Mark's Reading Place: Chapter Seven

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Mark's Reading Place: Chapter Seven

1msf59
Editado: mayo 26, 2022, 7:19 am



-"Under the Oaks". Our Arizona rental.





-Patagonia State Park

“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

2msf59
Abr 29, 2022, 6:57 pm



3msf59
Editado: mayo 26, 2022, 7:20 am





Audiobook:



Graphic/Comic:



February:

12- In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez 4.6 stars
13- Young Skins: Stories by Colin Barrett 4.5 stars
14- The Scene of the Crime by Ed Brubaker 4 stars GN
15- Pastoral Song: A Farmer’s Journey by James Rebanks 4.5 stars (audio)
16- The Memory of Love by Aminatta Forna 4 stars GR
17- Moonglow: A Novel by Michael Chabon 4.3 stars GR
18- IN. by Will McPhail 4 stars GN
19- Riots I Have Known by Ryan Chapman 3.7 stars
20- A Children's Bible by Lydia Millet 4.3 stars

March:

21- Black Birds in the Sky: 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre by Brandy Colbert 4.5 stars (audio)
22- Dancing at the Pity Party by Tyler Feder 4.2 stars GN
23- Firekeeper's Daughter by Boulley Angeline 4.3 stars
24- Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson 4.3 stars Group Read
25- The Siege of Krishnapur (Empire Trilogy) by J.G. Farrell 4.4 stars
26- Ballad for Sophie by Filipe Melo 4.5 stars GN
27- Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir 4.6 stars (audio)
28- An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine 4.5 stars
29- River Teeth: Stories and Writings by David James Duncan 4 stars
30- We'll Soon Be Home Again by Jessica Bab Bonde 4 stars GN

April:

31- Spring (Seasonal Quartet) by Ali Smith 3.8 stars
32- Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead 3 stars
33- The Bald Eagle: America's Bird by Jack E. Davis 4.2 stars (audio)
34- In the Distance by Hernan Diaz 4.3 stars
35- Lady with the Little Dog & Other Stories by Anton Chekhov 4.3 stars

May:

36- Orwell's Roses by Rebecca Solnit 4 stars (audio)
37- A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold 3.8 stars
38- Messy Roots: Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American by Laura Gao 3.7 stars GN
39- Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr 3.7 stars w/Bill, Benita
40- Seeing Ghosts: A Memoir by Kat Chow 3.5 stars (audio)
41- Pulse: Stories by Julian Barnes 3.7 stars
42- On a Night of a Thousand Stars by Andrea Yaryura Clark 4.2 stars

4msf59
Editado: mayo 16, 2022, 6:53 pm

“Be fruitful and multiply...all the animals, birds and fish will live in fear of you.”

-Genesis 1:28

Questions For God

OK
We fear you
And you creatures
Fear us
Neat plan.

We have been fearing
And multiplying
For eons.

We call ourselves
“Consumers.”

We are eight billion.
We have obliterated
Elephants, tigers, fish
Plants, bugs etc.
Plus a good chunk of the air
Waters and forests, etc.

Everything fears us.
Now what?

5msf59
Editado: mayo 26, 2022, 7:22 am



Hello?? Great Horned Owl chicks.

6msf59
Abr 29, 2022, 7:02 pm



^ Bill and I, plan to read Cloud Cuckoo Land soon. Possibly next week or shortly after. If anyone wants to join us- you would be more than welcome. It came out last September, so I am long overdue.

7jessibud2
Abr 29, 2022, 7:03 pm

Happy new one, Mark. Great photos. Did Sue buy Jack that shirt? ;-)

8msf59
Abr 29, 2022, 7:07 pm

>7 jessibud2: You guessed it! Thanks, Shelley. Have a great weekend.

9labfs39
Abr 29, 2022, 7:38 pm

I love your AZ photos and those of Jackson, of course. I'm curious about your current graphic novel.

10figsfromthistle
Abr 29, 2022, 8:04 pm

Happy new thread!

11jessibud2
Abr 29, 2022, 8:23 pm

Mark, I posted this on my thread but thought you'd appreciate it here too. The Blue Jays won but these are all the finalists and if you ask me, it could have been ANY of them! Some spectacular photos here:

https://www.birdwatchingdaily.com/photography/featured-galleries/2021-backyard-a...

12quondame
Abr 29, 2022, 9:36 pm

Happy new thread!

>2 msf59: Well he looks apt to drum up some trouble!

>11 jessibud2: What an amazing set of pictures!

13mdoris
Abr 29, 2022, 10:22 pm

Happy new thread Mark! Enjoying your Arizona pics and your Jackson pics. Will be interested to see what you think of Cloud Cuckoo Land.

14drneutron
Abr 29, 2022, 10:22 pm

Happy new one! I’m glad your trip was a good one.

15m.belljackson
Abr 29, 2022, 10:55 pm

Welcome Back, Mark - looking forward to more Jack and Tucson photographs!

There is an online site for Leopold's Shack and no, I've not visited -
only discovered it after my long driving trips were lovely memories...

...one Summer, I had a job that paid me to drive and stand at corners,
(some remote, like Copper Falls and Hayward, where a motel was covered)
to count the drivers and passengers actually wearing a seatbelt.

16FAMeulstee
Abr 30, 2022, 6:39 am

Happy new thread, Mark!

>1 msf59: Arizona looks wild.

>2 msf59: Jackon keeps on growing, he doesn't have that "baby look" anymore.

17msf59
Editado: Abr 30, 2022, 8:25 am

>9 labfs39: Hi, Lisa. Glad you like the photos. We'll Be Home Again is a very good GN: memories of the Holocaust. I need to update my GN image up there.

>10 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Figs.

>11 jessibud2: I always enjoy these, Shelley. I will check it out...I love them. I agree with you about the blue jays but I also love the ruby-throated hummingbird shot, among many others.

>12 quondame: Thanks, Susan. He is our precious boy.

18msf59
Abr 30, 2022, 8:19 am

>13 mdoris: Thanks, Mary. Glad you like the photos. More to come.

>14 drneutron: Thanks, Jim.

>15 m.belljackson: Thanks, Marianne. "Standing on a corner in Winslow AZ..." Reminds of The Eagles song. I have been to Hayward, but it has been decades.

>16 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita. AZ is definitely a "wild" place.

19msf59
Editado: Abr 30, 2022, 10:39 am





-Acorn Woodpecker. I am glad I finally saw these beauties. There were 3 other woodpeckers in AZ, but these were my favorites.



-Turkey Tom. Lots of turkeys here. We counted 25 at one location.

20msf59
Editado: Abr 30, 2022, 10:46 am





-Hooded Oriole. I did have one of these in Mexico but not this close.



-Black-headed Grosbeak.



-Lazuli Bunting. There were at least 25, at this bird feeder location. Really pretty.

21mahsdad
Abr 30, 2022, 10:53 am

Happy New Thread! Love the pictures.

22karenmarie
Abr 30, 2022, 11:03 am

‘Morning, Mark, and happy Saturday to you. Happy new thread, too!

From your previous thread: Hi Lisa, and thanks for the vote of solidarity on All The Light We Cannot See.

>1 msf59: Beautiful photos!

>2 msf59: I hope there’s also a “Off to Grandpa’s” shirt.

>5 msf59: Sweet owlets. Are the three rescue owlets still at the Rehab Center or have they been released?

>19 msf59: Yay for the Acorn Woodpeckers! They are fascinating to read about. That tom is a beauty, too.

>20 msf59: Gorgeous photos.

23laytonwoman3rd
Abr 30, 2022, 11:39 am

Sounds like you had a most wonderful birding trip. And topped off with a visit from Jackson...Grandpa's shirt should say "Life is Good!"

I saw 4 bald eagles in three separate sightings on Wednesday---from a car window. Pretty exciting and that wasn't even the purpose of the trip!

24PaulCranswick
Abr 30, 2022, 2:19 pm

Happy new thread, Mark.

You seem to be making up for lost time in your travels this year; and why not, buddy - good for you!

25msf59
Abr 30, 2022, 4:06 pm

>21 mahsdad: Thanks, Jeff.

>22 karenmarie: Thanks, Karen. Happy Saturday. Not sure about a "“Off to Grandpa’s” shirt." I will have to check. The owlets at the Rehab Center will not be released until sometime in August. I hope to see them on Tuesday. Hooray for the Acorn Woodpeckers! Who could not love that face?

>23 laytonwoman3rd: "Grandpa's shirt should say "Life is Good!" Amen to that, Linda. Congrats on the eagle sightings. Always a treat to see these majestic birds.

>24 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. It still feels like I am lagging behind quite a few people but I am okay with that. I have my routine down.

26EllaTim
Abr 30, 2022, 4:44 pm

>19 msf59: Wonderful pictures. But you have to love those acorn Woodpeckers. Pure modern art.

>1 msf59: Would like to spend some time there!

27richardderus
Abr 30, 2022, 7:16 pm

Happy new thread, and wow! Some gorgeous birb photeaux.

28Storeetllr
Abr 30, 2022, 9:43 pm

Happy new thread, Mark! Great bird pics, and, of course, our boy Jack. He is one cute kiddo!

So happy you had such a wonderful, fulfilling trip!

29bell7
Abr 30, 2022, 9:51 pm

The orioles and lazuli bunting are particular striking, Mark.

I'm not home to see them on my feeder, but I have a bird report for you today. I saw a few Canada geese, a pair of mallards, and a chipping sparrow while walking on a path near a reservoir today. Then I came back and walked the dog, and we saw a red-tail hawk fly overhead and a handful of red-winged blackbirds after that. All birds I've seen before, but with the exception of the geese, all FOY for me that I've definitely identified (I may have seen another red-tail hawk at my parents' last weekend, but I wasn't sure).

30benitastrnad
Abr 30, 2022, 11:10 pm

I started listening to Cloud Cuckoo Land today. I know it is early, but I read slower than you do and I am listening to this one, so I know it will be slower than the pace you set. I had finished the recorded book I was listening to in the car and this one was available at the public library so I got it and started it. It has two readers and both seem to be a good fit so I think this will be a pleasant listening experience.

31banjo123
mayo 1, 2022, 12:04 am

Happy new thread, Mark! Great pictures. How is Sand Country sitting with you? I read it a few years ago, and liked it more for the historical context than the writing. But it did have some great observations.

32msf59
mayo 1, 2022, 7:17 am

>26 EllaTim: Thanks, Ella. They refer to the acorns, as clown birds, with those facial markings. Its apt but I like their looks. Arizona may not be a place I would like to live, but I sure like visiting there.

>27 richardderus: Thanks, Richard.

>28 Storeetllr: Thanks, Mary. And hooray for Jack! One cute kiddo, indeed!

33msf59
mayo 1, 2022, 7:24 am

>29 bell7: Happy Sunday, Mary. Glad you like the orioles and buntings. I did too. Thanks for the bird report. You should be seeing several FOY birds, with migration amping up. Chipping sparrows are cute, aren't they?

>30 benitastrnad: Oh nice, Benita. I am glad you will be joining us on Cloud Cuckoo Land. I picked up my copy yesterday. I plan on starting it, in a couple of days.

>31 banjo123: Thanks, Rhonda. I am enjoying A Sand County Almanac. I think the writing is very good. He does have an unusual, nearly poetic style to his narrative.

34lauralkeet
mayo 1, 2022, 7:46 am

Amazing bird photos, Mark. Thank you so much for posting.

35msf59
mayo 1, 2022, 7:50 am

>34 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura and Good Morning! I will be sharing a few more, but I don't want too overdo it.

36richardderus
mayo 1, 2022, 8:57 am

Aldo Leopold is one of those writers whose touch with a description is memorable. I'm jealous you're getting to know him for the first time.

Sunday bird outing?

