Fall

Fall is here! The leaves are starting to change colors on my street.
That means I'm back in grad school and have no time to blog! But hope to catch up on all my trips/activities since Boston...Maine/NE over Labor Day, Denver again but for work this time, Philly again for the Philly Distance Run, National Book Festival...

Boston!

Here are a couple of photos from my trip to Boston last week.
View from the office, toward the North End:
Bahston Hahbah:
The Public Gardens:
Paul Revere's grave:
Mother Goose's grave (she had more money):
Of course I visited the capitol:
Sitting at the top of Beacon Hill:Senate:House:The Great Hall (flags from every city and town in Massachusetts):
There were 7 types of marble:
Prudential Tower:View from atop the Prudential Tower (toward Boston Common)...before the storm rolled in:
More pictures soon!

This Time...Atlanta

Thought I better post a few photos from my last trip, before I venture out on my next one. This time, it was Atlanta - the capital of Georgia. Another work trip.
Georgia Capitol Building:Yes, I said capitol...in the capital city:View looking up into the dome:Fully restored House of Representatives:Inside one of the wings:Reflection on a nearby building:
And of course, had to search out the Pass and Stowe bell:

Lost Dog in Baltimore

LOST DOG: Last seen in Mt. Vernon area around 8:30PM. NAME: Sputnik (Also answers to Sputty) - yellow lab - Female - 90 lbs - wearing zebra print collar w/shamrock name tag - friendly - CALL Aida Ruiz: 410-925-5408 or 443-413-3143 REWARD - PLEASE REPOST. Thank You!

My brother's dog is also named Sputnik...I hope they find her!

More great news from Rwanda!

Well, it seems my blog this week is all about Rwanda...as I found out that Water For People started its first project there last month! Water For People is the non-profit humanitarian organization that I volunteered with when I went to Rwanda. I was part of a scoping study that helped the organization decide to open an office there and begin helping more Rwandans gain access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation. Check out the full story here: http://www.waterforpeople.org/site/News2?id=5711

(School children I met in the Eastern Province while I was there...and yes, they had class in the roofless building behing them)

Another gorilla saved from poachers!

As most of you know, I went to Rwanda about two years ago. While I was there, I spent a little time with the endangered mountain gorillas and ever since I've held them dear to my heart.

So when I came across this heartwarming survivor story...I just had to share! Check out how Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund tracker "Fundi" helped save this infant gorilla. He's such a cutie! Ubushake got one of his arms caught in a makeshift trap that poachers had set up. After his mother and other family members tried desperately to free the infant, Fundi decided to step in to help and successfully freed Ubushake!

Someone stole my idea!

I knew it was only a matter of time before someone eventually did my idea before I could get around to doing it! A cafe in Dallas is now serving dogs on its patio. Check out the menu below, and more info on the story at Daily Dog Scoop. (Thanks Scoop for the story!)

And then on to...Denver

I traveled to Denver the end of last week for a volunteer workshop for Water For People (www.waterforpeople.org). I met lots of wonderful Water For People volunteers from across the country and Canada!

View from my hotel in downtown Denver...
So when I had a little time after the workshop before my plane left, I visited the Denver Capitol building...
West side...East side...
South side...
So even though I had been to the Capitol before (and checked it off my list), I didn't have time to go inside...but this time I did!
There was a water themed mural in one of the many foyers...View inside the Senate Chamber. I want their job...they're on recess until January - State law limits them to meeting no more than 12o calendar days in a year! There was beautiful stained glass all over the building (Ali, you'd love it!)...
See the face and three corner hat in the stone?
There was a quilt exhibit going on and there were quilts hanging EVERYWHERE...
Also what looked like a Can-Struction project...
I lucked out and made it on the last dome tour of the day!
I was just as beautiful up close...View of downtown from the dome...
View of City Hall from the dome, with the Rocky Mountains in the distance...
West view again, with gardens...
Every Capitol grounds has a Pass and Stowe bell, and it took me a little while to find this one...
View of City Hall with gardens...City Hall up close...
One of the four U.S. Mint, behind City Hall...
And like other cities, such as New Orleans, Denver had a community art project which was cows...
This one had unique facts about Denver...
Ahh Denver, you too may get a visit from me again in September, but this time for work.