Mark's Reading Place: Chapter Four

-Minnesota Sunrise. 2/21



-Great Gray Owl. Sax Zim Bog, MN. 2/21

Audiobook:



Graphic/Comic:



January:

1) Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi 3.7 stars
2) How to Pronounce Knife: Stories by Souvankham Thammavongsa 4.4 stars
3) We Keep the Dead Close by Becky Cooper 3.8 stars (audio)
4) Homeland Elegies by Ayad Akhtar 4.6 stars
5) Five Skies by Ron Carlson 3.6 stars
6) Cowboys Are My Weakness: Stories by Pam Houston 4.3 stars
7) The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist by Adrian Tomine 4 stars GN
8) The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson 4.2 stars E
9) Owls of the Eastern Ice by Jonathan C. Slaght 4 stars (audio)
10) The Air We Breathe by Andrea Barrett 3.7 stars
11) Follow Me In by Katriona Chapman 4 stars GN
12) CivilWarLand in Bad Decline: Stories by George Saunders 4.2 stars
13) Wicked Enchantment: Selected Poems by Wanda Coleman 4.3 stars P
14) Save Me the Plums: My Gourmet Memoir by Ruth Reichl 4 stars (audio)
15) Sutton by J.R. Moehringer 4.4 stars

February:

16) The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones 4 stars
17) A Wealth of Pigeons by Steve Martin & Harry Bliss 4.2 stars GN
18) Consider the Lobster by David F. Wallace 4.3
19) Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke 4 stars E
20) Paradise by Toni Morrison 4.4 stars G.R.
21) Under a White Sky: The Nature of the Future by Elizabeth Kolbert 4 stars E
22) Mary's Monster by Lita Judge 4.8 stars GN
23) Driftless by David Rhodes 4.3 stars
24) The Floor of Heaven: the Yukon Gold Rush by Howard Blum 4 stars (audio)
25) Music for Wartime: Stories by Rebecca Makkai 4.2 stars

When People Ask How I’m Doing

I want to say,

my depression is an angry deity, a jealous god
a thirsty shadow that wrings my joy like a dishrag
and makes juice out of my smile.
I want to say,

getting out of bed has become a magic trick.
I am probably the worst magician I know.

I want to say,

this sadness is the only clean shirt I have left
and my washing machine has been broken for months,
but I’d rather not ruin someone’s day with my tragic honesty
so instead I treat my face like a pumpkin.
I pretend that it’s Halloween.
I carve it into something acceptable.
I laugh and I say, “I’m doing alright.”

-Rudy Francisco: from Helium

Happy new thread, Mark!

Wow, I'm second. Happy new thread, Mark!

And I'm third, Karen.
Happy new one, Mark.

Morning, Mark!

Happy new one!

Thanks, Katie, Karen, Paul & Figs!

>9 alphaorder: Morning, Nancy.

Good Morning

Get out of bed.
The day has been
asking about you.

It dragged the sun into your
room this morning,

pulled an entire disco of light
through your curtains,

hoping that all of this gleam
would be enough to get your attention.

This is how today says,
notice me.

-Rudy Francisco

Happy new thread, Mark.

>1 msf59: The great grey owl looks impressive, and a bit disturbed.

Happy new thread!

Happy New Thread!

Happy New Thread, Mark.

>12 msf59: Great poem!

Happy new one, Mark!
>12 msf59: "entire disco of light
through your curtains"
Great imagery!

>13 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita. The Great Gray Owl was not disturbed at all, just busy hunting for lunch.

>14 drneutron: >15 mahsdad: >16 connie53: Thanks, Jim, Jeff & Connie.

>17 Carmenere: Thanks, Lynda. I really like this poet and this poem.

Happy new thread!

>1 msf59: What great images to start with.

Happy new one, Mark

Yo, Birddude.

Have a cardinal new thread.

One for our birder. Isn't the top guy a beauty?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-56072590

Happy new thread, Mark! Love both photo toppers, what a striking sunrise.

>19 quondame: >20 jessibud2: Thanks, Susan & Shelley.

>21 richardderus: Love it, Richard. My feeders have been very quiet but at least I get to see cardinals on a daily basis.

>22 Caroline_McElwee: Not sure what that top bird is, Caroline but it definitely is a beauty. I will circle back and check out the rest of the article. Thanks.

>23 bell7: Thanks, Mary. I took that photo with my cell phone. I also got a sunset too.

Happy new thread Mark. That topper photo is a beauty.

>22 Caroline_McElwee: Good article, and that topper bird is a real cutie, don't know what it is either.

We just had a frost period, lots of birds at the feeders. I even saw a woodchuck at our allotment, very unusual.

Happy New Thread!

Happy new thread, Mark!

This is a carryover comment from your last thread.

I saw the film End of the Tour when it came out and it was fascinating. If you are a DFW fan I would recommend it. It's not like reading a book, but it is a good film.

>25 EllaTim: Thanks, Ella. Hooray for the busy feeders and the woodchuck sighting.

>26 SilverWolf28: >27 banjo123: Thanks, Silver & Rhonda.

>28 benitastrnad: I was planning on watching End of Tour sometime after I finished Infinite Jest but never got to it. I will definitely check it out now. Thanks.

-Bohemian Waxwing

^Not a great photo but I forgot to post this LIFER from MN. Very similar to the Cedar Waxwings we see around here but with more reddish tints. It took a lot of patience to find these guys. A small flock flew into this crabapple tree, fed a bit and then flew off. My friend got better photos.

Happy new one, Mark. What a beautiful topper.

‘Morning, Mark, and happy Tuesday to you.

>30 msf59: Yay for another Lifer.

>31 Ameise1: Thanks, Barb. Good to see you over here.

>32 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. I think that was my only Lifer on that trip.

It's snowing in Tuscaloosa! When I went to bed at 11 p.m. last night it was snowing. This morning the ground is white. If it were Kansas we would call it a skiff of snow. However, down here it is unusual. The temperatures won't get out of the teens today so University classes are canceled. I have 4 Zoom meetings scheduled with students and I hope that they keep the appointments because it will be difficult to reschedule all of them.

Very unusual weather for this part of the South. I think I will make soup today and read in between Zoom meetings. It is definately soup weather and a good time for curling up with a book.

Morning, Mark! Happy new one!

Good morning, Mark. Happy new thread!

>12 msf59: I heard something in a ted talk I heard something in a Ted talk a year or so ago about 'activation energy'. This poem reminded me of that.

>34 benitastrnad: Enjoy this rare burst of winter down there, Benita. I can't believe it will stay in the teens. That is crazy.

>35 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie!

>36 brodiew2: Thanks, Brodie and Good Morning, sir! I am not familiar with "Activation Energy" but I like the sound of it.

^This is my patio this morning, with a fresh 7-8 inches of snow dumped on the foot or so, we all ready had. Of course, my snowblower took a dump a couple of weeks ago so the Old Warbler had to do some serious shoveling, (four days in a row but this was the worst). Thankfully, my wife has a late start on Tuesdays so I was able to clear the driveway for her. I am going to feel this later on and I see a nap sometime this afternoon.

Happy "too-cold-to-go-out". The bohemian waxwings are pretty unusual there, aren't they!

>38 msf59: Now, that is SNOW!

After -12 C last weekend we will have 19C on Sunday! The world is really not doing well!

Hi Mark - I thought of you when reading this NYTimes article this am:

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/15/nyregion/central-park-birders.html

Central Park has become home to a number of rarities, and there's a bit of conflict between birders and those who post "celebrity sightings." I remember the thousands of people who converged on the park a couple of years ago to look for "Pale Male," a red-tailed hawk who was nesting in one of the fanciest Fifth Avenue residences. Day and night, there were hundreds of binoculars and telescopes trained on that building - not a great welcome from the posh tenants!

>38 msf59: Oh wow! If you'd like to ship some to East Tennessee, it keeps bypassing us!

>39 richardderus: Hey, RD. If I didn't have to shovel our rather large driveway, I would have stayed indoors. Glad you like the waxwings. They are beautiful birds.

>40 connie53: It sounds like we are not alone, in suffering from these wintery travails, Connie. Keep warm.

>41 vivians: Thanks for the article, Vivian. I had heard about the Snowy Owl sighting in Central Park. Very cool. We sometimes have issues with rare birds being over run by over-zealous birders. Fortunately, in most cases birders in our area tend to be respectful. Owls can always be tricky because they are so difficult to spot. Most birders here do not even post owl sightings for that reason.

>42 thornton37814: We would gladly send you a few tons of snow, Lori and I would also send the same amount to Mamie, who is also snow-deprived. Funny, even Texas got 6 inches in some areas.

Happy New Thread, Mark!

Yeah, our DIL's parents live near the Texas/Mexico border (Hildalgo County), and they're experiencing snow and what for them is very cold weather - 10 F to 30 F.

It looks pretty ridiculous where we are; lots of snow piled up everywhere, and very few people out and about - hardly any cars, and those out mainly are walking their dogs.

I'm still loving The Sunflower Cast a Spell (man, I can't get a touchstone to turn up for the book) by Jackie Wang - filled with surreal, trippy poems that are thought-provoking. If you pick it up, have a phone nearby for Googling words, terms and names; her vocabulary and breadth are outstanding.

Stay warm and don't do too much snow shoveling - it's dangerous for retired folks, you know. :-)

>43 msf59: It seemed to stop around the Cumberland Plateau area. West and Middle Tennessee got it, but the mountains of East Tennessee missed it (with the possible exception of the highest elevations). It was spitting snow outside while ago, but it's not enough to get excited about.

