Mark's Reading Place: Chapter Six

^Next destination: Rio Grande Valley, Texas. The top photos are from San Padre Island Bird Sanctuary. One of the many stops, that we will be making on our week-long visit. I have many target birds on a lengthy list. Here are three beauties, probably out of a list of 50-60, all would be Lifers:



-Black Skimmer



-Painted Bunting



-Aplomado Falcon

“We need the tonic of wildness... At the same time that we are earnest to explore and learn all things, we require that all things be mysterious and unexplorable, that land and sea be indefinitely wild, unsurveyed and unfathomed by us because unfathomable. We can never have enough of nature.”

~ Henry David Thoreau

"The play of shine and shade on the trees as the supple boughs wag,
The delight alone or in the rush of the streets, or along the fields and hillsides,
The feeling of health . . . . the full-noon trill . . . . the song of me rising from bed
and meeting the sun..."

-Leaves of Grass- Whitman

Audiobook:



Graphic/Comic:



February:

12- My Heart Is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones 3.2 stars
13- I Hear the Sirens in the Street: Sean Duffy Novel by Adrian McKinty 4.2 stars (audio)
14- Horse by Geraldine Brooks 4.8 stars Group Read
15- Sporadic Troubleshooting: Poems by Clarence Major 4.7 stars P
16- Baby Shark (Book #1) by Robert Fate 4 stars
17- M is For Monster by Talia Dutton 3.6 stars GN
18- Trees by Percival Everett 4.2 stars
19- On the Bus with Rosa Parks: Poems by Rita Dove 4.4 stars P
20- Waco: David Koresh by Jeff Guinn 3.7 stars (audio)
21- The Red Widow by Sarah Horowitz 3.6 stars
22- Foster by Claire Keegan 4.2 stars
23- American Cult: A Graphic History of Religious Cults in America by Robyn Chapman 4 stars GN
24- Down From The Mountain: Life and Death of a Grizzly Bear by Bryce Andrews 4 stars (audio)
25- Moonlight Mile: A Kenzie and Gennaro Novel by Dennis Lehane 4.2 stars

March:

26- Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy 5 stars w/Joe
27- Public Domain by Chip Zdarsky 4 stars GN
28- Wild at Heart: The Story of Sailor and Lula by Barry Gifford 4 stars
29- Night of the Living Rez by Morgan Talty 3.8 stars
30- Clumsy by Jeffrey Brown 3.7 stars GN
31- Life on the Mississippi by Rinker Buck 4 stars (audio)
32- After The Wind: Tragedy on Everest by Lou Kasischke 4.5 stars
33- Scurry by Mac Smith 4 stars GN
34- Runaway by Alice Munro 3.8 stars
35- The Best of Robert Service by Robert Service 4 stars P
36- Woman of Light by Kali Fajardo-Anstine 4.3 stars
37- The Customer is Always Wrong by Mimi Pond 4 stars GN
38- Lost Places: Stories by Sarah Pinsker 3.7 stars

April:

39- Talking to the Dead by Helen Dunmore 4 stars
40- The Winners: (Beartown Series) by Fredrik Backman 3.5 stars w/Stasia
41- Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe 3.7 stars (audio)
42- It's Lonely at the Centre of the Earth by Zoe Thorogood 3.8 stars GN
43- Go With Me: A Novel by Castle Freeman Jr 4.2 stars
44- Birding While Indian: A Mixed-Blood Memoir by Thomas C. Gannon 4.3 stars
45- Fen, Bog and Swamp by Annie Proulx 4 stars (audio)
46- The Awkward Black Man by Walter Mosley 4 stars

May:

47- Native Speaker by Chang-rae Lee 4.3 stars
48- Leaving Before the Rains Come by Alexandra Fuller 3.8 stars (audio)
49- The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas 4.4 stars
50- I'm Still Alive by Roberto Saviano GN

Graphic Novel: GN
Poetry: P

Remember

Remember the sky that you were born under,
know each of the star’s stories.
Remember the moon, know who she is.
Remember the sun’s birth at dawn, that is the
strongest point of time. Remember sundown
and the giving away to night.
Remember your birth, how your mother struggled
to give you form and breath. You are evidence of
her life, and her mother’s, and hers.
Remember your father. He is your life, also.
Remember the earth whose skin you are:
red earth, black earth, yellow earth, white earth
brown earth, we are earth.
Remember the plants, trees, animal life who all have their
tribes, their families, their histories, too. Talk to them,
listen to them. They are alive poems.
Remember the wind. Remember her voice. She knows the
origin of this universe.
Remember you are all people and all people
are you.
Remember you are this universe and this
universe is you.
Remember all is in motion, is growing, is you.
Remember language comes from this.
Remember the dance language is, that life is.
Remember.

-Joy Harjo

^ I was able to do some shared reading, this past year, with a few of my book buddies and I really enjoyed it. I would like this to continue through 2023. Primarily, I would like to read books off shelf, but I am still catching up with a few titles that I missed in the past year. I also would like to do a few rereads. I will list some titles and if you are interested, we will set a firm date.

Three Musketeers May w/Paul, Jim
Eventide by Kent Haruf Stasia, Benita, Karen O May?
The Line of Beauty by Alan Hollinghurst w/ Jeff, Benita, MDoris June
East of Eden w/MDoris, Linda P, Lynda, Meg, Paul, Anita- July
The Singapore Grip w/Benita September

For the AAC:

April- Poetry
May: John Edgar Wideman- All Stories Are True
August: Percival Everett

Happy new thread Mark. Of course the pictures of Jackson with towering horse are wonderful and the picture of the Painted Bunting captured my heart too!

>6 mdoris: Thanks, Mary. I have been saving the pics of Jack and the horse Chance, for my next topper. Both photos are one of my favorites. Yep, I really want to see a painted bunting.

-Bill Bramhall

>2 msf59: Awww! Jackson will need a pony before you know it.

>1 msf59: Beautiful birds. Hope you get to see them on your trip!

Happy new thread, Mark.

>8 msf59: That is sad; so true and so sad.

Happy New Thread, Mark! What a wonderful pictures of Jackson and and the horse! Beautiful birds and the birding centre looks great too.

Happy New Thread!

I always look forward to see what you're reading, but I especially like to see the GNs that you're reading. You always find interesting things.

I went looking in Hoopla for the Lonely at the Centre book and they had it. I'm going to give it a go.

Happy new thread Mark!

>2 msf59: It's a bit easier to be bold with a wee bit of distance. How charming!

HAppy new one!

>9 Copperskye: Bree has a horse, so I wouldn't be surprised if Jack gets one at some point or at least has special a fondness for them. The horse in the photo is not hers but belongs to a friend.

I hope I see plenty of new birds too, Joanne.

>10 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul.

>11 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deb. Glad you like the pics. Hooray for Jackson & the birdies.

>12 mahsdad: Thanks, Jeff. The Winners has been hogging most of my reading time, so it is keeping me from reading It's Lonely at the Centre of the Earth. Did you ever read Beartown? It is the first in that series and it is very good.

>13 quondame: Thanks, Susan. It also helps that this horse is a very gentle soul. I rode her a few years ago.

>14 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Anita.

Happy new one, Mark. Great toppers. I have always wanted to see a painted bunting and that falcon is gorgeous! Such sweet pics of Jackson and Bree.

When do you leave for Texas?

Happy New thread. Mark! Oh my goodness. Those birdies are gorgeous! I hope you see them all and many others on your list.
Jackson and horse look like a blossoming friendship. Adorable

Happy new thread, Mark!

>1 msf59: I hope you will spot some target birds in Texas.
I like the looks of the Black Skimmer and of course the falcon.

>2 msf59: Awww.
My earliest memory is from when I was three years old, and was put on a horse. I ever loved horses since.
I hope Jackson grows into a horse lover.

>3 msf59: It looks like the library copy of The Winners is going to arrive at the end of this week. So I will be able to join you and Stasia.

>17 jessibud2: Thanks, Shelley. I leave next Tuesday the 18th. Painted buntings may show up here but it is very rare. They are normally found in the south and the west. Fingers crossed that I snag one or two.

>18 Carmenere: Morning, Lynda and thanks. I was browsing all the sightings being reported in the counties where we are going and I am blown away by what is being seen. Yep, I am getting pumped. Bree would sure like to see Jack become a horse lover. Sean is not overly fond of them. LOL.

>19 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita. I am really looking forward to my Texas trip. This could be more exciting than the Arizona birding trip I took last year. Glad to hear from another horse lover.

I should finish The Winners tomorrow and I am sure Stasia finished it. I am happy you are joining us.

‘Morning, Mark! Happy Wednesday and happy new thread.

>1 msf59: Love the pics, especially the Painted Bunting.

>2 msf59: Sweet, sweet pics.

>5 msf59: The GHO chicks are always wonderful to see.

>8 msf59: Every time we drive around our County Courthouse’s traffic circle and see the flag at half mast, we figure it’s another mass shooting. Now, if it were to be half-mast because t**** finally shuffled off this mortal coil, well. That would be a good thing.

>20 msf59: Bree would sure like to see Jack become a horse lover. Sean is not overly fond of them. LOL. Well, if you substitute Bill and Jenna for the horse lovers and Karen for Sean, you’ve got our family dynamic. We spent tens of thousands of dollars on horses with the barns, tack room, pastures, horses, tack, feed, and etc., until Jenna went off to college, when we sold the horses. We’ve still got the pastures, barns, and tack room. I still need to get the fencing back under control and find someone to lease it all and keep their horses here.

>21 karenmarie: Happy Wednesday, Karen and thank you. Thanks for the horse info. I didn't know that Bill and Jenna were such enthusiasts. They have no interest in riding anymore? One thing I do know, from Bree and my Oregon niece, is that horses are money pits.

No. Bill can't, Jenna wasn't home enough. Bill would love to see horses in the pastures, but I seem to be the one to make sure the fences are under control and try to find someone to lease. Harrumph. Horse stuff. Heh. More thoughts on my thread.

>23 karenmarie: That explains it. If you can lease the barn and pasture, they would be able to enjoy horses without the expense. I would love to watch horses grazing, without the commitment.

Happy new thread, Mark!

Happy new one, Mark! The topper photos are full of gorgeous, but my favorite photos are the ones of Jackson. Such precious moments.

Happy new thread, Mark! Always so much good stuff to read here. And I agree with crazymamie—great photos of a handsome lad!

Karen O

>2 msf59: Fearless Jackson with his new pet!

>16 msf59: I did read Beartown, not my favorite, but I liked it. I have to get to the sequels. I also have Britt-Marie Was Here and Anxious People on the shelf that I have to get to.

>3 msf59: I know I left you flat on the Empire of Pain (are you still listening to it?), but I am 1/5 of the way into The Winners!

>4 msf59: Thanks for the poem. I am seeing Ada Limon next week with Literary Arts. So excited!!

Happy new one! The Texas trip sounds fab.

I read and finished the Beartown trilogy and really liked it. There are parts of it that get maudlin but on the whole it was a great story about small towns and the place that sports have in them. Sort of a Friday Night Lights (which I never read) for hockey.

One thing I liked about it, was that so many people think that they are the only town in the world with a football team, or soccer team, or basketball team, and that simply isn't true. Sports is a big part of cultural life everywhere and anywhere. Small town sports heroes are as important to the small towns from which they come as anybody who plays football for the New York Jets. This series points that out.

