Downy Woodpecker
Junco
Mockingbird
Black-Capped Chickadee
Carolina Wren
Oregon Pink-Sided Junco (? possibly)
Red-Breasted Nuthatch
Purple Finch
Dove
Cardinal
Tufted Titmouse
...and most of these came in multiples! Now that the semester's over, I could guiltlessly watch the birds in my backyard this morning instead of rush to revise essays the moment I got out of bed. It was fabulous. I only wish the doves had been turtle-doves because there were two of them. :-)
Updates on the backyards and blue jays: They both had a wonderful summer. I wondered why I didn't blog about them during the summer, and I concluded that they're so obviously beautiful when all is green and verdant and lively that it seems like overkill to call attention to what's already so apparent on its own. But this time of year, when the snow and ice are coating the backyard, and blue skies (like this morning) are rare, when the birds depend on our birdfeeders and the heated birdbath, I like to mention the brave birds who stick around even during the cold, dark Pennsylvania winter.
Some notes:
The mockingbird disappeared all summer, much to my great disappointment. A few months ago (Oct 5, actually), the mockingbird came back, perched on top of the black walnut tree, and sang for about a half-hour to announce his return. (Okay, I don't know it's the same one, but I like to think so.) I think I even heard a seagull in his new repertoire. Where were you all summer, dear bird?
About a month ago, I was outside at 1:00 a.m. trying to see the Leonids, but it was too cloudy. As I was stepping back into the nice, warm house, I heard an owl! It wasn't in my yard, but a few yards down, in a thicket of pine trees I believe. Judging by its hoot, I think it was a Great Horned Owl. I've been listening for it in the meantime, but I'm afraid he was just passing through. Sad. We've certainly got enough chipmunks around to last him the winter.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Ugh.
I know. "Ugh"? On my nature blog? From the one who says she likes bats?
That's right: Ugh. Look what I found in my yard.
Have you ever seen anything more hideous in the environs of your home? One of these monsters lives just outside my kitchen, the other visible from my bedroom window. I've seen a grasshopper stuck cross-wise in the web of one of these monsters, and then seen it disappear as the spider eats it.
I don't do well with spiders.
Normal looking brown and black spiders of a respectable size, sure. I have removed my share of arachnids from college dorm rooms and apartments in my day, but even I have my limits.
Still, strangely enough, as I take a ramble through my backyard, I always stop by these two webs to check in on the strangers in my garden. Today I finally decided to see what kinds they were, if they were native to my area, and if they had the poison potential to eat my cat.
As it turns out, they're apparently quite common and known as the Yellow Garden Spider. (Read more here at insectidentification.org.) Their webs are beautiful (and both in my yard have the characteristic zig-zag), and their colors are indeed striking. I just wonder that I'd never seen one before. If I had, there's the slight possibility my stomach wouldn't flip every time I see one anew.
I'm also hoping they prefer the winter's cold to my house's warmth. Finding one of these in my backyard is one thing. Seeing one waltzing across my bedspread would be quite another.
At any rate, based on its colors, I'm guessing it likes Western PA the best. After all, where else do black and gold spell "local" than in Steelers Country?
That's right: Ugh. Look what I found in my yard.
Have you ever seen anything more hideous in the environs of your home? One of these monsters lives just outside my kitchen, the other visible from my bedroom window. I've seen a grasshopper stuck cross-wise in the web of one of these monsters, and then seen it disappear as the spider eats it.
I don't do well with spiders.
Normal looking brown and black spiders of a respectable size, sure. I have removed my share of arachnids from college dorm rooms and apartments in my day, but even I have my limits.
Still, strangely enough, as I take a ramble through my backyard, I always stop by these two webs to check in on the strangers in my garden. Today I finally decided to see what kinds they were, if they were native to my area, and if they had the poison potential to eat my cat.
As it turns out, they're apparently quite common and known as the Yellow Garden Spider. (Read more here at insectidentification.org.) Their webs are beautiful (and both in my yard have the characteristic zig-zag), and their colors are indeed striking. I just wonder that I'd never seen one before. If I had, there's the slight possibility my stomach wouldn't flip every time I see one anew.
I'm also hoping they prefer the winter's cold to my house's warmth. Finding one of these in my backyard is one thing. Seeing one waltzing across my bedspread would be quite another.
At any rate, based on its colors, I'm guessing it likes Western PA the best. After all, where else do black and gold spell "local" than in Steelers Country?
