Mark's Reading Place: Chapter Thirteen

-Centennial Trail



-Morton Arboretum



-Eastern Bluebird

“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:



July:

66- Tomorrow, and Tomorrow & Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin 4.2 stars
67- Strangers in Paradise (Book 1)- Terry Moore 4 stars GN
68- Prisoners of the Castle by Ben Macintyre 3.8 stars (audio)
69- Coming Through Slaughter by Michael Ondaatje 4.3 stars
70- East of Eden by John Steinbeck 4.6 stars
71- All the Sinners Bleed by S. A. Cosby 4.2 stars (audio)
72- Harmony by Carolyn Parkhurst 3.3 stars
74-The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell by Robert Dugoni 4 stars (audio)
75- I Meant it Once- Stories by Kate Doyle 3.3 stars ER
76- Last On His Feet: Jack Johnson by Adrian Matejka & Youssef Daoudi 5 stars GN

August:

77- Old God's Time by Barry Sebastian 4.6 (audio)
78- Chain-gang All-stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah 4.2 stars
79- 100 Poems That Matter by The Academy of American Poets 3.7 stars P
80- The Colony by Audrey Magee 5 stars w/Stasia
81- A Fever in the Heartland by Timothy Egan 4.3 stars (audio)
82- Dinosaurs: A Novel by Lydia Millet 4 stars
83- The Last Ranger by Peter Heller 4 stars (audio)
84- The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride 4.6 stars
85- The Finkler Question by Howard Jacobson 3.2 stars
86- Trespasses: A Novel by Louise Kennedy 4.2 stars

September:

87- Still Born by Guadalupe Nettel 4.3 stars
88- All Hands on Deck by Will Sofrin 3.8 stars (audio)
89- Juliette by Camille Jourdy 4 stars GN
90- The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng 4.7 stars
91- No Ivy League by Hazel Newlevant 3.5 stars GN
92- Tom Lake by Ann Patchett 4.5 stars
93- Nowhere Girl: A Memoir by Cheryl Diamond 3.8 stars (audio)
94- Fourth Wing (The Empyrean, 1) by Rebecca Yarros 3.8 stars
95- Eyes of the Rigel by Roy Jacobsen 3.7 stars E
96- The Dragons, the Giant, the Women: A Memoir by Wayétu Moore 3.5 stars (audio)
97- Night and Dana by Anya Davidson 4 stars GN

October:

98- The Singapore Grip (Empire Trilogy) by J.G. Farrell 4.6 stars w/Benita
99- This Other Eden by Paul Harding 4.7 stars
100- Almost an Elegy: Selected Poems by Linda Pastan 4.8 stars P
101- Funny Things: Charles M. Schulz by Luca Debus 4 stars GN
102- The Five Wounds by Kirstin Valdez Quade 4 stars (audio)
103- Skippy Dies by Paul Murray 4.5 stars
104- Our Strangers: Stories by Lydia Davis 3.7 stars E
105- In the Morning I'll Be Gone (3) by Adrian McKinty 4 stars (audio)
106- How to Say Babylon: A Memoir by Safiya Sinclair 4.3 stars
107- Clementine: Book One by Tillie Walden 3.8 stars GN
108- The Body Lies by Jo Baker 3.7 stars (audio)
109- A Wing and a Prayer by Anders & Bev Gyllenhaal 4.6 stars
110- Tell Me Everything: The Story of a PI by Erika Krouse 4.3 stars (audio)
111- Chenneville by Paulette Jiles 4.2 stars

November:

112- Black Butterflies by Priscilla Morris 4.5 stars
113- The Killer Vol: 1-4 by Jacamon & Matz 4 stars GN

Poetry: P
GN: Graphic Novel

^ 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.

The Line of Beauty by Alan Hollinghurst w/ Jeff, Benita June
East of Eden w/Linda P, Lynda, Meg, Paul, Anita, Susan- July
The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng w/Donna, Caroline, Rhonda September
The Singapore Grip w/Benita September
Skippy Dies by Paul Murray w/Stasia, Benita, Anita, Ellen?? October
Gap Creek w/ Judy, Benita November
The House of Doors w/Ellen, Stasia December

2024

One Hundred Years of Solitude January?
The Bee Sting w/Judy Jan/Feb?
The Sparrow reread with Stasia??

The Wild Swans at Coole

The trees are in their autumn beauty,
The woodland paths are dry,
Under the October twilight the water
Mirrors a still sky;
Upon the brimming water among the stones
Are nine-and-fifty swans.

The nineteenth autumn has come upon me
Since I first made my count;
I saw, before I had well finished,
All suddenly mount
And scatter wheeling in great broken rings
Upon their clamorous wings.

I have looked upon those brilliant creatures,
And now my heart is sore.
All's changed since I, hearing at twilight,
The first time on this shore,
The bell-beat of their wings above my head,
Trod with a lighter tread.

Unwearied still, lover by lover,
They paddle in the cold
Companionable streams or climb the air;
Their hearts have not grown old;
Passion or conquest, wander where they will,
Attend upon them still.

But now they drift on the still water,
Mysterious, beautiful;
Among what rushes will they build,
By what lake's edge or pool
Delight men's eyes when I awake some day
To find they have flown away?

-William Butler Yeats

Joe suggested I give Yeats a try. I have read very little of him. I normally do not connect with classic poetry but this Irish poet is working for me.

Hello?? Great Horned Owl chicks.

"With echoes of Educated and Born a Crime, How to Say Babylon is the stunning story of the author’s struggle to break free of her rigid Rastafarian upbringing, ruled by her father’s strict patriarchal views and repressive control of her childhood, to find her own voice as a woman and poet."

I snagged an ARC of How to Say Babylon a couple of months ago. It was published earlier this month, so I thought I better get to this memoir. It sounds very promising and has been getting strong reviews. I will start it today.

103- Skippy Dies by Paul Murray 4.5 stars

Seabrook College is Dublin’s preeminent boy’s school and we are introduced to a wide variety of students and teachers. The mystery at the heart of this big novel, is why fourteen-year-old Skippy suddenly dies, on the floor of the local doughnut shop. This is presented in the opening pages and of course the title is a dead giveaway. The reader is immersed into this world of teenage boys, drugs, and girls, along with teachers who are still struggling to find peace in their own adulthood. Sharply written, with many laugh out loud moments but with enough dark and disturbing revelations to keep the book grounded. This will not be for all tastes but for those willing to stick it out, it is well worth the time.

Happy New thread!

>2 msf59: Oooh that baby! He’s getting so big!

Did you notice all of the music trivia in Skippy Dies? Just this morning I found a reference to Toto's song Africa. These music references are all over the place in this novel.

Guess I have to add Skippy Dies to The WANT!! List™.

I did acquire and read George Takei's graphic memoir They Called Us Enemy over the weekend. Slowly progressing through Turgenev's Fathers and Children, and I've gone back to Mary Shelley's Mathilda. Too, Full Bloom: The Art and Life of Georgia O'Keeffe is calling to me.

Happy new thread Mark!

>2 msf59: I love the Jackson pictures and I want his glowboard!

Happy new thread, Mark!

>8 msf59: Nice review!
I just finished Skippy Dies. I remembered some, certainly not all. Still love the book, athough the rating went 1/2 a star down to 4.5 My review will come later this week, I will let you know.

>8 msf59: Glad the read was a success, Birddude.

>1 msf59: ooooo
preeettyyyy

>9 Storeetllr: Thanks, Mary. He does look like a big boy in that first photo but you see the baby in his face in the second one. He is in transition.

>10 benitastrnad: I did like the music references in the novel, Benita, although many of the choices were from the author's childhood. That is my guess anyway.

>11 weird_O: If you would be interested in my copy of Skippy Dies, Bill. Let me know. I thought They Called Us Enemy was an excellent GN. I hope you felt the same.

>12 quondame: Thanks, Susan. Jack got his glowboard for his birthday. He likes it. I had never heard of it before. LOL.

>13 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita. I am glad Skippy Dies held up for you on your reread. I am looking forward to reading The Bee Sting early next year. Do you have a copy yet?

>14 richardderus: Hey, RD. It was a good read but I can see why it might not work for everyone.

>16 msf59: Is it really called a glowboard? Naw, it looks like a light board but used with dry erase markers? I did a brief Amazon search and nothing quite that showed up.

Happy new one, Birddude!

>17 quondame: Honestly, I don't know what it is called, Susan. I am clueless. I will ask my daughter.

>18 drneutron: Thanks, Jim.

>16 msf59: The Bee Sting isn't translated yet, Mark. Keeping my fingers crossed a Dutch translation will come soon.

>15 msf59: Your copy of Skippy Dies? But of course. Who could turn that one down.

My address hasn't changed

HAppy new one!

Happy New Thread, Mark! Glad you enjoyed Skippy Dies. Nice review! Yesterday I took over a couple of gifts for Mile and Melissa. I took Miles a Halloween book, and it has pop out picture on every other page - like a ghost , a bat etc. I said to him - Ohhh!The Ghost -so scary! And he just laughed and said " it's just paper ". Melissa seemed very pleased with her Halloween Lego of spooky cat and mouse. I had purchased her a Halloween book too, but it turned out she already had it , so I gave it to my great neice and nephew. They are so fun at this young age.

>20 FAMeulstee: I hope The Bee Sting gets translated soon, Anita. 🤞

>21 weird_O: Glad to share the book with a friend, Bill. I will try to get it in the mail, in the next week.

>22 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Anita.

>23 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deb. I hope you are also enjoy Skippy Dies, once you get to it. I got a kick out of your Miles & Melissa story. They bring so much joy, right? Looking forward to Jack reaching that age.