It also points out to people that the sports played in the U. S. aren't the only sports played about which people get really passionate. In this case the books are set in a small town in Sweden and the people there care greatly about ice hockey. They treat ice hockey the same way that most American's treat football, baseball, or basketball. I was reminded of this, when a German friend of mine mentioned that he was waiting for Mikaela Shiffrin to break the record set by immortal skier Ingmar Stenmark. Most American's don't even know who he is - or care, but in Europe he was a sports hero. This friend of mine couldn't believe that I knew nothing about it. He thought it would be all over the sports news in the U.S.

Books like this Beartown series remind readers that sports is sports and the passions that rule them are the same regardless of the sport. The way fans react to them are the same if it is field hockey or U.S. style football. It is my opinion that Backmann has written a great fiction series about sports. This type of story is a rarity these days when it is hard to find good fiction about sports - let alone a trilogy.

I am not a hockey fan, but Backmann also reminded me that there was a reason why Sarah Palin was proud of being a hockey mom, and it was good that she and this series, reminds us that hockey moms carry the same feelings for sport as do hockey moms, and little league moms and Pop Warner moms. That is one of the reasons why I recommend this book to readers.

It also appeals to those readers who like generational family sagas. There is a great deal of that in this series.

The author did a good job of making a reader care about the sport, and the people who participated in it - whatever their reasons for caring deeply about ice hockey. As a none ice hockey fan, this series made me more aware of the importance of this sport to many people in other parts of the world.

>25 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie.

>26 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie. Glad you like the toppers. I aim to please.

>27 klobrien2: Thanks, Karen. I am so glad that Jackson is such a hit around here, especially since I have no plans on cutting back. 😁

>28 m.belljackson: Jackson and his horsy pal! Yah!

>29 mahsdad: Hey, Jeff. If you were not a big fan of Beartown, I see no reason why you should read the others. That one was the best, IMHO. I am sure you would have a good time with Anxious People, though.

>30 Berly: Hi, Kimmers. I sure miss seeing you around. Yes, I am still listening to Empire of Pain but finally getting close to the end. It is a tough book to criticize but it sure felt much longer than it needed to be. What a scumbag family! I cannot wait to hear more about the Ada Limon event. That sounds fantastic.

>31 drneutron: Thanks, Jim. I cannot wait to visit the RGV! Expect lots of warbling, on my end.

>32 benitastrnad: Hey, Benita. I loved and agree with all your thoughts on Beartown. It perfectly captures that whole small town sport vibe- be it football or hockey. I also like the family dynamics in that first novel. I just am not as crazy about the follow-up books. They feel so bloated. Once I finish The Winners, I am done.

‘Morning, Mark, and sweet Thursday to you.

>24 msf59: It’s silly to not take the final steps to get somebody to lease the pastures/barns/tack room, especially since there’s a separate driveway that keeps them from being in the area directly around the house. Sigh.

It seems to be after First Breakfast for the birds. I only see one sparrow on the wild bird seed feeder.

>35 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. I hope you can get that lease set up, once you are back full-strength. Does sound like a waste. Just took a peek at my feeders. I did not see much.

-R.J. Matson

>37 msf59: - Sheesh,

I had to check with my binoculars this morning but sure enough, I had a chipping sparrow on the feeder together with Mrs. Cardinal and a junco pecking on the ground under it. I am a bit surprised to still see juncos, given how hot it has become the last few days but I am still seeing them. My goldfinches are in full summer gold already and my chickadees are back!

Morning, Mark! Sweet Thursday!

>37 msf59: Yikes.

The purple finches are back at our feeders. We also have a red-winged blackbird.

>38 jessibud2: Ooh, thanks for the feeder report, Shelley and congrats on seeing the chipping sparrow. I have not seen one yet this year. I have also not seen juncos this week. They may be gone...Hooray for the colorful goldfinches. I have not seen them at my feeders lately either.

>39 Crazymamie: Morning, Mamie. Hooray for the purple finches. I wish we saw them more often. Such good looking birds. Have you been seeing bluebirds?

-Harry Bliss

>40 msf59: Yep. We have a pair of bluebirds in the birdhouse Craig made, so we see them everyday. The house hangs from the deck railing just outside our bedroom window, so we get to see them up close, which is lovely. They love to perch on the crook of the shepherd's crook holding the feeders and on our window ledge. We also have cardinals, tufted titmice, and Eurasian collared doves that visit daily.

>42 Crazymamie: I love that you get to see bluebirds every day and up close too. They seem to be very good parents. I have watched them tend to their young. I would also like to see titmouse regularly.

>2 msf59: Oh! That brave boy!

>1 msf59: Great pics!

>8 msf59: 🥹

>41 msf59: Heh. Some days I feel like it, though.

>44 Storeetllr: Sweet Thursday, Mary. Glad you like the pics. Hope you are enjoying a beautiful day too. It is gorgeous here.

Your Texas destination looks awesome! Good luck with the lifers!

Ah, you know that if Jackson becomes a horse person the ultra-coolest grandpa should also acquire one to go riding with him. :)

Not much overlap in reading these last few weeks, although I do have Empire of Pain on my radar.

>46 streamsong: Sweet Thursday, Janet. Great to see you. Yep, really looking forward to this Texas trip. If Jackson decides to become a horse person, I will definitely ride with him, but on someone else's horse. 😁

I hope you enjoy Empire of Pain once you get to it. I finally finished it today.

Enjoy your Texas trip! You are sure enjoying retirement! Dave plans to retire next year - as yet , he is not sure what month. He was planning to retire in 2024 anyway, but the company is offering a bit of a buyout package, so he is holding out until they announce how long he has to work in 2024 to qualify. Both he and I are looking forward to that. Dave is already 66, so I think he will be more than ready to retire.

You sure are getting around this year, Mark. Enjoy your Texas visit. I agree with you about the family in Empire of Pain. We are seeing some of the results of their greed here.

In bird related news, I saw trees full of nesting herons today and there was a bit of a tiff while I was watching.

‘Morning, Mark!

>41 msf59: I just spent 10 minutes looking for a birthday card and couldn’t find it, but it was something along the lines of “Look at these ancient and majestic trees” with the inside saying “Thank you for planting them.” Now, of course, I need to reorganize the card drawer again.

>42 Crazymamie: and >43 msf59: I had a work friend who always bought fresh meal worms and put them out in special trays for the bluebirds.

>48 vancouverdeb: Happy Friday, Deb and thanks. Looking forward to this Texas trip. It should be a lot of fun. I am glad to hear Dave is finally retiring. Waiting for the best buyout deal is the smart move. The next year will go fast. Mine did. Do you have any big traveling plans?

>49 Familyhistorian: Hi, Meg. Good to see you. The Texas trip should be a lot of fun and very productive too. Yep, the Sackler family are modern day monsters, that is for sure and there are plenty of others to blame too.

>50 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Did you find the birthday card yet? LOL. Sounds like a good one. Meal worms could get expensive but if I had bluebirds I might think about treating them from time to time.

"A lifelong acolyte of the natural world, Annie Proulx brings her witness and research to the subject of wetlands and the vitally important role they play in preserving the environment—by storing the carbon emissions that accelerate climate change. Fens, bogs, swamps, and marine estuaries are crucial to the earth’s survival, and in four illuminating parts, Proulx documents their systemic destruction in pursuit of profit."

After finally wrapping up the audio of Empire of Pain, which took me a month to get through, (very well-written but exhausting) I decided to start the audio of Fen, Bog and Swamp. I love Proulx. She does such a great job with both fiction and NF. This is not going to be an uplifting book but mercifully it will be a short one.

I also finished The Winners, which was also exhausting. I am glad I read it but I think I am done with Beartown. I will also be picking another shorty for my next print book. 😁

Green Bee-Eater

More precious than all
the gems of  Jaipur—

the green bee-eater.

If  you see one singing
tree-tree-tree

with his space-black bill
and rufous cap,

his robes
all shades of emerald

like treetops glimpsed
from a plane,

his blue cheeks,
black eye-mask

and the delicate tail streamer
like a plume of smoke—

you might dream
of the forests

that once clothed
our flying planet.

And perhaps his singing
is a spell

to call our forests back—

tree
by tree
by tree.

BY PASCALE PETIT



^This poem is from Tiger Girl, a collection I just finished. It explores her grandmother's heritage growing up in Central India and the surrounding subcontinental jungles.

Morning, Mark! The titmouse is a favorite of mine. I want them to slow down so I can get a really good look, but they are always in a hurry.

>50 karenmarie: The funny thing is that we don't have any food out for the bluebirds - they just really love the little birdhouse that Craig built, so they hang out here. They are so gorgeous and so cheerful, and I love seeing them so close up.

Happy new thread, Mark. I love your photos at the top. And Jackson is growing up! The grands grow up way too fast.

Happy new thread! Finally made it over here after being out of it for much of this week. I'm feeling better today.

I love the toppers! Your upcoming trip sounds like fun. Hope you will get to see a lot of lifers!

>52 msf59: Well, that's another BB for me. It sounds very interesting!

Happy Jackson day!

>1 msf59: Sounds like a great trip planned Mark, good luck with your lifers list.

>2 msf59: Its wonderful that Jackson is so confident with a large animal.

>52 msf59: ooo, newish Proulx, onto my list. I still need to get to her last novel, which she has said will be her last novel.

>54 Crazymamie: Hi, Mamie. Hooray for the adorable titmouse. Yep, they are quick buggers.

>55 BLBera: Thanks, Beth. Great to see you. I agree with you on how fast the grands are growing. That is why we are savoring every moment.

>56 atozgrl: Happy Friday, Irene and thanks. Sorry you were under the weather. Glad you are doing better now. Looking forward to our TX trip. It should be a blast.

>57 quondame: It has been a great Jackson Day, Susan and it continues. We can't stop smiling.

>58 Caroline_McElwee: Happy Weekend, Caroline. I am really excited about this Texas trip and I really should add a nice amount to the Lifer List. Fen, Bog and Swamp has been very good. I am sure you will enjoy it.

After the Reading

someone asked me if my husband left me, or if I left him. After
the reading, someone asked me if there was a chance for
reconciliation as I shoved a pulled pork sandwich in my mouth
with Carolina Gold BBQ sauce oozing out the sides like neon
yellow lava. After the reading, someone asked me if I still pray
to God as I sipped a fizzy Diet Coke and the ice cubes huddled
and softly clinked around my upper lip leaving a wet mustache.
After the reading, someone said they had been divorced too and
then scurried away in a way that I completely understood. After
the reading, a woman told me I was worthy as if I was shattered
while I picked up crudités with a copious dollop of ranch
dressing. After the reading, a white woman thanked me for my
“angry poems.” I told her they were about my joy, and then she
touched my forearm and said, “No, they were about my rage.”
Insisting. After the reading, someone said they cried, and
another gave me a kind word. Thank you. After the after, I went
home and changed into my cheetah print pajamas. I wrapped my
hair and brushed my teeth. I got in bed and played a sci-fi show
on my laptop. The actors on the show were trying to find a way
to talk to aliens by using math and pheromones. I googled the
height of one of the actors. He is 6' 4". I fell asleep while
watching the show about the people in space trying to
communicate in first contact, intergalactic noises beeped and
swirled around the room like bees.

-Tiana Clark From Poem-A-Day

‘Morning, Mark! Happy Saturday to you.

>51 msf59: I did not go back to try to find that card. It’s bothering me, but not enough to do anything about it yet.

>52 msf59: I did not realize that Proulx has actually written more nonfiction than fiction. I bought The Shipping News when it first came out, read it, loved it, and haven’t read anything else by her.

Happy Saturday, Karen. Yes, Proulx writes mostly fiction but has dabbled in NF, including a memoir. She also excels at short fiction and has written several collections. This current one is a good one, although devastating to read at times.

Loved "Green Bee-Eater" and don't understand how "After the Reading" is a poem. But thanks for sharing both!! : )

Happy new thread, Mark! I also didn't realize that Pruoix had written non fiction.

