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Bookish Wednesday

March 13, 2013 by Pat Bean

            “I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see.” – John Burroughs

This morning's sunrise over the atalina Mountains from my balcony. -- Photo by Pat Bean

This morning’s sunrise over the C atalina Mountains from my balcony. — Photo by Pat Bean

Two Takes on Sherlock Holmes

            For the first time in nine years, during which I lived and traveled full-time in a 22-foot  RV that I affectionately call Gypsy Lee, I once again have a library card.

laurie king

The second in the Sherlock Holmes-Mary Russell series.

            I would have had it much soon if I hadn’t broken my ankle.

            After spending some time, unsuccessfully learning how to download audio books on my Kindle, I roamed the small branch library near my apartment and checked out two books. One was Tom Brokaw’s “The Time of our Lives,” which I mentioned in yesterday’s blog. The other was “Murder on the Celtic,” by Conrad Allen, a mystery author I had never read before.

            It was an enjoyable afternoon read, a who-dun-it set in the early 1900s. With a little bit of independent research, I discovered that the Celtic was an actual ocean liner operated by the White Star Line between New York and Liverpool. It was a good thing the story took place in 1910 because in 1917 the ship struck a mine off the Isle of Man and 17 people aboard were killed.

            Conrad did a good job with bringing the book’s characters to life, including that of Sherlock Holmes’ creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who was one of the passengers. I perhaps too easily, however, solved the murder in my head way before the end of the book.

The first in the series a really great read.

The first in the series a really great read.

            A second book I recently read that featured Sherlock Holmes, the character and not the author, was a lot more complex. It was “A Monstrous Regiment of Women” by Laurie King. It is the second of her Sherlock Holmes-Mary Russell books I’ve read — and I loved it. I read the first in the series a while back, “The Beekeepers Apprentice,” and just downloaded an audio version of the third a “Letter of Mary.”

            I find King’s Mary Russell books fascinating, and can’t wait to start listening to the latest, and am grateful that there are quite a few more in the series. I might also read another Conrad Allen mystery, too. Perhaps “Murder on the Lusitania,” which is the first in his George Porter Dillman shipboard detective series.

The Wondering Wanderer's blog pick of the day.

The Wondering Wanderer’s blog pick of the day.

Bean’s Pat: Snowglow http://tinyurl.com/apnc8z7 I love this photo. Looking at it made me sit back in my chair, relax and take a deep breath. .

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

Tick Tock, Tick Tock

March 13, 2013 by Pat Bean

            “Time is free, but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t keep it, but you can spend it. Once you’ve lost it, you can never get it back.” —  Harvey MacKay

I dawdled to watch squirrels at a campground. == Photo by Pat Bean

I dawdled to watch squirrels at a campground. == Photo by Pat Bean

Time Always Runs Out

            A few years back I planned a trip to Maine. I left in early May with the goal of reaching the state’s Atlantic Coastline before the puffins, the sandpipers, the plovers and other shore birds migrated south. Too much dawdling along the way made me arrive two weeks too late.

 

I dawdled to see all the sights along oute 66. -- Photo by Pat Bean

I dawdled to see all the sights along oute 66. — Photo by Pat Bean

           It was a missed opportunity that most likely will never come again. At the same time, my dawdling along the way visiting places like Queen Wilhelmina State Park in Arkansas, the Budwieser Brewery in Missouri, Wolf Park in Indiana, the Henry Ford Museum in Michigan Niagara Falls in New York and many, many other places along the way were memories made that I wouldn’t have wanted to miss either.

            I’ve reached the point in my life when I know that there is more time behind me than ahead of me. Accepting this reality has not made me sad, but it has certainly made me more aware of how fleeting time has become.

            I remember when it seemed an eternity for each Christmas to arrive, and now it seems like I’ve barely put away the Christmas decorations before it’s time to get them out again.

I dawdled to watch sunrises. -- Photo by Pat Bean

I dawdled to watch sunrises. — Photo by Pat Bean

            What got me thinking of time was Tom Brokaw’s book “The Time of our Lives: A conversation about America.” He and I are less than a year apart in age, and we both had journalism careers, although his took him on the big stage in front of a camera and mine took me to a smaller stage on the pages of newspapers.

            I once got to interview Tom Brokaw when he visited my smaller stage setting, the memories of which came to the forefront this week when I picked up his book and read the things he pointed out in his preface of having lived through –  the moon landing, Vietnam, women stepping out of the kitchen and into the working world, civil unrest as black and white cultures integrated, the riots, the prosperity, the stock market fluctuations, the technology takeover, the continuation of war, and the big bang of the internet.

            These were the same things I had lived through and wrote about.

