Nest Cam Watch Begins Again!

It's the end of February, which means it's once again the beginning of nest cam watch. This is when eagles and owls are beginning to lay their eggs. This can lead to a bit of drama, as the bald eagle couple in Decorah, Iowa, had to fend off a Great Horned owl couple that wanted to move into one of their nests. First one to lay an egg won, and the eagles now have control of the nest. They're now sitting on three eggs, and watchers are hoping the owl couple moved to the old nest (which still has a nest cam). Fort St. Vrain in Colorado has three eggs, as does the DNR eagle nest in Minnesota. A Great Horned Owl nest in Oklahoma City has three fuzzy hatchlings.

If you want to keep up with activities, there's a Facebook page for the Raptor Resource Project, which covers several nests (but the main news is usually the Decorah nest). There is also the Raptor Resource Project website with various links to nest cams. There's also a link to the discussion forums to keep up without having to watch the cams. Fort St. Vrain cam now has its own Facebook group. So does the MN DNR cam and MN Bound.

Peregrine falcons in the Midwest haven't returned to their nests yet, but Clara and Fernando in San Jose have three eggs already. They've had up to five in previous years, so they might not be done yet.

Until the eggs hatch, there's often not much to see, other than one or the other parent sitting on the eggs. But each nest is different. The Decorah couple usually has disagreements about stick placement in the "crib rails", and watchers have decided that Dad is a stick fanatic. He often brings in very large sticks. It's also interesting to catch the shift changes. In the video link Dad takes over from Mom, and you can see him carefully ball his talons so the egg isn't damaged. Since there are still snowstorms this time of year, it can sometimes be hard to watch. Fort St. Vrain has lost chicks to storms in past years and seeing the nest surrounded by snow can be worrying for many watchers.

The excitement for Minnesota watchers has begun with the first hatch at the DNR nest. That nest started in January. It usually takes 35 days until hatch, so for nests like Decorah which just finished laying eggs, fuzzballs won't appear until March. The next egg in that nest should hatch within a day or so, but meanwhile every feeding of this hatchling is watched and discussed.

I've been watching nest cams for a long time, and that experience plus knowing where to find answers to other questions came in handy when I wrote "Search And Rescue", a short story released last August by Amber Quill Press. In it, nest cam watchers report a chick fallen from an eagle nest, and the wildlife rescuer finds a bit more than she expected - a feathered being not seen outside of fantasy.

"Search And Rescue" can be found at Amber Quill Press in several formats as well as at Amazon for Kindle, B&N for Nook, and at Kobo.

READING, WRITING AND ARITHMETIC!

Welcome!

 

Today I have a bunch of different thoughts. That's the way my brain is working lately.

 

How has your week been so far?

Has your weather improved? We went from spring to winter. A little snow, but mostly ice. I'm not complaining because it's nothing compared to other states. Most area schools closed Monday and started late Tuesday. I hibernated.

I also had some great news yesterday.I saw the galley for WEIRD NOISES IN THE  NIGHT.
This is a picture book mystery for ages 6-9, from Guardian Angel Publishing. I've been waiting a long time for this one. Watch for a cover reveal soon.

I've been busy reading, reading, reading.

Now I have to write, write, write reviews.

I'm way behind and hope to catch up by the first of March. We'll see.

I have several new books to read, looking forward to them.

I'm not sure where the arithmetic comes in.

Counting the books, maybe? Adding up pages read?

 

One more thought's rattling around in my head. Have you signed up for the A to Z April Challenge? I just did. My first time. If you're interested take a look. Here's the link.

 

 

Happy Reading.

 



Having Fun With Research

I've been rewriting a story that is primarily set in 1861. This requires a bit of research to get details correct, after all, I don't have any first hand knowledge of what life was like at that time.

I was trying to find out what it might be like to be at a ball in 1861, since most of my knowledge of that coming from Gone With The Wind, and I figured I should dig a little deeper.

I found this:

 In case you didn't catch the whole subtitle, it says:

A COMPLETE HAND BOOK FOR THE USE OF THE LADY IN POLITE SOCIETY.

CONTAINING

FULL DIRECTIONS FOR CORRECT MANNERS, DRESS, DEPORTMENT, AND CONVERSATION;
RULES FOR THE DUTIES OF BOTH HOSTESS AND GUEST
IN MORNING RECEPTIONS, DINNER COMPANIES, VISITING, EVENING
PARTIES AND BALLS; A COMPLETE GUIDE FOR LETTER
WRITING AND CARDS OF COMPLIMENT; HINTS
ON MANAGING SERVANTS, ON THE PRESERVATION
OF HEALTH, AND ON ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

AND ALSO

USEFUL RECEIPTS FOR THE COMPLEXION, HAIR, AND WITH HINTS
AND DIRECTIONS FOR THE CARE OF THE WARDROBE.

And it was published in 1860.

Perfect.

And now for your edification I will share several etiquette tips from 1860.

Under the topic of Conversation:

Never use the phrases, "What-d-ye call it," "Thingummy," "What's his name," or any such substitutes for a proper name or place. If you cannot recall the names you wish to use, it is better not to tell the story or incident connected with them. No lady of high breeding will ever use these substitutes in conversation.

Under the topic of Dress:

Shopping Dresses—Should be of such material as will bear the crush of a crowded store without injury, and neither lace or delicate fabrics should ever be worn. A dress of merino in winter, with a cloth cloak and[30] plain velvet or silk bonnet is the most suitable. In summer, a dress and cloak of plain mode-colored Lavella cloth, or any other cool but strong fabric, with a simply trimmed straw bonnet, is the best dress for a shopping excursion. 

Under Conduct on the Street:

What are you doing? Sucking the head of your parasol! Have you not breakfasted? Take that piece of ivory from your mouth! To suck it is unlady-like, and let me tell you, excessively unbecoming. Rosy lips and pearly teeth can be put to a better use. 

Under Miscellaneous:

Never affect a foolish reserve in a mixed company, keeping aloof from others as if in a state of mental abstraction. If your brain is so full and so busy that you cannot attend to the little civilities, cheerful chit-chat, and light amusements of society, keep out of it.  

Under Hints on Health:

With many young ladies, it appears to be a maxim to[267] do everything in their power to destroy the health which is so much wanted in the real business of life, and which forms so important a requisite to happiness. In the first place, as to hours—they never leave the ball-room until utterly exhausted, and scarcely fit to crawl to bed. The noon-day sleep, the scarcely touched breakfast, that most important meal, are followed by preparations for the succeeding night's pleasures, or in head-aching morning calls, driving about in a close carriage, or lounging on a sofa, in an over-heated room, reading novels.
Dressing follows; the warm wrapper or dress is thrown aside; over the tightly drawn corsets is fastened a flimsy dress, with an inch of sleeve; the neck laid bare; thin stockings drawn on, in place of thick ones, and the consumption-seeker goes forth to the ball-room again. 

And finally
Under Receipts:

Simple means of removing Tartar from the Teeth.—In these summer months, tartar may be effectually removed from the teeth, by partaking daily of strawberries. 

And I bet you thought research couldn't be fun!
Now, I'm off to read this book more closely!

Beware the Little White Rabbit -- animated cover!

I can't believe it's been 12 days since someone posted here. I have to get more bloggers on board! But until then, dear readers, I have a little treat.

I had a story accepted to the Leap Book's anthology, BEWARE THE LITTLE WHITE RABBIT, celebrating the 150th anniversary of ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND. It will be out April 14th!

As  a little fun bonus, I have an animated version of the awesome cover! Enjoy!

Be sure to add the book to your Goodreads TBR list!