Unfortunate bird I may have rescued only temporarily.

Added: One of two birds that crashed into our window today, this one I heard and picked up and put where the dogs can't reach. The other one was only feathers on the rug, spotted by Becky.

>65 quondame: - OOO! A cedar waxwing! They are gorgeous! I hope it is ok

>66 jessibud2: Wow, I've seen a bird that isn't a sparrow. Well, the second time I checked it it was all fluffed up, and when I got back from the movie it was gone, but whether because it flew away on its own or because a cat got it, I'll never know.

>67 quondame:- sometimes, when a bird hits a window, providing it hasn't broken a wing or its neck, it could just be stunned and can recover on its own. I hope that's the case with your little beauty!

'Morning, Mark, and happy Sunday to you.

Nary a bird on any feeder here. I'll have to have Jenna help me change out the hummingbird feeder and fill the others.

>63 Berly: Hey, Kimmers. I am glad you liked the "bee-eater" poem. I thought ""After the Reading" worked fine as a poem but as we know poetry lands in different ways for each reader.

>64 banjo123: Happy Sunday, Rhonda and thanks. I think you would enjoy Fen, Bog and Swamp.

>65 quondame: It looks like you rescued, (hopefully) a cedar waxwing, Susan. These are beautiful birds. They do nest here in the summer and can be seen here at different times of the year. I don't think I have seen one in a couple of months. I hope it made it.

>66 jessibud2: >68 jessibud2: Yes, waxwings are indeed gorgeous, Shelley and you are correct about many window strikes, just leaving the birds stunned. Hopefully that happened in this case.

>69 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. I saw a pair of mallards under the feeder, when I went to turn the coffee on, that is all that I spotted.

^ Jack and I hit the trails on Friday for the first time of the year. It was a beautiful morning. The trails wound through these quarries and Jack discovered rock-throwing, which he immediately became obsessed with. He fussed when we had to leave but was such a good boy overall. I love his camo-crocs.

Oh, that last pic is priceless! Lucky Jack!

>72 jessibud2: I LOVE that last shot too, Shelley. 😁❤️

Morning, Mark! Love the photos! You are so generous about sharing Jack with us - thank you, my friend. Is Bree feeling any better?

You are leaving town shortly, right? Best of luck spotting birds on your trip. Have a good time.

>71 msf59: He does look like his pursuit is a serious matter.

More Jackson love! He 's so cute , Mark! No, no big travelling plans when Dave finally retires next year. The Vancouver area is very expensive to live in , so that in part determines what we will do. Then, of course, despite my husband being a aircraft mechanic for Air Canada, my brother pilots of the same airline, as was my dad, I have a flying phobia. I say " I know too much ". So despite our flying passed, I won't be flying anywhere. Dave may take a trip with one of my brother's after he retires, but I am not sure where.

Enjoy your trip to Texas, as I am sure you will .

My grandparents had a hobby farm just outside of Winnipeg , and there was so much window from which to observe both birds and the view of the river, that I witnessed many bird flying into their windows and dropping to the ground, stunned. I think I recall that pretty much all of the birds survived hitting the windows.

>74 Crazymamie: Hi, Mamie. Glad you like the photos. As you know, I love sharing them. Bree is getting better but Sean is out of town until Friday, so Sue scooped Jack up for the afternoon and will bring him home shortly.

>75 weird_O: Howdy, Bill. I miss seeing you around. I leave for Texas on Tuesday. It should be a great trip. Thank you.

>76 quondame: Yep, Jack was in his zone, Susan. Happy Sunday!

>77 vancouverdeb: Happy Sunday, Deb. We sure enjoyed our time with Jackson and I do love sharing photos and stories about him. Have you done any over-nighters, or is that off the table?

Thanks, in regard to my Texas trip. We will have a good time. I bet it was wonderful visiting your grandparents' farm. I am sure there were lots of good memories.

Go With Me by Castle Freeman Jr 4.2 stars

AlphaKit: W

"The Vermont hill country is the stark, vivid setting for this gripping and entertaining story of bold determination. The local villain, Blackway, is making life hellish for Lillian, a young woman from parts elsewhere. Her boyfriend has fled the state in fear, and local law enforcement can do nothing to protect her. She resolves, however, to stand her ground, and to fight back..."

I absolutely loved Freeman's book of linked stories Round Mountain, which I read a few years ago. I immediately acquired Go with Me but for some unfathomable reason I left it languishing on shelf. I finally read it and it did not disappoint. This is a cool mix of Cormac McCarthy and Daniel Woodrell, with dialogue worthy of Elmore Leonard at his best. Lean, mean and starkly funny at times. At 170 pages, it will be over before you know it and you will be aching for more.

Here's a teaser:

"The Fort was not the kind of bar where a good Mormon or a good Muslim could get a glass of water. It was not the kind of bar where you stopped for a drink on your way home from work. It was the kind of bar where you stopped for many drinks on your way to work, until soon enough they fired you and you could spend the whole day at the Fort...You didn't go to the Fort to play games, you didn't go there to listen to music. At the Fort you put away childish things. The Fort was a plain, businesslike place, a factory for the manufacture and upkeep of drunks."

‘Morning, Mark! Enjoy packing and other anticipations of your trip.

>71 msf59: Sweet pics, especially the third one. Look at the ginger in that boy’s hair.

>80 msf59: Love the teaser.

40- The Winners by Fredrik Backman 3.5 stars

This is the third book in the Beartown series and these events take place two years after the last book, with many of the characters lost and struggling, as they try to find a future for themselves. This one is also centered around small-town hockey but the first game isn't played until page 450. I liked the book well enough, but at 670 pages it became a bit tiresome. I liked the way he wrapped up the many characters at the end but now I heard he might be writing book 4. I will take a pass...

Alphakit: W (also a shared read with Stasia & Kim)

41- Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe 3.8 stars

This meticulously written and researched book takes a hard look at the Sackler dynasty- the family behind the marketing and creation of OxyContin, a blockbuster painkiller that was a catalyst for the opioid crisis. The narrative covers many decades. I found the family to be a microcosm of capitalistic America, where money is king and nothing else matters, including the staggering numbers of over-dose deaths. A good companion piece to Dopesick.

>81 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Glad you like the Jackson pics. That bottom pic is a favorite. I still have a few things to take care of for my trip. Yep, I really enjoyed Go With Me.

"Thomas C. Gannon’s Birding While Indian spans more than fifty years of childhood walks and adult road trips to deliver, via a compendium of birds recorded and revered, the author’s life as a part-Lakota inhabitant of the Great Plains...Birding has always been Gannon’s escape and solace. He later found similar solace in literature, particularly by Native authors."

I thought Birding While Indian: A Mixed-Blood Memoir would be perfect for my Texas trip, although I will get in very little reading while I am there. It also fits in for this month's TIOLI #4. I plan on dipping into it today.

I seem to be reading a lot about drugs and drug use. Not with any plan, but one thing does lead to another. I have Empire of Pain on the shelf, and it does mesh with other things I'm reading. On the other hand, I already have a lucky 13 books stacked in the on-deck circle.

Have a swell time birding in Texas. Don't worry yourself about Bree being alone with Jack and not being able to get a break, because her parents have to go look for...well...BIRDS. Like birds are only in Texas and not in Illinois. *snerk*

Happy Monday!

>80 msf59: Looks like a good one.

Hi, Mark--happy new thread--love the Jackson pics (of course)--especially with his Cubs shirt.

>82 msf59: I've read a couple of Backman's books, which were only so-so for me. The only one I really enjoyed was a novella: And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer, a touching look at a grandfather and grandson.

Have a great trip in Texas!

Sweet Jackson photos as usual, Mark!

>85 weird_O: I am glad to hear you have Empire of Pain on shelf, Bill. It is a good one- get to it when you can. I will have to stop by and see what you chose out of that stack.

Sue is not going to Texas with me but she has to work. She will help Bree out on Friday. Yes, there are many of the same birds in Texas that can be found here but there are also many birds that you will only see down there. Just sayin'...

>86 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Figs!

>87 kac522: Thanks, Kathy. Good to see you. Hooray for Jackson the Cubs fan! Our Cubbies are playing well, even against the Dodgers over the weekend. In regard to Backman, I will have to seek out that novella.

>88 Copperskye: I just can't stop posting photos of him, Joanne. 😁❤️

Hi, Mark! Happy newish thread! I'm late to the party, but as always, those Jackson photos are amazing. I love the ones with him and the horse!!

>90 scaifea: Thanks, Amber. Good to see you. As you can see, I have not tired of sharing the Jackson love. 😁❤️

^Bentsen Rio Grande Valley State Park is a HOT birding spot and will be one of our many stops on our Texas birding trip. I will not be online much for the next week but I might check in, if I get a chance.





-Scissor-tailed flycatcher. One of at least 40 of my target birds.

‘Morning, Mark! Happy Tuesday to you.

>85 weird_O: LOL, Bill.

>87 kac522: Kathy, I really loved Anxious People when I read it last November for my RL book club. Sentimental without being sappy and an intriguing set of circumstances that plays out beautifully.

>92 msf59: Forty target birds! Ambitious, but I hope you see them all.

I hope you are having a great time in Texas, Mark. I lived there for 4 years as a young teenager and remember seeing more rattlesnakes than birds! I’m joking (sort of) and hope your birds are numerous and colorful.

Oh yes, I loved Jack’s recent pictures with the horse and throwing rocks in the water. He is all boy for sure.

Have a great time in Texas, Mark. I hope you see lots of lifers. I'm sure there will be lots of pics. Speaking of pictures, love the ones of Jack up thread.

I hope your having a great time on your trip, Mark!

Here's something that I think your Reading/Birding Man Cave needs:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1442190134/set-of-6-bird-pun-coasterstits-bird?ga_o...

Have a wonderful trip, Mark. I see you recently read Go With Me by Castle Freeman Jr. I love his writing and can recommend All That I Have if you haven't read it yet. I have been saving Go With Me for when I really need a good book!

>65 quondame: It appears a Yellow-throated Warbler was unfortunate enough to encounter my lifetime list. The ruby-throated humingbird was just a FOY. This warming weather has its casualties.

Have a good trip, Mark.

Greetings from Harlingen Texas. As expected, having a good birdy time. Left the house yesterday at 6am- got home at 930pm. We were at the Santa Margarita Ranch, along the Mexican border. We stood on a bluff overlooking the Rio Grande River. Of course Mexico was on the other side. They were also constructing a section of the border wall here. We heard heavy machinery nearly the whole time. We saw around 80 species for the day and I am up to 14 Lifers. We are going to spend the day at South Padre Island. The weather has been good- 80s and breezy. I will check in again, when I can.

Exciting news about 80 species and 14 Lifers. I'm really happy for you. Continue having fun and getting more Lifers!

>100 msf59: What a rich environment!

Good thing birds don't pay much attention to walls.

The Wall in El Paso reminded me very much of the Wall in Belfast, Northern Ireland. When I visited Belfast in 2009 they still closed the Wall on Friday at 6 PM and didn't open the gates until 6AM on Monday morning. That made it so that if you wanted to drive through Belfast you had to go all the way around and back into the city via the Crumlin Road. That wall was huge. Twenty feet tall - right through the center of the city. I thought the same thing about the Wall in El Paso and I visited that city in 2010.

In my view we don't need no stinkin' walls. We already got enough of them.

>82 msf59: Well, I managed to read one of our shared reads. I finally finished The Winners today and I am only giving at a 3 and like you, I won't be reading the fourth book if there is one. Oh well. I have loved all of Backman's other works.

