Wednesday, February 23, 2011

WRC Fundraiser 2011

Once again the annual Wildlife Rehab Center (WRC) was a success!  We had fabulous food, wines, items for auction, wonderful conversations and above all supporters.  I love helping out with this event every year.  The volunteers are great and I do so love getting together them!  I came home with a couple tattoo gift certificates and a really cool bird feeder!  Thank you Fred! 


A special thank you to everyone at WRC and the community supporters for making this another great event.

Eli, Allison and Crystal, thanks for the after party and the amazing late night dinner conversation!  I had a great time. 

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Over the hills and through the woods....

The trail was very hill'y!  I can't wait to go there in the spring! 







A Historic Home & Garden...

We stopped by to see the Felt Mansion.  It was absolutely beautiful.  Although we didn't get to go inside today but I am most certain that once open we will definitely be checking it out. 


The Saugatuck Dunes...

Today was another new adventure for Mike and I.  We decided to hike the Saugatuck Dunes today with friends.  The sun was shinning and the temp was cold but not too bad.  We took the girls along with us and through the woods we walked.  The trails were fabulous!  We walked up and over the dune to the beach of good ole Lake Michigan!  The girls loved walked on the beach and swimming with their new friend Max.  Ruby was just loving it!  She was in the water pretty much the entire time.

One the beach Meg thought she was a pack mule as she kept picking up driftwood to take home with her.  Having a pc that sat across her shoulders and her hands full.  She finally had to call it and leave some behind because she ran out of hands!







                                           This looks like a foot print!



                      Thank you Doug, Meg and Max for a great day!



Sunday, February 13, 2011

Time for a drive...

It's been such a long winter it seems like already!  I know that it's almost March and all but I'm really needing a change of seasons here!  I mostly think that it seems really long because of so many below zero and single digit days and nights.  Mike told me today that it's only going to get colder because we are getting older!  Oh man he certainly hasn't lost his nerve!  I kinda felt like pushing him down so that he might skin his knees! 

It was obvious that we needed to just get out of the house and go see something new.  So...we headed off to Holland State Park to see the glaciers.  As long as I have lived here I never knew they existed.  It was cold and I was dressed like a dork with my winter gear on but I was warm.  That's one thing that I do like about getting older, you tend to go for warmth and comfort vs looking pretty and the coolness factor! 












Our day was cold but it was beautiful and even a warm 41 degrees.  I had a great day with my valentine today as we do share so many.  

Friday, February 11, 2011

WRC Fundraiser 2011

Once again, John Ball Zoo has graciously invited Wildlife Rehab Center (WRC) to use their facilities.  Please join us on Wednesday, February 23rd from 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm.  The cost is $25.00 per person.  Enjoy wonderful food, wine, silent and live auctions and the company of truly wonderful people.  We hope to see you there and we thank you for your continued support.

Such A Waste...

One of my very favorite birds is the common loon.  It is a very large, heavy bird strikingly patterned in black and white.  Unable to walk on land, but in the water, it swims and dives with grace.  A common loon may plunge to depths exceeding 150 feet for food, leaving not even a ripple.

Over much of North America, the common loon population is declining.  Loss of habitat is partly to blame, but contamination of Northern lakes and oil spills along coastal waters are also factors.  Lead sinkers used by fishermen also share the blame. 

So far, we have been very fortunate in successfully releasing all of the loons brought to Wildlife Rehab Center (WRC)  There was no problem finding a lake on which to release them - they were welcome everywhere.  The cry of the loon is like no other sound in nature, so typi-flying the great American wilderness. 

All loons have been successfully released except the last one brought to us in August.  He came in fragile and emaciated late on a Saturday night.  Everything humanely possible was done to save that most beautiful bird.  We watched him go down very quickly and die. 

Monday morning, he was taken to Dr. Bennett at the Animal Clinic.  What when wrong?  What more could have been done to save him?  The x-rays gave us the answer - he had a stomach full of lead sinkers and had died from toxic poisoning! 

A week ago, WRC received a call on a loon in Muskegon; weak, and lethargic, he had died as he was being brought to us.  Another case of lead poisoning?  Maybe.

Please, please - if you know any fishermen who are still using lead sinkers, beg them to stop.  There are alternatives. 

Once again, another problem caused by humans! 

Support your local wildlife centers!  It's more important than you know. 

Saturday, February 5, 2011

My new friend...

We have an elderly neighbor that Mike does quite a bit for and we stopped over her house a couple weeks ago and he said that she looks like she might be needing some company.  He asked me if I would mind spending some time with her sometime.  Naturally I agreed to and so I have been spending a couple of hours with her on Saturdays.  I have learned so much about my neighbor.  She has mentioned to me in the past that she wanted to show me her portfolio.  OH boy does she have pictures!!  I mean pictures galore.  I have seen many albums already and that's only the beginning.  I have learned so much about her and I look forward to learning much more.

A little something about us...

My photo
Kentwood, Michigan, United States
My husband and I have been together for twenty two years now and are still just as happy as we were in the beginning. We have similar interests and one in particular is that we love animals and taking care of them. Mike and I volunteer our time with our local Wildlife Rehab Center (WRC) rehabbing squirrels mostly. Baby squirrels are so adorable and a rare site to most. We have two wonderful children. Which most of the time they totally think their mom is a weirdo. LOL:)