We've got Opossums!

[Wombat]

Please note, these are "Opossums" as opposed to the Australian "Possum".

What does a possum have to do to get an 'O' in front of its name? I always thought they were Irish and the correct spelling was 'O'Possum.'

[Will O'B]

Please note, these are "Opossums" as opposed to the Australian "Possum".

Ah, yes. You have the Irish variety of the clan. I believe the correct nomenclature is "O'Possum."

What does a possum have to do to get an 'O' in front of its name? I always thought they were Irish and the correct spelling was 'O'Possum.'

Sorry, old bean, but I believe something may have been lost in the retelling.

[Wombat]

Please note, these are "Opossums" as opposed to the Australian "Possum".

Ah, yes. You have the Irish variety of the clan. I believe the correct nomenclature is "O'Possum."

What does a possum have to do to get an 'O' in front of its name? I always thought they were Irish and the correct spelling was 'O'Possum.'

Sorry, old bean, but I believe something may have been lost in the retelling.

Oops, that's what you get for not reading the whole thread. Obvious joke, but SOMEBODY had to tell it. I'm not sure that two of us had to tell it though.

[SteveK]

The way to cook the possum sound
Carve him to the heart.
First parboil him then bake him brown.
Carve him to the heart
Put sweet potatoes in the pan
Carve him to the heart
The sweetest meat in all the land.
Carve him to the heart

Carve that possum
Carve that possum, children
Carve that possum
Carve him to the heart


Words to live by

[CountryKitty]

I'm hoping to get them domesticated and then implant electrodes in their brains and turn them into instruments of my evil bidding.

Ah, the joys of global warming.

djm

Opossums have been migrating north long before the fear mongering began.

Sorry dude, but there's no migrating to it. Used to live in South Michigan as a kid (place called Stockbridge) and we had them there then (moved out in '79). It just doesn't seem like there are many of them as they prefer to keep their presence a secret. They only come around at night when we can't see well, let cats take the blame for getting into the trash, and let coons and foxes drag off grown hens while they stick to eggs (Trust me, you notice when a chicken is gone, but if you don't get as many eggs in the morning, well, maybe the girls are just beginning to molt or ate something that put them off their production).

I have tons of them here too, but rarely see them. Once in a while a young one will get into the garbage can and have no idea how to get out, or will visit the compost heap early enough in the night that I surprise it with the last scraps of the evening. Mostly, I just see their odd tracks in the mud

[anniemcu]

They are incredibly comical to watch running down the dirt road, with the tail spiraling behind as they do their fast waddle.

[jileha]

A number of years ago, my cat started to wake me up several nights during the week, always around 2 in the morning. She would stand on her hind legs and claw with her front legs at the glass door to the balcony. Just wouldn't stop, on and on. Once it dawned upon my sleepy brain that there might be something on the balcony that attracted my cat's curiosity, I looked outside, couldn't see anything. But the cat didn't stop. Some wakeful nights later, I went to the living room, which also opens onto the balcony, to get a better view outside, and there it was, my nightly visitor, a possum.
It wasn't shy at all, sitting on the railings and watching me. But I couldn't figure out what on earth it was doing on my balcony, no food out there and -- most astonishingly -- on the third floor!

How did it get up there? One night I watched it climb up (or should I say: walk up?) the stucco walls of the building, from the ground up to my airy heights! Amazing!

But why did it decide to come and visit ever so often? Maybe the answer was: Love...? Could that be?
Well, one night I observed the most endearing scene: My cat, with her nose pressed on the glass from one side, the possum's nose pressed on the glass from the other side, both, gooey-eyed... Time had obviously stopped for the two of them... It was so cute!

Less cute, though, was the fact that the possum had chosen my balcony not only as a place of romance, but also as a place of relieve as the quite nasty smell informed me. Also, being awakened so many times in the middle of the night is not something I take lying down!

I got a live trap from some friends and put it up on the balcony with cat food as bait. A couple nights later, the poor possum was trapped. I transported the little guy, who was quite mad at the betrayal, to one of the canyons in the neighborhood and released it.

[anniemcu]

Great story, jileha. They are tenacious and resourceful little beasties, for sure.

Unfortunately, I live out where others bring their critters to "return them to the wild". Stray dogs and cats see the 'kind lady' hobo script on the gatepost and the wild critters know i don't hunt. Yet.

[Will O'B]

They are tenacious and resourceful ...

And quite often dead as a door nail! Or so the ones laying alongside the road would appear to be. Unless they are playing "o'possum." Except those from Austailia which would, naturally, be playing the more abbreviated form of "possum."

Not to change the thread away from these rat look-a-likes (yeah I know they're marsupials not rodents - but they still look like giant rats to me). But dead things found alongside the road got me to wondering. Why is it you hardly ever find dead pigs alongside the road? You can find all types of other animals. Why hardly a pig? My theory? When a motorist hits a pig, they stop their vehicle and tie it onto the engine. That way the pig slow-roasts as the driver goes down the road. When he gets hungry he pulls onto the shoulder, pops the hood and carves off a nice warm slice of ham. Hot ham sandwiches for the rest of the trip!!!

That's my theory anyway. And I'm stickin' with it.

Now back to the o'possums.

[Walden]

You can find all types of other animals. Why hardly a pig?

Pigs are smart animals.

[djm]

Pigs are smart animals.

Pigs are better drivers than humans.



djm

[anniemcu]

Pigs are smart animals.

Pigs are better drivers than humans.



djm

That thing looks like a real fuel hog.

[djm]

A Porkeratti!

djm

[fel bautista]

Nope it appears to be a porcine-cedes to me-- note 3 pt star. If it were a Porsche, it might be por-sch-ine....

sorry- had to play the card

[anniemcu]

Nope it appears to be a porcine-cedes to me-- note 3 pt star. If it were a Porsche, it might be por-sch-ine....

sorry- had to play the card

Right you are... a Porkcedes.