Tag Archives: wildlife

cue annie lenoxx broken glass song

12 Jul

Because I win at life lately, I just spilled a bunch of tea inside the refrigerator and on the floor. Even better, I dropped a glass and it shattered into a million shards of feet shredding danger bits all over the tile floor. I vacuumed but shoes would be a good idea in the kitchen until I can mop and re-vacuum tomorrow. Thought you should know. For those of you coming over for breakfast or whatever.

Ok, enough about my clumsiness. Today was rather weird but instead of discussing that, I’ll just tell you what I did like a good lil’ blogger.

The Accountant was off work today as well and took kiddo to school so I got to sleep in. Heaven. I miss sleeping in so much. I remember before kiddo I’d sleep in till 11 or 12 noon. Heaven. But I digress…

Then it was off to my favorite wildlife rehabilitation place for a meeting with the animal care director. This lady might be one of the most passionate and committed people I’ve ever met. I envy that so much. Knowing that you are doing what you are meant to be doing with your life. Again, digression. I didn’t get a chance to talk with her much at my first visit and this was very productive and she gave me a lot of additional insights into their most dire needs. Which are pretty much volunteers and funding. The lack of serious and committed volunteers is astounding compared to what is needed to suitably run the place. I plan to do what I can to help with the social media but now I’m also hoping to volunteer in other aspects as well. Getting my hands dirty for sure.

Gym time this afternoon was good, if a bit rushed. I took a rest day yesterday and today was cross training. I got in 18.5 miles on the bike, upper body work, and various crunches. I have my Garmin all set up with the running intervals I’m slated to do tomorrow but I’m going to see how the foot feels and will lay off another day or two if necessary. I have connected with a good running group on Facebook set up by a friend of mine from high school and made up of a lot of people from my home county and beyond. We post our runs and progress, local races and results, and general support. Its nice to have that right now. I would like to connect and get involved with the running group in my current city, I just need to do it.

The weekend is pretty jammed with activities to keep minds and bodies busy so I expect the next couple of days to fly by. I welcome that.

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training and reading happened, friday plans

8 Jul

Not feeling quite so lame for hitting the snooze button and missing my run this morning because I just did it. Day 1 complete. I’m a hot sweating stinky mess of a girl right now. My training program called for 4 min running/1 min walking for a total of 45 min, plus warm up and cool down. That netted me 3.52 miles. Done and done. Plus I walked the dog another 1.3 miles after. Take that you sneaky snooze button. Tomorrow is a cross training day so I’ll hit the gym and do some arm work and maybe cycle a bit. Onward.

bookI finished The Thirteenth Tale today. It was quite good but not super fantastic like I was expecting. There was a nicely done twist at the end which quieted some doubts I’d had about midway through. I hope to finish Slaughterhouse-Five tomorrow as well. I’m listening to it on audiobook and only have about an hour and a half to go. I’m finding that one a bit difficult and one of those novels that I feel like I “should” like because its all deep and intellectual. Reading reviews and other people’s analysis does help me to understand it a bit better and more clearly see where Vonnegut was coming from. Next I’m moving onto much lighter fare in the form of Tina Fey’s Bossypants. And then I think maybe Chi Running, which I’ve had borrowed from a friend for ages now and I think this is the time to read it. And Let’s Pretend This Never Happened…because, hilarity. SO MANY BOOKS, SO LITTLE TIME!!!!

I will be heading back out to the wildlife rehab/education place on Friday to spend some more time with the Animal Care Director for a more in depth tour and discussion about what their needs are and her expectations. Emails have been heavy over the past few days between myself and administration and I’m pretty jazzed about what I can do to help them out. And they, in turn, are helping me out in ways they don’t even realize. This is good for my brain. I wish I could take my dad out there. I think he would love it. Maybe soon.

And now methinks it’s time for a shower and sleep.

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wildlife need social media too

5 Jul

barred_owlHave you ever stared into the eyes of a barred owl for any length of time? Its all blackness and wisdom and creepiness up in those eyes. I did that today, as well as watched someone hand feed grub worms to tiny chirping baby birds, saw a raccoon carcass laying on a table, observed at least fifteen injured box turtles being cared for, smiled at more baby raccoons than I’ve ever seen in one place, laughed at squirrels playing, was startled by a coyote and had an opossum smile at me. Among other things.

It was quite the adventure. I lived right down the road from this wildlife rehabilitation and education center for years and didn’t even know it existed. Its hidden away and the address isn’t publicized lest people just start dropping animals off at the doorstep. It looks rather rag tag but this place knows its stuff. They take in injured, sick, and orphaned wildlife and do all they can to rehab the animals to be re-released into the wild. Owls who’ve flown into cars, bunnies abandoned by their mothers, deer hit by vehicles, baby birds who’ve floundered, all sorts of situations. The people there work very hard for little reward other than the satisfaction of what they’re doing, and from an outsider’s view, they look extremely overwhelmed. Money is needed, volunteers are needed, space is needed, resources are needed.

I’m volunteering to help with their social media exposure and hope I can make at least a small difference in increasing the public’s general awareness about what they need and what interested people can do to help out. I was met with a bit of skepticism and wariness and do feel I have to prove myself. It seems people like the idea of volunteering but aren’t so keen on the follow through part and so they’ve experienced three or four social media volunteers who have since disappeared. The doubt in my longevity is justified and I’m determined not to disappoint.

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.

– Albert Einstein

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