Title for the Fifth Novel

First of all, I must apologize for not writing sooner. I'm not going to make any lame excuses, but I will say it's a little surprising how crazy life gets sometimes.

In between counting birds this weekend for the Great Backyard Bird Count (go to birdcount.org for more information), I'm actually working on my fifth novel.

And believe it or not, I'm finally past the rewriting stage. It took me a lot of time because I sent it off to two very helpful readers, who pointed out a few things that didn't work or just didn't seem quite right. That led to me discovering a few other problems, so I had to put in quite a bit of time to tweak and rewrite. I'm not complaining: I'd rather get it right! Thanks to Bill and Deb for your help.

At some point, however, I realized that I HAD TO STOP REWRITING. That's one of the hardest things for me to do! I keep thinking there's one more error to be caught, and I keep reading it over just in case. I could keep doing that forever, but it's a little hard to get it published that way.

So here I am. I've signed it up at the KDP site and now I'm formatting the whole thing. This involves several steps: adding the front and back pages, setting the margins, justifying the text on all sides, adding drop caps and setting the trim size. After that, I need to scroll through the whole thing page by page, looking for awkward breaks in sentences. For example, I don't want a character's whole quotation and name to be on one page with "said" on the next page. That one little word looks lonely by itself, so I have to tweak things so it can join the rest of the sentence. You might find this surprising: I don't consider this process tedious at all. In fact, I enjoy it. I don't know if it's because I'm crazy or because I realize that I'm actually getting closer to finishing the whole process, but I don't mind spending the time.

The good news for you is that when I signed it up on KDP, I had to submit the title. That's right: there's finally a title ... and here it is!

The fifth novel will be called Parting Shot.

Some of the characters and events in Another Shot are mentioned in Parting Shot, so I like the similarity in titles. I hope it helps tie the whole series together.

You may be wondering if this is the final novel in the Penumbra series. The short answer is that I don't know. I had five novels in mind when I started, and this one sort of ties up a lot of things, but I can't guarantee that I won't find that I want to explore these (and possibly other) characters some more in the future. Or I might start a new series. The only guarantee I can give you is that I won't stop writing. I might not publish again, but I can't promise that either. I'm going to leave that open for now.

I will let you know as I proceed, especially when Parting Shot is available.

Stay tuned!

On the Verge

I missed writing a blog in January. Sorry about that! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season. Happy 2018!

My January was full of upheaval, especially at work. A lot of things changed, some for the better and some yet to be seen. We were put into different groups, we were given different supervisors, we were physically moved around the room. It took everyone a while to get used to it.

I was one of them. I don't mind some change, but we got a lot thrown at us all at the same time. My team changed, my original group's title disappeared, I had to get used to a new location with a few challenges. I'll admit that I had a little trouble with it.

I think I'm getting more used to it, though. That's what happens, isn't it? You grumble and complain, you wonder why this had to happen ... and then you turn around and it all seems normal. It's happened before. I'm sure it will happen again.

Nevertheless, I was glad to have a few weekends to process things. It's nice to have some quiet time to put things in perspective.

This weekend was no exception. I'm on the verge of a decision regarding work and I needed some time away to think about it.

So why on earth did I find myself driving to work and parking in the lot on a Saturday?

By now, you should know that I'm a birder, so this next bit won't surprise you.

For several weeks at work, I've been walking in the hallway to get some exercise when something outside caught my eye. I've stopped by windows and doors to squint out at the field north of our building because there was movement in an otherwise empty space. As you might have guessed, it had two wings. It was a Northern Harrier. I wasn't sure at first, but then I glimpsed the white patch at the base of its tail and I knew.

Several times I've stood still to watch its aerial acrobatics as it glides, stoops and banks over the field, searching for some unlucky rodent to make its meal. I've had more than one person ask me what I'm staring at out there. Nobody seems surprised when I saw it's a hawk.