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Magazines!!!
A few months ago, I made the mistake of ordering a really cute trench coat online. The coat itself was not the mistake; it's where I ordered it from. In the four months since placing this order, the catalogs sent to my name have gone from one or two a year to at least 20 in the past few months.
!!!
Anyone have any suggestions for cutting down on the incoming junk mail so I don't have to haul 80 catalogs a month to the recycling center? I used to send the order form back requesting to be taken off the list, but none of the magazines on my desk have order forms. Is there a central "no-send" database like the "no-call" list for telemarketing?
...unfortunately for my wallet, some of the things in these catalogs are rather tempting too....
!!!
Anyone have any suggestions for cutting down on the incoming junk mail so I don't have to haul 80 catalogs a month to the recycling center? I used to send the order form back requesting to be taken off the list, but none of the magazines on my desk have order forms. Is there a central "no-send" database like the "no-call" list for telemarketing?
...unfortunately for my wallet, some of the things in these catalogs are rather tempting too....
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Sustainable Storage Choices
In my short researches this afternoon, I've found that glass containers are acknowledged as the best, with porcelain, ceramic, and stainless steel following up as good choices. My plans now are to raid the old kitchen things my mom and grandma have given me over the years as they've modernized their kitchens, to find the glass and ceramic containers I know I have somewhere. Next, I'll raid Goodwill and Salvation Army shops (where, bonus!, I usually also find great old vinyl records).
If you'd like to support some green, sustainable product manufacturers, I did come across a few awesome websites that you could check out for brand-new good stuff.
http://worldcentric.org/
http://www.to-goware.com/
http://www.grinningplanet.com/
Other options are glass products from such well-known names as Pyrex, Corningware, and Anchor Hocking.
It's easy to reduce plastics in your kitchen! And I'm even taking one website's suggestion and storing my smaller sewing items in some of the old plastic containers I've removed from the kitchen cabinets. Next on the agenda: get rid of all paper napkins and paper towels. I'm already halfway there.
funky cloth napkins rolled up and ready for dinner
If you'd like to support some green, sustainable product manufacturers, I did come across a few awesome websites that you could check out for brand-new good stuff.
http://worldcentric.org/
http://www.to-goware.com/
http://www.grinningplanet.com/
Other options are glass products from such well-known names as Pyrex, Corningware, and Anchor Hocking.
It's easy to reduce plastics in your kitchen! And I'm even taking one website's suggestion and storing my smaller sewing items in some of the old plastic containers I've removed from the kitchen cabinets. Next on the agenda: get rid of all paper napkins and paper towels. I'm already halfway there.
funky cloth napkins rolled up and ready for dinnerCabinet Clutter
If you have a kitchen, you have problems with clutter. I don't care who you are or where you live; if you don't have clutter problems, especially in your storage-containers cabinet, you are probably not human.
Today, my mom left the clean reusable I Can't Believe It's Not Butter and Cool Whip containers on the counter after unloading them from the dishwasher, and I set to work putting them away.
"We have too many," I said after several futile stacking attempts, and she agreed.
I pushed around a few more containers and found six Cool Whip containers in the back.
"Do we ever use these? We could get rid of them, you know."
Mom considered, and then said, "Well, I like them for when I make soup in the fall and winter."
Images of plastic containers in the freezer popped into my head. Then, in CSI-like quality, I could see the plastic poisons leaking into my mom's frozen soups, like cartoon neon-green poison fumes in old episodes of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
"Mom, I want to buy you new containers."
At first, she wondered why I would want new containers when we already have containers. I'm a chronic reuser, after all. But when I explained my fears of plastics, especially old ones, she saw what I meant.
"I mean, if you don't want to ..." I said.
"Well, I don't want cancer, either!" she said. So I set to work.
Most of the containers are recyclable #2, #4, and #5, which is great (they won't go to landfills yayy!). And some of the unlabeled lids will fit nicely under flowerpots in the potting shed. But what are we going to store Mom's soups in this winter if we get rid of all of these?
...which is what I'm researching this week. Mom remembers her mother and neighbors exchanging foods in glass canning jars, so I'll start there and see what other options I have. Stainless steel? Protected aluminum? Wood? We'll see. Stay tuned.
Today, my mom left the clean reusable I Can't Believe It's Not Butter and Cool Whip containers on the counter after unloading them from the dishwasher, and I set to work putting them away.