37karenmarie
mayo 1, 2022, 10:05 am

'Morning, Mark, and happy Sunday to you. Enjoy your BBA - birding buddy adventure.

38weird_O
mayo 1, 2022, 6:06 pm

Stopped at Target on the way home from field hockey this afternoon and equipped myself with Cloud Cuckoo Land. The reading begins...NOW!

39msf59
mayo 1, 2022, 8:37 pm

>36 richardderus: Hey, RD. We went on a very good Sunday bird outing, to the Chicago lakefront. Many birds seen, despite the chilly temps. And yep, enjoying the Leopold.

>37 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. The BBA went very well. Thanks.

>38 weird_O: Howdy, Bill. I see you are locked and loaded with Cloud Cuckoo Land. Hopefully, I will start it on Tuesday.

40msf59
mayo 1, 2022, 8:43 pm





-Gila Woodpecker



-Western Tanager



-Phainopepla (Black Cardinal)

41jessibud2
mayo 1, 2022, 9:02 pm

Such great photos, Mark!

42msf59
mayo 2, 2022, 7:38 am

>41 jessibud2: Thanks, Shelley. Have a great week.

43msf59
Editado: mayo 3, 2022, 7:19 am



Happy May everyone! April turned out to be one of the worst months, in recent memory, as far as book reading. I only read 5. 6 if you count my current audio, which I am nearly done with. The good thing is, that all my reads were solid. I would probably pick In the Distance as the monthly stand-out. Since I am kicking off the month with Cloud Cuckoo Land, and it's over 600 pages, this month could also be a challenge. Oh well- Life remains good! I sure ain't complainin'.

44Caroline_McElwee
mayo 2, 2022, 8:12 am

More beautiful birds Mark.

Cute bee's flower too.

45jessibud2
mayo 2, 2022, 8:16 am

Little Bee's Flower has sure blossomed and grown since that pic, hasn't he? :-)

46msf59
mayo 2, 2022, 8:28 am

>44 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks, Caroline. Hooray for Little Bee's Flower!

>45 jessibud2: He sure has, Shelley. He has changed so much and now he is clapping too. Soooo adorable...

...off to see him now.

47karenmarie
mayo 2, 2022, 8:47 am

‘Morning, Mark! Happy unexpected Jack Day to you.

>40 msf59: Excellent photos of gorgeous birds, and I had to look up Phainopepla on allaboutbirds.org – this one makes me sorry that I never took up birding in SoCal since that’s in its range.

>43 msf59: You could sneak a short book or two of poetry in…

>46 msf59: How sweet that Jackson is clapping now.

48msf59
mayo 2, 2022, 4:32 pm

>47 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. All went well with Jack this morning. He was such a good boy. Glad you were interested in the phainopepla. I wish I could have got better photos. Yes, I may have to sneak in one or two poetry collections this month.

49m.belljackson
mayo 2, 2022, 5:04 pm

Mark - here's a start for your Poetry Collection for May,
from The Only Place We Live:

Owl: Midnight

Such as was once heard
pristine in wilderness,
unchanged: this dark-bound bird
comes upriver soundless
as late summer fog
brings close the barking
of a distant dog

owl talk nearby
across the meadows in the wood,
strong abroad under stars and sky -
where once deer stood
beneath this bough
I listen now.

I hear the deep tones
and the snapping beak.
I hear the primal wildness speak.

50msf59
mayo 2, 2022, 6:04 pm

>49 m.belljackson: Ooh, I love it, Marianne. That's a keeper. Thanks for sharing!

51quondame
mayo 2, 2022, 7:29 pm

>43 msf59: I don't think a proposal to cut down distractions from reading would go over well.

52richardderus
mayo 2, 2022, 8:03 pm

Oh, good start to the week indeed!

53weird_O
mayo 2, 2022, 9:39 pm

I've started The Book. To me, it is very engaging, a pleasurable read. Multiple protagonists, living in different locations and in different eras, demand the reader pay attention. I think I may be propelled through the book's 600 pages lickety-split.

54msf59
Editado: mayo 3, 2022, 7:21 am

>51 quondame: Duly noted, Susan. Thanks for having my back. Smiles...

>52 richardderus: Yes it was, Richard. May it continue...

>53 weird_O: Hey, Bill. Glad Cloud Cuckoo Land is off to a dandy start. I will start my copy today.

55msf59
Editado: mayo 3, 2022, 7:33 am



"Doerr’s dazzling imagination transports us to worlds so dramatic and immersive that we forget, for a time, our own. He has created a tapestry of times and places that reflects our vast interconnectedness—with other species, with each other, with those who lived before us, and those who will be here after we’re gone.
Dedicated to “the librarians then, now, and in the years to come,” Cloud Cuckoo Land is a paean to the extraordinary human capacity to transmit stories from generation to generation..."

I loved All the Light We Cannot See and his story collection, The Shell Collector and was looking forward to reading his latest. It seems to have received mostly positive reviews from my book pals. I am doing a shared read with Bill & Benita, who have already started it. I blast off today.

56benitastrnad
mayo 3, 2022, 3:00 pm

So far I am enjoying Cloud Cuckoo Land. It had me with Constantinople. (I love most things Byzantine. Especially the Empire.) I like the multiple story lines. However, I am listening to it so it was a little hard to follow in that format. I ended up requesting the hardcopy from the local public library because it is intricate enough in plot that I need to check on some things just to keep it straight. The recorded version has the parts from the Greek play that was written by Diogenes done by a different narrator, so those passages are easy to figure out who is speaking, but the others were a bit more complicated in the recorded version. This might turn out to be one of those books that a person should read rather than listen to. In many ways it is reminding me of Cloud Atlas in the way that the multiple story lines are being told.

I liked All the Light We Cannot See well enough. It is rare now-a-days for a work of historical fiction to win the big prizes so, because I love that genre I was happy to see it win. But I didn't think it was that outstanding from the storytelling angle. My reaction to Cloud Cuckoo Land has been one of pleasantly surprised.

57msf59
mayo 3, 2022, 3:05 pm



-Arantza Peña Popo.

58msf59
mayo 3, 2022, 6:40 pm

>56 benitastrnad: I just started Cloud Cuckoo Land and I like it, Benita. Not far in but I agree, that this one would work better in print, then audio.

59msf59
mayo 4, 2022, 7:32 am



"Born two years after her parents' only son died just hours after his birth, Kat Chow became unusually fixated with death. She worried constantly about her parents dying -- especially her mother...an extraordinary new contribution to the literature of grief and the American family, and a provocative and transformative meditation on who we become under the specter of loss."

I like memoirs, so when Seeing Ghosts popped up as an Audible Deal, sometime back, I decided to snag it. I started it and I think I made the right decision. Has this one landed on anyone else's radar?

60msf59
Editado: mayo 4, 2022, 7:46 am





-Pyrrhuloxia. I first saw one of these "pinkish" cardinals in Mexico but I had better looks in AZ.



-Summer Tanager. We have these here during the summer but they are tough to find. They are everywhere in AZ.



-Common Raven

61karenmarie
mayo 4, 2022, 9:21 am

'Morning, Mark, and happy Wednesday to you. I hope the Trail Watch adventure goes well.

>60 msf59: Another type of Cardinal! Fantastic. Beautiful photos of all three birds, especially the Pyrrhuloxia staring right at us!

62richardderus
mayo 4, 2022, 12:29 pm

>60 msf59: I have never seen Pyrrhuloxia before. Beautiful.

>59 msf59: Sounds very interesting, like a true-life version of Joan is Okay.

>57 msf59: ...not the toughest of sells in the world, a photo with the new little bundle...

>56 benitastrnad:, >55 msf59: May y'all find all the pleasure I didn't.

63Familyhistorian
mayo 4, 2022, 1:38 pm

Happy new thread, Mark. Looks like you were busy doing other things so I wouldn't worry too much about April's lower reading numbers.

64msf59
mayo 4, 2022, 2:24 pm

>61 karenmarie: Happy Wednesday, Karen. The Trail Watch went fine and I added 3 FOY birds, as well. These different cardinal species are wonderful, aren't they?

>62 richardderus: Happy Wednesday, Richard. Hooray for the pyrrhuloxia! We were all practicing how to say it, while on the trip. Got some laughs out of that. Yep, Seeing Ghosts is off to a good start and I am enjoying Cloud Cuckoo Land in the early going.

>63 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg. I agree with on my lack of reading for April and I have moved on.

65Berly
mayo 4, 2022, 2:41 pm

>4 msf59: Great poem!

>55 msf59: Cloud Cuckoo Land sounds great! Eagerly awaiting your thoughts.

>60 msf59: Love the Pyrrhuloxia! Stunning colors.

Happy Hump Day!

66msf59
mayo 4, 2022, 6:29 pm

>65 Berly: Happy Wednesday, Kim. Great to see you. Glad you like the poem. Cloud Cuckoo Land is off to a very good start. I think you will like it too. Hooray for the Pyrrhuloxia!!

67Copperskye
mayo 4, 2022, 8:30 pm

Hi Mark!
Beautiful birds!
I finished Cloud Cuckoo Land yesterday and enjoyed it a lot.

68Carmenere
mayo 4, 2022, 8:39 pm

Hi Mark, just stopping by to say I haven't forgotten about you.
Oh my, Jackson is growing by leaps and bounds.
Hope you're enjoying Cloud Cuckoo Land more than I.

69lindapanzo
Editado: mayo 4, 2022, 10:46 pm

Hi Mark, such great pics!!

A Sand County Almanac? I've had that one on my TBR pile for forever. I really ought to pull it out and finally read the thing.

70DeltaQueen50
mayo 4, 2022, 10:23 pm

Hi Mark, you have been posting some lovely bird pictures. I love the look of the Pyrrhuloxia. April was my worst reading month so far this year as well, but one of the great things about books is that if you don't get to one, it will wait patiently until you are ready and able to pull it off the shelf. I was lucky enough to have a 5 star read this past week with A Town Called Solace by Mary Lawson. I previously fell in love with her book, Crow Lake so she is definitely an author to watch out for.

71FAMeulstee
mayo 5, 2022, 3:49 am

>60 msf59: The first two are lovely colored birds, Mark, as always my favorite is the beautiful black Corvid :-)

72EllaTim
mayo 5, 2022, 5:28 am

Beautiful bird pictures again Marc. But Pyrrhuloxia, why does this unfortunate bird not have an English name?

Still waiting to see my first Raven in the wild. They are sometimes spotted flying over our allotment complex, but I seem to always miss them.

73msf59
mayo 5, 2022, 7:54 am

>67 Copperskye: Hi, Joanne. Glad you like the birds. I am also happy to learn that you enjoyed Cloud Cuckoo Land to the end. I am liking it too.

>68 Carmenere: Hi, Lynda. Good to see you. Yep, we are enjoying Jackson through each stage of his young life. I am liking Cloud Cuckoo Land through the first 150 pages, so let's hope it stays that way.

>69 lindapanzo: Hi, Linda. Good to see you. I miss my absent LT pals. A Sand County Almanac is not always a smooth read but it is worth the challenging parts.

74msf59
mayo 5, 2022, 8:06 am

>70 DeltaQueen50: Hi, Judy. Glad you like the pics. The Pyrrhuloxia was a special one. I also liked A Town Called Solace, just not as much as you did. And yes, we have learned over these many years, that books are patient.

>71 FAMeulstee: Hi, Anita. Glad you like the common raven. They are not common in Illinois, for some reason, so I am always glad to see them.

>72 EllaTim: Thanks, Ella. Glad you like the photos. I will have to research the name pyrrhuloxia. I have no idea where that name comes from. I hope you get to see your raven. I am sure you have also heard their croaking call.

