We didn't see much for wildlife in the New Mexico desert, but we did find a squirrel, a jackrabbit (too far away for a decent photograph), a nicely camouflaged lizard, and a roadrunner. I would have liked to have gone wildlife hunting at night, but without a flashlight or guide and with rattlesnakes out there.......no thanks.

I did get outside to work on a few paragraphs today, but not nearly as long as I would have liked. Everything melts into the forest when I'm out there and I find words flow easier in the breeze.

I found it interesting that there is no widely accepted method of dating petroglyphs. These petroglyphs in Petroglyph National Monument, NM, were etched into dark basalt boulders that were created by six volcanic eruptions. The rocks were originally light gray in color until water, sun, heat, cold and microbes coated them with black "desert varnish. " The process reminded me of carving into scratchboard in art class.

Another little tidbit I found interesting was the mention of a severe drought that struck the Southwest between AD 1275 and 1300 causing people to relocate near water sources. I think I noticed one lake in all of the miles we traveled. But I did see a big river and streams cutting through ancient Pueblo habitat. It made me wonder where New Mexico gets their water.

Archeologists believe Ancestral Pueblos carved most of the 20,000 images between AD 1300 and 1600. Try as I might, I could not find a rattlesnake anywhere in the desert. Next time, I'll post a few pictures of wildlife that I did find.

I expect I'll be getting my article back soon, all red and bleeding from the wounds of a beaten first draft.

Tulips

I had a very productive critique group meeting this morning where we welcomed a new member. Now there are three of us. Three eyes on a manuscript are better than two and meetings can still be held if one person can't attend. Hopefully, we can get the group rolling on a regular basis. Maybe, if I bust stones, I can get this article written by our "email manuscripts date" in mid-May.

I also found out I'll be reading my manuscript in the ampitheatre of Leslie University in Cambridge. I don't think I've ever had to be on stage in a room that large. This will certainly be a memorable experience. Deep breath.

Today, I'm posting the other half of the Land of Fire and Ice that I blogged about a couple of days ago. As molten lava flows outward from a volcano, the surface can harden while the lava below continues to flow. The flowing lava carves out a tunnel called a lava tube.

This lava tube collapsed and filled with rain and melting snow to form an ice cave. It is quite extraordinary that from fiery Bandera volcano, a cave of ice was formed. Arctic algae causes the ice to be lime green in color.

I'm glad I brought a fleece jacket (and shorts) when I went in that cave because it was quite cold. The woman in the top photograph lived in Washington State and mentioned there were ice caves there at the base of glaciers, but they were off limits to the public due to safety issues. Here is the story of two trapped teenagers that she told me about.

I didn't realize when I made travel plans (2 free airline tkts were set to expire) that the trip and the environment would be pertinent to the chemistry topic that I had not yet selected. Works for me!

Yesterday we returned from a week in New Mexico exploring mostly history and geology. I'll be posting some science related photographs from that trip.

These photographs are of Bandera volcano in Grants New Mexico. It erupted about 10,000 years ago. The top photograph is the cinder cone where we lingered imagining what it must have been like when an explosion of lava burst from the earth leaving a trail nearly 23 miles long. The second photograph is a spatter cone that formed when a surge of hot air rushed through lava forming a blow hole. Lava rocks have the texture of Swiss cheese and are rich in iron. They call this spot the Land of Fire and Ice for good reason. More on that in a later post.

Azalea

I've been so busy (as a bee) scrambling with last minute planning that I didn't notice until today that my name is now on the PEN website. This award still blows me away when I think about it--which believe me I haven't had much time to do. I noticed today that the event in Cambridge on May 23rd is going to also include other award winners who are likely more polished speakers (not that this bothers me in any way. Eeek!).

Recently, Christina Rodriguez left a comment on my post about a first draft I submitted which made me think about why I felt this first draft was slapped together very quickly. I approached this particular first draft a little differently than I normally do. I wrote down paragraphs and kept moving forward with the writing until I was at the word count and conclusion of the article. Usually, I'll write the first paragraph and keep washing over it like the tide coming in, extending and refining it with each wash.

After the photograph session the bee proceeded to attack me, but thankfully missed its target.

