We are currently being heated to above 60 degrees in the outer world at my location. That is the warmest it has been for quite a few days.
In the picture you are standing on one of the dam/bridges over which the VCNHA paved trail crosses, looking south at a couple of the dams that dam up water to create canals for Interlochen.
I was hoping to find lunch today whilst walking, that being lunch in the form of an armadillo. But I saw no armadillos. I did see some squirrels, turtles and ducks, none of which sounded as tasty as an armadillo.
Last night, via Wikipedia, in a Wikipedia article titled Nine-Banded Armadillo, I learned the following...
During the Great Depression, the species was hunted for its meat in East Texas, where it was known as the poor man’s pork, or the "Hoover hog" by those who considered President Herbert Hoover to be responsible for the depression. Earlier, German settlers in Texas would often refer to the armadillo as Panzerschwein ("armored pig").In 1995, the nine-banded armadillo was, with some resistance, made the state small mammal of Texas, where it is considered a pest and is often seen dead on the roadside. They first forayed into Texas across the Rio Grande from Mexico in the 19th century, eventually spreading across the southeast United States.
A Hoover Hog? Because armadillo tastes like pork?
I did not know that the armadillo being made the state small mammal of Texas was controversial. I also did not know armadillos are considered, by some, to be a pest.
I figured the armadillo was the state small mammal of Texas because they are just so darn cute and cuddly.
The lunch bell just rang.
Pizza.
With no roasted or barbecued armadillo