Water of the womb

It is winter in Anchorage, and I am only as tall as the shoveled snowbanks in the parking lot of the pink apartments. I am old enough to have chores but young enough not to fully understand frostbite. It is not my turn to take out the trash. I’d like to think I was persuaded with hot chocolate or choosing the movie for the evening, but I’m sure it was just force that made me put my bare feet on the icy asphalt. I waddle to the dumpster with the bag that almost weighs as much as me. The slow burn of the ice threatens to peel the skin from my pinky toes with each step. I’m told I’m not old enough to tell my elders no. My small voice is frozen on the roof of my mouth anyway, so I continue trudging. I don’t remember getting rid of the bag or making it back upstairs, just a face in the mirror while mom ran warm water over my feet in the sink. It is desolate, disinterested in my ability to walk. I’d like to say we were just kids doing kid things, but I remember you had shoes on.

-TIANNA BRATCHER

Happy new thread, Mark!!
It's going to be a lovely day here today so the driving range is on the day's agenda. Fore!!!!!
Haha last week I shattered a window in the enclosed driving range. Yup I hope I can learn from my mistakes.

Good Wednesday, Mark!

‘Morning, Mark, happy new thread, happy Wednesday to you.

>2 msf59: Sweet boy. I love all the scribbles on the glowboard.

>6 msf59: Still think that pic's great, glad you’re sharing it again.

Great pics, Mark, and Jackson seems to be cuter by the day. I need to be less of a stranger over here.

Happy new thread, Mark.

Yeats is a favourite of mine too. I smiled at you calling him a "classic poet" which I am not so sure he would have appreciated that much as he was an idol to the modernists who followed him. He was certainly adept a classic forms but innovative too. One of the undeniable greats of 20th Century literature.

>26 Carmenere: Thanks, Lynda. Happy Wednesday! A nice fall day here too! I didn't know that you had taken up golf. I gave it up years ago. Enjoy!

>27 richardderus: Back at you, RD!

>28 karenmarie: Thanks, Karen. Hooray for Jack & the GHO chicks!

>29 lindapanzo: Thanks, Linda. Great to see you. I have missed you. I hope all is well.

>30 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. I am enjoying the Yeats collection. I use the term classic because I am not sure what other word to describe early poetry. LOL.

>32 msf59: Awomen.

>8 msf59: Nice summary of Skippy Dies. I've about 100 pages to go and you were right, the last section gets a bit dark. I find myself thinking things like "what is he going to do with another 150 pages??" and then I find out.... I am really glad I stuck it out. I don't think I'll give it 4.5 stars as you did but it's definitely a worthwhile read and motivates me to keep my place in the queue for The Bee Sting.

Oh, and happy new thread!

>34 EBT1002: Thanks, Ellen. I am so glad you are finishing out Skippy Dies. I have been waffling a bit on my rating on this novel. I want to knock off a few points and then decide not to. Bottom line- it is an impressive effort and I am happy that I got to do a shared read with you and Benita.

-Michael Ramirez

>36 msf59: Oh yeah, oh yeah. I believe I read that Gym got fewer votes today than yesterday.

On a lighter side...

       

       Boy with pet owls, circa 1911.

>37 weird_O: I read that too, Jim. He is another POS and does not deserve that post. I love the owl pic. I wonder what happened when these chicks grew up?

The review of Skippy is now in my thread, Mark. I am so glad I did read it again.

‘Morning, Mark! Sweet Thursday to you.

>32 msf59: Love it. I sure wish there was a Peace gene.

>36 msf59: I also wish the GOP would purge itself of the radicals and start acting like responsible adults.

>39 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita. I will swing by.

>40 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. An early bird today. I with you on the current GOP. Ugh!

Sadly, my sister passed away yesterday afternoon. She was only 61 and we were very close. Thoughts and prayers to her family in Oregon, waking up to a whole new reality this morning.

Oh, Mark, I'm so very sorry. That's terrible news. My condolences to you and your family.

So sorry to read that your sister passed away so suddenly , and at such a young age.Condolences to you and the rest of the family. What a terrible shock.

{{Mark}} Adding my condolences. What a shock, and so young!

Oh no Mark. I'm so sorry. Take good care, my friend.

>42 msf59: Mark, I am so very sad with you about this painful news. Sixty-one...so much too soon for a person to leave us in this day and time. May your lifetime of good memories of her sustain and comfort you.

>42 msf59: So sorry, Mark, my condolences to you and your family.
(((hugs)))

>42 msf59: So, so sorry, Mark! What terrible news. My condolences to you and your family.

Karen O

Oh, Mark, I'm so sorry, your baby sister. Sending hugs and my deepest condolences to you and your family. How very awful.

I'm with all your friends here in offering sincere condolences. That spoils everything. So sorry.

Oh, Mark, what a heartbreaking loss it must be for you and your family. The Universe is in a very cranky mood these days--I'm so sorry it lashed out against you and yours.

So sorry, Mark. I'm sure you have so many good memories of her; keep those front and center.

>42 msf59: Oh Mark, that must be a blow. I wish you and your family all the comfort that can be had in such times.

So I went looking for The Killers on Hoopla, found what appears to be a second cycle. But I did find Behold, Behemoth, an apocalyptic treat!

So sorry to see the news about your sister passing, Mark. My condolences to you and your family.

Hi Mr Mark: sorry to see that there’s no more Newberry Library Book Fair. What an impressive run it had.

Thank you everyone for your kind support. It really means a lot to me. I am still processing this loss. I have spent more time on the phone today, than the last 2 years combined. She was well loved. It looks like we won't be heading to Oregon for 2 weeks, which gives everyone time to get things in order.

Mark, I'm so sorry to hear about your sister. What a terrible shock for your whole family. Sending you a virtual hug.

My prayers for you and your family. 61 is way too young.

‘Morning, Mark.

>42 msf59: I am sorry to read about your sister. That is so young, and yes, your new reality has a huge hole in it now. My condolences.

>42 msf59: My heart goes out to you, Mark and to your family.

61 is no age at all these days.

Thanks again for your condolences, everyone. I didn't read a single page yesterday so I hope to relax enough to get some reading in this AM, before Jackson arrives for the afternoon. ❤️

>42 msf59: I am so sorry for your loss. (( hugs))

Mark, adding my heartfelt condolences on the loss of your sister. I’m so sorry. 💔

Enjoy your afternoon with Jackson. At times like this, those precious hours with those we love most are even more precious!

>62 PaulCranswick: >64 figsfromthistle:>>65 Storeetllr: Thanks, Paul, Anita & Mary.

>66 EBT1002: He has been sleeping since he got here but I am hoping to spend some quality time with him. ❤️

-Harry Bliss

So sorry for your loss. We’ll pray for you and your family.

>69 drneutron: Thanks, Jim. Much appreciated.

The Systemic

Strange fall. Trees drop ballots into the yard
without fear of our tampering,
papers flipping along the curb as cars pass by.
Commiserating with my neighbor about our lives’
missed opportunities, we recall that season
decades ago when the ripest apples hung like half-punched chads.
We were children, then. We didn’t even notice
how decorum ferried our parents across their many failures
when they ought to have drowned.
Yesterday, I buried another squirrel.
Every morning, he’d gnaw on my plastic lawn chairs,
shavings accumulating across his tiny organs.
Is his death political? Everything is.
Different, though, those two politics, dying for and dying of.

-J. Estanislao Lopez

From Poem-A-Day

'Morning, Mark! I hope your time with Jack gave you a bit of joy yesterday.

It's a lovely early fall day here. Arsenal plays in 2 hours, then errands because Bill's puny from getting the Covid booster Thursday. He always has a rougher time than I do, and this time's no exception. I had a slightly sore arm on Tuesday and that was it.

It has been a restful stay at the Prairie Redoubt, but things are not going well with my Mom. I think I have the financial situation at bay until December 15th, but will have to see if she lasts that long. It is not looking good and I don't know if I should return to Alabama or stay put.

I finished Skippy Dies and really liked this book. It will be on my top of the year lists! Great stuff. Now I will have to read Bee Sting

So sorry about your sister, Mark. 61 is way to young. I'll be thinking of you.

What a shock, I am so sorry for you and your family, Mark. My condolences for everyone concerned.

>71 msf59: Ha! how decorum ferried our parents across their many failures it wasn't decorum it was rum and they did drown a bit!

Thinking of you , Mark, and you family. Such a shocking loss. I'm glad you enjoyed your time with Jack, and you got out to help with pumpkin carving. That's a lot more than I could manage given what you are going through. You and your family are in my prayers.

'Morning, Mark. Good luck to your Bears as they play the Raiders today.

Dark o'clock, no bird report. Coffee, a bit of brekkie, a bit of LT, reading. I need to start An Immense World for our November 12th book club meeting.

>72 karenmarie: >78 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. I had a great time with Jack on Friday. So, Arsenal had a tied game yesterday? We have our backup quarterback playing today, so not sure how well they will play. Hey- Go Bears anyway!

I enjoyed An Immense World when I listened to it awhile back. I hope you feel the same.

>73 benitastrnad: Thanks for the update, Benita. I am sorry to hear your Mom isn't doing well. Keep us posted and I am glad that Skippy Dies also worked for you. I plan on reading The Bee Sting early next year.

>74 banjo123: >75 EllaTim: Thanks, Rhonda & Ella.

>76 quondame: Rum-drinkers, eh, Susan? LOL.

>77 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deb. I'm hanging in there. The pumpkin event was a nice distraction on Thursday.

-Christopher Weyant

104- Our Strangers: Stories by Lydia Davis 3.7 stars

“...In any case I would rather suffer a slight discomfort than be complicit in the felling of old-growth trees in Canadian boreal forests merely in order to enjoy virgin toilet paper that is softer and tears more neatly.”

I had not read Lydia Davis before but being a fan of short fiction, I wanted to give her a try. Her style is definitely not for everyone- most of the stories are just a few lines but her clever observations on everyday life, have an almost hypnotic draw to them. I think very few writers could pull this off and keep the reader engaged. That said, my interest began to flag in the final 3rd of the collection but I still came away satisfied.

