Yesterday, I got together with my writing friends.  One thing that was brought up was the Flesch-Kincaid readability level of my manuscript.  After struggling to reduce this number, I emailed my friends:
"I've decided I don't like Flesch and his buddy Kincaid is no fun either."
In the email, I called them names like Flesh Kinky and Flesch eating bacteria Kincaid.  Then I made up my own formula which was sure to please only me.  In my formula, I subtracted 300 from the result, that way I was assured of being in the ballpark. :-D 

Thus my focus today has been on making this manuscript more readable for the little guys and girls.   I'm having more success making sentences smaller than finding simpler words.  I guess I'm used to middle grade writing.  

My entire writing crew is volunteering at the NESCBWI conference this spring, so that should be fun.

This was the feedback I received on my last Toastmaster's speech about a hiking adventure at Bigelow Hollow Park.  In early January, I blogged about it.  There were no other speakers, so if I didn't get that best speech ribbon, it would have been really bad.  There was a record crowd when I gave the speech.  I've come a long way with this organization.  My heart no longer beats like a banshee when it's my turn to talk. 

One day this past week I holed up in an upstairs bedroom and shut the door.  Aside from the cat pushing her way in then jumping on my lap a few times, it was a place of solitude and little disruption.  I was away from the lure of the computer and other tasks, so I got lots done.  It was a great idea, but only when the room is unoccupied.

The picture book I've been busting stones on revising and revising is done and has been shipped off for evaluation.  This project that spent the night in the scrap bin, has come a long way.  In my mind, I hit the bulls-eye of creating exactly what I wanted to create.  That gives me quite a bit of satisfaction.  I looked at that project with three sets of eyes:  reader, editor, and illustrator.  I wanted to make sure it didn't drag anywhere, that a young kid stayed with it.  There had to be enough science.  Was there enough material for a variety of engaging pictures?  I found one spot that I thought might be dull as far as illustration goes, but I have come up with an exciting way to portray those facts.  Thus I'm now recording design notes for this project. 

Since I'm working on five things right now, I thought it was a good idea to create a small Project Status notebook to keep track of where I am with all of these because I'm constantly moving from project to project for a variety of reasons--edits to be made, ILL books coming due, requirements for conferences.....

This morning, I was eager and excited to teach a science class to a great group of K-2 kids.  I had a lot of setting up to do, so I got there about 1 hour early.  At the end of class one parent walked in and asked if the kids had fun.  I said, "I did!"  The kids learned a lot and everything went perfectly which made me quite happy.  One of the hands-on activities they seemed to really enjoy was painting food chain place mats (the only photo I took).  Andrew, my teacher's assistant, was a huge help.  THANK YOU Andrew! 

Friday morning I was at Central CT State University sitting with about 50 other people from various   organizations discussing the beginnings of CT Green Ribbon Schools.
    

After stressing, stewing, floundering, pondering, designing, writing, shelfing, writing, scrapping, and unscrapping, Houston I have a story!  I spent a day working on one idea, but realized that I needed to do more research to finish it, so I put that project on the shelf and went in a different direction.  I spent another day taking a MG WIP and whittling it down to a PB.  At the end of the day, I decided to scrap the whole project.  By sunrise the following day, I resolved to make it work and it is!  I am immensely satisfied with how it's going given the rocky start.  I've been hyped up trying to keep an eagle eye on the word count with books like Lightship and Wolfsnail in mind.  Yesterday, I found Donna Bowman Bratton's post that made me relax about the number of words in a NF PB.  Although I've been focusing on being concise, chopping it down too far would be an injustice to the topic.

I made this last week.  Guys may need to eat about seven of them, but hey, it was a fast healthy dinner.

I'll be Hungry in an Hour Wrap
Roasted veggies - cut up pieces of pepper, onion, squash, and eggplant drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with pepper, oregano, basil (or whatever spice you like) and a touch of sea salt then roasted at 400 degrees until done (15-20 min)
Wraps
Hummus
 
Spread hummus on wrap, top with roasted veggies and roll em' Danno.

These photographs were taken at Bigelow Hollow State Park.  We snowshoed on frozen Bigelow Hollow Pond, but at one spot it was slushy and ice stuck to the bottom of the snowshoes making them much heavier.   At the park, a blue sheet of paper listed the trails and distances.  It was missing one piece of valuable information--the distance was ONE WAY!  Daylight disappeared fast in that park because the sun went down behind a dense pine ridge.  We turned back on a 2.9 miler because there simply wasn't enough daylight.   The needles on the pine saplings in the top photo were so light and feathery in contrast to the rest of the forest.