And I am not in the mood for the Sackler dynasty right now, so pass until later. Too serious. Sorry.

Hope you have fun on your trip!! : )

>100 msf59: Sounds like you are having a great time, Mark . And temps of 80 F!It's been rainy and cool here, but good for reading books I guess.

Glad you are having a fun time Mark. Thought you would like this.



By Sayra Begum

Happy birding, Mark!

The bird that lived!

NMP

This little critter boldly strutted about our table at brunch this morning. Might she be a Rose-breasted Grosbeak?

>108 quondame: - Hard to tell because of the light but if that is a reddish cap on her head, it is likely a chipping sparrow. The beak doesn't look sparrow-like but hard to tell.

https://www.bing.com/search?q=chipping+sparrow+photos&form=ANNTH1&refig=...

>109 jessibud2: It's the beak that eliminated thrushes and finches - only the grossbeak seemed to match that feature. And the our restaurant visitor doesn't match the chipping sparrow in my memory at all.

Happy birding Mark! 14 Lifers! Wow. Hope you spot some more.
(You visiting Harlingen made me laugh, look up the original Harlingen in the Netherlands when you find the time, very different! )

>84 msf59: I didn't know about this book! Will be getting it.

Congratulations on your lifers. Glad you are having such a great trip.

Hi Mark! I'm glad the trip is going well - Congrats on all the lifers!

I'll be interested to see your review for Birding While Indian. I love the NA authors!

Greetings from Harlingen TX! We will be leaving for the airport shortly. It has been a great trip, with such good friends. Of course, the birding was spectacular. We saw 200 species and I snagged 40 Lifers. Thanks for keeping my thread warm and I will start catching up over here, tonight or tomorrow morning. ❤️

Safe travels, Mark!

Wow. 200 species and 40 Lifers. Unbelievable.

40 lifers! Wow!

Congrats! I hope there will be photos! ;-)

-Rio Grande River. This was my favorite view of the trip. We were on a bluff overlooking the river. Mexico is on the right. They were building another section of the "wall" on our left. We heard excavators and other heavy machinery most of the time while we were birding here, (UGH!). We still saw some good birds here. There was also a surveillance dirigible floating high in the sky. There was a strong border patrol presence, whenever we were close to the border.



^The Warbler in action. This was at Santa Ana Wildlife Reserve. It also followed along the border. This rope bridge led up to a viewing tower. Good place for spotting raptors in flight, along with many other birds.

*BTW- I did see all 3 of the birds in my topper up there. The falcon was my very last Lifer and what a beauty. I will have to share my bird pics at a later time.

'Morning, Mark, and happy Wednesday to you.

I hope you're settling back in and reveling in the number of species and Lifers you saw.

My feeders are all filled with seed, suet, or sugar water but are empty except for one finch right now. The Crepe Myrtle is starting to leaf in, so seeing birds hanging out on the branches soon won't be an option again 'til the fall. I keep seeing a hummingbird about every other day, no females so far.

Thanks, Karen, Susan, Benita, Kim, Deb, Caroline, Rhonda, Shelley, Ella, Nancy, Janet & Jim. I honestly, don't have time to reply individually. Sorry. I decided to leave today for our camping weekend and I have a lot of stuff to take care of before I go. Sue will come out there tomorrow night after work, so I will have to set up everything myself, (UGH!). Illini State Park is about 90 miles away so that isn't so bad. I just wish the weather was warmer. I got spoiled in Texas.

I only managed to finish one book- Birding While Indian, which was no big surprise and most of my reading time was on flight days. I should be able to get in more reading, while camping. Thanks again for all the great visits.

Glad you had a good trip, Mark! Did any of Elon's exploded rocket rain down on you? ;-) I heard some hit South Padre and thought of you...

>119 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. I wish I would have had some time to decompress before the camping trip but that is how it goes. The birds were awesome in Texas. Great trip. Thanks for the feeder report. I need to get out there and feed mine, before I take off again.

>121 katiekrug: Thanks so much for reminding me, Katie. We just happened to be on South Padre Island, at the Birding Center there (see the topper up there), when the Space X launched, so we heard it and saw it from the boardwalk there. We did not realize it had exploded though, since it was so damn loud and very high up. A very, very cool experience. My first time seeing a launch.



-(NMP)

"From award-winning author Walter Mosley, a brilliant collection of stories featuring unlikely heroes arising from African America. Walter Mosley long ago proved himself a master of narrative tension, both with his extraordinary fiction and gripping writing for television. The Awkward Black Man collects seventeen of Mosley’s most accomplished short stories to showcase the full range of his remarkable talent."

I was in the mood for short fiction and The Awkward Man will fit in well with my camping trip. I have really enjoyed Mosley in the past but have never read any of his stories. This also fits into my April AlphaKit: W.

"A child of the Rhodesian wars and daughter of two deeply complicated parents, Alexandra Fuller is no stranger to pain. But the disintegration of Fuller’s own marriage leaves her shattered. Looking to pick up the pieces of her life, she finally confronts the tough questions about her past, about the American man she married, and about the family she left behind in Africa."

I loved Fuller's first 2 memoirs and have had her third memoir Leaving Before the Rains Come in the stacks forever. I am finally starting the audio of it today. I have not heard this author mentioned around here in a long time. Anyone else a fan of these memoirs?

>125 msf59: - I read Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight quite a few years ago. I remember it being, I think, disturbing, but ok, but it never made me want to read more. Maybe that's just me.

Have you seen Jackson, now that you are home? Bet you've seen a bird or more.

I didn't link Fuller to Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight, which I got at a book sale not too long ago. So now I've got your enthusiasm vs. Shelley's "mmmm, ok but..." I've got a lot goin' on, so I need not rush to judgment. I should note that, thanks to my DiL, I've got All Systems Red simmering on the front burner. Fifty pages in only, so no rush to order a buy.

I'm super jealous that you got to see a launch! I keep pinching myself that rinkydink little Boca Chica, where Mama and I spent summers in the 1960s...a trailer on cinder blocks no less!...is now a launch pad for rockets.

I'm so pleased for you that you bagged 40 Lifers on the trip. I'm sure it won't be your last one. It's birding Paradise, is the Valley.

"Enjoy" the camping trip. (Weirdo)

Glad you enjoyed your birding trip to Texas and saw so many lifers. Enjoy your camping trip!

Congratulations on 40 lifers, Mark!
Enjoy your weekend camping trip.

Congrats on the lifers

>123 msf59: How cool that you were able to be there!

Greetings from Illini State Park! We are right along the Illinois River. Unfortunately, Sue has a bad cold and may not come out. Hopefully, she recovers and can join me tomorrow. I managed to set up everything myself, with a little assistance backing the camper into the spot. A chilly start- only in the 30s at the moment but should reach mid--60s later on.

'Morning, Mark, and sweet Thursday to you. I'm sorry Sue's got a bad cold and hope she can come out tomorrow. In the meantime, beer? birds? buddies/friends?

I have a Chipping Sparrow at the wild bird seed feeder and a very hungry Downy on the suet feeder. Another Downy just took a sunflower seed and zoomed back into the Crepe Myrtle.

>125 msf59: I have really enjoyed all of Fuller's books, including Leaving Before the Rains Comes. While I enjoyed her books more focused on Zimbabwe, she is a good writer. This most recent book is quite sad but well written.

>132 msf59: it's really crappy that Sue can't be there enjoying the camping trip with you... here's hoping that she can get there tomorrow.

Sweet Thursday, Mark. Welcome back! I’m glad the TX trip was such a success. Count on you to fit in some lovely birding.

Love the Jackson photos!

I was excited to see you’re reading Awkward Black Man. You know I’m a Mosley buff anyway, and I thought that collection was so darn good. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I’m going to have to re-read it some day.

Did this plain bird make it onto your lifer list, Mark?

I would welcome you back home after your trip, but I see you're already away on a camping trip.

>114 msf59: Wow, 40 lifers! And 200 species overall. That's impressive! Congratulations on seeing so many.

>123 msf59: How exciting that you got to see the rocket launch! I've never seen one.

>132 msf59: I'm so sorry to hear that Sue has a bad cold. Something is definitely going around. I have just gotten over a chest cold that had me down for a couple of weeks, and I keep hearing about more people who have been sick. I hope Sue recovers quickly!

Have fun this weekend!

Just stopping by to keep your thread warm. Sorry to read that Sue is sick with a cold. I hope she was feeling well enough to join you.

Happy Saturday from Illini State Park! Sue is feeling better and arrived here yesterday afternoon. She also brought Juno. Juno did well in the camper last night. The little fold out sofa worked perfectly as her bed and she didn't move from it. I will take her for a walk after another cup of Joe.

As a bonus Bree and Co. plan to come out later and visit. I really miss my Jackson...❤️

Thanks everyone for keeping the fires burning over here.

'Morning, Mark, and happy Saturday to you. I'm glad Sue's feeling better enough to come and bring Juno. Well, Bree & Co, too. Your cup (of Joe) runneth over.

I had a male hummingbird on the feeder a while ago. Neither Louise nor I have seen any female yet. There's a White-Breasted Nuthatch enjoying the wild bird seed AND the sunflower seed...

>140 msf59: Yay for more Jackson!

Glad Sue is feeling better and that the camper is working out great. Have fun!

Happy Sunday Mark. I have become somewhat of a more enthusiastic birder, thanks to my sister-in-law who is quite a bird of herself. She has been taking me to several birding events and I learned quite a bit lately. The spring migration seems to be the big thing, so we're going to some lakefront birding sites in the next week or so. I find that other birders are so pleasant and easy to talk to and learn from

I have been AWOL from your thread and am taking this rainy Sunday morning to catch up. I love your birding pics and stories. Migratory spots are the best. I wonder how many of the Fifty Places to Go Birding Before You Die spots you've hit so far.

Weighing in on Backman's books, I am the anomaly here in that I loved all of Backman's books except Beartown! It was so different from his usual writing style. As someone else mentioned, And every morning the way home gets longer and longer is my favorite, but I also loved Anxious People and A Man Called Ove. I own Us Against You, the 2nd Beartown book, but haven't read it.

I too enjoyed Don't Lets Go to the Dogs Tonight. The image of her loading guns for her parents as a very young child is unforgettable. I haven't read her other memoirs though.

^We are back. Our FOY camping trip went well and the weather cooperated for the most part. Juno was an angel. She slept and hung out on this fold out sofa for most of the time, while in the camper. We still need to practice leaving her in the camper alone. She also did well around our other camper friends but got into a tussle with our friend's female pitbull, who attacked her, for some reason. It was pretty intense for a few minutes but we managed to separate them. Juno probably got the worst of it but she gave back a little too. Sue may take her to the vet tomorrow but she seems fine.

We really enjoyed our visit with Bree, Sean and Jackson. They stayed until the evening. Jack liked watching the barges moving along the river. He is also getting good at spotting turkey vultures. 😁

>126 jessibud2: Hi, Shelley. I think Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight will be my favorite of her memoirs but this third one has been pretty good.

>127 weird_O: >137 weird_O: Howdy, Bill. I did not get a chance to see Jackson until yesterday but it was a wonderful meet up and I will see him again tomorrow. I am glad Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight landed on your radar. It is a very good memoir.

The Plain Chachalaca were everywhere in the Rio Grande Valley. We even had them in the front yard of the house we were staying at. They also make a helluva racket.

>128 richardderus: >135 richardderus: Hi, Richard. We had a great time on the Texas trip and seeing the missile launch was a bonus but the 40 Lifers was my highlight.

Sue did make it out Friday afternoon. She was feeling better but feels cruddy today. Bummer.

