Well here I am. I tried to attach a photo but haven't succeeded yet. Will work on it. I finally had a chance to start reading the blog site during my vacation in Florida with Mom, Dad, Mark and Joe. Wow, pretty interesting stuff. I'll have to get up to speed on appropriate use and content, but couldn't resist saying hi.
We had a wonderful time with Mom and Dad last week, including a nice evening with Mary and Robert D. Robert showed me an interesting web site called, Goggle Earth. I've spent an hour globe trotting two nights ago. It contains aireal photos of the entire planet. Outside of the US selected areas only are at higher resolution. I've been to sites including Frau Hatt's neighborhood in Zurich, our villa where we stayed on the Almalfi Coast, Grand Canyon, etc. Loads of interesting exploring to look forward to.

On a brighter note, we have an interest in 3 out of 5 Big East schools playing this afternoon. Go Pitt (12:10), Georgetown (4:50) and Villanova (5:00)!!!

Here are the conflicting op-ed pieces in today's Washington Post by Donald Rumsfled and by George Will.

Here's an article about the controversy about that much reported sighting of the ivory-billed woodpecker. A & C--do you know this guy, do you use his books? have you seen the video? Did you try to see this bird in Arkansas or is it Alabama?

""Renowned Birder Questions Sighting""

This is a great website all about hummingbirds. What is great about it is a 2006 map, where people chart their hummingbird sitings. so you can see their progress to the North. Just click on the 2006 project. This way we can have their sugar water all ready for them when they get near.

hummingbirds

The green kingfisher is the smallest kingfisher we have in North America. He has a green back and a very dark green head and if you ask me, is really cute. Chuck and I have been searching for him ever since we got to Texas in all the places he is supposed to be. We "dipped" on a similar kingfisher last spring in England.

We had heard that you can see him along the Rio Grande River. Since we're been here we have checked boat ramps and regulations for canoeing on the Rio Grande. We found out that the basic regulation is "STAY AWAY FROM THE OTHER SIDE AND DON'T EVEN CONSIDER GETTING CLOSE". In reality there are hardly any boat ramps or access for the public. We did find one in Anzaldusa County Park, a shabby but bird friendly spot, and today put the boat in and went up river about 2-3 miles. The US Border patrol boat passed us several times in the two hours we were out, but didn't approach us closely. The River was high and the current stronger than usual since water was being released from the reservoirs of both countries to irrigate farmland.

an article that corroborates most of Mark's recent article about St. Patrick's day.

" An American Holiday"

Erin Go Bragh!

I'm online and you're online. Thought I'd say hi!

I found this article interesting. Whenever the biology debate comes up I always think of quantum physics, which has a very spiritual dimension, at least to me.

"Physics Prof wins Religion award"

The story of St. Patrick's Day begins around 385 AD with a man named Maewyn. At age 16, the Pagan Maewyn was sold into slavery, which brought him closer to God. He finally managed to escape slavery six years later and headed to a monastery in Gaul to study, where he adopted the Christian name "Patrick." Upon ending his studies, he moved to Ireland, where he felt his calling in life was to convert Pagans to Christianity. For the next 30 years, he traveled throughout the country, setting up monasteries and converting the natives. After his death in 461 (on March 17th, when else did you expect?), he was declared a saint.