wefloat’s Neighborhood

Twittering

hp
Yesterday
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Automatic posting from my Twitter Account:

07:22 The blinking Christmas lights in my gym's spin studio really aren't that helpful.

Twittering

hp
2 days ago
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Automatic posting from my Twitter Account:

08:01 Watched "Rudolf" last night (on DVD) and I can't stop singing "Holly Jolly Christmas"
18:16 Amazing how blocking can sometimes transform a knitting project.

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

Katiebell
3 days ago
4 comments

This weekend, I spent a very chilly windy day at one small part of the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. It's about two hours from where I live. I was a little worried that I might get there and find acres of just grass. Not so!

The Refuge is incredible. It is 140,000 acres sharing a boundary with the National Space Center. It was originally set aside as a Buffer Zone for the Space Center in the 1950's.

DSC_2366

The terrain is not impressive, but the entire place is massive.

Since that time It has been tinkered with in a variety of ways to make it more habitable for both wildlife and people. I was really really impressed with the entire set up!

DSC_2394

Not only are there areas that are attractive to birds,it also contains an area of undeveloped beach which is popular with Loggerhead Turtles during breeding times, and the endangered West Indian Manatee. There are several miles of hiking trails, as well as a Manatee observation area.

In the winter the Wildlife Service allows the area to essentially "flood" the marsh areas. The flooding allows

for the growth of foods attractive to water birds and attracts many many water birds, big and small to the area. During the other months, when birds are not hanging out so predominantly in warm, sunny Florida the waters are allowed to ebb and flow with the tides of the rivers, which I think reduces Mosquitos as well as is a more natural state I suppose for the area.

DSC_2319

(Above is a Flock of Pelicans, on their way to Pelican Island another wildlife refuge adjacent to Merritt Island).

What impressed me most is that a great deal of the wildlife is very accessible to people who are not huge hikers. There is a 7 mile "wildlife observation drive" which has been placed so that one actually can observe a ton of activity just from the road. In fact, almost all of my photos were taken from the road. I think sometimes that Wildlife areas are so lovely, but that many people don't even get a chance to get interested because if they cruise through by auto they see nothing, and think Booorrrrring This drive would have gotten anyone excited about seeing more. Not only that, but, access to this area is free! It really is accessible to all who can physically arrive in Florida on the Space Coast.

So without Further Ado, let me show you all what a real Anhinga, snake bird, should look like!

Angh

1 comment

Anhingas are a little unusual. Once they get wet, they really have to dry their wings, so it's pretty easy to get this photo. I think thousands of amateurs like myself have this photo! It's so dramatic, but frankly, unless you really really purposely disturb this bird, it is not going too far until those wings dry up!

Anhingadry

I can't help but share two photos, I couldn't decide which I liked better.

GrBlueHeron

It was a very very windy day, making things rather chilly and sometimes blowing me around as I tried to hold the camera steady, you can see the feathers of this Great Blue Heron being upswept by the wind.

By far the most exciting thing I saw all day was the field of Roseate Spoonbills. I knew of the bird, but had never seen it.

SpoonbillCity

A lot of Florida tourists mistake these odd looking birds for Flamingos. But, as Flamingo Dancer will tell you, a Flamingo has longer legs and a dark blackish heavy bill. Like the Flamingo, the Roseate Spoonbill gets it's pink color from the foods it eats. The Spoonbill mostly eats crustaceans. The algae that the crustaceans eat gives the birds their wild pink coloration.

Spoonbill

2 comments

They use their shovel like Bill to sweep from side to side...there are actually odd little sensors in their bills allowing them to sense their dinner.

They are really funny looking birds, who are extra social, and seem to spend most of their time in huge groups, unlike the Great Egret , which can be seen all over Florida, usually alone.

White

The Spoonbills are so social, they will even hang out with any other wading birds. They aren;t judgemental about others not being quite so pink and pretty!

I caught these Ibises flaying out of a group of Spoonbills.

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The White Ibis birds are very common in Florida, and hang out at pretty much every retention pond in my area. I loved seeing them in a more natural atmosphere. They are easily known by the very obvious curved beak.

Most of the birds pictured here (with the exception I think of the Pelicans) were at one time threatened or endangered due to Hat fashions of the Victorian Era.

Victfeath

Thankfully, these hats have gone

rather out of fashion....and the birds have subsequently recovered.

All of the birds pictured here are considered "LC" or of the least concern these days.

And I am quite pleased to not have to wear such hats

to stay in fashion!

