Teeny bits of it, anyway - finally feel like I'm starting to get some sanity back, as daycamps are done and I've had a few no-program days at work to get my ducks in a row. Or possums. Or something. Wildlife season hasn't slowed down one jot - still bottle feeding three late-season baby raccoons twice a day, and got in 12 teeny opossum orphans ( Read more... )

Whirlwind of big events and programs this week, and tomorrow I head off to Texas for a weeklong conference - whoosh! *flops* I...think I'm mostly ready? Today I set up groundhog and two baby opossums at work, need to write down care instructions for staff in the morning. I set up everything for mom so she can take care of the two raccoons, two ( Read more... )

Flu shot turned out to be good timing - one staff down with what she calls "sickness of the decade"; hopefully whatever bug it is it's included in this year's vaccine, seems to be going around. Which also meant I got to wrangle a group of 60 first graders all by myself this morning - usually we split them into classes of 30ish and rotate them ( Read more... )

Got my flu shot at the grocery after work yesterday, no co-pay (thanks, Obamacare!). Going to a conference for work in early November, so figured it would be a good idea to reduce the chances of picking up at least one type of crud. I scheduled it for when I had two days off in a row, because I usually get a mild immune reaction, knew I'd be ( Read more... )

I'm doing an Intro to Geology program for 60 third graders tomorrow. Interesting thing is, I never actually took geology - just absorbed a fair bit over the years, but as far as actual organized study...not so much! Our naturalist who usually taught all of the (rarely requested - we mostly focus on plants and wildlife) geology classes took a new ( Read more... )

Happy Birthday to me! :D I'm hoping 45 is easier to remember - I had a heck of a time remembering that I was 44 all year, and 43 was even worse ( Read more... )

The local turtle rehabber is on vacation, so in the last few weeks I've suddenly acquired several turtle rescues!  Check 'em out:

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Whew, some long days this week - just coming up for air here! One of the higher up managers is watching the nature center today so I can have a day off; she was super nervous about handling weird nature center stuff - this week we've had people show up with every thing from a baby coyote to a snapping turtle hit by a car to a gentleman recovering ( Read more... )

Amazing windy day today! Gusts of 60 mph, steady gales of 30 mph or so. I think an F1 tornado starts at 75mph or something like that. I was at work, and a big tree came down and blocked the driveway to my nature center, so I had about 20 people trapped in the parking lot for half an hour, until maintenance got there with a chainsaw. Luckily no ( Read more... )

This is the first public program i've done in about three or four years - no staff the last two years, and I was just to overwhelmed to even plan it, and then I think the weather failed to cooperate the year or two before that. Near perfect weather tonight, though - clear skies and unseasonably cool summer temps - 60's and 70's F. This is also ( Read more... )