Sunday, November 25, 2007

meet the lewisis

Here they are, external gills and all...

Nectorus lewisi, the Neuse River Waterdog, in actual size:

lewisi4

And in size jumbo:

lewisi6

These are the new hot critters around these parts.

In case you don't remember why I was knitting a Neuse River Waterdog, what they look like in real life, or how they speak with a downeast North Carolina accent, flip back to this guest post by Les to learn all about them. But in brief, Neuse River Waterdog is a threatened amphibian species here in North Carolina. I knitted two of them; the first was actual size, and I also made a jumbo version - just to be more huggable.

They're both made from Manos del Uruguay, except for their external gills, which I made with locally-grown and dyed roving from Three Waters Farm. I really appreciated everyone's encouragement on the needle-felting. It was so much fun! It is a lot like drawing with yarn, and I am totally hooked. I want to poke needles into all the yarn I see!

The waterdogs are spending most of their time hiding under leaf litter in the backyard, looking for slugs and other tasty bits to munch on, and writing letters to the Environmental Management Commission about the water quality in their native streams. The big one is considering becoming a Riverkeeper, and the small one prefers to stay home and read decorating magazines.

Mr. and Mr. Lewisi both thank you for your interest in their species, and for not pouring grease down the sink.

lewisi3
off to a public hearing on sediment control

8 comments:

  1. So sweet!!! I love the little back leggies! :O) samm

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  2. O.K. I know you were so excited about these guys, but I was really not on board- until now. something I could step on, down in the dark water, [Oh! No! No! No!] I wished them well, and tried to forget about them...

    but you, dear f. pea, have shown me the beauty of the waterdog. he would not bite me. I hope.

    Country Living or Metropolitan Home?

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  3. public hearing on sediment control, you kill me!!

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  4. I have no idea how you do this... You are amazing with these creatures!

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  5. They are so cute (and colorful)! I wish we (people) weren't so good at polluting and ruining habitats...

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  6. i've never seen this kind of animal , only here...

    thanks for the sharing...


    Neuse River North Carolina

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