Next week I'm going to a meeting about Connecticut Green Ribbon Schools, the U.S. Department of Education's new designation for schools that meet certain environmental criteria.  Also, if you are interested in signing up your child for an Excursions in Learning class at Manchester Community College, it's best to do it soon.  Currently, I am juggling a number of different things, but my focus is trying to get something ready for that Nonfiction Academy that I signed myself up for.  

 

Wow, have things picked up.  I was quite happy to hear back from the NESCBWI about volunteering at the conference this year.  After much thought, I've decided to go for the full three days, but I'll drive up daily with my writing group.  This year they have among many other things, a nonfiction academy where each participant brings either a completed picture book or a full manuscript for middle grades.  The problem here is that I don't have either.  It's impossible for me to try and finish my mid grade manuscript and do a decent job of it in such a short time, so I've decided to turn an existing piece into a picture book since I've already done the research.  While thinking about this, I came up with an intriguing idea for a picture book format.  I have to think about it some more, but it's definitely a unique idea.

When I returned home from my writing group meeting on Tuesday, I was delighted to rip into some mail that turned out to be a contract for an article in Highlights!  In other promising news, a query has also generated interest in a rough draft.

I also participated in a webinar for the CT Climate Change Education and Communication Group (good lord, those folks need a less cumbersome name).  The woman that heads up the group emailed my ChemMatters article about climate science to 98 people in this group.  Yowzy!

     When I stopped at Weir Farm National Historic Site this past weekend, I was delighted to see this table inviting visitors to sketch on the grounds.  I simply could not resist.  Since it was bitter cold and probably about 15 degrees (high temp 21, low temp 9), I sketched with thick ski gloves and a hat on.  The top photograph was a photo taken while I was sitting on a rock.  The bottom photograph was my interpretation of the scene.  I consciously thought about not putting that rock wall in the middle of the sketch and that's exactly where it landed.  Despite nearly freezing to the stone, I really enjoyed myself exploring a new place.

Today, it came to my attention that I incorrectly assigned the wrong date to one of my quotes.   Gasp!  The fourth quote down about writing being like building a snowman was actually from a 2/24/09 post (scroll down to find it) not a 3/06/09 post.  That February post originated from a homemade holiday card I sent to an editor (12/08).  IMHO, it was hysterical.  The cover of the card had a snowman in disarray.  Inside I wrote, "like everything else I send you, this is going to need a little adjustment."  I can't believe I still remember that!  Then I wrote this simile in the card, only more eloquently than I did on this website in February.  I know it sounds mundane, but I felt compelled to set the record straight on this and to do it today.

Currently, I'm debating about attending the NESCBWI conference and if so, on what days?  It's a lot closer this year.  I'd better make up my mind soon because it fills up fast.

Regarding my "most edited" article, I'm eagerly looking forward to its publication and I'm quite appreciative of all the time the editor spent working with me on it.

Clearly the article I just finished gets the award for "Most Edited."  I'd like to think that's not because it was a disaster, but because the editor saw some glimmer of hope in the thing.  "Light in the Cellar of the Sea," an article about bioluminescence in the deep sea, is scheduled for publication in February of 2012 in ChemMatters.

Lately, I've been polishing a small article, readying it for review by my writing friends.  Line #4 was one of those lines that had to be hammered out a zillion different ways.  I tried to analyze why the line wasn't working.  The action was fluid until it got to that point then it became more like steps.  Finally, after reworking it many times (15-20), I heaved the line altogether.  It still didn't work.  The impact of the last line in the paragraph had diminished.  Finally, I found an excellent solution by lengthening the last line in the paragraph (the new line #4).           
  

I posted some more photographs from a hike around Breakneck Pond at Bigelow Hollow State Park.  What we both thought was a 4 mile hike ended up taking us 4+ hours.  There were ridge trails on either side of this pond that reduced the sunlight faster when the sun set.    

Since I prefer to write outside, I think this research study on whether bird song has an impact on mood, behavior and creativity is interesting.  It got me thinking.  I have to have a sense of peace when I write.  That peace can come from singing birds, babbling brooks, crashing surf or no noise at all.  Chirping birds won't do it for me if I'm in an environment where I do not feel safe or if I am in a busy place, such as a city.  It will be interesting to read the results of this study.

