE DOG FOOTPRINT NORTH OF HOUSTON<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1bsFrMOcEbBGB9OaEgIgJsIV7cYxTFq0vRzMG3Jg9SrKCBZgpp5EQsMKWJEcFAdKPUGgoh8ng5xT081kPRxxS_HQXjFHWeK9Nkm5QvU_r1LVRlYVscba-oSLdfyXqgw7Yu_atWvyXc3o/s1600-h/DSCF0630.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449197734786306066" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1bsFrMOcEbBGB9OaEgIgJsIV7cYxTFq0vRzMG3Jg9SrKCBZgpp5EQsMKWJEcFAdKPUGgoh8ng5xT081kPRxxS_HQXjFHWeK9Nkm5QvU_r1LVRlYVscba-oSLdfyXqgw7Yu_atWvyXc3o/s320/DSCF0630.JPG" /></a> I do not want you guys out in bloggoland to get the impression that the whole of this expedition has been a social trip visiting old friends and having fun. Although the expedition has been immense fun we have also done some valuable reesearch.<br /><br />Here, for example, with a quarter as a size reference, is an alleged blue dog print from an undisclosed location north of Houston near Denise's property. We have taken plaster casts....Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2834894917665317982.post-92105488978179065112010-03-16T04:30:00.001-07:002010-03-18T02:43:48.762-07:00ELMENDORF REVISITED<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEherRANb1LSe9WJrMEWiOCpmXAbJXFugflFzNkU87x_FpQqdH6vmtMDPiuI1D90yPkAhT10_V3SXEEK4ZxXptdiVI6PwYQcQ9bfj_IZy8wUix16ABO13XA9fHd5N3X1FHBFB9CyALK0Ews/s1600-h/DSCF0742.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449197026842397858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEherRANb1LSe9WJrMEWiOCpmXAbJXFugflFzNkU87x_FpQqdH6vmtMDPiuI1D90yPkAhT10_V3SXEEK4ZxXptdiVI6PwYQcQ9bfj_IZy8wUix16ABO13XA9fHd5N3X1FHBFB9CyALK0Ews/s320/DSCF0742.JPG" /></a>Five years ago I was catapaulted into the world of Texas Blue Dog research when <a href="http://www.cfz.org.uk/expeditions/texas04.htm">I visited</a> a ranch in Elmendorf just south of San Antonio with my then girlfriend and a TV crew from the Discovery Channel who were shooting the pilot of a series that they later decided not to make.<br /><br />At least, I <em>assume</em> that they never decided to make it although they never actually had the courtesy to write to me telling me so.<br /><br /><br /><div></div>However, I digress. The ranch is owned by rancher Devin Macanally who shot the first known specimen of a Texas blue dog there in July 2004. Today we are going to return.<br /><br /><div></div>It is just gone 6:30 a.m. Richard and I are up whilst the two girls are in the arms of Morpheus. Richie (poor fellow) is suffering from a battery of unpleasant allergies, while I (touch wood) am feeling as fit as the proverbial fiddle and am just going to go and make myself a cuppa.<br /><br /><div></div><div>In the meantime, be amused by this photograph of Nick Redfern enjoying a balmy spring evening in his garden. As I have said before, you can take the boy out of the West Midlands, but you can't take the West Midlands out of the boy....</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0