Moose at the Mall

Two of my colleagues were at a local mall about a mile from my house on Friday.  They were in the parking lot when a strange looking animal went running by them.  Imagine their shock when they realized it was a moose!  They've never seen one in the wild, and, I dare say neither had others.  the poor thing was a long, long way from home, wasn't she?!

This is the proof...I borrowed it from my friend's Facebook page =)

The Iris Have It

The iris are blooming all over campus.  I took some shots Friday morning of the various shades and colors.

I have had a repeat performance today of another Friday a couple of years ago where I injured my eye.  Then, I got straight shampoo in my eye just as I was going off on a weekend writing retreat to Cape Cod.  This time, I somehow got my hairbrush in my eye this morning as I was getting ready for school.  I cried the whole day, literally.  Made for a strange day of teaching, with the students thinking they'd brought me to tears!

I came home early and just closed my eyes and rested them.  It felt good, although I also felt guilty for leaving early when I know it was adding to the burden of others.  Fortunately, I stuck it out until just before school got out, so it wasn't too bad (I hope!).

Meanwhile, my poor neglected blog!  I have had things to blog about...all the lovely birds I've seen in two weekend visits to my parents...the joy of sitting on their back patio and just listening, and watching, and reveling in the colorful birdlife around me:  humming birds, goldfinch, bluebirds, orioles, indigo buntings, purple finches, tree swallows to name a few...  

But school is just sucking the energy out of me right now.  There are just three more weeks left.  Sometimes I think that's too much time, others I think it's not enough...  All I know is that the time will pass quickly, and then I will be able to catch my breath and get back to regular blogging.

For now, some of the birds I've been enjoying...except that blogger won't upload them right now.  I'll have to do that later =(

Wings at my Window

When I was young, I remember reading a book called Wings at my Window about an invalid who befriended birds at her window.  I was fascinated and inspired by the story and from then on have always wanted a bird feeder at my window.  My parents have always had nice feeders around their windows, but not until this winter have I had one.

You've seen my pretty little feeder that is on my office window, and it attracts birds, but unfortunately, the design doesn't let me get good pictures of the birds.  Try as I might, I just can't get good pictures.  Today, though, a new bird proved to be most accommodating.  A male Rose-breasted Grosbeak came to feed for the first time.  He was the total opposite of the cardinals, who have been coming all along, but are very shy of any movement through the glass.  

This guy peered through the feeder at me, and stayed for quite awhile each of the 4 times I saw him throughout the day.  The last time he came, he jumped down on the window sill and peered into my office!  I was so excited!  He was not afraid at all, a delightful rainy day visitor at my window.