>41 vivians: - Have you ever read the book, Red-tails In Love. It was my introduction to Pale Male, and a great read, by the way.

>44 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe. Those temps on the Texas/Mexico border is pretty incredible. Of course, the worst part is that they are never prepared for that kind of weather. It shuts everything down.
I am sure the hefty snowfall really hits the city harder than the burbs, in regards to space. We are a bit more spread out, out here. We still got a crap load of snow. I will have to check out that Wang collection.

>45 thornton37814: Consider yourself lucky, Lori. Grins...

>46 jessibud2: Funny, a birder pal of mine, just lent me a copy of Red-tails In Love. I had not heard of it. I hope to get to it, in the coming weeks.

Well we finally got all the snow you've been talking about. I fortunately have a plow service so shoveling doesn't really impact me but the inconvenience sure does. Be careful out there.

>48 brenzi: Good luck in NY, Bonnie. We had 18" in some areas here. February has been brutal. Glad you have a plow service. Great idea.

>38 msf59: Lovely!

We had about an inch on the ground yesterday morning. I went out to shovel, mostly just to get out of the house and it was cold, about 1°, but sunny, and the little bit of snow was so light and fluffy, it just slid off the shovel. So it wasn’t much/any work at all...I’ll stop now. Sorry your snow blower failed you. They seem to do that when they’re most needed.

But honestly, we could use a little of that white stuff here.

Hi Mark. We had a snowy weekend and ended up with about half a foot of snow. Today, the sun came out and the weather turned quite mild so most of the snow has melted away. I have my fingers crossed that this will be the only snowfall this winter and that spring is just around the corner. I've been reading a number of early crime books from the H. R. Keating List of 100 Best Crime Novels and I am currently reading an early Perry Mason, I had forgotten how different the books are from the tv series!

Happy Wednesday, Mark. Any plans for today next to shoveling?

>50 Copperskye: Hi, Joanne. Surprisingly, I feel pretty good this morning after my marathon shoveling and nothing more to shovel, at least for today. It looks like we are going to be at this house for a couple more years, so I am buying a new snowblower.

>51 DeltaQueen50: Hi, Judy. 6 inches of snow? In your area? Wow. But I am not surprised that it melted quickly. It will be awhile before ours does. I have never read any of the Perry Mason books.

>52 Ameise1: Happy Wednesday, Barb. Hopefully you are on the slopes right now. No shoveling for me today. I have a couple of errands to run. Other than that, nothing else planned.

"In The Sixth Extinction, she explored the ways in which our capacity for destruction has reshaped the natural world. Now she examines how the very sorts of interventions that have imperiled our planet are increasingly seen as the only hope for its salvation."

I loved her Pulitizer-Prize winning The Sixth Extinction. I received an e-galley of Under a White Sky: The Nature of the Future a few weeks ago and since it was officially published this month, I thought I would make it my next read. I have just a few pages of Paradise to get to. I will be reading 2 NF titles, which I do not do very often but they are worlds apart, so I think that is okay.

Hi Mark. I can't remember if I already posted this to you or just thought about posting it, lol! Have you seen this thread? https://www.librarything.com/topic/304410#n7423310

Depending on where people live, there are some pretty cool sightings!

Edited to add that I DID mention it, only on MY thread! lol! I guess my sleep-deprived brain is catching up on me....

I was also a fan of The Sixth Extinction so I look forward to your thoughts on her new one, Mark.

>55 jessibud2: Thanks, Shelley. You did share it with me before and I starred it. I have not commented on it for some reason but I will.

>56 katiekrug: Morning, Katie. I will start the new Kolbert later today.

'Morning, Mark, and happy Wednesday to you! Amazing amounts of snow you've gotten, and your snowblower dying is sad.

I hope you enjoy your books and birding - even if it's only watching your feeders. Mine have been hopping. Little do the birds know that we might get .25 inches of ice overnight and tomorrow.

>30 msf59: Congratulations on an other lifer, Mark!

The Bohemian Waxwing was the first lifer I saw when we moved here in 2005. It was sitting in the front garden, when I stepped out of the door to walk the dogs.

Good morning, Mark! Happy Mid-week.

Somehow right now I can't get excited about books covering the dire straits we're in globally, but I admire your fortitude with them. I do look forward to your comments on Under a White Sky.

All is well on my end. My next new one is Michelle Obama's Becoming, which I believe you read a good ways back.

I kinda get what >61 jnwelch: is saying about the dire-straits reads, but I find myself drawn to them nonetheless. (Then I go binge Bridgerton for an antidote of pretty people's problems.)

Surprise! I'm an inveterate doomscroller too!

At least I'm consistent.

>46 jessibud2: >47 msf59: I'll have to look for that one, Shelley, thanks. There was a great documentary on PBS about Pale Male, and my kids were really into the sightings. The birders who set up giant telescopes in Central park were really generous about sharing their equipment.

>59 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. No snow to shovel today. Yah!! Glad your feeders have been hopping. Mine have been slow. Hoping to see something different.

>60 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita. I am so glad to hear that you get to see Bohemian Waxwings. They are beautiful birds but seldom seen in northern Illinois, although we get to see their equally lovely cousins, the Cedar Waxwings.

>61 jnwelch: Happy Wednesday, Joe. No snow today! Yah! Have you read The Sixth Extinction? If not, it is very good. Looking forward to starting her latest, a little later today. Yes, I LOVED Becoming and I imagine you will too.

>62 richardderus: Hooray for "inveterate doomscrollers" everywhere! Actually, I didn't think about it much. I just wanted to get to it, before it gets lost in the shuffle. It has been getting solid reviews.

>63 vivians: I will have to track down that PBS doc, and team it up with the book.

I don't usually read two nonfiction books at the same time either, but right now I am doing just that. I am reading Jim Crow's Children for the LT Nonfiction Challenge, and I had to start Missoula for my real life book discussion group. They are both fairly long books and they will consume my reading life for the next couple of weeks. Both are interesting and both grabbed me and sucked me into them from the get-go.

>66 benitastrnad: Hi, Benita. Have you read The Sixth Extinction? If not, I highly recommend it. Her latest, Under a White Sky is off to a terrific start too. I remember liking Missoula quite a bit, although it was so damn sad and infuriating.

From Woody's Restaurant, Middlebury

Today, noon, a young macho friendly waiter and three diners,
business types—two males, one female—
are in a quandary about the name of the duck paddling
Otter Creek,
the duck being brown, but too large to be a female mallard.
They really
want to know, and I'm the human-watcher behind the nook
of my table,
camouflaged by my stillness and nonchalant plumage.
They really want to know.
This sighting I record in the back of my Field Guide to People.

-Greg Delanty



^I finally started Bright Wings: An Illustrated Anthology of Poems About Birds and it is heart-warming. Thanks again to Ellen for putting this lovely collection in my hands.

Looks like you got a lot of snow there, Mark. Ours lasted a couple of days and then was gone and when I walked beside the river yesterday the buds were out on the trees.

>70 Familyhistorian: We did get a lot of snow, Meg. I think we are up to at least 45 inches of snow for the season. Well above normal. I am looking forward to seeing my first buds.

^This is my birder buddy, Mike's photo of the Bohemian Waxwing, that we saw in MN. A Lifer for all of us.

>72 msf59: Lovely photo Mark! Beautiful bird. I still have to see it.

I feel I should read The Sixth Extinction but I'm afraid I just can't stand it. I need a bit of not optimism maybe, but a sense of it being possible that we can still do something about all this loss.

>68 msf59: LOL
>69 msf59: Like it!

Snow and ice have all gone here, and the weekend will even be warm. 15° C predicted, that's nearly 60 °Fahrenheit. Can you believe it? I'll be planting some peas this weekend.

‘Morning, Mark, happy Thursday to you. Wow. 45” of snow so far. I think we’ve dodged the ice bullet, but it’s still miserable out. 34F and raining.

>72 msf59: Your friend got a gorgeous shot.

>67 msf59: I'm waiting for The Sixth Extinction to land Mark. Glad it was a hit for you.

Good morning, Mark!

We got a few inches of snow last night - I'm about to go shovel before it melts. It's a beautiful blue bird day!

My feeders have been disconcertingly quiet for the last month or so. We'll get a variety group come in and spend a half hour or so eating, and then nothing for hours. Odd as it's usually pretty busy out there.

>74 EllaTim: Hi, Ella. Do they have Bohemian Waxwings in your area? If so, they are worth seeking out. Of course, The Sixth Extinction is a disturbing and an alarming book but she has an easy narrative style, teamed up with some optimism, that makes it an easier read.

>75 karenmarie: Sweet Thursday, Karen. Hooray for dodging the ice bullet. Keep warm and dry.

>76 Caroline_McElwee: The Sixth Extinction won the Pulitzer Prize that year, so it received a lot of attention and deserved every bit.

>77 Copperskye: Sweet Thursday, Joanne. Hooray for a beautiful blue bird day! I NEED one of those. Cloudy here, with peeks of sunshine. Light snow this morning. Sorry to hear your feeders have been quiet. Other than our few regulars, ours have been fairly quiet too.

^Got out for a couple of hours with my birding buddies. Cool place. Great feeders, (lower left hand corner). Another large flock of brown headed cowbirds. Also a Carolina wren and a couple of pine siskins. 16 species in all, which is pretty good in February.

