Was in my office when I heard a commotion outside. Ran into my mom when I went outside to look for the cause. She said it was migrating Canadian geese. Took the video above.
Erin says they could be sandhill cranes.
There were probably thousands flying by. Turn up the volume to hear the commotion.
Showing posts with label Gainesville. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gainesville. Show all posts
Monday, February 2, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Sandhill Cranes at Paynes Prairie
Went to Paynes Prairie the other day with my niece and nephew.
It was like Wild Kingdom.
There were thousands of sandhill cranes.
Also saw rare wood storks, ibis, blue and green heron, finch, alligator, otter, wild horses and many more birds.
Go to the north entrance of Paynes Prairie. Take University Avenue east from downtown, take the right fork and go right on SE 15 Street to the end.
It was like Wild Kingdom.
There were thousands of sandhill cranes.
Also saw rare wood storks, ibis, blue and green heron, finch, alligator, otter, wild horses and many more birds.
Go to the north entrance of Paynes Prairie. Take University Avenue east from downtown, take the right fork and go right on SE 15 Street to the end.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Rats
There was a rat on our bird feeder today. A big one.
He (or she) was not skittish. Had to bang on the window a few times to get him to jump off and then he hung around in the branches of a bush.
His head was about as big as a squirrel's.
The bird feeder is a complex contraption designed to thwart squirrels and does a good job, but the rat had no problem eating out of it.
The neighbor's had a cat that used to come by, but I have not seen him in a while. Maybe the rat ate him.
He (or she) was not skittish. Had to bang on the window a few times to get him to jump off and then he hung around in the branches of a bush.
His head was about as big as a squirrel's.
The bird feeder is a complex contraption designed to thwart squirrels and does a good job, but the rat had no problem eating out of it.
The neighbor's had a cat that used to come by, but I have not seen him in a while. Maybe the rat ate him.
Gainesville Tree Canopy
Interesting article in the Gainesville Sun today about keeping Gainesville a city-in-the-trees. Nice to see the city managers are paying attention to this.
The article said a shade tree provided more cooling than solar energy would provide if the tree was not there and the roof was covered in solar panels.
Lots of other good reasons for trees.
Trees are solar panels in three dimensional solar panels, efficiently soaking up almost all the light that comes their way. Look how dark it is under the leaves of a tree.
The article said a shade tree provided more cooling than solar energy would provide if the tree was not there and the roof was covered in solar panels.
Lots of other good reasons for trees.
Trees are solar panels in three dimensional solar panels, efficiently soaking up almost all the light that comes their way. Look how dark it is under the leaves of a tree.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
West Coast Swing and Hustle
We had a fun dance session Sunday night.
We have changed the schedule to try something new. From 6:30 to 7:30 is beginners West Coast Swing. During this time we go slow and cover basics.
In the past we had class from 7 to 9. What we changed was adding a beginners class from 6:30 to 7:30 and pushing our regular session back to 7:30 to 9:30.
From 7:30 to 8:30 is intermediate West Coast Swing. This consists mostly of dancing, rotating partners every dance. In between dances, we put out tips.
From 8:30 to 9:30 is intermediate Hustle. What we are doing is developing a routine that we can use to practice.
We have changed the schedule to try something new. From 6:30 to 7:30 is beginners West Coast Swing. During this time we go slow and cover basics.
In the past we had class from 7 to 9. What we changed was adding a beginners class from 6:30 to 7:30 and pushing our regular session back to 7:30 to 9:30.
From 7:30 to 8:30 is intermediate West Coast Swing. This consists mostly of dancing, rotating partners every dance. In between dances, we put out tips.
From 8:30 to 9:30 is intermediate Hustle. What we are doing is developing a routine that we can use to practice.
Friday, January 9, 2009
The Cry of the Gator "Wait til next year"
We moved to Gainesville in 1971. I immediately learned we lived in Gator Country, it's great to be a Florida Gator and the cry of the Gator is "Wait til next year".
Alabama came to town and showed us how to play football, 35-0 worth of football. Still we had our thrills with the next tier.
My dad and I were there when Nat Moore blew through the line and into the Gator consciousness. He ran so fast he looked like his head could not keep up with his feet.
We listened and laughed when the Gators laid down against Miami, and Miami was my dad's alma mater. We stood with "did you see that" looks on our faces when Wayne Fields, from our own Gainesville High School and one of the most dynamic players ever before his knee injury, turned games around with his hard hitting and hard running. For three years we saw the most exciting one of all, Wes Chandler, leave defensive backs sitting on their behinds.
Among all the thrills, there was always, "Wait til next year". Every year there were a few sad losses. The worse was to Georgia. Scott and I, went from celebrating our upcoming SEC championship to mourning over fourth-and-dumb.
Our senior year came fast, but it was still great to be a Florida Gator, even at 0-10-1, with walk-on Larry Ochab at quarterback, Chris Collingsworth at wide receiver and the guy that beat me out for the Gray team in the eight-grade, Westside Park basketball league, Kyle Coburn at cornerback.