75karenmarie
mayo 5, 2022, 8:17 am

‘Morning, Mark, and sweet Thursday to you, to borrow a phrase. *smile*

>64 msf59: My friend Karen just sent me an early birthday present – Latin for Bird Lovers, and I looked up both phainopepla and pyrrhuloxia. The name of the book is a tad misleading, as many of the names I randomly looked have Greek roots.

Phainopepla fay-no-PEP-LA. Greek, phainos, shining, and peplos, robe or cloak, as in Phainopepla nitens, the Phailopepla, named for its silky plumage.

Pyrrhuloxia pir-roo-LOKS-ee-a. Greek, pyrrhos, fire-colored, and loxos, slanting, crosswise, as in Pyrrhuloxia (now cardinalis) sinuatus, the Pyrrhuloxia. It’s reddish color and compact heavy-curved bill accounts for the name.

How’s that for cool?

76msf59
mayo 5, 2022, 8:25 am

>75 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. Sweet Thursday. Thanks for doing my homework on those Greek bird names. I am just curious why they chose Greek names, at all? That is not very common in the bird world. It looks like our Northern cardinal avoided that tag.

77msf59
mayo 5, 2022, 8:35 am



-Mallard ducklings



-Canada Geese goslings

^It is a baby invasion at the Rehab Center. Another dozen or more ducklings arrived while I was working there. I helped in the bird nursery on Tuesday- removing the birds, cleaning the cages and feeding them. Quite a task. It will stay busy like this for the next two months. I had two birds escape on me- a feisty robin and a northern flicker. Both were recaptured quickly.

78karenmarie
mayo 5, 2022, 8:51 am

>77 msf59: Is that a Beanie Baby with the ducklings? If so, I'm pretty sure we've got the exact same one.

79msf59
mayo 5, 2022, 8:53 am

>78 karenmarie: It would be a lot bigger than a Beanie Baby. About 10 inches high, I would think.

80richardderus
mayo 5, 2022, 9:26 am

Oh...cleaning up after (any) babies...always a challenge because it's the definition of "sisyphean labor."

Thursday orisons, Mark.

81Caroline_McElwee
mayo 5, 2022, 10:32 am

>60 msf59: What a quirky character the Pyrrhuloxia looks Mark, and the goslings in >77 msf59: are cute too.

82weird_O
mayo 5, 2022, 12:11 pm

Hi, Mark. Fifty pages to go. Jus' sayin'.

83quondame
mayo 5, 2022, 1:53 pm

>73 msf59: I got a 7 day loan of Cloud Cuckoo Land so I'm getting into it. I'm uneasy about the front-loading of losses.

84weird_O
mayo 5, 2022, 2:35 pm

I know how much you love Candice Millard. The NYT today has an interview:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/05/books/review/candice-millard-by-the-book-inte...

85msf59
mayo 5, 2022, 4:00 pm

>80 richardderus: "Sisyphean labor", is a perfect way to describe it.

Sweet Thursday, my friend.

>81 Caroline_McElwee: Hi, Caroline. Glad you like the pyrrhuloxia & the cute goslings.

>83 quondame: I am glad you are joining us on Cloud Cuckoo Land, Susan. It is definitely not for all tastes, so I hope it works for you. I am enjoying it.

>82 weird_O: >84 weird_O: You are finished with Cloud Cuckoo Land, Bill? WOW! You blazed through it. Just give me a thumbs up or down at this point. I am just over 200 pages in and most of it is working for me.

Thanks for the Millard interview. I will circle back later and check it out.

86Berly
mayo 5, 2022, 7:53 pm

Just keeping current here! : )

87weird_O
mayo 5, 2022, 7:57 pm

Mark: 

88Copperskye
mayo 5, 2022, 9:03 pm

Glad to see you’re enjoying Cloud Cuckoo Land, Mark. I liked it a lot.

Had a Bullock’s Oriole at my hummingbird feeder this afternoon. They are very brief spring visitors so I was lucky to catch it. I put a photo on my thread.

89LovingLit
mayo 5, 2022, 9:09 pm

>57 msf59: ha! Love it.

>77 msf59: baby ducks, perhaps the cutest thing since baby sloths!!!

I just finished French Braid by Anne Tyler, and shall starts soon on In the Distance by Hernan Diaz. Being sequestered at home has its positives, right! (damn COVID)

90quondame
mayo 6, 2022, 2:04 am

>85 msf59: So Cloud Cuckoo Land fits in my #6 flying animal challenge and I think the Shakespeare challenge #7, Anthony being a Shakespearean character, and possibly some others. There were some scenes in school. Who's willing to go shared reads for May TIOLI?

91lauralkeet
mayo 6, 2022, 7:02 am

Baby bird season! You're in for a busy couple months, Mark, that's for sure.

Also, after telling you (on my thread) that I hadn't seen any unusual birds lately, yesterday we were visited by a Rose Breasted Grosbeak. A lifer! No photos, I'm afraid. Now the question is whether he will stick around. Our bit of Virginia is a tiny southern spur on their breeding range map so he is probably on his way north. Still, it was exciting.

92msf59
Editado: mayo 6, 2022, 7:12 am

>86 Berly: Thanks for keeping up. Happy Friday, Kimmers!

>87 weird_O: Good to know, Bill. Yah!!

>88 Copperskye: Hi, Joanne. I am enjoying Cloud Cuckoo Land too. I love that you get Bullock's Orioles in CO, even if it is for a brief time. This was one of our favorite sightings in AZ but they were very hard to track down:



-Bullock's Oriole (NMP)

93msf59
mayo 6, 2022, 7:20 am

>89 LovingLit: Hi, Megan. I have to agree that baby sloths are pretty damn cute too. How was French Braid? Looking forward to your thoughts on In the Distance. It should be your cuppa.

>90 quondame: Glad Cloud Cuckoo Land fits into your TIOLI Challenge, Susan. I have never participated in that one, although it does sound like a fun challenge.

>91 lauralkeet: Can you believe I had a rose-breasted grosbeak stop at my tray feeder yesterday too? And I got a couple of okay photos too. I saw my FOY grosbeak on Wednesday during my trail watch walk. They do breed here, so they are around for the summer. Nice looking birds.

Happy Friday, Laura!

94msf59
Editado: mayo 6, 2022, 8:04 am



^After nearly 4 months, we finally got the garage fixed. Fortunately, for the past 6 or 7 weeks we have been able to use the garage. Nice to have a shiny new door though.

95AvaAlbiston
mayo 6, 2022, 8:07 am

Este usuario ha sido eliminado por spam.

96karenmarie
Editado: mayo 6, 2022, 8:15 am

Hi Mark! Happy Friday to you.

>79 msf59: There’s a Jake the Mallard Beanie Baby that is 8.5”. Live and learn, right?

>92 msf59: Another beautiful bird.

>94 msf59: Congrats on finally getting the garage back to the way it was only better with the shiny new garage door.

97lauralkeet
mayo 6, 2022, 9:11 am

>93 msf59: Hurray for your rose-breasted grosbeak, Mark.
>94 msf59: and for the finished garage. Woo hoo!

98richardderus
mayo 6, 2022, 10:50 am

>94 msf59: Yay for that!

Happy weekend-ahead's reads.

99quondame
mayo 6, 2022, 4:06 pm

>94 msf59: Looks great!

100drneutron
Editado: mayo 6, 2022, 5:06 pm

>94 msf59: Excellent!

101msf59
mayo 6, 2022, 6:38 pm

>96 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. It looks like you might be right about the Mallard Beanie Baby and thanks in regard to the garage repairs.

>97 lauralkeet: Thanks, Laura.

>98 richardderus: Thanks, Richard. Happy weekend, my friend.

>99 quondame: >100 drneutron: Thanks, Susan & Jim.

102mahsdad
mayo 6, 2022, 6:49 pm

Happy Friday Mark. Just saw and commented on your post over at my place Cloud Cuckoo Land is definitely getting bumped up the list with all the praise going on. Hope you have a great weekend!

103msf59
mayo 6, 2022, 7:02 pm

>102 mahsdad: Hi, Jeff. Good to see you. CC Land looks like a good fit for you. Don't be intimidated by the size (like I did), it reads quickly.

104FAMeulstee
mayo 6, 2022, 7:08 pm

>94 msf59: Now it looks like nothing happened :-)

105LovingLit
mayo 6, 2022, 11:37 pm

>93 msf59: Looking forward to your thoughts on In the Distance. It should be your cuppa.
You know me so well.
It is totally my cuppa :)

106msf59
mayo 7, 2022, 7:17 am

>104 FAMeulstee: That is what we were hoping for, Anita. 😁

>105 LovingLit: Yah!! And he has a new novel out too, called Trust, that sounds interesting.

107msf59
Editado: mayo 7, 2022, 7:25 am





^ I will be participating in the Illinois Spring Bird Count this morning. It will go on until early afternoon. Along with a couple of my best birding buddies, we will be covering an assigned area, counting every bird we see. Of course, this will involve lots and lots of walking, but at least the weather will be decent today.

108karenmarie
mayo 7, 2022, 7:48 am

'Morning, Mark, and happy Saturday. I hope the bird count goes well.

109katiekrug
mayo 7, 2022, 10:19 am

>107 msf59: - How do you know you're not counting the same bird multiple times?

Have fun!

110richardderus
mayo 7, 2022, 11:58 am

>107 msf59: I'm glad you're not having our soaking right now! Even the birbs would hesitate to get up in this mush.

It's a census, then? "211 house sparrows, 5 sparhawks" kind of thing? I can see that's a mire and more urgent data-set.

111weird_O
mayo 7, 2022, 1:28 pm

Heeyyyyy, Mark. You're supposed to be reading, not muckin' about spying on birdies.

Count this'n: 

112Berly
mayo 7, 2022, 2:16 pm

>111 weird_O: LOL!

Happy weekend, Mark (and Bill).

113banjo123
mayo 7, 2022, 5:46 pm

Happy weekend, Mark! Hope you see zillions of different birds!

114msf59
mayo 7, 2022, 6:15 pm

>108 karenmarie: Happy Saturday, Karen. The Bird Count went well. We walked about 8 miles, in 6 1/2 hours. I snagged a few FOY birds.

>109 katiekrug: Hi, Katie. We try to be as careful as possible, especially if we make a return trip on the same path and then we only count new birds. I think we get a solid count.

>110 richardderus: Hey, RD. I am so glad to be done with the rain. It was a beautiful day. The winds were still coming in from the east, so there was a bit of a chill but with the winds shifting to SE, all that warm, balmy air will start arriving tomorrow. Yes, we tally up each species we see, along with their specific number.

115msf59
mayo 7, 2022, 6:20 pm

>111 weird_O: Howdy, Bill. Not sure what that bird is, but he does not look happy. LOL. Yep, very little reading got done today and probably not much tomorrow either. Oh well...

>112 Berly: Happy Saturday, Kim. I hope you are enjoying your weekend.

>113 banjo123: Happy Saturday, Rhonda. We didn't get a zillion birds. I think we saw 45-47 species. Not an astronimical number but not bad either.

116banjo123
mayo 7, 2022, 6:20 pm

Wow--45 seems like a zillion to me! Congrats.

117figsfromthistle
mayo 7, 2022, 6:25 pm

Dropping in to wish you a wonderful weekend.

118msf59
mayo 8, 2022, 7:52 am

>116 banjo123: Yes, I guess it is all relative, Rhonda. 😁

>117 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Figs. It has been a very good one so far.

119karenmarie
mayo 8, 2022, 11:11 am

'Morning, Mark. I hope you have a good day,

Happy Mother's Day to Sue and Bree.

120weird_O
mayo 8, 2022, 11:56 am

>111 weird_O: It was identified only as a wet owl.