Hello Mark and good afternoon!

I must have been absent for the retirement notices. Congratulations! I heard you say you were glad to get given the horrendous winter you are having. I wish you well and may happy days ahead!

>72 msf59: - Such a stunning bird. To my untrained eyes, I'd have just called it a cedar waxwing since I don't know the difference but so pretty!

>80 brodiew2: Thanks, Brodie. Retirement has been treating me just fine and not having to work in this nasty winter weather is a bonus.

>81 jessibud2: This is my photo of our local cedar waxwing, Shelley. The differences are subtle. The Bohemians have reddish highlights and more black markings and the cedar more yellowish. Both striking birds.

>83 msf59: - Oh, I can see that now! Thanks for the pic Mark, for comparison. I have seen the cedars, a whole flock of them! but never the Bohemians.

Mark, I am in awe of the fact that you learn more and more about birds. We had another seven feet of snow. I'm not complaining because there is heat and electricity. I really feel for those without.

During Hurricane Sandy, we were without power for a week. Our grand daughter was with us. It was special because she was little, around three years old, and she thought it was quite an adventure to build a tent of sheets and sleep inside.

Our neighbor cooks with gas. Kayla would trudge over there, box of mac and cheese in hand and wait while Cathy made it.

I never heard of a cedar waxwing. It is another beautiful bird!

>67 msf59:
I have a copy of the Sixth Extinction somewhere, but I just haven't read it yet. The more I read the more I want to read. It is a never ending addiction with me. I made lots of progress on Missoula in the last two days. Very interesting. I am finally reading it because it is the next book for my real life book discussion group. We had some similar incidents here at UA a few years ago with a big huge lawsuit that was settled in favor of the family. As a result, UA now has a rape crisis center and the local hospital has a forensic rape nurse and counselor on staff.

I had to laugh about the description of Thirsty Thursday and the fact that most students didn't want to take classes that met on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday because they wouldn't be able to make their Friday classes after binging on Thursday. It is the same on college campus's everywhere. Here at UA the drinking starts on Wednesday night after the Greek houses have their chapter meetings. For me there seems to be a direct link between the binge drinking and the conduct of students. We had a student die from alcohol poisoning and several that were hospitalized. It took the University really enforcing the no alcohol on campus to bring the problem in the Greek houses under control. The University of Montana is no where as big as UA but the problems are the same.

Hi Mark, I have never seen a bird like >83 msf59: before. But it is a very elegant bird to look at. But I did a bit of research and I noticed a few seeing's mentioned in the Netherlands this month. Here it's called Pestvogel (Pleague bird).

>85 Whisper1: We had another seven feet of snow.
Feet, really? I suspect a typo!

Hi Mark!

>84 jessibud2: Bohemian Waxwings are found in Canada but it looks like mainly mid-country and to the west. Great birds to see.

>85 Whisper1: Happy Friday, Linda. Cedar Waxwings can be found throughout the country. They are common in our area but it took me becoming a birder, to finally spot them. It has been a tough winter these past few weeks but it is hard to complain, when I don't have to work in it anymore.

>86 benitastrnad: Hi, Benita. I think you will like both The Sixth Extinction & Under a White Sky. She has a great narrative style. I am not surprised that you are finding parallels between Missoula and UA and most other universities throughout the country. Yes, excessive drinking is a major issue but the rape culture is horrifying.

>87 connie53: Ooh, I hope you can see a Pleague bird one of these days, Connie. They do like to stay in flocks and I find them regularly along rivers or streams. They are fruit eaters too, so watch for them in those kind of trees.

>88 lauralkeet: Morning, Laura. I was wondering the same thing and then decided she was kidding.

'Morning, Mark! Happy Friday to you.

>79 msf59: Excellent photo. Congrats on 16 species.

>92 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. It was a fun birding morning. We also had 15 species at our second location and this included a titmouse and a white-throated sparrow. Yah!

>91 msf59: I certainly will. I love birds and have a few birdhouses in my garden and some feeding places with fat globules and other bird feed.

>94 connie53: I would love to hear more about your feeder sightings, Connie. Are you able to identify most of them?

^Hey, A Gentleman in Moscow fans! Amor Towles has a new novel coming out this October and this one is set in America's heartland during the 1950s. Wow. That is a complete 180!

Mark -

Take note: Margaret Renkel has a collection of her NYT pieces coming out in fall. https://milkweed.org/book/graceland-at-last

>97 alphaorder: That is awesome, Nancy. As you know, I loved her Late Migrations. I hope this one, is as good.

>96 msf59: - Oh! Looking forward to that a lot!

And this one, too!! >97 alphaorder:, >98 msf59:. I sometimes read her essays in the NYT. And of course, I also loved her Late Migrations. She is such an insightful writer.

Thanks for the heads-up on both of these!

>96 msf59: Yay. Will be adding it to my acqusition list Mark.

Hey Mark, I've been lurking a lot, but I wanted pop up and wish you a good weekend. Stay warm!

>96 msf59: Hi Mark - our feeders have had the usual group except for the addition of a flock of Mourning Doves,
only seen singly previously, and a Kestrel. Daughter went flying out in her pajamas to scare it off.
Our resident bunny and two deer also took off.

Maybe Joe can get a copy since he has a niece at The University of Chicago?=this month's UC Magazine has a remarkable selection of 1950s photos, taken by a couple who developed them in the bathroom sinks as they
traveled along. (I'll also try to re-locate it here.)

Amor Towles has given us another great reason to look forward to October!

>99 jessibud2: Hooray For Towles and Renkl! Two more things to look forward to in 2021!

>100 Caroline_McElwee: Hi, Caroline. Have you read Renkl? If not, I really think you would love Late Migrations.

>101 mahsdad: Happy Friday, Jeff. All is well here in the frozen Midwest. The only thing I am missing is my bird outings. I hope to get back on track next week.

>102 m.belljackson: Hi, Marianne! You just made my day. I have missed your visits. Ever since we started getting a substantial amount of snow, I have not seen our usual covey of doves. I really need to put up a squirrel-proof platform feeder. That will be my next mission, in early spring. Hooray for seeing a kestrel in your backyard. They are one of my favorites.

I remain undead. That is, I have failed to die, not become a vampire. More's the pity.

But while doomscrolling on Twitter, I found this *gorgeous* egret painting.

>103 msf59: Squirrel proof platform feeder?!
I've checked a couple of sites, like Duncraft, but haven't seen a great protective one.

We've not given up since our two old feeders still exclude fairly well,
but now have just turned a big old metal bucket upside down on an old metal garbage can...

...Set out a large cup of bird seed on top and around the ground - birds. squirrels, and bunny take turns,
mostly; except for the squirrels who often eat A LOT, then leave.

>104 richardderus: Hooray for the Undead! That is one absolutely gorgeous painting. A snowy egret, perhaps? Wowza!

>105 m.belljackson: I just plan on putting up another squirrel baffle or two. We do toss out plenty of things for the squirrels, so we do not exclude them. Two of our resident squirrels seem to have some kind of mange but they have so far survived this cold winter.

^I have not received any goodies in the mail in awhile, so I was happy to find 3 packages on my porch today. All 3 look promising. Thanks to Linda for sending me the Greenwood novel and also a kind shout-out to Paul for sending me History of Wolves. He knows me well. Eleven Sooty Dreams is from Open Letter publishing. Has anyone here read any of these? Thoughts?

>107 msf59: You are welcome, Mark. Inaugural winner of my Book Recommendation Award.

Hi Mark, I read the first couple of chapters of Driftless and I'm already drawn in. 🤗

>96 msf59: I loved A Gentleman in Moscow so I'm definitely looking forward to the new one! (Though I do still have Rules of Civility to read too)

I heard Elizabeth Kolbert on NPR the other day (well, the podcast so it could've been she was on awhile ago) so I'll look forward to your thoughts on Under a White Sky as well.

>106 msf59:
Whenever you have time, could you post a photo of your platform feeder with the squirrel baffle?

Thanks - and after the three (2 brown, one red) squirrels left, two deer moved in and enjoyed the
edges of bird seed. Our neighbor generously hauled over a bale of hay for them, which they barely sniffed.

>95 msf59:. Most of them, Mark. We're living on the outskirts of a small town near the border with Germany in the small part of Limburg.



Between our house and the border are a provincial way, a highway and fields and woods.
I see blue tits, great tits (if that is the right translation), jays and sparrows (a whole family of them live in our garden), magpies, robins. So no real special birds.

>103 msf59: Yes, I loved Late Migrations Mark.

>107 msf59: Nice.

>1 msf59: I love arriving at the door... such a beautiful photo.

>108 PaulCranswick: I do not win a lot of awards, Paul, so this is special.

>109 brenzi: Good to know, Bonnie. I am starting Driftless this morning.

>110 bell7: Hi, Mary. Rules of Civility was a good read but not as strong as Moscow, IMHO. I did finish Under a White Sky. She is a terrific writer and dives deep into her research.

>111 m.belljackson: I have not put up my platform feeder yet. That will be early spring or so. I will have to organize everything back there first.

>112 connie53: It looks like you live in a nice setting, with fields and woods nearby. You should get a nice variety. It always helps to have a good mix of different seeds and food to offer too, along with a birdbath.

>113 Caroline_McElwee: Hi, Caroline. Which photo were you referring to up there?

"The setting is Words, Wisconsin, an anonymous town of only a few hundred people. But under its sleepy surface, life rages. Driftless finds the author's powers undiminished in this unforgettable story that evokes a small-town America previously unmapped, and the damaged denizens who must make their way through it."

