pink astilbe, asiatic lily, statice, and daisy

I'm still working on an article that will be published at the end of the year. I made some tiny revisions this past week and now I'm waiting for an ILL book--again. It's the third time I've requested this book. I've been contemplating whether I need to add a chapter to the other state-of-the-art science project I've been working on. I'm thinking I do. Thought I'd post some more garden pictures. The first is a very stiff Asiatic lily like the kind you find in flower arrangements. If you touch the stamen in the center, it stains your hands orange. The pink flower is statice and the bottom is pretty obvious.

I spent a good portion of the day at the Beardsley Zoo with my daughter. The Prairie Dog family was very happy to pose. I was quite amused when one little boy asked if you could keep a wolf for a pet. Yes, they do look like doggies. The Brazilian Ocelot was born via artificial insemination, one of only three in the world. It was called the "miracle kitten." Too bad I didn't see it last year when it was very tiny. It looked so cute.

Daylillies and coreopsis

The proposal I was working on is done, but I want to verify one thing before I submit it. Hopefully, I'll get the answer I'm looking for.

Last night and today, I got started writing about some state-of-the-art science material. As usual, I picked a challenging subject. But I think it will be a captivating topic from start to finish.

Yesterday, after receiving an email reminder, I had a change of heart. I've shifted gears and now I am scrambling to put together a proposal that's due very quickly. Thankfully, I knew exactly what I wanted to go for. If not, I could never meet this quick deadline. I'll pass on the second opportunity I mentioned in a prior post.

I'm currently trying to identify what pieces are needed to finish Ch1 of the project I've now returned to. A fresh look made me realize it was a little light on content so I'm trying to select what's best to add. There's a ton of research papers and online material out there, but not a whole lot of books, unfortunately. I'm also formalizing questions. My poor librarians. I keep them so busy with constant ILL requests. I also need to make a snap decision on whether to pursue two other opportunities that have to be worked on immediately. I think I will pass on those. Three weeks to research and write an article hardly seems adequate to do a quality job. I really don't want my name on anything half-a#&.

This morning I woke up and rigor mortis set in after playing frisbee yesterday evening. I stalled getting out on the trail this AM and it cost me 10 degrees at the start and 18 at the finish. Despite about two weeks of lousy 3-milers I managed a 6 mile run so I'm happy with that. When I stop research/writing, my thick head of perseverance starts thinning right out. There is only one cure - get back to that outline and get moving.

White astilbe, iris', day lillies, and clematis

I took a break for 4 dental cleanings, 2 parties, a double birthday dinner for twins, and a bunch of dishes that I had to make. Suddenly I feel one million miles away, like a helium balloon drifting skyward.

It's time to post photographs of the delphiniums which promptly blossomed then fell over by the weight of their own beauty. I think I'm partial to blue flowers: lobelia, delphinium, and hydrangea. The bottom photo is clematis. I'm still waiting on an ILL book that should be here today or tomorrow. Hopefully, it will have the one quote I'm looking for so I can pass the article back to the editor.

My article came back from the cleaners with 18 more questions to answer. I guess the deadline of 6/26 was not set in stone even though I busted my butt to finish on time. I'm looking forward to the publication of this science/history article. It's a captivating story.

The delphiniums are still not out. Photographs forthcoming.

I guess I'm a little slow - maybe a lot slow. I was kind of flabbergasted to find a nice reference to my article about wolves on the July 25, 2008 Cynsations blog by Cynthia Leitich Smith. It's a well-read blog. Here's what she wrote:
"I enjoyed "What Good Is the Big, Bad Wolf? This Predator Helps Its Habitat. by Linda Zajac on pgs. 6-7 of the July 2008 issue of Highlights for Children. "

I am eagerly waiting for my delphiniums to blossom so I can take a picture. They refuse to open, clenched fists in the rain. My outline is done. I like it. I think it's an interesting important topic, but I wonder about pictures and if there is enough material.

