Toxoplasma Gondii - Real Life Zombie Parasite

Did you know that up to 80% of humans may be infected with toxoplasma gondii, a parasite? This particular parasite is known to enter the bodies of rats and control their brains in order to lead them to cats and finish their life cycles in the stomach of a feline. It has a known connection to schizophrenia and is the reason that pregnant women are warned to keep away from cat litter. In humans it also causes a significant personality change - men become more introverted, women become more extroverted. It is the zombie parasite of the rat world. Enjoy your day :)

Moment with a ruby-throated hummingbird

I just had a moment with a hummingbird. I was standing on my front porch on the phone, and I saw some small insect-like thing out of the corner of my eye sort of floating in midair close to my head, watching me. I'm about to swat it out of the way because I think it's a bug, but decide to look at it first because it's a little large for anything I know. Just as I turn to it and recognize it as a hummingbird no more than 2.5/3 inches tall, it moves directly in front of my face about a foot away from me, cocks its head at me as if to say "you're not a flower," and zooms away.

When I googled what type of hummingbird it may be, I discovered that it was a male ruby-throated hummingbird. Absolutely beautiful. I wish I had a photo illustrating the perfection of the moment, but there was no way. Make a point this summer to go outside and check out the nature. You never know what you may find.