I had not heard of Rhodes or Driftless, (surprising since I love these types of stories) until it was mentioned in Homeland Elegies. I looked the novel up and was sold on it, immediately. I am doing a shared read with Bonnie and I am starting it today.

Has anyone here read Rhodes? I do not recall him mentioned on LT.

‘Morning, Mark! Happy Saturday to you.

>96 msf59: I did not know that Amor Towles had a new book coming out – thanks for the info. I’ve just pre-ordered it.

>106 msf59: Mangy squirrels – literally. *smile* I don’t feed them ever at all yet they are healthy and prolific.

Hope you have a great weekend, Mark!

>117 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Yah, for a new Towles! Of course we are not sure if these two squirrels have mange or not but it sure looks like it. Big, bare patches on their hindquarters. Somehow, they are surviving and hopefully we are helping them along with the food scraps we leave them.

>118 ChelleBearss: Thanks, Chelle! You have a wonderful one too.

Oooh, Driftless sounds good!

>120 katiekrug: Bonnie started Driftless yesterday, Katie and she said she was immediately pulled in. Yah!

-Harry Bliss

>115 msf59: Your lovely sunrise Mark.

Of course the owl is cool too.

Morning, Mark!

>116 msf59: Oh, interesting! I'm assuming, then, that the title comes from the Driftless Area in Wisconsin? That's where we lived! It's gorgeous up there.

>123 Caroline_McElwee: Okay, I got you, Caroline. It was a lovely sunrise.

>124 scaifea: Happy Saturday, Amber. Yes, the novel is definitely about the Driftless Area in SW WI. In fact I read another novel called Driftless Area this past summer, covering the same territory, although that book fell short.

Sandpiper

The roaring alongside he takes for granted,
and that every so often the world is bound to shake.
He runs, he runs to the south, finical, awkward,
in a state of controlled panic, a student of Blake.

The beach hisses like fat. On his left, a sheet
of interrupting water comes and goes
and glazes over his dark and brittle feet.
He runs, he runs straight through it, watching his toes.

- Watching, rather, the spaces of sand between them
where (no detail too small) the Atlantic drains
rapidly backwards and downwards. As he runs,
he stares at the dragging grains.

The world is a mist. And then the world is
minute and vast and clear. The tide
is higher or lower. He couldn't tell you which.
His beak is focussed; he is preoccupied,

looking for something, something, something.
Poor bird, he is obsessed!
The millions of grains are black, white, tan, and gray
mixed with quartz grains, rose and amethyst.

-Elizabeth Bishop

^Another poem from Bright Wings



-Spotted Sandpiper

>116 msf59:

David Rhodes' Driftless is way upstairs on my pre-LT Keeper Shelf!

Having lived in and loved and so deeply miss
(now living on the glacier flattened plains east of Madison)
Wisconsin's Driftless area,
I fell in love with the first pages, enveloped in his descriptions.

The characters did not weigh as mightily, yet his words carry the book,
written with so much love and caring...exactly what my family found along
the cliffs and streams and the generous people

(and birds and animals and trees and hay bales and rocky outcroppings
and even one very annoyed rattle snake)

of Sandy Rock Road
near Hollandale, Wisconsin.

Hi Mark! Loving all the poetry and the bird photos. Hurray for new books!! Happy Sunday. : )

>21 richardderus: well, that was hilarious!
:)

>116 msf59: That cover is reminiscent of Larry Watson- therefore I like the look of it :)

>126 msf59: I love this poem. Happy Sunday, Merk.

‘Morning, Mark! Happy Sunday to you.

>122 msf59: Good one.

>127 m.belljackson: Morning, Marianne. I LOVE your beautiful comments on Driftless. You beat me to the punch, because I was going to ask you if you had read or heard of this book and of course, you have, including owning a "Keeper" copy. I didn't read as much I hoped yesterday, but plan on reading a large chunk of it today.

>128 Berly: Happy Sunday, Kim. Great to see you.

>129 LovingLit: Hi, Megan. Yes, I am not far into Driftless but he immediately reminded me of Watson, who is also a Wisconsin native. Stay tuned for more warbling...

>130 Ameise1: Happy Sunday, Barb. Glad you like the sandpiper poem.

>131 karenmarie: Morning, Karen.

I finished reading Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town by Jon Krakauer - it is a real indictment of that particular county prosecutor's office. I found lots of parallels with Tuscaloosa. We had our own rape scandal - however, it resulted in the suicide of the girl involved. Then a civil law suit in which the university lost and had to fund a forensic rape lab staffed with medical personnel, law enforcement personnel, and social workers. At the bottom of much of this is the drinking culture.

What is really scary is that at the end of the book Krakauer makes this statement "Females between sixteen and twenty-four years old face a higher risk of being sexually assaulted than any other age group. Most victims of campus rape are preyed upon when they are in their first or second year of college, usually by someone they know. And it's during the initial days and weeks of a student's freshman year, ... that she is probably in the greatest danger." That should probably make most parents think twice about sending their daughters off to college.

>122 msf59: Heh. Poor, incompetent heron.

That should probably make most parents think twice about sending their daughters off to college.
Seems a bit unfair that women's education is what suffers. Or do you mean sending daughters away (to another city) for college?

Mark, I was lucky enough to catch a bit of Willy Vlautin chatter today on the book of face, he was talking about his new novel, which I can't wait to read! I can't recall if you have read much of him or not? I think you would like him

>133 benitastrnad: >135 LovingLit: Yes, painful that women's choices should be reduced because of men's crimes and failures in prosecuting those crimes.

Hi Mark! Thanks for the bird poetry---I like >126 msf59:

And hooray for a new Towles!

>135 LovingLit:
Actually, what I should have said, was that should make parents think twice about sending their daughters off to a college that also allows men on campus who can drink beer. The book said that as of 2013 - 80% of all sexual assaults were acquaintance rapes or date rapes. On college campuses very often the victim is targeted and the event is planned. Most of the sexual assaults involve copious amounts of alcohol where the men target women and get them really really drunk. Medically dangerously drunk. Men in packs is another problem. Also, most men who rape will rape again. It is very scary. And yes, it is not only women's education that suffers but the quality of the rest of their lives.

There is a reason why the men on my campus rejoice every fall when they see the fresh meat that comes to campus. And that is the term they use when they are being frank. They simply don't see the women as people. They see them as sex objects.

Another really scary thing - most of the young men who rape are nice respectable people who don't think they have done anything wrong. As the psychologists say - you can't pick a rapist out of a crowd.

This book should scare people.

>135 LovingLit:, >136 quondame:, >138 benitastrnad: Chanel Miller's Know my Name is an outstanding memoir on this topic. Miller was the victim in the "Stanford swimmer" rape case and recounts the assault, its aftermath, the legal process which played out over several years, and the impact on her mental health and relationships. It's one of the most intense and emotional books I've ever read.

>133 benitastrnad: >>138 benitastrnad: It sounds like Missoula was a good read for you. I am a big fan of Krakauer and I am looking forward to seeing what he does next. In regards to university rape- I wonder if we have seen any declines, especially since these books and exposes have come out. "This book should scare people." Amen!

>134 richardderus: Hopefully this incompetent GBH has got himself together by now.

"Award-winning author Willy Vlautin explores the impact of trickle-down greed and opportunism of gentrification on ordinary lives in this scorching novel that captures the plight of a young woman pushed to the edge as she fights to secure a stable future for herself and her family."

>135 LovingLit: Hooray for a new Willy Vlautin novel! Like you, I am looking forward to The Night Always Comes, which comes out in the US, in April. I have only read one of his and really need to read more. A good fit.

>137 banjo123: Hi, Rhonda. I hope you had a good weekend. Glad you like the Sandpiper poem.

>138 benitastrnad: I agree about Know My Name, Laura. Another excellent and eye-opening memoir.

“Science gives us the ability to pull back the skin of life
and reveal the truth of things. It allows us to understand
the mysteries of mountain-making and falling stars.

But knowledge isn't meant to be held as a weapon
in a battle to defy our fates and manipulate life over death.

Evil lodges too easily in men's hearts.
What will happen if they assume the power to create life?”

"Already
I am daughter to a ghost
and mother to bones.”

-Mary's Monster

22) Mary's Monster by Lita Judge 4.8 stars GN

I highly recommend this beautifully written and illustrated volume. I learned a lot about Mary Shelley's difficult life, especially her early years. Probably one of the best GNs, I have read since A Monster calls. A big thank you to, Mamie for this one!

Good morning, Mark! Good that you’re getting warmer weather this week. Happy birding!

>139 lauralkeet: I immediately thought of Chanel Miller while reading what Benita wrote. Brock Turner is the name of her rapist. I just re-read her victim impact statement.

Mary's Monster looks great, Mark. Nice to see an Elizabeth Bishop poem up there. You might like others of hers - sounds like Bright Wings is a good way to meet some new poets, too.

I'm going to give Mrs. Caliban a go today.

Off to work out. Hope you have a good one, buddy.

>144 msf59: You were *this*close* to book-bulleting me on that one. But the art's so gorgeous that no screen can really do it justice, so that's that!

*skips happily (if speedily) away*

>145 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. It is still pretty icy out there, so I think I will have to hold off on my birding until tomorrow. Oh yeah- Brock Turner is a major POS. Just sayin'...