It's been dark and dreary all day. Now that the sun is finally out, Walt spotted a raccoon marching through the backyard at 4:28PM. My hunting cat chased after it eager to defend her territory. Eek, but raccoon's are nocturnal. What's he doing out now? Unfortunately, I wasn't quick enough with the camera.

The past week or so I've been busy doing a lot of research online and printing off a few research papers I've found. I'm very happy that my outline is all down on paper and just needs to be verified for accuracy. I think the subject is an important one and I also think it's unique. More on that later.

Good news came in the mail today! I sold another article to Fun For Kidz. Now I've got two articles in the same issue.

On the trail today, I thought I saw a red fox, but it was actually a deer wearing red fox clothing. I also saw a mystery animal. I couldn't tell what it was, then it disappeared around the corner. I ran faster and followed it, but it vanished in mid-air. I suspect if it was a small dog or cat, it would be hanging around on a lawn somewhere. It might have been a fox. If I'm not mistaken, another runner once mentioned he'd seen a fox in that area.

Talcott Mountain

Today I hiked up to the Heublein Tower with Abigail, my 8 year old niece. She is a great hiker! The tower is the tiny speck on the horizon in the first picture. I think we hiked 7 or 8 miles around the entire reservoir on Avon Mountain and up to the tower. I was pretty surprised our hike started in West Hartford, went through Bloomfield, then into Simsbury. Wow! Lucky for us, the tower was open and we were treated to a splendid 360 degree view. I've hiked to this tower many times, but just recently found this route. After a week of clouds and rain, the Metacomet Trail was more like the Wetacomet Trail. We spotted 3 orange salamanders. Mountain laurels were in bloom. I think Abby enjoyed "mudman" most of all - a very filthy mountain biker.

Abigail, maybe you could do some research and figure out what kind of salamander they are?

As far as my outline goes, it's really coming along quickly. Last night at 4AM, I came up with some punchy subheaders. Unfortunately, the cat likes to walk on my head at that hour. THREE TIMES!

I'm off and running on the design portion of a new project. This AM I did a lot of research hoping to find an exciting morsel that might make a good beginning. Right now, nothing stands out. I'm also considering how to structure the information, what to include....

This article describes a pretty radical step by Arnold Schwarzenegger. Certainly it has the advantages of saving the schools lots of money in textbooks. But, I prefer reading in an Adirondack chair or a comfy recliner instead of being hunched over a computer monitor.

Yesterday, I dropped 2 envelopes off at the post office and emailed a story. It was a good day of accomplishment. Today, I made some modifications to the "about me" section of this blog.

My son sent me the link to this Youtube climate change video with spectacular photography. It really is worth watching, but it's long - one and a half hours. I watched enough to realize I had to mention it in a blog entry. I plan to watch the whole thing when I've got a chunk of time. I also added it to the climate change link on the right.

Last night, I read a magazine article that my aunt thought I would be interested in. She was right. It was about climate change and mass extinctions of frogs and bats. Scary stuff actually.

Peonies

The peonies are out and so was I. Walt noticed the raindrops on the bamboo are perfect little spheres so he took a photograph.

On the article deadline day, the librarian called to tell me my interlibrary loan was in. Too late. I'd already gone up to the university to review the book and it was well worth my time. And that 2009 Champion Chip peanut butter cheesecake ice cream was certainly worth the trip!

Today, I finished up the revisions and emailed the completed article, which is now close to 3,000 words. The publication date is not far off - December 2009. For a science article, I like to think I blended some art with my words. Of all the science articles I've written, I believe this one is the best.

Iris'

I liked the way the sun was shining on these iris' so the camera came out once more.

Yesterday, in splendid weather, I did some kayaking on the Farmington River. I watched as mother ducks plunged their heads in the cold river while their legs paddled away at the surface. The ducklings did not copy the process nor did they appear to reap any rewards from mother duck. It made me wonder how they get food.

Only my warped mind would interpret an odd comment as a symbol of a chemical element. Wishful thinking perhaps. Only time will tell if I am correct.