121benitastrnad
mayo 8, 2022, 2:40 pm

With all this owl talk, there should be no doubt that you are enjoying Cloud Cuckoo Land! I am more than half done with one. I am now on page 381. Only have 244 more pages in which to relish the story.

122msf59
mayo 9, 2022, 7:35 am

>119 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. We had a good day yesterday and got a few things done around here too. And thanks, in regard to the Happy Mother's Day wishes.

>120 weird_O: Well, that is certainly an apt description, Bill.

>121 benitastrnad: Hooray for the great grey owls, right, Benita? I am at the 410 page mark. I didn't get as much reading in over the weekend, as I would have liked but we are around the same point in the book. I like it too.

123katiekrug
mayo 9, 2022, 7:37 am

Morning, Mark!

(That's it, that's the post.)

:)

124msf59
mayo 9, 2022, 7:38 am

Do/Do Not

I sniff the blooming tiger lily,
two tongues sprung open
from one mouth.

I poison the river unintentionally.
I walk on the designated paths.

I splice the mountain, its body and mouth gaping.
I collect rainwater in a wheelbarrow.

I line the whale’s belly with gifts until
they rupture its stomach.
I water the strawberries.

Again I fill my gas tank with dead things,
generations spun together until shiny.
I feed the ducks fresh lettuce.

I maneuver the dead squirrel
on the road, mark the moment
when creature becomes meat.

I accept that my love is a
poisonous flower, routinely fatal.

I calculate the force of
loving in each glittering death.

All day on this land, in the
deep forest, the electric greens and
still-wet mud writhe with life.

The pond gurgles and whispers.
Everyone here knows to shudder
when they see me coming.

The mangos arrive unbruised
at the grocery store.
The wolves should start running.

-Nisha Atalie From Poem-A-Day

125karenmarie
Editado: mayo 9, 2022, 9:21 am

'Morning, Mark, and happy Monday to you. I hope your stint at the Rehab Center goes well today. You'll have to report back - I wonder if a Monday volunteer schedule is different from a Tuesday volunteer schedule. Enquiring minds and all that.

When I came downstairs this morning, first thing, I saw a male hummingbird, which I shouldn't have been able to see, but something knocked down the suet feeder, took a brand new cake, and moved the hummingbird feeder. Sigh. I'm going to get the shipping tape out to keep the suet feeder from being knocked over again. I've got quite a few Cardinals, both male and female, some finches, and a Carolina Chickadee right now. I've also had Bluejays in the last three or four days, and yesterday the male Red-Bellied Woodpecker was drumming on the metal portion of the Squirrel-Proof bird feeder. Fun times.

126jnwelch
mayo 9, 2022, 10:23 am

Happy Brand New Thread, Mark! (Have I fallen behind, or what?!)

The grandkids depart on Wednesday. Who’s going to help me make my coffee in the morning? Their sweet papa came in Saturday night, to be here for Mother’s Day. So we all enjoyed yesterday’s lovely weather together. I hope Sue and Bree had great Mother’s Days. I’m sure Mr. Jackson made it extra-special.

127alcottacre
mayo 9, 2022, 1:26 pm

Happy "new" thread, Mark. I hope you have a wonderful week!

As usual, love the pics of Jackson and the GHOs up top.

128msf59
mayo 9, 2022, 6:48 pm

>125 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. Rehab went fine. I think the AM work plan stays the same every day and I am sure the PM one does too. It is all a daily routine. Love your feeder report. Good luck securing that suet feeder.

>126 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe. Great to see you. I know you have had your hands full with the little ones, so I understand your absence. I bet you are sure going to miss them. How about this weather change? Wow!

>127 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia. It should be a good week but it will be another busy one. Yah, for Jackson!

129msf59
mayo 9, 2022, 6:57 pm



^I just passed the 500 page mark, in Cloud Cuckoo Land and I am enjoying the ride. I like how the various storylines are finally starting to align.

130Copperskye
mayo 9, 2022, 8:38 pm

>129 msf59: Isn’t that fun, Mark?! And I just loved Zeno and Omeir’s stories.

131LovingLit
mayo 9, 2022, 10:47 pm

>106 msf59: oh la la. I new Hernan Diaz. I'm lining them up!

132msf59
mayo 10, 2022, 7:19 am

>130 Copperskye: I loved those story lines too, Joanne. On the homestretch...

>131 LovingLit: I am not sure how this author avoided our radar but I am glad he is on it now.



133msf59
Editado: mayo 10, 2022, 7:25 am



The Rehab Center went well yesterday. Lots of duckling and gosling poop to clean up but at the end of my shift one of the keepers asked me if I could release a red-tail hawk on my way home. They also asked me to release a toad. I picked a large forest preserve near my house and the deeds were done. This is not my photo. I couldn't get a clear shot and it flew away quickly but sure looked healthy. That is my red-tail hawk & toad story and no I did not release them at the same place. The end.

134weird_O
mayo 10, 2022, 7:57 am

Cool story, Mark, you doer of good deeds. I'm glad to read you are enjoying CCL.

I started a Colson Whitehead novel yesterday. Nooo, not Harlem Shuffle. Zone One. Zombies in Manhattan.

135karenmarie
mayo 10, 2022, 9:57 am

‘Morning, Mark, and happy Tuesday to you.

>133 msf59: How exciting that you were given the responsibility of releasing the hawk and the toad.

The Crepe Myrtle closest to my feeders is almost completely leafed in, so it's much harder to see which birds are hanging out there. The suet feeder made it through the night, so I think it was knocked down from wind from the strong thunderstorms that came through.

136FAMeulstee
mayo 10, 2022, 10:46 am

>133 msf59: Must feel good to release an inhabitant of the Rehab Center, Mark.

137richardderus
mayo 10, 2022, 10:48 am

>133 msf59: Yay for both releases! I don't think hawks fancy toads, but it was still a good call.

138msf59
mayo 10, 2022, 8:34 pm

>134 weird_O: Howdy, Bill. Can you believe Zone One was my very first Whitehead? I wasn't completely blown away by it but I found it interesting enough to follow that author. How you feeling about it?

>135 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. Thanks. The hawk release was pretty cool. I hope they ask me again. Maybe, an owl or two, next time? My feeders have been hopping. More on that tomorrow...

>136 FAMeulstee: It sure was, Anita and I hope to do it regularly, as long as I don't have to drive long distances.

>137 richardderus: Hey, RD. The hawk release was pretty neat. I hope to do it again. Not as excited about more toad releases but if they ask me...

139karenmarie
mayo 11, 2022, 10:15 am

'Morning, Mark! Happy Wednesday to you. Quiet feeders here right now, the breakfast rush is over.

140msf59
mayo 11, 2022, 4:24 pm

>139 karenmarie: Happy Wednesday. Karen. My feeders have been quiet this PM too. I am guessing the heat.

141figsfromthistle
mayo 11, 2022, 8:53 pm

>129 msf59: I am picking that one up from the library next week. Can't wait to read it.

142alcottacre
mayo 11, 2022, 11:13 pm

>133 msf59: Yay for the wildlife releases! That is the best resolution, isn't it?

143msf59
Editado: mayo 12, 2022, 7:12 am

>141 figsfromthistle: Cloud Cuckoo Land? You should enjoy it, Figs.

>142 alcottacre: Sweet Thursday, Stasia. Yes, this is a rehab center, so once the animals have got healthy enough to fend on their own, they are set free.

144msf59
Editado: mayo 12, 2022, 7:09 am





Cowboy Jack! Bree trying to get him used to horses, early on. This pony belongs to a friend.

145jessibud2
Editado: mayo 12, 2022, 7:17 am

>144 msf59: - Terrific! And look at those chubby cheeks on Jack! He sure looks like he's having a blast! And those muddy boots - is he walking already?

146msf59
mayo 12, 2022, 7:27 am

>145 jessibud2: Morning, Shelley. Those are his cowboy boots. He is not walking so I am not sure why they are muddy. LOL.

147msf59
Editado: mayo 12, 2022, 7:31 am



"After the best-selling Arthur & George, Julian Barnes returns with fourteen stories about longing and loss, friendship and love, whose mysterious natures he examines with his trademark wit and observant eye."

I have really enjoyed the three books I have read by Barnes, so wanted to try one of his story collections. This one has also been sitting on shelf for ages. Anyone else read this one? Any Barnes fans?

148jessibud2
Editado: mayo 12, 2022, 8:58 am

Not long ago, I read his The Pedant in the Kitchen which I found quite hilarious. I know I've read a few others by him but titles escape me at the moment.

149katiekrug
mayo 12, 2022, 8:48 am

>147 msf59: - I really liked The Sense of an Ending. I think that's the only one of his I've read, though I have a few on my shelves...

150jessibud2
mayo 12, 2022, 8:58 am

>149 katiekrug: - Thanks, Katie. That was one that I read and I also liked it. I know there is another but I still can't think of the title

151karenmarie
mayo 12, 2022, 10:14 am

Hi Mark, and happy Thursday to you. Enjoy the walk with your birding buddy.

>144 msf59: Oh no! How cute. I love the cowboy boots, too.

>147 msf59: and >149 katiekrug: Ditto what Katie said.

152Copperskye
mayo 12, 2022, 10:43 am

>144 msf59: Oh my! So adorable! And it’s important to start them young. :)

And the Jack and pony photos took me right back to these books. I wish I still had my Thelwell books from way back when.

153weird_O
mayo 12, 2022, 11:02 am

I too read The Sense of an Ending (it was excellent, I thought; a Booker winner). Three unreads lurking in among the TBRs.

Halfway through Zone One, I'm still awaiting the emergence of a plot. Mail carrier just dropped off the trove of Richard Harding Davis books I bought through eBay.

154FAMeulstee
mayo 12, 2022, 12:27 pm

>144 msf59: Can't start young enough :-)
.
>147 msf59: The Sense of an Ending and The Noise of Time are my favorites by Julian Barnes.
I also enjoyed Levels of Life, Arthur & George, and The Only Story.
Three others I found a bit less (3 / 3.5 stars): Flaubert's Parrot, Talking it over, and Love, etc.

155mdoris
Editado: mayo 12, 2022, 1:35 pm

>144 msf59:, >147 msf59: Hi Mark, The photos of Jack on the pony are wonderful and to think he has cowboy boots!
I am a fan of Julian Barnes and have read 5 of his books but some time ago and will for sure put Pulse on my tbr list with thanks!
Sense of an Ending, Arthur and George, Noise of Time, Levels of Life, The Only Story

156Donna828
mayo 12, 2022, 1:53 pm

Cowboy Jack looks like he is having the time of his life! What a fun thing for him. I'm glad to see the comments on Cloud Cuckoo Land. It will definitely be a Top Ten book for me this year. It was a little strange at first until the pieces started to fall together. I think sometimes it's best to just let go and trust the author.

We have at least 3 groups of goslings in our backyard. Our dog Penny spends a lot of time looking out the window. She got chased by an irate mama goose a few days ago and has been banished from the big yard. We do have a smaller fenced side yard for her pleasure, though.

157richardderus
mayo 12, 2022, 2:21 pm

>144 msf59: *baaawww* he looks so happy!

158Storeetllr
mayo 12, 2022, 2:40 pm

>144 msf59: Adorable is too weak a word!

159alcottacre
mayo 12, 2022, 3:16 pm

>144 msf59: Love the pictures, Mark! Jackson looks like he belongs up on a pony, he is so happy.

Happy Thursday, Mark!

160msf59
mayo 12, 2022, 6:28 pm

>148 jessibud2: Hi, Shelley. I had not heard of The Pedant in the Kitchen. I will add it to the list.

>149 katiekrug: >150 jessibud2: The Sense of an Ending was my first novel by Barnes and I loved it. Thanks, Katie & Shelley.

>151 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. I had a good bird walk this AM. Hooray for Jack & his cowboy boots!