Without binoculars, though, I couldn't see the bird very well. It's a big field and the harrier seemed good at keeping its distance. As a result, I drove over there with binoculars this afternoon to see if I could get a better look.

It was chilly, with a brisk wind, and my heart fell as I pulled into the lot. The field looked empty. I put on some gloves and earmuffs before I stepped out of the car. Still no sign of hawks. Resigned, I decided I might as well walk a little before the drive home.

I walked around the building and stopped. There in the EAST field were two harriers! They hopped around, spreading their wings over the ground as if protecting something, although they didn't appear to have caught anything. Then one took flight and soared over to the north field. I followed and was rewarded with twenty minutes of watching a beautiful hawk gliding over a field. Every time the hawk turned, I got a good look at the striking patterns and colors on its chest and tail. Its long yellow legs hung down and then tucked up against its body. The wings were masterful at propelling the hawk through impressive maneuvers. In short, it was breathtaking. I forgot the chill in the air, the craziness at work, pretty much everything as I watched in awe.

Now I'm back at home, where it's warm, but I can still see that hawk. I don't think it ever saw me because it was concentrating on the field. I'm sure it wouldn't have admired me like I admired it!

As usual, Nature provided me with some time to leave behind my cares and worries, to enjoy something with a clear mind and open heart. I think I'm ready to make a decision.

Don't forget the Great Backyard Bird Count this month! Here's where to find more information: http://gbbc.birdcount.org/  I encourage you to give it a try and turn in your counts. You never know what you will see.

Shelter

A few days ago, I was sitting in my car, waiting at the stop sign in front of my house, when I spotted something small in the cross street. It looked like a bird, but that didn't make any sense. A big white SUV drove by, making me wince, but its tires straddled the little shape, which was buffeted by its passing. By now I was sure it was a bird. No matter how strange the situation was, it was time for me to do something.

I backed up my car so I could park at the curb and hopped out. There was another car coming, which made my heart beat a little faster, but then it signaled that it would be turning onto my street. Sensing an opportunity, I stepped into the street and found myself standing over a little female sparrow. She was young, but she had feathers so she'd left the nest. How she got into the street was a mystery, but she was obviously in shock because she didn't even try to get away from me.

Another car was coming so I bent down and scooped her up in both hands. Her little body was warm, which was a good sign, and she was very soft. I carried her from the street into our side yard, where I carefully deposited her in a depression under one of our forsythia bushes. She settled in there and didn't move. I wanted to stay, but I knew that would probably traumatize her even more, so I left. The good news is that when I came home for lunch, she was gone. I'm hopeful that she recovered enough to fly away to safety.

I've thought of that a few times since then. The poor little bird must have been overwhelmed, sitting on hard pavement with gigantic beasts rushing over her head. Then two big hands wrapped themselves around her and carried her away. After all that, though, she found herself in cool grass with shade so she could gather her wits.

I think we all need that once in a while. I know I do. Sometimes things just seem to pile up in my life until I feel buffeted and confused, unsure how I got there or what to do. Those of you who see a religious answer to this are certainly welcome to make that connection, but I found a somewhat more secular response.

I was at work a day or so later, feeling a little overwhelmed by several things going on in my life at the same time, when I asked a co-worker about meditation. I know she's interested in that type of thing and I wondered if it might be good for me. Without judging or questioning me, she immediately gave me some advice and found a Youtube video that might be helpful. She also told me I could talk to her about it anytime. I'll admit that I almost cried at her compassion.

Sometimes those hands appear when you need them the most.

My advice is this: if you see an opportunity to be the hands to help someone else, please take it. It might only take a little effort on your part and it might make all the difference to that person. And if you're on the receiving end, show your appreciation if you can and try to carry on in a better state of mind because that's what the owner of those hands was hoping for.

I wish the little sparrow a long, happy life. And I'm giving meditation a try.

The Quest Continues

I think I’ve mentioned before that I’m a birder and I’ve been keeping a list since 2003. I finally got to 200 birds last year, which was a real milestone for me. So what’s next?