After graduating college, I was living in Manhattan. My dad had an office in the Empire State Building. He called up a childhood friend of mine. Peter gave me a call the next day and said, "hey come on up, you can stay on our couch." Peter was living in a studio apartment near my dad's office, with the Dickster, Mike, Stan and Mark. Dickie had the back of the apartment, Peter had the front loft, Mike had the high loft in the living area and Stan was in the hole under Peter's loft. Mark was on the couch under Mike's loft and his three months were up, so out he went and I got the couch. We went to a sports bar to watch the Gators get run over again by Herschel. The Gators held their own and despite a couple hundred yards by Herschel, had the win until, "Run Lindsay, run".
So it went, always great to be a Florida Gator and always "Wait til next year". Then next year came.
Our good friends and neighbors the Heaneys moved to Colorado and bequeathed their season tickets, on the alumni side, 20-yard line, to my dad for twelve years. With us cheering the Gators on from the 13 row, the Gators would be forever changed. UF hired the Ol' Ball Coach. And now the Gators have three football and two basketball national championships. My family and the Gator Nation will be forever grateful to the Heaneys. Thanks for the tickets.
Alabama came to town and showed us how to play football, 35-0 worth of football. Still we had our thrills with the next tier.
My dad and I were there when Nat Moore blew through the line and into the Gator consciousness. He ran so fast he looked like his head could not keep up with his feet.
We listened and laughed when the Gators laid down against Miami, and Miami was my dad's alma mater. We stood with "did you see that" looks on our faces when Wayne Fields, from our own Gainesville High School and one of the most dynamic players ever before his knee injury, turned games around with his hard hitting and hard running. For three years we saw the most exciting one of all, Wes Chandler, leave defensive backs sitting on their behinds.
Among all the thrills, there was always, "Wait til next year". Every year there were a few sad losses. The worse was to Georgia. Scott and I, went from celebrating our upcoming SEC championship to mourning over fourth-and-dumb.
Our senior year came fast, but it was still great to be a Florida Gator, even at 0-10-1, with walk-on Larry Ochab at quarterback, Chris Collingsworth at wide receiver and the guy that beat me out for the Gray team in the eight-grade, Westside Park basketball league, Kyle Coburn at cornerback.
After graduating college, I was living in Manhattan. My dad had an office in the Empire State Building. He called up a childhood friend of mine. Peter gave me a call the next day and said, "hey come on up, you can stay on our couch." Peter was living in a studio apartment near my dad's office, with the Dickster, Mike, Stan and Mark. Dickie had the back of the apartment, Peter had the front loft, Mike had the high loft in the living area and Stan was in the hole under Peter's loft. Mark was on the couch under Mike's loft and his three months were up, so out he went and I got the couch. We went to a sports bar to watch the Gators get run over again by Herschel. The Gators held their own and despite a couple hundred yards by Herschel, had the win until, "Run Lindsay, run".
So it went, always great to be a Florida Gator and always "Wait til next year". Then next year came.
Our good friends and neighbors the Heaneys moved to Colorado and bequeathed their season tickets, on the alumni side, 20-yard line, to my dad for twelve years. With us cheering the Gators on from the 13 row, the Gators would be forever changed. UF hired the Ol' Ball Coach. And now the Gators have three football and two basketball national championships. My family and the Gator Nation will be forever grateful to the Heaneys. Thanks for the tickets.
Selling Cokes at the Game
In High School, in the early 1970s, ticket prices to Gator games were $8, but we had a way to get to the games for free.
My friend Dave and I used to sell cokes at the games. We would buy a tray of 12 cokes (pepsi was harder two syllables, so I would get the coke trays) for $3.60 to get into the games. We would sell each coke for $0.35 then find a place to sit down and drink the last two. If we got thirsty, we would buy another tray.
Sometimes the games would sell out and we could not find seats. So, we would go to the top of the stadium on the student side. Row 89 I believe was the last row. Behind the last row was a space and then the wall of the stadium. Standing on our toes, we could look over the wall and see the tiny road far below.
There was enough room in the space for another row. We set our trays down long way up, sit on them and watch the plays unfold from in aerial view.
To get into the games, you had to be at a certain gate at a certain time with your $3.60. A guy took us all in at once. We bought our first tray and they gave us passes.
One time I was late to the gate. People were already arriving for the game and the regular security was there. I had no ticket, but I did not want to miss the game, so I walked right in like I owned the place. No one stopped me.
That made Florida Field another in a long list of places I successfully snuck in.
My friend Dave and I used to sell cokes at the games. We would buy a tray of 12 cokes (pepsi was harder two syllables, so I would get the coke trays) for $3.60 to get into the games. We would sell each coke for $0.35 then find a place to sit down and drink the last two. If we got thirsty, we would buy another tray.
Sometimes the games would sell out and we could not find seats. So, we would go to the top of the stadium on the student side. Row 89 I believe was the last row. Behind the last row was a space and then the wall of the stadium. Standing on our toes, we could look over the wall and see the tiny road far below.
There was enough room in the space for another row. We set our trays down long way up, sit on them and watch the plays unfold from in aerial view.
To get into the games, you had to be at a certain gate at a certain time with your $3.60. A guy took us all in at once. We bought our first tray and they gave us passes.
One time I was late to the gate. People were already arriving for the game and the regular security was there. I had no ticket, but I did not want to miss the game, so I walked right in like I owned the place. No one stopped me.
That made Florida Field another in a long list of places I successfully snuck in.
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