The natural world, life, and dogs.
For months, I knew the total solar eclipse was coming. Searching for maps of the predicted path of totality across the US, I was pleased to see I live directly under it. The universe was affording me a second chance to see what all the hoopla was about. *** On August 21, 2017, a total… Continue reading Viewing the April 8, 2024 Total Solar Eclipse
I’m happy to share some big (for me) news! Wild Running: Lessons from Dogs, Wolves, and the Natural World is now available on Amazon. Years of thought, research, and writing have finally come together in a book. Final front and back paperback covers. These past couple of months, the final sprint to the finish/publishing line,… Continue reading Wild Running is Live!
Toddlers nap so they’re less likely to get cranky as the day wears on. I nap for the same reason. And despite now having a medical reason for taking a daily nap, sometimes I still feel guilty. Lazy. Unproductive. Childhood conditioning is hard to shake. I never, ever, saw my mother take a nap. She… Continue reading Naps
It started when Brian, someone I grew up next door to in the 1960s and 70s, texted to say he’d found some slides when going through his father’s things. The slides showed my father standing next to his beloved bi-plane, the 1924 Boeing P-12. Did I want them? Of course! I had no way of… Continue reading Connections
Recently, I’ve experienced an intriguing confluence of coincidences. They all involve my father. It started a week ago. *** First, my friend Brian—we grew up next door to each other—emailed to say he’d found some slides while going through his recently-deceased father’s belongings. Some were of my father and his beloved P-12 (a restored 1926… Continue reading Hot Chocolate
Over the past year, while working on my current book, Wild Running, I've shared chapters with other writers for their feedback. I also sometimes read their works-in-progress for the same purpose. I also helped create a series of author talks at my local library, where I met several regional authors, some published by small presses… Continue reading Traditional vs Nontraditional Publishing and Why I’m Self-publishing Again
I’m getting closer to publishing my book. I can see the finish line. It feels like the final mile of a marathon. The hard work of writing, and multiple revisions, are mostly done. One final revision lies ahead. (I love revising.) Also, creating a cover, including the blurb(s) and short author bio that go there.… Continue reading Book Cover Design
There's an aspect of the memoir writing and publishing process that no one warns you about: how much patience is required. Especially as you’re approaching the finish line. You spend years thinking about your story, nurturing the concept, researching. Maybe you spend a few more years writing it, in dribs and drabs, testing ideas. Finally,… Continue reading Practicing Patience
The natural world never ceases to fascinate me. The more I see, and learn, the more amazing I find the intricate interplay between plants and animals. Today I learned something about mimicry. My last post was about toxic toads. On this morning’s run with Conall I saw two other toxic animals: monarch butterfly and milkweed… Continue reading Natural World Mimicry
Chann the puppy is a whirlwind of energy, except when he’s napping so he can grow (while mentally plotting more shenanigans). At his second vet visit on August 11th he weighed 19 lbs, more than double his weight when he arrived July 8th. Even weeds can't keep up with that level of growth. Conall adores… Continue reading My Hero
Wild Sensibility 