This old gray mare just ain’t what she used to be

I’m posting a bit late tonight, because I had to color my hair and wipe out the grays that want to peek out at my temples. Why is it that men look so distinguished with gray hair, and we just look tired?

I got my first gray hair when I was 22, and I seriously thought it was just due to stress, or just a quirky thing that would resolve itself. Young people are stupid.

Pictures from the past few days:

Our tree Christmas morning.

The girls were so cute when they came down at 7 am. Isabelle said, “My gosh! What’s happening here?”

Christmas Eve at Swami’s yurt. That’s Rachel (sorta-maybe-a-sister-in-law-someday) with Roxy, Swami and Swamette’s Shetland Sheepdog. Or maybe we should call her a Shetland Yakdog?
I couldn’t get all of the presents in frame for this shot. Let’s just say that my in-laws are very, very generous at Christmastime…and all year round, come to think of it.
I took the “long way” on Christmas Eve (Geoff and I took seperate cars so he could take the girls to visit their Great-great-great aunt Francis.
This is for Birdchick. She has mentioned to me that when she was still a Hoosier, she used to visit King’s Island. A very cool place, and if you are ever in the area, come see me and we will go ride some rollercoasters. Sharon, next time you are in Ohio, we will go ride the Beast!

Birds don’t have Christmas. I found this female house finch at my feeders. I noticed that as I approached to fill them, she didn’t fly away. She is suffering from mycoplasmal conjunctivitis. I was even able to put my finger under her belly and she stepped up like a parrot. She is effectively blind. I placed her back on the feeder and wished her the best. And then I cleaned my feeders.

Before everyone yells at me for not taking her in and treating her: It is possible to treat conjunctivitis, but you have to be a licensed rehabber, and it is thought that treating birds with this disease with antibiotics may cause strains to become resistant and then we would really be in trouble.

If you notice birds at your feeders that have swollen or crusty eyes, consider joining the House Finch Eye Disease Survey at Cornell.