June 29 : What's in my bag

|| 1. sunglasses || 2. citronella mosquito repellant & balm || 3. Vaseline moisturizer ||
|| 4. Banana Boat sunscreen || 5. Advil || 6. umbrella || 7. bird guide || 8. binoculars ||

We took a short birding walk at Jetton Park today. It has nice trails, BBQ grills, a beach, lots of trees, mushrooms and birds to be found. I wish I was better at identifying bird songs and sounds. I couldn't really watch through my binoculars because I was holding on to the leash as well. Impatient little Scuffy always wants to be on the go. So, when I stop too long to try get a glimpse of a bird amongst the trees, he tugs repeatedly at his leash as if to say "Let's go, let's go, let's go Mama!"

What's in your bag today?

Birding: June 20 - Cute little baby robin!

I was walking through our garden when I spotted this little fella' hidden amongst the leaves. I don't know what made me look, but I'd seen the mottled orange chest, and did a double take! A little baby robin, perched on a disused fence, looking a wee bit scared. I think it was learning to fly and perhaps was just taking a break when I spotted it. It then tried to sit very still, hoping and praying to its bird gods that I don't notice him.

And what did I do?

I stopped in my tracks, stooped down and started to talk to it. I mean, if someone were to see me, they'd probably think I was crazy, squatting amongst the trees, talking to myself. Actually, I just wanted to do encourage the little bird to fly. I was tempted to reach out and let it perch on my arm, like I did with those orphan starlings a year ago, but this little birdie didn't know me, and I shouldn't get too friendly too soon. And of course, in a minute, I heard its noisy Mama on a nearby branch, chirping and squawking, telling me to leave her baby alone.

I'll let nature do its thing. This little birdie will fly very soon. Good luck and fly safe!

June 15 : From Above -- A day in Blowing Rock

Taken from above in the mountains!
This past weekend, my friends and I made a trip to Blowing Rock for Art in the Park. For one Saturday each month, from May through October, the town of Blowing Rock hosts this event that showcases about 90 artists, featuring handcrafted jewelry, pottery, paintings, photography and more!





Here is a hummingbird mobile I found.
The birds are made of pinecones and leaves, how clever is that?!



A whole array of decorative (and possibly functional?) birdhouses,
dressed up with everyday objects like doorknobs and old license plates.



This is the painting I bought to dress up my plain white walls. It is a painting of magnolias,
for the magnolia trees that flank the sides of our house. I love it!



At the end of the day, we drove to Moses Cone Memorial Park to take an evening stroll in the park. It was such a beautiful day with skies so blue, we couldn't have asked for better weather!

I hope you had a great weekend!

June 8 : An animal

For our friend's bachelorette party, we threw her a surprise painting party. There is a place in Charlotte called Painting with a Twist, where they hold painting classes. You pick a painting you like and they teach you how to paint it step by step. Our bride-to-be Jessica, loves peacocks, and her wedding colors are peacock-inspired hues of blues and purples. So this painting was perfect!



I can't wait for her wedding in August! It'll be in Binghamton, so J & I will head on down to NYC after! If you have places to see or restaurants to recommend, send them my way pretty please!

May 19 : My favorite view

Well, I must apologise... These pictures are terrible, and totally do not do my "favorite view" any justice. But I meant it in a way that I love watching these Carolina Wrens nest right on my window sill. From building the nest to watching the parents brave our presence just to feed their hungry babies. What parents will do for their offspring. It's universal!


Finally caught a picture of the mother!



You can see two little beaks wide open, waiting to be fed.


Next year I'm getting a bird house, and setting it someplace where viewing would be easier!

May 12 : Mother (Happy Mother's Day)

Waiting for breakfast from their mama!


To my dearest mother, thank you for all that you've done for me these 30 years. You have given, and will never stop giving your love and strength and help in every possible. I know it's tough having to deal with the distance between us and I thank you for your patience and understanding. Thank goodness for technological advances, I see you and talk to you every week. Now that you're on the iPhone, all the various apps make it possible for us communicate within a matter of seconds. I still appreciate the times when I can come home to visit. I love you, even though words cannot adequately convey my love for you.