Iris'

After days of clouds and rain, the sun finally came out. I took the opportunity to capture Iris in all her glory.

I was pleasantly surprised to learn that librarians have special powers. I still need some of the books I took out, but they've been renewed the maximum amount of times and were due. My librarian was able to give me an extra three weeks! After returning one and reordering it via interlibrary loan I figured there had to be a better way. Next time, I'll ask if I can do this with a phone call instead of a visit.

Today the contest results arrived. Wow, what a surprise (smiley face). On the certificate the chairman judge wrote "congratulations on finding a topic of interest to kids and researching well." The thing that pleases me is my nonfiction entry was competing with fiction too. I also think the shorter entries for younger kids have an advantage. There are less places to go wrong in your writing.

I'm SO EXCITED, I went poking around a contest website and found I'd won 1st honorable mention in the Children's Literature category of the 2009 CNW/FFWA Florida State Writing Competition!!! I have yet to receive anything in the mail. That makes my day.

It's actually been a tough day where I've put the pedal to the metal chiseling away at these revisions. At daybreak, I had 20 questions left to answer so I figured if I tackled 5/day I could get it done in 4 days and still have time to review the article. It's very slow because I need to locate obscure little facts that I know I've read somewhere and can't remember where. I'm spurred on knowing if I do more then 5 I will have less to do in the future. I've got 9 left and the day is young. Way to go!

As for the bunny, the chill of the night turned into the thrill of the hunt. A carefree bunny skipping through the yard became a trophy, carefully placed. Bad kitty.

Lady's Slipper

As promised, here are the photographs of a Lady's Slipper taken this morning under a confused sky. I was hoping for sunshine. I like the first one because it reminds me of a woman wearing a poufy Elizabethan dress and bonnet.

Warning all Facebook users. Delete any emails that say "check out bit clan be." It's a virus. There's a phony Facebook site at that website and it will infiltrate your email.

I was on the trail this AM with the camera so pics of Lady's slippers are forthcoming.

Yesterday evening while I was doing some revisions outside, a bunny went flying by my feet with my cat in hot pursuit. It was startling and amusing. This cat is an indoor cat and has never caught a thing. To see her high tailing it across the lawn was pretty comical. This evening the other cat (the hunter) showed up at the back door with a tiny bunny. Three of us were sympathizing with the bunny as it rushed off the side of the deck. The cat was kept inside until the rabbit escaped across the street. Since Zajac means hare in Polish, it was the least we could do.

At the library this past week, I picked up a survey to complete. The library received money from somewhere (grant? donor?) and they're trying to find the best use for that money. One question was to describe your ideal library. There is enough space for one sentence and that's it. Hah. One of my very first thoughts was a drive thru window. Most of the time I run to the library to fetch inter library loans at the circulation desk, then I'm gone. A drive thru window would make it easier for parents with small children, people with walking problems, and others who arrive for quick book pick-ups. After a quick search, I was surpised that some libraries in PA and OH have them. My library is is in an old mansion which has a marble circulation desk that is very elegant. But it's very open. Little spaces with cozy couches and plants would make me want to stay there versus grab and run. And certainly any renovations should be environmentally appropriate. There's plenty of other questions, but that one alone got me thinking.

Today I got an early start. 5 minutes = 2 degrees hotter. When I left the house it was 61 degrees. A little more then an hour later, it was 88. On the trail I saw furloughed and furry-ed friends. I know because my husband is out back on a UTC furlough day. But no one seemed to mind. On the shaded trail, I tried to catch up to a woodchuck, but it scrambled up a steep embankment and stopped, frozen on a ledge. I stopped and we were eye to eye. If only I had a camera I could have captured it's plump tawny body.

This is what it's like to be a writer.....

Yesterday, my 2,000 word article came back from the repair shop covered in red ink. There were 48 (give or take a few) questions added that I need to answer, delete, or talk my way out of. That's one question for every 40 or so words. But whose counting? Questions like "where?" "why should they?" "when?" "how did she do that?" Answering these questions will inevitably increase the size of this manuscript which I've been assured is fine.