>129 vancouverdeb: >139 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deb. I appreciate you keeping my thread warm. Sue did make it out on Friday. She was doing better but it seems like her cold has come back today.

>130 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita. The camping trip went well.

>131 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Figs. Both the Texas trip and the camping weekend went very well.

>146 msf59: Hi Mark, That is really awful when that happens. Hope Juno is okay. Hope no one was hurt when intervening.

Congrats on all the lifers, Mark, and hooray for a successful camping trip. I hope Juno is OK.

>133 karenmarie: >141 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. Thanks for keeping my thread warm. Sue did come out Friday and brought Juno with her. Jackson coming out yesterday was a lovely bonus. Yep, beer and bourbon were consumed, mostly around the nightly campfire. I did some birding there too and saw a couple FOY birds. There were chipping sparrows hanging around the campsites, along with bluebirds.

With our cool weather here, I will wait a few more days before I set up my hummingbird feeder.

>134 Oberon: Hi, Erik. Good to see you. Thanks for chiming in on the Alexandra Fuller memoirs. I am enjoying the third one.

>135 richardderus: Hi, Joe. Yep, our birding trip to Texas was a resounding success. Glad you like my Jackson pics. I have not intention of slowing down. I just finished The Awkward Black Man and really enjoyed this collection.

>138 atozgrl: Thanks, Irene. Good to see you. I would have liked a couple of decompression days before the camping trip but it all worked out and I was able to get quite a bit of reading time in. Sue is still struggling but we are hoping for a full rebound tomorrow or Tuesday.

>142 quondame: We loved hanging out with Jackson yesterday, Susan and I get to spend the day with him tomorrow too.

>143 Berly: Thanks, Kimmers. It was a very nice weekend.

>144 Carmenere: Happy Sunday, Lynda. I am so glad you are getting out to do more birding. May is the perfect month for migrating birds. A lot of summer residents are returning as well. I can't wait to hear about some of your sightings. And yes, birders are generally good and helpful people.

>145 labfs39: Hi, Lisa. Good to see you. Keeping up on LT is always a challenge. Fifty Places to Go Birding sounds interesting. I may have read it. Thanks for chiming in the Backman and Fuller books.

>148 mdoris: Hi, Mary. Juno got some puncture marks on her head and neck but it doesn't appear serious. I am sure glad she wasn't the aggressor.

>149 banjo123: Thanks, Rhonda and Happy Sunday. We are keeping a close eye on Juno. She was just banged up a bit.

"Chang-rae Lee introduces readers to Henry Park. Park has spent his entire life trying to become a true American—a native speaker...Native Speaker is a story of cultural alienation. It is about fathers and sons, about the desire to connect with the world rather than stand apart from it, about loyalty and betrayal, about the alien in all of us and who we finally are."

I have only read one of Lee's novels and have been meaning to read more of his work. I have 3 on shelf and decided to go with his debut novel Native Speaker, which fits with my AlphaKit- May Challenge C. I will start it tomorrow. Anyone have any thoughts on Lee? Any favorites?

Welcome home again, Mark! Looks like you had a great time on both your trips.

But poor Juno. I know folks love their pit bulls and so many are very sweet, but with their jaw strength, tussles with them can be very scary. She does look comfy on her sofa.

Sorry to read about Juno’s injuries. That must have been a scary tussle . I’m glad you got the separated quickly , and that Juno was not the instigator. Best wishes to Juno .

‘Morning, Mark! Welcome back.

>146 msf59: Glad the trip went well, although I’m sorry that a pit bull attacked Juno. I hope she’s fine. You’re getting Jackson all trained up to be a marvelous birder!

>153 Copperskye: Thanks, Joanne. Yep, both trips went very well. It was tough seeing your dog get attacked. I would assume Juno had never been in a fight before and I am sure it freaked her out a bit. She seems to be okay.

>154 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deb. Juno seems to have recovered. She has some swelling on her head. I don't think Sue will bring her to the vet.

>155 karenmarie: Morning Karen and thanks. Juno seems to be doing okay but since they don't really communicate you don't really know. Sue is keeping a close eye. Yep, hopefully Jack will be my birding buddy. He is very observant and will hear and see birds and planes before I do.

Happy May, everyone! Our next camping trip is on the 18th, so we will have a couple of weeks to hang at home. I thought April would be a tougher reading month, with my trips planned, along with reading The Winners which was quite a chunkster but I ended up reading 8 books. My favorites being Birding While Indian & The Awkward Black Man. It was a solid month.

I have a few May books already lined up. If anyone wants to join me or us, you are free to jump in:

Native Speaker by Chang-Rae Lee AlphaKit
Three Musketeers w/Paul, Jim
Eventide by Kent Haruf w/Stasia, Benita, Karen O
All Stories are True by John Edgar Wideman AAC
The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint by Brady Udall AlphaKit

-John Deering

Glad you are glad, Mark. Busy couple of weeks, it seems, plus reading time. You DID see lots of plain Chachalaca; how about the Boom Chachalaca? :-)

>152 msf59: I myownself really liked On Such a Full Sea , which I seem to remember is one you sent to me ages ago. He tills the soil of identity and belonging to great effect. His prose is unlikely to disappoint you ever, so I hope it turns into a great read indeed.

>158 msf59: Depressing but accurate.

>158 msf59: - How awful. I don't know which state this refers to but it seems to be more and more of them lately. Just awful

>157 msf59:
I will be ready to read Eventide when you get there. I have lots of books planned for May, but like you will be going back to Kansas at the end of the month to spend two weeks - or more, as needs be. I want to read the entire oeuvre of Haruf this year, so will happily join in reading this one.

I read Three Muskateers many years ago, and was so disappointed in any of the movie versions of that book. Not a one of them is any way the story that Dumas wrote. I am deep into other books right now, or I would do a reread with you guys.

>159 weird_O: No Boom Chachalacas on this trip, Bill. Maybe next time?

>160 richardderus: On Such a Full Sea is the only Lee I have read. I forgot I had sent it to you. I haven't read much of Native Speaker yet but it is keeping my attention.

>161 richardderus: It certainly is, Richard.

>162 jessibud2: I am assuming it is Florida, Shelley but you are right, it could be a number of states.

>163 benitastrnad: Hi, Benita. Good to see you. I will probably get to Eventide in the second half of the month. Glad you are going to join us. Looking forward to The Three Musketeers. I can't believe I haven't read it.

>158 msf59: Very few parents would be angry with a child for having a library card. Regardless of what churlish neighbors think. If a child really believes his/her parents would punish them for possessing a library card, there's way more baggage that poor child is toting.

>163 benitastrnad: I rather thought the over the top qualities of the The Three Musketeers did a fun version of capturing the zest of the story. I'm also a fan of the old June Alison/Gene Kelly version, but for different reasons.

>165 weird_O: I think this cartoon is directed at state politicians, Bill. Not "normal" parents. I don't think my kids ever had a library card. Maybe, I was their library.

>166 quondame: Hi, Susan. I plan on watching a couple of the Musketeers films, after I read the book. I have seen them but it has been decades.

Again, the Fields

After Winslow Homer

the dead they lay long the lines like sheaves of Wheat I could
have walked on the boddes all most from one end too the other

No more muskets, the bone-drag
weariness of marching, the trampled
grass, soaked earth red as the wine

of sacrament. Now, the veteran
turns toward a new field, bright
as domes of the republic. Here,

he has shrugged off the past—his jacket
and canteen flung down in the corner.
At the center of the painting, he anchors

the trinity, joining earth and sky.
The wheat falls beneath his scythe--
a language of bounty—the swaths

like scripture on the field’s open page.
Boundless, the wheat stretches beyond
the frame, as if toward a distant field--

the white canvas where sky and cotton
meet, where another veteran toils,
his hands the color of dark soil.

-Natasha Trethewey

This is from her Pulitzer Prize winning collection, Native Guard: Poems, which I just read. It was excellent.

>5 msf59: I have only recently reread Eventide by Kent Haruf and read The Line of Beauty by Alan Hollinghurst for the first time last year. You have a good couple of group reads lined up there! I loved them both.

East of Eden I have yet to read...maybe I can get my act together and join in a group read in July!! (I won't hold my breath...no doubt I will be as inundated then as I feel now!).

>146 msf59: I love that you are a travelling family now, dogs and grandkids all invited! Remember when you were working flat out and dreaming of retirement? This is it baby :)

Be careful with those puncture wounds on Juno. Dog bites, even small ones, can easily get infected. Keep them very clean, and take her to the vet when the swelling doesn't go down soon.

>169 LovingLit: Hi, Megan. Great to see you. Eventide will be a reread for me. I am glad to hear you loved it, along with The Line of Beauty, which I have not read. We would love to have you along for a group read of East of Eden.

And yes, 4 years ago, while trudging along the route, I would not have imagined that retirement would be shaping up to be this good. 😁❤️

>170 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita. Good advice. Sue is keeping a close eye on her.

>169 LovingLit: I have never read East of Eden either, Megan. I am sure I need to remedy that deficiency!

>171 msf59: Looking forward to Eventide!

Have a terrific Tuesday, Mark!

'Morning, Mark! Happy Tuesday to you. I hope Rehab goes well.

It's after first bird breakfast and before second... I was going to say nobody's visiting right now. But - I see tail feathers on the other side of the sunflower seed feeder. AND, a male hummingbird on the feeder and Mourning Dove in the Crepe Myrtle!

Tuesday orisons, Birddude.

>152 msf59: I have only read A Gesture Life, but really enjoyed it.

My new bird feeder pole and squirrel baffle came today. I've finally decided to get back into the bird feeding game, bears be darned. I'll keep you posted if that turns out to be a misguided decision!

>172 alcottacre: Happy Tuesday, Stasia. We would love to have you along on our shared read of East of Eden. We have a nice group going. I am also looking forward to my reread of Eventide.

>173 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. Rehab went very well. They kept me busy. Thanks for the feeder report. Not much happening at mine. Maybe this is payback for being away...

>174 richardderus: Happy Tuesday, Richard. It has been a good day.

>175 labfs39: Hi, Lisa. I also have A Gesture Life on shelf. A shared read in our future? Congrats on getting a new feeder pole and a a baffle. I can't wait to hear about some of your sightings.

STAY AWAY BEARS!!

Hi Mark--some great pictures from the RGV. I've never been there, but I do online work for Univ of Tx-RGV, so it's nice to see the "habitat" of the students.

I thought you might be interested in this booktuber, Sarah, who lives in Chicago (Andersonville, I think) and specializes in promoting and reviewing books from independent publishers. She did a great review of books from Milkweed Editions, and they sounded right up your alley:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXBe_iyLb6M

I have Braiding Sweetgrass on my shelves, and have moved it up a bit--maybe next month.

'Morning, Mark, and happy Wednesday to you. I hope you have a relaxing day after being gone and having Rehab yesterday.

Jenna saw a hummingbird first thing, but right now the feeders are eerily quiet.

>177 kac522: Hi, Kathy. Thanks for the link to Sarah's reviews. I will swing back and check it out later. I was a big fan of Braiding Sweetgrass. I hope you get to it.

>178 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. I plan on getting some birding in early and then I want to get home and mow the grass for the first time. It is looking pretty scruffy. I will then go do Door Dash for a couple of hours. It is a food delivery service. A nice way to make a few bucks for my birding adventures.

Hooray for the hummingbird sighting.

-Plain Chachalaca. My first Lifer of the trip. They were everywhere down there.



-Curve-billed Thrasher. 2nd Lifer



-Little Blue Heron



-Roseate Spoonbill



-Green Heron.

More to come...

>180 msf59: I haven't seen a green heron in decades! Gorgeous creatures, aren't they?