>152 Copperskye: Sweet Thursday, Joanne. You know Bree was going to jump on it quick. The Thelwell books look adorable. I will keep those in mind.

>153 weird_O: Hey, Bill. Glad to hear another big fan of The Sense of an Ending. Hopefully I can nudge a few people into reading the story collection. So, I am assuming Zone One isn't lighting any fires for you? I liked it.

161msf59
mayo 12, 2022, 6:40 pm

>154 FAMeulstee: Hi, Anita. Thanks for chiming in on Mr. Barnes. I have added The Noise of Time to my list. I also really enjoyed Arthur & George.

>155 mdoris: Hi, Mary. Hooray for Jack, the pony & his cowboy boots! Thanks for chiming in on Mr. Barnes. I have added Noise of Time, Levels of Life & The Only Story to my TBR list.

>156 Donna828: Hi, Donna. Great to see you. Hooray for Cowboy Jack! I definitely didn't feel the same love of Cloud Cuckoo Land you did but I did like it and glad I got to it. Glad you are enjoying the goslings in your backyard and nice to hear that Penny is behaving herself. Smart dog.

>157 richardderus: >158 Storeetllr: He's, my boy! Thanks Richard and Mary.

>159 alcottacre: Sweet Thursday, Stasia. And hooray for Cowboy Jack!

162msf59
Editado: mayo 12, 2022, 6:58 pm



-Clay Bennett

163banjo123
mayo 12, 2022, 9:04 pm

Cowboy Jack is so cute!

164richardderus
mayo 12, 2022, 9:07 pm

>162 msf59: Blast and damn the entire "pro-life" lobby.

165weird_O
mayo 12, 2022, 10:12 pm

>153 weird_O: I do like Zone One, but it seems adrift. I'm two-thirds of the way through it and wondering if something, anything beyond the day-to-day rousing of stragglers, the head shots, the bagging of bodies will take place. There aren't many pages left. Will I witness a firebolt from Zeus?

166msf59
mayo 13, 2022, 7:08 am

>163 banjo123: Thanks, Rhonda. He sure is.

>164 richardderus: Amen, Richard.

>165 weird_O: Thanks for the Zone One update, Bill. It has been a dozen years since I read it so it is tough for me to comment. I guess he was shooting for a cerebral zombie tale. At least you will finish it.

167karenmarie
mayo 13, 2022, 8:42 am

Hi Mark, and happy Friday to you.

>162 msf59: You’ve got that one right. We are, apparently, only vessels.

168scaifea
mayo 13, 2022, 8:51 am

Morning, Mark! I love your hawk and toad story, and Cowboy Jack is adorable!

169Storeetllr
mayo 13, 2022, 12:41 pm

>162 msf59: Too true. I wonder if this has finally awakened the Mama Bear that's been hibernating inside U.S. women since the defeat of the ERA in the late-70s.

170alcottacre
mayo 13, 2022, 3:45 pm

Happy Friday, Mark!

171benitastrnad
mayo 13, 2022, 11:43 pm

I finished Cloud Cuckoo Land and was very pleased with this book. I liked the history in it. I liked the characters, and I liked the myriad of trails of crumbs the author left for the reader to follow. I started listening for them as time went on in the book, but I am sure that I missed most of them. I think this book was better than All the Light We Cannot See. As I recall, I thought that boo ended abruptly as well. I hope that this chopped off ending is not a hallmark of this author as I would find it annoying if he keeps it up. I am sure that he and his editors thought that the book was too long and so ended it the way they did. I am also sure that when readers look at a 631 page book it can rather daunting, but I thought it could have been 5 or 10 pages longer and that would have provided a better wrap up.
If I like a book, I am not picky about the length. I thought he did a great job in creating characters that I could care about. There wasn't a bad character in the book. It takes a great writer to make me care about the fate of a team of oxen, and Doerr did that in spades.

172EllaTim
mayo 14, 2022, 6:46 am

Hi Marc! Your thread was fun to read. Loved the pictures of the baby birds, I can now picture what your bird rehab centre is all about. I have brought some wounded birds to our local one, but have never been so lucky to get to release any.
Jack the cowboy! How nice that Bree is already introducing him to horses.
Have a good weekend, Marc!

173msf59
mayo 14, 2022, 7:39 am

>167 karenmarie: Happy Saturday, Karen. I was running around so much yesterday, I never had a chance to get back here.

>168 scaifea: Hi, Amber! Always good to see you stop by. Glad you like the hawk & toad story and who doesn't love Cowboy Jack? 😁

>169 Storeetllr: Hi, Mary. I also hope this brings Mama Bear out in force. We will need her in the coming elections.

>170 alcottacre: Happy Saturday, Stasia!

174msf59
mayo 14, 2022, 7:49 am

>171 benitastrnad: I am so glad you enjoyed Cloud Cuckoo Land so much, Benita. I thought it was good but not great and it never really soared for me. I liked the Anna & Omeir storylines the best. Doerr did a wonderful job with that historical part. I didn't really get interested in the Seymour or Konstance sections but the author did a clever job tying those links together. The ending didn't bother me so much.

>172 EllaTim: Happy Saturday, Ella. There is always something interesting going on at the Rehab center. I will continue to share some of my experiences. Bree owns a horse, so she wanted Jack to get accustomed to her, since the horse will be part of his life. He seems to be adapting well.

175msf59
Editado: mayo 14, 2022, 9:09 am



^Sad news! Monty has died. Our famed male piping plover, who along with his mate Rose are Chicago avian celebrities. This pair have nested successfully at Montrose Beach for the past 3 years. There are only about 150 nesting pairs left in the world, so losing even one is a big deal. Monty had been back for about a month, waiting on Rose to show up. They winter in different areas. Rose has not returned. I am sure she will be heart-broken. Fortunately, I was able to see Monty a final time, a couple of weeks ago. I have some photos of them somewhere but this one was from the web.

176karenmarie
mayo 14, 2022, 10:22 am

'Morning, Mark, and happy Saturday to you.

I'm sorry about Monty - like you said, with so few nesting pairs left losing even one is a big deal. I'm glad you got to see him recently.

177weird_O
mayo 14, 2022, 10:52 am

Such a busy man you are, Mark. A happy man!

"The hawk and the toad" is redolent of Wind in the Willows and Aesop and such like. And "Cowboy Jack"... Didn't Louis L'Amour or Zane Grey spin a yarn or two about Cowboy Jack. Ha. Years and years ago, Judi and I were in Neiman Marcus in Dallas, with our first-born in tow, and spied a scaled-down cowboy hat. "Look," one of us said, "a Tom Mix hat!" The saleslady sniffed and said, "That's a Hoss Cartwright hat." Ooops.

I know you are midway through a busy busy weekend. Enjoy.

178alcottacre
mayo 14, 2022, 10:56 am

>175 msf59: That is so sad. I am not sure if those birds mate for life, but I hope a Rose sighting is in short order.

Happy Saturday, Mark!

179richardderus
mayo 14, 2022, 1:52 pm

>175 msf59: Well, crumbs. Vale Monty, and may Rose find another male soonest so she'll keep the circle expanding.

180msf59
mayo 14, 2022, 2:50 pm

>176 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. Yep, lots of sadness in the Chicago birding world and probably more to come when Rose finally shows up.

>177 weird_O: Howdy, Bill. I am keeping somewhat busy and have no complaints at all. Glad you like the "The hawk and the toad" story. I wonder what they will have me release next? I love your Tom Mix story.

>178 alcottacre: Happy Saturday, Stasia. It does seem like Monty & Rose were a team for several years. I am not sure what happens if one or the other dies.

>179 richardderus: Hey, RD. It will be interesting to see what happens with Rose. As far as I know there are no other piping plovers in northern Illinois, so I am not sure how she picks another mate, if at all.

181msf59
mayo 14, 2022, 2:51 pm



^Our little Beach Boy! According to Bree, Jack loves his little pool.

182quondame
mayo 14, 2022, 4:34 pm

>181 msf59: The photo is good evidence that Jack does indeed, love his pool - for him it doesn't seem so very little!

183lauralkeet
mayo 14, 2022, 4:44 pm

Sorry to see the sad news about Monty, Mark.
Jack looks awfully cute though.

184weird_O
mayo 14, 2022, 11:06 pm

>181 msf59: Ho-oly COW! Great pic, Mark. Love that expression, and the hat ain't bad either.

185msf59
mayo 15, 2022, 7:23 am

>182 quondame: I am sure Jack will grow into that pool quickly, Susan. 😁

>183 lauralkeet: Hi, Laura. Yep, bummer about Monty but Jack keeps us happy.

>184 weird_O: Yep, he is quite the fashionable Beach Boy, Bill.

186karenmarie
mayo 15, 2022, 9:20 am

‘Morning, Mark, and happy Sunday to you.

>181 msf59: Major cute-i-tude.

187lindapanzo
mayo 15, 2022, 4:52 pm

Love the Jack pictures, Mark. He is really growing. Hope you're enjoying your Sunday. I'm trying to get some reading in between baseball games and hockey games 7 tonight.

188ChelleBearss
mayo 15, 2022, 6:56 pm

Hi Mark! Love those Jack pictures! He's growing fast eh!

189msf59
Editado: mayo 15, 2022, 10:31 pm

>186 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. I had a very nice Sunday. Yah, for Jackson.

>187 lindapanzo: Hi, Linda. Great to see you. Glad you like the Jack pics. I love sharing them. I had a good Sunday. Birds in the AM. Books and baseball in the PM. Go Cubs!

190PaulCranswick
mayo 16, 2022, 6:46 am

>181 msf59: The little fellow's expression is priceless, Mark. Probably thinking Grandpa's gonna show this to a future girlfriend and I'm gonna stress that the water was cold!

It is great, seriously, to document the growing up because looking back later is a great feeling.

191msf59
Editado: mayo 16, 2022, 7:29 am

>188 ChelleBearss: Hi, Chelle! Wow! Great to see you. You already brightened my week. As you can tell, we our crazy about our little Jack.

>190 PaulCranswick: We were laughing about that, Paul. His Dad reassured him that it does that sometime. LOL. He sure likes his "Willy".

192msf59
Editado: mayo 16, 2022, 8:07 am



^Anyone get a glimpse of last night's Supermoon eclipse? The best viewing here, if the cloud cover opened up, was after 11pm. Of course, I was in bed. It looked like a cool sighting, though.

193karenmarie
mayo 16, 2022, 8:43 am

'Morning, Mark! Happy Monday to you.

>192 msf59: Bill mentioned it yesterday afternoon, but it was too late for me to want to come back downstairs and go outside to see it.

194drneutron
mayo 16, 2022, 9:01 am

>192 msf59: Unfortunately, I didn't a good view - was pretty cloudy last night. I even woke up to a pretty dense fog.

195benitastrnad
mayo 16, 2022, 4:16 pm

We had clouds here and would not have had a full eclipse. Due to the clouds I didn't go outside to look.

196alcottacre
mayo 16, 2022, 4:18 pm

>181 msf59: He looks like he is right at home in the pool!

>192 msf59: I did not get to see it as it was pouring down the rain and I was not going to stand out in the rain to see it.

Have a wonderful week!

197richardderus
mayo 16, 2022, 6:22 pm

Too cloudy here, besides I think I'm outside the path. I hope you'll go take a look at this video of a French guy training endangered geese to migrate...so wonderful! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fJhTu-0zmo

198msf59
Editado: mayo 16, 2022, 6:48 pm

>193 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. It was past my bedtime too. Grins...

>194 drneutron: >195 benitastrnad: It sounds like people saw it in the Chicago area, so the clouds must have parted, just in time. I will have to learn to stay up later...not gonna happen. 😁

>196 alcottacre: Hooray for Beach boy Jack! My guess is if it was raining last night, you would not have seen the eclipse, so you didn't miss anything.

