A decade to remember part 2

2003

Troy took me to Niagra Falls

2002

Our last family vacation together

We toured Canada: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, & Prince Edward Island

2001

Tabitha graduated High School
2000
Tabitha was voted prom princess

1999
Tabitha was in Homecoming

More bird watching while we wait

No news from Tabitha, so we decided we would go for a walk on the lake. We went to our favorite birdwatching trail and did get some pics of a few new birds (see below).

For Tabitha: "The bluebird of Happiness"

Sialia sialis

Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)

Heron in Flight

Semester Begins!

Three days into the semester and I am already behind. How does this happen every semester? I am teaching genetics, biogeography, and intro to biology (non-majors). I know it doesn't sound like much but the genetics class comes with two 3-hour labs each week and that doesn't include setting up the labs for the 40 students I have in this class. Also, this is my first semester to teach biogeography, so I have to prepare my lessons from scratch and try to stay ahead of the students. Needless to say it can be stressful and there is little time for anything else. But then your doctor puts it like this. . . . .

I think I will take the one hour daily exercise! I am going to force myself to leave the office for at least one hour a day to do some exercising or just to get away for some meditation time. Debbie will be up at school on Tuesday and Thursday so (weather permitting) we can walk for an hour together. A little exercise wouldn't hurt her either.

Baby Shower at North Bryant

Saturday our church family at North Bryant Baptist Church gave Tabitha a baby shower. We had a great time and are very thankful for all those who participated. We started out with some games. Below is a picture of Natalie and Abby as we played the diaper hanging game.

Marla and Abby make punch

The gifts

More gifts

The cake

Thanks again to all those who participated and helped us celebrate the coming of our grandson. I can't wait til he gets here!

Two new birds spotted

Shown above and below is a second type of sparrow. The Savannah Sparrow that I already posted had the bit of yellow on its face, but this sparrow, a Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina), has a black stripe through its eye, a white stripe above its eye, and the top of its head is a rust color.

Isn't this a neat bird? I hung two suet blocks out hoping to attract some different birds and it did. This White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) came for a visit and a meal. What an acrobat!

More clothes for Candy

Dog in the hood. "Don't I have that Doberman look, grrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

"This is getting ridiculous; Tabitha better hurry up and have that grandbaby before she starts putting me in diapers and feeding me strained carrots."

"I hope my friends don't see this. Yuk!"

Says it all!

" I am ready for a jog."

Tabitha really started something with the dog outfits. Candy will soon have a whole wardrobe. Thankfully, there are no matching shoes or purses to buy.

Bringing the outside in

Troy recently bought me some new house plants. Yesterday he had the opportunity to repot them. Aren't they nice? We actually have two like the one on the right between the fireplace and the wood box. The other one is in the dining room. My table is used for everything but eating so you get no picture of that one. lol :-) Also just so you know we don't use our fireplace so there is not a chance of killing them or setting them on fire.

More birding

An occasional Purple Finch (Carpodacus purpureus) can be spotted among the sea of Goldfinches on our backyard feeders.

Here are some of my favorite birds to listen to in the morning. They are very humble and shy birds, only eating what falls to the ground from the feeders. Their name matches the tone of their song, Mourning Doves (Zenaida macroura).

If you look closely, it looks like this bird wears blue eye shadow and it goes so well with its red stockings.

We always knew the weather was bad when we saw these birds hopping around; we called them "snowbirds." Their more common name is Darkeyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) and I had both males and females eating amongst the doves from what had fallen to the ground. The female is pictured above and the male is below.

Not the best of days

I took dad to his oncology appointment today. Dad was diagnosed with multiple myeloma (a slow progressing form of cancer) close to three years ago. He had been responding rather well to the treatments, but according to test results we received today it looks like the cancer has stopped responding to his current treatments. His doctor is ready to try another form of chemotherapy, but we must go for tests on Thursday to be sure his heart can hold up to this new drug. Fortunately, Dad has never had heart trouble so hopefully he will be able to take this new treatment and his cancer will respond to it. Dad turned 80 in November and I am thankful to have had him around this long and I pray he will be around even longer. Please remember him in your prayers each night.

Dad finishing up a round of chemotherapy.

A Beauty among the Beautiful

Isn't my wife beautiful? And she is smart too. The university where I work contacted her to teach a couple of computer courses this spring. So we are going to be colleagues and will get to each lunch together a couple of days a week. These are a few pics we took while at Niagara Falls, Ontario a few summers ago. We were actually able to sneak off and spend a few days together. Besides the falls, we went to a beautiful botanical garden and a butterfly conservatory. The conservatory was a large building filled with every kind of butterfly imaginable and you were able to walk among them. Next to the falls themselves, this was the highlight of the trip for me.

redneck combination birdfeeder/birdbath

We recently were upgraded by our satellite provider so the old dish came down and a new one was installed. I found the old one in the trash can where the technician put it. Well, the metal dish hinge made a nice, sturdy base for the Patriot flagpole (see previous posting pics) and the wooden base that came with the flagpole I put up on the back patio where I am going to put up another flagpole and flag. And what of the dish itself? Look for yourself. It makes a nice feeder when it is not raining and after it has rained it makes a nice birdbath.

Odds and Ends

Above are the great gifts that Tabitha and Sean got for me this Christmas. The Patriot mouse pad is already at work, so I didn't get a picture of it. The CDs are great to watch (especially since the season has already ended for the Pats). The flag I just got hung today. I had always wanted something with the old Patriot logo. I will probably end up hanging the flag in my game room in Patriot's corner (corner of the room dedicated to Patriot memorabilia) so it does fade or rot in the weather.

Remember the sweater Tabitha and Sean got for Candy at Christmas? I think they got something started. I came home today and Debbie had bought this new sweater for Candy. And I thought we were through spending money on fancy clothes and the latest fashions when Tabitha move away from home.

Birdwatching

Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwinchensis)

Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)

Yellow Warbler (Dendroica petechia)

Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis)

American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis)

I hope everyone has had a good New Year's Day. Although still angry over the Patriots missing the playoffs at 11-5, I decided to start the new year at home and enjoying one of my favorite activities, birdwatching. Here are a few on my backyard visitors. I was most excited to see the Yellow Warbler, which is on its way to Central and South America for the winter. The goldfinches can be a bit of a pain since they come in flocks and can empty my feeders in a single day. The tufted titmouse is the hardest to photograph because it will not sit still. I will post more pics as I get them.