            Looked at in this way, I guess I know where time has flown. I wonder what is still ahead for me to experience – as I continue my dawdling ways.

Posted in Adventures With Pepper, Birds, Favorite Places, Journeys, Nature, Travel | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments »

Nest Sitting Dove

March 11, 2013 by Pat Bean

 “We must combine the toughness of the serpent with the softness of the dove, a tough mind and a tender heart.” — Martin Luther King Jr.

 Non-Paying Tenant

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A tough little mom-to-be mourning dove. — Photo by Pat Bean

I was at my daughter’s house yesterday, where they had the front door locked so as not to bother the squatter that had taken up residency on the porch.

I forgot about the restriction and took Pepper out the front door for a walk.

The squatter gave us the evil eye but didn’t fly away. And she stayed put when I returned with my camera. It seemed apparent she was unhappy with the intrusion but she steadfastly continued sitting on her eggs.

I can’t wait to see the baby doves.

 

Posted in Birds, Journeys | Tagged , | 2 Comments »

A Morning Walk with Pepper

March 8, 2013 by Pat Bean

       “As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives.” — Henry David Thoreau

A view looking east over Tucson from my apartment. - Photo by Pat Bean

A view looking east over Tucson from my apartment. – Photo by Pat Bean

Cactus and Birds and Mountains

          I finally am out of the heavy, clunky boot I’ve been wearing for almost two months after breaking my ankle. 

A lesser goldfinch

A lesser goldfinch — Photo by Pat Bean

         The doctor said I’m healing well and lifted all restrictions, telling me just to take it easy and go to physical therapy for the next six weeks.

          The best part of all this is that I’m now back to taking Pepper on two of her four daily walks. Hopefully by the end of next week it will be all four.

          This morning’s walk, meanwhile, was fantastic. Without ever leaving my apartment complex, I got good photos of an impressive saguaro cactus, mountains to the east and west, and a lesser goldfinch.

          Of course I wanted to share.

The Wondering Wanderer's blog pick of the day.

The Wondering Wanderer’s blog pick of the day.

Bean’s Pat: 29 ways to stay creative http://tinyurl.com/a7guy52 Good ideas, and fun, too.

Posted in Adventures With Pepper, Birds, Nature | Tagged , , , | 12 Comments »

The Color of Heaven?

March 7, 2013 by Pat Bean

          “When you squeeze an orange, orange juice comes out – because that’s what’s inside. When you are squeezed, what comes out is what is inside.” – Wayne Dyer

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Last night’s sunset as viewed far range from my balcony. — Photo by Pat Bean

        And when you squeeze a kid, the truth comes out.

Why it is Orange of Course

          My friend Caroline’s 5-year-old grandson told her heaven was orange. She said it took her a while to digest that, but finally she asked “Why?”

          “Because red is for fire! And orange happens when day starts and ends.”

          “Duh,” she replied, as did I when I heard the explanation.

          And last night proved just how right the five-year-old was.

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And a zoomed-in closeup five minutes later. It’s my belief that watching sunrises and sunsets is the best way to start and end any day. — Photo by Pat Bean

The Wondering Wanderer's blog pick of the day.

The Wondering Wanderer’s blog pick of the day.

          Bean’s Pat: The hummingbirds are coming. http://tinyurl.com/alwd53j One of my favorite bloggers.

Posted in Journeys, Nature | Tagged , , , , | 13 Comments »

Bookish Wednesday

March 6, 2013 by Pat Bean

          “This book is many things – a sketchbook, a journal, an attempt to understand other beings – but it is not a dispassionate recitation of scientific truths about birds. It’s a series of stories that I hope will pull back a curtain on … minds.” – Julie Zickefoose on her book, “The Bluebird Effect”

"The Bluebird Effect by Julie Zickefoose

“The Bluebird Effect by Julie Zickefoose

A Book for Bird Lovers

          I’ve long been a Julie Zickefoose fan, mostly through enjoying her art and painting in Bird Watcher’s Digest, in which she was featured almost every month.

One of the watercolors by Julie Zickefoose included in the book.

One of the watercolors by Julie Zickefoose included in the book.

          Being a writer who often sent articles to the magazine on speculation, and who was rejected every time but once — and then my piece, after being accepted, was killed and not run although I did get a kill fee  – I was jealous.

          Then I learned that Julie was married to the magazine’s editor and I felt a bit better. She had an in that I didn’t. That’s not to say Julie’s work wasn’t worth of being in the magazine every month. I often thought it was the best piece of work in the Digest.

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          And I was thrilled when I discovered she had written a book, “The Bluebird Effect.” It became the very next book I bought. I buy, if you hadn’t guessed, about a half-dozen books a month, and read those and about a half-dozen more as well.