My mother is always telling me I ask a lot of questions. I wonder what this editor's mother tells him. I suspect he's been put up for adoption for harassment.

Today, I added a descriptive paragraph. It's a good thing I don't write fiction. I'm not sure I'd ever finish a manuscript the way I spend so much time tossing descriptive words in the air. But there is one sentence I wrote that I'm particularly fond of. That's a good thing.

Yesterday, under a cloudless sky on a mottled trail, I ran an energized 6 miles and was rewarded with the sight of 3 bounding deer, a fluttering swallowtail butterfly, and a collection of lady's slippers. I plan to get a picture of the lady's slippers and post it, but for now the camera batteries are exhausted and need some recharging.

Last night, I waited patiently under a clear sky with my binoculars. The space station was due to zip across the sky from 9:07 to 9:09PM. This time I was ready. But it pulled a no-show. Figures.

4:28 A.M., two things occurred to me.
1. Coincidentally, a few days ago I read a book that had a picture of barium sulfate in it. In the last article I completed, I wrote briefly about barium sulfate. The book mentioned it is phosphorescent. That got me wondering if this is the component in anatase that makes it glow under an ultraviolet light. No barium sulfate was found in the map ink. This is a key question. Does pure anatase without barium sulfate glow under ultraviolet light? If yes, that explains everything. If no, the mystery deepens. What is causing the ink to glow under UV light. And I thought I was done analyzing this.
2. If publishers are struggling due to difficult economic times and writers are undervalued, I don't see how they can be appropriately valued. Then again, I'm only on Chapter 3 of "A Whole New Mind."

I found this post at Roger Tory Peterson Institute about nest eggs. It clearly says not to disturb the nest! I was talking to my next door neighbor. Every year a robin makes a nest in his rhododendron bush and something bites the heads off the baby birds. SICK! He removes the nest before the eggs are laid.

I'm enjoying reading my blog traffic reports. The thing that entertains me the most is the bizarre search criteria used to enter the site. Today a friend got here by doing a google search on "Linda Zajac this is Emily." Cute.

Today, I added a science link to the Howard Hughes Medical Center CoolScience website. It looks like a pretty decent site for educators and for kids too.

I read a couple of nonfiction science books edited by an editor I've worked with and now I'm reading "A Whole New Mind" by Daniel Pink. Page 1: "The last few decades have belonged to a certain kind of person with a certain kind of mind - computer programmers who could crank code.......The future belongs to a very different kind of person with a very different kind of mind - creators and empathizers.....These people - artists, inventors, designers, storytellers...... will now reap society's richest rewards and share its greatest joys." Interesting that it mentions the computer programmer of my past and the "storyteller" of the present. I missed creativity when I did computer work. It mentions the creative fields have always been undervalued. I've always associated that with the population of writers not with the actual value/importance of the job - sort of a supply/demand scenario. And we all know there is a HUGE supply of writers. The book is certainly giving me material to think about.

I found this article about enhancements to the google search function. I haven't had a chance to read the whole thing thoroughly. I did spot a google squared function that sounds really helpful for research. It will produce a spreadsheet so the user can cross check data from multiple sources to determine if information is accurate. This will certainly speed up the process of verifying questionable information and will also help kids when they do research.

It's ironic that my efforts to save the eggs contributed to their demise by luring a predator to the nest. Now doesn't that figure?

I signed up for sitemeter to keep track of blog activity. But when the reports listed zero visitors even though I'd been on my own blog, I knew something was wrong. Yesterday, I figured it out. Now if you scroll all the way to the end of the posts you'll find a little sitemeter icon that I was sorely missing. It made all the difference in the world. The reports don't identify the person, but it does identify how they got to the site, where they live, and how long they were visiting. Good stuff to know.

