Riddles

 

     This week I finished The Riddle Master of Hed Trilogy by Patricia Mckillip.  It's been around for a while, but it was one of the books I picked up at the book sale, and it came highly recommended by my mom so I had a feeling I was going to like it, and I did.  My copy had all three books bound together in one edition which made it easy to plow through and they are each relatively short.  I liked the first one the best.  It seemed to have more of a plot line than the last one which was called Harpist in the Wind and was much more cerebral than the first two.  After a while that started to wear on my patience, but overall I liked the books.  Riddles seem to be a theme in my house right now.  The current book I am reading is also about riddles.  It's called Gabriel Finley and the Raven's Riddle by George Hagen.  It's a middle grade fantasy, my very favorite genre.  I'm not too far into it, but so far so good.  There are some very original ideas, though the orphaned child searching for a lost parent has definitely been done more than a few times.  In this one the boy Gabriel is linked to a young raven, also orphaned and both enjoy riddles.  People have enjoyed riddles for eons.  They certainly are popular in my house.  We've spent many a car ride taking turns trying to stump each other.  They tend to range all over the map with classic favorites repeated again and again, to ones that only make sense to my 4 year old, to some pretty tricky ones from my middle schooler.  The one I recently came up with that even stumped my husband was: When it starts getting warm I put more clothes on.  When it gets cold again I take them off.  What am I?  Well?  Wanna try your hand?  Or do you have a good one for me that I can use for the next car ride?

When You Go With a Pro

     This has been far and away the best birding week of my life.  Wednesday I joined my mom and several other enthusiasts for a walk with Early Bird Nature Tours, which is run by her friend Larry.  We went hunting for loons.  Though we didn't see any, we did get several other really great birds, several of which were life birds for me, and even a Peregrine Falcon.  The next day I killed a lot of time out in the backyard and had my highest species tally for my yard to date, including a flock of blue birds, 5 different woodpeckers, ruby and golden crowned kinglets, and a yellow rumped warbler, apparently also known as a "butter butt".  The kids love that one.  After that day my back yard species count is up to 39.  Not bad for only 4 months.  Today though, today was the best day yet.  My oldest so joined my mom and I on another walk with Larry, this time at Longwood Gardens.  Our count for the walk wasn't as good as Wednesday's but we had a fabulous look at a Golden Eagle!  It circled about 40 feet over our heads for several minutes giving everyone a stellar view.  If I had been on my own I probably would have thought it was an immature Bald Eagle but the pros whipped out their books and confirmed it as a golden.  We were all pretty physched.  It was gorgeous.  Then at home I headed out back and it was a feeding frenzy.  The birds were going nuts over the fall berries.  The Red Belly was flying back and forth like mad, I got a great sighting of yet another sapsucker but then right before I was about to head in the Pileated swooped in to join the show.  It flew closer and closer, at one point only about 15 feet away.  I couldn't tear myself away.  Unfortunately it got dark, but you can bet I'll be back out there tomorrow. 
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Double Vision

     So, the other day I was out in the yard trying to close in on my Red Bellied friend with my binoculars.  I aimed at the spot I thought I'd seen him and thought Wait a minute, that's not a Red Belly.  It was in fact another Yellow Bellied Sapsucker, this time a male, but the super cool thing was I also had the Red in my sights as well.  They were right next to each other.  I'd been having a crummy day up until that point but what a turn around.  That double sighting perked me right up.  My mom told me I had "the woodpeckeriest woods" she'd ever seen.  I'm not sure that's a word but I think she might be right.  Thankfully we don't live in a log cabin or we'd be in trouble. 
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A Halloween Horror Story

    

     I was going to write this last night but collapsed on the couch instead.  It was a fun but exhausting Halloween.  And as I watched the kids run from house to house it got me thinking.  I recently read a book called Facing the Monster: How One Person Can Fight Child Slavery, by Carol Hart Metzker.  It was not my usual fare.  I rarely read non-fiction.  But it is a topic that has been on my mind a great deal lately.  It was written more as a memoir of the author's experiences with her work as a Rotarian and how she was first enlightened as to the plight of so many children around the world and what she did and is continuing to do to help end such a terrible atrocity.  Unlike some other books about various causes this one did not make the problem seem too big to tackle, though it is rampant and the shear magnitude of enslaved children world wide is staggering.  Instead the author sought to encourage hope and show the reader how making even a small difference matters.  But be warned once your eyes are opened to what is really happening, not just in distant countries but right in your own back yard, you will never see things the same way again.  Simple things like trick-or-treating will hide a darker secret.  Such as most of the chocolate candy we all consume this time of year was produced not just with slave labor but CHILD slave labor.  Children who likely will never even get a taste of said chocolate.  So what is the answer?  Boycott Halloween?  Never eat candy?  No.  But be aware of where your treats likely came from.  Learn about the problem.  Speak out.  Write to companies and ask them to be responsible.  Demand anti slavery legislation.  Support those in the trenches fighting to end slavery around the world.  Because it still exists whether we're aware of it or not.  For more information or to track your slavery footprint visit slaveryfootprint.org and like Walk Free or Made in a Free World on Facebook.  
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Whooooo's Ready for Halloween?