This morning, I emailed the first draft of a chemistry article about climate change that was due tomorrow. It felt like the article was undressed, like no one should see it in this condition. Pretty embarrassing. I told him to disregard grammar, punctuation, accuracy, and fluency. In other words, don't read it!

Hyacinth and forsythia

I thought this photograph of a hyacinth looked a bit more interesting cropped tall and slender.

I finished that first draft of the chemistry article today! I want to look over one more research paper and make sure I haven't forgotten anything. I was hoping things were settling down, but it seems the minute I get excited about having one less thing to do, three more drop in my lap. Now doesn't that figure.

Hyacinths

The hyacinths are in full bloom and tomorrow one is getting the ax, vase-bound.

I really pushed it today and now the word-count is up to 1200 words. But it's still short of the 2,000 I need. I've got to keep working at a torrid pace until it's all down. Then I'm probably going to collapse.

This week I noticed my article about honeybees has been published online. I had some really great editorial response to that article from several different editors. While adding it to my writing resume I wondered how the list of clips got so long. It seems like yesterday I was struggling for things to put on that resume. How fast the time burns away.

Azalea and hyacinth

I'm amazed at the difference that one day can make. Here is a photograph of the same azalea bush that I took a photograph of yesterday. Wow! Soon the eau de hyacinth will fill the air. Love them.

Finally something is taking shape on paper. There is about a page of typed up material, but it's downright ugly. At about 330 words, it's a tad bit short for a 2,000 word article, but hey, it has to get its start somewhere.

I'm still finding this PEN news somewhat surreal, sort of like a little leaf falling from a tree in a great big forest, falling into a creek and being swept up by a current and taken to who knows where.

Azalea, lilac, forsythia

The sun has finally broken through dark stormy skies. There is life and splashes of color sprouting from the dirt. The forsythia is blooming now while the azalea and lilac wait their turn.

Ahead, I still have much to do. I started a first draft of horrid scribblings that hopefully won't be so embarrassing when I email it to the editor on the 14th. There is no way he's getting this any earlier. I have a long way to go and much stands in the way.

I am truly honored, exceptionally grateful and somewhat stunned to be the recipient of this year's PEN New England Susan P. Bloom Discovery Award for Nonfiction! Last Friday, I received the call. This starving writer ate up all the glowing words of encouragement and made sure to note them. Walt later asked where the celebration was. Heck, if I know, I took down the key points.

I've entered this contest at least five other times and I still remember the sting of that "sorry" letter with no clue where I went wrong. Every year, I had to figure it out. After several years of not seeing any nonfiction winners, at one point, I wondered if it was even possible to win this award for nonfiction, but those doubts didn't stop me from entering.

In the middle of my notes is the champagne cork that I'll be turning into a Christmas ornament. I'll post a photograph after the transformation (so my editor knows exactly how I'm spending my time). And my New Year's resolution: "Burst out of the egg and shatter the shell!"

Recently, I bought some neat little solar lights shaped like rocks. I'm amazed that they're still shining despite the gray skies, clouds and torrential rains of the past three days. The night photograph that looks like two headlights (the rocks) was taken this evening. I'm pretty impressed.

Also, Google has a new energy saving search called Blackle. I set my home page to a Blackle search instead of a Google search. Every little bit helps.

I now have a deadline of 4/14 to finish a first draft. Ut oh. I think I'll be living in the library hiding from phone and emails. Today, I was at the library rethinking the article. This evening I spent quite a bit of time researching details that will surface in the first paragraph. I've got to really pour on the steam and get moving on this article.

Mount Monadnock, Jaffrey New Hampshire

Saturday, I took a symbolic hike to the summit of Mount Monadnock, New Hampshire. Freshly charged batteries in the camera went dead after one photograph from the base of the snow-streaked mountain. The camera was left behind and the battery charger later implicated.

The park ranger suggested micro-cleats for hiking (at $60/pair, no thank you) and reminded us that whatever we hike up we have to hike down. Admittedly, I was apprehensive. This was my first ever hike of a snow covered mountain. I had no way of knowing how deep the snow was, how slick the rocks were or if we could make it to the summit. As we were trekking up we passed a young female hiker heading down, too scared to continue.

Hiking a snow and rock covered mountaintop was a different and exciting experience and that's what made it fun. I picked my way around icy boulders and trudged over packed snow. I love my packable Olympus 8x21RCI binoculars!