>146 jnwelch: Morning, Joe. Of course you will love Mary's Monster once yet get to it. I am pretty confident about that one. Can you remember a Bishop collection that you can recommend? Hope you get a good workout in.

>147 richardderus: Don't skip away so fast- I would love for you to try Mary's Monster, Richard. I think you would love the verse and the breath-taking illustrations.

>143 msf59: 🤗, love that one.

Hi Mark - after seeing you enjoying Driftless , I located my copy just to read the wonderful Prologue ...
and am now 117 pages back into Words, Wisconsin, waiting again to see where July Montgomery goes...

...when I was supposed to be still inspired by my Challenges:

THE ART OF SUMER with a 20 page introduction by Andre Malraux for NF,
CLANLANDS for BAC,
and Wildcard IN PERFECT LIGHT by Benjamin Alire Saenz for AAC

and the poetry = WINTER, BLACK CASE (by Joseph Jarman - Touchstone won't deliver),
and Wendell Berry...

>148 msf59: Elizabeth Bishop The Complete Poems isn't that long, Mark, 287 pp. One of her famous ones is "The Fish": https://poets.org/poem/fish-2

>149 Ameise1: Glad you like it, Barb. Do you read GNs? I can't remember.

>150 m.belljackson: Hi, Marianne. I am glad I inspired you to revisit Driftless. I am hoping to drift into the second half of it, later today. Have you read his follow-up, Jewelweed? It has also received strong reviews.
Good luck with those challenges. I didn't realize you participated in those.

>151 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe. I am going to request the Bishop collection.

>152 msf59: I rarely read GNs, but I know there are good ones.

>144 msf59: I'm recording this as a BB.

Hi Mark, maybe you can tell me why I allow all the really good books to languish on my shelves. I'm getting into the second half and really enjoying it. There are so many interesting stories going on with these characters.

155 posts in, Mark, and I finally see your beautiful Minnesota sunrise and owl pics.

I've been reading somewhat but also spending a lot of hours helping people get vaccine appointments. I learned a lot when I got Mom and Dad in two weeks ago and I try to answer questions and direct people to openings when Osco posts new appointments (on the weekends, usually Sundays).

>144 msf59: BB for me as well. Will probably take some time to find it here, as I don't think this should be tried as an eBook.

>1 msf59: Gorgeous sunrise!

Looks like I need to look for Mary’s Monster. Thanks for the rec, Mark.

>138 benitastrnad: It is an altogether rotten and unjust situation and, I agree, that men's behaviour is what needs to be addressed. I saw a documentary about this issue a few years ago (my university showed it) and I was *shocked* at the predatory behaviour at frat houses. It was so open and unashamedly rank.

>141 msf59: Ommigosh, I love Willy Vlautin. He is the only contemporary author whose books I wait for. Srsly, read his back catalogue, I think you will love them all.

>144 msf59: These images are amazing :)

Hello Mark! I heard about Amor Towles The Lincoln Highway just today. It definitely sounds different, but that will not keep me away from it.

I'm looking at News of the World again. I think it will be my next read, but I get easily distracted.

>153 Ameise1: >154 quondame: I hope you both can track a copy of Mary's Monster down. It is a good one.

>155 brenzi: "maybe you can tell me why I allow all the really good books to languish on my shelves." I ask myself the same thing, Bonnie and regularly. I think most of us have a great radar for promising books, so if we own it, it is probably pretty damn good.

>156 lindapanzo: Hi, Linda. Good to see you. Glad you have been helping people with their vaccine appointments. A super thoughtful thing to do.

>157 EllaTim: Hi, Ella. I hope you can track Mary's Monster down and I agree, an ebook format of this one will not be as rewarding.

>158 Copperskye: Hi, Joanne. I am glad I got you with a BB, with Mary's Monster. It looks like my warbling has paid off with that one.

>159 LovingLit: I will try to read more Willy Vlautin this year, Megan. I also really enjoyed the Lean on Pete film adaptation. Yep, the illustrations in Mary's Monster are stunning.

>160 brodiew2: Hi, Brodie. Glad to hear from another Towles fan. Yes, please make News of the World your next read. It is relatively short, fast-paced and wonderful.

"Political thriller ‘Judas and the Black Messiah’, directed by Shaka King, explores a Biblical betrayal on these lines. The film will bring life to one of the Black Panther Movement’s greatest tragedies, the assassination of the chairman of its Illinois chapter Fred Hampton, whose death became the first truly high-profile case of police brutality in American history."

^I highly recommend "Judas and the Black Messiah", which is currently running on HBOMax. Sadly, I knew little about Fred Hampton, the fiery young orator and revolutionary. This excellent film educated me.

Good morning, Mark! Happy Tuesday to you.

I'm dodging in and out amongst the GNs and Vlautin...

Happy Tuesday, Mark.

The melting has begun. We're going to clear around the downspouts to see whether we can prevent some of the flooding.

All is well on our end. Good storytelling performance by Debbi last night at a virtual gathering. I've been enjoying the Obama-Springsteen podcasts, and can't wait for more. My poet is someone named Emma Hine, and her debut collection, Stay Safe, is impressively well done. I also dipped into the Rudy Francisco one you recommended, and can tell that'll be a good experience, too.

I have no Earthly idea what kind of bird any of these are/aspire to be, but Kokan Shiba's 1818 (I think) painting was just too gorgeous not to share with you.

>161 msf59: Done. LAPL is pretty darned good!

>164 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. It looks like I didn't get much LT time in this afternoon. At least I got some reading in. Yah!

>165 jnwelch: Hi, Joe. Yes, the great warm-up has begun. Most of my driveway is snow and ice free. I have not said that in awhile. So, the Obama-Springsteen podcasts have been enjoyable? I may have to try that. I am glad you are enjoying Helium but of course I am not surprised.

>166 richardderus: Hey, Rd. I don't know where you find these bird images but I really like them. 1818? Wow! That is pretty damn impressive.

>167 quondame: LAPL? Sorry, if I am being spacey.

>168 msf59: Los Angeles Public Library. Santa Monica Public Library is good too, better for quick access to paper books, and then there is Los Angeles County Library that fills in some of the gaps.

>151 jnwelch: I have this collection on my shelf
>152 msf59: And both of the books by Rhodes too!

I guess I better get reading....

>169 quondame: Thanks, Susan. You caught me snoozing at the wheel. Glad you are happy with your libraries. I am too.

>170 alphaorder: Hi, Nancy. Good to see you. I requested the Bishop collection and I will definitely be reading Jewelweed. What have you been reading?

'Morning, Mark! Happy birding day to you. I'm glad to read that your driveway is mostly snow and ice free.

Hiya, Mark! Just checking in to keep up with your doings and readings... Carry on!

>172 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Getting ready to head out shortly. Yah!

>173 katiekrug: Morning, Katie. All good here. We are finally warming up and I can get out birding regularly, plus my books are treating me just fine.

Hi Mark - I'm loving the re-read of Driftless, though just hit one chapter that would have been
welcome to be edited out.

World's loudest Red-headed Woodpecker has been quite active today along with new birdsong.

...is it just me or does this, um, vehicle seem like it'll be alternately roasting hot, freezing cold, and have the foggiest windows of all time?

>176 richardderus: - I saw it described as what a mailperson's car would look like in a Pixar movie...

>170 alphaorder:

Reading Beloved Beasts in prep for our March 11 event.

Hi Mark.

We have been looking into the local Audubon society and in normal times they do guided bird watching excursions. Not much happening at present but I'm going to keep an eye out. While we live in this region, I want to see if I can see some raptors (including owls!!). Then when we move back to western Oregon, we'll look into what happens in that area.

>144 msf59: Got me with that one. I find Mary Shelley rather fascinating....

>175 m.belljackson: I am also loving Driftless, Marianne. Such wonderful characters to be in the company of. I could finish it today or early tomorrow. Were you hearing a red-headed woodpecker or a red-bellied? In my experience, the latter can be the loudest.

>176 richardderus: >177 katiekrug: I saw images of this new postal vehicle. It does have an odd, cartoonish look to it. I know our current decrepit fleet, (20-plus years old) is in serious need of replacement.

>178 alphaorder: How is Beloved Beast? It does sound good.

>179 EBT1002: Hi, Ellen. Good to see you. I hope you follow through on your local Audubon outings. Fantastic idea. It is such a fine way to learn new birding spots and meet new people. Mary's Monster is excellent. Just sayin'...

The Great Horned Owl

One morning the Grand Seigneur
Is so good as to appear.
He sits in a scrawny little tree
In my backyard.

When I say his name aloud,
He turns his head
And looks at me
In utter disbelief.

I show him my belt,
How I had to
Tighten it lately
To the final hole.

He ruffles his feathers,
Studies the empty woodshed,
The old red Chevy on blocks.
Alas! He's got to be going.

-Charles Simic. From Bright Wings.

>175 m.belljackson: You've got to be talking about the Dogfight

>182 brenzi: Nothing comes up when you click on the spoiler, Bonnie.

>183 msf59:…Fixed it Mark

>182 brenzi: >175 m.belljackson: >183 msf59:

Yep - that SPOILER was IT.

Sure wish I could have talked Mr. Rhodes into another direction.
It hurt and I skipped it for the second reading.

Responding to previous question = I can't remember if I read Jewelweed
and can't find it on upstairs shelves, so went to good old Abe.com
and found a "Very Good" hardcover copy for $3.80 with Free Shipping!

Sweet title.

Also, not sure if Woodpecker is Red head or belly - too high up to see.