Happy Mother's Day, 妈妈我爱你！

Crafting : Owl Wings and Mask tutorial

Here is a list of Halloween costumes I had in mind:

1) Gypsy fortune-teller
2) Geisha
3) Bird / Owl
4) Fairy


I had my heart set on making my fortune teller outfit, I even bought a caftan pattern from Etsy to make my outfit!! Then i chickened out of the pattern :(

But then i found this easy-to-make Owl wings tutorial on Burda Style, and I figured I could easily make an owl mask. So that was decided!






To make the mask, you'll need:

2 pieces of brown felt
Scrap Yellow felt
1 piece of sturdy interfacing
Coordinating colors of embroidery floss
Embroidery needle
Hot glue gun
Head band



1. I drew a template of an owl mask, alternatively you can google owl mask templates,
or get one from the Martha Stewart website

Via

2. Trace the template on the brown felt and on the interfacing
to cut out three owl mask shapes. Like so.





3. Sandwich the three layers so that the interfacing is in between the two pieces of brown felt. Pin the layers together.
Then thread your embroidery floss and blanket stitch the three layers together, all around the edges. I love using the blanket stitch because it a pretty stitch but it binds layers together very well! Functional and aesthetically pleasing.
I also used a running stitch to add a little outlining detail to the mask. You'll want to use a thicker needle and 6-count embroidery floss. Pushing the needle through 3 layers of felt and interfacing and be quite a challenge!





4. Attach the head band to the mask using a hot glue gun.
Press and hold head band in place until the glue dries.
Now, where you place your head band is a matter of personal preference.
I attached my band in the middle of the mask above the eye holes because after playing around with different placements, this was most comfortable for me.
You should experiment too, before permanently attaching the band to the mask.





5. Cut out a diamond shaped beak from the yellow felt. Leave one of the edges slightly rounded or plateaued. Hot glue this piece onto the bottom of the mask where the beak goes. Ta-daaa!! And you're done!









Now go be a HOOT, and take someone under your wing! *guffaws*
(Insert your own owl joke here for laughs)
And I'll be the gypsy fortune teller next year!

Birding: The Chronicles of the 3 Orphaned Starlings

This is Starling 1 & 2 on Day 20, before they took off. :(



The story thus far.

J and I found the our little starlings just one week old. Barenaked as newborns can be. We took them in, lovingly cared for them, hand fed them till they became strong, with their feathers all grown out.

Every day while I was at work, J would take them outside to work on strengthening their wings. Very soon, they started to flap their wings frequently. We kept them outdoors during the day, so they could be exposed to sunlight and the sounds of their surroundings.

I came home from work on Day 18. J placed the biggest and strongest starling on a post. He clapped his hands twice, opened his palms and the bird flew to him. My jaw dropped. What has he been teaching them while I was away??? I picked up the second biggest, it perched on my arm, flapped its way to my shoulder and sat there for a bit. I almost shed tears of joy. However, I also knew that our days with these babies is coming to an end. We didn't name them after all. Aside from Little Runt, they were all called "Chickies" collectively.

Keeping them in the house has been a challenge because they keep flying out of their box. We keep the box in the bathroom when the lizards are out of their tanks. If we have our air on, they sleep in the towel-lined box next to a small space heater to keep them warm.

Day 19 - In the evening, we took the chickies outside to work on their flying. They pecked around at bugs they found, and the bigger two were testing their flight a lot more. We were worried about Little Runt who seemed more eager to stay in his box. I set out a shallow dish of water. Starling 1 & 2 took a drink for the first time! Starling 2 even took a bird bath and splashed around in the water! When the day was done, we had quite a difficult time trying to get them back into their box.

Day 20 - I took them outside again yesterday morning. Once Starling 1 got used to the surroundings, he took off, flew onto a branch in a tree. I followed him with my eyes until i could see him no longer and whispered a heart broken goodbye.

Starling 2 hopped behind the bushes, and refused to come out, so i turned my focus on Little Runt. I tried to coax Little Runt to fly, but he seemed content hopping around on the ground. I read somewhere that fledglings need a day or two on the ground before they start to fly. So I went inside the house.

When I came back outside, I could not find Starling 2. I figured he took off just like his bigger brother. Feeling very sad, i called out to Little Runt to feed him. I found him on the ground so I picked him up and was getting ready to feed him. Now I keep their food in a glass bowl and whenever I feed them, I clink the bowl a little with my chopsticks. I think they got used to the sound, because when I clinked my bowl this time, Starling 2 flew out of nowhere and landed on my bowl! I was so surprised, but fed him anyway. After 2 mouthfuls, he flew away. Little Runt took off behind those bushes as well.

