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Dakota Duncan
Dakota Duncan

1.2K Followers

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Published in

The Shortform

·Jun 7

Appreciating Nature’s Miracles in Unexpected Places

Mama Robin took several days building a nest atop the floodlights above the path to our front door. “Really?” I said to my wife. “Considering all the deliveries we get does that seem like a good spot for a nest?” It did. Once construction was complete, Mama Robin sat in…

Nature

1 min read

Appreciating Nature’s Miracles in Unexpected Places
Appreciating Nature’s Miracles in Unexpected Places
Nature

1 min read


Published in

ILLUMINATION

·Jun 6

Grasshoppers — The Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde of Insects

We are confused about how to think about grasshoppers. — While researching the historical and cultural significance of grasshoppers for a publication I have on Substack, I discovered a fascinating paradox. Grasshoppers are often associated with carefree times and good luck but are also culturally tied in with laziness, devastation, and bad luck. …

Animals

4 min read

Grasshoppers — The Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde of Insects
Grasshoppers — The Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde of Insects
Animals

4 min read


Published in

ILLUMINATION

·Apr 20

What Do Skunks Have to Do with Chicago, Coffee, and Our Future?

It’s not all about the stink. — Skunks have been around for at least 11 million years, and recent discoveries point to their ancestors having been around up to 40 million years ago. As for interactions with humans, we know that European trading with North American native people began in the 1500s and included skunk pelts. Skunk…

Animals

3 min read

What Do Skunks Have to Do with Chicago, Coffee, and Our Future?
What Do Skunks Have to Do with Chicago, Coffee, and Our Future?
Animals

3 min read


Published in

ILLUMINATION

·Mar 17

What Marmots Can Teach Us About Space Travel

Plus More Fun Facts About Marmots — Did you know that groundhogs, AKA woodchucks, are marmots? It’s true! Groundhogs are just one of 15 (some sources say 14) species of marmot of the genus Marmota, family of Sciuridae, which are squirrels, order of Rodentia. That was a lot. Here’s the main thing — groundhogs are just one…

Animals

3 min read

What Marmots Can Teach Us About Space Travel
What Marmots Can Teach Us About Space Travel
Animals

3 min read


Published in

Catness

·Feb 20

Is Your Sweet Kitty a Bully?

It’s tough to realize the truth. — I have come to accept the fact that my sweet Max is bullying our equally sweet Jasper. If you’ve been following my stories, you already know we’ve had some issues over the past few months or so. (For details see Helping Our Cats Solve Problems We Didn’t Know They Had.) …

Cats

4 min read

Is Your Sweet Kitty a Bully?
Is Your Sweet Kitty a Bully?
Cats

4 min read


Published in

Catness

·Feb 13

Is Anthropomorphism Bad For Your Cat?

No…and yes. — “Aren’t you a handsome boy?” “Look who’s cranky today.” “Don’t look at me in that tone of voice.” “Don’t be shy, sweetie.” Do any of these sound familiar? I think a majority of cat owners tend to think of their little furry ones in human terms, at least some of…

Cats

4 min read

Is Anthropomorphism Bad For Your Cat?
Is Anthropomorphism Bad For Your Cat?
Cats

4 min read


Published in

Catness

·Feb 3

Helping Our Cats Solve Problems We Didn’t Know They Had

A lesson in observation and experimentation. — It’s emotionally scary and draining when your pets exhibit behavior that could be related to a serious health problem. Over the past three months both of our cats, Max and Jasper, have been doing just that. It’s been quite the puzzle to solve. It started with us finding random small…

Pets

9 min read

Helping Our Cats Solve Problems We Didn’t Know They Had
Helping Our Cats Solve Problems We Didn’t Know They Had
Pets

9 min read


Published in

Catness

·Jan 24

Jasper Cat and the Slug

A silly tale of my overly-curious cat. — This particular event happened a few years back but it is still a milestone we reference frequently. The day started pretty much the same as most days with my wife and I reluctantly waking up after hitting “Snooze” 2 or 3 times, throwing on some clothes, and heading downstairs for…

Cats

3 min read

Jasper Cat and the Slug
Jasper Cat and the Slug
Cats

3 min read


Published in

Catness

·Jan 18

Silence Can be Just as Loud as Demanding Meows

Cat lovers, does this sound familiar? — As any cat lover will know, cats can be very demanding and absurdly vocal. Though Max figured out how to meow early in life, it took Jasper a good three years to figure it out. He’d open his mouth, but only produced silent meows. We weren’t sure he was even…

Cats

3 min read

Silence Can be Just as Loud as Demanding Meows
Silence Can be Just as Loud as Demanding Meows
Cats

3 min read


Oct 26, 2022

My Cat’s Enlightening Conversation with an Animal Communicator

Max and I had a truly intriguing experience! — Cats are a fantastic mystery. Sometimes I think I understand them but at others, they are a puzzle. We recently had something going on with one of our cats, Max, that seemed negative and potentially scary, but turned out to be the opposite. Several weeks ago we started finding that…

Cats

8 min read

My Cat’s Enlightening Conversation with an Animal Communicator
My Cat’s Enlightening Conversation with an Animal Communicator
Cats

8 min read

Dakota Duncan

Dakota Duncan

1.2K Followers

I’m an animal lover, author, and artist. I love learning about small but amazing creatures. See Captivating Creatures https://captivatingcreatures.substack.com.

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