I’ve got the quantity, so I’m going for the quality. Not that the birds already on my list aren’t great! I’ve seen some remarkable birds … but there are still those that aren’t yet on my list. The elusive ones. The maddening ones.

Then there’s the Big One (although it’s small), the bird so amazing that it’s hard to believe it’s real.

The painted bunting.

Click here to see info about Painted Buntings

I look once again in the bird book and shake my head. Not only do I wonder how such a colorful bird can exist, but I wonder how it’s possible I haven’t seen one yet.

It’s not for lack of trying. I’ve searched in areas where they’re supposed to be found. I’ve quizzed my fellow birders. Last year, based on a tip, I found a good place to look, but I was too early in the season. This year I tried again, almost a month later.

Some of you might be asking why I’m doing this, why it matters.

To answer that, let me tell you about last weekend.

The weather was fantastic and I took a well-known highway north of Pittsburg, where I missed my turn (that sign was pretty small!) and had to turn around. Then the paved road turned to gravel, which didn’t make my Toyota very happy. I kept going, though, until I reached the small town of Mulberry, Kansas. I couldn’t remember where I’d gone last year, so I ended up driving around various roads, trying to find a good spot with thickets that might be inviting to a little feathered work of art.

That was the first half hour or so.

Finally I drove along a rural road that looked familiar. Ahead of me I could see a hazy shape in the middle of the road and another perched atop a telephone pole, so I pulled over to use the binoculars. The one in the road was a good-sized turkey and the one on the pole was a kestrel, so I took that as a good sign and parked the car. I walked back along the road and around a corner, where I came upon a chirping field. Actually, it was a field full of chirping birds. I must have tried for ten minutes, but not a single one of those birds showed itself. I’m pretty sure they were dickcissels, which usually perch in plain view, but these were determined to evade me.

So there I stood, staring at a field of birds, none of which I could see, and wondering why I was even there.

Then I heard it.

There was an odd squawk, followed by three little sounds that are hard to describe. I can tell you that I’d never heard that before. It came again: squawk, squawk, followed by almost bell-like sounds, a real contrast. That was intriguing, so I turned my back on the field (if you birds don’t want to be seen, so be it!) and studied the trees on the other side of the road.

Then I remembered a hard rule of birding: it’s easier to bird by sight than by sound. In other words, you can hear the birds (like those in the field) but you might not see them, especially when the trees have all of their leaves. It’s better to watch for movement and then you’ve got something.

I had nothing, except for the sound … which had stopped.

I told myself to walk away because I would never see it in all those leaves. I told myself that it had probably flown away anyway.

But I stayed. And I heard it again. Then I took three steps to my left … and there it was.

It was sitting out on a bare branch in plain sight and singing so I’d know it was the one.

I stared through the binoculars, making little mental notes, although I had already guessed what it was.

Nope. It wasn’t a painted bunting. But it was still pretty cool: a yellow-breasted chat. That was good enough to be #203 on my list!

After that, I drove around some more. I found a beautiful spot with running water (one of my favorite sounds in nature), trees and a preening Eastern Phoebe that let me get a good look at him. I walked along that road to the sound of a calling red-shouldered hawk.

And that’s what it’s all about, I guess. Birding takes me out of my own little world and shows me another one. It lets me meditate on nature, discover the unexpected, feel a sense of accomplishment when I spot and identify a bird. Even when I don’t see anything new, I still see something worth seeing.

And someday I’m going to see that painted bunting.

Transition

Tomorrow is the First Day of Spring.

That phrase means many things to me. It means sunlight, warmth, birds, flowers, baseball, hope. It means I can think about travel and birding and long walks in the park. It means I won't huddle inside, shivering in the darkness even when the furnace is running.

Later, there will be bugs, loud motorcycles, people not wearing enough clothing ... But I won't think about that now.

