Time Flies

I know its been awhile since I last posted. Life got busy with the holidays and work.

I went home for a couple days over Christmas. Like every year, Christmas Eve day was spent with the Mattmiller clan. It was nice to see everyone - I had lots of fun playing with my cousins and had my Grandpas amazing ham. Christmas day was then spent at our house and the Grandparents came over. It was a great relaxing couple of days with good food. I also discovered a new way to enjoy my coffee - add mint hot chocolate. Delicious and tastes a little like a Starbucks Peppermint Mocha :)



Apparently, I was super good this year because I got lots of really fun gifts - a bunch of books from my wish list, a thermarest, some new socks and Blue Planet / Planet Earth. If any of you have not seen the Planet Earth series it is worth checking out because the footage is breathtaking!

Following my much to short visit to Wausau, I returned to the Audubon Center where I had to psych myself up for Family Escape Weekend. Basically a bunch of family descend on the center for 4 days full of activities. My favorite program was called Animal Care and Handling. Basically, families could come into the barn and see the critters up close. It was super cute to see the little kids holding salamanders and getting excited to feed a frog or touch a snake.

And with that, another year draws to a close. 2009 has been a year with ups and downs but I am certainly enjoying where I am now. Hopefully, 2010 continues the positive note that this year is ending on. Until next time...

~*~HAPPY NEW YEAR~*~

Minnesota Zoo

On Sunday, I went down to the cities and went to the Minnesota Zoo with Omi and Renee. The zoo had a really nice mixture of indoor and outdoor exhibits. My two favorite exhibits were Discovery Bay and the Minnesota Trail. Discovery Bay was home to the sharks, dolphins, and other fun aquatic critters including a touch pool.

The Minnesota Trail was filled with animals found in Minnesota. Many of the animals were out and about in the wintery weather which also made the visit very enjoyable.

The trip was really great and was rounded out with a quick run to Barnes and Noble and a Starbucks drink. At the end of the day, I was a happy camper!

A Sand County Almanac

For several years now, the Aldo Leopold book A Sand County Almanac has been on my list to read. While I have read some passages before, I have finally read the book in its entirety.

As I read, it amazed me how far ahead of his time Leopold was. Written in 1949, many of the concepts brought up in the essays are still relevant today.

Perhaps my favorite essay is Prairie Birthday where Leopold talks about watching prairie plants bloom in a cemetery that he drives past daily. "Tell me of what plant-birthday a man takes notice and I shall tell you a good deal about his vocation, his hobbies, his hay-fever and his the general level of his ecological education." It really intrigued me because it talks about the desensitization of people. We can often overlook the beautiful things that are right in front of us simply because we are not paying attention.

If you are interested in nature and haven't read this book yet, I would highly recommend it.

~*~ aquarium fun ~*~

Yesterday, I got the chance to go up to Duluth and see the Great Lakes Aquarium. This aquarium has primarily freshwater fish native to the great lakes area. Right now, they have an exhibit on seahorse which was fun to see. Who doesn't like seahorses?

The visit was great because for the most part, the aquarium was empty. This meant that I could meander around at my own pace and have full view of the tanks :) In addition, I got a behind the scenes tour of the filtration and some of the holding tanks. One of the neatest things of the entire trip was watching the SCUBA divers feed the sturgeon. It looked really fun and is something I hope to try someday!!

BIRDIES!

Meet my birds.

Ok, they are not mine but rather reside at the Audubon Center where I get to train them. Both of them are imprinted which is why they are non-releasable.

This is Nero, the male American kestrel. He is a dirty little thing - always has food hanging from his beak and/or talons and can make his mew a pigpen. When you go to his mew he starts twittering at you as if to have a conversation.

This is Isis, a female American kestrel. Sometimes I think she is angry with the world because she can have an attitude (Isis is the bird that footed my ear). Even with the attitude she is super cute - when I stand outside her mew she often flies to meet me. When I feed her, she makes little chirping sounds and has the cutest sneezes.

winter's here

I fear that the start of winter has arrived. Snow has started to fall (and stick), temperatures are declining and signs of Christmas are popping up everywhere I go.

