International Tongue Twister Day -- Not

i was misled into thinking that today was International Tongue Twister Day. Hard to believe I could get something like that wrong, eh? But it turns out that ITT Day actually falls on the second Sunday in November. Never mind how I became confused about it. I woke up this morning ready to write about how hard it is to say “Imagine an imaginary menagerie.” Or "No need to light a night-light on a light night like tonight." The good news is that we have 11 months to practice for the real holiday. In advance I offer a few tongue twisters with wildlife pictures. That's Coney Island, NYC in the photo above.

Starting with something short and simple: "Zebras zig and zebras zag."

"She sells seashells by the seashore." Classic! Click to enlarge the gooseneck barnacles.

This one is challenging and icky: "The crow flew over the river with a lump of raw liver."

Apparently five swans have left already. "Six sleek swans swam swiftly southwards."

And here is a tongue twister I composed for the occasion. "Round-eyed raccoons recline and commune in a rough-hewn treetop raccoon cocoon." Try saying it fast three times.