2008 Was About Meeting Friends and Learning About Life

Don't look for any bird pictures in this post. It's all about the wonderful people I met in 2008 that share my love for birds. I was very fortunate to be able to take several birding trips last year. The first one was to the Sax-Zim Bog Birding Festival last February. That's when I got to meet Ruthie. Ruthie and I hit it off right away and laughed and talked for miles and miles. I was amazed to learn that Ruthie can knit in the dark!

Mike Hendrickson was the festival coordinator- he built it from scratch and did an outstanding job. Mike is also a Minnesota blogger. He's lots of fun and a really skilled birder and guide.

Luckily I found out today that my vacation request from work was granted so I'll be able to attend the Sax-Zim Bog Festival again this year in Ferbruary!! Yahoo!

Another Minnesota blogger I met was Jeff from Ecobirder. Jeff is an amazing photographer. Be sure to check out his blog.

Yet another Minnesota blogger I met at the Sax-Zim Festival was Laura Erickson. Laura is working her dream job at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. If you're looking for some terrific bird podcasts check out For the Birds.

When Ruthie and I left the Sax-Zim bog to star driving south for home we made a slight detour to visit Deb from Sand Creek Almanac at her home in the pines of northern Minnesota. I've been lucky to meet Deb several times both birding and just to visit and I count her as a good friend. I love this picture at Deb's with Sally jumpung up to join the girls at the last minute!Last June I exchanged a few emails with Linda from Erie's Argonaut. She and her husband were going to be in Minneapolis and I was so excited to meet her for a morning of birding. Unfortnately that was one of the buggiest mornings ever and we called the birding quits and wound up talking and laughing at a nearby coffee shop for several hours. It was such fun! I asked a lady at the next table to take a quick picture of Linda and me to remember the day. Later that week Linda and her husband stopped off to visit us at Hasty Brook. Art and I had a great time and we hope they'll come back again.

Speaking of Art, somehow I talked him into going on my next birding trip with me in September. Art is not a birder but he had a good time as the designated "chummer" on a Duluth pelagic trip.

It was COLD.

The first weekend in October brought me to Milbank, South Dakota to a three day sparrow workshop. I carpooled out with strangers and spent a three day weekend with no one that I knew. Kind of a jump for me, but you all probably know by now that I make friends pretty easily. (too easily Art said) That was a pretty intense workshop with not alot of down time but I sure learned alot and it was really good for me to have time just to myself.

Then, at the last weekend of October came Cape May New Jersey. A BIG trip. Flying off alone, renting a car and driving across the state to stay in a condo with two other women I'd never met before. Good grief what women they were!

Kathi, Susan and me.

All I can do is shake my head remebering the jumble of laughter, stories, laughter, workshops, laughter, food, laugher and, ok, a few good birds.

I love this picture. This salt marsh boat tour was my favorite field trip of the weekend. We all had such a good time. Kathi, sweet Laura, Jay from birdJam Hi Jay!, Susan and me.

We had a dinner out that brought lots of bloggers together. There was John from A DC Birding Blog.
Delia and Birdchick and their thousand watt smiles.
Sharon, Beth, Kathi and me. Beth was a new friend (she's old now?) just that day. Staring up a conversation with a stranger during a field trip has brought me another good friend. Can you see how lucky I am?
This picture of Laura, Susan and me, taken by Jay will aways bring a lump to my throat.
Such a bittersweet night that was.

In November I got a wonderful gift when I met Hap in New Hope. Can't say enough about what a kind fellow Hap is. Hap doesn't have a blog (you should have a blog Hap!) but has commented here for a while.

So my bloggy life list grew quite a bit in 2008 and I can't wait to see who I get to meet this year.

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Bloggy Life List

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(friends through blogging)

Mike from Colder by the Lake Birding

Laura Erickson

Sharon the Birdchick

Ruthie the Nature Knitter

Deb from Sand Creek Almanac

Linda from Erie's Argonaut

Jeff the Ecobirder

Susan from Susan Gets Native

Kathi the Katdoc

Laura from Somewhere in NJ

Delia from Beginning to Bird

John from a DC Birding Blog

Jay from birdJam

Beth from Pennsylvania

Hap in New Hope

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There's still time to join us in West Virginia at the New River Birding and Nature Festival April 27- May 2, 2009. The field trips sound great, the birding fantastic and I'm sure there will be non-stop fun. (as in bring the Depends!)

I hope to add to my bird life list and there should be plenty of opportunity for that.

But what I'm REALLY looking forward to is adding to my Bloggy Life List.

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I hope to spot these new bloggies:

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Mary from Mary's View

Nina from Nature Remains

Susan from Lake Life

Jayne from Journey Through Grace

Tim from From the Faraway Nearby

Kathie from Sycamore Canyon

Julie Zickefoose

Bill Thompson from Bill of the Birds

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and spend time with old friends:

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Delia from Beginning to Bird

Kathi the Katdoc

Laura from Somewhere in NJ

Susan from Susan Gets Native

and

Beth from Pennsylvania!

Think about joining us- it'll be a blast!

There's a link on my sidebar with more information.

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To all of you who come here to visit-

I wish you a happy, healthy, safe and peaceful New Year

and I'll keep my eyes open- maybe I'll be blessed to meet you this year.