Phlox in our front yard March 2017

For now, I'll look at the flowers that survived the sudden frost this past week and I'll smile. Winter has been vanquished once again ... at least temporarily.

I wouldn't have it any other way. What I mean is this: I wouldn't enjoy spring if I hadn't had to struggle through winter first. It's only months of neutral colors and chilly temperatures that can make this season so special.

Grape hyacinth in our front yard March 2017

If there were hyacinth blooming all year long, would I even notice them after a while? Probably not. If there were mockingbirds here all the time, would I cherish the first time I hear that unique series of songs and calls coming from atop a telephone pole? Nope. If I had to mow the grass all year long, would the sight of green in the yard make me happy? Certainly not.

I salute winter for making me appreciate spring. I can still recall snuggling under a pile of covers, happy to be safe and warm, dreaming of long days and a time when I could put hats, gloves and coats into storage. I'm grateful that winter gives way for a while, allowing us to take a deep breath of fresh air without making our lungs hurt.

Flowers in our back yard March 2017

I might even miss winter eventually. But not now.

Happy Spring!

It's a Mystery

Happy Mother's Day!

I've been spending a lot of time in the wooded park north of town and I've discovered something: birding is a lot like reading a mystery novel. You get a bunch of clues and you have to put them together to get the answer. The only drawback is that in birding, you can't always read to the end to get the answer!

Both involve a little investigation and thought. You read the first few chapters of the mystery to get a sense of what the crime is and who the possible perpetrators are. You move around to try to get a better idea of what that bird is and you run through in your head what the possibilities might be.

Here are some things to consider:
1. Where is the bird?
This refers to geographical location, type of surroundings (forest, field, desert, etc.) and where you are seeing the bird: on the ground, in a tree, flying overhead, flitting around in a shrub.
2. What are its distinguishing marks?
Sometimes you get lucky and see a detail that makes it easy to identify the bird, and sometimes you aren't so lucky. Take a look at its head, eye, wings (bars or not), tail (notched or not), chest and legs/feet. I'm very good at looking at everything except the one detail I need to make a firm identification, but I'm getting better at looking at the whole bird, not just one characteristic.
3. What sounds is it making?
4. What time of year is it?
I can expect to see yellow-rumped warblers here in April and May, but not in July. If I think I see one in July, it's obviously something else and I need to look at it again.
5. What is it doing?
If it's wading in water, hopping up the trunk of a tree, running along a trail or pecking at leaves, this behavior can give you a clue to its identity.

Now it's time to go to the book: your trusty bird book, which you should have with you at all times. I know people use apps and websites to identify birds, and I'm okay with that, but I like being able to flip through pages looking for something close to what I just saw. Use whatever works for you. I find this site very helpful when I want to verify my identification of a bird or check how it sounds:  www.allaboutbirds.org

It's also helpful if you know someone who's a good birder. Many times I've emailed my friend Bob to ask him about an identification and sometimes he's pointed out that I made a mistake, which helps me learn. I wouldn't know nearly as much about birds if I didn't know Bob.

I had to do a little sleuthing this weekend to identify a couple of birds, so that's what prompted this post. (By the way, it's my 150th post!) I was able to confirm that I saw a Tennessee warbler using the very steps I mentioned above. Of course, there are always those days when I come home frustrated, because I never did get a good look at that bird and I don't know what it was. It happens. But I know I can always go out and try again.

Happy birding!

(Note: It looks like I might want to try again with the cover of The Other Side, so there's one more delay. I'm sorry about that. Stay tuned for updates.)

Getting Closer

I got the proof copy of The Other Side two days early ... and I was afraid to open the package! I know it's silly, but so much has happened to delay this novel that I didn't think I could stand to see another cover that's too dark. It was Schrodinger's cat! As long as I didn't open the package, the proof copy could be good to go, or not.