105- In the Morning I'll Be Gone by Adrian McKinty 4 stars

Once again, Detective Sean Duffy finds himself in hot water with his superiors and is stuck at home on suspension. That changes when MI5 comes calling and asks his assistance on locating an IRA member who has escaped prison. They knew each other as kids. This also leads to a locked room mystery that Duffy needs to solve. This is third in the series and is another winner.

>81 msf59: I've felt this way since 2016.

>82 msf59: #104 I never read Lydia Davis collections all at once for that reason. They feel choppy and unsatisfyng to me in bulk, but are lovely little bonbons when spaced out.

#105 Aren't we all incredibly lucky that Don Winslow read one of these books and shoved the inertial mass of Publishing onto McKinty's side?

>83 richardderus: Hey, RD! Yep, we need more happiness these days. "lovely little bonbons when spaced out." Perfect description of her work.

I did not know that Don Winslow sparked interest in the Sean Duffy series. Very cool.

-Joseph Fasano

I'm very sorry to hear of the loss of your sister. Many hugs and good wishes headed your way.

>81 msf59: {{{Mark}}}

I often feel this way too, which is why I sometimes prefer old comfort reads to new books.

>86 streamsong: Thank you, Janet. I appreciate the hugs.

>87 Storeetllr: I think most of us share this feeling, Mary.

>42 msf59: Mark, I am so sorry for your loss. It is so hard to lose someone at that age. I only have one sibling and know I would be devastated. Sending virtual (((hugs))). I'll be thinking of you and your family as you mourn your beloved sister.

>42 msf59: Mark - So sorry for this incredible sadness for a young woman who was so loved.

>89 Donna828: Thank you very much, Donna. Losing a close sibling is very painful, as you could imagine.

>90 m.belljackson: Thank you, Marianne. Kathy will be missed, that is for sure. She was a bright spot in many of our lives.

>80 msf59: Reality has been edited for conciseness over accuracy.

Reality clearly needs some vigorous editing these days. I know you're holding tight to Jackson though the power of new blessings over lost ones is never perfect.

>92 quondame: " Reality has been edited for conciseness over accuracy." Amen, Susan and yes we are holding Jack a little bit tighter these days.

^Jackson Day at the library on Friday. He wasn't much interested in storytime but he loved this train set and the trucks.

^My next read, along with a mighty tasty beverage. My Bears won too and with a rookie QB standing in. Do not mind the laundry strewn on the sofa. At least it is clean...😁

>95 msf59: Interesting subject for your next read, if a little depressing for your bird-lovin' self. Or so I'd imagine...but I'd see the endangered part and I'm guessing you're focused on the saving part, so there's that.

Jackson with the truck...well...how perfectly little-boy-cute is that.

>96 richardderus: Morning, RD. My good friend Mike is president of our birding club and he selected A Wing and a Prayer for a club read. No one else was interested but the 2 of us. I am sure much of it will be depressing (just what I need, right?) but I am hoping for some bright spots too.

Yep, Jack LOVES his trucks!!

>94 msf59: Jackson and Rowan are, like, spiritual twins. 😆

‘Morning, Mark! Still no birds on my feeders.

>79 msf59: Yup, Arsenal tied. In the 67th minute Declan Rice scored on an error by the Chelsea goalie, then Troussard scored 7 minutes later on a sweet assist by Saka. I was happy to get the tie, with them being down 2-0 with only 23 minutes to go in regulation time.

Yay for your Bears.

>81 msf59: My reading of romances since last April, and specifically MM romances since July of last year, is the adult equivalent of this cartoon.

>96 richardderus: Book, beer, your PO truck. Quintessential Mark.

>95 msf59: Stellar game for Dem Bears. It seems like the entire team rose up to support the novice QB. Graduate of a division II school, undrafted, winner of his first game as a pro.

Your club read looks worthwhile to a non-birder (me). Just last week, the NYTimes had a long piece on efforts to document the numbers of birds that collide with buildings in NY, and negotiating with building owners and occupants to make bird-saving alterations.

I am probably going to dive into Red Famine later today.

>98 Storeetllr: Hooray for Jack & Rowan being soulmates, Mary! Yah!!

>99 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. My feeders have mostly been quiet today. Go figure! Glad your Arsenal team is doing so well. Hey, nothing wrong with those comfort reads.

>100 weird_O: Howdy, Bill. That was one Bears game that was a joy to watch from beginning to end. Chicagoland has fallen in love with Bagent. Justin Fields who?

I am enjoying my birding book, although much of it is unsettling. Red Famine sounds really interesting.

>94 msf59: Going to the library looks like serious business for Jackson.

>102 quondame: LOL. I want him to have that kind of laser focus on the books, Susan.

-Bill Bramhall

>42 msf59: Mark, I am sending wishes that your memories of your sister help you through the journey of grief. I'm thinking of you.

‘Morning, Mark! Happy Tuesday to you.

>104 msf59: I wouldn’t mind seeing the Gang of Psychos implode, except that it directly affects my country. I believe in our two-party system and wish the extreme right-wingers would leave politics so that bipartisanship, compromise, and the reasonably intelligent running of the country would get back on track. I also wish you-know-who would go to idiot heaven.

>105 Whisper1: Thank you very much, Linda. It has been tough but I am hanging in there.

>106 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. I also support the two-party system but the GOP needs to implode and rebuild itself. Not sure that is going to happen in our lifetime. ☹️

"Three years ago, headlines delivered shocking nearly three billion birds in North America have vanished over the past fifty years. No species has been spared, from the most delicate jeweled hummingbirds to scrappy black crows, from a rainbow of warblers to common birds such as owls and sparrows...For the past year, veteran journalists Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal traveled more than 25,000 miles across the Americas, chronicling costly experiments, contentious politics, and new technologies to save our beloved birds from the brink of extinction."

I mentioned upthread, that I was going to be reading A Wing and a Prayer: The Race to Save Our Vanishing Birds next. I am now 60 pages in and quite enjoying it, despite the disturbing stats. It truly boggles my mind, how dedicated and selfless many of these bird lovers and conservationists are. At the bare minimum, I need to at least start sending a few bucks to these organizations.



California Scrub-Jay (NMP). I have seen them in Oregon. There is also the Florida Scrub-Jay, which I have not seen.

Mark, thanks for bringing A Wing and a Prayer: The Race to Save our Vanishing Birds* to my attention. My library has it, so it's now on my never-ending list and I'll request it one of these days.

* my goodness, there are A LOT of touchstones for "a wing and a prayer"! The full title was the quickest way to get there.

>42 msf59: Oh Mark, I’m just now reading of your loss. A new reality it shall be and I pray that you and your family remain strong through the tough times ahead.
Hugs my friend.

>109 lauralkeet: I think you will really like A Wing and a Prayer: The Race to Save our Vanishing Birds, Laura and yes, use the full title. LOL. Looking forward to spending more time with the book today.

>110 Carmenere: Thank you very much for your kind, supportive comments, Lynda. Return hugs...

>82 msf59: You reminded me that I stalled out on the Sean Duffy series. I had the next book in the series on hold at my library but I guess I waited too long to pick it up because my library's copy disappeared while on there. I hate when that happens.

Nice photos of truck loving Jack!

Hiya Birddude. The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan is coming out from Knopf this coming April...it's on NetGalley at the moment. Described as:
A gorgeous, witty account of birding, nature, and the beauty around us that hides in plain sight, written and illustrated by the best-selling author of The Joy Luck Club • With a foreword by David Allen Sibley

“Unexpected and spectacular” —Ann Patchett, best-selling author of These Precious Days

"The drawings and essays in this book do a lot more than just describe the birds. They carry a sense of discovery through observation and drawing, suggest the layers of patterns in the natural world, and emphasize a deep personal connection between the watcher and the watched. The birds that inhabit Amy Tan’s backyard seem a lot like the characters in her novels.” —David Allen Sibley, from the foreword

Tracking the natural beauty that surrounds us, The Backyard Bird Chronicles maps the passage of time through daily entries, thoughtful questions, and beautiful original sketches. With boundless charm and wit, author Amy Tan charts her foray into birding and the natural wonders of the world.

In 2016, Amy Tan grew overwhelmed by the state of the world: Hatred and misinformation became a daily presence on social media, and the country felt more divisive than ever. In search of peace, Tan turned toward the natural world just beyond her window and, specifically, the birds visiting her yard. But what began as an attempt to find solace turned into something far greater—an opportunity to savor quiet moments during a volatile time, connect to nature in a meaningful way, and imagine the intricate lives of the birds she admired.
***

Worth a look, I'd say!

I love Ami Tan. This will be a treat.

Hi Mark, I am so sorry to read of the loss of your sister and I am sending virtual hugs your way. I've been going through the wringer myself the last couple of weeks with both my brother and my husband but luckily at this point all are stable. Getting older can definitely be difficult!

I do have my copy of Gap Creek ready to go and I think I will probably kick off November with it.

>112 Familyhistorian: I am glad that was a reminder to get back on the Sean Duffy series, Meg. Which one are you on? Hooray for "truck loving Jack!"

>113 richardderus: Wow! The Backyard Bird Chronicles definitely sounds like my cuppa. High praise from Sibley and Patchett is good enough for me. Amy Tan is a wonder. Wasn't she in a rock band with Stephen King in the 80s and 90s?

>115 DeltaQueen50: Thank you, Judy. I can't believe it has been a week already. Sorry to hear that you are dealing with family health issues too. I hope it remains stable. Glad we are still up for Gap Creek in November.

^Jackson seems to get the lion's share of attention around here, so lets not forget about our girl Juno. She still has her neurotic issues but overall has been a good dog. Yesterday, I hit the trails with her on a gorgeous October morning.

'Late Morning, Mark, and happy Wednesday to you.

Awww, look at that sweet pupper. I'm glad she's a good girl on the trails and camping.

There's a hawk circling over our recently bush hogged pastures - lots of critters - but nary a bird on the feeders. Yesterday I enjoyed watching a male Bluebird take a long bath in the bird bath. He'd dip, shake, then look around to make sure he was still safe before dipping again.