          Julie’s book didn’t disappoint. Her art work, from quick sketches to colorful and detailed watercolors provided a delightful and enlightening look at birds and nature.

          If, like me, you like birds and art, then I bet you will love this book.

          Bean’s Pat: Julie Zickefoose  http://tinyurl.com/d7w9vud Great blog. And it just seemed appropriate to share more of this artistic writer’s awesome work.

Posted in Books, Journeys | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments »

A Pair of Mourning Doves

March 6, 2013 by Pat Bean

 “I think we consider too much the good luck of the early bird and not enough the bad luck of the early worm.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt

 My neighbor, knowing I’m a passionate birder, called me yesterday afternoon and simply said: “”Go out on your balcony and look to your left.”

 I did. And below is what I saw. Aren’t they cute?

doves 1

A pair of mourning doves. These birds get their name from the mourful wooing-cooing sound they make. They are this country’s most common dove.

It pays to let others know what you want in life, especially if it’s seeing birds. I would have missed this wonderful sight if not for my thoughtful neighbor.

Posted in Birds, Journeys | Tagged , , | 9 Comments »

A Desert Landscape of Balloons and Cacti

March 4, 2013 by Pat Bean

             “What makes the desert beautiful is that somewhere it hides a well.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupery

I wondered if this balloon was going to get high enough to miss the wires. It did. -- Photo by Pat Bean

I wondered if this balloon was going to get high enough to miss the wires. It did. — Photo by Pat Bean

Adjusting to a New Life

            After exiting, but not abandoning, my nine-year RV home, Gypsy Lee, in an apartment complex parking lot, I wondered if I had chosen the right place to put down a few roots.

Balloons are a familiar sight over Tucson. -- Photo by Pat Bean

Balloons are a familiar sight over Tucson. — Photo by Pat Bean

            I was still remembering how claustrophobic I had felt after purchasing my last rooted home back in Ogden, Utah, in which I had spent seven years before moving into Gypsy Lee.

            Right up until the last few months, when this old body decided it needed a bit more space and a few conveniences Gypsy Lee didn’t have, I never felt more at home than I did when traveling across this beautiful country. The road truly felt like home and the place I should be.

            I had thought when I retired that I would have about five years on the road before I would need to settle down again. I almost doubled that. I also thought that I would find a place that would call out to me as being my next home. It never did.  

            I suspected I would end up in my native Texas, where most of my children and grandchildren live, and started looking, and continued doing so for almost a year. I found nothing that met my requirements – nice, dog friendly, large bath tub, light and airy, and near town conveniences but with a place to walk – that either appealed to me or was in my measly price range.  

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            When I started looking in Tucson, where my youngest daughter lives and where I was headed to spend this past Christmas, I found what I had been looking for instantly, with the bonus of it being located at the foot of the Catalina Mountains.

            But almost as soon as I had moved into my new, small, third-floor apartment, I broke my foot and also began having doubts if I had made the right decision.

            A pair of Cooper’s hawks nesting in a tree in one of the apartment’s courtyards helped convince me — I’m a passionate birder — that I had, as did the beautiful view I have of Mount Lemmon to the north and the beautiful sunrises that have brightened almost all my mornings.

            I never thought I would live in the desert and like it. But I’m slowly beginning to think of Tucson as home.

            I’m especially enjoying a landscape where giant saguaro cacti — including one here at the apartment that is home to a pair of Gila Woodpeckers – dominate the landscape, and where it is not unusual to look up and see hot air balloons gliding by.           

The Wondering Wanderer's blog pick of the day.

The Wondering Wanderer’s blog pick of the day.

   Bean’s Pat: Basil the Hippo http://tinyurl.com/cq9x969 I fell in love with this story – and Basil.

Posted in Birds, Favorite Places, Journeys, Nature, Travel | Tagged , , , , , | 11 Comments »

Weekly Photo Challenge: Details

March 3, 2013 by Pat Bean

             “Every man’s life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another.” Ernest Hemingway.

