Squirrels

Erika loves birds, and I love all non-human animals in general, so we feed a growing assortment of birds, squirrels, and rabbits who have made their home in our backyard. I know there a lot of folks who hate pigeons, raccoons, opossums, and squirrels, but I admire how they have survived in an urban environment. I am especially amused by this silly squirrel who makes a six foot leap from our deck to a bird feeder hanging out our kitchen window so he can get something to eat in these cold days in Chicago. Even more funny -- oftentimes the woodpeckers will eat the suet on the sides of the feeder, while the squirrel helps himself to the seed. Ah, seed is cheap, and all animals need to eat. So, here's to you, little flightless bat!

Teeth

A few weeks ago, Arianna decided that ever though she is only four months old, she would like to have some teeth. So, she now has her juvenile LI1's all through the gum line. (Those are the lower center incisors to you non-biological anthropologists out there.) Now, at five months, she feels that those two teeth are lonely, and her LI2's (the outer lower incisors) are starting to reach the gum line. She has quite a cute toothy grin these days.

I'd Like to be on the Moon

Tonight there was the last lunar eclipse that we'll see up here in Chicago in about three years. It's cold outside, but the sky is clear, and I've had a nice view of it from outside my office window. It would be fun to be on the Moon right now, as a Lunar eclipse on Earth causes a Solar eclipse on the Moon. That would be quite a sight.