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Rick LeCouteur
Inviting young readers to marvel at the wonder of nature's creatures
Rick's Blog
#bunyipsbooksbeyond
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Golf Course Reality Check: Parkinson’s and pesticides (#365)
Recently, I discovered that three people who lived on Fairway Drive (named for the golf course it leads to) in Davis California had...
Rick LeCouteur
Jul 8, 20254 min read
Prams, Tutus, and Perfect Faces: Reflections on modern identity (#364)
A dog in a pram is more than a dog in a pram. It is a statement about the relationship between humans and animals, and perhaps more...
Rick LeCouteur
Jul 4, 20253 min read
Through Her Eyes: Lessons from a granddaughter (#362)
In her, you see glimpses of those who came before. Perhaps a smile that echoes her mother’s, or a determined tilt of the chin that...
Rick LeCouteur
Jun 29, 20253 min read
Finding Your Ikigai: The Japanese secret to a purposeful life (#359)
In a world consumed by burnout, productivity hacks, and the relentless pursuit of more , the Japanese concept of Ikigai offers a...
Rick LeCouteur
Jun 24, 20255 min read
The Forgotten Workforce: Caring for those who care (#357)
She holds the weight of others' pain, Their sorrow, sickness, loss, and strain. With steady hands and steady grace, She hides the cracks...
Rick LeCouteur
Jun 22, 20252 min read
Institutional Memory: The wisdom we leave behind (#356)
In an era that celebrates innovation, disruption, and fresh perspectives, it's easy to overlook a quieter, invaluable resource that too...
Rick LeCouteur
Jun 20, 20252 min read
Sten-Erik Olsson: A memorable encounter (#355)
In 1986, I had the privilege of speaking at a distinguished veterinary conference in Lund, Sweden, dedicated to the intricacies of canine...
Rick LeCouteur
Jun 19, 20253 min read
The Politics of Power: Lady Chu - a familiar story? (#354)
In the annals of Chinese history, where emperors often take center stage, the story of Lady Chu (also known as Lü Zhi , Empress of the...
Rick LeCouteur
Jun 19, 20253 min read
Limbic Resonance: The unspoken human/animal bond (#353)
Have you ever sat with someone in silence and somehow felt more at peace? Or caught someone's yawn, even though you're not tired? ...
Rick LeCouteur
Jun 18, 20253 min read
Bangkok’s Great Mystery: The story of Jim Thompson (#351)
The Jim Thompson House Museum In the heart of Bangkok, tucked behind high hedges and shaded by towering trees, lies a house that feels...
Rick LeCouteur
Jun 14, 20253 min read
When Bureaucracy Fails: What Social Security could learn from a Vet Hospital (#349)
Let’s imagine something absurd. Your dog is not well. Not just a little off. Something’s wrong. You try to book an appointment at your...
Rick LeCouteur
Jun 12, 20254 min read
Speaking Truth to Power: A lesson from Cassius and Murrow (#344)
Cassius (the younger man pointing) and Brutus (the older man listening) from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar . In the winter of 1954,...
Rick LeCouteur
Jun 7, 20252 min read
Speak Up, Even When It’s Risky: Why challenging power matters (#343)
There’s a quiet courage in standing up, not just for yourself, but for what’s right. Especially when the person you’re standing up to has...
Rick LeCouteur
Jun 7, 20254 min read
To Younger Vets: Don’t mistake the growl for bitterness (#340)
A colleague recently challenged me, good-naturedly I think, that I was starting to sound like a grumpy old retired vet , always going on...
Rick LeCouteur
Jun 5, 20253 min read
When Nature Imitates Politics: The southern flannel moth (#328)
Deep within the forests of the southeastern United States and parts of the Amazon, a peculiar caterpillar has captured public attention,...
Rick LeCouteur
May 25, 20252 min read
Snollygoster: A deliciously devious word (#326)
Every now and then, the English language coughs up a word so curious, so characterful, and so loaded with sly charm that it demands to be...
Rick LeCouteur
May 24, 20252 min read
Mutualism: Children’s picture books inspire cooperation (#325)
A mutualistic relationship is when two organisms of different species work together, each benefiting from the relationship. Organisms...
Rick LeCouteur
May 23, 20253 min read
Wildlife, Wilderness, and the Wrecking Ball: Undoing decades... (#321)
A Relentless Retreat from Environmental Protection and Wildlife Conservation The first 100 days of the current administration’s return...
Rick LeCouteur
May 4, 20254 min read
In Praise of the Contrarian (1 of 2): A Case for thinking differently (#318)
In a world that often rewards conformity and consensus, the contrarian walks a different path. Whether in science, politics, art, or...
Rick LeCouteur
May 2, 20253 min read
Memory, Dream, & Longing: A Soft Collision (#313)
A memory, a dream, and a longing. At first glance, they seem like separate phenomena, each belonging to its own corner of the mind. ...
Rick LeCouteur
Apr 27, 20253 min read
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