What do you know?! Those birdbrains might really have been fooled by the ugly faded water hose! Since I moved it away from the feeder area, I have had several birds visit the hanging feeder. Yesterday, only a cardinal came to lunch. Early this morning I spotted a Northern Flicker under the tree! He started to climb up while I was watching, but something spooked him. A few Carolina Chickadees played musical chairs with a Tufted Titmouse for a seat at the feeder! A Downy Woodpecker dropped in for a bit of hammering before 10am. Yay! Happiness! FOUR (yes, 4) "new" birds at the feeder! I am hopeful for the Great Backyard Bird Count. Birds are getting the word out that I've got a little bistro going.
I saw two different Mourning Doves this morning sitting on the power lines and a Mockingbird was watching the activity at the feeder. Later on in the morning, a big cat wandered through the yard! I yelled at it from my kitchen window, and it ran away.
I can identify White-Throated Sparrows with certainty now. They hang out near the tray at the rosebush with a matched pair of Northern Cardinals. I haven't seen any other birds by the pine tree yet. I plan to hang pine-cone feeders there (you know, the ones coated in peanut butter and rolled in birdseed). These little critters are up early, scarce in early afternoon and then come back around 5pm just before sundown. Interesting...
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Birdwatching teaches patience
Happiness! I have had a Northern Cardinal visit the hanging feeder at least twice today! I admit, I moved the tangled water hose away from the tree. I do not see how that 30 ft tangled mess of seafoam green and yellow could have fooled a bird to think it was a snake, but I cannot think of another reason birds were not flocking to my feeder. Voila! Moved the "snake" and a cardinal enjoyed a long lunch!
At the pine tree, I had a pair of cardinals (one male and one female) dine at the seed tray this morning. I then added some plumped raisins and baked pie crust with pecan pieces (from a pecan pie) on a nearby napkin. A white-throated sparrow came to check it out!
This bird, as common as it is, was tough for me to get an ID on! They are little brown birds about 6-ish inches long with speckled breasts (some individuals more than others). I had to keep looking... oh! It has a white "beard" under its head (the correct term is "throat") and looks like it has a long dark mustache that contrasts against the white throat. But... am I sure that's a white throat or just a pale buff? It makes a difference! Could I see a yellow spot of plumage just above the eye at what would be the bridge of its nose? hmm... go back and see if you see the bird again!
Good grief! This is tougher than I thought! Good thing I didn't wait until the day of the Great Backyard Bird Count to start looking at birds! I'm also glad I got a headstart on FeederWatch. It's important to not only count the birds I observe, but also to list which birds I have observed. Descriptions like "and 6 more little brown birds with speckled breasts" doesn't help CornellLab know which birds are hanging out in my little piece of the world. :P
Am I having fun yet? Of COURSE!! School starts back on Monday, though, so I need to figure out my observing schedule.
At the pine tree, I had a pair of cardinals (one male and one female) dine at the seed tray this morning. I then added some plumped raisins and baked pie crust with pecan pieces (from a pecan pie) on a nearby napkin. A white-throated sparrow came to check it out!
This bird, as common as it is, was tough for me to get an ID on! They are little brown birds about 6-ish inches long with speckled breasts (some individuals more than others). I had to keep looking... oh! It has a white "beard" under its head (the correct term is "throat") and looks like it has a long dark mustache that contrasts against the white throat. But... am I sure that's a white throat or just a pale buff? It makes a difference! Could I see a yellow spot of plumage just above the eye at what would be the bridge of its nose? hmm... go back and see if you see the bird again!
Good grief! This is tougher than I thought! Good thing I didn't wait until the day of the Great Backyard Bird Count to start looking at birds! I'm also glad I got a headstart on FeederWatch. It's important to not only count the birds I observe, but also to list which birds I have observed. Descriptions like "and 6 more little brown birds with speckled breasts" doesn't help CornellLab know which birds are hanging out in my little piece of the world. :P
Am I having fun yet? Of COURSE!! School starts back on Monday, though, so I need to figure out my observing schedule.