On to finish Driftless - I got sidelined by all the Scottish history in Clanlands.

>184 brenzi: >185 m.belljackson: Got it! At least he spared the graphic detail the second time around.

>185 m.belljackson: I will definitely read Jewelweed at some point, Marianne and may even track down some of his earlier work. Glad to hear you ordered a copy all ready. I am sure you heard a red-bellied woodpecker, which seem to be much more common, especially around feeders.

^I love Jhumpa Lahiri. I really enjoyed her last novel The Lowland but that was in August of 2013. I am happy to announce that Whereabouts comes out this May. Honestly, I was hoping for another story collection, where I think she really shines, but I will gladly take another novel from her and bide my time.

'Morning, Mark, and happy Thursday to you.

I hope you enjoy your birding adventure today. I need to fill my feeders, being a bit too preoccupied yesterday with vaccines and all. So far this morning I've only seen a male Red-Bellied Woodpecker on the suet feeder, but just heard a Mourning Dove.

>188 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Looking forward to today's birding adventure. Leaving shortly. Nothing at my feeders yet, other than that one lone bunny.

Morning, Mark!

I've seen that people are unhappy about the new mail vehicles not being hybrids, and honestly that does seem like a missed opportunity.

And yay for a new Lahiri! She's a real talent, for sure.

I hope it's "Add A Lifer Thursday" over there, Mark.

Good to hear that the great melt down is starting, Mark. I mentioned snow on this morning's writing sprint because I woke up to snow on the ground. One of the Chicago writers mentioned patches of ground amongst the snow.

>96 msf59: Oh nice!! I will put that on my enormous TBR pile.

>190 scaifea: Hi, Amber. I agree the hybrid postal vehicle idea is excellent. The P.O. is lacking funds, though and this would be a substantial cost. Maybe the Feds could kick in some cash.

>191 richardderus: Hooray for a ""Add A Lifer Thursday", Richard. That would be an incredible trend and I did exactly that today, by adding 2 Lifers. More glorious details to follow...

>192 Familyhistorian: Hi, Meg. Our great melt-off has begun, but it is going to take awhile. Some spots have nearly 2 feet of snow. The trails are still snow-packed and slushy, causing difficulties in foot travel. Hey, at least we are moving in the right direction.

>193 leperdbunny: Another Towles fan? Yah!

^Me and my Birding buddies took a day trip over to Benton Harbor, MI. This channel or river dumps into Lake Michigan. It may look like the arctic but the weather was perfect for late February, hovering around 40F with ample sunshine. Our target birds were waterfowl and we were rewarded. 2 Lifers for me. 1 for them, (they are way ahead of me). Plus great looks at some other beautiful ducks.

^Of course, we found a brewery for lunch and a brew, on our way back. They used these owls to keep social distancing between tables. I think there were only two other occupied tables in the place. Greenbush Brewery, Sawyer MI.

>194 msf59:, >195 msf59:, >196 msf59: Hooray for a TWO-Lifer Thursday! May the trend continue.

Beautiful, but extremely cold-looking, Lake Michigan shots. I'm glad you told us it was 40° or I'd've seen you as cowering away from Siberian lows.

"Owl alone" *oof* cute, but corny.

>197 richardderus: I wish I could have got more photos of the terrain. There were places that truly looked like the Arctic, with ice flows and everything. This channel leads into Lake Michigan.

"The attractive Long-tailed Duck breeds in the high Arctic and spends winters mostly along ocean coasts. Females and immatures are smudgy brown and white, without the long tail. These prodigious divers can feed as deep as 200 feet, swimming with their wings, catching invertebrates and small fish."

I have wanted to see a Long-Tailed Duck for a few years now. Today was the day and we saw at least 5. You got to love that tail. The bottom photo is the female.

>199 msf59: Oh I like long tailed ducks! Good tale!

>187 msf59: oooh! I had no idea to expect something else from her! I am excited :)

>200 quondame: The Long-Tailed Ducks (summer) breeding plumage is incredibly beautiful, of course NMP. Since this takes place in the Arctic, I will probably never see it.

>201 LovingLit: Hooray for another Lahiri fan! Have you read both of her story collections?

>202 msf59: The Long-Tailed Duck was Sibley's "the Birder's Year" calendar bird for February 23rd.

"Round body; short, pointed dark
wings distinctive in all plumages.
Formerly known as Oldsquaw."

Happy Thursday, Mark. I love all those pictures of the birds and I think the ones in >195 msf59: are soooo beautiful. Blue sky and blue water! What more do you want.

>204 m.belljackson: I should have ordered one of Sibley's calendars, Marianne. He illustrates my current poetry collection, Bright Wings, which I think you would really like. I wonder why in the world they called the Long-Tail Duck an Oldsquaw?

>205 connie53: Thanks, Connie. Happy Friday! It was even more beautiful than the photos. It truly looked like the Antarctic.

Benton Harbor MI. There is a smattering of waterfowl in the foreground of the photo.

"These transporting, deeply moving stories—some inspired by her own family history—amply demonstrate Makkai’s extraordinary range as a storyteller, and confirm her as a master of the short story form."

^I have been itchin' to read Music for Wartime, since reading and loving The Great Believers. Ellen made this possible, by selecting this one as a Christmas Swap for me. Yah! I am starting it today.

'Morning, Mark, and happy Friday to you. Congrats on the Long-Tailed Duck. What was the other Lifer?

Enjoy your morning's outing.

Congrats on your two lifers! How fun

>209 karenmarie: Happy Friday, Karen. My second Lifer was a King Eider. Not the best looks and I did not get a photo but my birding buddy did. I will try to post something on it.

>210 ChelleBearss: Thanks, Chelle. It has been getting tougher and tougher to see a Lifer these days, so this twofer was special.

>199 msf59: A punk-rock duck! Handsome beast, that one.

I've fallen off the pickle truck and started reading an ancient alternate history novel, Great Kings' War. Maybe the radish wagon has room for me as I try to get back to Respectablereadstown.

Hiyah Mark! I just finished The Missing American that I picked up on our ALA adventure. Did you get that one? If not, it's a pretty good ride and I'd be willing to pass it on if you're interested.

Back to Driftless - the problem is that by the time July Montgomery
drives his tractor to the silo, he has become too real to let go of. (poetic license)

With a half point off for The Fight, I rated this 4.5 and hope that
Gail, Wade, Olivia, & Rusty have come to their collective senses in Jewelweed,
though Olivia is quite the Bonkers Chicken, so that's pretty unlikely.

>199 msf59: Nice pictures Marc! And congratulations on your two lifers. I think I have seen long-tailed ducks, they migrate here in winter. But I've only seen them from a far distance. Beautiful birds closer up.

Hi Mark. Greating sitings for you!

Here are a couple of articles from my BirdWatching newsletter today, one that is close to you and one that is just amazing (but far away):

https://www.birdwatchingdaily.com/hotspots/230-skokie-lagoons-winnetka-illinois/

https://www.birdwatchingdaily.com/news/science/long-lost-black-browed-babbler-re...

>212 richardderus: Hooray for punk-rock ducks, pickle trucks & ancient alternate history novels! I hope you found your way back to Respectablereadstown, Richard.

>213 drneutron: Happy Friday, Jim. I did not grab a copy of The Missing American and have not heard anything about it, but if you think I will like it, that is good enough for me. Send it along. Thanks.

>214 m.belljackson: I loved July, Marianne. It looks like he was introduced in a couple of Rhodes novels from the 70s. It doesn't look like he revisits those characters in Jewelweed but introduces a new set of characters, in the same general locale. I will definitely be reading it.

>215 EllaTim: Thanks, Ella. It was a great 2 Lifer day and I am glad I finally saw my Long-Tailed Duck.

>217 msf59:

In tune with missing July, Driftless won THE MILKWEED NATIONAL FICTION PRIZE.

There's a list of the rest of their winners, from 1988 to 2007 in the back of the book.

I found the first book, Ganado Red, on abe.com and decided not to read any reviews
since another author, Larry Watson, with Montana 1948 was mentioned favorably,
I think,
on your site.

So, a Homegrown MILKWEED Reading Challenge! (NF, AAC, BAC, and now, MRC)

ps. A thought to be extinct bird, the Black-browed Babbler, was recently re-discovered in Borneo.

>217 msf59: I’ll send it along!

>216 jessibud2: Thanks, Shelley. I loved both of these links. The Skokie Lagoons is in the far northern regions of the Chicago area. I have never birded up there. I am sure I will at some point. Hooray for the Borneo Babbler! How exciting is that?

>218 m.belljackson: Happy Saturday, Marianne. I don't think either one of us are surprised to hear that Driftless was an award-winner, right? And hooray for the MRC & the Black-Browed Babbler! I just read about the latter.

>219 drneutron: Thanks, Jim.

"King Eider. A big sea-duck of Arctic waters. Well adapted to frigid climates, diving and swimming underwater in seas near the freezing point, resting on ice floes. In its normal range, generally in large flocks, with the brown females and immatures outnumbering the strikingly ornate adult males."

^My second Lifer from our Thursday Michigan outing was a King Eider. This was most likely an immature male. I did not get a photo but my buddy did. Another Arctic duck so these are uncommon in the Midwest. I would love to see a male in breeding plumage, but that takes places thousands of miles from here. They are quite striking:

21) Under a White Sky: The Nature of the Future by Elizabeth Kolbert 4 stars

“Yes, people have fundamentally altered the atmosphere. And, yes, this is likely to lead to all sorts of dreadful consequences. But people are ingenious. They come up with crazy, big ideas, and sometimes these actually work.”