The animals are getting ready for the season. Mice are trying to find shelter, unfortunately some are in my car. Today, I saw a shorttail weasel in its bright white winter coat chase a shrew across the field. Predator - Prey in action.

I wandered out to my transect this afternoon and saw that the woods is well prepared for the upcoming season. Deciduous trees have lost all their leaves and the wildflowers are no longer visible. Perhaps the most depressing change was the lack of wildlife - nothing had crossed my transect by foot recently.

I can see the snow still falling outside my window but am going to curl up in bed and be in denial of winter's arrival for just a little bit longer.

underwater basket weaving

OK, it wasn't underwater but I still managed to make a basket.....with alot of help.

It is made from birchbark strips woven together.

It turned out nice but tested my patience. This process also reminded me that I really am not a crafter.

THANKSGIVING!!

I spent a couple days in Wausau for Thanksgiving which was great because I got to see lots of family and friends. Thanksgiving day was spent at Greg and Jess's. My Grandpa made ham which was one of the highlights. While eating dinner at the kids table (yes I realize that sounds crazy but this year, you sat at the kids table if you were under the age of 26) I looked over and saw I have the same eating habitats as my 6 year old cousin. We both had pickles and ham. I also taught everyone the art of eating a Tim Tam. My cousins loved them and wanted another Tim Tam instead of birthday cake!! Overall, a nice and relaxing weekend - can't wait until Christmas :)

lichens-r-us

This weekend, the interns had a trip up to northern Minnesota to visit Wolf Ridge RELC. The center is located on the north shore of Lake Superior. We drove up to have a look at another center that is similar to the Audubon as well as fit in a couple activities for our Hamline classes.

First up was lichen hunting. We learned the basics about lichens and then headed out to a nearby state park to find some lichens. I have been taking photos of lichens and fungus for awhile now and it was neat to finally learn some basics. A lichen is a symbiotic relationship between a fungus, bacteria and/or algae. I had lots of fun taking photos and trying to identify some species while enjoying the amazing view of Lake Superior.

Lichen Hunting at the state park

My favorite lichen picture!! A water droplet on several kinds of lichens - one of which is possibly a reindeer lichen.

Amazing View!!

The next day we went to a farm that is completely off the grid. They get almost all of their energy from various renewable energies. This was neat to and its neat that they can run an entire farm this way. After this we headed back to Wolf Ridge to observe a class. I watched Trees and Keys which is a class about identifying trees. It was kind of interesting and gave me the chance to explore the trails there a little bit.

Overall, a nice quick weekend trip!!

FIELD TRIP!!!

Today, the interns got the chance to go to the Raptor Center and Como Zoo in the cities.

First stop was the Raptor Center where we got the chance to see the education facilities, including many of their birds. We also got the chance to talk to someone who has worked in the wildlife field for a while and pick her brain. Below are 2 of the birds - a barn owl and great horned owl.

Next up was the Como Zoo. A nice small zoo near the raptor center. I had lots of fun taking pictures of plants in the conservatory (see below). In the cafe, I got a delicious mint chocolate coffee. I must admit that it was Caribou Coffee which makes it that much more amazing that I enjoyed the drink. (For those of you who don't know this, I am a Starbucks girl and usually hate Caribou drinks)

Overall, it was a good day. I learned a thing or two while I got some good coffee, a trip to the zoo and the chance to see some birds. Definitely cant complain!!

~krazy kestrel~

Every now and then, you have a day where nothing goes quite as planned.

Take today for instance. I started a new step in my training of Isis. She was being a rockstar and doing really well. She was actually eating small pieces of food from my hand for the first time. Problem was I couldn't finish my training because of all the things going on in the barn.

By time I returned with the last of her food, she was hungry and unhappy. Usually, she flies to her food platform and waits for me to feed her. This time, she perched on my shoulder. Then, as if to show her dislike of the days activities, she footed my ear before flying off. Yes, you read that correctly - she grabbed my ear with her talon.

Once the laughter subsides, you will be glad to know that I am fine. I find the humor in the situation but was still freaked out a bit while it was happening.

