Fall is here...

I've had a very busy couple of weeks. Spent a few days out on Long Island with my HS girlfriends. Part of the time we were in Montauk and the other at Tobay Beach. We had gorgeous weather, good food, lots of laughs and awesome scenery. The ocean always makes me feel better.

Last weekend I spent up at the Cornell Arnot Nature Teaching Forest becoming a Certified Naturalist. I met many interesting people who are cut from the same cloth as myself. I will be working towards my Certified Master Naturalist designation next. I have more credits to earn and 30 hours of volunteer service to do. Still trying to figure out my niche, what can I do with my knowledge and passion? I am happy to be moving forward.

I have a nice male Painted turtle in rehab, he had a fish hook in his face/eye. He appears to be healing really well. I'm hopeful he can go back to the wild this coming weekend, other wise I will have to let him winter over here in one of my turtle tubs. Most of the wild turtles have started to slow down and eat less. I don't want him to have problems hibernating because I've been feeding him. Baby squirrels are all coming for a visit tomorrow. They will all be good and wild now!

Today I took Monty up to the lake for a nice hike. Still far too many mosquitoes out. The weather was perfect. Lots of birds still around. Winter Wren, C.Y.T. Warbler pair, Phoebe, Wood Thrush, Song Sparrow. On the way out, in the parking lot, I noticed lots of Raptors moving through, Bald Eagle, Peregrine falcon, Sharp-shined and Red shouldered. Wish that I had gone up to the AT over looking GW Lake now. I have the Hawk Watch this coming Friday and Sunday. We are in for a bit of cold snap, so it ought to be pretty good. I miss my HW friends and birding. Time to get back out there.

Last day of Summer 2011

I wish that I could say it was a good Summer, I can't. I spent most of it worried about losing my best friend Petey and then mourning his loss the past six weeks. He was an amazing dog that I was blessed to share my life with for four and a half short years. I miss him terribly. I have no regrets as I loved him deeply and gave him a great life. We shared thousands of hours out in the woods hiking and loving life. I will never forget his zoomies of joy each hike, when he would run back to me, it was his way of saying thank you for taking me. My life and the way I see how a dog should live is forever changed, I just wish we had more time together. I feel sick when I think of how young he was. He didn't deserve to die. Big hole in my heart, but filling it with the happy memories of my best friend Petey.

First bear

Let the Fall bear sightings begin, tonight at 6:55pm I saw a bear cross the road from our Turtle Hill Road Property to the other side of the road. Bobby was working just a few yards from where he crossed. Always thrilling!


All my squirrel rehabs are gone, another rehabber took back the 2 greys and assumed care of the 5 reds. The flying squirrel was let go on Turtle Point Property and the Chipmunk here in my yard.


September 15-18th Nice trip to Montauk Point and also Great South Bay with my oldest and dearest girl friends. I love going back to my roots and spending time at the ocean. We had wonderful weather. I also did a little walk down memory lane and went to my childhood home and past the Park that gave me my deep love for nature.

Life passing by....

I still feel like it's all been a really bad dream. It's been 4 weeks since I lost my beloved Petey. My heart hurts every moment, the missing is excruciating. I loved him like no other dog that has come my way. Why only 4 years and 9 months of life for him? He was still a baby. I spent the final 20 months of his short life worrying about how and when he would die from DCM. I hate that disease. How horrific is it that perfectly healthy beautiful dogs have such bad hearts....and WHY have breeders done nothing to breed it out of Dobes? I know Petey taught me to live in the moment, but there have to be other lessons, I'm still searching for those. I miss his presence, my life will never be the same again, he was my heart and soul dog. Not sure I will ever allow myself to love another dog like that ever again, it is just too painful when they leave us.

Lots of Squirrels

The storm brought in lots of squirrels. Grays, Reds, Chipmunk and a Flying Squirrel. These were all shared with my co-rehabber. I'm so grateful that we share the work, this way we can still go away and have a life. I hope our relationship continues for a long time. One weekend I had all four species in separate enclosures on my DR table. Monty left them alone the entire time. I am beginning to love doing Rehab work. It is so interesting and when the outcome is good, very rewarding. To be able to help these animals get back to the wild is for me the greatest gift I could give back to the world. I love protecting what is meant to be, wild and free.

Baby Wood Turtle

What an incredible find....a true gift for me.

More babies

Yesterday I got in 5 female baby Red Squirrels. Their tree had to be cut down due to Hurricane Irene. I think they are just under 4 weeks old. I found out online that we shouldn't feed them the same as the Grey Squirrels. They need yogurt and heavy cream in their mix. I started that this afternoon. Hoping they do well. They sure are adorable!