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.