BIG thanks to all who commented and voted!
~Gwyn
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Photography Blog
BIG thanks to all who commented and voted!
~Gwyn
Monday, March 29, 2010
Should I?
Do you think I should start a photo blog? Please vote!
I take loads of pictures but I don't often post them, so maybe if I had a blog specifically for photos I'd do better.
Any thoughts?
I take loads of pictures but I don't often post them, so maybe if I had a blog specifically for photos I'd do better.
Any thoughts?
Saturday, March 27, 2010
I survive another day: Parrots & Play Practice
Today I am whacked. Period. Because yesterday I had a good 'adventure day', so to speak. All sorts of new things learned!
I went on a field trip with my homeschool group to the parrot sanctuary{who new my state even had a parrot sanctuary!! I was very surprised.} Very awesome, or as Bethie would say "epic"! Unfortunately I forgot to take my camera{a huge mistake!!!} and I missed so many brilliant photo-ops I could have beat myself over the head with a large cudgel. I did take my phone and try taking pics but I'm not sure how to get them on the computer.
There were about 50-70 beautiful birds, sizes ranging from a tiny sparrow proportions to nearly hawk sized birds.
The sanctuary specialized in parrots and cockatiels mostly, though they had an endangered toucan that can only be found in three other places in the US -- all big city zoos! I was extremely surprised to see how small it was. When most people envision a toucan they think crow sized birds, right? Well, in fact most breeds are about the size of a downey woodpecker! Very cool.
Most all the birds there were from either abusive homes or ones that could no longer take care of them. Coming from all over. One little guy came clear from Hawaii.
The sanctuary does all it can to help the abused birds, I was amazed at the their dedication to the feathery critters. All the staff are volunteers and the sanctuary itself is nonprofit, and yet they drove all the way across the state to a vet to help rescue a love bird! Incredible.
Many of the bird have horribly sad stories. One, a 65 year old crested cockatiel, its owner decided he didn't want it anymore and so poured a pot of boiling water over it in an effort to exterminate it. Another was left in its blanket covered cage in a dark basement for eight years. Another extremely rare red parrot's owners decided it would make a good dog toy. He now has only one eye and no tail.
There are other kinds of stories as well. One large parrot wasn't handled properly and bit a man finger off! Our tour guide told us that a parrot has as much force in its beak as a twelve foot alligator! Crazy stuff.
All the birds emitted to the sanctuary are carefully retrained and cared for until they can be adopted out. Most birds who have been there a few months you cold never tell they had a hard life before hand. Others will never go up for adoption because the staff only trust professionals to care for them.{i.e. the one that bit a guys finger off probably won't be going anywhere soon.}
You can tell that the staff genuinely care for and love the birds and the birds love them. Its very evident if you wish to adopt a bird. You have to put in a certain number of hours{usually around eight} connecting with your prospective bird and taking several classes with it to make sure you know how to care for it and that you get on with it well -- and even then sometimes the sanctuary will have to say no if they don't think your the 'right one'. Oh, I forgot. They also do a home inspection.
They do all this because before when they had no criteria they would adopt out a bird and then a few days later see it on an illegal market for a lot of money.
*sigh*
I'm very glad I went, though. :) I saw the cutest tiny green parrot named Pete! He such had itybity eyes! So sweet. :)
I also had my first play practice yesterday. It went well. Lasted two hours, but I had a lot of fun. I've never acted before - well, not in public. lol! And I'm really liking it! I almost wish my part was bigger. Almost. :)
Its fun to watch the others too. Especially when they reach a part in the script where you invented an insult for the occasion :) "You piece of yesterdays mutton!" That was {one}mine!
Well, must dash. I've got a few chores to finish and Mum's getting impatient.....
~Gwyn
I went on a field trip with my homeschool group to the parrot sanctuary{who new my state even had a parrot sanctuary!! I was very surprised.} Very awesome, or as Bethie would say "epic"! Unfortunately I forgot to take my camera{a huge mistake!!!} and I missed so many brilliant photo-ops I could have beat myself over the head with a large cudgel. I did take my phone and try taking pics but I'm not sure how to get them on the computer.
There were about 50-70 beautiful birds, sizes ranging from a tiny sparrow proportions to nearly hawk sized birds.
The sanctuary specialized in parrots and cockatiels mostly, though they had an endangered toucan that can only be found in three other places in the US -- all big city zoos! I was extremely surprised to see how small it was. When most people envision a toucan they think crow sized birds, right? Well, in fact most breeds are about the size of a downey woodpecker! Very cool.
Most all the birds there were from either abusive homes or ones that could no longer take care of them. Coming from all over. One little guy came clear from Hawaii.
The sanctuary does all it can to help the abused birds, I was amazed at the their dedication to the feathery critters. All the staff are volunteers and the sanctuary itself is nonprofit, and yet they drove all the way across the state to a vet to help rescue a love bird! Incredible.
Many of the bird have horribly sad stories. One, a 65 year old crested cockatiel, its owner decided he didn't want it anymore and so poured a pot of boiling water over it in an effort to exterminate it. Another was left in its blanket covered cage in a dark basement for eight years. Another extremely rare red parrot's owners decided it would make a good dog toy. He now has only one eye and no tail.
