Ted in a China Shop: Home Sweet Home

So I've been back in the good ol' U.S. of A for about a week now. Which seems like a long time sort of. Mostly because I have gotten quite a bit of stuff done while I've been here. Except putting away the clothes from my suitcases, that is... Yes, they are still half full / half spilled on the living room floor. Instead of putting the clothes away, I have begun the daunting task of cleaning my room and closets. This is quite an undertaking, because I don't think I have done anything like this since we moved into this house when I was in 5th grade. So needless to say, some cousins will be getting some hand-me-downs and Goodwill will likely see a windfall. I am already on day 2 of this operation, and I foresee it totaling 3-4 days. So why waste my time on this while at home for such a short time? I guess I don't really know when I will have another chance to do anything like this, so I thought while I had the time it would be a worthwhile thing. I won't post any pictures of the carnage in an effort to save myself some embarrassment.

I've quickly been ticking things off the list of things I was going to do here. One of the first items to go was a having a steak. mmm mmm! It was nice to have some real beef. That's neither here nor there though. I got some yard work done for mom, and went swimming one day. Also, I invested (ok, I blew half my summer salary) in a new lens for my camera. I got a super-telephoto lens that I can take some pictures of wildlife and such with. The impetus came when I was in the woods taking some photos, and I saw a really nice pair of indigo buntings, and I tried to take a photo of them, but they were just so far away that they were tiny in the frame. If I wanted any bird photos to turn out in Trinidad, I would have to have something different. So I broke down and got it. Here are a few photos that I took with it.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Archilochus colubris

Wild Turkey, Meleagris gallopavo

I also have been seeing a bit of wildlife in the woods and in the yard around the house. These are various creatures taken using various lenses that I have.