Getting my Pheathers Wet

Things I have learned while working for a textiles supplier:

• Sometimes research is boring
• Becoming competent with technology and specs for technical applications is something I will need to do, even if it’s on my own time.
• Chasing pheasants is FUN

Ok, so here’s the story: The break room is really quite alright, it’s a little boring. Microwave, toaster oven, a direct hot spout so you can make tea fast anytime, coffeemaker, fridge, it’s all good. Spring has finally broken into some semblance of decent weather, and we are hitting 15-25 degrees Celsius most days. So sunshine is my friend! I realized (after my first day of sitting on the sidewalk ledge) that there was a rickety picnic table on the edge of our property. So then I sped towards it.

Enter my daily entertainment.

Each day, I scare two little pheasants out from under the table. I don’t know if they are just hanging out, I don’t know if there is a nest of babies, I don’t know if they’re always different pheasants and Alberta has this secretly huge population of this pretty and kinda larger than average bird. The funniest part is they don’t fly away, they scuttle. They just run to other bushes nearby. I don’t know if they’re like chickens and they can’t, but they look hilarious wobbling about, quite sad that I have disabled their shaded liaison for the next half hour…

How does that help me as a human ecologist? Well, right now, it is the brightest part of my day, I get to relax, I am outside in the sun, and I just mull on the delicious things I am eating. It is improving my near environment, which is what Human Ecology is all about.

I will tell you all more about the nitty gritty of my placement soon!