>118 msf59: Awww, how adorable Juno is! Our cat Carson has his neurotic issues, as well, but when he sleeps on my lap while I read, I'm putty in his paws. :-)

All your reading sounds great. I'll be interested in how A Wing and a Prayer lands although I don't think I could stand the agony of reading it.

Have a great day, Mark!

>116 msf59: I like the look of Amy Tan's bird chronicles; the typeface exudes discrete good taste, and suits my aesthetic sensibilities. I note in particular that she did the illustrations, too. Destined for The WANT!! List^™.

>119 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. Hooray for sweet puppers and bathing bluebirds! Hopefully, the hawk just chased away the birds temporarily. It is usually the case.

>120 EBT1002: Hi, Ellen. Yep, we still love our neurotic pets. Sadly, we think most of Juno's issues were from her unpleasant and possibly traumatic past.

Thankfully, "A Wing and a Prayer" is balanced with hope and perseverance. I think you would like it.

>121 weird_O: Hey, Bill. It looks like The Backyard Bird Chronicles has landed hard on both of our TBR lists. Have you read Tan before?

>118 msf59: - Such a sweet face!

"Four detectives in four different time periods of London find themselves investigating the same murder."

^Reportedly, "Bodies" is currently the most popular British crime series on Netflix. I had not heard of it or the Graphic Novel series that it is based on. Has anyone here seen it yet? It definitely sounds interesting.

>124 msf59: - Richard mentioned it favorably the other day, and I added it to my watch list... Intriguing premise!

>42 msf59: So sorry to hear about your loss Mark. Keeping you and your family in my thoughts.

Love the toppers and the Jackson photos.

>124 msf59: This is on my list.

>123 katiekrug: >125 katiekrug: She does have a sweet face, Katie. Good to know about "Bodies". I must have missed RD's comments.

>126 Caroline_McElwee: >127 Caroline_McElwee: Thank you very much, Caroline. Glad you like the toppers.

^Even on a cloudy day our firebushes are popping this time of year but you have to be quick, the leaves will drop soon. Honestly, the photo doesn't do it justice.

>129 msf59: They look great, Mark. I love the colors in autumn. The yellow behind the house is striking too.

>130 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita. The fall colors are really impressive right not. Sadly, the trees will be bare in just a few short weeks. ☹️

^ The Pigeon Tunnel is a new documentary, streaming on Apple. It is directed by acclaimed filmmaker Errol Morris. I thought it was excellent. Fans of the "memoir" that it is based on and fans of John Le Carre's books will find plenty to enjoy here. I really loved the book (read in 2016) and I thought it might prompt me to read/reread his impressive body of work but of course I dropped the ball on that one. I plan on trying again- I think I will start with The Perfect Spy which I have not read. It is his most autobiographical novel. Not sure when I will be able bookhorn it in.

>129 msf59: Oh, those are fantastic! We have one, but it's teeny compared to those. Gorgeous.

>131 msf59: I was just saying to Charlie yesterday that I hope the weather holds for a while longer; all those leaves need are one good rain and then, poof, they're on the ground and we've hit Depressing Bare Branches Season. *sigh*

>133 scaifea: Sweet Thursday, Amber. Great to see you. We had some nice weather here this week but a big change coming next week. Low 40s. Ugh!

‘Morning, Mark! Sweet Thursday to you.

>124 msf59: I want to watch it and have added it to My List.

>129 msf59: Gorgeous, even if the pic doesn’t do them justice.

Nary a bird in sight, so no feeder report. I can hear crows in the distance, though.

>135 karenmarie: Sweet Thursday, Karen. Nothing at my feeders either. WTH? I will let you know what I think about "Bodies". I may start it next week.

>137 msf59: Quite right too...

>117 msf59:
I plan on joining you for Gap Creek in November. My copy is in Tuscaloosa and as soon as I get back there I will start reading it. I am on the road now, so should be back tomorrow.

>129 msf59: Wow, those are beautiful. I need bushes like those.

>138 Caroline_McElwee: 👍👍

>139 benitastrnad: How is your Mom doing, Benita. Will you have to return soon? Looking forward to Gap Creek.

>140 The_Hibernator: The firebush is very popular here, Rachel. Obviously, they only burst into this color for a very short time but it is worth it.

-Mike Luckovich

>137 msf59: We have every one of those on our little 3.3 acres except The Beaver...
(unless that's a Capybara and not a Possum!)...
a Black Bear wandered down to Token Creek from Middleton, Wisconsin a few months ago...

Amy Tan's new book sounds like a Great Group Read - April 2024, right?

>143 m.belljackson: Sweet Thursday, Marianne. Good to see you. Glad to hear you have plenty of those critters around.

I want to highly recommend A Wing and a Prayer: The Race to Save Our Vanishing Birds. I think you will love this book. I think doing a shared read of the new Amy Tan sounds like a perfect idea. 😁👍

"Union soldier John Chenneville suffered a traumatic head wound in battle. His recovery took the better part of a year as he struggled to regain his senses and mobility. By the time he returned home, the Civil War was over, but tragedy awaited. John’s beloved sister and her family had been brutally murdered...Consumed with grief, driven by vengeance, John undertakes an unrelenting odyssey across the lawless post–Civil War frontier seeking redemption."

I really enjoyed the four western-themed books, that I have read by Ms. Jiles, with News of the World being my favorite. Once again, thanks to Suzanne, I have an advanced copy Chenneville, which was published in September. I dipped into it today and I got cozy with it immediately.

>121 weird_O: I have 5 Amy Tan books on the shelves (or in a box). Shamefully, I've read only The Bonesetter's Daughter. Something else I have to rectify.

Hey, buddy. Just wanted to again give you my sympathy and support over the loss of your sister. That must open a big hole in your heart, particularly since you were close and she also was a good friend. Sending hugs, buddy.

Hey Mark, just popping in to say Hi.

Your endorsement of News of the World makes me want to bump it up the TBR. I have it on the shelf already.

>132 msf59: Thanks for the recommendation. I will check it out.

>137 msf59: So true. It's interesting, in the city, there are certain people who moved to a bog area to be close to nature and those are usually the first to complain when an animal grazes on their trees/lawn.

>129 msf59: The fire bushes a quite stunning. I find that they are extra so this year

Happy weekend reads.

>146 weird_O: I hope you can bookhorn in a Tan, Bill. The only one I can highly recommend is The Joy Luck Club.

>147 jnwelch: Thank you very much, Joe. I still can't believe she is gone. It is going to take some time.

>148 mahsdad: Hey, Jeff. You HAVEN'T read News of the World?? You need to rectify that, pronto and I am sure that will lead you into reading the rest of her work.

>149 figsfromthistle: I highly recommend The Pigeon Tunnel doc, Anita. People still freak out here about coyotes and foxes, although it is extremely rare that they attack anyone's beloved pet.

Hooray for the firebushes!!

"Part memoir and part literary true crime, Tell Me Everything is the mesmerizing story of a landmark sexual assault investigation and the private investigator who helped crack it open."

I don't remember how I stumbled across Tell Me Everything but I am glad I did. I like the mix of memoir and investigation, although the assault case is a monstrous one. Unpleasant echoes of Missoula. I started the audio yesterday and her engaging narrative got my attention right away.

"When a young writer accepts a job at a university in the remote English countryside, it's meant to be a fresh start, away from the bustle of London and the scene of a violent assault she is desperate to forget...When a troubled student starts turning in chapters that blur the lines between fiction and reality, the professor recognizes herself as the main character in his book--and he has written her a horrific fate."

108- The Body Lies by Jo Baker 3.7 stars

When I learned that this was the same author that penned Longbourn, which I read and enjoyed in 2016, I decided to give this one a try, despite some lackluster reviews. I thought it was a solid mystery/thriller, a bit on the quiet side but with an interesting premise. It also worked well on audio.

>152 msf59: - I read that one a few years ago, after Bonnie recommneded it. I don't remember much about it, but LT tells me I rated it 4 stars.

Have a good Friday, Mark!

>153 katiekrug: Happy Friday, Katie. I don't remember a lot of LT activity on The Body Lies but I am glad to hear you gave it 4 stars. I enjoyed it too.

‘Morning, Mark! Happy Friday to you, and happy Jack at the park morning.

>142 msf59: Yikes. A far-right whack job. Bad times ahead.

No birds on the feeders or in the trees right now. I guess they're getting their fill of natural foods until they can't.

Hi, Mark. So sorry to hear about your sister. 61 is much too young to leave this life. My deep condolences.

Regarding birds, there's an article in Scientific American this month about a program to inoculate the California Condor population against bird flu. Was that discussed in A Wing and a Prayer? I didn't realize that condors maintained family ties, which of course means they do not naturally isolate when ill. An amazing effort.

>155 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. Great time with Jackson. BOO to whack-jobs!! Just what we need, right?

>156 ffortsa: Thank you very much, Judy. She will be missed. They did not mention the condor story in the book but did include many other bird acts that were just as impressive.

^Jackson Day! ❤️

'Morning, Mark! Happy Saturday to you. I hope you all have a wonderful time tonight at Sue's birthday party, Halloween baby that she is!

>158 msf59: I can't stand it - those are among the cutest pictures yet. Especially the one with his binoculars.

No activity on the feeders or the Crepe Myrtle.

Off I go to watch Arsenal play Sheffield United.

>158 msf59: Jackson absorbed, Jackson delighted! Looks like a great day for you both!

Early Sunday greetings, Mark. I hope you have a wonderful day.

The pic of Jackson with his binoculars is just too cute, Mark! He's really growing up.

>159 karenmarie: >161 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. We had a very nice family gathering last night and of course we got to see Jackson again too. Win, win and speaking of wins I hope Arsenal won.

>160 quondame: I had a good time hanging out with him, Susan. He can sure brighten my day.

>162 lauralkeet: Hi, Laura. Yep, that photo has sure been a hit. I am glad I was standing in the right spot.

