Sad in Pittsburgh:

We are sad and subdued today in Pittsburgh after a gunman killed 11 people and injured 6 at the Tree of Life synagogue on Saturday, 27 Oct 2018, in Squirrel Hill. It is the deadliest attack against Jews in U.S. history. 

All of us remember where we were when we heard the news.  Many of us know someone directly affected by it.  I live 2 miles from the synagogue.  I know someone, too.

Dan Leger is one of the two civilian survivors (other four injured are policeman).  I met Dan four years ago when my husband was hit by a car & sustained nine broken ribs, a broken nose and a concussion.  In the confusion of the accident scene, Dan found out my phone number and the hospital where Rick would be taken. He called to let me know my husband was hurt and assured me he hadn’t lost consciousness. Dan and his wife came to get me in their car (I was walking in Schenley Park at the time) so that I could get to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital where Rick was taken by ambulance.  Dan Leger is so kind, so wonderful. He was hit in the torso, has been undergoing many surgeries, is in ICU.  Please pray for Dan Leger’s recovery.

Birds Help:

In the face of this tragedy it was a real relief to get outdoors this morning and see some birds at Duck Hollow.  By the end of the walk the birds made us smile. Pictured above are Claire, Jack, Dan, Rebecca, Donna and Sue. (Ramona had to leave early.)

Best Birds were great for late October at Duck Hollow: a blackpoll warbler near the parking lot, a green heron along Nine Mile Run, and an immature white-crowned sparrow on the trail.  We also saw two backlit birds that we couldn’t identify — maybe eastern bluebirds.

I didn’t add the ‘maybe’ birds to the list but here’s everything else.
https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S49515777

Birds do help.

(photo by Kate St. John)