Conversations with Critters
Walk with the animals. Talk with the animals. And clouds and sky...


Field Note: Pillars of Creation Nebula and Clouds at Sunset [Photo: Heidi Zawelevsky]
Today Critters, the clouds have rolled in and yet we can still see the light. The only requirement is that we take a moment to look up up up. And here we experience the alignment of patterns in nature that give us both pause and wonder, both near and far.
As we shift into a Fall pattern here on the 45th Parallel North, please join our Core Community Critters Jasper Kitten, Chris and Jojo in excellent cloudy critter conversation. Take it away!
Heidi: Hello Everyone! Welcome to our Furever Friday post under cloudy skies! However. We saw something amazing and wild and, well, illuminating right over the rooftop of the Condo and we’d luvluvluv to share this with you.
Jasper: Hello and welcome, Friends. We are pleased to present a special natural effect with you. The end.
Chris: Greetings, Dear Gentle Critters and Dear Gentle Readers. Openly and honestly, I almost slept through it. Full stop. On. The. Couch.
Jojo: Hello and I luvluvluv you furever. The backstory for our conversation opener is that I went into the backyard to sniff the lawn and something truly incredible happened when I looked up up up. At. The. Sky. The end.
Chris: Incredible.
Jasper: Impressive.
Jojo: Thank you for the positive feedback, Chris and Jasper.
Chris: Of course, Jojo, the thanks are all mine for the backstory. The end.
Jasper: The thanks are all mine, too, Jojo, for the conversation opener in the backyard. The end.
Jojo: I really appreciate your support. Furthermore, certain patterns in nature are similar but not the same. For example, a rain cloud is similar but not the same as a nebula. This simply occurred to me when I was sniffing the back lawn and then looked up. Full stop.
Chris: The subject of clouds is over my head, Jojo.
Jasper: It’s over my head, too.
Jojo: Would now be a good time to ask for the definition of a nebula?
Jasper: Fur. Sure. It could help to illustrate how you made an association between types of clouds when you were outside sniffing the lawn.
Chris: Ditto. We’re all ears, Jojo.
Jojo: Thank you, Jasper and Chris.
Jasper: You’re welcome.
Chris: You’re welcome.
Jojo: Great. So. What is a nebula? Question mark. Question mark.
Jasper: Chris, would you please google the question with your toebeans? Please. Proceed.
Chris: Absolutely. And the answer is: a nebula is a giant cloud of dust and gas in space. Stars are born in nebulas. Therefore and furthermore, certain types of nebulas are known in the astronomical vernacular as star nurseries. I refer our Dear Gentle Critters and our Dear Gentle Readers to our opening photograph of the nebula Pillars of Creation. The end. And another thing, did you know that Pillars of Creation is a small part of an even larger nebula, the Eagle Nebula. Question mark. Question mark.
Jasper: Is that a question?
Chris: Yes.
Jasper: I did not know that.
Jojo: I did not know that, either.
Chris: Thank you for the clarification that you did not know that. The end again. The. End.
Jojo: May I ask as to what kind of gas?
Jasper: Of course, Jojo, go right ahead.
Jojo: Thank you. I feel it’s important to ask permission when discussing a hot topic like gas.
Chris: Thank you for your sensitivity of the subject matter, Jojo. It really adds a great deal of nuance, subtlety and depth to the conversation as does taking a nap on the Couch.
Jojo: You’re most welcome, Chris. So, what kind of gas does a nebula have?
Chris: The gas is molecular hydrogen.
Jojo: I see. Thank you very much, Chris.
Chris: Of course. Would you like to take a nap on the Couch with me as soon as we share another photo of a cloud for the edification and enjoyment of our Readers?
Jojo: Yes, I would luvluvluv to take a nap after talking about molecular hydrogen gas in space. Full stop.

Jasper: Chris, you seem a little bit drowsy. The time has run away from us already and you seem to be feeling this in a deep deep way.
Chris: It’s true, Jasper. Something about looking at photos of clouds at sunset seems to be having a soporific effect on me.
Jojo: It could be the lack of light, Chris. As well as the subject matter of mirror images in nature.
Chris: Yes, these are well thought out observations, Jasper and Jojo. I feel better already. The end.
Jojo: I feel relieved for you, too, Chris.
Jasper: Ditto. Ditto.
Chris: Critters, thank you for being here with us as we consider and compare clouds which is very similar if not the same as comparing types of naps on the Couch. I will leave this open ended for now. The end.
Jojo: Well said and well thought out, Chris.
Chris: Thank you, Jojo. Critters, we’ll see you next time for our Detective Tuesday Post, so please stay tuned for our next adventure.
Jasper: We’ll be featuring Chapter 19 of The Case of the Jumping Gene! And please note: we have only 2 more chapters to go go go! So, please, stay safe and have fun out there!
Jojo: And remember that I luvluvluv you. Furever. The end.
🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾
Poetry with Pets
Clouds where stars are born
Molecular hydrogen
Stellar nursery
By Jasper Kitten, Chris and Jojo






I luvluvluv this so much! Clouds and stars and nebulae are some of my favourite things. As are naps. And couches. The end.
The photos are awesome, Heidi, and thanks for the nebula info. Very cool stuff I didn't know before reading this evening. Also, this made me laugh out loud, "Jojo: It could be the lack of light, Chris." Your critters' dry sense of humor and spot-on timing are so good!!