At this point, I simply gave up. I stopped chasing after them. I don't think I am meant to keep them anymore. It is time to say good bye and set them free. They will have to learn fast in order to survive, but I believe they're smart little birds. I came outside several more times during the day and caught a few glimpses of the chickies each time. I convinced myself they were doing great, and so this chapter has come to an end.

Such a strange way to experience motherhood. Now I am feeling the empty nest syndrome.

Birding: Our Pride and Joy

So, a week after taking these birds in, they're still alive and well! They've grown out most of their feathers now, but they have very fine, cute tufts of feathers sticking out the sides of their heads which make them look so adorable. If you look at the picture here you will see how they have grown!

But my, are they LOUD. With each day, their chirps grow stronger and shriller. Every feeding, as I pop my head over their box, they start chirruping in anticipation of food.

I read on some website that starling babies need food that's high in protein and fat, and they recommend cat / dog dry food. So I have been feeding them cat food, pre-soaked in water to soften, and then mashed into pulp. Then I use a pair of chopsticks to feed the mashed up cat food down their throats. In the beginning, I was so afraid they wouldn't be able to swallow their food. Even though i mashed the food up into really soft pulp, they would reach with their necks stretched out, beaks wide open so i could shove food down their throats. It was a little worrying to feed them like this, and it's a miracle they haven't choked, but I guess that's just how little birdies eat!

Over the week, we have gotten to know each birdie a little better. There is a pecking order (pun not intended) even amongst these three. There are two bigger birds who grew faster and stronger. Then there's our little baby, we call it 'Little Runt'. The two bigger birds bully Little Runt during feeding times. They step on her to make sure she doesn't stretch upwards to compete for food. But Little Runt is content to let them trample all over her! J and I make sure she gets enough to eat though.

We have since moved them to a bigger box, but they continue to grow bigger every day. I'm glad we are able to care for them. I don't know what we are going to do, but we'll take things one step at a time.

Birding: Surrogate Mothering for 3 baby Starlings

We always knew that we had a starling's nest in our roof, where the vent is. Last evening we heard the distressed chirping of a bird. After further investigation, we found a baby starling on the ground, right below it's nest! It had fallen out and was chirping for it's mama's attention.

So we looked up at the nest, and seen another baby dangerously close to the edge. It was chirping and sticking its head out so far we were afraid it was going to suffer the same fate as the first. True enough, in a few minutes, I saw the little thing fall out. I wasn't quick enough to catch it!



As we were about to leave for a friend's dinner party, the nest was too high for us to replace them, so we hurriedly filled a box with some earth and laid the two babies in it and kept it in the house. When we returned, it was quite dark. We were afraid to find a third on the ground. But we did.

We didn't know how long the nest had been abandoned. I haven't seen Mama the whole day today. Usually, when we are gardening outside, we would catch glimpses of the mother flying in and out of her nest, presumably bringing food to her babies. And why would the starlings try to leave their nest one after another?? I think it's safe to say that something has happened to the mother and these poor little babies have been abandoned.

We knew they needed some food, but probably something with protein in it. So we had to make do with some almond nuts we had at home. And since they were only babies, I had to chew them up, and feed them regurgitated nuts. Once they were nicely settled, I had to call someone.

It was a Sunday night, nobody was going to assist me, I knew.

So I left messages with the Raptor Center, and googled a little more about caring for young starlings.

I found some pictures which helped me guesstimate that the babies were about a week old. And then I read some more, and realised that i should not have fed them until we have contacted a wildlife rehabilitator. Well, too late now. But the birds seemed to gobble everything up and were fine with the nuts.



I changed their bedding and lined the box with fresh towels instead, to keep them warm throughout the night. This morning I checked on them. They were still breathing and each of them did a little Number Two, so I took that as a sign that they're doing well! I'm going to work now, J will have to watch the birds while I call the Raptor center again at lunch. Hopefully I get some help and answers.

Birding: Robins in the yard!

I found this nest in a tiny tree right outside our house one day.

And observed it for awhile to find out it belongs to the robins!

And then about a few weeks later (should have noted how many days had elapsed!)