The Blanco River, Colorado. Notice how the details of light against shadow, hard rocks against flowing water are what make this an appealing picture. -- Photo bu Pat Bean

The Blanco River, Colorado. Notice how the details of light against shadow, hard rocks against flowing water are what make this an appealing picture. — Photo bu Pat Bean

   

Some Details I Love, Some I Flunk

My RV was parked by the Blanco River pictured above at one of my favorite RV parks. I loved the river but I also loved the little details around the park, like this charming owl painted on a rock that gave the campground character. Photo by Pat Bean

My RV was parked by the Blanco River pictured above at one of my favorite RV parks. I loved the river but I also loved the little details around the park, like this charming owl painted on a rock that gave the campground character. Photo by Pat Bean

            “The true secret of happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life.” – William Morris

            I struggled this past three days trying to finish up a magazine writing assignment that required me to stick a lot of facts into only 750 words. In one way it was writer’s block, which thankfully I seldom suffer, but in another way it wasn’t.

turtle

This turtle was yet another detail that made the park stand out from the ordinary. — Photo by Pat Bean

            While I had a multitude of facts, I knew that it was the little details – the funny, the weird, the human touch – that were missing from my story. Without those, my article was cold, boring and flat. I knew I had to dig some of these out and somehow make them fit into few words.

            Finding out the details of a thing, in the same way that Ann Zwinger did in one of my favorite travel books, “Downcanyon,” in which she brought the Grand Canyon down to bug and flower size, is part of why I love being a writer.

            I think it’s also why I love birdwatching so much. It’s the little details of eye rings, feet color, head shape, tail length, etc., that allow one to identify a bird. It’s sort of like finding the solution to a mystery book, which is why I enjoy reading mysteries.  

            On the other hand, the details of daily life, like balancing a checkbook,  remembering birthdays, putting everything back in its proper place, proper punctuation, or coordinating errands are details I sometimes flunk.

The Wondering Wanderer's blog pick of the day.

The Wondering Wanderer’s blog pick of the day.

Bean’s Pat: A Song for Today http://tinyurl.com/c88458q I started my day with this blog and Fleetwood Mac song. “Go My Own Way.” What I liked best about it was how much fun the band members were having performing it.

Posted in Journeys, Nature, Travel, Weekly Photo Challenge | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments »

Bookish Wednesday

February 28, 2013 by Pat Bean

Bookish Wednesday

            “The books that help you most are those which make you think the most. The hardest way of learning is that of easing reading; but a great book that comes from a great thinker is a ship of thought, deep freighted with truth and beauty.”  — Pablo Neruda

Even though it was in the early hours of the morning when I got to sleep last night, I was up in time to take this picture of the moon over Tucson this morning which by the way is not photo-shopped. It's pure Mother Nature at her best. -- Photo by Pat Bean

Even though it was in the early hours when I got to sleep last night, I was up in time to take this picture of the moon over Tucson this morning ,which by the way is not photo-shopped. It’s Mother Nature at her best. — Photo by Pat Bean

The Joy of Finding a New Author

            I’m persnickety about the books I read, and it gets worse every year. Mostly I read mysteries, fantasies, travel and memoir. And lately I’ve been having a dry spell of finding books that don’t sound like ones I’ve read before, are well-written (That’s a must for me) and make me think.

            I got into fantasy about 10 years ago because there’s room for these stories to surprise me. Two and two doesn’t always have to add up to four when you experience a different world.

            Mysteries have always been a favorite because they present a puzzle. I want to be able to arrive at who-done-it before the final page, but not too far before.   

Mount McKinley in Denali National Park in Alaska.

Mount McKinley in Denali National Park in Alaska.

         Setting and character are also important for me. And I always  want to learn something.

            I know that’s asking a lot, but I’m been fortunate in finding a lot of authors who do it my way. The problem is that when I find one who does, I go on a reading binge and read just about everything they write. For example, I discovered Blaize Clement’s cat sitter books – light reading but rich in characterization, including the cats and dogs – and read all six of her books in two weeks.

            It took me several months to get through Robin Hobbs’ fantasy trilogies, and now I’m impatiently waiting for her fourth book in her Rain Wilds series to be released.

            Within the past year, I got turned onto Patricia Biggs’ Mercy Thompson series. This was a brand new fantasy genre for me, as I’ve been more into the classic dragon tales than werewolves and vampires. But I was hooked and once again, in a short time had read everything she had written.

            So it was with great delight that I discovered a new author yesterday, Dana Stabenow, who I saw had 21 books in her mystery series featuring Kate Shugat. Staying power, I hoped, was a good indication of good books. I started with Book One, “A Cold Day for a Murder.”

            I had my fingers cross when I started reading. I knew I had found a winner when I didn’t put the book down until the wee hours of the morning. The setting is Alaska, and Kate is a gritty character, an Aleut, that fits the wild Alaska park setting. I’m sure I’ll finish the book before I go to sleep tonight – and then I have 20 more to go. Yea!!

            “A room without a book is like a body without a soul.” – Cicero

            Bean’s Pat Volcano http://tinyurl.com/bk3qk92 While I like this photo, the story behind it is what intrigued me most.

 

 

Posted in Books, Journeys, Nature, Travel | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments »

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