Anyway, thanks everybody, and I'm mostly good, if upset. I watched some stupid movies for a while, and now I'm watching a How It's Made marathon which is seriously zen.

Oh! And today the SO hit the REI annual sale and scored me an awesome new backpack. So I'm looking forward to playing with that when he gets home tomorrow.

Oh! And today the SO hit the REI annual sale and scored me an awesome new backpack.

Cool color too.

Before Emmett started high school we took him to REI to get a REAL backpack instead of the crap, somewhat disposable ones we'd been getting once a year with characters on them etc.

And, holy smokes, it makes such a huge difference. It's just much easier on his back, it's not splitting at the seams after 9 months, and he's carrying a lot of stuff back and forth between both houses. It was a classic case of "invest the money in quality and it pays for itself."

I know, nice, right? Feminine but not too girly. Backpacks really are one of the things where it's worth spending the money. I have an old "youth" external frame one, but I don't like how it feels, and it's getting out of usefulness. This one is specifically for women, and the REI store had a short female worker try on the different sizes for me. They'll custom fit it for me when I get back there, too.

Well, in this morning's bird news, the last chick is still alive! But apparently her little adventure out of the nest has sparked some premature fledging desire. This morning I couldn't find her, and she was actually outside of the nest sitting on the speaker. I tried to move her, which was a dumb idea, because she leapt out of the nest two more times. Third time was a charm as I was able to get her calmer and I think she stayed put, plus dad was right there with a snack. But we're going to have to keep an eye out, I think. She can flutter, but not really fly yet. I may rearrange the stuff on the deck so she has a softer landing spot if she does take a plunge.

So continuing adventures in rural-land, I guess.

Yay, chick! That incident would have really bothered me too, and I would start thinking of things I should have done to keep "my" birds safe. Did you get the perpetrator away safely?

When we lived in the country, we had a snake experience that, had it been recorded, would be a YouTube sensation. At least I think watching me, in my nightgown, attempting to save a snake from the dogs, would have been pretty funny. It was a big black snake, and I kept picking it up with a stick and trying to get it to go outside the fence, and it kept turning around and heading right back towards the dogs. Snakes don't take direction well.

I still haven't decided what to do with him. I guess I need to do it now.

I still haven't decided what to do with him. I guess I need to do it now.

"Oh yeah. I've got a snake in a can..."

Well, he's still in there. Looks pretty contented, as a matter of fact. So release should be straightforward. I got out the SO's hunting maps, and found a place I think I'll release him. It's in the national forest. It's actually a water treatment area, but a natural one, so they've done it up all nice as a created wetland wildlife area. I think I can park and haul the trash can out there pretty easily and still have him be pretty clear of where people will go.

But since I'm going to release him and not kill him (go figure, he's lucky I put it off, because yesterday I was not feeling so charitable) I think I'll wait until the SO gets home. He'll probably want to see the snake.

Yay, so glad to hear the chick is fine!

I didn't realize how invested I was in the outcome until I read it. We lost a rescue chick once, and it still hurts. I guess unconsciously I mapped it onto your phoebe, Liese.

Most birds have learned that my house is not a good place to hang out. They will chill on the dock pilings some to torment the dog and cat, but the word has gone out about Georgia's ability to catch the low and slow.

I love reading about Liese and askye's effort on behalf of our feathered friends.

Teppy, how is your brother doing? I am continuing to send positive thoughts his way.

Well, I have successfully relocated Snakester McVillain. He was unhappy about the car ride, let me tell you. He was thrashing back and forth inside the trash can. I thought sure he was going to tip it and I was going to have loose angry snake in the van. Motherfucking snake in this motherfucking van!

But we made it to Pintail Lake. I opened the can and let him sit there for a bit to chill, and he finally did. So then I tipped the can over and retreated, thinking he'd shoot out, but he was very cautious and declined to leave the can for a while. Then he came out and went underneath the handy rock I had provided for him.

The baby phoebe has once more escaped the nest, this time landing inside a bag of our recyclables. She was very unhappy with me retrieving her from there, but I don't know what else to do. I can't keep handling her, but she also can't live inside my recycling bag! So I got her back up in the nest again, and we have rigged up a catching platform (i.e., my repurposed tray feeder) on top of a ladder underneath the nest. If she falls on it, we'll just leave her there, but I suspect freedom is in her heart at this point. Unfortunately for her, her tail feathers are not fully developed enough for flight.

Anyway. She's back for the moment. I don't know how much I can or should do.