>197 richardderus: Hey, RD. I think most of us missed the eclipse. Not the end of the world, right? I loved the video. I know they have done that here with whooping cranes. We have Greater-fronted geese here but I like the look of the European version.

199PaulCranswick
mayo 16, 2022, 6:49 pm

200msf59
mayo 16, 2022, 6:57 pm

>192 msf59: Sorry, I missed it, Paul. It will be back in 50 years. LOL.

201msf59
Editado: mayo 16, 2022, 7:02 pm



"New York, 1998. Santiago Larrea, a wealthy Argentine diplomat, is holding court alongside his wife, Lila, and their daughter, Paloma, a college student and budding jewelry designer, at their annual summer polo match and soiree. All seems perfect in the Larreas’ world—until an unexpected party guest from Santiago's university days shakes his usually unflappable demeanor...In compelling fashion, On a Night of a Thousand Stars speaks to relationships, morality, and identity during a brutal period in Argentinian history..."

I snagged an advanced copy of On a Night of a Thousand Stars a couple of months ago and decided I better get to it. It was published in March. Sounds really good. I will start it tomorrow.

BTW- I know I have been awful at keeping up on my mini-reviews, these past 6-8 weeks. I am going to try and do better. Wish me luck. 😁

202msf59
Editado: mayo 16, 2022, 10:02 pm



^Tomorow, me and a couple of birding buddies are going to Horicon Marsh Refuge in Wisconsin. I have been there before and loved it, but my friends have not. It will just be an over-nighter and we will be back late Wednesday. Hope to see a few birdies. Hold down the fort, my friends.

203richardderus
mayo 17, 2022, 9:53 am

Have a great bird-time!

And, when you get home, update your birthday/Yule present list: Candice Millard's new book, River of the Gods, is out today.

204FAMeulstee
mayo 17, 2022, 10:13 am

>202 msf59: Enjoy your visit to the Horicon Marsh Refuge, Mark!

205mahsdad
mayo 17, 2022, 12:48 pm

Happy Tuesday, which is a Monday for me just back from a short vaca...

I was thinking about you on one of our hikes. Laura was using an app to listen to the birdsong in the area to help her identify them. Thought you'd be interested.

Its called Merlin Bird Id. It was created by Cornell University. It will listen and record the wave forms of the calls its hears and then attempt to identify them for you.

Also, you should check out iNaturalist. Where you can record your sightings. It will attempt to ID your pictures and then other citizen scientists will confirm or correct the identifications. You can use this either on your phone in the field, or later at home on computer. You just have to upload the pictures and then specify (if it doesn't know) where the shots were taken.

206Familyhistorian
mayo 17, 2022, 2:41 pm

Fun pictures of Jack in action, Mark. That boy has a busy life!

207EllaTim
mayo 17, 2022, 8:27 pm

>205 mahsdad: Apps like that have improved so much, they really are a great help.

Have a good trip Marc!

208msf59
mayo 19, 2022, 8:12 am

>203 richardderus: Hey, RD. Thanks for checking in. I did have a good time, despite catching a nasty cold. I have River of the Gods on my audio list. Yah!

>204 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita. It was a very good time.

>205 mahsdad: Hi, Jeff. I have been using the Merlin Sound app for over a year now and it is invaluable. Bird sound apps previous to this one, were hit or miss. The Merlin one is not always perfect but it is amazing what it is able to pick up. Many times, sounds I can't even hear. I have not used iNaturalist before but the Merlin app also works for photos and is considered very reliable. Thanks for thinking of me.

209msf59
mayo 19, 2022, 8:15 am

>206 Familyhistorian: Yep, Jack is a busy boy and I am sure he will even be more so, as he gets older and I can take him on various adventures. Sweet Thursday, Meg.

>207 EllaTim: Hi, Ella. We had a good trip. Thanks. Have you tried using any of the Merlin apps? I am assuming they are available in Europe too.

210msf59
mayo 19, 2022, 8:21 am



^Sailor Jack. This is from last weekend. This is at the marina where Bree & Sean keep their boat and Sean's Dad's big sailboat is docked there too. Jack seemed to like sailing. We have not been on the sailboat yet and hope to do it this summer.

211bell7
mayo 19, 2022, 8:23 am

Just catching up a little here, Mark. Love the pics of Jackson on the pony and in his pool. He's growing up so fast!

Hope you got some good birding in. Nothing new for me, but I do have a slew of regulars on the feeders. I put new seed out on Saturday and the suet is already empty again. And almost every day when I leave for work, there's a house sparrow right at the peak of my house serenading me as I go.

212msf59
mayo 19, 2022, 8:34 am

>211 bell7: Morning, Mary. Sweet Thursday. Yep, Jack and his many adventures. I am sure they will continue. Thanks for the feeder report. Mine have been mostly dull residents too. Waiting for a bit of color.

213Caroline_McElwee
mayo 19, 2022, 8:39 am

>210 msf59: Aye aye Captain. Jack looks right at home there Mark.

214karenmarie
mayo 19, 2022, 8:40 am

'Morning, Mark! A very sweet Thursday to you. I'm sorry you caught a bad cold and am glad it's only a cold.

>210 msf59: Excellent photo of Sean and Sailor Jack.

215msf59
mayo 19, 2022, 9:15 am

>213 Caroline_McElwee: I love that photo too, Caroline. He captures Jack perfectly.

>214 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. I am laying low today and trying to shake this cold. Isn't the Sean and Sailor Jack photo precious?

216m.belljackson
mayo 19, 2022, 10:16 am

Hi Mark - Great photos!

If you go to You Tube, you can find JEOPARDY.

Cold more likely due to Wisconsin's near-freezing temperatures...?

217richardderus
mayo 19, 2022, 12:11 pm

>210 msf59: *baaawww*

>208 msf59: Sorry about your cold, but hey...small price for big fun, right?
***
January 2023. You'll be wanting to get your mitts on an ARC of The Deluge by Stephen Markley...here's the skinny:
From the bestselling author of Ohio, a masterful American epic charting a near future approaching collapse and a nascent but strengthening solidarity.

In the first decades of the 21st century, the world is convulsing, its governments mired in gridlock while a patient but unrelenting ecological crisis looms. America is in upheaval, battered by violent weather and extreme politics. In California in 2013, Tony Pietrus, a scientist studying deposits of undersea methane, receives a death threat. His fate will become bound to a stunning cast of characters—a broken drug addict, a star advertising strategist, a neurodivergent mathematician, a cunning eco-terrorist, an actor turned religious zealot, and a brazen young activist named Kate Morris, who, in the mountains of Wyoming, begins a project that will alter the course of the decades to come.

From the Gulf Coast to Los Angeles, the Midwest to Washington, DC, their intertwined odysseys unfold against a stark backdrop of accelerating chaos as they summon courage, galvanize a nation, fall to their own fear, and find wild hope in the face of staggering odds. As their stories hurtle toward a spectacular climax, each faces a reckoning: what will they sacrifice to salvage humanity’s last chance at a future? A singular achievement, The Deluge is a once-in-a-generation novel that meets the moment as few works of art ever have.

218Berly
mayo 19, 2022, 12:24 pm

Feel better soon!! : )

219alcottacre
mayo 19, 2022, 12:49 pm

>201 msf59: Good luck with the mini-reviews, Mark!

>210 msf59: Jack always seems to be enjoying himself no matter what!

>215 msf59: I hope the cold goes away soon!

220jessibud2
mayo 19, 2022, 1:26 pm

>210 msf59: - Adorable!

Mark, are you sure it's just a cold? Have you tested for covid?

221msf59
mayo 19, 2022, 6:15 pm

>216 m.belljackson: Hi, Marianne. Glad you like the photos. We were just up at Horicon and the weather was not bad. I like that place and I am glad I was able to show it off to my birding friends. Thanks for the tip on Jeopardy and You-Tube.

>217 richardderus: Hey, RD. Still feeling a bit rough but I am hoping to bounce back tomorrow. Ooh, great premise there for the "The Deluge". You sold me. It is a big-ass book, though. Did read his earlier book, Ohio? That also sounds interesting.

>218 Berly: Thanks, Kimmers.

>219 alcottacre: Hi, Stasia. I really need to do better with these mini reviews. It is embarrassing. Yah for Jack! Boo to the cold!

>220 jessibud2: Hi, Shelley. I was also concerned with that and took a home-test last night on my return. It was negative. Whew! I was mostly worried about the friends I was in close contact with. Hopefully, I will be feeling better tomorrow, so I can visit adorable Jack.

222quondame
mayo 19, 2022, 6:36 pm

>210 msf59: Jack's aquatic adventures continue! Will he show up with an eye-patch and parrot soon?

223PaulCranswick
mayo 19, 2022, 6:43 pm

Get well soon, Mark.

Impressed that Junior is already navigating his way across the waters!

224msf59
Editado: mayo 19, 2022, 6:45 pm

>222 quondame: Who knows what free-wheeling Jackson will get up to next, Susan but I sure hope that I will be around to see it.

>223 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. I hope to feel better tomorrow. This sure came out of nowhere. And yah for Sailor Jack!

225msf59
Editado: mayo 19, 2022, 6:50 pm



"An unflinching, powerful memoir about growing up Korean American, losing her mother, and forging her own identity."

I am moving from one Asian-American memoir audiobook into another. I liked Seeing Ghosts well enough but I have higher hopes for Crying in H Mart. I know a couple of my LT pals, including Joe, loved it. I dipped into it today but hope to spend more time with it tomorrow.

226richardderus
mayo 19, 2022, 7:19 pm

>221 msf59: I have it; I've gotten to p248. It's a tree book so it's hard for me to hold, but it is (if very dark) very involving. Now I have a target to complete it, so I can review it before/with The Deluge.

227PaulCranswick
mayo 19, 2022, 7:58 pm

>225 msf59: Looks interesting, Mark. As someone who has so many Korean friends and has worked with Korean companies on and off (mainly on) for the last 26 years, I have a keen interest in their culture and world view.

228msf59
mayo 20, 2022, 7:04 am

>226 richardderus: Hey, RD. I think you were referring to Ohio, right? Pretty good?

>227 PaulCranswick: Not far in, Paul but I think you would like it, especially with your relationship with Koreans.

229karenmarie
mayo 20, 2022, 9:57 am

'Morning, Mark! Enjoy your Jack Day, and I hope Sue recovers from her cold quickly.

230msf59
mayo 20, 2022, 6:35 pm

>229 karenmarie: Happy Friday, Karen. I enjoyed my time with Jack. I hope to see him again over the weekend. Sue has been laying low today. Hopefully she bounces back tomorrow. We may be taking a "chill" weekend.

231msf59
Editado: mayo 20, 2022, 6:38 pm



-Walt Handelsman

Living in America...

232richardderus
mayo 20, 2022, 6:40 pm

>231 msf59: ...or not...depends on your luck.

*sigh*

233msf59
mayo 20, 2022, 6:43 pm

>232 richardderus: Great point, RD. How does this become the new norm?

234m.belljackson
mayo 20, 2022, 7:52 pm

Mark - do your Birding experts think the low turnouts at the feeders connect to the Bird Flu?

235EBT1002
mayo 20, 2022, 10:56 pm

Hi Mark. You are sure enjoying your retirement -- you are an inspiration for me! I have Crying in H Mart on my shelves and it sounds really good. I have a couple of Korean-American friends who have endorsed it so that helps my confidence. I feel like there are more really interesting memoirs being published in recent years.

I also have a hard cover copy of Cloud Cuckoo Land; I bought it when it was first out, but I haven't gotten to it yet.

>231 msf59: Too true.

I've had a cold this week. I'm really hoping I feel like getting outside for a walk tomorrow!