So far, today's visitors are from CT (that would be me), TX, AZ, LA, CA, Quebec, and the U.K.

No, I won't be adding more raisins to the robins nest. My cat spent a lot of time watching that nest, but I think she slept through today's raid. After a quick check on the nest, I found the eggs had disappeared. Could the baby birds have hatched in half a day and flown off? I don't think so. Look below and see what I found in the grass. Not a good sign. Did the bird seed in the nest attract a bird that eats robins eggs? Probably. A wildlife rehabilitator I am not.

This morning, I checked on those eggs and I'm happy to report that a bird flew out of the bush! Now, do I add more raisins to the nest?

Surprise surprise! After no activity for a couple of days, I took a look at the nest today and found many of the raisins have disappeared. That's the good news. The bad news is that my cat (the hunter) was positioned at the base of the rhododendron tree.....waiting. Did I lure a bird back only to see my cat polish it off. I hope not.

After meeting with my writing friend, I emailed the completed article today!!!!!!!! I was happy that after reading it, she was uncertain whether the document was authentic or a forgery.

I've been also tinkering with online technology. I added site counters to this blog to get traffic stats since I've no clue if anyone besides my mother reads it. With the help of a cousin (once removed), I've also been getting a little more familiar with Facebook. I now understand the power behind this social networking tool.

Here's my last ditch effort to save the eggs. I got the brainy idea of filling the nest up with seeds figuring the robin won't have to work too hard to get food. That was before I went online and looked up what robins eat. Naturally, they don't eat seeds. But they do eat fruit so I plumped up some raisins in water and filled the nest up with those. If a robin doesn't return to the nest I will have to conclude there is no room for the poor bird. Nothing like tampering with nature.

At 5 A.M., cool air sneaked in through the window, opened a crack. A mourning dove cried. I was reminded of the 3 abandoned eggs. What kind of a mother bird are you? If birds could write, they'd never last in this profession with their lack of perseverance. There's nothing wrong with those eggs, they didn't crack. Get back on the job, buster. I've considered covering them with grass, a little swatch of fabric or bringing them inside, but what would I do with them if they hatched?

I created a new Facebook account under Linda Rose Zajac to set myself apart from all the Linda Zajac's in the world. It's mainly because I'm now writing for high school aged kids who are attracted to online social networking. As of this writing, I have all of 2 friends. Effort to find friends = close to zero. When I invited my daughter to friend me, she emailed while in school "STALKER!!!!" Ut oh. What is she doing midday emailing me when she is supposed to be at school paying attention? What am I doing midday mopping up the cellar after one college student overloaded the washing machine? Humph.

Tulips

Somewhere in the soaking woods, there's a grief stricken robin. After finding the three eggs in the dirt this afternoon, I scooped them up with a spoon. Carefully, I pushed the nest back in the crook of the rhododendron tree and put the eggs back as good as new. Normally, they hatch in 12-14 days. That's pretty fast. But I am sad to say the robin did not return. This evening, angry rain punished the innocent eggs. I hold out little hope they will hatch.

Afterward, as I sat outside reading in my Adirondack chair, I thought about the eggs I tried in vain to save and was reminded of a scientist I wrote about not too long ago. Interesting similarities. I was looking forward to posting pictures of the eggs cracking and baby chicks. It was not meant to be.

But for every sad story there is a happy one. I've included a picture looking down through the crowns of my "royalty tulips" (I obviously forgot their real name). They remind me of sliced starfruit dressed in red.

I hate to admit this, but I'm back again playing with ink. First of all, yesterday I noticed that oil pigments and gelatin don't mix so I needed liquin (linseed oil) to make it work. I'm not sure if that was a component in the chemical tests so today I played around with water colors. Since I did not have titanium white, I used Chinese white. It was basically a test to see how everything mixed together and to see what kind of browns I could produce with complimentary colors purple(grape jello) and yellow ochre. Here's a plateworth of results. I did use an ivory black to deepen the color. I also tried cheery gelatin (the red splotch on the right), but don't think that would have done it.
Hopefully, I can get a life soon and move onto a new project while this article moves back and forth for editing.

