Changing seasons can be an exhausting business. We Critters have to be ready for whatever Nature tosses at Us, but it requires a lot of equipment, mental and emotional, to deal with the Unpredictable. And of course, Rhinos always forget one form of prep or another…

Today is National Kidney Day. We congratulate everybody that has Kidneys, many of them being our Readers. Take good care of them, eat veggies, and behave better than ever, if possible.

We mistakenly thought Rhinos don’t have Kidneys, but further investigation shows that We do. Surprise!

Jeepers.

Rhinos have a lot of skin surface per customer. Unfortunately, in the Wild We are plagued by bugs, wanting a free ride and a free lunch. What to do? Find a solution or go crazy, simple as that.

Answer #1 is Mud. Answer #2 is dust. Both answers are irksome to these bugs, and they give Us a short break from their attentions. Mud is easiest to apply; just roll in a wallow, it’s Heaven. But dusting ourselves is also effective.

The Added Benefit of these processes is that We are protected from the Sun, which works full throttle where Rhinos live. Yes, We do sunburn. Reread that first sentence. No joke.

Asked about Rhino sensibility to Music…well, We are stuck for words. If We didn’t invent Rhythm, tell Us what species did? Are We musically savvy, you bet. And inventive as well. Give Us a mic and We’ll show anybody what’s what.

As Vocalists, We depart from the Throng. We are each so full of Music that limitation does not work. We each embody a fund of sounds, notes, tinklings, We got it.

And a fun fact: Rhinos can each inform our concepts and interpretations without editing. We are not Musical to suit anybody else, just Us.

Today Rhinos do not travel about as much as We used to do. But believe Us, it was easy. People are so absorbed in the moment, so single-minded, that Rhinos can wander around, undisturbed, on streets in town or country. And have, for ages.

Small children can often see Us, but there is so much that is surprising for them that they just take Us in stride.

Being Invisable?- nothing to it.

Phrenology was uncommon until the end of the 19th Century. A major proponent of the study of bumps on the skull was Mr. Stackpool E. O’Dell. He wrote about the topic with marked success and handled some crowned heads of Europe’s heads! He charted where a lump might indicate character or lack of it. Very Scientific. Also Respectable.

He teamed up with his wife, Catherine. Also, get ready for it, he co-authored with a man called Geelossapuss E. O’Dell. What their relation was, no Rhino can imagine. Another successful Phrenologist probably.

There is little biographical information on the O’Dells, and how long they pursued this ‘Science’. But with the temptations offered by the name ‘Geelossapus’, how could YIR resist?

Generally speaking, We Rhinos have little to complain about. But occasionally We must cope with Trials and Tribulations, often for no apparent reason. Rhinos are not alone in having these conflicts, so they must be Natural. We must then suppose We will grow from the Confrontations.

Nature does have its dark side, though We confess, We do wish it didn’t.

Rhinos in the Wild today have few problems concerning cold weather. Mittens and earmuffs do not play much part in our yearnings. This is because of judicious adaptation to the Facts of Life as Nature dishes them out.

The Rhino System has been to go where it is warmer, where basking is unavoidable. You never hear of Rhinos with Vitamin D Deficiency, right? No, you don’t.

When Opportunity knocks, Rhinos hasten to the door.

We get much too used to Up being in one place, and likewise Down. Why should We blindly accept these conventions? Rhinos don’t go into a frenzy about these issues, but We don’t just swallow them whole.

We have to draw the line somewhere!

Day Dreaming is good for you, We assume. It is something of a regular passtime for Us Rhinos.

We can deal with Reality, but Rhinos also like Alternatives, if We can think of them.