Kolbert burst onto the scene with the Pulitzer Prize winning The Sixth Extinction. A book I enjoyed immensely. She has returned here with a collection of eight essays, exploring the ways in which our capacity for destruction has reshaped the natural world and how scientists and biologists are fighting back. These very inventive measures may only slow the bleeding but it is at least a start. Kolbert traveled the world for these stories and did not mind getting her hands dirty along the way. It must be tough to be a science writer in 2021 but she has pulled it off once again, with this eye-opener.

‘Morning, Mark, and happy Saturday to you.

>221 msf59: What a gorgeous bird. I love the markings. I just looked at the range map for King Eiders, and they aren’t even shown anywhere in the US except for the furthest reaches of the northeast along the coast. Is this an accidental sighting or do they normally appear there and just don’t show up on official range maps? The range map I used was allaboutbirds.org.

>221 msf59: What a bird! So many surprises on the wing or water.

>223 karenmarie: Happy Saturday, Karen. The range map I saw for the King Eider, just brushed the upper Midwest, mainly in the Great Lakes region. They pop up along the Illinois lakefront or in Michigan, but not very often. It was a special sighting, that is for sure.

>224 quondame: Hi, Susan. There are definitely interesting and rare birds out there, you just need to track them down.

-The Far Side

>226 msf59: I love that one! Gary Larson was the funniest scientist ever born. Or the most scientific comedian. I'm not sure where the dividing line is.

Happy Down Day! The eiders didn't leave you a pillow by any chance, did they?

Hi Mark! I still haven't read anything by Elizabeth Kolbert, and I keep meaning to.

>227 richardderus: Yep, that Larson is a classic. No feathers from the eider, Richard, although it does make me sad that they would kill these beauties for stuffing.

>228 banjo123: Hi, Rhonda. I hope I inspired you to pick up a Kolbert. She would be worth your time.

‘Morning, Mark, and happy Sunday to you.

>226 msf59: Larson’s always good for a laugh. I don’t recall seeing that one before, so thanks for sharing.

>230 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. I saw that cartoon on the National Association of Letter Carriers FB page and had to share it. I do not think I had seen it before either.

23) Driftless by David Rhodes 4.3 stars

^Instead of writing a mini-review of this wonderful novel, I will direct my visitors to Bonnie's excellent review, which says much more than my limited abilities could express. Call me lazy, (some have) but once you read it, you will understand and possibly even thank me:

http://www.librarything.com/work/5787774/reviews/45123704

I really enjoyed doing a shared read, with Bonnie, on this gem.

Lament

Everything is far
and long gone by.
I think that the star
glittering above me
has been dead for a million years.
I think there were tears
in the car I heard pass
and something terrible was said.
A clock has stopped striking in the house
across the road…
When did it start?…
I would like to step out of my heart
an go walking beneath the enormous sky.
I would like to pray.
And surely of all the stars that perished
long ago,
one still exists.
I think that I know
which one it is–
which one, at the end of its beam in the sky,
stands like a white city…

-Rainer Maria Rilke. I have had a tough time connecting with Rilke but I stumbled upon this one and it grabbed me immediately.

Great Gray Owl

Who knew you would grow from gray bark
So that nothing is separate or new
But your yellow eyes following through
From the mottling brown in the dark,
Spectral Owl — from the spiral, the spark
That the circling feathers lead to?
Who knew you could speak as you do,
Great Gray ghost — who know you could speak?

-Annie Finch From Bright Wings

>232 msf59: Oh hell.

*trudges off to Ammy*

>235 richardderus: Richard, I did the same after reading Bonnie's review. I had a $6 Kindle credit burning a hole in my pocket, so it seemed like it was meant to be.

Hi Mark,

Not sure how old this clip/article is but it's pretty remarkable!

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/half-male-half-female-cardina...

>236 lauralkeet: There's just no sense in trying to resist force majeure is there?

>238 richardderus: Indeed!

>232 msf59: Well gee, thanks for that Mark. And thanks for getting me to read a book that's been on my shelf for over ten years.

>195 msf59: Congratulations on two lifers, Mark.
To bad the Long-Tailed Duck and King Eider keep their breeding plumage for birders up north ;-)

>226 msf59: Larson does some great mail carrier cartoons - he is hilarious ;)

>236 lauralkeet: I am glad our warbling paid off on Driftless, Laura, although Bonnie should get most of the credit.

>237 jessibud2: Thanks, Shelley. I remember reading this story a couple of years ago. Yes, a very unique cardinal.

>238 richardderus: >239 lauralkeet: B.A.G.

>240 brenzi: Book pals are the best, right, Bonnie? Looking forward to reading Jewelweed, somewhere down the road.

>241 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita but it only looks like I would have to go many thousands of miles north to see either of these in breeding plumage.

>242 LovingLit: I remember you being a big Larson fan, Megan. I should track down more of his mailman comics.

Good morning, Mark! I hope you enjoy your time with your birding buddies today.

I am back in Tuscaloosa from my weekend wedding road trip. My niece got married up in the Las Vegas of the South - Gaitlinburg/Pigeon Forge/ Sevierville, Tennessee. It as one of the most beautiful weddings I have ever seen and one of the shortest. I think if I was getting married in a spot like that I would have found a way to drag out the ceremony as long as possible. It was a foggy rainy day and that fog covered everything. It rolled around outside of the windows like something you see on a movie set. It was moving all the time with the wind currents and it was amazing. It was so atmospheric. It made the setting perfect even though you couldn't see 5 feet outside the window. It truly was the Smokey Mountains that afternoon. Perfect. It made me forgive the extravagance of 10 bridesmaids and a $1,000.00 dress.

Oh - and on the trip up and back I managed to listen to Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - which turned out to be a thoroughly average book.

>244 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. Very few birds this morning and chilly but nice being out in the fresh air.

>245 benitastrnad: Glad you had a good trip, Benita. I am not a fan of the Las Vegas of the South area but I sure love the Smokies. Sounds like a lovely wedding. How was the social-distancing? Non-existent?

"Murderbot returns in its highly-anticipated, first, full-length standalone novel."

I can not believe Network Effect came out last May and I am just now getting to it. I guess I will blame the lack of audiobook time this past six months. A good excuse as any. I have all ready listened to a nice chunk of it, while running around this morning and like her four previous books, it grabs you right away.

>247 msf59: I'm with you as well, I love this series and am just now getting to the novel. I got a kindle ebook credit last month and bought the kindle version and I'm reading it now too. I'm about half-way thru and am really enjoying it.

Just curious, is it a man or a woman who is reading the book?

>247 msf59: After borrowing the series from the library, I used Christmas gift cards to buy the four novellas in hardcover for my own collection and then bought this one this month in hard copy while pre-ordering Fugitive Telemetry at the same time. Might do some re-reading this year, possibly. :)

>248 mahsdad: Hey, I got another reading partner! Did you try these at all on audio? They are really good in this format. The narrator is male and he does a perfect job.

>249 MickyFine: Hi, Micky. It sounds like you are all in on the Murderbot series! Yah! Glad to hear she has another one coming down the pike too. I do not read a lot of Sci-Fi these days but I do enjoy this series.

"Restless is a brilliant espionage book and a vivid portrait of the life of a female spy. Full of tension and drama, and based on a remarkable chapter of Anglo-American history, this is fiction at its finest."

I have not read a Boyd novel in a few years and I have wanted to go back and read his earlier work. I had Restless on shelf and thought I would start with that. 50 pages in and enjoying it quite a bit. Anyone else recommend any of his earlier work?

^I can not believe I have all ready arrived at the 6 month mark of retirement. Those days fly like spooked starlings. It was a smooth transition and I do not miss my postal duties at all. I just miss a few of my co-workers now and then. I think my reading has gone well, despite missing my audio time. The only down side is I have gained some weight, so I plan on doing something about that soon and with the weather improving I can get out walking more often.

I read 4 OTS books in February, less than the previous month. I hope to jack that up a bit in March.

>251 msf59:
I have not read Restless. But I have it on my reading list. In fact I have several of Boyd's novels on my reading list.

I read Restless quite a few years ago and I liked it a lot Mark. I'm sure you'll like it too.

>250 msf59: No audio for the Murderbot series. I have the paper version of ASR and kindle, but kindle for the rest.

I just finished the Porpoise on audio, and started up the Leonardo da Vinci biography by Walter Isaacson, narrated by Alfred Molina

>187 msf59: H Mark! Thanks for the hot tip for the Lahiri book! i now have it on reserve at the library.

>252 msf59:

Happy 1/2 year! Yesterday marked a year for Shawn!

6 months already? Wow, I’m glad you’ve had a good time with retirement!

Congrats on reaching the 6 month mark in retirement! Glad it's been a smooth transition and you've had lots of projects in birding and reading to keep you busy. (My dad's been retired for 2 months now, and I think he loves it too.)

Hurrah for Murderbot! The good thing about taking a little longer to get to it is that there won't be as long of a wait for the next one - it's due out in April.

Morning, Mark!

I can't believe it's been six months already! So fast.

'Morning, Mark, and happy Tuesday to you!

Congrats on being retired for 6 months now.

>253 benitastrnad: Glad to hear you have Restless on shelf. By chance do you have Any Human Heart? That was my first Boyd and it was excellent.

>254 brenzi: Good to hear, Bonnie. I am enjoying it, in the early going. Have you read any other Boyd?