It doesn't appear so......

I did a little research on jell-o to see when it was invented and if grape jell-o was even around during 1957 when the map was discovered (I figured it was). I found some interesting stuff. Jell-o is an antique. The first flavors were orange, lemon, strawberry, and raspberry. In the 1950's and 1960's new flavors were produced - black cherry, black raspberry, blackberry, and grape. Hmm. Blackberry is a deep purple too and now I'm wondering what kind of browns that would produce. But I do need to get a life and get moving onto a new project as mentioned above....................Hmm.

Today I amused myself by pretending I was a forger. I wanted to see what kind of browns I could make from grape gelatin, yellow ochre and titanium white. I also wanted to see how long it would take a mixture like this to dry - would a forger have enough time to sprinkle soot on the ink? Another thing I was interested in was how would a line look if soot were sprinkled on to wet ink. Well, I didn't have any soot. The closest thing I could find was small granular black embossing powder that is used for rubber stamping. Conclusions: The gelatin definitely needs to be dissolved in hot water before using otherwise it's grainy. There is time to sprinkle soot before the "ink" dries. The color was a golden brown and I'm not sure if it's dark enough to match iron gall ink. Note: I sprinkled my name in various places with powder, but made no attempt to cover it completely.

Yesterday I opened a piece of mail and thought wow, Emily took great pictures of Beinecke Library the day we were there. But they weren't photographs, they were postcards. She collected the postcards for me while I was busy taking a couple more pictures and then forgot to give them to me. Also inside was a nice little surprise that I needed - a chocolate in the shape of CT with the words "best places to work 2009."

Ut oh, guess who else has spotted the nest in the rhododendron bush? She walked out the door and craned her neck right through the deck rails....waiting. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Marbles, is a cold blooded murderer, killing things for the sport of it. Nice kitty. Then she expects us to be thrilled when a half-dead item is left by the back door. The second picture was taken from the deck looking down into the nest. What an excellent vantage point! The bird was out there in the rain incubating - not that I noticed.

And about that article that was finis, well this AM, I made a few minor changes to the last two sentences and a couple of other sentences too. My friend Emily who went with me to see the Vinland Map at Beinecke Library is now a self-proclaimed "expert" on the map. She urged me to email her the article "for her review." Snicker. That definitely was a memorable day.

Look what we found in our rhododendron bush right off the back deck! There are 4 eggs inside that nest. I hopped on a stepladder to take the nest picture, so hopefully I didn't disturb them. I suspect the 2 robins were fighting over whose stupid idea it was to build the nest so low to the ground and off a deck where 2 cats roam. I'm hoping to get more pics when they hatch.

Tulips

There's something very pleasant about planting flowers by a mailbox. It's comforting to walk by them when lousy mail arrives - not that I ever get crummy mail or anything. These are my favorite tulips. They remind me of royalty. After busting stones for two straight days verifying my words, I'm delighted that the article is complete!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Since school was closed yesterday due to swine issues, Julia and I headed for the equine pastures to do some horseback riding. Quite honestly, I contemplated whether I should bring my article and verify it in the car while she trotted off. I thought I might regret not going so I saddled up on Lady. After a 25-30 mile bike ride (a personal record) From Vernon to Columbia this past weekend with Walt, I wasn't too terribly keen on bouncing around in the saddle as much as my horse was eager to run. It certainly was a different way to see the woods. At the end of the ride, when I was spacing off looking at the gigantic white tent for horses, Lady lurched forward when she spotted the truck portion of a tractor trailer with engine running. It was a VERY good thing I had one hand on the reins and the other on the saddle because that was a bit too sudden for my liking. Our trail leader commented that I had good control of the horse. Yeah right, the thing nearly threw me!

