Birding on Break!

I had an extra long lunch today while out in Goldbar so I followed some signs to Wallace Falls. I did not get all the way to the falls but took a nice little stroll and did some pshing for birds.

I was sure I pshed in a Yellow Rumped Warbler, but the other bird I was unsure of. Now I'm almost positive it was a Black-Throated Gray Warbler! I rarely get warblers when I psh. Usually, just chickadees, juncos and nuthatches.

YRWA picture: www.nps.gov/cebr/naturescience/warblers.htm
BTGW picture: http://www.enature.com/fieldguides/enlarged.asp?imageID=17231

The Grocery Store Guilt

Crunch Chicken has another eco challenge. This one is called her Extreme Eco Throwdown. She gives suggestions on things you can challenge yourself to do for an entire month. Number 1. is NO PLASTIC! (the best part is that the challenges get harder the higher the number, and she started with no plastic! omg!)

I just got back from the grocery store. I'm not sure how many of you were around when I was told I had high cholesterol and started having break downs at the grocery store because I couldn't find anything to eat. Tonight was kinda like that. My special butter (for my cholesterol) comes in a plastic tub, so does yogurt, chocolate milk has a plastic cap and I'm sure is lined with plastic and don't get me started about bread products.

I can easily make my own bread products. My roommate makes some mean bagels. I'm going to work on finding other ways to reduce my plastic use. I can guarantee you that yogurt and butter are not the only places it shows up in my life.

dream

I had a dream last night and my Grandpa was there. He passed away a few years ago, it was really nice to see him again.

It's rubbing off! and other school news

Some of my cohortians are making sure I know when they are recycling! I love it! One of my classmates actually thought that someone went through your garbage and sorted the recycling for you. I think my head exploded.

Speaking of school, apparently we have been placed in our student teaching schools. Only one or two of my cohortians know where they will be, though. Honestly, I think that there is some miscommunication that may be being done on purpose between our placer and our director.

Actually, one of the girls who knows where they will be placed is actually applying to do her student teaching abroad. This, of course, put a little bug in my ear telling me to do mine in France. If there was any chance of me saving money until next spring I would totally do it. Unfortunately, I'm living pay check to pay check. My big shopping spree was for bras and underwear last week. Can't even spree for fun things! Ok..some could argue those could be fun too.. ; ) Anyway, i don't think it's possible.

One more.... last week I got to go to an un-named outdoor school with my practicum class. I was so excited. I rode with a parent who is also a teacher so we discussed and it turns out she knows my old uber boss (president of organization), my old camp director AND my good friend and fellow ecobilly (rockabilly with an environmental conscious). So that was cool. But the rest of the experience was pretty lame on the outdoor school's part. My group did not even get to go into the woods until the last half hour of the day. We sat for an hour while a woman, who wasn't even a very good story teller, told a story about one of the founders who grew up in Africa. That day should have been about that particular place and appreciating the PNW environment. The kids were so visibly bored. One good thing about the day was I found out that one of my kids who drives me crazy in the classroom speaks French. All of a sudden he turned into a sweet little boy who wanted to talk to me. His demeanor completely changed en francais.