My son and I when to the movies yesterday and saw The Killers of the Flower Moon. It was fantastic, despite the relentless horror on screen. Of course, it was based on the excellent nonfiction book, which I also highly recommend, if you have not read it. The film does change the format. The book focused on the FBI investigation and the film focuses on the white, wicked men and the Osage Indians. I thought it worked perfectly. My favorite film of the year, just ahead Oppenheimer. It is a long film, 3 1/2 hrs, so keep that in mind but I had no problem with the length.

Letter to the Person Who Carved His Initials into the Oldest Living Longleaf Pine in North America

Tell me what it’s like to live without
curiosity, without awe. To sail
on clear water, rolling your eyes
at the kelp reefs swaying
beneath you, ignoring the flicker
of mermaid scales in the mist,
looking at the world and feeling
only boredom. To stand
on the precipice of some wild valley,
the eagles circling, a herd of caribou
booming below, and to yawn
with indifference. To discover
something primordial and holy.
To have the smell of the earth
welcome you to everywhere.
To take it all in and then,
to reach for your knife.

by Matthew Olzmann

The Wayne and I want to see KotFM. Good to hear it was worth the time!

>166 katiekrug: Morning, Katie. It is a terrific film, with excellent performances. Did you read the book?

>165 msf59: Wow! What a powerful poem by Olzmann! I’m going to do some research into this guy.

Karen O

I found a book of poetry from Olzmann (Constellation Route) and the poem you shared is on it! I’ll have to wait to read the library book (I’m second in line for the one copy). Thanks for posting!

>42 msf59: I am just now catching up on your threads Mark. I am so very sorry to read the news of your sister's sudden passing. That must be very difficult. Thinking of you and family.

>165 msf59: Oh no, Matthew! Don't tell me!

>168 klobrien2: Happy Sunday, Karen. Someone on the Club Read's Poetry thread, posted the Olzman poem and I was immediately smitten. Glad you were struck by it too. I also requested Constellation Route.

>169 mdoris: Thank you very much, Mary. Just trying to move forward.

>170 quondame: I remember reading that story when it broke, Susan. Damn kids. ☹️

-Clay Jones

The postman left a package in the box on Friday. Thanks, man.

Been a very mixed weekend. Got about a quarter of The 100-Year-Old Man... read Friday night into Saturday morning. But it was reading in the ER. Watched The Grand Gracie's fh team best their opponent in OT. Gracie got some playing time, but not nearly enough (consensus amongst her grandfathers and her father). Watched streaming on my laptop. In the ER.

Today, the Eagles have been seriously challenged by the Washington football team. But the game is inside 2 minutes, and the visitors have a two td lead. Oh...well, a td lead. 1:01 on the clock. At least I watched the game on my own tv. Zooming with my children in just a few mintes.

I might watch the Bears game tonight. Some of it, anyway. But I do have to get some reading time. And, yes, after Zoom, I'll post my ER fantasy on my thread.

>173 weird_O: ER?? Is everything okay? Back home safe and sound? Glad you got the book okay. I watched the end of the Eagles game and they pulled it out. I hope you can watch some of the Bears game hoping for back to back wins, which have been precious few these days.

The Second Coming

Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.

Surely some revelation is at hand;
Surely the Second Coming is at hand.
The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out
When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi
Troubles my sight: somewhere in sands of the desert
A shape with lion body and the head of a man,
A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,
Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it
Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds.
The darkness drops again; but now I know
That twenty centuries of stony sleep
Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?

-William Butler Yeats

Monday orisons, Birddude. I know it's frosty there this morning, as it's drizzly and grim here I relate.

Your firebushes are so beautiful!

Splendid that you liked Killers of the Flower Moon...at that length I will absolutely not be able to do so in the theater.

‘Morning, Mark! Brrr in Chicagoland. We're getting to 85F today, then a cold front will have us at 48F tomorrow.

>163 msf59: Yup, Arsenal won 5-0, a huge win goals-wise. I posted more on my thread, so won’t bore folks here… *smile*

>164 msf59: I’ve had this book on my shelves since last June. I’ve been horrors-adverse since last April, except for fiction. I’ve got 2 nonfiction books going right now – The Federalist and An Immense World, both fascinating.

>172 msf59: Ugh. Crocodile tears.

>175 msf59: Gives me shivers every time I read this.

Happy Post-Retirement Monday!

>176 richardderus: Happy Monday, RD. Yes, it is chilly but with bountiful sunshine. The fall colors are popping. The Flowers of the Killer Moon should stream on Apple at some point. Not sure of the date yet. Do you have that service?

>177 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. Enjoy the warmth today. Not bad here today but only in the 30s tomorrow. Hooray for Arsenal! Boo to the Bears! I hope you can find time to read Killer Moon. It is an amazing book.

>178 Storeetllr: Thanks, Mary. I think our new Speaker of the House uttered those very same words, after the Maine shooting. Sighs...

-Limpkin

"A limpkin is a large wading bird with long legs and a long, slightly curved bill. It has dark brown feathers with white spots or flecks on the head. It is related to rails and cranes. It lives in wetlands in warm parts of the Americas, from Florida to northern Argentina."

^I saw my very first limpkin while on a swamp tour, during my New Orleans visit. Only a very brief glimpse. There have been limpkin sightings in northern Illinois the past few weeks. On Saturday, I received a hot tip that one showed up at a local forest preserve and I dashed out to see it. I found it immediately, (other birders were present). It was feeding along the river bank and was not shy at all. I even managed to get a few photos. These birds rarely leave the coastal southern states, so it was a treat. Not only an Illinois Lifer but a Dupage County first as well. In the past year or so, I have been working on boosting up my county list, which stands at 233 species. It gets tougher and tougher, as you go along but I managed to add 9 species so far this year, which is beyond my expectations. It takes a rarity to show up.

>175 msf59: What an amazing poem. And clearly one that has inspired a long list of (additional) great writers.

>180 msf59: What an elegant array that Limpkin displays!

>181 EBT1002: Amen, Ellen. This was the first time that I really hunkered down with Yeats and came away mighty impressed. Of course, "Second Coming" was my favorite.

>182 quondame: The limpkin may have dull coloring but it still finds a way to dazzle.

‘Morning, Mark! Happy Tuesday to you. Happy Birthday to Sue.

To early for the bird report, but they have been scarce at the feeders in recent days.

>180 msf59: Gorgeous bird, wonderful photo.

>184 karenmarie: Morning Karen and thanks. I will pass on the birthday wishes to Sue. Glad you like the limpkin.

^Happy Halloween, everyone! And Happy Birthday to the best Grandma in the world! ❤️❤️

>180 msf59: I've actually seen one of those, also in New Orleans, though I didn't know what the heck it was. They're hard to spot with that coloring, aren't they?

It's telling that they're all the way up in Illinois now, isn't it.

Congratulations on your excellent county-list addition!

>187 richardderus: Congrats on also seeing a limpkin, RD. They seem to be most prevalent in Florida, so it is a good sighting either way. Limpkins are normally very rare this far north. Climate change, perhaps? I think that would be a safe bet. I hope they make it back down south safely.

>186 msf59: Cute picture Mark! Happy Halloween.

Sometimes birds will stray from the place they belong. I once saw three flamingos at the shore of the Dutch Waddenzee. Beautiful and totally out of place.

Hi Mark and Happy Halloween! I thought that I would just give Gap Creek a quick peep but it reached out and grabbed me and before I knew it I had read half of the book. This is an excellent and compassionate story of Appalachia and the people who live there. They literally have nothing but their dignity and the author conveys their story with a poetic simplicity.

>186 msf59: The darling squash!

Happy Halloween, Mark! What a sweet picture of Sue and Jackson!

>190 DeltaQueen50:
I found a used copy of Gap Creek today at the Used Bookstore at the library. I will be ready to read it sometime this weekend. I am finishing another book for a real life book group now and should be done with it by the weekend.

>193 benitastrnad: I am looking forward to your thoughts on Gap Creek, Benita.

>189 EllaTim: Thanks, Ella. We had a nice Halloween. Very cool that you got to see flamingos. There were a few that ended up in Wisconsin a couple of months ago. They rarely venture farther than southern Florida.

>190 DeltaQueen50: Thanks, Judy. Glad to hear that you are already enjoying Gap Creek and flying through it. I hope to pick up my copy today.

>191 quondame: Good description, Susan. 😁

>192 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deb.

>193 benitastrnad: I thought you had a copy of Gap Creek on shelf, Benita. I did not have a copy either. I won't start it until next week sometime.

Happy November! I had another great reading month in October, reading a whopping 14 titles. At least 6 off shelf (includes audio & Kindle picks), which I am very happy about. Lots of big guns here too, like The Singapore Grip and Skippy Dies, which I can finally cross off the list. A nice variety too- epics, mysteries, memoirs, graphic novels, poetry and short stories. Hard to pick a top read but I think This Other Eden comes closest. I still have a few mini-reviews to knock out. This month should be a promising one too.

November plans:

Black Butterflies by Priscilla Morris
Gap Creek by Robert Morgan (shared read)
The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year by Margaret Renkl
Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward
Prophet Song by Paul Lynch AlphaKit: L

-Joe Heller

Happy November, Mark! I hope you like Black Butterflies as much as I (and many others!) did. I'm putting the new Jesmyn Ward on my Christmas list and hope to find it under the tree.

>197 msf59: - A neighboring town to us has banned gas-powered leaf blowers, and our town is considering the same. The landscaping companies aren't happy about it, of course. We have an electric one which is so much quieter, as is our electric mower.

>198 katiekrug: Hi, Katie. I am looking forward to Black Butterflies, which I will start today. Anne shared her book with me. It looks like it has made the LT rounds. Honestly, I can't believe I haven't got to the latest Ward yet. It has been in the stacks for several months.

Let's hope for a national ban on gas-powered leaf blowers! Glad to hear you are electric. I wish I would have thought of that, last time I bought a mower. Next time, for sure.

>199 msf59: Ooh so Black Butterflies is with you now, Mark! Yay! I think it started with Vivian and has traveled all over the country. Anyway, I know you'll like it. It's just your cuppa.