236msf59
mayo 21, 2022, 8:14 am

>234 m.belljackson: I have not seen any reports about that, Marianne. I know nesting season is in progress, maybe Mom & Dad are busy preparing nests.

>235 EBT1002: Hi, Ellen. Great to see you. I have missed you. Sorry about your cold. I am sure you will enjoy Crying in H Mart once you get to it. I hope you get out for your walk today.

237msf59
Editado: mayo 21, 2022, 8:36 am







^I forgot to post a Rehab update from last week. I worked in the outside flight cages. There were over 10 fledgling GHOs in various enclosures and they liked keeping a close eye on me. I know opossums are considered ugly but I think the junior ones are kind of cute.

238karenmarie
mayo 21, 2022, 9:27 am

'Morning, Mark, and happy Saturday to you.

>237 msf59: Cute baby GHOs, cute possum. Little ones are definitely cute, but I had a baby hiss at me one time, just like the grown ups.

239katiekrug
mayo 21, 2022, 10:14 am

Happy Saturday, Mark! Big plans for the weekend?

240richardderus
mayo 21, 2022, 12:15 pm

>237 msf59: Hm. Can't say I'm a possum fan, regardless of age.

The baby GHOs, however, are adorable.

>233 msf59: I wish I knew. I'd be sure to share.

241Storeetllr
mayo 21, 2022, 12:58 pm

Wonderful pics of Bathing Jack/Captain Jack! This is such a fun age, isn't it! Of course, pretty much every age is a fun age for grandma and grandpa.

>231 msf59: I saw a post somewhere that noted the news about Wil Smith's Oscar slap lasted longer on the airwaves than the news about the slaughter of ten (10) innocent grocery shoppers in Buffalo.

In other news, I thought of you when I saw the extremely satisfying report that "the bird-watching Black man who was the target of false accusations during an encounter in New York City's Central Park in 2020, has a new TV show airing on National Geographic.

"The channel announced this week that Cooper, a lifelong bird-watcher, will host a series called Extraordinary Birder. In the series, Cooper will take viewers into the "wild, wonderful and unpredictable world of birds," according to National Geographic." - NPR

242m.belljackson
Editado: mayo 21, 2022, 1:12 pm

>237 msf59: What a friendly little possum face!

It's just like the one that greeted me on the front porch last month.
(I quickly and silently closed the door so it wouldn't be frightened.)

There's even a new book out which we haven't yet seen Possums are Not Cute which you and Jack might well enjoy.

243weird_O
mayo 21, 2022, 1:40 pm

I might take a taste of Harlem Shuffle. A good friend of mine, a credentialed reader, told me he liked it very much and recommended I give it a try. He also liked Cloud Cuckoo Land, but because his wife was bustling about (she has yet to read it), he didn't say much.

I finished a reread of The Ponder Heart, and I liked it even better than the first time I read it (about a year ago). I'm going to read Georges Simenon's first Inspector Maigret novel, Pietr the Latvian. I have read a couple of Maigret stories, and I latched onto this title, simply because my wife's best friends growing up were Latvians. Low and behold, I rescued a copy at a library sale yesterday.

244msf59
mayo 21, 2022, 3:23 pm

>238 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. Wet and cool here. Good day to stay in. Yah, for cute little opossums.

>239 katiekrug: Happy Saturday, Katie. Sue and I are both under the weather. We backed out of a birthday party we were invited to, so most likely we will just rest up at home.

>240 richardderus: Hey, RD. Opossums are hard ones to love but everyone seems to adore owls, especially the youngsters.

245msf59
mayo 21, 2022, 3:31 pm

>241 Storeetllr: Happy Saturday, Mary. Always good to see you. Hooray for Captain Jack! He sure keeps us aglow. Did you share the story about Cooper the birder on FB? I know I saw it somewhere. I knew that he was an avid birder, so I am not surprised he is hosting a show. Nice!

>242 m.belljackson: Hi, Marianne. I agree adult opossums can definitely unsettle you, if you catch them by surprise. Possums are Not Cute sounds like a fun one for our Jack. Thanks.

>243 weird_O: Howdy, Bill. I hope you enjoy Harlem Shuffle more than I did. Fingers crossed. Glad you liked The Ponder Heart on reread. I am not a big fan of Welty, so I think I will take a pass on that one.

246quondame
mayo 21, 2022, 3:40 pm

Rats and possums are ever so much cuter if their tails are not in the picture. It is somewhat hard to appreciate their cuteness when they are lounging along a branch dangling that tail to incite the dogs frustrated clamor.

247msf59
mayo 21, 2022, 7:06 pm

>246 quondame: I think you have a tail phobia, Susan. LOL. I am more fearful of those rows of sharp teeth.

248msf59
Editado: mayo 21, 2022, 7:10 pm



^I am a little surprised that I haven't heard any LT buzz on The Candy House yet. It came out about 6 weeks ago. Like many others, I thought Goon Squad was fantastic and I have heard this one could be just as good. I will start it on Monday.

249EBT1002
mayo 21, 2022, 10:50 pm

We had a possum in our basement in Corvallis many years ago. We finally caught it in a humane trap and released it in a park. That dang critter headed not for the trees or the River but straight for the highway! Go figure.

I'll be curious how you like The Candy House. I loved Goon Squad.

250Caroline_McElwee
mayo 22, 2022, 5:54 am

>237 msf59: Lovely to see the critters Mark.

251msf59
mayo 22, 2022, 7:11 am

>249 EBT1002: Hi, Ellen. Thanks for sharing the opossum story. We have had them in the backyard and living under our shed, (we have since sealed it off) but they have always been harmless. I can't wait to dig into The Candy House.

>250 Caroline_McElwee: Glad you like them, Caroline. More to come...

252msf59
mayo 22, 2022, 7:22 am



"Mark leads a team of office workers whose memories have been surgically divided between their work and personal lives. When a mysterious colleague appears outside of work, it begins a journey to discover the truth about their jobs."

^I don't rave about a TV show very often but the wife and I just finished "Severance" on Apple and we think it was awesome. An excellent cast, that includes Adam Scott and John Turturro and surprisingly includes Christopher Walken, which is always a treat. Incredibly clever and beautifully mounted. If you get this streaming service, please check it out. I can also recommend "Tokyo Vice" on HBO. Also solidly made.

Has anyone started watching Under the Banner of Heaven, based on the Krakauer book? That is next on our Watchlist. It is on Hulu. I also have my eye on "The Staircase", the docu-series on Netflix.

253karenmarie
mayo 22, 2022, 10:17 am

'Morning, Mark, and happy Sunday to you. Sorry you had to back out of the birthday party.

>252 msf59: Alas, we don't get Apple TV and at this point are happy to only pay for Amazon Prime, Peacock, and Netflix. Bill is pretty adamant about not getting additional streaming services, and since I only watch stuff on TV with him for about 2-2.5 hours at night, that's okay with me. More money for books is how I see it. *smile*

254Donna828
mayo 22, 2022, 11:01 am

Hiya Mark. I’m glad your birding trip to Wisconsin was successful despite bringing back a bad cold to Sue. At least it wasn’t Covid which can have some strange lingering effects.

I have the Crying in H Mart on the TBR list but no telling when I will get to it. I’ll take a pass on Candy House as I was in the minority and didn’t love Goon Squad.

Great pictures of the GHOs and Sailor Jack. He certainly is a well-rounded little man and very photogenic. Being a grandparent is a great gig, isn’t it? We just got home from seeing granddaughter Audrey graduate from High School in Kansas City. Sigh…it seems like she was Jack’s age just yesterday.

255Storeetllr
Editado: mayo 22, 2022, 2:02 pm

>245 msf59: Yes, I shared that post on FB. I think it's a magnificent example of Karma granting something good to someone who leads a good decent life (Mr. Cooper) as well as Karma befalling someone who has done something rotten (and I'm sure Ms. Cooper is gnashing her teeth knowing her ignorant behavior brought about a windfall for the guy she wanted to harm). (I'm vindictive like that.)

Hope you're having a great Sunday!

256banjo123
mayo 22, 2022, 2:45 pm

Hi Mark! I loved Severance. Can't wait til the next season.

I look forward to Candy House; but am guessing it'll be a bit before I get to it.

257msf59
mayo 22, 2022, 4:09 pm

>253 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. Sorry, we missed it. It looks like the party we missed, was a good one. The rain moved out and the sun came out. I understand about all the streaming platforms. We keep it, within reason too. Fortunately, we are able to log into Matt's girlfriend's account for Apple, otherwise I wouldn't pay for it.

>254 Donna828: Hi, Donna. Good to see you. Not sure, I gave Sue my cold. We slept in different bedrooms, but who knows. So glad I tested negative for Covid. That would have been awful. So far, I avoided contracting it. I am really enjoying Crying in H Mart. Yep, being a grandparent is fantastic! Loving every minute of it. Congrats to Audrey. That is exciting.

258msf59
mayo 22, 2022, 4:14 pm

>255 Storeetllr: Hi, Mary. I thought you were the one who shared the Cooper story. Karma indeed, my friend. I heard the woman is now some kind of hero on right-wing outlets. Is that disgusting or what? Thanks, I am having a good Sunday- Birds in the AM, books in the PM.

>256 banjo123: Happy Sunday, Rhonda. Hooray for another "Severance" fan. Such a good show. I will be starting The Candy House tomorrow. Stay tuned...

259brenzi
mayo 22, 2022, 7:41 pm

Hi Mark, just stopping by to get caught up on Jackson pics (all adorable) and to say that Trust is amazing but don't read any reviews because you should go into it knowing absolutely nothing. The slow reveal will knock your socks off.

260msf59
mayo 23, 2022, 7:37 am

>259 brenzi: Hi, Bonnie. I have missed you. Yep, we are still crazy about our Jackson. I am sure that will continue. Ooh, so good to hear you are loving Trust. I plan on reading it in the coming months.

261msf59
Editado: mayo 23, 2022, 7:43 am



^I have taken very few photos this past few weeks, since AZ, so I wanted to get back on it. This male Northern Cardinal was singing his heart out yesterday morning. This Eastern Towhee was also staking out his territory:

262karenmarie
mayo 23, 2022, 9:51 am

Hi Mark!

>257 msf59: We used Jenna’s Netflix account until wanted the 4K option, so we now have a Netflix account that we’re sharing with Jenna instead. Lucky you – free Apple.

>261 msf59: Nice photos, Mark! My feeders are filled and brekkie must be over – they’re quiet right now.

263jnwelch
Editado: mayo 23, 2022, 10:49 am

Hey, Mark. Great photos of Jack; I shared them with Debbi, who was ooo-ing over his cuteness. He already has a lot of personality, that little guy.

I loved your Cloud Cuckoo Land comment: “It takes a great writer to make me care about the fate of a team of oxen”. Yes! What vivid storytelling. Weirdo Bill had your same reaction to the abruptness of the ending.

Can’t wait to hear what you think of Crying in H Mart, and The Candy House. I’ve got my sights set on the latter.

264Storeetllr
Editado: mayo 23, 2022, 1:18 pm

>258 msf59: Yes. He'll be making some big bucks and being seen on national TV while some goober in his underwear will be salivating over her pic on 4-chan or wherever.

265msf59
mayo 23, 2022, 2:35 pm

>262 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. Glad you can share the Netflix account. I know I couple of people share off of ours. Thanks, in regard to the pics. I am going to try and take more when I am out in the field.

>263 jnwelch: Hi, Joe. Great to see you. Hooray for Sailor Jack! He is our precious one. I think that Cloud Cuckoo Land quote was from someone else. Benita, perhaps? I am not that clever. LOL.

I am really enjoying Crying in H Mart and I am spending the afternoon with The Candy House.

>264 Storeetllr: LOL, Mary. I think you nailed it there.

