I didn't give up anything for Lent, but I never do. I did, however, start putting out seed for the birds again, and a few weeks ago even handcrafted a feeder out of a bright green plastic bowl (3 for $1 at the dollar store) and some jute (1 roll for $1 at the dollar store). I haven't caught anyone but the squirrel eating out of the feeder, but dozens of birds flock to the old tree stump where I spread seed as well. I can see them both clearly from where I sit on my couch, and it's so much fun to see birds hopping and playing, and hear them chirp and sing.
I spread some seed out when I got home half an hour ago, and not five minutes later a pair of cardinals (I think they're mates, one is brownish so she must be female and the other is bright red and most likely male) appeared like magic and had a light lunch. I got some good pictures the other day and posted them on facebook.
I guess they'll miss me when I go home for the summer! I can't wait to do it though. I miss my parents, the kitties, the house, the pool (!!!), and I love how much money I save by shutting up the apartment and putting my utilities on hold. Even if it IS a huge pain in the butt to carefully remove anything and everything valuable and haul it to Florida with me. I worry most about my guitar. I'm always so nervous about it warping when I drive in all the heat, especially in summer! Still, other than my computer, camera, and guitar I haven't anything much valuable and those all come with me in any case. My costume jewelry isn't remotely valuable but it comes too because I wouldn't dream of being separated from it :D
Plus, I always have management check on my apartment regularly when I'm gone, so I'm sure nothing bad will happen. I mean, what kind of criminal wants a bunch of textbooks, my winter clothes, and a cupboardfull of toilet paper?
In other momentous news, I'm finally giving up cable. I mean to do it soon, definitely before I leave for the summer, but I can't decide if I should cut it right at the end of April, or do it in the next few days. My bills have been going up horrendously - they were originally $85 a month, and just recently they've been getting worse and worse, slowly at first, but this past month I paid $110, or something similar, and next month will be $126!!! Internet by itself (which I MUST have) is about $50 a month, maybe a little more these days, so what I mean to do when I get back in town is order Sling, which is a streaming tv service! Between that and the digital in-home antenna I've already ordered from Amazon I'll get all the channels I want but three, and for a total of $25/mo ($20 for the basic package and $5 for the add-on sports package) I'll be saving bucketloads of cash. I will miss Houston PBS (out of signal range here, blah), TLC, and BBC America dreadfully, but there are worse sacrifices to make.
My German has been going well lately, my tutor is pleased with me, and shows me so by loading me down by ever more tests and quizzes to take. I'll be so glad when I pass my proficiency exam and can stop taking tutoring! Of course, then I'll be up to my eyeballs translating documents all the time, but at least I can do that whenever I want and my Thursdays will stop being so long and tough.
This summer I must work on Portuguese though, because I'll be home and Dad can teach me. I have a set of CDs that I haven't even opened yet, but I'll try to get started. The sooner I can become re-fluent in Portuguese the better!
I'm not sure what bird this is, a nuthatch maybe or possibly a wren? I've really gotten out of touch with bird-watching and bird species, which is a pity, but I really don't have time for much these days.
Bluejay here is SUPER wily. I can never get close to him!!
I believe this guy is a collared dove. He's a sweetie and I see him and his friends around all the time, cooing and nibbling seeds cautiously.
One of the luckiest shots I've ever taken! That's the male cardinal I mentioned earlier with him.
And the female cardinal! I have one shot of them together, but it's not really a good one.
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