While I was on the computer today, a little songbird was singing its heart out. It sounded like it was in the house. Instead, it was flitting in the bush outside the open window. Being the birder that I am not, I guessed it was a little sparrow.

I have rekindled an interest in getting my school program going. Earlier this year, I was all set to launch it and then the roof caved in around here so it was all but forgotten.

I spent the day in a marathon fact-checking session that didn't end until 7:30PM. I'm done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Next up, it needs to be reviewed and reviewed.

Dahlia

I'm pretty sure this glowing flower is a dahlia.

Despite a host of things this week, I'm happy to report some great progress fact checking my current project. Everything is over 90% verified except one sidebar which is about 30% done. I've been pretty bent on finishing up by the 11th and it's looking good. Now I'm hoping there aren't 400 proposals on the same topic sitting on the editors desk while I work my buns off to complete these changes. That would be my luck.

Here's another photograph from Newport Rhode Island. I was surprised I captured it because the bunny ran off during the photo shoot. Maybe the scarecrow scared the crows, but it certainly didn't scare this little rabbit who feasted in that garden until I got too close. Oops.

I had an outstanding weekend of accomplishment where I finished writing and revising the last sidebar. Pant pant pant. Next is the arduous task of verifying the accuracy of one chapter and four sidebars. I'm in good shape to make my August 11th critique group deadline. Yeah!

This past week I was out at Newport Rhode Island for a bit and came across this enormous European Copper Beech tree. I think a wide angle lens was necessary to capture the girth of the foliage. As you can see from the photographs, there was no grass underneath and the temperature was much cooler in the shade of this tree. The gnarly roots grew like giant yams in the dirt.

I spoke with another scientist yesterday and today I'm integrating those quotes into a sidebar in chapter 1. For the most part, the only thing left to do is write up the one remaining sidebar. I did hear from my ChemMatters editor recently so I expect to find that edited article dropped on my doorstep some time soon.

Yesterday evening, after the thunder roared and the lightning cracked, a golden sun appeared with a rainbow streaking through it. It was a fitting end to a day of great accomplishment.

I had a marathon writing session yesterday from sunrise to sunset and got a tremendous amount written and revised. Chapter 2 has been completely redone after relocating a huge part of the contents into an action packed sidebar. It is a huge huge huge huge improvement. I am liking this!

I met with my writing friends two days ago. We're a colorful group. We reviewed each others work using different colored pens. There were scribbles in red, green, and cerulean blue (that would be me) . Since then I've made some minor changes to my chemistry article and now the only thing left to do is add the last group of quotes from a busy highly-respected scientist so I'm waiting patiently on those.

During that writer's meeting, we set a new email date for finished work of August 11th. That date now becomes my tight deadline to get all these changes done and verified and 4 sidebars written. One sidebar is not down on paper yet. The main reason for this is I've been tossing around what I want in it, where it will take place and how it will start. It's a choice between a highly significant field expedition or a recent more technologically advanced field expedition (that may or may not end up being significant) . I think I'm going to place it in the more recent trip, but incorporate both.

Daylillies, petunias, lobelia....

I finally put new batteries in the camera so the website should look a little brighter again. The potted flowers are on my deck. I spend a lot of time reading and revising out there.

I've been really driven to complete some sidebars and revamp an outline. Currently, three of four sidebars are complete, but not perfect. I set a deadline to have all these chapter changes polished by my next crit group email date which should be three weeks from this Wed. Then the following week we give each other a round of tough love. I also decided to join Toastmasters to become more comfortable at speaking and better equipped to answer questions on the fly. The first meeting I was the timer and I got an easy subject to talk about, what I did on the Fourth of July--beach party! I think it's going to be real helpful.

Today it was miserably hot and humid again. Instead of hanging around the house trying to work in a soggy bathing suit, I headed for the library. Little did I realize that the A/C would not be working when I got there. I quickly ditched that library and drove to another. This library was mobbed with people cooling off and immersed in work.

I thoroughly enjoyed my day spent holed up in the chilly quiet room. I was so absorbed in my work that the two hours passed by in the wink of an eye. I got kicked out of the room and later learned it was my friend from town that had reserved the room after me. If I had known I would have locked the door from the inside and made faces through the window. Too funny.

Anyhow, I leafed through a couple of books, did a lot of research and wrote up one sidebar so I was very happy with my accomplishment.

I'm currently writing about climate change and boy oh boy these scientists are certainly accurate about these heat waves--longer and more intense. I don't ever recall "cool spots" being set aside in major cities.

My outline revisions are done. I made some radical changes to chapter 2 by moving a huge chunk of the main text into a sidebar because it veered off track for too long. It simply was not working. I'm currently doing research for a few sidebars. As far as this chemistry article goes, it's good to go except for some quotes from a scientist that I'll be contacting soon.

Tomorrow, two irons are going in the fire. This is where I find out if the writing can stand alone.