Hat5

So, thanks to changes in fashion and sensibilities, we now have flocks and flocks of these impressive birds to challenge my photography skills.

DSC_2351

I love this photo, If you look at it carefully, you will notice the bird, which was flying oddly solo, has the oddest little tilt to it's head. This tilt made me laugh, it gives the image of an aviator trying to navigate.

Most of the time, however, the Roseate Spoonbill in flight appears more graceful than the above photo.

FlightSPB

This is the same spoonbill, with its head in a less cocked position. As you can see, they really are very very pink,

but they are clearly not Flamingos!

DSC_2353

As I said, I was really really impressed with the area of the Wildlife preserve I visited. I was a bit concerned that I was going to prepare my camera, make a long drive, and find that the wildlife, being wildlife, would have retreated to areas that can't be accessed by humans, either on foot or in a vehicle! Instead, most of the photos were taken right off of the "wildlife viewing drive". The Drive is seven miles of gravel road, with 14 or so stops that are marked. At several of the stops are short 1-2 mile looping trails that allow people to get out deeper into the habitat. At stop nine (where the Spoonbill in flight pics were taken) is a 5 mile loop with an awesome observation deck). I walked the 5 mile loop. While the loop was fun...there were so many mosquitos, I actually eventually wanted to rip off my pants (which were being bitten through) and roll in the scratchy grass.

I would really recommend this to anyone who has even a passing interest in birds and wildlife. It's free, so you won't feel like you wasted a ton of cash on a short visit. I regret that I didn't have binoculars!!!

And on that note.....

Cloudscape

I'll share the view I had, as the light started to go.

I hope you enjoyed the photos! (I'm a little overly proud of myself...)

Twittering

hp
3 days ago
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Automatic posting from my Twitter Account:

10:23 Listening to "Tales of Hoffman" on the radio and dreaming that we could be at the Met right now for the performance.

Twittering

hp
4 days ago
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Automatic posting from my Twitter Account:

17:05 The box my BIL sent us (at my work) is creating shock and awe among my co-workers. I assume it's xmas presents.
19:48 Reading xmas card from friend whose husband I worked with years ago. He died (way too young) several years ago - remembering him fondly.

Twittering

hp
5 days ago
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Automatic posting from my Twitter Account:

18:46 Just read the cutest "Christmas letter" authored by a friend's teenage son for their family. Super cute and funny!
20:31 Many thanks to the manager of the Seattle Sephora who helped me put together gifts for some teen girls in need who'd asked for makeup...
20:33 ...he added in a nice packet of freebies to round out the gifts - really appreciated that touch!

Happy holidays from Northwest Core!

josefa
6 days ago
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Employment Blues

Katiebell
7 days ago
12 comments

Well, Today marks the day that I begin

Hair-out-714605

pulling my hair out.

This entire day has been so so messed up . In addition to the below time line, I started a multi dose pack of prednisone. One of the side effect is that it can make a person jittery and irritable. Good timing.

09:15 I call FHW and accept position.

10:00 I tell My Directors Secretary that I am resigning, as I can not find director.

10:30 I go and purchase 2 new pairs of scrubs since I can only wear Navy blue at my new job.

12:30 I send my Letter of Resignation email to my Director. It was a nice letter. Date Jan 17.

13:30 I get a phone call from FHW telling me that due to "restructuring" they were pulling the job the offered and

offering me nights.

I proceed to gasp for air. Finally I said that I needed to talk to the actual Manager.

14:10 Actual manager calls back. very nice, states she is not sure how long I may remain on nights. Tells me how

nice she believes the night shift to be.

I remain really angry and in a state of Shock.

14:20 I take the dog for a walk. I think and I try to figure out what I am going to do.

15:30 I come home, and make a few quick phone calls. I call the local hospital, hoping that at the very least they have a nights position open. I mean, if I am going to work nights it would help to have the job be only 2.7 miles away.

15:45: I speak to Health Central. They confirm they do have days available.

16:11 I am drinking Coffee and wondering what I should do.

Nights really isn't that bad for 3-4 months. I feel like I might have my best opportunity to move up at FH-Waterman. On the other hand, If I am going to do nights, the lure of doing a night shift, walking across the parking lot to the gym and swimming, and then going to bed is very appealing...

and then well, there is a day shift at Health Central, still don't know too much about the place, except that Tiger Woods and his MIL were treated there recently....

I'm not going to rescind my resignation. I'm ready for something new, but I am just amazed at how things are turning out. Plus the prednisone is making me so so jittery and emotional it's rather difficult for me to think at all clearly.