I finally opened it. The verdict: the cover is still dark, but not as dark as the first one. My husband thinks it's okay. I'm not sure. The silhouette is now visible, but it's not obvious. The image also seems bluer than the original. I emailed the artist and asked if she wants to look at it before I release the novel. If she does, I'll see what she thinks. If she doesn't (she's quite busy these days), I think I'm going to go with this version.

That leaves a final run-through of proofreading, which I will try to begin in the next day or so. (I confess that I've been a little busy birding: the warblers are coming through SE Kansas so I've been trying to see as many of them as possible. I've also been watching the NHL playoffs. Tomorrow night the Cubs are on ESPN, so forget about me getting anything else done that evening!)

Thanks so much for your patience. We're a lot closer than we were last week!

And Happy May!

Try Again

Things are moving on The Other Side again. As you know, there was a delay because there was a problem with the cover image being too dark, but once again the artist has come through for me and provided me with a revised image. We really hope this one will work!

I made a few tweaks to the story and resubmitted the cover image. After about twelve or so hours, CreateSpace gave me the go-ahead on the files, so I ordered another proof copy today. The ETA is May 2, but I'm hopeful it might arrive a little before that. Then ... cross your fingers that the cover will be okay!

I find it a little hard to believe that it's almost May and my novel isn't out yet. I never would have imagined that it would be delayed this long, but that's how things go. At least you know I'm trying very hard to get it right!

Once I get the proof copy, I'll have to read it one more time, just in case there's one last thing I missed. If nothing horrible jumps out at me and the cover is okay, this novel might finally see the light of day!

Thanks for your patience. While you're waiting, please spread the word about the series and consider writing a review on Amazon for one of the novels. I'd really appreciate it!

Park

I'm afraid I don't have much to report about The Other Side. The cover image continues to be an issue, but I'm hopeful we can get that fixed soon. I'll keep you updated.

In the meantime, the pleasant weather has prompted me to take a few more walks in the wooded park north of town. (This is the one whose skeleton I enjoyed earlier in the year.) I'm happy to report that the yellow-rumped warblers are back! I heard a faint buzzy sound and followed it around with binoculars for a while before I spotted the first warbler. Then I saw several others in the same area. Despite their rather ungainly name, they really are beautiful birds and I was happy to get a chance to see them as they pass through this area. If you want to see a photo or learn more about them, here's a good site: All About Birds-YR Warbler

I also had a rather startling encounter as I was walking toward the parking lot. My mind was wandering but it vaguely noticed a rather long reed or piece of grass that was draped across the path. As I started to step over it, however, I suddenly realized it wasn't a piece of grass, just as it realized I was rather large and close. You would have laughed to see it because we both recoiled, just like in a cartoon. I stepped back and it slid into the nearest patch of grass, where I couldn't see it anymore. My initial look, though, has me convinced that it was a rough green snake. I'm sorry I didn't get a better look because it was a lovely shade of green and I would have liked to admire it. Maybe next time.

Already the leaves are starting to come out in the trees. As much as I like being surrounded by green as I walk, it makes birding a lot more difficult. I had trouble with some unknown bird calls today: the birds easily disappeared amid the canopy ... and then they sang and called just to taunt me, I suspect. "Ha, ha, I'm in here somewhere, but you can't see me!" I suppose birds aren't really that mean-spirited, but it sure seems like they are sometimes.

That's all I have to report for now. I've done a little rewriting on The Other Side and it's mostly ready to go, so once we get the cover problem solved, things should move along. (I'll be able to take it out of park and get it in gear.) Fingers crossed!

Stages

Remember that skeletal park I visited in February? I finally got a chance to go back today ... and it's certainly not skeletal now.

The trees are still mostly bare, but there's an undercurrent of green across the ground. Here and there I caught pale purple flowers or the bright pink of redbud trees. One bush had delicate white blossoms. The park isn't fully dressed yet, but she's starting to put on the initial layers of finery.