Monday, January 2, 2012
New Hobby! Birdwatching
So now, for 2012, I have started birdwatching! ...because I needed another hobby? Actually, I decided to start because I can practice my scientific observation and data recording skills while providing valuable information to CornellLab of Orinthology at Cornell University. (Project FeederWatch). I found the
Project FeederWatch while I was looking into "Nest Watching" and "The Great Backyard Bird Count. " All three projects are sponsored by CornellLab of Orinthology. Click the links to find out more (opens in a new window).
Okay, so I get ready to alert the neighborhood chirpers that I will be feeding and observing them for the next few months (at least). I pick up a wild bird food mix (that may not be their most favorite, but the squirrels will eat what the birds don't). Most suburban birds prefer black-oil sunflower seeds, and peanuts (of all things!). CornellLab says the striped sunflower seeds you and I eat are tougher hulled and harder to remove the meat than the little black ones. So I supplement the hanging hopper-style feeder with some crumbled leftover baked stuffing and a bite of pecan pie crumbled on a napkin on a nearby table.
Hours go by... no visitors. Oh, wait! The squirrel that lives in the maple where I've hung the feeder has come down to check out the stuffing. I have not seen a bird since 8:30 this morning when I was out to walk the dog and saw one robin and one titmouse! ... I went for another walk around the block at 2:30 in the afternoon. I did not see nor hear a single bird... as I'm thinking that the birds must know something I don't, like maybe the weather would be warmer tomorrow, or a big snow is coming, and they are hunkering down in their nests, I hear the caws of a huge American Crow (a BIG blackbird). Alone today, but I was hoping my walk would not be completely void of feathered encounters! As I rounded my last corner on my way back to my house, I saw the most likely reason for the solitude... two hawks were circling the block! Actually, their flight pattern encircled two blocks! I tried to take pictures, but with the dog yanking the leash, and the height of the birds, the images really are not impressive.
So I get to the house and see .... no one. Sniff! Wait! There's a Northern Cardinal sitting in the brush over my compost pile (where I had tossed some moldy cupcakes a few days ago and covered them over last night). I moved the tray of seed and stuffing from the table and placed it nearer the compost pile. There is a rose bush and honeysuckle bramble there and the grapevine/honeysuckle mess where the cardinal was perched. Maybe the maple is too open for hawk attacks? It is today, anyway! What I believe to be a finch was seen pecking in the compost pile within minutes of my leave! Maybe the word will get out there's food at my house, and by the time the GBBC comes, there will be lots of birds to count!
Okay, so I get ready to alert the neighborhood chirpers that I will be feeding and observing them for the next few months (at least). I pick up a wild bird food mix (that may not be their most favorite, but the squirrels will eat what the birds don't). Most suburban birds prefer black-oil sunflower seeds, and peanuts (of all things!). CornellLab says the striped sunflower seeds you and I eat are tougher hulled and harder to remove the meat than the little black ones. So I supplement the hanging hopper-style feeder with some crumbled leftover baked stuffing and a bite of pecan pie crumbled on a napkin on a nearby table.
Hours go by... no visitors. Oh, wait! The squirrel that lives in the maple where I've hung the feeder has come down to check out the stuffing. I have not seen a bird since 8:30 this morning when I was out to walk the dog and saw one robin and one titmouse! ... I went for another walk around the block at 2:30 in the afternoon. I did not see nor hear a single bird... as I'm thinking that the birds must know something I don't, like maybe the weather would be warmer tomorrow, or a big snow is coming, and they are hunkering down in their nests, I hear the caws of a huge American Crow (a BIG blackbird). Alone today, but I was hoping my walk would not be completely void of feathered encounters! As I rounded my last corner on my way back to my house, I saw the most likely reason for the solitude... two hawks were circling the block! Actually, their flight pattern encircled two blocks! I tried to take pictures, but with the dog yanking the leash, and the height of the birds, the images really are not impressive.