This past Friday I hiked out of state while circling Breakneck Pond in Bigelow Hollow State Park.  Beaver activity was obvious, but when I scanned the pond, I couldn't find a beaver lodge or a beaver dam.  On the return trip, the trail was pretty water soaked.  In several areas, water rushed across it forming a wide stream that seemed impassable.  It was challenging and slow moving trying to navigate the best way across these spots.  To get by them, I piled stones and logs into the water, teetered on logs, and swung on a mountain laurel branch.  At one wide water logged point, I gingerly stepped across a beaver dam (2nd photo), squishing and crunching on grass covered sticks.  Since I have never stepped on a beaver dam, I had no way of knowing if my feet were going to end up in water that looked pretty deep.  Once I got across the water, I had to push my way through heavy brush.  It was clear that the beavers gnaw trees on one side of the pond and swim across it to construct their piles.  There were a lot of challenges getting around "Breakneck" Pond.

As we move into a new year, I think about all that I left behind and all that lies ahead.  I flip through the yellowed pages of photo albums, memories of a time, a place and a lifetime.  I think about the past, the future, and the news I shared one August day, before the curtain came down, for good.  I think about the course I set in 2007.  A steadfast compass still points in that direction--destiny.  Onward I march, into a new year filled with promise.  Ring it in and bring it on!

Photo - My mother in Mexico, living life.  

The Excursions in Learning catalog is out for the K-2 classes I'll be teaching at Manchester Community College in February 2012.  We are going to learn a lot and we are going to have fun!


I noticed you can now listen to a published article in EBSCO.  I listened to my article about hiking a glacier and was quite amused at the pronunciation.  The article, by Linda Zieyack, was about a glacier in Wrangell "S" "T" (St.) and discussed fearn (firn).

I spent this past week trying to find answers to seven crit group questions.  My article is now done and I'm really pleased with it.  Hopefully, I'll get the opportunity to interview the scientist.  Next up is photo research for two articles.



I took this photograph back in early October at Hammonasset Beach, but I never got around to posting it.  These plovers were scurrying along the sand as mega waves smacked the shore.

Last week, I had additional things on my task list.  As if holiday shopping and five projects were not enough, I took care of a preteen and a cat all week.   Surprisingly, I got a lot done.  Since it saved time and gas, I ended up spending the week in another house and the time there was more like a writing retreat.  I didn't do much in the way of cooking and realized that cooking related tasks chew up a lot of time.  For some unknown reason, I was able to use the internet, but I couldn't email out, so I didn't spend any time writing emails (except the one day I went to the library).   I wrote an article and made some sizable revisions to another.

On Thursday, I spoke out at an Inland Wetlands meeting.  They probably don't hear this too often, but I brought up climate change and its impact on songbirds.  
 Potential effects of climate change on birds of the Northeast
 Projected Impacts of Climate and Land-Use Change on the Global Diversity of Birds
Northeast Climate Impacts Assessment
 2010 State of the Birds
Some birds have shifted their range northward (Audubon)
In this time, when the climate is changing and carbon dioxide and temperature are rising, why do we allow proposals that hack into water resources like wetlands?  

I got a new tripod about two months ago that I used to photograph the cardinals on the back deck.  It's lightweight and portable and should easily fit in my backpack.

I'm getting very adept at working on multiple things, something I could never have envisioned years ago. In addition to some photo research, I've currently got five projects in various stages of completion. Two are large projects and two are small. Lately, I'm yearning for closure on one long article, so I'm gravitating toward short quick writing. One article I'm writing is a really cute story that I've wanted to write about for a couple of years, the other is wildly exciting.

Now that the leaves are down, I am treated to gorgeous sunsets like this one. The tree limb that was hanging over the end of my driveway has been trimmed (a little too far!). The remnants of the oak tree remind me of a towering spear of asparagus.

I finally conquered the supply lists for my hands-on science classes in February. That took more time than I anticipated. It didn't help that I had some very specific brands in mind. When I couldn't find one product, it took me a while to find a suitable substitute. I know there is a big emphasis on teaching hands-on inquiry based science, but it's time consuming to put hands-on activities together. In addition to thinking up the activities you have to prepare and purchase materials. The time invested in preparation pays off because the classes are way more fun for kids than sitting through a straight lecture. Retention of the material is higher too.

After nearly a year, I finally received some positive feedback on some magazine work! There are so many things I want to write I've got to pick one and get moving.

Every fall, the crimson leaves of my Japanese Maple glow in the sunshine, but Storm Alfred forced them to do backbends. Note: the truck in the top photo is delivering my new fridge!