>255 mahsdad: If you ever revisit the Murderbot series, try the audio. I did not know that Isaacson had a da Vinci bio out. I will watch for your thoughts.

>256 mdoris: No problem, Mary on the new Lahiri. You did not waste a moment, did you?

>257 alphaorder: Hi, Nancy. I am assuming Shawn is loving every minute of it? No boredom?

>258 drneutron: Thanks, Jim. Do you have a projected retirement date, although I know you love your job.

>259 bell7: Thanks, Mary. Congrats to your Dad too. How old is he? And yah, for the new upcoming Murderbot book. Maybe, I can get to that one by the end of the year.

>260 scaifea: Morning, Amber. Yes, that time sure flew. If I stay healthy, I should have a long, enjoyable retirement.

>261 karenmarie: Morning, Karen and thanks. It has been a great first 6 months, despite a wintery February.

Happy 1/2 year retirement, Mark! It does go by quickly! I could never understand the people who said "I can't retire, I'd be bored". Are they nuts?!
Have a great 1/2 year plus a few days retirement day!!

>264 Carmenere: Thank you, Lynda. It has been a very good start. I think for many people their work was their life and it kept them invigorated. They feel lost without it. I think having other interests and hobbies are the key.

Hi Mark. It's hard to keep track of the threads.

>252 msf59: I love my retirement too. I'm now at home for 1,5 year and enjoying all the good things it brings.

And I agree with >266 connie53:. My husband fell into a big black hole since he retired in 2015. He was no hobbies at all and since then has not found any so he does nothing but watch TV.

How on EARTH have you gained any weight?! You've been out trudging in all sorts to bag your multivarious lifers, and gone busily vacationing...I'd've put money on you being 10lb lighter by now, outside so much and not clamped to your seat in the delivery truck.

Wonders won't cease, I see.

>266 connie53: Hi, Connie. Lots of threads to keep track of. No worries. Congrats on being retired for 1.5 years. Is your husband still in the Black Hole? All TV? You can't get him into reading, I assume?

>267 richardderus: "You've been out trudging in all sorts to bag your multivarious lifers..." You have been following my adventures, eh? Grins...I also did not expect to gain weight after retirement but the exercise I get birding does not equate with my consistent mail, route regiment, that probably added up to 2-3 miles a day. I need more additional walking or biking on a regular basis and I think I need to cut back a bit on the foamy beverages.

>264 Carmenere: I think it's boring people who say that.

>268 msf59: Oh no, there has to be a better choice than sacrificing foamy beverages, maybe asparagus or something.

Perhaps a nice walk on the treadmill with a book? I don't mind walking or riding the stationary bike at a speed that means I can still hold my book :)

>268 msf59: Don't listen to >269 quondame:, cut those fizzy carbs to zero! And wine, and all other forms of alcohol, and anything that tastes...well, at all. Things that'd be used in birdseed and silage for you until you're 30lb lighter or so depressed you don't care about waking up! This is Dieticianland now. Misery and wretchedness and exercise.

...but I repeat myself...

>269 quondame: I sure like the way you think, Susan but I also like asparagus. Grins...

>270 ChelleBearss: Thanks for the suggestion, Chelle. I plan on just doing outside walks, where I can listen to my audiobooks. In the near future, I am going to get my bike tuned up and ready to go. I have not biked, since I started birding. You two like biking, right?

>271 richardderus: Okay, Coach Derus! I gotcha! Birdseed and silage. The pounds will roll off.

'Morning, Mark, and happy Wednesday to you. I hope the approaching spring will allow you to be on some of those trails that are still iced up soon.

>273 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Many of these trails are still snow-packed. It is getting frustrating. Lots of sun and milder temps the rest of the week. I hope this helps.

24) The Floor of Heaven: the Yukon Gold Rush by Howard Blum 4 stars

1897 Klondike Gold Rush told in three separate narratives. One follows a diligent Pinkerton man, another a con-man and thief and then there is George Carmack, a hard-working miner that first discovers the bonanza on the Klondike river. This is solid narrative nonfiction. I also loved the rough and tumble Alaska setting, which the author captures vividly. Good audio pick too.

25) Music for Wartime: Stories by Rebecca Makkai 4.2 stars

I loved Makkai's last novel, The Great Believers and immediately wanted to seek out her earlier work. I hit the bulls-eye with this story collection from 2015. The writing is excellent but I really admire how she weaves her Romanian family history into these tales, both past and present. I especially liked the story of a prized circus elephant that keels over on Main Street and transforms the town. Terrific collection.

*Once again, a shout-out to Ellen for including this in my Christmas Swap goodie bag.

Good morning, Mark! love the ducks and the poems!

6 months, wow! Since I retired a few years ago, I have found that time has a way of speeding along at a fairly rapid clip.

Also, wanted to mention that the US Kindle version of Driftless is $1.99 today.

>276 Copperskye: - Thanks for the Driftless tip, Joanne! I had put it on my library WL after Mark and Bonnie raved about it, but just went over to snag a Kindle copy. And see that I already purchased it for my Kindle. In 2013. #embarrassed

>277 katiekrug: Oh, I've never done that! Lol...all the time. Thank goodness that little notice pops up that tells you you've purchased a book already.

>275 msf59: Oh hell!

*trudges off to Ammy up the Makkai*

Book-bulleted twice for the same book!

Hiya, Mark.

I'm glad the Rebecca Makkai collection turned out to be terrific. I have trouble reading Rilke, too, although he has so many devoted admirers. You found a good one of his. I'm always happy to see a Charles Simic poem. That Roger Robinson collection I mentioned is going well.

Benton Harbor - I know it mainly for getting a huge amount of lake effect snow. We got caught one year in a white out there, as we were heading for Ann Arbor. Scary bad. I'm glad the weather cooperated for your birding journey.

Congratulations on 6 months of retirement! I know you're enjoying it. For the right person, it's prime time. Books, birds and beer - that's an awfully good place to start.:-)

>276 Copperskye: Hi, Joanne! Hooray for ducks, poems & retirement. I am really looking forward to the warm-up, when I can get out every day and see more birds, along with some well-needed exercise. Thanks for the heads-up on Driftless. I think I snagged my copy from a Kindle deal. I can't wait to hear your thoughts on it.

>277 katiekrug: I thought you had all ready snagged a copy, Katie. LOL. Boy, we sure get excited, right? Glad the warbling has paid off.

>279 richardderus: I think this was a well-placed BB strike, Richard. I would love to hear your take on this collection. I know The Great Believers deals with a very sensitive topic for you, but did you read it?

>280 jnwelch: Hi, Joe. I know you are not a huge fan of short fiction, but you might want to try the Makkai collection at some point. I have sure been enjoying swapping poetry with you. My little pile is really starting to grow and I just picked up the Bishop collection too. It has been a great 6 months, my friend, aided by the election, the ejection of Drumph and Bree's happy news.

-Harry Bliss

>283 msf59: The one time I let my puppies feel the wrath of gawd was when they attacked some books. Ooooo was I pissed!

>284 richardderus: Ooh, I bet. I have never had a dog chew a book. Thank GOD!!

-Bill Day

This👆🏻👆🏻👆🏻👆🏻Right here.

I may have to read the Makkai story collection Mark. The Great Believers was a five star read for me. And I believe she has a new book coming out this year.

>263 msf59: My dad just turned 63, Mark. He has a different set of hobbies than you (he does read), but he's certainly filled his days with things that give him joy. I have a bunch of hobbies I'd like to really dive into post-retirement, too. I'm already planning though I'm about 25 years away myself.

>283 msf59: Ha! I may have to bring in a copy of that to a couple of my co-workers.

Hi Mark, and congratulations on reaching your 6 month retired date. Time does fly by when you are having fun. :)

I have a few William Boyd's on my shelf that I need to get to, so far I have only read An Ice Cream War which is from 1982 and is about WW I in East Africa. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I do look forward to reading more by him.

>252 msf59: You know I am looking forward to celebrating that milestone for myself! I have told my boss that I'm thinking about it.... so August 2021 or December 2021..... she is hoping she can entice me to stay longer. Methinks not.

Restless was a 3.5-star read for me in 2015. I have Waiting for Sunrise on the shelves. That is the sum of my experience with Boyd.

I'm glad the Rebecca Makkai collection was so enjoyable! I also absolutely loved The Great Believers.

>287 brenzi: Hi, Bonnie. I hope you can track down Music For Wartime: Stories. I think you would really like it. Hooray for a new novel coming out from Makkai.

>288 bell7: Hi, Mary. Your dad is just slightly older than me. I am glad to hear he has his own set of hobbies to keep him occupied. I love the fact that you are all ready laying plans for post-retirement. All I can say, is that the years fly by fast.

>289 DeltaQueen50: Thanks, Judy. Good to see you. I appreciate you chiming in on Boyd. I have An Ice Cream War on shelf, so I am happy to hear that you enjoyed it. I think you would like Restless.

>290 EBT1002: Hi, Ellen. Great to see you. I am glad to hear that you have decided to make 2021 your final year, regardless or August or December. I liked going at the end of August, so I could enjoy a couple of months of warm weather, instead of being stuck inside.

Thanks again for the Makkai collection. I hope you can also try it out someday.

More poetry recommendations for you and Joe:

https://themillions.com/2021/03/must-read-poetry-march-2021.html

>293 alphaorder: Awesome, Nancy. Thanks for sharing. So many great collections to read.