no real surprise.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Cloudy with 40 percent chance
...of showers. Risk of a thunderstorm. So says the Weatheroffice. Perfect weather for reading. As you can see, the showers materialized. Also, as you can see, I have more books. They came in the mail yesterday.
Red Velvet Forest by Shawna Lemay. Reborn: Journals & Notebooks, 1947-1963 by Susan Sontag. And Rising, Falling, Hovering by C.D. Wright. I ordered two of the books after reading this post on Lemon Hound. The majority of my book purchases are a result of word of mouth recommendations or because of lists like this. If I'm interested in the work of a writer, then often that writer's reading choices are of interest to me as well.
Well, the wind has picked up. I imagine a thunderstorm is next.
*
Apparently I took this pic last night.
I accidentally hit one of the million buttons on the camera and was hurrying to sort it out before the rabbit hopped off. I must have hit the shutter button in the process.
Red Velvet Forest by Shawna Lemay. Reborn: Journals & Notebooks, 1947-1963 by Susan Sontag. And Rising, Falling, Hovering by C.D. Wright. I ordered two of the books after reading this post on Lemon Hound. The majority of my book purchases are a result of word of mouth recommendations or because of lists like this. If I'm interested in the work of a writer, then often that writer's reading choices are of interest to me as well.
Well, the wind has picked up. I imagine a thunderstorm is next.
*
Apparently I took this pic last night.
I accidentally hit one of the million buttons on the camera and was hurrying to sort it out before the rabbit hopped off. I must have hit the shutter button in the process.
Monday, June 22, 2009
A final warning came
...in the mail today.
Here's a review of The Vanishing Face of Gaia: A Final Warning. Well, the review is more of a profile of the author James Lovelock, who I know little to nothing about. In this Globe review he's described as "a kind of Einstein of biology." H ordered the book after hearing Lovelock on CBC's The Current. Scroll down to Part 2 for the blow-by-blow, more links and a link to the interview.
Also in the mail was the latest issue of CNQ, which the publisher says is causing some fuss. I don't yet know what that's about, but I do know I like the looks of the new CNQ website.
Here's a review of The Vanishing Face of Gaia: A Final Warning. Well, the review is more of a profile of the author James Lovelock, who I know little to nothing about. In this Globe review he's described as "a kind of Einstein of biology." H ordered the book after hearing Lovelock on CBC's The Current. Scroll down to Part 2 for the blow-by-blow, more links and a link to the interview.
Also in the mail was the latest issue of CNQ, which the publisher says is causing some fuss. I don't yet know what that's about, but I do know I like the looks of the new CNQ website.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Like dragonflies, most writers
...emerge in the dark. On vertical supports. Shed skin.
This exuvia caught my eye yesterday morning. As I looked through the viewfinder, I thought about how vulnerable dragonflies are when they're emerging. I wonder if the one that emerged from this skin managed to take flight.
*
June 22
I was just looking at my pics of damselflies, which I took the same day. Their copulatory position looks like an upside-down heart.
There were lots of upside-down hearts out there.
This exuvia caught my eye yesterday morning. As I looked through the viewfinder, I thought about how vulnerable dragonflies are when they're emerging. I wonder if the one that emerged from this skin managed to take flight.
*
June 22
I was just looking at my pics of damselflies, which I took the same day. Their copulatory position looks like an upside-down heart.
There were lots of upside-down hearts out there.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Another lovely package
...came in the mail yesterday. Here's what it contained.
Defining Range, a gorgeous chapbook by Ian LeTourneau published by Gaspereau Press. I look forward to reading it. His book Terminal Moraine, published by Thistledown Press, is a strong collection. I bought it at the launch last fall. As for the hockey card, well, I'm tickled. I'm a die hard Leafs fan. And this is my first ever hockey card. It's going up on my bulletin board and it's staying there until they win the cup.