Yesterday at the CT Appalachian Club Annual Gathering, I spoke about climate change. The audience was engaged, answering my questions and at the same time asking plenty of their own. They were astounded during the hands-on science portion of the presentation. It was the same reaction I got when I demoed this presentation in front of a group of Toastmasters. Overall, it went well although I plan to tweak a few things next time.

At the Gathering, I enjoyed speaking with Russ from the Conservation Committee. He built a great display of energy saving devices that many people aren't aware of. It seems the biggest hurdle for AMC, the Climate Change Education Communication Group (formerly the CT Climate Change Education Committee) and myself is finding the proper channel to get information out to as many people as possible.

Today, I volunteered at the CT Children's Book Fair at the University of Connecticut. There was quite a crowd. I peeked in as Mo Willems was giving a dynamic presentation to a crowded room of kids. They had a great lineup of authors, Jane Yolen, Tomie DePaola, and David MacAulay to name a few.

Since I didn't take any photographs at either event this weekend, I will post more more on Storm Alfred. The October snowstorm sent trees limbs crashing down all over my neighbor's lawn. I was in the street when I took the third photo--and so was the tree. The storm left so many fallen limbs that now four foot high brush piles line the streets like fences. Despite the destruction some good came out of the storm. I love love love my new energy star refrigerator and we also picked up an LED camping light!

Last Saturday, a freak October snowstorm dumped heavy wet snow on gold and orange foliage. Tree limbs ripped. Power lines snapped. By the time the storm was over, one half of Connecticut (sliced diagonally) had lost power.

We got pummeled with thirteen inches of snow. On a street 2/5 of a mile long, the storm severed enough tree limbs to damage eight power lines. On Saturday at 9:15PM our power went out and we've been "camping" ever since.

Despite the challenges, I am forging ahead on three separate projects. Nightly, I read and write via booklight. Wifi at the jam-packed library is slow and often reaches capacity. Yesterday, I was in absolute heaven in a sunny cubicle at a less crowded university library.

I miss a hot shower and the freedom to do research at all hours. I like candle time and viewing the pock-marked moon and the stripes and moons of Jupiter through a telescope without any light pollution at all.

The downed wires in these photographs are all within walking distance. The second photograph is of the line connecting our house and the neighbors to the street. One extremely dangerous oak limb (bottom photograph) is hanging precariously over the spot we normally park one car. If that falls, it could kill someone.

Yesterday, I was in Hartford for the National Science Teachers Association Conference. It's interesting to note that what I got out of presentations often differed dramatically from what I thought I'd get out of them. For instance, there was a workshop about how the NSTA committee picks award winning books that I thought might be depressing (I have lots of magazine articles!). It was excellent. I got a whole sheet of what reviewers look for in science books, things to think about when I write. They spoke highly and enthusiastically about their selections and mentioned subjects they rarely see. Another workshop about how we learn was quite interesting and material about standards made me feel like I'm right on target with my subject matter.

I could have spent more time in the exhibit hall where I entered a dark semi-spherical moonbounce structure, a digital starlab. The larva of a Mexican jumping bean trying to repair its broken bean captivated me for a long while. I viewed it with a microscope that worked like a computer mouse. As a kid, I had jumping beans.

I drove into Hartford on a raw rainy day and came home to find October snow on the back deck. Some of the stuff I got at the conference is in the top photograph. The thin sheets of antibacterial soap were really nouveau, although I surely contaminated them when I pulled them all out. Shhhh. It's my little secret. Anyone need some dirty soap?

I pored over an outline this week. One chapter was too big and got split. That left me with a new question. Am I losing the story? I think I've got it under control.

Then I shifted gears to work on a chemistry article that needed more chemistry (heaven forbid!). I chose workshops and presentations for a conference next week. That task took a good 1.5 hours because there were so many choices to sift through. Today, I made copies of a brochure and an article that pertains to my talk. I will bring them to the Appalachian Mountain Club Annual Dinner on November12th.


I learned that Columbus Day is the busiest hiking day at Mt. Monadnock and that is clearly evident in the second photograph. Enroute to the summit, I stopped several times to admire the beauty around me. Amidst the sawtooth leaves of the mountain ash were clusters of Christmas berries. White birch, red berries, yellow and tangerine leaves were all framed against a bright blue sky. Simply stunning and I wasn't even at the peak.

Next February, I'll be teaching two three-hour hands-on inquiry based classes for K-2 at Manchester Community College:














Wolf Tales and Trails on February 4^th from 9am-12pm

BH 101: Bear Hair Basics on February 11^th from 9am-12pm

My outline for a new project is done. Or so I thought. It is so helpful to have another set of eyes, or two, on the material. I understand what I'm trying to convey, but I didn't write it for me. My writing friends loved the hook at the start, but thought the organization could use some adjustment. Hm.....

