The Hobbit Hole XXXIV - But better than rain or rippling streams...

[SuziQ]

That will be good for him to get his Gen. Ed. courses done at a place that's less expensive than most. I think tuition, books, and fees at USMGC are about $6,000 a year, so that's a GREAT deal! Heh, when I attended USM back in the early 70's, tuition was $159 a quarter, and I didn't even have to pay that because Mama worked at the school, and as long as I kept up a 2.75 GPA, I had the scholarship. Worked out great!

I lived at home, too, so I didn't have to deal with all the dorm stuff. I liked having my privacy! Back then, of course, they had curfews, so I didn't have to deal with those, either. Of course, that also meant that I was always available to work the late shift at the Burger King!

[JenB]

I’m finally trying to get my butt back in gear to take my last classes for my masters’. If nothing else, it would let me teach at community colleges...

[Corin Stormhands]

He eventually wants to transfer. But this is a good start for him.

[LSAggie]

It just occurred to me that I’ve hardly seen any crows this year!

West Nile hits the blue jays and the crows, none of the ~nuisance~ birds (starlings, grackles, pigeons) seem to be bothered by it. We've not seen many blue jays around here since 2002 when West Nile hit the Kansas City area but the crow population started coming back last year.

[300winmag]

West Nile hits the blue jays and the crows, none of the ~nuisance~ birds (starlings, grackles, pigeons) seem to be bothered by it.

West Nile hits about 200 species of birds, just about any bird except trash birds. The state just glossed over that part. A few years back, I'd find 2 or 3 dead goldfinches or housefinches a day. Now they're back to their regular numbers, and no more bird deaths to any causes except normal predation.

[SuziQ]

Doesn’t sound too bad for Vansama! Also, since you’re not using him as much right now, it will help him last a little longer!

[SuziQ]

Crows aren't nuisance birds? You could fooled me! A few years ago, it seemed there were hundreds just in our neighborhood!

I'd often thought that Edgar Allan Poe must have been on some real drug bender to have imagined a raven saying "Nevermore". That is until we moved here. Those dang crows are as big as some of the wild turkeys, and are so loud, I don't wonder how Poe could have imagined that anymore!

[SuziQ]

Clare enjoyed her CC teachers, and so does Joseph. We're going to have him two two online classes in the Fall. One through the local CC and one through the CC on the Gulf Coast. We wanted him to have pre-Calc, so that would be done before he took Physics, and he needs 1/2 unit of Amer. Govt to meet the admission requirements for USM. Since we're not sure at what point we'll be moving, we didn't want to lock him into any location and then have to leave. The classes run from the first of Sept. to the middle of Dec.

He could do the Govt. at home, but he'll be finishing his Amer. History at home, and doing a HUGH literature program based on Lord of the Rings. It is my hope we'll be down in MS by January, and if so, he can take Physics and Economics at the CC there in the Spring Semester.

[RosieCotton]

Izzit raining?

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

Currently in Ocala, FL

Fair 95°F
Feels Like 105

Had 2 times the normal rain in July, but earlier it had been very dry.

[ExGeeEye]

...employee discounts on ammo...

[LSAggie]

I had no idea it hit so many different species of birds, winmag! We were just told about blue jays and crows, and I didn’t notice any decrease in my housefinch or sparrow population. The only dead birds I ever see are the headless bodies left when the grackles decide their young need more protein :(

[LSAggie]

Crows aren't nuisance birds

I just had to laugh, I guess they are nuisance birds, but I just love crows. They are so bold, and some of them get huge!! I can always count on the crows to ~remove~ the wildlife roadkill Gypsy and I see on our walks.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

Jays, Crows and Ravens are in the same family as Magpies, they are all great talkers, if slightly slower learning then parrots. That is probably why Poe used the Raven in his poem (Parrots would be much less sinister, IMHO)

Their close connection probably explains West Nile hitting them in the same way.

[300winmag]

I had no idea it hit so many different species of birds, winmag!

It was the same here, until about six months into the onslaught, when they started mentioning, "oh, yeah, about those other birds ...."

[HairOfTheDog]

It’s not raining now... it misted a little on my way back from town... not even enough to call it drizzle. What time do you get off?

[RosieCotton]

I get off at four today. I still have to call and see how things are goin’, but they did say it’d be done today.

[HairOfTheDog]

Oh - well... what would you like... a ride? Or to ride? :~)

[RosieCotton]

I’ve been asking myself that question all day.

I guess since I have the bike and it isn’t raining, I don’t have any excuse not to just ride back. So I guess I’m OK. I was worried it’d be harder to find a back way to the shop, as riding on Capital Blvd. without a bike lane during the busy times of day isn’t my idea of fun. But there’s a back way that’s a little twisty but pretty quiet.

[RosieCotton]

But I still wanna buy pizza one of these days. ;-)