Defining Range, a gorgeous chapbook by Ian LeTourneau published by Gaspereau Press. I look forward to reading it. His book Terminal Moraine, published by Thistledown Press, is a strong collection. I bought it at the launch last fall. As for the hockey card, well, I'm tickled. I'm a die hard Leafs fan. And this is my first ever hockey card. It's going up on my bulletin board and it's staying there until they win the cup.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
The various meanings of spruce and grouse
...led me to send the image that's included in "Blogging and the Creative Process - A Short Interview with Brenda Schmidt" over on Capacious Hold-All. After all, my creative process does involve endless sprucing and grousing.
Now to spruce things up a bit.
Now to spruce things up a bit.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
San Francisco meets Saskatchewan
...was the name of the wonderful event hosted by Buz and Sarah Trevor of Denare Beach last night. I was delighted when Sarah approached me with the idea earlier this spring. It was a full house and a perfect space. The sound was incredible.
The evening opened with Mystic Lake Road Corridor, a new suite of poems that I decided to take for a test drive at this event as the setting is specific to this place. After each of the ten poems, San Francisco's Andrew Voight, an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, composer and improviser, responded to the poems with improvisations. He was brilliant. I loved the way the bass flute worked with the rural gothic nature of my work.
After the intermission, San Francisco singer-songwriter Lori B took the stage and delighted the audience with her performance. It was a show perfectly suited for intimate home concerts. The audience was lively and interactive.
Hats off to Buz and Sarah Trevor for bringing this together. It was truly wonderful.
The evening opened with Mystic Lake Road Corridor, a new suite of poems that I decided to take for a test drive at this event as the setting is specific to this place. After each of the ten poems, San Francisco's Andrew Voight, an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, composer and improviser, responded to the poems with improvisations. He was brilliant. I loved the way the bass flute worked with the rural gothic nature of my work.
After the intermission, San Francisco singer-songwriter Lori B took the stage and delighted the audience with her performance. It was a show perfectly suited for intimate home concerts. The audience was lively and interactive.
Hats off to Buz and Sarah Trevor for bringing this together. It was truly wonderful.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
A lovely package
...came in the mail yesterday. Here are the contents.
Guidelines: Malasyia & Indonesia, 1999, a lovely new chapbook by Ariel Gordon published by Rubicon Press. Also Rutting Season, poetry and conversation by Ariel Gordon, Michael Lithgow, Linda Besner published by Buffalo Runs Press. And Northwoods Wildlife: A Watcher's Guide to Habitats, a book that Ariel found for us at Aqua Books, the it place for books and food and literary events in Winnipeg. As for the goat postcard and the mischievous elegance, well, that's a whole other story.
Guidelines: Malasyia & Indonesia, 1999, a lovely new chapbook by Ariel Gordon published by Rubicon Press. Also Rutting Season, poetry and conversation by Ariel Gordon, Michael Lithgow, Linda Besner published by Buffalo Runs Press. And Northwoods Wildlife: A Watcher's Guide to Habitats, a book that Ariel found for us at Aqua Books, the it place for books and food and literary events in Winnipeg. As for the goat postcard and the mischievous elegance, well, that's a whole other story.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Interpretive trails
...mean signs. This might be my favourite.
It was at Marean Lake.
H and I normally avoid parks, preferring to tromp around in less peopled spaces. But the busy season is yet to come and the cold, rainy weather kept people away, just as we'd expected, so we had the trail to ourselves.
So we climbed the tower.
And we hiked the trail twice.
It was drizzling. But we were dressed for it. It was so nice.
It was at Marean Lake.
H and I normally avoid parks, preferring to tromp around in less peopled spaces. But the busy season is yet to come and the cold, rainy weather kept people away, just as we'd expected, so we had the trail to ourselves.
So we climbed the tower.
And we hiked the trail twice.
It was drizzling. But we were dressed for it. It was so nice.
Making themselves heard
...is something the American Redstart does well.
We were at Greenwater Lake Provincial Park for a couple days and they were everywhere. You had to really listen to hear what else was singing.