Look at these little babies! You can only see two in this picture but there are three in the nest! Even though the tree was a small one, J had to lift me off the ground in order for me to peek in. And I just found out it isn't true that the mother will abandon its babies if we touch them. The mother bird recognizes her babies by sight and sound, and not by smell. But that doesn't mean I went and touched them! I kept my respectful distance and watched through my binoculars (every day) as Mama and Papa Robin took turns feeding their little ones with freshly dug worms, fussing and keeping watch over them.

I can't wait to watch them grow and learn to fly!

Meanwhile, I have also 'discovered' a starling's nest in a hole in our roof! It is too way out of reach for me to observe, but i have seen Mama/Papa Starlings flying out of that hole on several occasions and heard tiny chirps coming from the same place! Oh how I wish I could see them too!!


Isn't Mother Nature just amazing!

Happy week ahead! May it be full of growth and nurturing! xx


********

Don't forget about ElephantisLove Giveaway celebrating my one year Etsy anniversary. GO forth and spread the love!

Birding at the McAlpine Creek Greenway

I went on my very first group bird walk this past Saturday!

The McAlpine Creek Greenway, located on Monroe Road is one of the birding hotspots in Charlotte. Led by expert birders Sally and Sue, I saw at least 30 species of birds in a short span of 2 and a half hours! More than I can ever hope to see sitting by my window, watching my bird feeder!

The McAlpine Creek Greenway is a mix of open fields, wooded areas and marshland so there's a whole variety of birds to see! Plus Sally and Sue are so experienced they know exactly where to look for which birds. I added at least 15 new species to my life list, including the Great Egret, the Ruddy Duck, Red-shouldered Hawk and a Red-headed woodpecker!

Yes, I have a life list.

Every serious birder has a life list to keep track of the very first time he or she identifies a new bird. So far I have 48 birds on my list. I get butterflies in my tummy when I spot a new one. Every time I catch sight of a new bird, I have the urge to run and get my guide. In the beginning, I was always busy flipping through the guide, searching online, trying to find the bird that I only caught a glimpse of, without looking hard enough. As a result, sometimes I am unable to tell apart the more similar looking birds. With more experience, I now try to identify the unique markings on the bird before I feel I'm informed enough to rifle through the guide to identify the bird.

I thought I might have showed up at the bird walk a little too eager and over-prepared. I was the only one out of 10 birders to be equipped with a pair of binoculars, a guidebook, a notepad, a rain jacket and gloves! Turns out I had to use them all! Except for the rain jacket, it was a beautiful sunny day! But even Sally and Sue had to turn to my guide book once to confirm a rare sighting. I was beaming with pride at the end of the walk when they shook my hand and told me I am going to be a very good birder! What a teacher's pet! :P

I was sorry I didn't take pictures on my walk. What with the binoculars and the guide book and the notepad, I almost wished I had an extra pair of hands. Flipping through the pages of the guide was also extremely annoying with gloves on!

I started a Pinterest board for birding, feel free to look through and I hope you will pay a little extra attention to the creatures in your surroundings from time to time!

This weekend I'm dragging the J-man to the Latta Plantation Nature Preserve for another birding adventure!


Happy weekend ahead!

It's finally here!!!

I love colors on the Painted Bunting!
Check out this guy's Flickr account! He has some really great bird shots!


Finally the weekend is here! It's the Great Backyard Bird Count weekend from today Friday Feb 17th to Monday Feb 20th!! I've been waiting for the longest time. Tomorrow morning, I head out with my friend to the McAlpine Creek Greenway for my very FIRST guided BIRD WALK!

Like a very good student, I have my backpack all packed with birding essentials : my binoculars, bird guide, a rain jacket, camera and a bottle of water. It's a 3 hour walk and I hope i get to see and learn about new birds that I would otherwise not be able to see at the feeder! I think it's time to take birding to the next level! SO SO SO EXCITED!!

Are you counting birds this weekend too? Don't forget to submit your bird count tallies here! Happy birding weekend!

Birding: A birder's delight!

I'm so excited with my birding experiences recently.

I have been sitting at the window which looks out to my bird feeder for the past few mornings, and patiently waiting for birds to come. The usual suspects, the chickadees, the cardinals, the finches and the titmice, come faithfully.

On some observation days, the turnout's great. Some days are quiet. I know it has to do with the time of the observations, the weather and the level of activity of the surroundings. But I wished I could spot a few more different ones!!!!

