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Chickadee Mysteries

The garden is lush with the vigorous growth of late spring. Hawthorn is budding, amidst leaves that reveal (to me!) faces, the Green Man in miniature throughout the tree. In the hedge, tiny Chickadee perches on a blackberry vine, pecking at the underside of a leaf, zipping to another part of the shrub, and busying itself with the underside of another leaf.

I assume that the Chickadee is nibbling something, but what? Questions sift through me–what does a chickadee eat? Where does a chickadee nest? What do the nests look like, what are they made of? I imagine that if I passed good time out here by the Hawthorn, and watched my friend Chickadee, and attempt to follow him with my eyes, with my feet, I would in time learn his secrets. Or some of them.

I realize that I have learned many secrets regarding chickens from hours of watching and appreciating, and just getting to know the practical individuals that are chickens. Surely I could put in the same kind of curiosity, time, loving sense and learn about the chickadees.

Maybe you would like to do this too.

Watch Robin or Crow, Jay or Song Sparrow? Where may a little or large bird in your backyard lead you?

 

Chickadee - art by Jane Valencia (c) 2001
Chickadee – art by Jane Valencia (c) 2001

 

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Zzzt? Where Are We?

Greetings, dear Readers!

It’s been quite some time since I wrote. Here’s an update on Because Of The Red Fox.

I passed the winter musing on the plot. I’ve told chunks of the story to a friend, a circle of storytellers, to the trees, the herbs in my garden. I’ve scoured the tale, figuring out bits that I hadn’t really understood.

I’ve scheduled a book reading for July 27. I’m turning 50 near the end of July, and I will have this book out by then!

I’ve made a schedule, and now I’m updating my text.

Shell, Leaves, Santa, Annie, Govan and the rest are all in varying states of impatience. Here’s the current cover:

BookCoverPreview.do

It will likely change some, but it’s well on its way!

Thanks for your patience!

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Entering The Dreaming

The rains have come, the leaves have turned color, and summer has definitely scattered!

My work with the book is heading into the dreamtime as well, though the work that I’m doing with it at this point is anything but dreamy!  I’m examining my characters and their motivations (once more) and the scenes of the story (again). I’m examining the bones of the tale, and there will likely be another round of editing/rewriting. (And I’d thought I was done!)

That’s the update! Sorry for the delay, if you’ve been awaiting this book. To me, the energy of the year is pointing to shedding, and moving to the bones of things, and not to launching the book (it’s a little too late in the year to do so anyway!). The New Year will point in different direction …

In the meantime I encourage all of you to take November (National Novel Writing Month), and write!  Check out NaNoWriMo’s Young Writer Program if you are a young writer, or NaNoWriMo if you’re an adult. Have fun!