Chachalacas are common as pig tracks down there. Spoonbill sightings are not unknown even miles inland. They are such weird looking birds!

It's great that you had such a Lifer-stuffed trip. Stay busy today, so you can suck out of Jackson-tending duties. Heh. As if.

Love the birdie pictures! Anticipating more of them! Can’t wait!

Karen O

Hi, Mark! I'm trying to get caught up again around here.

>180 msf59: A Plain Chachalaca, eh? Did you happen to see his flashier cousin, the Boom Chachalaca?

>181 richardderus: Hey, RD. We are lucky to have green herons for the season. Like their larger cousins the Great Blue Heron, they seem to reside in a big part of the US. I love checking out the spoonbills. I saw one very briefly in Mexico and they popped up more often in the RGV.

>182 klobrien2: Thanks, Karen. More birdy pics are on the way.

>183 scaifea: Hi, Amber. Thanks for checking in. I have still not seen a Boom Chachalaca but I am sure that would be a fun sighting. We did see a grey-headed chachalacas in Costa Rica.

>184 msf59: There are Green heron sightings around some of the ponds around Nassau County but I am far away from those environments. Oh well.

>185 richardderus: I didn't realize they were on the East Coast, Richard. These little green dudes get around.

>180 msf59: I finally made it back around to your thread, just in time to find some wonderful pictures from your trip. Thanks for sharing! I haven't seen any Green Herons around here, but I did on the NC coast, I think when we were on Bald Head Island.

I'm glad you had such a nice camping trip over the weekend, but sorry to hear about the dog fight. I hope Juno continues to recover well.

>157 msf59: I would love to join you on the read of Three Musketeers, one of my all-time favorite books, but it's shaping up to be a busy month, and I don't think I'll get as much reading done as I would like. It doesn't look like I could squeeze one more read in.

>163 benitastrnad: I had a similar reaction to the last movie adaptation I saw of another Dumas book, The Count of Monte Cristo. That one completely changed the ending and had the count reuniting with Mercedes at the end, which I found completely inauthentic and unrealistic.

>187 atozgrl: Hi, Irene. Thanks for checking in and catching up. We had a nice camping trip. The Juno incident was the only upsetting glitch. I enjoy sharing my bird pics and have a few more on tap. We would like to have you along on the Three Musketeers shared read but I understand if you are busy. Can you believe that I have not read The Count of Monte Cristo? Bad Mark!

-Black Skimmer. Lifer. There were at least 50-60 of them on some mud flats on South Padre Island, just north of the Birding Center. Lots of good shorebirds here.



-Black-necked Stilt. I love how cool and elegant they are.



-Red-lored Parrot. Lifer. We saw three different types of parrots here. They are much easier to spot just before dusk, when they are gathering for their nightly roost. We had a number of parrots on the power lines, along the street in front of our rental house.





-Black-bellied Whistling Ducks. I saw my first ones in New Orleans. They were also everywhere in RGV. Unlike many other ducks, this type can perch in trees and on power lines. This one was also on the powerlines and on the rooftops of houses on our street. They are pretty noisy and whistle when they fly.

>187 atozgrl: In all fairness with regard to movie ending of The Count of Monte Cristo, Dumas did the same in a later CoMC sequel

>189 msf59: Wow, even more wow!

>190 quondame: Well, I missed that one! I wasn't even aware of a sequel. Getting them back together after everything that happened is not very believable. That's the same reason why I never read that supposed sequel to Gone with the Wind that came out in 1991.

>188 msf59: So you haven't read either The Three Musketeers or The Count of Monte Cristo?!? Well, I wouldn't say you were bad for it, but I would say you were missing out. Both books are among my top favorite reads of all time.

>191 atozgrl: Actually Scarlett is a bit of a hoot. And frankly I thought Rhett deserved what he got with Scarlett - it's not like he didn't know what she was about. She may not have known herself all that well, but she didn't go about concealing who she was. I found he was a bit of a whiner.

>193 quondame: To me Scarlett was the stupid one. Chasing after Ashley all those years just because he was the one who didn't fawn all over her like all her other beaus. And failing to realize she was really in love with Rhett. I thought she was the one who deserved what she got when Rhett left her at the same time she finally realized she was in love with him.

Interesting how we all have different takeaways from these books!

>194 atozgrl: I'm not saying Scarlett was a prize, just that Rhett wasn't in a position to complain about what he got.

Welcome back! Love all your birding pics. Definitely looks like you had a good time. : )

>180 msf59: Thanks for sharing the pictures, Mark.
I love the herons, never heard of Chachalaca before, had to look it up.

>189 msf59: So odd to see a duck up there.

‘Morning, Mark, and sweet Thursday to you.

>180 msf59: Lovely photos, so happy for your Lifers and number of species from the trip.

>189 msf59: Ooh, more great pics. Thanks for sharing.

>191 atozgrl: Irene, I needed brain bleach after reading the 1991 sequel to GWTW. Ugh. Just, ugh.

>192 atozgrl: Hopefully, I can bookhorn in Monte Cristo later this year. It is about time...Thanks for the nudge.

>193 quondame: >194 atozgrl: I have also not read Gone with the Wind, although I have had a lovely copy on shelf for decades. I did love the film, though.

>196 Berly: Thanks, Kim and Sweet Thursday to you. Glad you like the bird pics. I love sharing them.

>197 FAMeulstee: You are welcome, Anita. Like our local wood ducks, the whistling ducks nest in cavities in trees, so it makes sense that they can perch. It is still surprising to see.

>198 karenmarie: Sweet Thursday, Karen. I plan on sharing the next batch of birdy photos later today. My buddies, the bird photographers that I went with, have hundreds of pics to sort through. I only have 2 or 3 dozen but it still takes time.

>199 msf59: Hi Mark - you may want to skip Gone with the Wind unless you would welcome another truly racist book.

Likely the film censored most of this.

>201 m.belljackson: Agreed, Gone with the wind was one of my worst reads ever.

You better read The Count of Monte Cristo.

>198 karenmarie: Thanks, Karen! That convinces me that I was right to avoid that one. I'll stay away.

>199 msf59: I got a copy of Gone with the Wind back in 1969. It was a mass market paperback copy. I got it through the book ordering service we used to have at school, probably Scholastic. I devoured it. And then they re-released the movie to theaters that summer, so I was dying to go see it. My parents took us to the drive-in in late August to see it. (I remember the timing because the Cubs had started their big collapse and mom was telling me not to worry, that the Mets couldn't catch them.)

I was too young when I read it to notice any racism. I'm sure it's there. Maybe I should do another read as an older adult just to see how I would take it now.

Beautiful pictures, Mark. I'm particularly taken with the Little Blue Heron. Actually, many of your birds are fascinating. Black necked stilt, the Red -Lored Parrot, the Green Heron. We have the Blue Herons in my area, and I love seeing them.

>201 m.belljackson: Hi, Marianne. I think this is the reason why I never cracked open Gone with the Wind. I am still debating whether to just read it and scratch it off my list. The film certainly has racist moments but I still think it is a classic film.

>202 FAMeulstee: Is the reason you disliked GWTW so much is solely because of the racist slant? I am just curious, Anita.

>203 atozgrl: Seeing GWTW at the drive-in? What a great memory, Irene. Do you remember your thoughts on the film, at the time? I was lucky to also see it on the big screen, during a revival of the film in the 90s. A perfect way to see it for the first time.

>204 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deb. I am glad you like the bird pics. I find it interesting how the colors seem to change on these herons. They can look so different, depending on the lighting. It looks like green herons can be seen along the west coast, right up into BC. They are smaller herons and can be hard to spot.

>205 msf59: I remember that I loved the film. It did leave some things out that were in the book--mostly I remember that it didn't include Scarlett's other children--but since the book was so long, the movie couldn't include everything, so I forgave it.

I've seen the movie many times since. Besides being more aware of the racism once I got older, I also started to see that Leslie Howard wasn't very good as Ashley. But I didn't notice any of that on first viewing.

>205 msf59: It was mainly the blatant racism, Mark, and I totally disliked Scarlett O'Hara.

>206 atozgrl: Thanks for your thoughts on GWTW, Irene. I am still deciding if I will ever read it.

>207 FAMeulstee: This all makes sense, Anita. Happy Friday!

-Clay Bennett

‘Morning, Mark! Happy Friday to you. Enjoy your time with Jackson on the trails.

GWTW was racist. So, too, by default, was the movie. But it was also an interesting character study of Scarlett. The movie didn’t include her other children and didn’t include her other marriages. To me the most stunning scene from the 1939 movie is the pan out showing Scarlett and the injured and dying after the Battle of Atlanta. Gives me the shivers.

>209 msf59: Made me very happy to see those insurrectionists brought to justice.

>210 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Thanks for chiming in on GWTW and I agree with you on that incredible panning shot in the film. In 1939 too! Wow!

Yep, Proud Boys indeed...

-Scissortail Flycatcher. Lifer. One of my favorite birds of the trip and there were many of them.



-Wild Turkey



-Eastern Screech Owl



-Audubon Oriole. Lifer. Another favorite and I got good looks.



-Blue Grosbeak. Best looks I ever had at another favorite.

Hi Mark! My, how Jackson is growing! He's certainly a cutie.

I looked at Fen, Bog, and Swamp in the bookstore last evening. I didn't purchase it, but will be interested in your thoughts.

Your bird pics are amazing. Last weekend we went to our favorite local wildlife preserve and greatly enjoys it. P has a new app that identifies birdsong. We heard Marsh Wren, Yellow Warbler, Red-Winged Blackbird (we don't need an app for that one), and more.

Amazing, wonderful bird photos! Thank you!

Karen O

Finished Grann's The Wager this past weekend. Read it yet? It's pretty good!

>212 msf59: What a gorgeous grosbeak! Perfect framing, too. Like the oriole photo... great turkey shot, too... you did your shutterbug thing well! Enjoy the glorious weather you're having. Oh, and I guess you're going to have to keep Jackson for a while... poor guy. I hope you get up the energy to decline to be forced to care for the baby.

As if!

>212 msf59: What beautiful pictures! I'm glad you got to see the lifers. I used to see wild turkeys here in town in the fall, when commuting home from work. I would turn off the main street onto one of the back streets to head toward home, and they were frequently crossing that street at that time of day. Unfortunately, there's been so much development in that area in recent years, including a WalMart, that I doubt the turkeys are still in that area.

As for GWTW, when I read it, it was one of those books I couldn't put down. I didn't like Scarlett either, but the story was so interesting. And she was a strong woman for that time. I was too young when I first read it to be aware of the racism, and I didn't really notice it on a re-read as a young adult. I'm much more conscious of that sort of thing now, so I may need to do another re-read to compare. But the story really does grab you, or at least it did me.

>209 msf59: Love it! And how true. It doesn't help Trump's cause that they all said they were following what Trump called for.

I read GWTW when I was 13 years old and loved it. I saw the movie when I was much younger - at the drive-in. The movie gave me nightmares. I couldn't sleep by myself for two weeks after that trauma. My Dad swore that he would never take me to another movie and he didn't. It was that scene at the railroad yard in Atlanta and seeing the two trains blow up. I just couldn't take all that violence as a kid. Still can't.

I reread the book about twenty years ago and wondered what the heck I thought I liked about it. It was overly melodramatic and seemed way to predictable. Scarlett in particular was not a person I would care to read about again. In contrast, my reread of Three Musketeers about the same time was a rollicking fun ride though a great piece of literature. It was clear to me that some classics age better than others.

>213 EBT1002: Hi, Ellen. Great to see you. I recommend Fen, Bog & Swamp. She is such a good and important writer and it is a shorty. Yep, we sure adore our Jackson.