So I get to the house and see .... no one. Sniff! Wait! There's a Northern Cardinal sitting in the brush over my compost pile (where I had tossed some moldy cupcakes a few days ago and covered them over last night). I moved the tray of seed and stuffing from the table and placed it nearer the compost pile. There is a rose bush and honeysuckle bramble there and the grapevine/honeysuckle mess where the cardinal was perched. Maybe the maple is too open for hawk attacks? It is today, anyway! What I believe to be a finch was seen pecking in the compost pile within minutes of my leave! Maybe the word will get out there's food at my house, and by the time the GBBC comes, there will be lots of birds to count!
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Staying steady...
Staying steady...
SparkPeople.com is a great site for nutrition and fitness information and support. I enjoy the articles and the nutrition/fitness trackers. Probably the best part is the community. There are teams for every interest, but if I wanted to start a new group, I CAN!! It's great to communicate with others who are tackling the same challenges as I am, whether it is weight, nutrition, balancing work/family life, learning new skills, relearning old skills.... it's all here!
In the blog I posted on SP (that's what we insiders refer to the site as), I ramble off a few thoughts on anorexia, personal finances, recent fitness challenges, and nutrition habits. I hope you will look around on the SP site and consider becoming a member (YES! IT'S TOTALLY FREE!!), even if you aren't weight-challenged, you can get a lot out of the site. Come see, and enjoy!
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Extreme Couponing... is it worth it?
YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELCOME!
I like saving money. I like having a full pantry. I like having a little extra that I can share with someone who needs it. I use coupons when I go to the grocery store. I started shopping a few months ago at a store that doubles coupons (up to 99c face value). I'm pretty happy with what I spend on groceries and my savings with coupons and store discounts. According to the popular TV show "Extreme Couponing" (TLC Channel), maybe I shouldn't be...
TLC channel is running a marathon today of EC. They are showing women who shop for hours with hundreds of coupons per trip, and thousands more in their trusty binders. Their pantries are stocked with over $10,000 in products (food, snacks, cleaning supplies, etc) for which they claim to have paid less than $2,000 in total receipts! Primarily, these shoppers are women. However, the show has highlighted a couple of young men who have a couponing addiction. I will call it an addiction, because I wonder if (some) of these people need help. Like the couple who are wanting to move out of state because they live in a bad neighborhood. So they are stockpiling items in order to save money on their total grocery bill, the one place most households can make the biggest dent in their budget, and use these savings for the "big move". I wonder though, did they not just make themselves a burglary and looting target by exploiting their treasure trove on cable? Did I mention this couple might try eating less and putting some of that savings toward a serious gym membership? A lot of extreme couponers seem to be large people... but one in three Americans is overweight, so maybe that is not necessarily a symptom of a grocery shopping addiction?
FIRST POINT: Even if it IS free, poor quality food will cost you a bundle in medical complications. The longer you eat highly processed (junk) foods, the more you can expect to pay for health problems. Eat fresh, whenever possible (fresh food isn't free unless you grow it).
Every one of these shoppers has a nerve-wrecking check-out experience! I personally do not need the stress. The cash registers have scan limits, so you can't check out more than 'x' scans including scanned coupons in a single transaction. So, the shoppers split their orders into 20+ separate orders. They spend 5+ hours in the store, which might include more than two hours just in the check-out process! Now, I don't know about you, but my time is more valuable than that! I've got other stuff to do! If I spent a whole day in one store, I would hope it's because I work there!!
SECOND POINT: It takes a LOT of time to shop all the sales and collect all the items you have 'pons for even if you only go to one store. That is IN ADDITION to the time you've spent collecting all those coupons and researching the ads to match sales with coupons to get the best pricing! Some women use 20 to 40 hours a week (nearly a full time job)!... and don't forget the time to unload it all back at home... OH THAT'S ANOTHER POINT!!