     I love owls.  I know they're trendy and tons of people are into owls but who can blame them.  They're amazing birds.  One of my favorite birding experiences ever was the time we saw an owl behind our house on my son's birthday.  A few days later we were able to call it and it called back and forth to my laptop from our oak tree before it swooped over our roof.  But owls are elusive and not easy to spot.  For some great examples of owls in hiding click here.  This time of year owl images are everywhere because they're spooky.  I've spent a good bit of my week getting ready for Halloween.  Making costumes, buying costumes and giant bags of candy, baking classroom treats and digging out decorations and trick-or-treat bags.  I'm sure I have plenty of company.  I haven't had much time for reading but I've managed to squeeze in a few minutes here and there.  In the spirit of the season of owls I'm reading a book of short stories by my friend Vonnie Winslow Crist called Owl Light.  The tales I've tackled so far are not too scary, which is good because I'm a bit of a wimp, but they have a slightly creepy vibe for sure.  Just right for Halloween.  Poems and charming illustrations by the author are interspersed throughout. I love short stories and these have yet to disappoint.  From the ghostly romance to the touching story of a grief stricken pair of sisters each narrative is beautifully told.  If you'd like to read an excerpt you can here and be sure to check out Vonnie's blog for all kinds of cool owl info .
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Book Sale Gold

    

     What bibliophile doesn't love a good used book sale?  I know I sure do.  I recently came back from a local one with 2 bags full of books to fill up our new built in bookcases.  Most of them were for the kids but I managed to find a few gems for myself.  One of the ones that made it into the bag was Watership Down by Richard Adams.  I knew it was one of my mom's favorite books but somehow I had never read it. We usually have quite similar reading tastes, so when I saw it on the table I grabbed it.  I finished it this weekend.  My mom wasn't wrong.  It was wonderful, but unlike anything else I've ever read before.  I enjoy fantasy and have read books with anthropomorphized animals characters, such as Redwall by Brian Jacques, but this one was different.  Adams managed to make me feel just what it was like to be a rabbit. He ingeniously created an entire Lapine culture complete with it's own unique language and mythology.  I don't think I'll ever look at a rabbit the same way again.  It's definitely one I would recommend if you haven't read it.  Especially if like me you're a sucker for a well told story with a happy ending.
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Patience Rewarded

    

     I think the woodpeckers are my favorite.  Aside from Hortense of course.  Today they were especially active.  I'm not sure why some days are better than others but I'm convinced the birds know more than I do.  It rained over night so maybe the bugs were out.  Whatever the reason, within five minutes of walking out my back door I'd seen four different species of woodpecker.  The Northern Flicker was making quite a racket, while the Red Belly went to town on my back fence much to my chagrin.  Later while I was watching a downy and stalking what may have been a house wren, I saw the one I'd been waiting for.  A female Yellow Bellied Sapsucker!  I knew seeing one was a possibility around here, but until this morning it hadn't happened.  Every Hairy I saw I scrutinized to make sure that wasn't what it was.  I'm fairly certain this was a sapsucker though.  It was bigger than the nearby Downy and the pattern on it's back was more mottled than the Hairy and more conclusively it did not have a white belly.  Now all I need for the day to be complete would be to see a Pileated.  Though I'm pretty stoked even if I don't.
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Another Notch On My Belt

     There are certain birds I can usually be sure of seeing when I head out my back door.  My Red Bellied Woodpecker and White Breasted Nuthatch friends being two of my favorites.  But it's that chance of seeing something extra special that has me captivated.  An occasional warbler or the Pileated Woodpecker.  And there's always the possibility of a new life bird. Since I'm still new to bird watching there are several I haven't seen before and last week I was thrilled to add another bird to my ever growing list.  The Brown Creeper.  They can be difficult to spot because they're well camouflaged, looking rather like tree bark, but this one stood out clearly against the lichen covered tree he was on and I got quite a good look at him.  What a cute bird!  They're small and they creep up the tree as their name suggests like a nuthatch but with a curved beak.  He brought my backyard species tally up to 29! Not to shabby for only 3 months.  I can't wait to see who I'll spot tomorrow. 
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When Books Become Movies