‘Morning, Mark, and happy Wednesday to you.

>197 msf59: *smile*

I had a Downy on the suet feeder yesterday. No visitors now.

>200 lauralkeet: Happy November, Laura. Yes, Anne kindly shared her copy with me. I will also pass it along, if anyone else is interested. Looking forward to starting it today.

>201 karenmarie: Happy Wednesday, Karen. I just stopped by your place. My feeders are quiet too.

"In a peaceful retirement village, four unlikely friends meet up once a week to investigate unsolved murders...
But when a brutal killing takes place on their very doorstep, the Thursday Murder Club find themselves in the middle of their first live case. Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron might be pushing eighty but they still have a few tricks up their sleeves."

I was looking for another crime series to start on audio and I know there are many fans of The Thursday Murder Club series, so I decided to go with the first one. It is also narrated by Lesley Manville, who I have greatly admired as an actor. I dipped into it yesterday and like its easy style.

>203 msf59: I hope you like Thursday Murder Club, and then continue on with the series. I have been thrilled with it—it’s funny, very serious at times, and I love the characters!

Karen O

>150 msf59: Mark - kids and adults can enjoy COYOTES IN THE CROSSWALK.

Great ideas for wildlife protection, though the Rats chapter needs revising since the 1995 publication,
notably for residents of NYC and Chicago.

>186 msf59: Very cute. And birthday wishes to grandma too.

>203 msf59: I read the TMC books in print, Mark, but I can imagine Leslie Manville is excellent. I loved the books.

>204 klobrien2: >207 lauralkeet: Thursday Murder Club is off to a dandy start. Nice to hear from a couple of fans. I really like the audio narration.

>205 m.belljackson: Coyotes in the Crosswalk sounds like a good, informative children's book. Thanks for the tip, Marianne.

>206 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks, Caroline. I will pass it along.

-Mike Luckovich

>209 msf59: mm hmm


Another one in the faux-religious ones' eyes.

>210 richardderus: Nailed it! Thanks, RD!

>210 richardderus: I love that one!

I am not even trying to catch up, Mark, but just swinging by to say "Hello!" I think catching up on threads is going to have to wait until next week (maybe) as there is just so much to do at home. Teach me to leave for 2+ weeks again!

"Exploring the Siege of Sarajevo through the lens of one woman’s experience, Morris’ haunting novel about a painter and teacher who refuses to flee combines the traumatic realities of war with hope, resilience and solace in art."

Thanks to Anne, a copy of Black Butterflies finally landed on my doorstep, after traveling across the country. It was read and enjoyed by several other LTers including Vivian, Laura and Katie. I am sure I will be adding even more praise. I did read the first 60 pages today and can already tell this one will be special.

-Goat's Bridge, Sarejevo

"The day eight-year-old Zora walked alone to the Goat's Bridge and made up her mind to become a painter was the day her will was born."

-Black Butterflies

>212 alcottacre: Happy Wednesday, Stasia. Good to see you. Just stop by when you can. No problem, my friend.

Looks like you may need to make some name changes to your Lifer list:

https://www.npr.org/2023/11/01/1209660753/these-american-birds-and-dozens-more-w...

>195 msf59:
Our library had a copy of it. I went to check it out and for some strange reason I can't. I am blocked. I think it has something to do with my retirement, but am not sure. The public library didn't have it, so I went to the used bookstore and found it for $3.00. I won't start reading it until this weekend. I am currently working on Remarkably Bright Creatures.

Hey Mark, I fell very behind on your thread, so sorry for the late comments but here we go...

So sorry to hear about your sister's passing. My thoughts are with your family.

Jackson is growing up! And looking adorable as ever, both with his binoculars and on the swing.

Congrats on the newest lifer! Your list sounds awfully impressive.

And finally, glad to see you're enjoying The Thursday Murder Club. I just finished book #3 in the series, and continue to enjoy it.

Hope today was a good one!

>216 kac522: Thank you for that, Kathy. I have heard this idea being thrown around the past few years but I didn't know it was actually going to happen. Very curious to see what names they come up with. That has got to be quite the challenge.

>217 benitastrnad: I picked up my copy of Gap Creek yesterday. I hope you have a good time with Remarkably Bright Creatures. I enjoyed that one.

>218 bell7: Sweet Thursday, Mary and thank you for the kind words. Yep, we sure enjoy our Jackson. The Thursday Murder Club is off to a dandy start.

-American Crow



-Rusty Blackbirds (migrants)

Sadly, I have not taken many bird photos these past couple of months but here are two from October. I really like the look of the rusty blackbirds but we only see them in spring and fall, but usually in a large flock.

>213 msf59: Oh me! Me!! I really, really want to read this one. Pretty please?

>220 msf59: You saw rusty blackbirds?! IN CHICAGO?! Wow, were they late this year.

I do love me some corvids. They are such smart animals, and unlike most people I find their calls interesting not grating. Somehow I feel more like they're talking even if not to me, so I don't hear it as screechy.

>221 richardderus: >222 richardderus: Morning, RD. The book as yours. Hopefully you'll be able to pass it along when you are through with it. I think it started out on the East Coast. LOL.

Glad to hear that you are a fan of rusty blackbirds. Did you see them in Texas? I am not sure exactly when they start migrating through but this seems to be the right time.

106- How to Say Babylon: A Memoir by Safiya Sinclair 4.3 stars

This is a beautifully written memoir from poet Safiya Sinclair. It focuses on her childhood in Jamaica and her love/hate relationship with her strict, over-bearing Rastafarian father and her submissive mother. How Safiya battled these obstacles to find success is the major theme here. I hope we hear more from this talented author.

110- Tell Me Everything: The Story of a PI by Erika Krouse 4.3 stars

I like memoirs and I like true crime stories so Tell Me Everything was a perfect fit. Author Erika Krouse finds private investigative work, assisting on a lawsuit, investigating a top university for multiple sex assaults by their football players. Krouse discovers she has a real talent for this kind of work but it also drums up her own disturbing memories of being sexually abused as a child. Issues she is still dealing with in her 30s. This is a tough read, so trigger warnings abound but I was also found it to be a totally engrossing, well-written book. It also an excellent audiobook.

>223 msf59: We used to see (in Texas, yes) the influx of rusty grackles (as we called them then) starting in late September, then building to a rush the week before Halloween. A few stragglers after that, but really by now it was all over. What a difference 40 years makes, eh?

Thanks for the book...no rush, of course, since I am NOT out of the reading materials necessary to a happy life just yet.

I went ahead and finished Gap Creek, Mark, and now I am looking forward to hearing what you and Benita think of it. This is a book that really resonated with me and I gave it 5 stars but I do see that it seems to get mixed reviews so not sure how it will hit you two.

‘Morning, Mark, and happy Friday to you. Yesterday got all catty-wompus with strange chiropractor scheduling issues, and I completely forgot to visit.

>203 msf59: I’m glad you are trying this series. I need to get caught up on it because it’s really quite good.

>209 msf59: and >210 richardderus: Yup.

>220 msf59: I’ve never heard or Rusty Blackbirds although they winter here in NC.

Happy Friday, Mark!

I haven't seen much migrating birds. With the cooler weather a lot of rain, so not much time spend outside to watch the birds.


NMP
'Our' robin did arrive three days ago. It always comes in fall, and leaves in spring. Always nice to see it around in our garden :-)

>203 msf59: Happy Friday!

I just picked up the man who dies twice from the library. It looks like a nice cozy mystery. I have not read anything by Osman before. Hopefully it's a series that you don't have to start at the beginning.

>180 msf59: What an interesting bird!

>225 richardderus: Actually rusty grackles might be a better name, due to their light-colored eyes. Common Grackles are summer residents here. I have to finish Black Butterflies first, so maybe later next week.

>226 DeltaQueen50: Happy Friday, Judy. 5 stars for Gap Creek? Sweet. Even if we don't rate it that high, that is still promising. Enjoy your weekend.

>227 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. If you fail to visit, I figure there is a good reason. 😁I am still slowly making my way through The Thursday Murder Club but I am quite enjoying it. I hope you get to see a rusty blackbird at some point. They are attracted to wet areas, along a river or creek or in low lying areas, where water collects and they like being in a flock.

>228 FAMeulstee: Happy Friday, Anita. Sorry to hear you haven't been getting out much. Maybe the weather will improve. I like the European Robin. It is similar, in looks, to our Eastern Bluebird.

>229 figsfromthistle: Happy Friday, Anita. I am sure I will be adding The Man Who Died Twice to the list, once I finish the first one. Honestly, I always like reading a series in order, whenever possible of course.

Glad you like the "interesting" limpkin.

-Drew Sheneman

On Mindfulness

Home is a sound.
I can hear it
in the western meadowlark, the inlaid rocks in my driveway,
in the accent and slang
of my mom’s voice.
It’s engrained
in her stretched vowels,
in her smashed-together words, in her
hard Rs,
and in the word rez.

I grew up hearing this rez accent, but I didn’t know my mom had one
until I spent a year
in the south, where you can’t escape the heat
in the shade
because the humidity still clings to you.

I could smell
a Wyoming lake
and a budding Russian olive tree in her voice,
matted river moss melting in my hands.
The mental image I had of my mom had fallen
out of date.
And all my friends from the rez feel the same way. Sometimes we can still taste
a Maverick 99-cent refill from the location
that got shut down
because my late grandpa
kept robbing it, can still taste the water
from our old swimming spot in the drying river,
can still taste
milkweed sap.
Like burnt brass from a plug separated from a socket,
sometimes there’s a trace when things detach.

- Cooxooeii Black

...I'll just leave this here...

>234 richardderus: Good point, Mr. O'Donnell. 😁

>213 msf59: I just received a copy of that one recently. I am planning on reading the majority of this year's Woman's Prize longlist in 2024. I hope you continue to enjoy the book, Mark!

>224 msf59: Adding How to Say Babylon to the BlackHole. If no one else has claimed it, I would love your copy :)

Have a fantastic Friday, Mark!