These photographs were taken at Misqamicut Beach in Rhode Island. The monarchs were flitting their wings in a strong wind. A few days later I read that migrating monarchs were spotted in New York City enroute to Mexico. It made me think of how much wind there is blowing across the ocean and how exhausting that trip must be.

Yesterday, I spent three hours at the university doing research. I came home with quite a stack of research papers on two topics. Now, I am enthusiastically diving into an outline on a fresh subject, readying it for review by my crit group.

Bolton Notch was a two-garter snake hike. This snake was the first and biggest of the two. As we approached the tree in the bottom photograph, I reached down and picked up a round nut. My friend said, "oh that's a horse chestnut." I looked at it and shook my head. "No, it's a hickory." When I turned to look at the bark, peeling like loose shingles, I knew for certain it was a hickory tree.

Research on a new topic is going well. Yesterday, I put together an outline. Today, I realized it's not quite right. One chapter actually happened before another, so things are getting shuffled a bit. I have SO many questions. What else is new?

A scientist emailed a research paper. I'm hoping the contents answer all my editor's questions enabling me to complete the final revisions.

At Valley Falls, we encountered this fallen tree that grew on top of a rock. It had a shallow root system making it easier to topple. The unusual butter-colored lichen reminded me of a frozen waterfall.

I decided to attend the NSTA conference. I couldn't pass it up because it's right here in CT. I won't need airfare or a hotel. As I reviewed their website, words from a wise editor echoed in my head. "Invest in yourself."

Was it worthwhile to become a member of NSTA? Spend $75 to save $5 on admission = no.
Should I go half day or full day? A full day was the better deal.
Which day should I go? That was real tough. It came down to either Thursday or Friday.
What do I want to get out of this? In order of priority:
1. I want to see a presentation by a writer/author to see what they are all about.
2. I want to hear about the standards
3. I want to see the exhibits, presentations and workshops

I've done some preliminary research on two new ideas. The one that is really exciting me came from Melanie's notebook from a college science course. INTERESTING stuff!

Last week, I hiked at Bolton Notch with my friends, Maureen and Emily. I showed them the tunnel, the cave, the flag rock, the cliffs, and the pond. It was the end of September and all three of us took off our shoes and socks and walked into the swimming hole (that was closed for the season) up to the bottoms of our pants (or shorts in my case). In the hot sun, the water was refreshing.

When I first started writing nonfiction, it was all about research and writing. Now I find myself doing a whole host of tasks that I never realized were in the job description:

1. I will be speaking at the Appalachian Mountain Club Annual Dinner in November.
2. I am once again volunteering at the CT Children's Book Fair. This time, I may be in costume. Think Clifford.
3. I filled out course proposals for two 3-hour hands-on science classes that I've taught before (subject to approval). Before I completed the paperwork, I reviewed my supplies in the cellar just to make sure they were all there. Wow, did I ever prepare a LOT of stuff for those K-2 students.
4. I am contemplating going to the National Science Teachers Association conference in Hartford.

Moments ago, while Walt counted turkeys, I hid behind the Honda and tried to get pictures of them parading through the backyard, single file. It was an eleven turkey evening.

I will be speaking on November 12th in Cromwell CT at the Appalachian Mountain Club's Annual Gathering. Click on workshops and schedule on the left side of their web page. The presentation evolved from an article I wrote for ChemMatters.

This week, I returned to revisions of my latest chemistry article and it was quick work to realize what the editor has been looking for all along. He told me it will be published in February of 2012.

These shots were taken last Sunday on a hike to Mount Higby. Mt. Higby is in the background in the bottom photograph of my brother and I. With a wake the following day, it was hard to smile for that photograph. We parked at Guida's at the intersection of Route 66 and Route 147 in Middlefield CT. It was a relatively easy hike along a trap rock ridge with excellent vistas. I'd love to go back in a month or so and soak up the colors of autumn.

It's been a tough week. I'm dedicating this blog post to the memory of my mother.

She was an avid blog reader, but she only read one blog. Mine. After the early loss of my father, she raised 4 kids under the age of 6. Growing up, we heard over and over that we should take every opportunity because it won't happen again. That was the way she lived her life. She loved adventure, travel and her garden of flowers. I see myself in those words. Before she passed, I told her about an opportunity I had. She turned to look at me and her eyes widened with excitement. She will be missed!

I particularly like these photographs because, as my friend said, they show her living life.