Last week I was at a conference for work held in Raleigh NC. A side trip was arranged one evening to visit the recently completed $115M library at NC State. It was colorful, impressive, and considering the building I work in, a little depressing. The main reading lounge The media wall Colorful staircase Funky sofa-like chair Another funky chair Giant robotic book retrieval system.

Yesterday I posted a pic of a Ruby Throat Hummingbird. Today the pic is of a Ruby Throat's nest and tiny pea sized eggs held n my hand. I have posted it before, but some of you may not have seen it. The nest was abandoned. Momma bird must have met with disaster.

They are beautiful birds though. We had one land on my husband's head at our Dallas house. We were at the pool, I was in the pool and he was standing at the edge of the pool looking down at something. Suddenly I see this big black bird coming in for a landing. I told him not to move! The bird landed right on the back of his head. He was freaking out because he had no idea what it was. But he maintained his cool, more than I would have been able to do, and I got out of the pool and put my hand under the birds feet. Just like I would do with my cockatiel. It was extremely tame and had a metal tag around the ankle. Turns out it was a homing pigeon. I was able to contact the owners, they said just let it rest there and eventually it should return. I fed and watered it for a few weeks and got really acquainted with it. It would hang out on the roof and I put a cat carrier out on the patio with food and water. It finally did leave but I don't think it went home lol. I think it enjoyed the free life. It was a beautiful iridescent purple and black color. It was quite smart. It would sit outside the window where my cockatiels cage was and they would «talk» to each other.

The village of Cabo Girao on the island on Madeira