The birds are arriving, too. The air was punctuated by titmice calling everywhere I went. Carolina wrens tried to fool me into thinking all that noise couldn't come from such a diminutive bird. A barred owl made me smile with its call of "Who cooks for you? Who cooks for YOU??" Throw in a few cardinals, a fish crow and some goldfinches, and it was almost a symphony.

The bare bones were fascinating, but I have to admit that I like the dressed-up version better.

I'm getting close on The Other Side. I have an ISBN. The interior has been submitted and accepted. However, there's a slight problem with the cover image so I'm working on that with the artist. I'm hoping we can get it figured out quickly so I can move on and get to the proof copy stage. I'll keep you posted.

Thanks for reading my blog! Please spread the word about the Penumbra series and leave a comment if the mood strikes you.

And happy spring!

Hidden Layers

Not long ago, I watched an episode of “Nature” on PBS about the discovery of a partial skeleton of what might be the largest dinosaur species to ever have walked the Earth. It was found in Argentina and is thought to have lived about 100 million years ago. I started watching the show because it was hosted by Sir David Attenborough, who never fails to get me just as interested in a topic as he is.

This was no exception. For one thing, when they first showed the thigh bone (femur), I couldn’t help noticing that its length seemed greater than the height of Attenborough himself. Sure enough, they revealed that it was almost 8 feet long! Try to imagine the size of this animal: half of its leg was taller than a person! It was around 120 feet long: that’s twenty of me lying head to foot! That’s BIG. It’s also a little hard to envision.

Scientists had casts made of the bones and assembled them in a warehouse so they could see what the complete skeleton looked like. I was fascinated with the result. Although a skeleton is certainly not the whole dinosaur, it gave me a better idea of the basic structure of the animal.

I thought about that today when I went for a walk, a rare thing for me in the winter. We’ve been blessed with unseasonably warm temperatures lately and I decided it was time to take advantage of that, so I headed to a tree-filled park north of town … in a T-shirt! How strange is that for February? It felt good to walk without immediately wanting to retreat inside.

As I walked, however, I noticed something strange. The park looked different. Other than the fact that the trees had no leaves and there were no blooming plants, something else was off. I peered around me, trying to discern what it was … and then it hit me: I could see! Without the curtain of leaves and lush vegetation, I could see parts of the park that had always been hidden to me during the spring, summer and fall.

It was kind of fun to realize there was a stream I’d never noticed, to recognize another path that was closer than I thought, to spot other people through the trees. I saw hills and boulders that had never been visible before.

Like the dinosaur, I wasn’t seeing the whole park, but winter has revealed a layer that usually goes unseen: the basic structure. Just as the dinosaur’s skeleton would have been covered with muscles, organs and skin, what I saw of the park will soon be covered with leaves, grass and various plants. It will be inhabited by squirrels, rabbits, deer, turtles and birds of all types.

It all begins with the foundation.

If you want to watch the “Nature” episode, here’s a link: Nature Episode

Citizen Science

Whether you consider yourself a scientist or not, you have a chance to make a contribution to science this weekend. It's called the Great Backyard Bird Count. It's easy, it's fun and it's free!

Here are the only items you'll need: a piece of paper, a writing utensil, your eyes and a patch of ground. That's it! If you want to use binoculars, that will help, but they aren't necessary.

Find a place where you want to count. It can be your own back yard (a birdfeeder really helps) or it can be a park, a forest, a lake, anywhere you might find birds.

If you don't think you can identify the birds you see, there are ways to resolve that. You can enlist someone who knows birds to help you. You can go online to any good birding site for help. There are even apps that can help you, such as this one: Merlin

Now take fifteen minutes to count the birds you see. As a rule, you should count groups of birds as you see them, and then take the highest number of the same species that you saw all at once. That will reduce the possibility of counting the same bird twice. For example, if you see four goldfinches, and then ten goldfinches, and then three goldfinches, your recorded total would be ten. Write down a total for every bird you saw that you could identify. You can do this as many times as you want this weekend and Monday.

