May 25, 2009

Holidays and Wild Pictures

It's Memorial Day, which is supposed to be a somber day of remembrance. So let's do take at least a moment or two for some gratitude and reflection.



See, that wasn't so hard, was it?

However, Memorial day is also a great excuse to celebrate sunshine and friends and family and food and playing outside. This means there's a good chance many of you are out having fun, and not sitting inside at your computer reading health blogs. At least that's what I'm counting on! Because I've been out having fun as well and was too lazy to write an actual serious blog post for today.



But I do have some pretty wild pictures to share!



Now it happens to be baby dyke weekend here in Provincetown, but that's not the source of the wild pictures. (Though someday I will have to blog about it because it really is a fascinating sociological phenomenon. Huge numbers of college-age lesbians arrive and take over the town and do some serious, serious partying. And the nomenclature is not meant to be offensive--that's just what it's called. If you tried to refer to it as "young lesbian weekend" no one would know what the heck you were talking about.)

But anyway, these are pictures are of a different kind of "wild life."

Sadness warning: They're of a dead finback whale we saw this weekend on Herring Cove beach.

Gosh, who says health blogs can't be fun!!!

But heck, it's not very often you get to view a large whale up close from several angles, so I thought I'd share a few shots for those of you who are curious and can get past the "dead animal" part. If it's any help, local whale researchers were really excited because they think they can get a lot of useful information from the poor guy. We were not, however, intrepid enough to stick around to photograph the autopsy.

(And maybe next year, in an effort to boost male readership, I'll try to post some pictures of inebriated topless lesbians brawling in the streets. But in the meantime, enjoy Dead Whale Day here at Cranky Fitness!)

Note: I know it's a hassle, but for some reason the pictures are a lot more interesting if you click on them.





In case this next one's difficult to figure out--the whale's tongue has for some reason swollen to enormous proportions.




And, um, yeah--it does appear to be a male whale.


So does anyone have any large dead animals to report? Or any fun, offbeat, silly, frustrating, unexpected, and/or relaxing events to relate from your holiday weekend? Or did you even get a holiday weekend?

31 comments:

  1. No holiday weekend por moi- but I'm on a 5-week holiday so I guess I'll live :D

    Yummy sausages. Haven't come across any large dead animals recently but if I do I'll be sure to keep you posted.

    Happy Memorial Day!

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  2. oh
    my
    gosh.

    yeah, you lost me at the male whale.

    xo xo,

    Ima Child

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  3. Wow that's one 'big' whale. No dead animals here. Which is a relief, I nearly ran over a couple of kangaroos last night. Have a great weekend!

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  4. Contrary to popular belief, the lions and elephants don't roam around our streets, so the most exciting dead animal I can report is a cricket my cats have been playing with. You win!

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  5. HOLY CRAP! That is one big whale & sorry for the dead part. They are awesome to see in the water doing their thing!

    No dead animals here but a nice relaxing time in the low 70's here in southern CA. Thank goodness no HOT temps where I am.

    Just enjoying but got my normal exercise in ... jogged yesterday outside & core inside. Today, at the gym doing my weights! I guess that means I can have ANOTHER cookie! :-)

    Have a great day!

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  6. Wow. That whale is almost as big as the "giant water bug" I found in my driveway! :)

    Hope you are enjoying your long weekend!
    (and I am not sayin' nothin' in regards to baby dyke weekend... except perhaps to wonder if their theme song is something along the lines of "girls just wanna have fu-un")

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  7. Wowsers. Dead or alive, the only wale I've ever seen was at sea world. Only orcas. Crazy stuff. At least the scientists can use it for knowledge.
    (I'm with MF - it WAS really difficult to get over my childness as well. Poor dude with everything out.)

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  8. Thanks for the up close and personal look at Mr. Whale. Sad that he's dead, but if he's given his life for research I suppose that's something.

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  9. wow... amazing pics! Thanks for sharing. No holiday weekend here... it's not all bad though as ours is next weekend so yay!!

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  10. No large dead animals to report here - just some wild turkeys crossing the front yard.

    Oh, that poor whale - and with his giblets hanging out for everyone to see. Death without dignity.

    Thanks for the remembrance at the beginning of your post. Because of their sacrifices we have so much to be thankful for. And the German franks and Italian sausages - just the perfect segue to your usual hilarity.

    Have a great rest of the weekend.

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  11. I wonder what happened to the poor guy. And you know, it just never occurred to me that a whale would have one of "those"... ::running over in the corner with Miz to giggle::

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  12. Nothing much to report up here - our holiday weekend was last week, so we canucks are just at work like normal. Boo.
    No dead animals to report ,tho I did see a bunch of critters running and squeaking about on my bike ride to work. Does that count? :)

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  13. Aw, I wonder what happened to the poor guy? Let us know if you ever find out, eh?

    No holiday weekend here. Such is the bane of those working in tourism. Only dead things to report are 1) my motivation to work, and 2) a number of spiders at the house over the weekend. Seems getting stuck in tile adhesive is not good for their health. : )

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  14. And nary a Moby Dick comment to be read..

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  15. Oh great... bag lady left me with an ear worm. If it's behave-like-a-child day, can I stomp my feet and whine about how unfair that is?

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  16. No male whales here!! But we did have a good friend of our son who worked on her PhD in Woods Hole and studies whales. Does that count?

    I'm only online cuz our tee time is later today... Just in case I'm looking kinda pathetic. :(

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  17. What an amazing sight to behold! About that enormous swollen tongue...allergic to shellfish? REALLY allergic.

    There was a dead squirrel on the bike path yesterday. Didn't think to take a photo.

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  18. I am slightly disturbed by those pictures :/
    Hey Crabby & Merry - there is a surprise waiting for you at my blog! Don't worry it doesn't include any giant dead sea beasts!

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  19. Amazing pictures.

    Sad, but amazing.

    Hope you and the Lobster have fun today--it's cloudy, rainy and cold here on the Western Slope of CO.

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  20. Amazing photos! I've always had a fascination with ocean mammals. They have unexplored intelligence and are a delight to watch in their element!

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  21. Male whale. Ummmmm. That's a first for me. I've never seen one before! I mean the whale! Hehe!

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  22. i'm a sealife nerd (or was in my youth), but that's cool!

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  23. Amazing photos. Sad, but as stated, at least we will learn lots from him.

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  24. Amazing pics, but poor whale - they are such incredible creatures.

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  25. Wow. That is a huge whale. I've always wanted to see one close up. Kinda tragic end for the bloke. :(

    Hope you guys had a lovely holiday weekend.

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  26. I'm with Miz on this one. Couldn't stop staring. Egads!

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  27. Fascinating pictures. I've never seen a whale that close. Thanks, I guess!

    No holiday for me in Australia. :( Just saw another big red kangaroo hop down the street. Just joking! :)

    Happy Memorial Day!

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  28. How sad for the whale, but I thank you for the great pictures.

    Terrie

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  29. Yeah, so I'm feeling big as a whale after three picnics and a graduation party this weekend, and I'm wishing I was dead because I'm back at work. Should I snap a photo and post it?

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  30. Had a few days away from the computer and Im catching up on my reading....and....well

    My, my, that whale seems to have a priapism....

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  31. I wonder what he died of? And my, is his ermm "thingy" mighty big! brainwave entrainment

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