Heres hoping our next training session goes more smoothly!!

the little things in life

Lately I have felt the travel itch - I don't know where I want to go just that I want to go somewhere. Unfortunately I cant just pick up and hop on a plane (and trust me I wish I could) so I decided to at least get out of Sandstone for the day.

I drove to just outside of the cities. I started my morning at Panera where I had a great breakfast sandwich, a mocha and some high speed internet. Next it was on to Barnes and Noble. It has been far too long since I wandered around a bookstore. I didn't buy anything but I now have quite the list of books I want to read. Following the bookstore I went to a Starbucks. I was happy to discover that it tis the season of the red cup. I don't know why but I always love when the red cup makes an appearance - maybe because it reminds me of winter and holidays and family.

My last stop of the day was Target. This is probably what I miss the most about not living near a city. I had the best discovery at Target - Pepperidge Farm has come out with their holiday cookies. This means TIM TAMS!!! Earlier this year I discovered the hard way that the tim tam is a seasonal thing. Not this time - this time I bought 4 packs (I did get several strange looks from the cashier but it was worth it).

When I got back to Audubon, I shared the wonderfulness of the tim tam with a couple of my housemates. We choose to make hot chocolate, bite the corners off the tim tam and then use the tim tam as a straw. The cookie turns into this warm delicious mess and lets you feel like your in Europe. Since I cant jump on a plane, the quick run into a city will have to do.....for now :)

swine

I have been thinking alot about the ups and downs of living with lots of other people. On the one hand, there is always some around to talk with or just hang out with. On the other hand, there is more people making a mess and more potential for illness being spread.

Since Friday I have been in quarantine because I came down with a case of H1N1 or the dreaded swine flu. I woke up Thursday morning with pressure on my chest and figured it was another cold. By Friday, I had a fever, body aches, nausea and pretty much every other symptom of the flu. I went to the doctor and had to put on the stylish mask and gloves. Looking around the waiting room, there were several children with the same accessories but I was the only adult. Its a weird feeling knowing that you are the last person anyone wants to sit next to. After going over my symptoms, the doctor said what I suspected - I had come down with a case of the swine flu.

For all the hype in the media, I was expecting H1N1 to be worse. Not that this has been a walk in the park. After several days of sleep, I feel alot better. I actually worked on Monday.

the cities

On Sunday, I made a quick trip down to the cities. The drive was a lot easier than I thought it would be and made it to Amandas apartment by 10.

We ate at a place just down the block called Egg and I. I got a breakfast sandwich with egg, cheese and bacon on an english muffin. It was good food and good coffee!! Definitely a cute little place to go for a quick brunch.

After that, Amanda drove me around. This was my first time to the Minneapolis / St Paul area other than a couple trips to the Mall of America and the airport so it was nice to get a feel for the city. For some reason it reminds me of Melbourne. We went to Target (YAY!!) and The Minnesota History Museum. The best exhibit at the museum was MN150 - an exhibit on 150 things that help put Minnesota on the map. The things were from every aspect of culture - the brown paper bag, spam, Prince, Mayo Clinic and GPS. I learned quite about the state. They had a couple other interesting exhibits like The Greatest Generation. This one looks at the generation that was born shortly before the Great Depression and went on to serve in WWII.

Next it was on to a "nature" area along the river. It was were many of the old mills were. I found this area really beautiful. There was this neat juxtaposition between old historical buildings that were partially collapsed and the new buildings. The yellow fall color of the aspens only added to the sight. It was a neat area to walk around (unfortunately I neglected to take any pictures).

We then drove to a burger joint to meet Heidi for dinner. Then it was time to leave because homework was calling my name. Definitely a fun, quick day trip that will I will hopefully do again soon!!

Charter School Visits

I have spent the past three days visiting 3 of the charter schools that the Audubon Center sponsors. It was quite the road trip with lots of time in the van and lots of time observing different teaching methods.

The first school we went to was in Minnesota City. I did not get to observe the teaching styles here but did teach a lesson of raptors. I taught the first hour after lunch (I always hate teaching the first class after lunch because so many kids go into a food coma). This class was of 9th/10th graders and pretty much unresponsive to my raptor lesson. We got the chance to talk with the director of the school and watch a board meeting which was interesting to see.