Once you've got your totals, you can go to this site to report them: Great Backyard Bird Count  It's easy to sign in and make your report(s). Once you've done that, you can see statistics of where people are counting and what they've counted so far. They will even email you a copy of your report if you request it.

I've been doing this for several years and it's always fascinating to see what species of birds are in my back yard. This morning I counted eight different species in the same fifteen-minute span.

All of this information will help scientists determine where birds are and how their numbers are doing. It's important for them to have a snapshot from around the world ... and that's where we come in. They couldn't do it without us.

So get out and count! You'll be helping the scientists and the birds.

A Quest ... And a Milestone

Those of you who know me are aware that I'm a birder. That can mean a lot of things, but in my case, it means I sometimes rush off somewhere in the hopes of seeing a new bird. This weekend was no exception.

It all started when I attended a recent meeting of the local Audubon chapter, Sperry-Galligar Audubon Society. I've been a member of this group since its inception and I've learned a lot from my fellow members. In the fall of 2003, we were encouraged to start a bird list, with pins to be awarded when each person reached 50 birds, 100 birds and 200 birds. I made it my goal to reach 200.

I started strong. Within a year, I had over 100 birds on my list. I saw them in four states: Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Colorado. Naturally, I thought 200 was well within my grasp ...

Life intruded. Various things kept me from traveling much and sometimes it was hard to find a place to see new birds. With some help from field trips through SGAS, I finally got to 150 birds in 2009. Then things really slowed down and I started to wonder if I'd ever reach 200. After a few years, I resigned myself to the fact that I would get there, but not quickly. I made my peace with it, although it was always in the back of my mind. I saw one new bird in 2015. I was in the 190s by then, but 200 still seemed far away.

Then came the meeting. A member from Missouri reported that he'd seen long-tailed ducks at a wastewater treatment plant about 30 miles away. I didn't even know that such a thing existed and I certainly didn't know what it looked like (thank goodness for field guides). Some of the members decided they'd try to see it, so I decided I had to go with them.

The same thing happened in 2012. I heard there was a snowy owl in Missouri, so I drove over there near the end of January. I drove along several country roads, pretty sure I was lost, not sure where the owl was ... until I spotted a bright white object in the middle of a field. Binoculars let me confirm it was the owl. I called a fellow birder, who met me there, and we both stared at the owl for several minutes. Then we did a little happy dance right there on the country road.

So I know that sometimes you need to follow your instincts. It's possible you might not see anything, but that's better than wondering what you might have missed. The other birders felt the same way so we carpooled to Missouri, had to detour around a roadblock and finally found the place. We stood there staring at water birds through binoculars for a few minutes before we spotted one duck that seemed much lighter than the others. We consulted the books, studied the duck again, consulted the books and talked among ourselves. Finally we realized it was true: we were seeing a long-tailed duck! Cheers followed.

If you're interested, here's some information about it: Long-Tailed Duck-Audubon

I came home very happy that I'd seen a new bird and was able to share the experience with friends. I sat down to write it in my notebook ... and paused. I'd made a list of the other birds we'd seen while we were searching for the long-tailed duck, and I didn't see two of them on my list. I flipped through the pages once, twice. Still I didn't see those two. Was it true? It WAS! I was able to add three new ducks ... and that puts me at 200!

So patience and the occasional whim, with a little luck thrown in, got me to my goal. Isn't that usually how it goes?

Next up: 300!

Out of Line

I've been staring at my computer screen for much of the weekend, trying to figure out where the words went. I decided to take a short break and check on my Significant Other, who was doing some trimming outside. When I looked out the window, I thought I saw a white flower on the side of our shed, so I went outside to investigate. It turned out to be a reflection on a leaf, but while I was inspecting it, a robin landed nearby. The bird was bothered by my presence but it wanted that bug badly, so after indecisive hopping, it decided to take the risk and grab the bug. It then flew around the other side of the shed. I'm glad I didn't keep it from its meal.

