Sunday, October 09, 2005

Gobble


Up here in the Great White North, we find ourselves enjoying an early-autumn long weekend. Yup, it's Thanksgiving in Canada. We do things earlier here because we simply want to be different from our American neighbors. For example, we punctuate our sentences with "Eh", worship at the altar of Tim Hortons, and use bizarre metric measurements like kilohectolitres instead of miles and pounds.

I'm not a big fan of turkeys. Aside from their uselessness as house pets, childhood memories of plates heaped with dry, tasteless "meat" persist into my present. I can think of many other ways to express my thankfulness beyond eating a lousy meal.

But turkeys apparently like me. On a bike ride to the beach with some colleagues last month, we stopped at a farmer's market to rest. As we set off, someone looked back and noticed that a group of turkeys had emerged from the woods. The birds were walking, rapidly, toward us.

I don't know about you, but overly-proactive turkeys kind of freak me out. So I rode away a few meters, and instead of continuing to ride like most logical folks would do, stopped, pulled out my camera and recorded the scene as our feathered friends continued to close in.

This is about as near as I dared let the most curious one get to me before I stuffed the camera back in its holder and left a dust cloud in my wake.

I am thankful I didn't get pecked to death.

22 comments:

The Mistress of the Dark said...

Happy Turkey Day! They aren't the most attractive birds are they?

Here via Michele this time!

Twisted Cinderella said...

Hope you have a great Thanksgiving. As a fellow Canadian, I completly understand your reference to worshipping at the alter of tim hortons. I used to work there a LONG time ago!

Twisted Cinderella said...

oh and michele sent me.

Jill said...

I love wild turkeys and have asked my husband to paint one for me. I think they're stunning in a quirky way. Hey, did you ever get a dog and name it?

Crazy Single Mom said...

killer mutant turkeys!!! Just remembered an old South Park episode hee!

Christine said...

Happy Thanksgiving, my Candian friend!I hope you enjoy your holiday with your family!

jennypenny said...

turkeys freak me out. I went to an agricultural fair yesterday and saw some llamas. THEY are really freaky, they sort of look like that shrunken head guy from beetlejuice. eek!
Here via Michelle

Marisa said...

Hi Carmi. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

I can't wait for Thanksgiving in Chicago. It's the only holiday where all you have to do is show up, eat and enjoy one another's company. At least, that's what it's like if it's not YOUR mother hosting dinner for 30 relatives.

Here via Michele. Thanks for the close-up shot too.

kenju said...

"Overly proactive turkeys"..... that's a very funny line, Carmi. I have a feeling it will turn up in a sit-com sometime....hehe.

I cam on my own this time - no one sent me - no one at all!

kenju said...

Geeze, I forgot to say "Happy Thanksgiving!"

kenju said...

I'm back via Michele, Carmi, that fellow Canadian who bids us do her will! (and we willing do it!)

kenju said...

Carmi, you are NEVER boring! I may as well tell you that I think you make the nicest comments of anyone who plays this game. Even when the post is boring and common, you find something nice to say and a good way to say it. So I didn't mean 'Carmi, again' as a bad thing, just that the frequency today is more than usual.

annie said...

I LOVE turkey! You must not have had it cooked right!
Turkeys and chickens are weird birds; they see you and come rushing, it's pretty scary!

yellojkt said...

here from michele's.

I saw wild turkeys once and they looked way too scrawny to eat. Monday is Columbus Day in the US, so some government workers get to celebrate with the Canucks.

FattyPants said...

I hate turkey too. We rebel and make quail every year. My son, who is in kindegarten also has developed a new love for the holidays this year too. We grew a few pumpkins and now as winter is getting closer he's more excited about christmas snow than presents. Next year he'll probably ask for a car thou. I'm here from michele's. :)

YellowRose said...

Turkeys freak me out...they are just freaky...LOL Glad you didn't get pecked to death! :)

Here via Michele's... Happy (freaky)Turkey day!

Misti said...

happy Thanksgiving to you!!
Michele sent me today.

utenzi said...

Michele sent me your way, Carmi.

Neat experience and picture, Carmi. I've seen wild turkeys out in the woods many time, and bottles of Wild Turkey on occasion, but I've never actually seen a domestic turkey. Looks like a real ugly chicken!

I can relate to your tale of woe about Thanksgiving growing up. Turkey long ago was so dry! It's so much better now.

Style Me Organized said...

happy thanksgiving weekend, my fellow canadian!

here ia michele :)

dena said...

Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy the day! I wish the US would switch Turkey Day to a Monday. It makes so much more sense.

Olyal said...

Happy Thanksgiving! Turkeys are weird creatures. I wonder why God chose to give them extra elbow skin around their necks? :o)

Michele sent me a second time!

Tawn said...

here via michele's today, though i'm blogrolling you so i remember to come more regularly. the aggressive turkeys remind me of the similarly aggressive geese we have at a local park.