>236 alcottacre: Happy Friday, Stasia. Black Butterflies has been excellent. I am sure you will love it too. How to Say Babylon is yours. I will try to get it out next week.

>238 msf59: That boy has wheels!

>226 DeltaQueen50:
I moved Gap Creek to the bedside table today. I will be done with one of my other books by this evening so should start Gap Creek tomorrow.

I did do a bit of background work on Robert Morgan. He is a professor of English at Cornell University. Most of his writing is poetry. He has published 16 books of poetry.

Maybe that means that his writing will be lyrical? :-)

I was surprised to learn that there is a sequel to Gap Creek. It is titled Road From Gap Creek.

>239 quondame: He sure is Hot Wheels these days, Susan. Happy Friday.

>240 benitastrnad: If you recall, Benita, I was introduced to Morgan by his terrific book Boone: A Biography, which I also highly recommend. I had heard of Gap Creek beforehand but had not realized he was the author. I also did not know he was a poet. Good to know.

Good to see you enjoying The Thursday Murder Club, Mark. Nice pic of the boy and his bike!

Glad you are enjoying Black Butterflies, Mark. I enjoyed it earlier this year . I own The Thursday Murder Club, but have yet to read it, despite hearing so many good things about the series. Great picture of Jack!

>209 msf59: Yes!

>242 Familyhistorian: >243 vancouverdeb: Two of my very favorite Canadians! Yah!

>242 Familyhistorian: I am enjoying The Thursday Murder Club, Meg. I am just not getting much audiobook time in. Glad you like the Jack pic.

>243 vancouverdeb: I will finish Black Butterflies today and it is an excellent and heart-rending novel. I hope you can bookhorn in The Thursday Murder Club, especially when you are in the mood for a lighter read.

Hooray for Jackson!

111- Chenneville by Paulette Jiles 4.2 stars

“...and the river seen at eye level was fringed on the far side by burr oaks a hundred and sixty feet tall, like the palisades of a great fortress. He floated in the milk-warm blood of a nation, of many nations.”

Union soldier John Chenneville is severely wounded in Virginia and after recovering for nearly a year, he returns to his home in St. Louis to continue his rehab. He soon finds out that his sister and her family have been brutally killed by a man named A.J Dodd. This sets Chenneville on a long, serpentine journey to track down this vicious killer. He does find romance along the way but nothing will sway him from his path of vengeance.
Paulette Jiles has been faithfully consistent about delivering well-written, satisfying novels, mostly set in the Old West and Chenneville is no exception. It is not as strong as News of the World but that one was first-class.

>245 msf59: - I'm looking forward to getting to this one. I agree about News of the World being special.

Have a great weekend, Mark!

>245 msf59: I just got a DRC of The Great Abolitionist: Charles Sumner and the Fight for a More Perfect Union by Stephen Puleo from St Martin's Press. The description:

In the tempestuous mid-19th century, as slavery consumed Congressional debate and America careened toward civil war and split apart–when the very future of the nation hung in the balance–Charles Sumner’s voice rang strongest, bravest, and most unwavering. Where others preached compromise and moderation, he denounced slavery’s evils to all who would listen and demanded that it be wiped out of existence. More than any other person of his era, he blazed the trail on the country’s long, uneven, and ongoing journey toward realizing its full promise to become a more perfect union.

Before and during the Civil War, at great personal sacrifice, Sumner was the conscience of the North and the most influential politician fighting for abolition. Throughout Reconstruction, no one championed the rights of emancipated people more than he did. Through the force of his words and his will, he moved America toward the twin goals of abolitionism and equal rights, which he fought for literally until the day he died. He laid the cornerstone arguments that civil rights advocates would build upon over the next century as the country strove to achieve equality among the races.

The Great Abolitionist is the first major biography of Charles Sumner to be published in over 50 years. Acclaimed historian Stephen Puleo relates the story of one of the most influential non-presidents in American history with evocative and accessible prose, transporting readers back to an era when our leaders exhibited true courage and authenticity in the face of unprecedented challenges.

I think you'd like it based on the teaser I read. It's up on NetGalley.

‘Morning, Mark, and happy Saturday to you!

>231 msf59: We have the right habitat for Rusty Blackbirds, since our property has a creek running through it. Part of the creek expands to a small pond-like bit, and depending on how much rain we get, a secondary branch of the creek makes a little island. C’mon, Rusty Blackbirds!

>232 msf59: Yup. Gang of Psychos.

>234 richardderus: I love Lawrence O’Donnell.

>238 msf59: Happy boy. Very cute pic.

I had a blue bird on the freshly-cleaned birdbath yesterday, a Downey on the suet feeder. Nobody’s visiting right now.

>246 katiekrug: Hi, Katie. If you are a fan of Jiles you should enjoy her latest.

>247 richardderus: Thanks for The Great Abolitionist rec, RD. It does sound very interesting and I will have to swing by NetGalley. Is this the same Sumner of Ft. Sumner fame?

>248 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. The rusty blackbirds may come through there but you just might not see them. Not always easy to differentiate from other blackbirds.

Hooray for Happy Jack and bluebirds.

>249 msf59: No indeed! Gen. Sumner died after the Battle of Fredericksburg...are you conflating this with Ft Sumter in South Carolina? The names are really similar but they're a continent apart.

Here's the link: https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/book/301431

>250 richardderus: Yep, I screwed that one up. If I would taken an extra minute to think that one through, I would have figured it out. Duh, Birddude!

"Sarajevo has transformed itself into a labyrinth of tank traps, barricades and no-go zones. 'Beware of the Sniper' is painted red on the walls, and shadowy checkpoints armed by police and thuggish-looking youths have sprung up on almost every street corner".

"Boys on both sides who used to be at school together, now killing each other. None of us really want to fight. It's all nineteen and twenty-year-olds who are dying. It is terrifying."

-Black Butterflies



-Mostar Bridge, Bosnia. (Destroyed in the war)

>234 richardderus: Ha.

"Set in the last years of the nineteenth century. Julie and Hank's new life in the valley of Gap Creek, in the Appalachian high country, is more complicated than the couple ever imagined."

Gap Creek was published in 1999 and I remember it being a popular title when it came out. I must have read a lukewarm review or two, because I never did read it. Earlier, this year I read and really enjoyed Morgan's book Boone: A Biography and then decided to finally read this novel and discovered that a couple of LT pals were also interested in reading it. Well, today is the day. I also had forgot that this was a sequel to an earlier book and he wrote another after Gap Creek.

FYI- Judy already finished it and loved it.

‘Morning, Mark, and happy Sunday to you. I hope your Bears win today. Alas, Arsenal lost yesterday.

>249 msf59: The creek is downhill and about 200 feet away from my Sunroom, so even in the dead of winter with most leaves off the trees, it would be hard too see what birds are hanging out down there.

The bird report on my thread was better than this one - no birds on the feeders, none on the Crepe Myrtle, or on the bird bath.

>238 msf59: A boy and his bike. Love it!

>186 msf59: Beautiful!

I see you have been enjoying a lot of historical fiction lately. I really enjoyed Giles’ News of the World earlier this year, how does the new book compare?

Hope you’re having a great weekend!

Hi Mark! I liked Gap Creek; but hardly remember it now. I should revisit it one of these days.

>254 msf59:
Gap Creek was an Oprah Book Club selection in January 2000. The fact that it is almost 25 years old might be the reason why people have a hard time remembering it. Here is the review of the book from the October 1999 issue of Publisher's Weekly.

The ordinary folk of Appalachia are Morgan's subjects, and here he offers another compassionate tale of poor people enduring brutal working lives and harsh deprivations with stoic dignity. While not as memorable as The Truest Pleasure, this story of a North Carolina mountain girl who marries at 16 and with her new husband goes to live in Gap Valley, over the border in South Carolina, is a quiet tale told with simplicity and tenderness. Julia Harmon has become accustomed to sawing firewood, digging ditches and caring for the livestock on her family's farm while her father dies of consumption. When she marries Hank Richards and begins to keep house for their mean-tempered landlord in Gap Creek, she has no idea of the disasters that await during her first year of marriage. Daily life is hard enough for Julia--hauling and then boiling gallons of water to wash clothes, butchering a hog and rendering lard, and scrubbing, preserving and baking. But then a fire envelops the kitchen and fatally burns the landlord, a flood almost destroys the house and outbuildings and ruins all their provisions, and a cold snap kills off everything else. Julia is pregnant and Hank has lost his job, and both have been gulled by sharpies into giving up their tiny savings. Moreover, Julia realizes, Hank is immature, hot-tempered and burdened with a defeatist attitude. Morgan's skill in character delineation is evident in his descriptions of Julia's maturation as she learns to handle her husband's frightening moods and behavior. Most impressive is his description of childbirth, which Julia endures alone. Tragedy follows, but when the young couple seem to have lost everything, a grudging fate finally smiles on them. Morgan's familiarity with all the aspects of rural life, from grueling domestic tasks to labor in the fields and woods, sometimes tempts him into detailed descriptions that verge on the tedious. Yet the narrative immerses the reader in a time, early in this century, and place when five dollars was a fortune, home-made jam a lifesaving gift and the simple act of going to church a step toward survival. (Oct.) Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

With a review like this it is probably a good thing that Oprah selected it or it might have ended up in obscurity. The review does make me wonder what Truest Pleasure is like?

>255 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. Bears just lost. Ugh! Why do I even watch? Sorry, about Arsenal. Maybe the rusty blackbirds will surprise you one of these days.

>256 Storeetllr: Happy Sunday, Mary. My weekend has been going well. Thanks. You can check out my mini-review of Chenneville a few posts back. I enjoyed it.

>257 banjo123: Hi, Rhonda. 50 pages into Gap Creek and I am liking it. Fairly easy narrative.

>259 msf59: I read your review before I posted my question but missed your comment about it being not quite as strong as News. 😊

‘Morning, Mark!