     I'm going slightly off topic with this post because I'm still in the middle of my current book, Watership Down, and thought I'd talk a little about a movie I took the kids to see instead.  The first book over 500 pages my, now 11 year old, ever read was Here Be Monsters by Alan Snow.  He was so proud of himself for reading such a hefty book and his confidence soared.  It was terrific.  So. naturally when I heard they were making a movie based on the book I knew we had to go.  It turns out the movie, The Box Trolls, was only very loosely based on the book.  It was more it's own story set in the same world with a few of the same characters.  I wasn't sure how my son would feel about this.  When we saw the Percy Jackson movies, his favorite book series, the major plot changes really bothered him.  I know, I myself am often devotedly loyal to the original book and have become infuriated when movies deviate too much from the storyline.  I have even been known to yell at the screen, in the comfort of my own home of course.  This time however, the differences didn't seem to bother him too much, perhaps because they gave the movie a different title and didn't try to claim it as the same story.  All in all, it was a fun movie with great animation.  We all enjoyed it and I would highly recommend it.

Photo from: http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/files/2014/08/HereBeMonsters-200x300.jpg

No One to Love

    

     I haven't found much time this week for blogging but I did manage to finish another book.  This was another romance by Lauren Willig, though a tad more serious than the Pink Carnation series.  The title was the Ashford Affair and while I didn't dislike the book, Lauren Willig being a talented story teller, I didn't enjoy it as much as the silly ones. The main reason being I just didn't connect with any of the characters.  Good characters are one of the most important elements in a great book. Writers spend a lot of time and some might even tell you blood, sweat, and tears, trying to create characters that feel authentic and that they're readers will fall in love with. The characters in The Ashford Affair were well written, I just didn't like them. Most of them seemed self centered and even the sympathetic ones couldn't hold my affections. So would I recommend the book?  If you like period dramas, you may enjoy this one, set mainly in Europe post WWI and Kenya Post WWII. It was a well told story. And perhaps you'll find a character in it in which to relate. Unfortunately I did not.
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Untidy Endings

    

     My mom and I decided to do our own version of a mother/daughter book club last week so we selected a book and she listened to it on her way to and from work and I read the traditional version.  The book we chose was The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall.  It's a middle grade novel one of her co-workers recommended that has been quite popular with actual mother/daughter book clubs.  We both enjoyed it, especially because it was reminiscent of some of our childhood favorites like Little Women. We especially enjoyed discussing it as we went.  I think my mother and I could talk books until the cows came home.  One thing we were in agreement on was that the villain was thoroughly vile and neither of us were satisfied that she got what she deserved at the end.  The book is the first in a series so we can only hope there will be some serious remorse on the part of the children's nemesis in subsequent books.  I must say, especially after such a superior ending in Egg and Spoon, the conclusion can make or break a great book.  If there is a villain, a truly, vile bad guy, then said villain needs to be adequately punished or even better, they need to go through a glorious redemption.  In The Penderwicks I didn't feel that this was accomplished.  I guess I'll just have to read the next one to see what happens.  After all, the rest of the characters were delightful, and the story was charming, right up until the unsatisfactory finish.
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Fencing Flickers

     I heard a lot of commotion out back this morning so I went to see who was making all the racket and I got to see something pretty cool.  Almost half a dozen Northern Flickers were cavorting from tree to tree and a couple were even battling each other.  They continued for a bit and then two of them faced off on a branch zigzagging their heads back and forth, clashing over territory.  I've seen lot's of birds defending their territory, Hortense the hummingbird was a mighty warrior over hers, Red Bellied Woodpeckers, nuthatches.  But the Flickers were mesmerizing. They seemed almost gentlemanly about it, bobbing and weaving like duelers at dawn.  If you want to watch a video of what it looked like click here.  My son is taking fencing at school.  Maybe the Flickers could give him a few pointers.

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A Vexing Hobby

     First let me say, vexing is on of my favorite words I've learned from reading Jane Austen and I'm thrilled to have an opportunity to use it.  Yes, I know I'm a nerd.  But moving on.  Bird watching for those not familiar with it, may sound relaxing and it can be.  However, lately I've found it frustrating at times.  I'm quite new to the venture and there is a lot I don't know.  I can identify a few birds by call but not many, and I still can't do a long distance ID.  I can't usually tell what type of hawk I'm looking at unless it flashes it's red tail at me.  In short, I'm quite the novice.  I wish I could carry around an expert in my pocket, and yes, I've heard there's an app for that but I'm not phone savvy either.  Sometimes I swear the birds are taunting me.  I know they're in the trees.  I can see them flitting about, out of range, or hear them call, but I have no idea what they are.  Sometimes it's easy.  I got a great look at a Pileated woodpecker today.  That was terrific. It's those times that keep me at it.  And the few times I see a new bird and am actually able to ID it.  As for the other exasperating moments, I guess I'll just have to study and remember to carry my binoculars with me where ever I go.  
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Bravo