In re to the bird pics- Thanks! Glad you get to visit your local wildlife preserve and get to see some nice birds. Love those yellow warblers.

>214 klobrien2: Thanks, Karen.

>215 drneutron: Hi, Jim. I have not read "The Wager" yet, but it is on my list. I plan on getting to it it soon. Thx.

>216 richardderus: Happy Saturday, Richard and thanks. I am really an amateur photographer, especially to my far superior birding buddies but then again they have thousands of dollars invested in their equipment and I still use my trusty $300 Canon. All of my practice has paid off a bit but I mostly need my subjects close.

And yes, I suffered through another agonizing day with my Jackson...

>217 atozgrl: Hi, Irene. Wild Turkeys have become very difficult to see in Chicagoland, even in the biggest forest preserves. They prefer solitude. You have a better chance to see them up in Wisconsin. Thanks for your continuing comments on GWTW.

>218 benitastrnad: Thanks for your thoughts on GWTW. I can't believe it disturbed you so much as a child. Glad you recovered. It looks like I will not be reading GWTW anytime soon but I definitely have The Three Musketeers on tap.

‘Morning, Mark, and happy Saturday to you. Good luck on the Spring Bird Count.

>213 EBT1002: Yay for more photos, Lifers, and other gorgeous birds.

>220 msf59: I’m sorry you had to suffer through another day of Jackson, you poor dear.

I've got a male Cowbird and a Downy visiting. AND, a male hummingbird just landed and is having a good drink. Still no females, a puzzlement. I hope they're nearby and just not visiting the feeder. I had a male Purple Finch in the Crepe Myrtle earlier.

>220 msf59: The Three Musketeers is a lot of fun, while The Count of Monte Crisco gets a little strange.

>221 karenmarie: Happy Saturday, Karen. We had a very good time on the Spring Bird Count, although we were beat at the end of it. Just laying low tonight. Thanks for the feeder report. Nothing really special at mine.

>222 m.belljackson: Good to hear, Marianne. I start The Three Musketeers tomorrow.

We participated in the Illinois Spring Bird Count today. Our whole county is divided into "sections", so it all gets covered. Our little group of 4, had a portion of a very large forest preserve, in the most southeastern part of our county. Another group had the other half. We were out there about 7 hours, covering over 6 miles. We actually had a very productive day, despite a light rain off and on this morning. We clocked in 62 species. Much better than last year. We were completely spent by the end of it. I came home, showered, grabbed a beer and my book and sat on my front porch.

^The Bird Count photo up there, is an older one and we are in Dupage County, but I liked the look of it, plus we heard and saw two Scarlet Tanagers today. One of our most beautiful summer residents.

>224 msf59: Aren't they stunningly gorgeous birds? Here's hoping that you see something Lifer-y!

Hi Mark! What a lot of great bird pictures.

>225 richardderus: I am so glad that you have been able to see and enjoy Scarlet Tanagers, Richard. They are a favorite summer residents, along with orioles and grosbeaks.

>226 banjo123: Thanks, Rhonda. I had many opportunities in Texas. That is for sure.

Happy Sunday!

"This swashbuckling epic of chivalry, honor, and derring-do, set in France during the 1620s, is richly populated with romantic heroes, unattainable heroines, kings, queens, cavaliers, and criminals in a whirl of adventure, espionage, conspiracy, murder, vengeance, love, scandal, and suspense."

^Well, I can finally cross The Three Musketeers off my classic list and I have had a lovely, illustrated hardback sitting on shelf for awhile too. This was first published in 1844. Wow! I am doing a shared read with Jim & Paul and will start it today. If anyone else wants to jump in- feel free!

'Morning, Mark! Happy Sunday. I'm glad the Spring Bird Count well, even if it left you whupped. 62 species is impressive.

Chores, Costco, R&R sounds good to me.

No birds anywhere that I can see right now, but the feeders are filled so there's no excuse.

I have a lovely Easton Press Edition of The Three Musketeers, but knowing how I roll these days won't even try to promise to join in.

Morning, Karen. I have been checking my hummingbird feeder from time to time, but nothing so far. I am not sure they have returned in full force yet but we did spot a lovely male yesterday on the Bird Count.

Happy Sunday! On Friday, Jack and I hit the Lemont Quarry Trails, near Bree's house. It was a beautiful spring day. Jack's new favorite hobby is throwing rocks or sticks in the water. Boys will be boys...

Your thread is such a delight to visit with all the Jackson and bird photos. I finally put out feeders, bears be darned. Haven't had any visitors yet but I'm hopeful. I have a hummingbird feeder and then a pole with a cylinder feeder, a fruit tray, suet cage, water, and a squirrel baffle.

Regarding GWTW, like Benita I read it when I was young, 12, and loved it, in part because it was the longest book I had read to that point. :-) I think I would have a hard time with it now and am going to let my memory stand unanalyzed.

>231 msf59: Beautiful day and photos, Birddude. Jackson looks very happy indeed chucking stuff into the water. Great way to reuse a quarry, too.

Thanks for the offer of the new Chan Rae Lee! I'll enjoy reading it.

Happy Sunday, Mark! What a terrifying moment to see Juno attacked. I hope she’s mending well.
What a crazy amount of lifers you’ve added to your bird sightings Thanks for sharing Your wonderful pics.
Jackson is no baby any longer but an adorable little person. Fun times for grandma and grandpa, for sure

>231 msf59: Definitely a person with his own opinions. Though I'll maintain that wanting to throw things is pretty universal.

>228 msf59: Which translation did you read? Did you pick one?

>232 labfs39: Happy Sunday, Lisa. I am surprised you haven't had any visitors at your feeders yet. I know it does take awhile for them to find it. Your set-up sounds great. Try to share a photo if you can.

Thanks for chiming in on GWTW. Once again, I am leaning toward not reading it.

>233 richardderus: Hey, RD. Yep, my Jackson is quite photogenic. I am glad you are interested in the Lee novel.

>234 Carmenere: Happy Sunday, Lynda. Sue did bring Juno to the vet. The vet said keep an eye on one the wounds but he didn't think there would be a problem with it, healing naturally.

Thanks, in regard to my hefty number of Texas Lifers. I was happy. And oh yeah- Go Jackson!!

>235 quondame: He certainly is, Susan. He certainly is. The translation I am reading of The Three Musketeers is by Jacques Le Clercq. Only 50 pages or so in, by I am really enjoying it.

Woohoo! On my first full day having my feeders up I had two blue jays, a goldfinch, a house finch, and a sparrow.

>238 labfs39: Hooray, Lisa. You are off to a good start. Keep the reports coming, especially first-time sightings. Do you have grosbeaks and orioles come through? If so, they are a treat.

"On January 28, 1742, a ramshackle vessel of patched-together wood and cloth washed up on the coast of Brazil. Inside were thirty emaciated men, barely alive, and they had an extraordinary tale to tell. They were survivors of His Majesty's Ship the Wager, a British vessel that had left England in 1740 on a secret mission during an imperial war with Spain...The Wager is a grand tale of human behavior at the extremes told by one of our greatest nonfiction writers."

David Grann is a favorite nonfiction author of mine and I am always glad to hear when he has a new book out. The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder came out in April. Jim recently read and enjoyed it and I will start it today.

‘Morning, Mark! Happy day after Sunday. Sorry your birding buddy trip got rained out.

>231 msf59: Cute photos of Jackson. Rocks and sticks in the water are very satisfying. Little girls were little girls, too… I chucked many a rock into a stream, river, , pond, or lake.

>240 msf59: I have two by him on my shelves, The Lost City of Z and Killers of the Flower Moon, both as yet unread. But, I’ve added this new one to my wish list.

>240 msf59: Shawn is reading this too! Pretty far in and really enjoying it.

>240 msf59: Oh, that sounds like a great read indeed. Granny has a terrific eye for a story. I'll bet he found out about this one while in Brazil researching LOST CITY OF Z.

Enjoy the glorious spring weather.

>240 msf59: Hi Mark, John just raced through The Wager in about a day and a half. He thought it was great. I didn't think I'd be interested so I took it back to the library but I may change my mind at some point.

Hi, Mark. Did you respond to me up at >136 jnwelch:? Your thread is just too popular. I coulldn’t find it. I also couldn’t find your reaction to Awkward Black Man. Did you like it?

>241 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. I did manage to slip out for some solo birding, before the rain came. It was pretty quiet, overall. I hope you can find time to read both of those Grann books you have on shelf. Both are terrific.

>242 alphaorder: Hi, Nancy. I am not surprised that Shawn is enjoying the latest Grann. The guy is such a good writer.

>243 richardderus: Hey, RD. We have a cruddy day here in Chicagoland. Cool and damp but perfect for cuddling up with the books. I agree, Grann is a terrific writer. One of the best in NNF.

>244 Copperskye: Hi, Joanne. I am not surprised that John raced through the new Grann. I am enjoying it too. Have you read him before? If not, you really should give him a try.

>245 jnwelch: Sorry, Joe. It looks like I did fail to reply to you up there but I clearly remember reading your post. I was camping at the time, so having a tough time with individual replies. I enjoyed The Awkward Black Man very much. The guy is such a good, dependable writer and clearly can do short fiction with his usual flair too.

>246 msf59:. Great! Mosley appreciation always makes my day.

>246 msf59: Yes, I read and loved Killers of the Flower Moon. It's the subject matter I'm not sure I want to read about. We'll see. Did you see Grann's interview on 60 Minutes? You should look for it if you didn't - it's interesting the way he researches.

      

Did you ever see one of these in your recent birding expeditions? Apparently it is an Andean Cock-Of-The-Rock. Color is spectacular, but, boy, the eye looks out of place. I ran across some photos of a few other rare birds, and I'm posting several on my own thread.

>247 jnwelch: You definitely have to appreciate how prolific he is too, without losing a beat. Can I have a witness, Joe?

>248 Copperskye: I think Killer Moon will be released as a film this year. I sure hope they don't screw it up. I will track down the Grann interview. Someone else mentioned it to me and I promptly forgot. Thanks for the reminder.

>249 weird_O: Howdy, Bill. I have not see an Andean Cock-Of-The-Rock but it would sure be a bird worth pursuing, weird eye or not.

The Scarlet Tanager is gorgeous , Mark. When I used to visit my grandparents in Winnipeg, I had the pleasure of seeing Scarlet Tanagers. Jack is is so handsome! Grandpa's boy!

>251 vancouverdeb: Hi, Deb. Glad to hear that you have seen and enjoyed Scarlet Tanagers. They have returned here for the summer and still amaze me with their beauty.

Hooray for Jackson! He is Grandpa's Boy!!

Started The Three Musketeers today. Four chapters in and already multiple sword fights and swashbuckling!

Hi Mark, I've been enjoying your great bird pictures and catching up with your reading. Enjoy The Three Musketeers, I read both it and The Count of Monte Cristo fairly recently and loved both of them. I decided to read The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco for the AlphaKit's "U" read and I am struggling with it but bound and determined to finish it!

I am so enjoying having bird feeders again, Mark. Thanks for inspiring me. Yesterday, I had several families of blue jays at the feeder simultaneously. The adults were vying for the suet and flat feeder at the top, and the juveniles were clustered at the bottom staring up hopefully. I also had my first woodpecker, didn't get to see which kind, but either downy or hairy I'm guessing. Between the jays and goldfinch, it has been very colorful. No cardinals yet, but that will complete the primary color scheme.

>253 drneutron: I am so glad you immediately got into The Three Musketeers, Jim. I am at 120 pages and enjoying it too. On guard...