When I returned home, I was quite happy to find a nice detailed email from a scientist. It gave me the last bits of information I needed to finish the article!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm kinda shocked that Vernon schools will be closed tomorrow and Friday because a staff member came down with the swine flu. It seemed so remote with most cases on the west coast. My daughter is terribly upset (yeah right).

Although there is still one section left and I may still tinker with one of those last lines, I started verifying each and every sentence of the article as it stands. I think this is the part I like least about writing, but it's absolutely essential if you don't want to look like a dodo.

For what it's worth, I dropped another opportunity in the mailbox today. Since my article is hovering around 2,000 words (the max), I think I'd better do a little Spring cleaning to make room for quotes that I know I'll want to put in. It's amazing how many times one sentence can be rewritten if it's in the start or end of the article.

I'm exhausted thinking about my double header this evening. Actually, sitting in scorching 97 degree heat without water and suntan lotion sounds fun compared to the 2 wakes I'm going to. Oh joy. In happier news, I did drop off a nice surprise on a friend's doorstep this morning.

This was good news as was the FedEx envelope I found in the door after I smoked up the house. Oops. On Sunday I learned my next door neighbor passed away from terminal cancer. I can't help but think the science of battling disease would have been that much further advanced if not for all the restrictions put on research. Before she died she said if she had her life to live over again, she wouldn't change a thing. That was good to hear. Everyone should live a life with no regrets and seize opportunities when they arise.

I think the recent purchase of Scientific American magazine by the journal Nature is a really intriguing combination and a smart move. Scientists publish the results of their work in journals, then science writers (like moi) read their research papers and write articles for newspapers and magazines. I'm thinking those embargoed stories will still be unavailable to everyone else except Scientific American. If that's the case, they'll have a huge advantage in releasing science stories quicker and new science discoveries will reach the public faster. This is good news for scientists that publish in Nature and for the general public and bad news for the staff at Scientific American.

Yesterday getting away from my article helped me rewrite the conclusion. It's getting there. I gave myself a deadline at the end of April. That's when I'll start checking it for accuracy. Once again I'm moving forward on another opportunity. It would be nice to get somewhere in this department......someday.

Beach Day!

Today we skipped off to Hammonassett Beach in Madison CT and had a splendid day. They have a nature center there at Meigs Point where I took this picture of a copperhead. That snake would not sit still for the photo shoot and the more it moved the more determined I was to get its mug. We also saw a number of great white heron's poking their beaks in the wetlands. And lastly, my youngest daughter also likes her trees. We heard there were harbor seals by the rock pier, but unfortunately, you snooze you lose. And I was asleep on the blanket at the time until a group of kids with megaphone voices walked by (not that I noticed).

This is not normally how I store my research.

While preoccupied at the computer, I heard the sound of papers crashing to the floor behind me. If knocking them off the table wasn't bad enough, my cat sharpened her claws on them then proceeded to sit on the research as I was putting it back in the folder. She goes to great lengths to sabotage my work and put herself in the limelight. Nerve.

Happy thoughts - hyacinths and forsythia

On the upside, I'm very satisfied with where I am with my latest project. There was an abundance of research papers on the topic. Although it seemed like a lot of writing to churn out under a deadline, it's in really good shape. Lengthwise, it's there. I am in the process of getting input from a couple of scientists so those sections and the conclusion will need refinement.

On the downside, I've spent the week with some members of the "Dis" family. They are not a very nice family.
1. Discourage - My mother's doctor said these 4 words. "Something didn't heal right." I've been walking with her for months and she spent 5 months at my house recouping last year. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
2. Disbelief - The pharmacists generously refilled her prescription - THREE times and in 3 doses. What if the med was morphine, barbituates, oxycontin? Let's have a pill party! I've been on the phone and emailing this popular pharmacy that this problem could be fatal if a customer doesn't notice and takes a lower or higher amount of meds then needed.
3. Disillusion - When he hangs out with D. Value, the combination can be lethal.

Thankfully Dismember didn't show up!