We got up super early the next day and drove to our second school - La Crescent Montessori. At this school we only observed classes. It is a Montessori school - so there are no lessons in the traditional sense. Each child in the class works on different lessons so there is lot of hands on activities and no lecture. To an outsider it often looks messy. It is a interesting teaching style and have no idea how I feel about it.

That same evening we got back in the van and headed to our last school - Cannon River STEM School. We spent the evening at the school in the living room of the staff housing. The school is situated on the campus of a boarding school so it really has a campus feel to it. This school was my favorite. It has an emphasis on science and technology so the kids learn alot about nature and science through projects. All of the teachers had really good rapport with the students so it was a positive learning environment. I observed for most of the day and then helped teach the Kindergartners about owls.

Overall, I learned a lot about various teaching styles and have a better understanding of the schools that come visit the center. The trip was exhausting though and I am happy to back in my own room!

BUSY BUSY

The last week or so has been super busy with lots of teaching and various barn duties. Teaching wise, it was a stressful week. Not because of the students (most of who were really excited to be at Audubon) but because of what I was teaching. It was a lot of new lessons that I had never taught before. I also taught some high ropes which was great because I dont have to think alot anymore when I teach it :)


In the barn world, I am now offically checked off on handling all of the education birds. This is awesome because I got my last key AND do not have to wait around for people to birds out for me any more. Our Barred Owl was the last bird I had to be checked off on. She didnt make it easy - she sat out in the rain and evaded me for a bit. She then pooped on my ungloved hand for good measure. When I was finally done, I was damp and kinda gross.



The other barn related thing is I passed my rehab test YAY!! I finished the test around 1:45 pm on Tuesday. At about 2:45 pm the center got a call about an injured red tailed hawk so I got to jump in the car and do my first rehab animal.



Perhaps the most exciting thing from the past week was Amanda's Wedding. My cousin got married so I spent the weekend in Wausau. The wedding was beautiful and I got the chance to see a lot of family.


Well I best be off. I have to pack for my charter school visits. No rest for the weary.

GIRLS BIG NIGHT OUT

Last night, me and several of the other interns (Amy, Emily and Manu) made a road trip up to Duluth, MN. Hawk Ridge was having an owl program at night so we decided to make an evening of it. First we went to Pizza Luce - a really good pizza place in downtown Duluth. I tried brushcetta and a pizza with a different type of sauce. Surprisingly, both were good!

Following dinner, the four of us headed up to Hawk Ridge in hopes of seeing an owl. The program was good and we all learned a thing or two to add to our bird programs. We stayed out in the frosty night air for an hour and a half waiting for word that an owl had been caught down at the bird banding station. Many jumping jacks later (and little feeling left in my toes) we decided to call it a night. The fact that no owls were caught is unusual for this time of year because normally there are numerous saw-whet moving south.

After the long evening, we returned to the Audubon Center. Turns out we were not the only ones freezing because all of the water was removed from the raptor enclosures to prevent frostbite. Also, the Kestrels spent their first night of the season in their winter enclosures. More signs that the seasons are changing!

First Snow

My morning walk to the barn was absolutely beautiful today. Over night, the ground was dusted in the first snow fall of the year. I loved the way bright fall leaves looked against the fresh white. The Kestrels (Isis and Nero) did not seem to appreciate the snow quite as much as me. Both of them had their feathers fluffed and were in a grouchy mood.

After feeding my birds, I changed into my winter gear and went for a walk into the woods. I got the chance to break in some new wool socks and snow pants. While I was working on an assignment, I took the opportunity to take many photographs of the beautiful scenery. (Which I will try and post soon!)

Its amazing how fast things went from summer to fall this year. No transition just suddenly, one day its cold. While I am excited for the snow, I hope this doesn't mean a long winter!!

Well that's it for now - its the perfect day to sit in bed and enjoy some hot chocolate!

Welcome!

Well here goes nothing! I have decide to create a blog as an online journal and way that people can keep up with my comings and goings...plus it gives me yet another way to procrastinate. Enjoy and please let me know what you think :)