   

      This morning I finished Egg and Spoon and it was so good I thought it deserved a second post.  I'll do my best not to spoil anything, but I will say it had one of the best endings I've ever read.  It was as if Gregory Maguire somehow channeled Mother Teresa and wrapped the whole beautiful message of caring for the wants of those around you in Russian Folklore.  I can't imagine it getting much better.  When I finished the last page I wiped the tears from my eyes and felt like giving it a standing ovation.  It could easily be the best book I've read this year, and there were many.  And for those, like me, who crave happy endings I think I can safely say without giving too much away, you won't be disappointed.  Bravo Mr. Maguire. Bravo.  You have outdone yourself and I thank you for such a delightfully told story.  I never thought I would wish Baba Yaga as my grandmother, but the way she was written in this story I can't picture a better one.

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A Love Letter to Gregory Maguire

  
   

Right now I'm reading Gregory Maguire's latest book, Egg and Spoon and I just want to say it's AMAZING!  He's hit it out of the park yet again. This might be my favorite of his yet, and that's saying a lot because I read Wicked twice and loved almost everything of his I've ever read.  What I love about Gregory Maguire's writing is the way he writes his characters and his wry sense of humor.  In Egg and Spoon of course my favorite character is Baba Yaga.  He sure does write a good witch.  I've always loved the character Baba Yaga, going back to when I took a course on Russian fairy tales in college.  I think that was my favorite class.  Maguire's Baba Yaga is a little scary, which she should be, very sarcastic, and slightly insane, but you end up routing for her anyway.  I haven't finished the book yet so I don't know how it will end, but a Russian story can never have a truly happy ending. If you liked his other books run out and get yourself a copy of Egg and Spoon today!  If you haven't read anything he's written I highly recommend you do, if you like fantasy on the dark and gritty side.  I'm crazy about Wicked the musical but the books are definitely more grown up and even a little raunchy.

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Have You Read a Banned Book Today?

     The United States stands out from the world as a pillar of freedom and liberty.  At least I thought that was the idea.  And yet amongst all our so called freedoms there is still a need to stand up against censorship.  It is still a place where many think it perfectly appropriate to tell others what they can and can't read.  This makes no sense to me at all.  In my opinion, censorship more often than not is the product of ignorance.  The books under attack have frequently never even been read by those who think they should be banned.  How do you fight ignorance?  With education.  Hence a week to promote those books that have made the naughty list.  If you're curious about which books have been challenged the American Library Association has a list here.  I bet you'll be surprised by some of the titles on the list.  It's not all 50 Shades of Grey.  To Kill a Mockingbird, for example, has made the list more than once.  For ideas on how to celebrate banned books week check out this site.
     Alright, I'll get down off my soap box now.  
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Guilty Pleasures

    I read a lot of different types of books.  Plenty are thought provoking literature.  Many are classics.  But I have a confession to make.  I am a hopeless romantic. Okay, that might not come as a surprise to those who know me, and I actually prefer the way Kathleen Turner phrases it in Romancing the Stone.  She calls herself  a "hopeful romantic."  I love a good romance novel.  The cheesier the better.  In fact my favorites are the ones that actually make you laugh out loud at how over the top they are.  The one I just finished was one of the Pink Carnation Series by Lauren Willig, and the hero was actually contemplating "how much agony there is in a fingernail."  I prefer the Regency romances that don't have quite as many bodice ripping and throbbing manhood scenes.  Just good old fashioned seething passion and pent up frustration.  The Pink Carnation books are doubly fun because they're also spy novels. And that's what I read them for.  Fun.  I'll get back to broadening my horizons eventually, but for now bring on the duels at dawn and heart fluttering moonlight trysts.  What's your literary guilty pleasure?

