Angry Minnow

A couple weekends ago we went for a drive to Hayward, WI (north of us).  We had lunch at a place called The Angry Minnow.  Despite getting THE WORST waitress service I have EVER had, the food was great!  For an appetizer, we had pretzels made out of the spent hops they use to make their beer.  They were amazing.

On our way back we stopped at a grocery store.  I stumbled upon this scary sight:

Seriously?

More than "just a little butterfly"

I haven't been blogging much this summer.  Mostly because I have been insanely busy.  But also because I hate trying to load pictures.  Maybe I am retarded but this blogger picture loader really irritates me.
Anyways, starting to wrap up my internship.  Field work is done now.  We saw an awesome increase in Karner populations which is great, since Wisconsin is one of the few places they are thriving.  Some people say "What's the big deal?  It's just a little butterfly" but in reality, it is much more than that.
It has been proven that diversity benefits all species.  The more diverse, the greater the growth and survival rate of all species, and the better the overall health of our planet and ecosystem.  Karner blue butterflies are referred to as a "flagship" species.  They are cute and a great image to present to the public to bring about awareness of the loss of biodiversity on this planet.
Karners were listed as federally endangered species in 1992.  In managing the habitats suited for Karners (pine barrens, open prairies, etc), there are also a lot of other species being "saved" as well such as trees, prairie flowers, and wildlife.
So when people say "It's just a little butterfly", it actually is much more than that!

Here are a few random shots from field days.  I didn't take the camera too much because it was always so hot and sweaty and we were working pretty hard.  Yes, counting butterflies IS hard work.  Most of the terrain was very brushy and we were going through a lot of trees and blackberries.

Looking for butterflies.  Haha -just kidding.  We are actually finished for the day and trying to get some good profile pics for facebook!

One of the prettier sites we surveyed. ( Most were not this open and clear of brush)

Anna and Lindsay attempting to "look scientific" while they take weather and wind readings

A Karner checking out Anna's lunch

Does it count as harrassment when they land on you and you're trying to eat?

Karner on my measuring tape while doing vegetation analyses

Karner on my distance pole

Relative Abundance Level 2+ Sampling

Stepping outside my comfort zone.... WAY OUT

Besides my job with the DNR working with the federally endangered Karner blue butterflies, I am "critter sitting" for one of my professors that is gone to Cambodia for five weeks.

Talk about a big leap outside my comfort zone.  Yikes.
I am responsible for the care of two tarantulas, a parrot, a chameleon, a chinese water dragon, koi, two cichlid fish tanks, two tortoises, four turtles, two sand snakes, two sonoran sand snakes, a frog, a king snake, four boas (snakes), a frog tank, another frog tank, two scorpions, a hermit crab, a rat snake, and (for those of you wondering if they have any "normal" pets) 20+chickens, two cats, and a dog!

Mr Wilson, the parrot, is my favorite.  He has a very extensive vocabulary that is usually pretty situational-appropriate.  The other day I was getting ready to leave and I said "Bye Mr Wilson" and he said (in a really sad voice) "Bye" and then as I was stepping out the door he said "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine".
Another day he kept saying "Fire! Fire! Save the bird!"  Finally I said, "Really?  Is there really a fire?"  to which he promptly replied, "Nope".
He can talk in both the husband and wife's voices.  And he just started doing my voice the way I say "heellllooooo".
If he is bored, he makes a sound like someone is knocking on the front door, which causes the dog to start barking and run to the door.  Or he will meow to the cats.
The other day I was trying to teach him to say "Hurry Hurry! Late late!"  (cuz Deb is always running late).  Instead, Mr Wilson said "No habla espanol".
He is so funny!

Learning to handle and feed all these animals has been a challenge!  You won't catch me dead with any of the tarantulas in my hands, but I have had to handle a couple boas as well as seperate two sand snakes that were trying to eat eachother.

"Mr. Wilson" -African grey parrot

Abby begging at back door

Abby and "Pokey"

some kind of gecko

a rat snake.  Very nice snake

can you see the hidden gecko behind the fish tank?

some kind of chameleon

Chinese Water Dragon (he is sick, that is why part of his upper jaw is gone)

big cichlid fish tank

hermit crab

One of many African frogs

"Glump"

always ready to eat Boa

"Peter" -a boa

 Nice Boa

Naughty escape-artist boa

Koi

How many can you fit?

One night of our family reunion we had a cheeto cheese ball-stuffing/eating contest around the campfire.  We had hot ones and regular ones.  Wish I had caught pics of everyone....  It was hilarious!

Seth

Tim setting the bar really high! (Aundray, Lexi, Justine in background)

Amy

Ellie

I had my money on Josie

Dad took off his glasses and got serious!

Kenalee

Nic and Marley. ( Max, Kelly, and Seth in background)

Mason and Skott

Kelly was the winner!

Tim bowing to the new champion

What happened to July?

The weekend of the fourth of July, we went camping up in Door County.  That Saturday, Heidi, Ellie, and Josie flew in to Minneapolis/St Paul and went camping with us.

We enjoyed the political advertisements, oops! -I mean, the Parade in Bailey's Harbor on Sunday.

We ended up coming back to Eau Claire a day early due to rain.  The same rain that also threw a giant wrench into all of our carefully made reunion plans for the entire week....

Carrie, Josie, Heidi, Skott, Ellie, and Aundray at parade

A very patriotic camel

Only in Wisconsin.  Notice anything wrong with this float?  Maybe the GIANT pack of beer?

Mason, Ellie, and Aundray.  Baileys Harbor

Ok, this blogger thing is really bugging me.  I can't get text and pictures to go where I want them.  So I am posting, as is.  Try to put more up later.