At the summit on this clear day, Mt Washington's snow-covered peak floated on the horizon. Boston was visible in the east. Although the temperature was in the mid 30s, I had a hard time parting with a peak that was almost mine. The real challenge of the day wasn't the hike up, it was the hike down. Walt bloodied his hand on the descent, but thankfully it was nothing serious.

As far as writing goes, I'm going to finish the book I've been reading today. Next up, I need to start formulating questions for the scientist. This is going to be a challenging week to accomplish anything so I expect to struggle for time.

Crocus' and daffodils

The first day of Spring is here at last! Hopefully, it will bring the start of better days. Despite contending with a towing nightmare that encompassed way more of my time than I would have liked I've been slogging through a thick book taking notes as I go. I think I will try and read a set amount of pages per day to keep myself moving forward.

Monday, in hard cold driving rain, the fuel efficient Honda Civic I drive broke down about 1.5 hours from home. It barely hobbled to its destination. Today my daughter skipped off to meet friends in Boston leaving me stranded without a car . It was really nice to be stranded on a beautiful day in an Adirondack chair surrounded by piles of notes and research papers. That's my kind of stranded. Outside, I spent a good deal of time reading, organizing, and assembling material. The subject makes a great story so in addition to a ChemMatters article, I've started the bones of an outline for something on a grander scale.

Yesterday, I was fortunate enough to have a good chunk of time to spend outside in 68 degree weather in my favorite spot right on my deck. I love the wide arms of this chair for holding all my books and papers and it's roomy enough for furry little friends seeking attention. It is here that I seek the sunshine and get lost in another time and place.

Scientists love to draw pictures in the form of graphs that represent their hours of research and collected data. A current graph of me would show peaks of stress, frustration, resentment, sadness and empathy. Hence the need for Adirondack therapy. The outline is finally done, but I'm still reading a chapter and pulling out little details. I find this such an interesting topic.

I am sorry to say I deleted this post to ward off potential problems. Trust me, it was a good post.

Here is a link to the lyrics and another link to the video.

Case Mountain, Manchester

I'm posting some photographs of another hike at Case Mountain in Manchester CT. I would love to post a hiking map of the place because the online map I brought was the worst map I've ever used plus they were out of trail maps at the trailhead. At the trail, I took a photograph of the large map, but I've been advised that this map is likely under copyright so, it is unfortunately, not mine to post. To give you an idea why you need a hiking map, the route we took was: white trail --> pink --> gray/white --> yellow/red --> yellow/blue --> red --> blue --> yellow --> yellow/blue --> blue --> white. But at some point we missed the yellow trail.

We are very lucky we aren't still wandering around those woods.

The outline that I've been struggling to complete is almost done. But I am so overwhelmed right now it's a big struggle to accomplish anything.

Lately so many things stand in my way I wonder often why I bother trying. It's been a stormy year. Despite the sun-brella, my snowman lasted all of an hour before falling backwards. But building it was symbolic.

I'm still reading a key resource. Today I found and placed a hold on an another ILL book that has information about the scientist that I will be writing about.

I thought I'd post an amusing photograph of Marbles reaching up to ring the bell. No she doesn't salivate when she rings the bell, but she does want to go outside and this is how she tells us. Darn cute if you ask me.

Amidst a host of obstacles, I've been reading a key resource to learn about the chemistry of my current subject in greater depth. It's quite interesting material. I'm amazed that so much information can come out of something so.......so..... seemingly mundane.

The boys are back and there's gonna be trouble. (Hey la hey la the boys are back).

Look at the way one of the opossums is clutching the rail for dear life. I suspect when I came outside with the camera it nearly wet its pants, but did it exit? Heck no. And Walt thinks he's feeding the birds.

I started an article outline last night and it's looking pretty good. I have to add resources to it and polish it up, but the bones are there. Hey la hey la the bones are there.

Back in 2005 when I was working on "The Beavers that Struck it Rich", I noticed an error in Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia. In January of this year, I happened to come across a Grzimek's booth at the Boston ALA Convention. It jarred my memory and I mentioned it. Afterward, I followed up by emailing two pages of the encyclopedia to someone at Thomson/Gale.

This morning I received this email:
"Just wanted to let you know that we're going to be processing some corrections to the text in Grzimek's this week, and our beloved North American and Eurasian Beavers are going to be included. Finally, they'll get their due."

