Learning in the Sunshine State

I miss thee, my Mother! Thy image is still
The deepest impressed on my heart.
~Eliza Cook

It’s been less than 12 hours. I miss you so much already.

Lorraine May 1934-2008

Discovery landed safely moments ago. As usual, when the sonic booms sounded our dog went crazy barking, and the cat went flying around the house looking for a safe place to hide.

About the Movie

Robins at the birdbath

It’s Earth Day.

Plan or pledge something, anything, to do your part. But don’t just look at Earth Day as a day to plant a tree, clean up a park, or decide to use reusable bags. Make it a day to celebrate your connection to the earth, to nature. Enjoy nature. Respect her. Get your kids outside today, and every day that you possibly can.

Some Earth Day quotes to meditate upon.
“I conceive that the land belongs to a vast family of which many are dead, few are living, and countless numbers are still unborn.” ~A Chieftan from Nigeria

“I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.” ~John Muir

“I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority.” ~E.B. White

Ten TV Shows I’ve Never Watched

1. American Idol

2. Dancing With the Stars

3. Survivor (none of them)

4. Extreme Makeover (including Home Edition)

5. ER

6. My Name is Earl

7. The Office

8. Boston Legal

9. Desperate Housewives

10. The Apprentice

From 2004 -

Bubbles

Boys at the river.

The lagoon holds sea life to

catch, observe, release

Seminole is a native green anole. Speedy was a Cuban brown anole with two broken back legs. Katie is a young female brown anole. Then there’s Two-Tails, the brown anole with, well, two tails. He was found at the park and came home with us. They all live in our backyard. Our indoor lizard is Sarge, the Leopard Gecko.

Ever since he was a little tyke, Dennis has loved lizards. Apparently lizards also have an affinity for Dennis too. Or at least he doesn’t terrify them. He can catch a lizard and it will sit on his hand making no attempt at escape. In our part of Florida, we see native green anoles, Cuban brown anoles, and house geckos on a regular basis. He started catching them when he was about three and a half years old. He could spend all day catching, studying, and releasing lizards. Every now and then he discovers that one of his friends is also interested in lizards. They catch and observe lizards in each other’s yards as well as at parks and playgrounds.

A few months ago, Dennis decided he wanted to start a nature club, and managed to get a few friends to go along with it. The first thing on the club’s agenda was to make a lizard rehabilitation center. That’s how Speedy came to live in our yard. Alas, Speedy didn’t make it, but at least his last days weren’t too uncomfortable. Two-Tails and Katie are still doing fine.

Sarge came to be with us last summer, by more conventional means. Dennis had been asking if he could get a lizard for a pet. I did some research and found that Leopard Geckos are about the easiest for a kid to take care of, and make good “first reptile pets”.

I’m not sure where this love of lizards came from, but now Dennis is talking about how he can turn it into a career. He says he wants to be a lizard vet. He’s at an age where he can see how a love of something can become a career. We talked about possibilities such as a working at a zoo, in the wildlife field, or even as an owner of a pet shop that specializes in reptiles. No, he said. “I want to be a lizard vet and help pet lizards when they get sick.” Right. Okay.

Two-Tails

Sarge

I decided shortly before I broke my ankle that I would participate in Project Spectrum 3.0. I envisioned doing some of the paper crafts that I enjoy so much — maybe a card or two, or a scrapbook page. After my accident I was told I have to basically sit around for 6 weeks (no weight bearing). That would seem like the perfect opportunity to work on something, but I found it to be just the opposite. I have trouble getting into the room where I keep my supplies, and if I send Bill or Dennis then realize I forgot something, I feel bad asking them to keep going back for more items. Instead I dug into my photo collection. I love taking pictures, and am trying to improve my skills. I discovered that many of photos I’ve taken fit the Fire category that is the first element in PS3.0. Most of the pictures were taken before my fall, but there are a few recent ones. The link is to my flickr set, but there’s also a badge in the sidebar.

Fire Element Photos