"They call me the Directah....."

Well, I guess it's official now. I have the paperwork for programs, and the keys to the cages. I am now functioning as the Director of Education of RAPTOR, Inc. That feels pretty weird. Two and a half months ago, when I started volunteering at RAPTOR, I was just happy to be cleaning, feeding the mice and the birds, helping with fundraising. Now I am the "Bird Lady". I have two programs in the future tentatively scheduled and more to call back.

How did I get here?

I was "Vanna" again today for a program with David Tennant, for a summer camp near Mason, Ohio. About 50 kids, three birds and us. Of course, David held Earl.

A few words about David: I have to say that he is one of the few truly, genuinely NICE people I have met. He understands that I am still whirling about programs, answers all my questions, (even the dumb ones) and will be there to help me through this big transition. And he has forgotten more information about birds than I remember. Of course, he has been doing this for like a million years. I only hope I can be half as good as he is with programs.

Turkey vultures like to spread their wings in the sun, and actually have a "locking" mechanism that keeps their wings up while they are basking. Little creep...oh, yeah, behave while DAVID is holding you. I hope to work with her more in the near future and get her to at least tolerate me. She's fun to take to programs, because, ugly as they are, vultures are cool, important birds. They're nature's "Garbage Men".

While driving back from the program, we saw this sign on the back of a truck. Now, look closely: This is a truck for a business that makes SIGNS.

Bad spellers of the world, UNTIE!

How's this for coincidence: Geoff was reading a bug book to Isabelle last night, and there was an entry for "spittle bugs". I remember them from my childhood...they cover themselves with a foamy substance that looks exactly like spit. Geoff has never seen them before (he's a city boy...man, is he!) so I said that I have seen them in the yard previous years and I would point them out when I found some. Here you go, darling!

This is the cosmos that I photographed earlier in the week and look! It has brothers and sisters!