Today I had a very nice 2.5 hour lunch with a friend I met at a writing workshop in PA. We've both been writing for about the same amount of time. It is so nice to talk with people who have the same goals and truly understand what it takes to get there. We rolled from one subject to the next quite easily as though 4 years were yesterday. We even compared notes on article payment rates. I sure hope photographs explain everything. Hopefully, some time soon she'll have a success story to tell me.

Since I'm having a small family dinner here on Sunday, I posted a sheet of paper over my computer screen that reads:

OFF LIMITS
YOU ARE CLEANING

It worked for a while until I decided to clean up my current project. Like a magnet, I found myself drawn to it. Soon I was on the couch reworking a paragraph. Now I'm online typing it in. So much for signs. Then the phone rang. I went to answer it, but it was gone. I hate that. You have to use your cell phone to find your cordless phone because someone didn't put it back and you've no idea where it is.

It's the little things in life that please me most (probably because the big things are so incredibly unattainable). Two days ago, I was delighted to find a red cylindrical tin that perfectly fit small pizzelles I made. This I added to an "Esther basket" for my Aunt Esther. Today, I was quite pleased to find a great website about ink and another good chemistry website. I've spent the morning both trimming and fattening the growing article and plumping it up with a bit of chemistry. I think it's about time I got out of my pajama's.

Last night I had a dream I was painting with white paint. It's not far from the truth in more ways than one. Yesterday I tested white paint under a black light and I also gave some thought as to how I go about writing science material . First, I read all the research papers, books, and internet material. Then I try and paint a picture on paper as I write, without being terribly concerned about accuracy. I refer back to my sources for details. If a writer is dwelling on accuracy as they write each line, the writing is stiff, scientific and factual. Boring. After the whole thing is revised a zillion times, I take a nit comb (ewww thankfully, I've never needed one!) and go through it line by line for accuracy.

But before I had this dream, Sherlock woke and thought of more questions about the ink:
If it's real - Can the ink be duplicated? Does the result fluoresce? Is there some source of paint/ink at the settlement site? Could ink components have come from the sea?
If it's fake - White paint + yellow + yellow ochre (gold) = whitish yellow paint, not brown. How long before that paint gets brown? Would a forger want to wait? Is there a way to accelerate the brown color via heat, sunshine....? What about a little shoe polish?

This morning, Ms. S. Holmes rummaged in her cellar for a very specific white paint, black ink, and a black light. After a bit of difficulty removing the cap of the oil paint, she began her experiment. She spread a sample of each medium on plain white paper. Then she entered the dark bathroom with her blacklight. The white paint fluoresced pink (she thought it would be blue). Granted the ink was India, not carbon, and the fluorescence was pink not blue.

Conclusion: Colonel Holmes did it in the bathroom with a blacklight.

I think I'm falling into a sinkhole of research. Last night, I pulled two research papers and parts of a third at the University. Back at home, I found one more online. The whole idea of writing about a controversial subject is to get kids thinking. Its definitely got me thinking. Since I'm leery that deadlines will be in my face all too soon, I've started writing too. That first crummy blob of sentences is now on paper. It's a start.

Last Thursday, while at Beinecke, I saw the Gutenberg Bible. My friend Rosie mentioned yesterday that her sister-in-law in NYC is a book restorer/conservator. She worked to restore a Gutenberg Bible, but she didn't know which one. I asked if she used new glue or old glue. The answer was I don't know, but it came out more like how the heck should I know. Good point, but since I'd wondered about binding glue myself, it was fresh in my mind. Her sister-in-law also restored some John Lennon material. Interesting conversation.

Last night I saw the space station zipping across the sky. With my Olympus binoculars it looked like a ring of light (guess my eyes are going, what next?). Today, my friend will be in town. She'll be here any minute. I laughed when she told me she was bringing her microscope. I told her to bring her dustpan instead. Easter will be here. Later, I hope to make it to the university to get one more paper and sift through a couple others that might be of interest. I still have one inter library loan that is incoming. No shortage of material on this hotly debated topic.