At least I really did need new scrubs. I'm looking forward to seeing how they look tomorrow.

Cleansing For Sticky Windows

Patty
7 days ago
2 comments

Sometimes technology empowers me. Things work smoother and faster and I can write, connect, watch, create and generally do and be more, as result of magic of technology.

Then there are times when technology thwarts me at every turn. Things break, slow down or just become ridiculously complicated. When that happens, technology can suck the energy out of just about every task big and small.

After months of everything working relatively smoothly, I seem to find myself thwarted by machines, captive to electrical conundrums, bogged down by bad connections and generally wading through the muck of technology gone wrong.

The Television Has Fallen Ill

The televisions have had memory cards replaced, firmware upgrades and new panels installed. The cordless phones have taken to randomly deciding to let me know who's calling or not, as it pleases them. The programmable thermostat seems to want to decide for itself when the heat should go full blast or completely off. Bulbs in my bedroom and the backyard refuse to power up and provide light. My Blackberry's trackball has developed a sluggishness and a stickiness that makes me suspect that some of that nasty green goo from Ghost Busters is oozing just behind the faceplate.

But the most vexing problems are with my computer and its relationship to programs and the Internet. It's slow. Really realley sl-o-o-o-o-o-o-w. Which is maddening enough, but it loses things. It forgets things. It doesn't want to connect to sites and people it should connect to. It misbehaves, acting like it doesn't care to help me do the things I need and want to do. This defiant, sluggish laptop was purchased in May of this year.

Can You See The Ghost In The Machine?

I've tried all the usual (but not extreme) remedies that those of us with an above average comfort level with personal technology know to do in these situations. I've tried them two and three times or more.

It might be time for more drastic measures. But before I go that far, one of my business partners offered up his "Technology Cleansing Ritual".

I think it might be worth a shot.

When you are in the snowy cold of Minnesota, take your laptop, remove any jewelry and do the following:

1.       Gather freshly cut parsley and place it in a pan of distilled water. Let it soak for nine minutes. Sprinkle the water throughout the house while visualizing a calm environment.

2.       Go outside, face Seattle and chant the following: I will uphold the Redmond creed. High in spirit, I shall succeed. Power of the Elements Five, will help my data stay alive. From grains of earth to the moving air, past the burning fire that magic flares, flow with water, lakes, and streams; around the spirit's aura and dreams. Keep my karma high aloft and let me play with Microsoft.

3.       Avoid eating any liver or organ meat for one month.

You should be good to go!

J

New Car Technology

Katiebell
Dec 15, 2009
5 comments

This morning, I went to get my camera out of the car, and discovered that my car was locked tight and I had no idea where the Key was.

This happens to me regularly. I even once went through an entire Wal-Mart trash can (eeeeeewwwww) to discover I had left the key in a pocket of a shirt I had considered buying.

My solution is usually, believe it or not, to pray about it. God, or the focus, usually leads me to recalling where my key can be found.

Today I could not find the key in any of the regular places. I looked in the couch (Found 5 ball points) emptied a box, and discovered multiple things I had been wanting (my dresser scarf, some hair items, a matching shoe for a lone shoe...) but no key.

FInally in desperation, I called the dealer. I had only gotten one key when I bought the car and that seemed odd. Turns out a new key for the Toyota Prius costs between 175.00 and 200.00

P-smart-key-system

Well. Not only that, they have to order it, and then program the car again to get it to work. And there is a charge for programming the car!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All of this would take a few weeks. During which time I would probably have to rent a car.

Back in the day, one could call a locksmith, and get a key cut to open and drive the car for like, oh, 20.00, and the service call would be about 75.00 So around the same, except that the locksmith person usually would come out that day and have you on your way in a few hours. Rather than weeks!!!!

After talking rather irately to the manager of the dealership about why did I have no key....I found my key. In a pile of Christmas cards.

I called him right away and told him I still wanted the second key. He said it had been delivered to me. He suggested I look deeply into the glove box. I said, OK.

Oddly, my second key was deeply deeply embedded in the glove box. I am a little embarrassed, but at least I told the guy Thank you in a fairly nice way.

I am really in LOVE with my Prius. I like it so so much. BUt I have to say I am not sure the electronic key system is that much of a blessing considering how much hassle it is.

(BUT! I now have my second key, safely in my home, in case I ever do get stupid enough to misplace my key again.)

It's a funny thing how technology is supposed to make life easier, but it never really seems to, instead I have more and more complications!