I did see two new birds I'd never come across:


Carolina Wren

and the


Brown headed Nuthatch


I grew a little restless. I wondered if the reason for the quiet feeder could be the fact that two doors down, my neighbor has fancy birdhouses, feeders and birdbaths. I was even considering buying a birdbath to attract more birds.

Then early morning yesterday, I, for some reason, decided to look out the window at the opposite end of the house. This window faces a field, not a particularly large one, but a decent open space. And there, to my disbelief, I saw not one, not two, but THREE BLUE JAYS squawking away, pecking at the ground! I have never seen more than one blue jay at any point. So i thought, this must be my lucky day!

I sat, uncomfortably, on the edge of my couch for a few minutes, but the effort paid off. A pair of cardinals that seldom frequent my feeder were hanging out right here. And a mockingbird scuttled by. Then, my eyes widened as 3 little brownish-black birds speckled with white flew onto the ground, right outside my window. I had turned the slats of my blinds just enough for my binoculars to look out, so I bet the birds couldn't really tell anyone was watching, unless I made a sharp movement. I am proud to say, however, I always move. ve-ry. slow-ly. when. i. bird. watch.

These birds looked like they've been splattered with white paint. I took note of a few identifying marks like color, shape of beak, size of bird and distinct markings, before running to grab my ID tools - my trusty Cornell Lab website and the book i got from the library.




Via

This is the bird I'd seen!

A European Starling!! My starling darlings!


Then i quietly took my place back at the window only to gasp in shock!

THIRTY-SEVEN FRIKKIN' GRACKLES pottering around in the field, their black iridescence glistening in the sun! WHERE DID THEY COME FROM??? I'd seen 5 or 6 or 8 maybe, at one time, but 37??? (Yes, i did count them, and they were pretty good at staying relatively still)



Via



I was wa--aaay excited. I was having a field day! *pun totally intended!*

I guess that's just it, i've been sitting at the WRONG window!

I think i might have to switch my feeder around. However, on this busy side of the house, there isn't a good sheltering tree for the feeder birds. They need a place to take cover if anything startles them. I don't have a good "feng-shui" feel for the feeder here, but I'm thinking it doesn't hurt to try. Anyway, I'm already seeing so many birds without a feeder. It might make sense to keep them separate. I just have to dedicate two separate sittings for my observations.

I also just found out my HR manager is an avid birder too. She has invited me to our county birding meetings. I looked on their website and had seen birding field trips on weekends. I CAN'T WAIT!!!

Eeks, I hope I don't sound like a total birding dork here, but I'm brimming with excitement!!!

Does anyone have suggestions on how to enhance a birding experience, or what should i do to attract MORE birds?


Have a great week!

The birding begins...(again)

One thing I miss about moving out (from the in-laws), other than using the very convenient washer and dryer, is watching the birds outside the window.

I was all enthusiastic about building my own bird feeder, checking out ideas on Pinterest and going to the stores. But finally I caved, I went and bought a feeder from the garden store 2 houses down the street.




I bought some black oil sunflower seeds from the store and set the feeder up this past weekend. Just in time for the Great Backyard Bird Count 2012! If you're interested in joining in, here is the Facebook page for more details!




I spent a very lovely weekend watching birds from my window. The above is a tufted titmouse (left) and a male house finch (right), very common birds found at the feeders. Sorry, not very fantastic pictures. I didn't want to get too close to the birds, and my camera sucks. I also went to the local library and got myself 2 birding guidebooks to help me out. The most exciting thing this week was spotting a new bird (for me at least) - a House Sparrow. My list grows to 26 now, that is, I am able to identify 26 different types of birds!! At least, for Eastern America.

And I think my feeder is positioned just right. I have yet to see the squirrel attempting to eat the seeds. Instead, I watched it go crazy jumping up and down the next tree, as if racking its brains to find a way to get at them seeds.

Chewy - 1 Squirrel - 0





I also watched a movie about birding, starring Jack Black, Steve Martin and Owen Wilson, titled "The Big Year", that came out last year. In the movie, the three men set off to set a new record of spotting the highest number of birds in a year. Wilson's character is the defending champion of 'The Big Year' event and is partaking in it again to make sure nobody beats his record. Black and Martin are two avid birders who decided that this is the year they are going to win it.