>254 DeltaQueen50: Hi, Judy. Great to see you. Glad you like the bird pics. I hope to get to Monte Cristo before year's end. I have never read The Name of the Rose. Good luck to you.

>255 labfs39: I am loving the feeder report, Lisa. I bet it is nice seeing the family of blue jays. I get them from time to time. They like swooping in and grabbing the peanuts in the shell, which I place in the tray feeder. The hairy woodpecker is quite a bit bigger than the downy, with a bigger bill, if that helps at all.

'Morning, Mark! Happy Tuesday to you. I've gt a Downy on the suet feeder and some finches on the wild bird seed feeder.

All's quiet here in central NC so far.

>256 msf59: Yes, the blue jay families were a hoot. Afterwards they all sat in the Norway Maple and it looked like a scene from The Birds, but in color. :-)

Yeah, I just couldn't get a good look at the woodpecker, because it was on the other side of the suet feeder. All I could see was one shoulder.

>257 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. I bought a box of suet yesterday and need to put one out. I have not seen a downy lately at the feeder.

>258 labfs39: Enjoy those jays. Hairy and downys can be tough to differentiate but if you ever seen them together, you will know immediately.

It's Tuesday, the 9th of May! How that happened is beyond me. And let's not even get into how the third decade of the third millennium snuck up on us. I doubt I'll still be alive when the Europa Clipper, NASA's probe to Jupiter and its most exciting moon, gets there in 2032. That's a bit disappointing, but c'est la vie. Enjoy your birding while both they and we are here.

Meanwhile, THE THREE MUSKETEERS will delight you.

>256 msf59: I'm glad to hear you're enjoying The Three Musketeers! I hope you do get to Count of Monte Cristo this year.

I would love to see a Scarlet Tanager, but haven't had the pleasure. We did get a Summer Tanager here one year, and it visited us for a few days.

I don't know if you saw my thread, but I mentioned there that our excitement over the weekend was seeing a Rose-breasted Grosbeak. We get to see them some years when they're passing through, but I've only ever seen them in the month of May. We may have seen a female this time, but they're harder to identify so I'm not absolutely certain.

Since then, the squirrels have finally made their way onto our feeders. I wound up having to take the nugget feeder down, and put hot seed on the tray feeder. We think the tree branches have gotten too long and too close to the feeder pole, so we need to do some trimming. There's always something!

>260 richardderus: Hey, RD. Yep, the year just keeps marching along. It was a nice one here in Chicagoland and more of the same for tomorrow. I am enjoying The Three Musketeers immensely. Worth the wait, my friend.

>261 atozgrl: Hi, Irene. Yep, I am having a grand time with The Three Musketeers. I hope you get to see a scarlet tanager at some point. Not sure how far east their range extends.

I missed the news about the rose-breasted grosbeak. Always a lovely sighting. They breed here for the season, so they are here until fall. I have also had them stop at my feeders from time to time. Funny, I saw a male this morning, in the trees, where I do my volunteer Rehab duties. Here is a photo of a male that I took while in Texas:

^The Pulitzer Prize winners were announced yesterday. I can't believe I have already read both fiction picks, Demon Copperhead and Trust. I am not sure that has ever happened before. Of course, I thought both books were excellent. Congrats to both authors! The nonfiction titles look promising too, especially G-Man. In regard to the poetry win, Then the War- has anyone read Carl Phillips?

>264 msf59: Bravo you, Mark! I have read Demon Copperhead as part of your group read back in January, so thanks for that.

Hi Mark! I haven't read either of them, YET. But I definitely want to.

‘Morning, Mark, and happy Wednesday to you.

>259 msf59: I had to buy suet yesterday, too. I bought 2 cakes when I got the 50 lbs of black oil sunflower seed, but they were $3/each, so just went online to Amazon and bought St. Albans Bay High Energy Suet, 15-pack.

I’ve already got a Downy on the orange suet I put out about 10 minutes ago. I get Downy and Red-Bellied Woodpeckers on the feeders. We have Red-Headed and Pileated here in the neighborhood, too.

>265 vancouverdeb: Glad you were able to join us on Demon Copperhead, Deb. A worthy winner IMHO.

>266 mahsdad: I hope you get to both of them, Jeff. Stellar reads.

>267 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. How much was the 15 pack? Our Ace Hardware had a 10 pack of suet for $11. I have seen it cheaper too. A red-headed and pileated? That is sweet. We had a couple of red-headed on our Spring Bird Count.

-Clay Bennett

>269 msf59: LOLOLOL I love this!

Also on my schadenfreude list is that scum George Santos getting felony indictments against him! Finally!

To quote NYT' s breaking news alert:

The scandal-plagued congressman, who ran on a life story littered with lies, was charged in a wide-ranging indictment with wire fraud, money laundering, stealing public funds and lying on federal disclosure forms.

>261 atozgrl: >263 msf59: That's just what was at our feeder this morning! The Rose-breasted Grosbeak was a lifer for me.

>180 msf59: The spoonbill looks like a tentative young woman about to step out on the dance floor in her best dress Mark.

Lovely other birdy pics, and waving at Jackson.

>270 richardderus: Happy Wednesday, RD. Santos! What another major POS! Only in the GOP, right? I saw this cartoon today, that you might appreciate:



-Walt Handelsman

>271 Copperskye: Hooray for the rose-breasted grosbeak, Joanne. A nice Lifer! So are they rare in your area or you just never had a chance to see one? Funny, I saw a few this morning on my walk. They seem to be pairing up and nesting.

>272 Caroline_McElwee: Great description on the spoonbill, Caroline. Very poetic. Most wading birds have an elegance to them.

Glad you like the pics, my friend.

>273 msf59: it's too true to laugh...

>274 msf59: They aren't common here but when I checked the Audubon app, some have been seen in the area in the last few weeks. Migrating through, I guess. None of my Colorado bird books list it. I love happening to glance out a window and seeing a rare visitor. A serendipitous spotting!

>275 richardderus: You got that right, RD!

>276 Copperskye: Well, that definitely makes it a special sighting. Good for you. Keep those peepers open. 😀🐦

I Dare You

It’s autumn, and we’re getting rid
of books, getting ready to retire,
to move some place smaller, more
manageable. We’re living in reverse,
age-proofing the new house, nothing
on the floors to trip over, no hindrances
to the slowed mechanisms of our bodies,
a small table for two. Our world is
shrinking, our closets mostly empty,
gone the tight skirts and dancing shoes,
the bells and whistles. Now, when
someone comes to visit and admires
our complete works of Shakespeare,
the hawk feather in the open dictionary,
the iron angel on a shelf, we say
take them. This is the most important
time of all, the age of divestment,
knowing what we leave behind is
like the fragrance of blossoming trees
that grows stronger after
you’ve passed them, breathing
them in for a moment before
breathing them out. An ordinary
Tuesday when one of you says
I dare you, and the other one
just laughs.

-Dorianne Laux From Poem-A-Day

‘Morning, Mark, and sweet Thursday to you.

>268 msf59: The 15-pack was $28.88, so still not really cheap. Your Ace Hardware’s price for 10 is a great deal.

I have only seen the Pileated once, and never the Red-Headed. Apparently it/they live down near one of my neighbor’s, but I am not close to them so don’t ask to hang out there.

>269 msf59: We already knew this, but it’s nice that it’s been proven in a court of law.

>273 msf59: Yup.

Thursday orisons, Birddude!

>278 msf59:
The poem is very appropriate for me at this moment. I finished my first go-round of deleting paper files out of the boxes I brought back from my office. I remain with 4 boxes of paper. I am looking at moving back to Kansas this fall and I have to trim the stuff out of my kitchen so will be hauling things to Goodwill in the next two weeks. Then I have my general summer housecleaning to do before I head back to Kansas again to see how things are going there.

I have decided to forego attending ALA this summer due to the circumstances of living a fluid lifestyle and because of financial constraints due to the eminent move. I had already e-mailed the people at LT about the free passes but haven't heard anything back from them. If I hear anything I will let Joe and you know. I am already getting notifications from publishers that they are bringing a full slate of authors to the conference, so that bodes well for free books and a busy exhibit arena. I think it will be great fun because this is one of the few venues for book people that is still going - and who knows how long that will continue? If anything changes I will let you know.

Sweet Thursday, Mark. I hope your day is treating you well. All that travelling is fun but isn’t it nice to be home for a while?

>279 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. Keep shopping around for more affordable suet. Do you have something like a Farm & Fleet by you? If so, they would have good deals. I hope you get to see a red-headed woodpecker one of these days. A brilliant looking bird.

>280 richardderus: Sweet Thursday, RD. It has been a good day.

>281 benitastrnad: Hey, Benita. Good luck with all that "divesting", my friend. I am sure you are going to have a heck of a time with all those books. Thanks for the info on ALA. If it is the first weekend in June, we will be out of town but keep me posted.

>282 Familyhistorian: Sweet Thursday, Meg. I am having a good day. Even got some reading in this afternoon. I do like being at home but we have another camping trip planned for next Thursday. It's the season...

"John Edgar Wideman is an African American novelist and short-story writer of remarkable range and power, as this work fully demonstrates. The Stories of John Edgar Wideman reprints two earlier collections—Damballah (1981) and Fever (1989)—and adds ten stories written especially for this volume and collected in it as “All Stories Are True.” The three collections are published here in reverse order, so that the reader begins with Wideman’s most recent stories and moves back through the two earlier collections. Such a journey reveals both the scope of Wideman’s fictional territory and his considerable talents in exploring it."

Honestly, I had not heard of Wideman before he was featured on this month's AAC. I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to check out his work and I LOVE short stories. I will start it tomorrow.

Hey Mark, speaking of graphic novels, which I think we were doing over on my thread, I just stumbled upon this LT List that might have some more ideas for you. It certainly does for me

https://www.librarything.com/list/44599/Best-Graphic-Novel-Nonfiction

Hi Mark - thank you for keeping your photographs a welcome feature.

After recently completing John Edgar Wideman's My Soul Has Grown Deep,
I've started THE HOMEWOOD TRILOGY which leads off with Damballah.

Memorable, honest, yet not bedtime reading...

>279 karenmarie: Do you ever order from Chewy? I've gotten their 8 pack of suet (with no additives) for about $10 on autoship with my regular dog and cat food orders.

Hi Mark! Our Western Tanagers stopped by today.

'Morning, Mark! Happy Friday to you.

>283 msf59: Nothing in town has multi-packs of suet any more and all suet cakes individually are more expensive than what I paid for on Ammie. Lowe’s Home Improvement and Ace Hardware either don’t have multi-packs or they’re ridiculously more expensive. We don’t have Farm & Fleet out here. Our local Southern States doesn’t stock the brand/variety I use. I’m doomed.

>287 Copperskye: I order our canned cat food from Chewy, just checked their suet out and it’s not significantly less than Ammie either, Joanne. Still doomed…

I have a Downy on the suet feeder. I did see a male hummingbird yesterday, but still haven’t seen any females.

>285 mahsdad: Thanks for the GN link, Jeff. I scanned it quickly. I have read a lot of them but there are several that sound really interesting. Which ones caught your eye?

>286 m.belljackson: Hi, Marianne and you are welcome- I have no immediate plans to slow down on my photo sharing. Glad to hear that you like Mr. Wideman. Looking forward to starting my collection today.

>287 Copperskye: Hooray for the western tanager sighting, Joanne. I have only seen one and that was a rarity in Illinois. LOL. Thanks for the rec on using Chewy for suet. That sounds like a very good price.

>288 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. So there is only a very specific suet brand that you use? Honestly, I am not very picky and the birds don't seem to be. I tried some that had more peanuts in them but the house sparrows went to town on them.

Nothing at all at my feeders.