A New Home - A New City to Explore

Before I get in to my tales of exploration, and because I know you are all curious, I want to tell you about my new niche in the Fisheries and Wildlife Wildlife Conservation Disease program at MSU.

I have a corner cubicle deep in the bowels of the Natural Resources Building. So far I like it down here (in the basement). Sometimes it's quiet and other times it's bumbling with activity - the other grad students preparing for class or telling jokes and stories or bouncing ideas around.

My role for now is to help set up the lab and learn the new digital imaging software that runs our fancypants camera on our fancypants microscope in our brand spanking new fancypants lab. I love photography. Naturally, I'm excited to have this responsibility. Once I learn the software, I'll be working with spleens. Yep, bird spleens. Neat-o!

My other role in the lab as a grad student is to...(drumroll please)...READ! I knew you'd never guess! I've been reading a lot and will be reading a lot for the next few years.


On to the Explorations...

Boredom and loneliness comes with moving to a new place. Emily, my fellow lab mate and grad student, had game night at her house a couple weekends ago. It was super fun and I met many other grad students in the department.

I did some researching to see what FREE recreational opportunities exist in the area. I found a trail system at Harris Nature Center as well as the Potter Park Zoo (it's free in the winter).

While snowshoeing on an upland trail at Harris Nature Center, I met some sled dog runners and their fluffy, white Samoyeds. The woods were calm and big, fluffy snowflakes fell gently from the cloudy sky.



I crossed over the road to snowshoe on a lowland trail that followed a stream. Ice tables could be seen on most trees - evidence of the flooding over Christmas. I followed the trail until the sun set - painting the sky and clouds a pale orange and pink.


This weekend is Winter Wonderland at Harris Nature Center. The sled dogs will be there to demonstrate the sport. The center will also have snowshoe and cross country ski rentals for free. I'll be there, will you?

Last Sunday I ventured out of my funk to the Potter Park Zoo. I snowshoed along the river for a bit then went to the zoo. I was impressed with this little zoo. It had a lot to offer for such a small size. It's the oldest zoo in Michigan and it has a rare breeding pair of Black Rhinos - another reason to be impressed! Admission and parking is free in the winter. Visitor traffic is low during the winter - the animals seemed much more relaxed and presented me with better opportunity to photograph them. See?














I hope you are all well and warm!

TIHA