All in all, if you're watching it for laughs, it's not a spectacular comedy. And I know these three names certainly leave people expecting more. It is first and foremost, a movie for birders. If you're a bird lover, this movie is a MUST watch. I certainly found myself wishing I could take a year off just to travel and bird watch.




Finally, what good is a birder without his/her most valuable tool - a pair of binoculars! My set came in the mail about a week ago. Whee!!! Can't wait till i stop working weekends, then J and I can go on hikes in the state parks!!

Thrifting: Prints for the home!

Source: design-seeds.com via chuiying on Pinterest

Our walls are looking a tad plain. I think it's about time to dress them up.
Found the above image on designseeds.com, which by the way is a great site for color palette inspirations, go check it out!

My living room walls are a shade of forest green like the first color in the palette above, and the craft room is a pebble gray like the 3rd color.

I was hunting out frames for some pictures/ paintings/photos i already own and found this set at Goodwill today.



I think I love them on the green walls! And I love the gardening theme too! We got a seed catalogue in the mail and they have some lovely full page photos of fruits and vegetables that I might want to cut out, mount and frame. I'm keeping a look out for pictures/photos of birds / mushrooms / plants for the house. Here are some on the wishlist!






{1}{2}{3}{4}{5}

Birding: Hawk in the garden

So we have a resident hawk.

This awesome creature sits patiently on the stiles between our garden and our neighbor's, hoping to spot a rabbit or toad. Most commonly seen in the mornings when i'm sipping my coffee by the kitchen window. I have a feeling it's the presence of the gardens that is making the hawk come around. And we also suspect there's a hawk's nest somewhere out in the back. I took a few pictures a few days ago and they didn't turn out too good because I had looked out the window with the mesh screen (totally stupid!)

After a few identifications, I think we have ourselves a Red-Shouldered Hawk here. First of all, it's the most common one in these Eastern parts, and also it looks and sounds just like one... so



What do you think?

Etsy Pick of the Week :: Teva Gallery ::

This week's Etsy find features my funny feathered friends - birds!
I love the intricate details of the illustrations, and the use of the watercolors. If only i could paint or draw like that! *envious*













Teva Gallery is doing a 2 For 1 Sale on any 8" X 10" print. Make sure you check it out! They make pretty home decor, don't you think? I know I would get them for my home, if I had one to call my own!

Birding: Indigo Bunting

New bird alert!

The indigo buntings are back from South America! I spotted my first today at the sunflower bird feeders.

And my, were there many birds around the feeder today!
I spotted FIVE common grackles, 4 cardinals, three mourning doves, two red-bellied woodpeckers and of course, an indigo bunting!

That's not all I'd seen, of course, but I thought it was nice to phrase it such, it sounds like i'm singing the 12 days of christmas. I saw a blue bird, house finch, blue jay, and the usual chickadees and titmice.

Species seen in my backyard to date : TWENTY FIVE!

can you believe that?

Day trip: Carolina Raptor Center

J and I made an impromptu trip to the Carolina Raptor Center yesterday. The Raptor Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation and rehabilitation of injured and orphaned birds of prey. I felt so bad for the birds because most of them had some form of permanent injuries like damaged wings or loss of sight and so have to be kept housed.

The Raptor Center is not a huge place. You can complete the trail in about an hour, unless you stop to talk to the birdies like we did. The one bird that captured my heart was the little Barn Owl, Emma.



Emma arrived at the Raptor Center in June 2004. As a result of a car collision, both her wings were broken, and she cannot fly well enough to be released back into the wild.


When I first looked into her cage, Emma was hiding behind the post. I called out to her, hoping she would respond to her name. Sure enough, after several calls, she came out of hiding and flew onto the grilles of her cage to get as close to us as possible. I touched her claw and she made a noise that sounded more like white noise over the radio than the regular "whoo-whoo" you'd expect.

Later, we walked into a wooded area and saw a black snake. *gasp* J tried to catch it by its tail but it slipped away. That prompted something else to make a sudden movement. This little guy hopped away. Then it dawned on us that the snake was actually about to snag a meal before we interfered.


Erm, so we saved him?




Before we left the center, J bought two pellets of owl poop so we can dissect them later. We also picked up volunteer forms. Hopefully when J gets his new school schedule we can work something out!