THIRD POINT: The space it takes to stockpile all this stuff! If you don't keep it organized, you could end up on "Hoarders: Buried Alive" (another cable show)! Freezers for the frozen stuff, refrigeration space in either multiple refrigerators (power hogs) or freezing less fragile cold items (I hear you can freeze milk and cheese?). Closets, spare bedrooms... oh, there is the college student with a 1-BR apartment! He keeps his stockpile in the kitchen and living room of the apartment. I just think that will be a LOT of stuff to move (student apartments are very temporary addresses....)
What about the guy that buys stuff he will never have a need for ("who cares? It's FREE!")... maybe he donates the feminine products to the local women's prison or battered women's shelter?
Let me make a final point from a business/economy angle:
Q: Why does it matter who buys the 250 cans of tuna/boxes of cereal/bottles of nutri-water? The manufacturers and distributors make the same either way whether 250 couponholders buy the products at one each, or one couponer with 250 coupons nabs them. So what?
A: It makes long term sense to have 250 individual consumers try your product. It doesn't matter if they try it for free, but the long-term effect is that SOME of those consumers will buy that product again with or without a sale or coupon. The one who emptied shelves in four stores has cheated 249 other shoppers of trying the product, and likely won't make a repeat purchase for a long time.
We can expect more restrictions in stores' coupon policies as manufacturers and distributors strive to maximize brand exposure.
I WELCOME YOUR COMMENTS! PLEASE SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES, OPINIONS (keep it clean please!), AND GENERAL THOUGHTS ON SHOPPING, COUPONING, AND STOCKPILING!
I like saving money. I like having a full pantry. I like having a little extra that I can share with someone who needs it. I use coupons when I go to the grocery store. I started shopping a few months ago at a store that doubles coupons (up to 99c face value). I'm pretty happy with what I spend on groceries and my savings with coupons and store discounts. According to the popular TV show "Extreme Couponing" (TLC Channel), maybe I shouldn't be...
TLC channel is running a marathon today of EC. They are showing women who shop for hours with hundreds of coupons per trip, and thousands more in their trusty binders. Their pantries are stocked with over $10,000 in products (food, snacks, cleaning supplies, etc) for which they claim to have paid less than $2,000 in total receipts! Primarily, these shoppers are women. However, the show has highlighted a couple of young men who have a couponing addiction. I will call it an addiction, because I wonder if (some) of these people need help. Like the couple who are wanting to move out of state because they live in a bad neighborhood. So they are stockpiling items in order to save money on their total grocery bill, the one place most households can make the biggest dent in their budget, and use these savings for the "big move". I wonder though, did they not just make themselves a burglary and looting target by exploiting their treasure trove on cable? Did I mention this couple might try eating less and putting some of that savings toward a serious gym membership? A lot of extreme couponers seem to be large people... but one in three Americans is overweight, so maybe that is not necessarily a symptom of a grocery shopping addiction?
FIRST POINT: Even if it IS free, poor quality food will cost you a bundle in medical complications. The longer you eat highly processed (junk) foods, the more you can expect to pay for health problems. Eat fresh, whenever possible (fresh food isn't free unless you grow it).
Every one of these shoppers has a nerve-wrecking check-out experience! I personally do not need the stress. The cash registers have scan limits, so you can't check out more than 'x' scans including scanned coupons in a single transaction. So, the shoppers split their orders into 20+ separate orders. They spend 5+ hours in the store, which might include more than two hours just in the check-out process! Now, I don't know about you, but my time is more valuable than that! I've got other stuff to do! If I spent a whole day in one store, I would hope it's because I work there!!
SECOND POINT: It takes a LOT of time to shop all the sales and collect all the items you have 'pons for even if you only go to one store. That is IN ADDITION to the time you've spent collecting all those coupons and researching the ads to match sales with coupons to get the best pricing! Some women use 20 to 40 hours a week (nearly a full time job)!... and don't forget the time to unload it all back at home... OH THAT'S ANOTHER POINT!!