There are other kinds of stories as well. One large parrot wasn't handled properly and bit a man finger off! Our tour guide told us that a parrot has as much force in its beak as a twelve foot alligator! Crazy stuff.
All the birds emitted to the sanctuary are carefully retrained and cared for until they can be adopted out. Most birds who have been there a few months you cold never tell they had a hard life before hand. Others will never go up for adoption because the staff only trust professionals to care for them.{i.e. the one that bit a guys finger off probably won't be going anywhere soon.}
You can tell that the staff genuinely care for and love the birds and the birds love them. Its very evident if you wish to adopt a bird. You have to put in a certain number of hours{usually around eight} connecting with your prospective bird and taking several classes with it to make sure you know how to care for it and that you get on with it well -- and even then sometimes the sanctuary will have to say no if they don't think your the 'right one'. Oh, I forgot. They also do a home inspection.
They do all this because before when they had no criteria they would adopt out a bird and then a few days later see it on an illegal market for a lot of money.
*sigh*
I'm very glad I went, though. :) I saw the cutest tiny green parrot named Pete! He such had itybity eyes! So sweet. :)
I also had my first play practice yesterday. It went well. Lasted two hours, but I had a lot of fun. I've never acted before - well, not in public. lol! And I'm really liking it! I almost wish my part was bigger. Almost. :)
Its fun to watch the others too. Especially when they reach a part in the script where you invented an insult for the occasion :) "You piece of yesterdays mutton!" That was {one}mine!
Well, must dash. I've got a few chores to finish and Mum's getting impatient.....
~Gwyn
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
*Whew!* The week of stress is over at last!
We did the recital Sunday and... Brother and I were awesome, if I do say so myself. I mean, for pulling it together in three days we were perfect :D Our teacher looked soooooo surprised! She must've been a bit jarred because she gave me a hug! That made it all worth it.
I was grinning all over my face the rest of the day. And people kept coming up to me and my brother saying "Good job" and "That was great!"
That was easily the best recital -- if the most stressful and hard earned.:)
Yesterday, however, was a different story.
I had a 4-H Public Presentation where you do a demonstration in front of a judge and other 4-Hers. I've done it before so it really didn't faze me; except for the fact I learned I had to do it the morning of. Another surprise! Oh, joy!
So I crammed together a short demo on how to make a ribbon necklace.
Well, I get there, set up and begin and.... My mind goes completely blank. Nothing. At. All.
It wasn't like I was nervous or anything -- I felt fine -- but I couldn't remember what the heck I was supposed to say. And the judge just sat there grinning at me. Not helpful.
Ooooooh, I botched it soooo badly! It was like I'd never done one before -- no, worse. Much worse.
You all probably know that I'm perfectionist{you could say its my "fatal flaw"} and if you didn't -- I am. So after that disastrous attempt at a demo I was so angry with myself, and still am a bit. Ergggg... It might have been from all the stuff last week and them this coming on so suddenly leaping at me like some deranged tiger... I don't know. But I could have done so-much-better!!! Grrrr!! It makes me so mad!
*breathe*
Ah, well. Today I have nothing ---nothing at all--- to do but work with my Fur-children{horses, dogs, and cat} What could be better? I think that God seriously gave animals therapeutic powers :)
- Made teacher proud *check*
I was grinning all over my face the rest of the day. And people kept coming up to me and my brother saying "Good job" and "That was great!"
That was easily the best recital -- if the most stressful and hard earned.:)
Yesterday, however, was a different story.
I had a 4-H Public Presentation where you do a demonstration in front of a judge and other 4-Hers. I've done it before so it really didn't faze me; except for the fact I learned I had to do it the morning of. Another surprise! Oh, joy!
So I crammed together a short demo on how to make a ribbon necklace.
Well, I get there, set up and begin and.... My mind goes completely blank. Nothing. At. All.
It wasn't like I was nervous or anything -- I felt fine -- but I couldn't remember what the heck I was supposed to say. And the judge just sat there grinning at me. Not helpful.
Ooooooh, I botched it soooo badly! It was like I'd never done one before -- no, worse. Much worse.
You all probably know that I'm perfectionist{you could say its my "fatal flaw"} and if you didn't -- I am. So after that disastrous attempt at a demo I was so angry with myself, and still am a bit. Ergggg... It might have been from all the stuff last week and them this coming on so suddenly leaping at me like some deranged tiger... I don't know. But I could have done so-much-better!!! Grrrr!! It makes me so mad!
*breathe*
Ah, well. Today I have nothing ---nothing at all--- to do but work with my Fur-children{horses, dogs, and cat} What could be better? I think that God seriously gave animals therapeutic powers :)
Getting over it ~Gwyn
Vivien Leigh and a horse named Browni
I am of course talking about these... ;)
My Mum likes the actress Vivien Leigh a lot and so for Valentines Day a drew a picture of said actress for the front of Mum's card :) I'm really happy with the way it turned out!
This I did quite recently and I'm pretty happy with it... Mostly... I'd better stop looking at it closely or I'll take it down... :P
~Gwyn
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