I saw some big mushrooms in the yard, one of which had been decapitated by the trimmer's cord. It lay upside-down, a lovely circle of white with delicate lines radiating from the center. The top is an ugly gray that disguises the beauty underneath.

Some of our foliage in the back is enjoying the hot, humid weather and some isn't. One of the bushes (which sprang up of its own accord without any prompting from us) is looking a little chewed-on. The ground cover is thick and lush in one area, thin and browning in another, depending on how much direct sun it's been getting. A black dragonfly was visiting some of the weeds: a burst of movement while it flew, followed by a moment of stillness when it landed.

The whine of the trimmer stopped, so I looked up.

"I'm out of line," my husband said.

So am I! I thought. Too bad I can't run to Home Depot to get more.

Then it occurred to me: I can't run to Home Depot, but I can run to Nature. She usually provides me with something to tickle my brain and make me observe what's around me.

And that's what happened.

Get It Right

Happy Mother's Day! I want to wish Mom all the best today and every day. I love you very much.

My allergies have finally calmed down, so to celebrate, I went birding yesterday morning. It has been a rainy weekend, but we were supposed to have a break for a few hours so I headed out to see if I missed all of the warblers that come through Kansas on their way north.

Fortunately, I wasn't too late: I saw prothonotary, Tennessee and yellow-rumped warblers, all of which were beautiful. Along the way, I saw some little thrushes that flitted in and out of my view, so I added "wood thrush" to my list. That evening, I emailed a partial list of my sightings to a friend of mine who has taught me a lot about birding and nature. He's a fellow member of our local Audubon group.

A few hours later, he replied that I did "pretty well" on my solitary walk, but he had a question: was I sure those were wood thrushes, or could they be the more common Swainson's thrushes?

Uh, oh! Many people wouldn't know (or care about) the difference, but I'm a birder so I care. I could easily have said, "Oh, yes, I'm sure they were wood thrushes. How could you question me?" But I didn't do that, mostly because I suddenly suspected that he might be right. I thought back and realized I'd seen the birds in shadow, without taking particular note of their color, and I'd made an assumption. Big mistake! So what to do?

I did the only thing that made sense: I went back this morning. I was very lucky because the rain held off but the sky was ominous enough that there weren't very many people there. My reward for double-checking myself was a perfect morning of birding ... and I saw even more birds than the day before!

Sure enough, my friend was right: those were Swainson's thrushes. I was certain this time and I learned my lesson: don't assume that you know what that bird over there is. Look closely, which is how I saw a hummingbird, an indigo bunting, catbirds and a cedar waxwing. Each time I thought it was something common, but each time my assumption was wrong and it was a good thing I checked with my binoculars.

Now I can feel good about my two-day list of birds because I know it's right. And I thanked my friend for correcting me. That's how I learn.

I just wish the lesson could always be learned in such a beautiful setting, full of birdsong and the occasional rumble of thunder.

Song and Color

Spring is (officially) less than a week away! (At least in the Northern Hemisphere.)

Everyone probably notices different things at this time of year. For me, it's the longer days and the birds. It's so nice to get home from work and still have daylight so I don't feel like it's already time for bed. I feel more motivated to get things done and less inclined to just plop down in front of the TV. (That always changes when baseball season starts, but I digress ...)

And the birds! Already we have killdeer announcing their presence in the parking lot of my place of work. Cardinals, titmice and robins are singing. Red-shouldered hawks are calling out in circles overhead. Chickadees are warning me away from the bird feeder, which has been visited by goldfinches, house finches, red-bellied woodpeckers and more. It's as if abundant feathered life has spontaneously sprung into existence to enrich my days.

Before long, the plants will follow them into renewed life and color.

Winter has its place in my life, but I'm never sorry to let another one fade away.

Have a joyous spring full of discovery.

(And happy Pi Day!)