"We have too many," I said after several futile stacking attempts, and she agreed.
I pushed around a few more containers and found six Cool Whip containers in the back.
"Do we ever use these? We could get rid of them, you know."
Mom considered, and then said, "Well, I like them for when I make soup in the fall and winter."
Images of plastic containers in the freezer popped into my head. Then, in CSI-like quality, I could see the plastic poisons leaking into my mom's frozen soups, like cartoon neon-green poison fumes in old episodes of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
"Mom, I want to buy you new containers."
At first, she wondered why I would want new containers when we already have containers. I'm a chronic reuser, after all. But when I explained my fears of plastics, especially old ones, she saw what I meant.
"I mean, if you don't want to ..." I said.
"Well, I don't want cancer, either!" she said. So I set to work.
Most of the containers are recyclable #2, #4, and #5, which is great (they won't go to landfills yayy!). And some of the unlabeled lids will fit nicely under flowerpots in the potting shed. But what are we going to store Mom's soups in this winter if we get rid of all of these?
...which is what I'm researching this week. Mom remembers her mother and neighbors exchanging foods in glass canning jars, so I'll start there and see what other options I have. Stainless steel? Protected aluminum? Wood? We'll see. Stay tuned.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
ah, Ha ha ... ha ... so ...
I'm finishing up my book list for one of my classes this fall, and I just noticed that all of the authors are women, and at least three of the books are concerned with seeking home. Clearly there is a theme, but it's an unintentional theme. My plan going into this book list was to seek diversity. Hence the title of this post.
Before I carve these authors and titles in stone, I ask you, my faithful readers, to provide me with one title of a literary nonfiction book with a male author or regarding some topic other than home or place ... or preferably both. Just one from each of you and I will be delighted.
Many thanks to all. And if you don't give me a suggestion, I'm blocking you from my blog for the rest of time. Just kidding. I'll probably just add another woman writer's book about home to the list and risk being accused of having a one-track mind.
Before I carve these authors and titles in stone, I ask you, my faithful readers, to provide me with one title of a literary nonfiction book with a male author or regarding some topic other than home or place ... or preferably both. Just one from each of you and I will be delighted.
Many thanks to all. And if you don't give me a suggestion, I'm blocking you from my blog for the rest of time. Just kidding. I'll probably just add another woman writer's book about home to the list and risk being accused of having a one-track mind.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Seven Apparently Recyclable Unrecyclables
Time for a confession from your local conservationist (me): I only just began to recycle.
This sounds worse than it really is. While I lived in Baltimore and had curbside recycling, I joyfully separated my trash and sent it on its way to reincarnation. While I lived in Germany, I became a pro at understanding the differences among Biomüll, die gelbe Sack, Restmüll, and various forms of glass and paper recycling. However, since returning to this beautiful land of mountains and countryside, I have unfortunately also returned to a township that does not offer curbside recycling.
This summer, I finally set up boxes in my garage for separated plastics, junk mail, magazines, and metals. Every couple weeks, as the boxes fill up, I'll drive them a mile away to a collection point. The collection point is even across the road from my favorite pizza shop, so it works well for everyone.
Something I have only just learned, however, is that I can't recycle everything here the same way I would have in Germany. My mom found this article through the Weather Channel about seven things you can't recycle. How illuminating! Caps, yogurt, glass....
I recommend a read-through. Some things are more obvious than others, but in all points, they provide a good explanation instead of simply saying "don't."
This sounds worse than it really is. While I lived in Baltimore and had curbside recycling, I joyfully separated my trash and sent it on its way to reincarnation. While I lived in Germany, I became a pro at understanding the differences among Biomüll, die gelbe Sack, Restmüll, and various forms of glass and paper recycling. However, since returning to this beautiful land of mountains and countryside, I have unfortunately also returned to a township that does not offer curbside recycling.
This summer, I finally set up boxes in my garage for separated plastics, junk mail, magazines, and metals. Every couple weeks, as the boxes fill up, I'll drive them a mile away to a collection point. The collection point is even across the road from my favorite pizza shop, so it works well for everyone.
Something I have only just learned, however, is that I can't recycle everything here the same way I would have in Germany. My mom found this article through the Weather Channel about seven things you can't recycle. How illuminating! Caps, yogurt, glass....
I recommend a read-through. Some things are more obvious than others, but in all points, they provide a good explanation instead of simply saying "don't."
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