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Groupie Alert

    

     Well, I was finally able to tear myself away from the woods long enough to finish a book!  I tend to binge read, reading one author or genre till I reach the saturation point and switch to something else.  This time I was on a T.A. Barron kick and just finished The Ancient One.  For those of you not familiar with T.A. Barron he is most well known for his best selling The Lost Years of Merlin Saga.  I read the 12 books in that series in 4 weeks!  Yes, they're that good. They're middle grade fantasy, one of my very favorite genres.  The book I just finished was one of his earlier novels. The second in the Heartlight trilogy.  I liked it a lot, especially the Native American mythology and nuances that permeated the story.
     I met T.A. Barron once at a writer's conference, shortly after reading all the Merlin books and I gushed like a groupie.  I tend to do that when I meet favorite authors. The time I met Jane Yolen I practically fell at the poor woman's feet. T.A. Barron was a truly lovely man. He was warm and charming and an inspiration to other writer's. It was such a pleasure to meet him and I highly recommend his books. There is a positive, love fueled message in all of them that children need to hear and characters that are easy to fall in love with.
     Now I've changed tracks slightly and I'm reading one of the Pink Carnation books by Lauren Willig, a Regency, spy romance, that is mostly fluff and completely over the top and I'm enjoying it thoroughly.

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A New Life Bird!

     I'm finding it very hard to tear myself away from the entertainment in the woods behind our house.  I've been enjoying my morning coffee on the back porch each day watching and listening to the cacophony of bird calls and I find my self so entranced that I can't even read!  I'm afraid I might miss something.  That is saying a lot if you know how much I love books. This new found source of enjoyment is just so exhilarating, as many more experienced birders have known for ages.  Today was especially exciting because I was able to add at least one new bird to my life list. Lot's of people love Warblers and it's easy to see why.  They're cute and colorful and not often seen, so when I spied an American Redstart I was super stoked.  But when the Pileated Woodpecker flew over my head right after I actually jumped up and down and pumped my fist.  Yeah, I know, I'm kind of a dork, but it was really exciting. I think I also saw a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, which would be another one to add to my life list, but I can't be sure so I'm holding off.  All in all a great start to the morning with 16 species before 11am. 

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Woodpeckers Galore!

   

     Some of my favorite birds that we've seen at the house are woodpeckers. We've had flocks of Flickers, a Hairy or two, quite a few Red Bellies, a Downy, and this weekend I was thrilled to see the granddaddy of them all a Pileated, right from my own back porch!  I knew they were in the woods behind our house because I'd heard them a few times, but never was able to catch a glimpse.  But Saturday morning I basically stalked one for the better part of the morning, running outside with my binoculars every time I heard that distinctive call, so much like the infamous Woody Woodpecker himself, whom my kids love by the way.  Finally I just decided to stay outside until I spied him and my luck paid off.  I was able to get a peek of that  distinguishing pointed red head through the trees.  What a gorgeous bird.  It made my whole day!  Now I'm on the look out for a Yellow Bellied Sapsucker.  Wish me luck!

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Blue Jays, and Titmice, and Hawks, Oh My!

     I've always enjoyed birds, it's in my blood.  My parents raised us with a sincere interest in the natural world and my mother is an avid birder.  But it wasn't until we moved to a new house, out in the country, partially surrounded by woods, that I first felt the total exhilaration that comes from bird watching. We only have a couple feeders, but I plan to get more. I think my favorite part is sharing the excitement with the kids.  Our best day we counted 22 different species in our own backyard.  Now, I am a complete novice. I'm sure I misidentified one or two but we were only counting for fun.  And we got some pretty impressive visitors on our list, including a Pileated Woodpecker and a Broad Winged Hawk.  Though the family favorite was the feisty female Ruby Throated Hummingbird.  I've named her Hortense and will probably devote at least one post just to her.  I won't list every bird we saw but there were four different types of woodpecker and lot's of little ones at the Finch feeder.  We've yet to have another day quite like that one but to be sure, I'm out there for at least some part of each day with my bird book and binoculars.  I'm learning more everyday, matching calls to their owner, and I've bookmarked the Cornell website to help with Id's.  It's a great sight.  If you've never used it and you're a beginning birder like me it's your go to identification page, with sounds and all.
Here's the link: All About Birds. 
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Intro

     My favorite book of all time is Jayne Eyre, it's why I named my daughter Charlotte, so when I decided to write a blog about my love for books and my adventures in birdwatching the above quote from the book seemed like the perfect fit for my blog title. It fits me too.  I'm a bit of a free spirit and I'm sure my husband would confirm that I have a determinedly independent will. Why do i love Jayne Eyre?  Well, I do tend to be drawn to melodrama, and it sure is choc full of it. I'm old fashioned and I completely relate to the plain, educated heroine with a fiery temper. And I'm pretty sure Mr. Rochester is one of the most romantic characters ever written and I am a fool for a good romance. As I write this blog you'll find I don't limit myself to romance though.  My book tastes are pretty eclectic. As varied as the species of birds we've been delightedly watching in our back yard.

photo credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/eckhartpubliclibrary/6887712467/">Eckhart Public Library</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/">cc</a>