Does finding an error make the whole encyclopedia a bunch of rubbish? I don't think so. Then it follows that a couple of errors in climate data should not at all diminish the work of many dedicated scientists in many countries as some folks are trying to get everyone to believe.

Today, among the crowds at the university, I found 7 research papers. Unfortunately, some research papers were unavailable because the subscription had been canceled.

I was out snowshoeing yesterday morning at Case Mountain in Manchester (elevation=petite) to get some exercise. I brought a small pad and pen and wrote a few things while I was out. On the way back, I swung by the library and picked up what looks like a fantastic resource, a plump first-person account written for adults. I plan to check out the bibliography to see if there are any other papers of interest. The other two ILL books I requested are already in transit! Unfortunately, my day was so chopped up with a late opening of school that I did not make it up to the university. But Friday I plan to get there.

Today, I was in a research frenzy reading online material, digging up research papers and ordering ILL books at the library. I need to hit the university library some time soon. I am real happy to see that one really key book is checked in and another is already in transit! Woohoo!

This evening, my niece was over the house. I handed her the autographed copy of "Upon Secrecy" that has her name on the inside page. She was so thrilled to see her name. Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened when I mentioned the book was about spies. "Cool!" What she doesn't realize is that I have a bunch more books for her, but she's only getting one at a time so she'll appreciate them.

Today, I'm posting my last two photographs from Magic Wings, a butterfly conservatory in Deerfield MA. I thought the long weeping fuzzy tassels of the chenille plant were unusual. In the top photograph, several Rice Paper butterflies were fluttering over the shell of this tortoise.

I still have more photographs from Magic Wings, so bear with me (hope I got that right!). The bottom photograph is an Australian Walking Stick. It surprised me to learn they're common insects for pets. I don't know a sole that owns one. The top photograph is a blue poison dart frog that has been fed fruit flies. I find it fascinating that the ""poison" dart frogs at Magic Wings are not poisonous. It is the toxin from the ants and termites they eat in the rainforest that makes them poisonous.

I've been busy doing research for my next ChemMatters article. I am so enthused about the topic that I've decided to write a parallel outline for a larger project based on the same subject. This is so up my alley it isn't funny.

Even though I hate to put a new post up here because I love that hibiscus photograph, I'm going to do it. I have more photographs to share from Magic Wings. The top photograph is of Zebra Longwing butterflies. The bottom is a whole board of live chyrsalis'. Looking at them, I was reminded of one I saw banging in the wind against the bark of a tree in Pennsylvania back in 2005. It was hanging by the tiniest thread. I wondered what kind of super strong glue held it in place. It must have been one wild amusement park ride for that caterpillar while it got its wings. Here's a short video I found of a butterfly emerging from a chrysalis. (Note: The video could have ended after 1 minute and it might have been nicer if it was set to music versus chattering)

Yesterday, I finished editing an article about honeybees. It will be published in April or May of this year. I love the ending of that article.

Hibiscus and blue morpho butterfly

I thought I'd post some more cheery photographs taken at Magic Wings. The first photograph is an absolutely gorgeous hibiscus. The beautiful butterfly with the yellow abdomen is a Cairns Birdwing. The last butterfly is a Blue Morpho with metallic looking wings. The blue butterfly is very hard to photograph because it closes up when it lands and the outside of its wings are an unattractive dusty brown. But notice the v-shaped notch in the wing. I suspect this butterfly has a problem.

Today an editor sent me a really nice email, "I'm very impressed with your article." That was nice to read.

I spent the day up at Magic Wings in Deerfield Massachusetts. It's a breath of summer in the midst of winter, an uplifting cheerful place filled with butterflies, plants and flowers. It's a place you never tire of going to. Using the butterfly identification card ($1), my 9-year old niece Abigail helped me to identify the butterflies I took photographs of. The first photograph is of Rice Paper butterflies. According to the employee I spoke with, there are some chemicals in soaps and lotion that butterflies are attracted to and this guy must have had that chemical on his skin. Both his hands were covered with butterflies. The middle photograph is an Indian Leaf butterfly that landed on me without me even knowing it (sneaky little devil). The bottom photograph is of a Glass Wing butterfly, named for it's clear wings.