Sorry about your Bears. Thanks re Arsenal. I didn’t watch it, but the Panthers lost, too.

Nobody on the feeder, in the Crepe Myrtle, or on the birdbath.

>258 benitastrnad: Thanks for the extensive review, Benita. I am 80 pages in and enjoying it. Very detailed, describing a common woman's life at the time. What a grind. How far did you get?

>260 Storeetllr: I got ya, Mary. If you are a fan of Jiles, you should enjoy her latest.

>261 karenmarie:- Morning, Karen. Yep, another frustrating loss by my Bears. At least they looked good in the first half...sighs. Quiet at my feeders too.

>262 msf59:
I am somewhere around page 55. Julie has just met Hank. I tried to find a YouTube interview with Robert Morgan but all I could find was interviews with him about his Daniel Boone biography. I did learn that Morgan is a descendant of Daniel Boone. I looked at 3 different interviews and found it interesting that each interview referred to him as "a historian." I found that strange since most of his work is in poetry and he is a professor of English at Cornell University. Prior to Gap Creek I think he would have been referred to as a poet.

I also learned that Gap Creek is set in the 1800's. That makes it a work of historical fiction. The Civil War is not in the book so the time period is kept very vague. Perhaps that is on purpose?

>203 msf59: I love the Thursday Murder Club series by Richard Osman. I've read the first three and enjoy them. Seems to me that I read somewhere that this'll be turned into a movie. I'll have to check on that.

>247 richardderus: I got that Sumner book too. Looking forward to that one.

>264 lindapanzo: At the 215 mark, it's proving to be a very good read for me. Hope it'll do the same for you, Linda.

Happy new week, Birddude.

I know you have read a couple of books by Jon Clinch. He has a new one out General and Julia. it will be published November 14. Here is the Amazon link to the book.
https://www.amazon.com/General-Julia-Novel-Jon-Clinch/dp/1668009781/ref=sr_1_1?c...

>245 msf59: You introduced me to Jiles' books, Mark, and have not steered me wrong yet, so I will be on the lookout for that one!

>254 msf59: I think I have Gap Creek hanging around my house somewhere to read. I will have to see if I can locate my copy.

>263 benitastrnad: >266 benitastrnad: I remember reading about the Morgan/Boone connection, while I was reading the bio. Interesting. I am sure you have reached the point by now, but the Civil War is mentioned around page 80-85. According to comments by Julia and her MIL, it looks like the time period is between 1870-75.

The General and Julia is alreasy on my TBR but thanks anyway. Have you read him yet?

>264 lindapanzo: Hi, Linda. Good to see you. I am enjoying the first Thursday Night Murder Club book and I am sure I will continue. I think you might also like Gap Creek.

>265 richardderus: Good to know, RD.

>267 alcottacre: Hi, Stasia. I am sure you will enjoy Chenneville. You haven't read Gap Creek yet, either? Wow. Jump in if you find it. It has been a good read.

>268 msf59: Thanks, Mark. I will have to take a look at that one. With all of my concerns and worries right now, I'm pretty much sticking to cozy mysteries or else the occasional history book.

I just finished probably my favorite book of the year but I think you've already read it. Erik Larson's book about Churchill during WW2 called The Splendid and the Vile.

>269 lindapanzo: I understand, Linda. Read whatever brings you the most comfort. Perfect medicine. You can always catch up later. I also loved The Splendid and the Vile. Larson is still a master at NNF.

What did you think of the Cubs manager trade? Kind of shocking.

Glad you enjoyed Black Butterflies, so much, Mark. The Womens Prize longlist ( and shortlist) yielded a lot of good reads this year. I don't think I would have read Black Butterflies otherwise. I don't think I would have been aware of it. Yes, the books are treating me well so far. I'm happy to report the my grandson Miles, who was 3 in September is now going to preschool without crying and having to go home. He tried preschool last year and cried so much , they told Serenade and William that if he cried this year, he could not stay. But his other grandma stayed with him most of the preschool days this year, and finally he is feeling confident about it all. He knows what he is doing though. When I was over there a few weeks ago and asked after preschool, he smiled at me and said" I cry at preschool , and then I tell them, call my dad to pick me up, and he does." Smart cookies, these grandchildren.

>271 vancouverdeb: Hey, Deb. I loved Black Butterflies and it will stick with me for awhile. I hope it gets wider recognition. Hooray for Miles! What a big boy! My daughter also tried taking Jack to preschool a few months ago but she couldn't handle his crying and stopped. We really think he would benefit from the socializing but we can only make suggestions. 😁❤️

>270 msf59: I was shocked. I’d heard Counsell was going to the Mets and I NEVER heard he’d even interviewed with the Cubs.

This came out of left field, for sure.

David Ross is a great guy but maybe not the best manager. I hope he catches on somewhere else.

>273 lindapanzo: I bet it was stunning for a lot of fans! They are offering Counsell a lot of money. I hope he earns it. He is a very good coach.

-Clay Bennett

Hi, Mark, I finally made it back over to your thread. Sorry it took me so long!

I am so sorry to hear about your sister. That had to be such a shock. My condolences to you and all your family.

As usual, you've got lots of great pictures of Jackson!

>108 msf59: You've got me with a BB on that one.

>252 msf59: As I understand it, they have rebuilt the bridge in Bosnia.

Shocking news from the Cubs today. I sure didn't see that coming!

>276 atozgrl: Hi, Irene. Great to see you. Thanks, in regard to my sister. She will surely be missed. I hope you can get your mitts on A Wing and a Prayer: The Race to Save Our Vanishing Birds.

Hooray for Jackson! And I am glad to hear that Mostar Bridge was rebuilt. It was shocking news from the Cubs organization and I liked Ross, but at least they got a very good new manager. Fingers crossed that he is a good fit.

‘Morning, Mark! Happy Tuesday to you.

>275 msf59: The government of this country, the Gang of Psychos in particular, is so immoral and unethical when it comes to gun control.

I have a male Cardinal on the wild bird seed feeder, but that’s it.

>275 msf59: That there ARE gun stores appalls and disgusts me.

Enjoy the spectacle of the Danger Yam ruining his 2024 hopes by running his senile mouth in open court.

I did not get much read in Gap Creek yesterday. I will do better today. The reason was that I got engrossed in a different book. That is the danger when you are reading more than one book at a time. :-) I finished that other book this morning so will devote most of my reading time to Gap Creek.

The book I finished was Saint Everywhere: Travels in Search of the Lady Saints by Mary Lea Carroll. It is a book of nonfiction essays about women saints. It was easy reading, but was also a book I really enjoyed. As you know the idea of pilgrimage has always fascinated me, and this book was part travelogue and part pilgrimage. But now, I can read Gap Creek. I do have to say that so far Gap Creek is a book I can put down easily. It hasn't really sucked me in - yet. That was also my reaction the first time I tried to read it. I am sure it will get better the more I read.

>277 msf59: I am also hoping for a good fit with the new manager. I don't want to see some of the coaches leave, Hottovy in particular. I had thought it would be a quiet offseason for the Cubs in terms of the coaching ranks, but now it will be interesting to see what happens. Counsell was certainly a good manager in Milwaukee and that team was annoying at a time the Cubs were still supposed to be good. But my heart hurts for David Ross.

>270 msf59: What did you think of the Cubs manager trade? Kind of shocking. I was genuinely shocked by Counsell becoming the new manager - and sad about David Ross.

>273 lindapanzo: David Ross is a great guy but maybe not the best manager. I hope he catches on somewhere else. Yeah, me too. As a former catcher, I am sure he is a fount of baseball knowledge.

>278 karenmarie: Happy Tuesday, Karen. Boo to the Gang of Psychos & the lack of birds.

>279 richardderus: Hey, RD. I saw that Trump was in prime form in court yesterday. Why are we not at all surprised?



-Walt Handelsman

>280 benitastrnad: Hey, Benita. Glad you enjoyed Saint Everywhere and can now focus on Gap Creek. In regard to your comment, I find it interesting that Morgan is a poet but his prose his serviceable at best. That said, I am breezing through it, quite easily. Just a 100 pages left. I keep hoping that find some stashed money. LOL.

>281 atozgrl: Hi, Irene. I liked Ross and will miss him too, but I am also hoping this kind of change sparks a fire in this team. They need it. They certainly have plenty of talent but NEED to add some starting pitching. Fingers crossed.

>282 alcottacre: We share similar feelings about the manager surprise, Stasia. I will miss Ross but I am also looking forward to seeing what Counsell has planned. We need a big spark and need to go out and get some big guns.

-Jack Ohman

>284 msf59: I too hope Counsell can provide a spark. I also think what the analysts are saying, that this move shows the Cubs will be agressive this offseason, is true. I'm hoping they can sign the Japanese pitcher, Yamamoto.

>285 msf59: Oh, that's one of several really good cartoons you've shared on this thread!

>286 atozgrl: Happy Wednesday, Irene. Yes, the only way the Cubs can make a run for the playoffs is by getting very aggressive in the off-season. They definitely need a couple quality pitchers, like Yamamoto.

I can't resist on the cartoons. Of course, it reflects my bluish leanings but you can get a nice chuckle out of it too. Glad you are enjoying them.

Hi Mark. Given the cartoon you posted in >285 msf59:, I couldn't resist posting this here for you. I subscribe to a site called Word of the Day. Today's word is *fractal*. Here is what they posted showing its usage. I laughed out loud, especially after that cartoon from yesterday. Pure coincidence but so true, isn't it?

“After all, it’s impossible to read a single tweet, or hear him speak a sentence or two, without staring deep into the abyss. He turns being artless into an art form; he is a Picasso of pettiness; a Shakespeare of shιt. His faults are fractal: even his flaws have flaws, and so on, ad infinitum.”
Nate White; Why Do Many British People Not Like Donald Trump?; London Daily.

>288 jessibud2: That is great, Shelley. Perfect description. Thanks for sharing. Fractal is fine word- "fluid turbulence" is sure fitting for "You Know Who". If we can't laugh. We cry, right?