It was our first visit to that part of Saskatchewan. It drizzled and rained more than it didn't, but we hiked all the trails anyway. It's a mature forest and there are lots of dead trees.
And it's a popular family park, so there are lots of signs.
I'm not sure what I think of the little plastic signs posted here and there. I saw a plastic robin in a tree. Then H spotted this plastic elk.
But I liked the loops.
That's where we found these fairy bells.
And more signs.
And just beyond the overlook, a curved bridge.
What else would one expect on a loop?
We were at Greenwater Lake Provincial Park for a couple days and they were everywhere. You had to really listen to hear what else was singing.
It was our first visit to that part of Saskatchewan. It drizzled and rained more than it didn't, but we hiked all the trails anyway. It's a mature forest and there are lots of dead trees.
And it's a popular family park, so there are lots of signs.
I'm not sure what I think of the little plastic signs posted here and there. I saw a plastic robin in a tree. Then H spotted this plastic elk.
But I liked the loops.
That's where we found these fairy bells.
And more signs.
And just beyond the overlook, a curved bridge.
What else would one expect on a loop?
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
Sometimes facing danger
...is what I do.
Today there was no shortage.
It looks like people are still using the bridge.
Not me. I do have my limits.
Today there was no shortage.
It looks like people are still using the bridge.
Not me. I do have my limits.
Monday, June 01, 2009
The unveiling of this sign
...at the Last Mountain Bird Observatory happened on the weekend.
This was my first good look at the Last Mountain Lake National Wildlife Area and the first of two tours we went on during the Nature Saskatchewan spring meet. The other was a bus trip to the Stalwart National Wildlife Area, an area that was new to me as well. At the end of the day more than three tour buses worth of people enjoyed a great buffet dinner in Govan . Then the guest speaker I'd been looking forward to hearing. Dr. C. Stuart Houston gave a wonderful talk on his legendary work with turkey vultures. Dr. C. Stuart Houston and Mary Houston are very well known for their natural history and conservation activities. The talk was the highlight of a great weekend.
On the way home we spent some time in the Fort-a-la-Corne Provincial Forest where we chatted with a mushroom hunter and learned about morels. When we drove off we saw a turkey vulture feeding on something in the ditch. It was behind tall dry grass. The smell of skunk was overwhelming. Later we stopped in the Narrow Hills. As we were looking around I thought about a question that came my way in Regina on Thursday night. What do you hope to take away from the weekend? It's something to which I hadn't given any thought. Some fun, I said. While true, that isn't really it. Ideally, for me it's all about being open to whatever comes at you. Be it a yellow warbler in a mist net, a dunlin among black-bellied plovers or a mushroom hunter in a ditch. Whatever. The weekend proved to be ideal.
This was my first good look at the Last Mountain Lake National Wildlife Area and the first of two tours we went on during the Nature Saskatchewan spring meet. The other was a bus trip to the Stalwart National Wildlife Area, an area that was new to me as well. At the end of the day more than three tour buses worth of people enjoyed a great buffet dinner in Govan . Then the guest speaker I'd been looking forward to hearing. Dr. C. Stuart Houston gave a wonderful talk on his legendary work with turkey vultures. Dr. C. Stuart Houston and Mary Houston are very well known for their natural history and conservation activities. The talk was the highlight of a great weekend.
On the way home we spent some time in the Fort-a-la-Corne Provincial Forest where we chatted with a mushroom hunter and learned about morels. When we drove off we saw a turkey vulture feeding on something in the ditch. It was behind tall dry grass. The smell of skunk was overwhelming. Later we stopped in the Narrow Hills. As we were looking around I thought about a question that came my way in Regina on Thursday night. What do you hope to take away from the weekend? It's something to which I hadn't given any thought. Some fun, I said. While true, that isn't really it. Ideally, for me it's all about being open to whatever comes at you. Be it a yellow warbler in a mist net, a dunlin among black-bellied plovers or a mushroom hunter in a ditch. Whatever. The weekend proved to be ideal.
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