266Familyhistorian
mayo 24, 2022, 1:25 am

Hope you and Sue are feeling better soon, Mark. Having colds is so much more isolating than it used to be.

267msf59
mayo 24, 2022, 7:17 am

>266 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg. I am doing much better. Sue worked a half day yesterday. Hope she will show more improvement today. Fingers crossed.

268msf59
mayo 24, 2022, 7:27 am



-Michael Ramirez

269karenmarie
mayo 24, 2022, 8:28 am

'Morning, Mark, and happy Tuesday to you. Enjoy your busy day.

270richardderus
mayo 24, 2022, 3:42 pm

271DeltaQueen50
mayo 24, 2022, 4:10 pm

Hi Mark. I hope both you and Sue have shrugged off your colds. I am slowly catching up but I think I will be going back to Victoria next week. My brother is having a tough time with being alone. I have been doing a lot of reading but keeping it fairly light although I did just finish a mystery called Curious Toys that I really enjoyed. It's set in 1915 Chicago - mostly at the Riverside Amusement Park.

272msf59
Editado: mayo 24, 2022, 7:06 pm



^What the hell is wrong with our country? This is absolutely appalling!

273msf59
mayo 24, 2022, 7:10 pm

>269 karenmarie: Hi, Karen. It was a pretty good day, until I turned on the news. WTH?

>270 richardderus: Why doesn't anyone see that one the Right, Richard? That is the question.

>271 DeltaQueen50: Hi, Judy. Good to see, my friend. Sue and I are not completely recovered but we are getting close. Thanks for asking. Curious Toys does sound like a fun one.

274Copperskye
mayo 24, 2022, 8:14 pm

>272 msf59: I know, I know. It. Is. The. Guns. And every time this happens, pols act surprised and shocked. It’s insane and infuriating.

Anyway....I love the Jack photos and bird photos. How lucky you are to work at the rehab. Do they make tiny life vests for babies?

Severance was great! We’re also watching Under the Banner Of Heaven. I love Andrew Garfield. I haven’t read the book yet but John has. We also have last night’s episode of Better Call Saul to watch tonight. I’ll be sorry when it ends. Have you watched Somebody Somewhere or The Tourist? Both are on HBO and were very good.

Hope you and Sue are feeling better!

275figsfromthistle
mayo 24, 2022, 8:21 pm

>248 msf59: My local library has that one and it has a short waiting time for it. I passed on it twice because I was not sure about it. I am looking forward to your thoughts on it.

276richardderus
mayo 24, 2022, 8:51 pm

>272 msf59: Oh my goddesses, it's disgusting.

277m.belljackson
mayo 24, 2022, 8:52 pm

1. Offer Money for guns turned in.

then,

2. Stop Selling any more guns.

3. Remove violent Republicans from office.

4. ???

278Berly
mayo 25, 2022, 1:46 am

Glad you two are feeling better. : )

I just don't understand how >268 msf59: >270 richardderus: >272 msf59: are happening. WTH?!?! Need to fix this. NOW.

279msf59
mayo 25, 2022, 8:14 am

>274 Copperskye: Hi, Joanne. I am waking up to learn that 5 more children died yesterday, bringing the total to 19. We thought things were going to change after Sandy Hook and they did not. I am not hopeful, just sad and disgusted.

Glad you like the Jacks pics. I am sure they make baby life-vests. Looking forward to watching Under the Banner Of Heaven. I had not heard of Somebody Somewhere or The Tourist. I appreciate the recommendations. They are on the list.

>275 figsfromthistle: Hi, Figs. So far I have mixed feelings about The Candy House. I am hoping it pulls together soon.

280msf59
Editado: mayo 25, 2022, 8:21 am

>276 richardderus: Waking up to find out there were even more children killed. This is beyond appalling. Ted Cruz has already spoken out against taking away the rights of law-abiding citizens. This is sickening, Richard and just the beginning of this kind of rhetoric.

>277 m.belljackson: I think that would be a good place to start, Marianne, but you might have luck with the first one- but there is no way #2 will ever happen.

>278 Berly: It is absolutely horrible, Kim. I can't imagine the amount of grieving that is going on in Texas town. Yep, another AR-15.

Thanks, in regard, to feeling better. Poor Bree & Jack are slowly recovering too. My babies.

281msf59
mayo 25, 2022, 8:26 am





^On a sunnier note (God, we need those!), I got to meet somebody new yesterday, at Rehab- a young Eastern Screech Owl. OMG, was he cute and I got to watch him being fed too. Little pieces of cut up mice. Yummy. We have these owls in our area but they are nearly impossible to find.

282karenmarie
mayo 25, 2022, 9:03 am

‘Morning, Mark, and happy Wednesday to you.

>270 richardderus: 👍

>272 msf59: I could just weep.

>274 Copperskye: Apparently the shooter bought two assault-style rifles on his 18th birthday earlier this month. It’s not pols that act surprised and shocked, it is GOP pols that act surprised and shocked. And yes, I own a handgun and a rifle, properly registered.

>280 msf59: I didn’t realize Bree and Jackson were sick, too. I hope you’re all fully recovered sooner than soonest!

>281 msf59: Here at our house when we see something like this we say TCFW – too cute for words. And yay for chopped up mice.

283msf59
mayo 25, 2022, 9:28 am

>282 karenmarie: Morning, Karen. More horror in America. The new norm, right? And I am disgusted with it. How a kid can buy an assault rifle at the age of 18 and this is perfectly acceptable? I see that Ted Cruz has all ready defended the right to bear arms.

Yep, poor Bree has had her hands full. I haven't heard from her yet today but hopefully I can go over and help.

Glad you like the owl. His is definitely TCFW!!

284msf59
Editado: mayo 25, 2022, 11:00 am



42- On a Night of a Thousand Stars by Andrea Yaryura Clark 4.2 stars

It begins in Long Island, New York, 1998 where we are introduced to Santiago Larrea, a very successful Argentine diplomat. They are throwing an annual summer party and this is where Santiago’s daughter Paloma, a college student, first learns about her father’s past. She knew very little about his life in Argentina and he always evades discussing it with her. That was the 1970s during Argentina’s “Dirty War” , where thousands were rounded up and tortured and many of them were never seen again. Paloma travels to Buenos Aires and tries to piece together her father’s past, fearful what she may discover.
I did not know much about this period in Argentine’s history and learned a lot about it, through this well-written, well-researched novel. An impressive debut, by an author who grew up in Argentina during that period.

**Anyone interested in my copy, let me know. I would love to share.

285richardderus
mayo 25, 2022, 9:34 am

>281 msf59: I think that has to be the cheeriest sight I've seen today, thank you Mark.

286Copperskye
Editado: mayo 25, 2022, 9:59 am

>282 karenmarie: You’re right, I should have clarified that. Did you hear Chris Murphy’s speech on the floor yesterday? Heartbreaking.

287m.belljackson
Editado: mayo 25, 2022, 12:19 pm

>280 msf59: Mark - Okay , Buying guns and getting rid of violent Republicans can eventually work...

yet, where are the Activists who will be CERTAIN that all people are removed

(learned from the UW Sterling Hall tragedy)

and who will then blow up all the U.S. Gun Making Factories...?

^^^^^^^^^

ps. The UK banned all handguns after their school shooting...

288benitastrnad
mayo 25, 2022, 10:37 am

>284 msf59:
i would be happy to take that copy off your hands.

289benitastrnad
mayo 25, 2022, 10:41 am

>279 msf59:
The Tourist is by Olen Steinhauer. He has been writing spy novels and thrillers for a long time. I have read several of them and liked them. He did a dark and gritty noir series set in an unnamed Eastern European country first and then he moved to the Tourist series about old spies - well not old, but older experienced spies. Sort of like George Smiley. I think I read about three of these and then for some reason (most likely I caught up to him and had to wait for more in the series to be published) never went back to them. I think they would make a great TV series. But then I think there are lots of books out there that would make great TV series. I sometimes wonder if there are movie moguls who ever pick up a book?

290katiekrug
Editado: mayo 25, 2022, 10:52 am

>279 msf59: - I warbled about 'Somebody Somewhere' a few months ago. You need to read my thread more closely ;-)

(I'm kidding. But it IS a great show!)

ETA: I'm enjoying Heartstopper right now. Apparently, it's based on a graphic novel!

291jessibud2
mayo 25, 2022, 11:52 am

>280 msf59: - Ted Cruz has already spoken out against taking away the rights of law-abiding citizens. . I wonder what he has to say about taking away the LIVES of law-abiding citizens. I wonder if he'd change his tune if one of those school kids were HIS kids. Probably not. Ted Cruz is as disgusting a human as trump, Mitch McConnell and the rest of those yahoos.

It is a scary time to be alive, I guess, no matter where one lives. No place is safe any more. I want my cave!

292msf59
mayo 25, 2022, 5:50 pm

>285 richardderus: Thanks, Richard. I think we all need a bit of diverting joy.

>286 Copperskye: I will have to look up the Chris Murphy speech, Joanne.

>287 m.belljackson: We are certainly in dire straits, Marianne.

>288 benitastrnad: >289 benitastrnad: On a Night of a Thousand Stars is yours, Benita. I will try to get it out, within the week. I did not realize the TV show The Tourist was based the Steinhauer novel. I have heard of the author and the book. I just never read it. Maybe, I can bookhorn it in, before I start the HBO show.

293msf59
mayo 25, 2022, 5:55 pm

>290 katiekrug: Yep, I better pay closer attention when I visit you, Katie. I am missing so much. LOL. I am glad to hear you are also a fan of "'Somebody Somewhere". I will check it out. Where is Heartstopper streaming from?

>291 jessibud2: "Ted Cruz is as disgusting a human as trump." I am with you, Shelley. I think the GOP is much more concerned with appeasing their base, than with any of these victims, children or not.

294msf59
Editado: mayo 26, 2022, 7:26 am



-Steve Breen

295Copperskye
mayo 25, 2022, 7:14 pm

>289 benitastrnad: >292 msf59: I haven’t read the Steinhauer book but the TV show takes place in the Australian Outback and there aren’t any spies so I think only the name is the same.

>294 msf59: Yup and yup.

296benitastrnad
mayo 25, 2022, 7:30 pm

>295 Copperskye:
There must be two of these running around out there. The trailer I saw somewhere was the one about the retired spy. So I looked it up. The trailer I was thinking about was the one All The Old Knives. It is part of The Tourist series by Steinhauer. So, there are two Tourists series made for TV. For readers it is confusing - there are just too many.

297katiekrug
mayo 25, 2022, 10:09 pm

Heartstopper is on Netflix.

298msf59
mayo 26, 2022, 7:13 am

>295 Copperskye: >296 benitastrnad: Thanks for the clarification. I will have to check out The Tourist. I did have All the Old Knives on my Watchlist too.

>297 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie. Have you started it?

299scaifea
mayo 26, 2022, 7:20 am

Morning, Mark.

This most recent shooting along with the Roe v Wade business has me in a rage/despair tailspin, to be honest.

On a much lighter note, I saw this article this morning and immediately thought of you. If you're ever in the area, I highly recommend Dawes Arboretum - you'd LOVE it!

https://www.columbusnavigator.com/dawes-arboretum-20-foot-bamboo-birds/

300msf59
Editado: mayo 26, 2022, 7:43 am

>299 scaifea: Morning, Amber. Yep, plenty of heavy hearts around here, with no end in sight, unfortunately. Thanks for the Dawes Arboretum link. The bamboo bird sculptures look awesome. I will definitely keep it in mind, if we are ever in the area.

301katiekrug
mayo 26, 2022, 10:21 am

>298 msf59: - Yes, that's why I said I'm enjoying it :)

Este tema fue continuado por Mark's Reading Place: Chapter Eight.