THIRD POINT: The space it takes to stockpile all this stuff! If you don't keep it organized, you could end up on "Hoarders: Buried Alive" (another cable show)! Freezers for the frozen stuff, refrigeration space in either multiple refrigerators (power hogs) or freezing less fragile cold items (I hear you can freeze milk and cheese?). Closets, spare bedrooms... oh, there is the college student with a 1-BR apartment! He keeps his stockpile in the kitchen and living room of the apartment. I just think that will be a LOT of stuff to move (student apartments are very temporary addresses....)
What about the guy that buys stuff he will never have a need for ("who cares? It's FREE!")... maybe he donates the feminine products to the local women's prison or battered women's shelter?
Let me make a final point from a business/economy angle:
Q: Why does it matter who buys the 250 cans of tuna/boxes of cereal/bottles of nutri-water? The manufacturers and distributors make the same either way whether 250 couponholders buy the products at one each, or one couponer with 250 coupons nabs them. So what?
A: It makes long term sense to have 250 individual consumers try your product. It doesn't matter if they try it for free, but the long-term effect is that SOME of those consumers will buy that product again with or without a sale or coupon. The one who emptied shelves in four stores has cheated 249 other shoppers of trying the product, and likely won't make a repeat purchase for a long time.
We can expect more restrictions in stores' coupon policies as manufacturers and distributors strive to maximize brand exposure.
I WELCOME YOUR COMMENTS! PLEASE SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES, OPINIONS (keep it clean please!), AND GENERAL THOUGHTS ON SHOPPING, COUPONING, AND STOCKPILING!
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Past MidTerm... heading for the holidays!
It's late... again! I had a Structural Geology lab exam today. Gruesome. So this evening while it poured down rain, I crocheted a little, dabbled in my etsy.com shop (http://www.etsy.com/people/Andiroth) getting ready for holiday rush, and watched re-runs of The Big Bang Theory on TBS. Else, I'm still learning the ropes of internet marketing, getting my name out there, and attracting users to my site. Not brain surgery, you say, but without an advertising budget, I may need to put a homemade bumpersticker on my car! LOL.. actually, I shouldn't laugh! I actually saw a bumpersticker where the person was trying to get people to click "like" on (his) Facebook page!!
I just got home from Utah this past week! Uploading a few pictures for you! I especially like the 2.7billion year old rock at Antelope Island in Great Salt Lake (top photo)! Definitely worth the trip! Canyonlands (bottom photo) and Arches National Parks are nice, and Upheaval Dome. Discussed a LOT of geology on the trip. Well, it WAS a geology field trip! Camping, long van rides, snow, sun, rain, stars, waxing moon.... good times!
Ah, well... the guts and glory of being a late bloomer! If only I had the opportunities now that I had 20 years ago coupled with the wisdom I have since acquired! This would be a completely different blog! "Everything happens for a reason" (they) keep saying, and "all things work together for good for those who love the Lord (and are called according to His purpose)" ... I certainly hope so!
Love to all my readers!
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Am I really so techno-illiterate?
I cannot find my way around on Blogger.com! Seriously! I want to add my friend's blog to my reading list... I have to use Google Chrome to even be able to comment on blogs or see my stats! (Bullies!) I look all over the pages trying to find the link back to my 'dashboard'... so I can start over without logging out and in again!... grrr! Is it really this confusing to get around? I need a Tom-Tom just to blog? Seriously? ... or is it me? Am I too out-of-touch with the whole blog hysteria that I missed a few lessons on navigation? To be fair, Blogger isn't the only site I have had difficulty with... but it is by far the most challenging at the moment!
Shucks, I found images and taxonomy detail for 7 (count! seven!!) insects I have collected over the past two weeks and needed to identify.... and I cannot get around the blog site I use?... I don't believe it's all on me. I think Google could make Blogger, Blogspot, whatever... more user friendly!
Shucks, I found images and taxonomy detail for 7 (count! seven!!) insects I have collected over the past two weeks and needed to identify.... and I cannot get around the blog site I use?... I don't believe it's all on me. I think Google could make Blogger, Blogspot, whatever... more user friendly!
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