Yosemite National Park - Panorama Trail

This past week I attended two writing-related events.  The first was a marketing seminar called "Crafting a public identity."  The audience was made up of writers, dancers, photographers, artists, and actors.  They mentioned putting the basics in place first, things like a website, email, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  Check. (and no I'm not interested in Twitter).  I left pondering how to diversify, educate, and collaborate.

Yesterday, I went to a writers' luncheon where those in attendance discussed their smartest moves and struggles.  Most of the attendees wrote nonfiction.

I am dismayed at the changes in publishing.  It seems that at this time, when science is getting a bad rap, it's more important than ever to get the information out there yet there seems to be a dwindling pile of science editors on the trade side of publishing.    

The top photograph was taken on the Panorama Trail in Yosemite.  It was a beautiful trail that started at Glacier Point.  We hiked down a ridge with an easy grade and numerous switchbacks.  The first couple of miles had almost constant views of the glacier-carved valley.  We started too late to catch the Glacier Point shuttle at the bottom, so instead we hiked to the top of Nevada Falls then trucked uphill all the way back.

I think the second photo was Vernal Falls.  My size 8.5 foot was dwarfed next to a gigantic sequoia pine cone.  Yowzy!  We were at the park within the hantavirus time frame and received an email from Yosemite, but we camped far enough away from the Valley of the Mice, so it wasn't a concern.
    

I am finally at a lull and can spare some time to post.  I am quite grateful to the folks at Woods Hole for giving me the opportunity to hear scientists, learn about research and view labs and technology.  I came back all charged up to write some fresh stories.    

These photographs were taken at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute.  When the land was given to WHOI, there was a stipulation in the agreement that WHOI had to take care of the pet cemetery.  My goodness they had a lot of pets.  I spotted the osprey nest on the premises, but apparently the birds don't like peeping Toms.  I was told the nest was currently unoccupied.   Afterward, I found the osprey cam website.

  One day we visited the site of some research projects such as this marsh study.  Another day, I went with another fellow to interview a scientist and wound up in the wrong building.  OMG, I haven't laughed so hard since before my mother died last year.  It was great to feel like myself again.      

Zion National Park

I'm working on some stuff that is due October 1st.  I'll tell you more about that near month's end (when I find out if I'm doing this right!).

Tomorrow morning, I'm off to Woods Hole!  I put a lanyard on the camera to hang it around my neck so it is not in my hands, but easily accessible.  If it gets too heavy, it's going in the backpack.   

These are photos of wildlife at Zion National Park.  The flower is a Sacred Datura which has many names such as moon lily and jimson weed.  It's not the only thing that wilts in the mid-day heat.  "This is a poisonous, narcotic plant that can lead to death if eaten."  It is HIGHLY toxic and I think back on how close I was to touching it when I photographed it (this is the kind of stuff that would freak out my mother when she'd read my blog!).

There are quite a few lizards in Zion.  This little guy was glued to a woman's baseball cap.  She said her friend put him on her cap and he stayed there.  Realistically, while she is walking, where is he going to go?   The mule deer didn't budge when half a dozen or more people stood there taking photographs.  

  

Zion National Park - The Narrows

I expect to be quite busy churning out pages in September, so I'm not sure how often I'll be posting here.  It has been a long while since we've had a writing group meeting.  Next week, I'll meet my friends to review material.

These photographs were taken while we were hiking The Narrows in Zion National Park.  It was an exciting and fascinating hike in a slot canyon.  We rented water socks, special shoes, and a pole from Zion Adventure just outside the park.  With temperatures at 105°F, the cool interior of this canyon was the only place to beat the heat.  We hiked in and out of water that at times was up to our waists.  Fun, fun, fun!  I LOVED this hike and sloshing through the water!  It was rated a difficult hike, but I didn't find it hard at all, except I had to be careful of my footing.  At one point I thought I heard the boom of thunder.  Thankfully, it wasn't a thunderstorm.  Some kids were doing cannonballs off a big boulder.  It would have been dangerous to be in this slot canyon during a thunderstorm because of flash flooding.  There would have been  no place to escape.  Phew!

Next time, I'll post about the wildlife I spotted in Zion.

Bryce National Park

Here are a few wildlife photographs from Bryce National Park.  I could have watched these ravens for a long time.  Their antics and the scenery behind them were captivating.  I was a bit fearful one of the birds would peck my hand when I moved in for this close shot of its talons.  Thankfully, they were preoccupied.   At the time, I thought they were feeding each other.  According to this blurb about ravens on the park's website, they are "especially romantic during the breeding season."  After reading that, I now think I witnessed an "eskimo kiss."'  How cute.

The bottom photograph is a pronghorn that didn't stand still long enough for Walt to focus.  No wonder, it's the fastest land animal in North America!  During the summer they molt to a thinner coat. 

Wednesday, I boarded the Department of Environmental and Energy Protection's climate monitoring boat with other members of the CT Climate Change Education Group.  What a great day we had out at sea and I thank them for allowing us to view their important work monitoring the health of Long Island Sound.  I learned quite a bit and I'm contemplating how to spin a story out of it. 

This bird was so still drying its wings that initially I thought it was fake.  On the way back to the harbor we passed a capsized sailboat.    At low tide, there's a tombolo that connects the beach to Charles Island and that's probably what caused it to run aground.    

Bryce National Park - Queens Garden/Navajo Loop

Yesterday, I found another opportunity in my inbox.  You have absolutely no idea what a pleasant change of pace it is to have these things come to me.  I will dish on those when and if they come to fruition.

On 7/15/12, I posted about the not so definite link between extreme weather and climate change.  Since then, James Hansen has published a paper where he concludes that a couple of extreme heat waves (one in 2011) are linked to global warming.  I also thought recent news that at one time Antarctica was covered with palm trees, baobab and macadamia was fascinating.

The colors in Bryce National Park were stunning, terra cotta hoodoos and deep pines against a cerulean sky.  When the morning and evening light hit those formations, they glowed a brilliant orange.  We hiked the Queens Garden/Navajo Loop.  It was one of the best hikes I've ever done.  Midway through that hike we came to a section adorned with tiny cairns.  They were everywhere.  They were piled on the ground, on logs, on tree branches.  It was the cutest thing and surely something that rangers do to occupy little ones.  What an adorable idea!  Next time, I'll post about the wildlife I saw.

Arches National Park

This past week I listened to audio and video from a research trip.  The video that Walt took was an excellent record of the visit.  From the video I learned that camping the night before on site research wasn't such a good thing.  Did I brush my hair?   It cracked me up when Walt asked numerical type questions and zoomed in on some math angles on a notebook.  The whole time, I was constantly juggling a notebook, pen, DVR and camera.   

Overall, the video was the best record, but I think for a solo visit, putting my eye through a camcorder might get in the way of absorbing the material or it might appear that I'm not paying attention.  It would be nice to have a writer's toolbelt, similar to what construction workers wear.  I think I will hunt for a strap so the camera can dangle from my neck where it's easily accessible, but frees me from carrying it.      

I've been working hard, maybe too hard.  Two items are getting very close to mailbox ready.   

I've been to Arches twice in the summer and although it is quite beautiful, the scorching sun beats down and there aren't many trees for shade.  We spotted this gnarly tree on the path to Landscape Arch.  We also encountered a long-nosed leopard lizard with interesting coloring.   After a bit of research, I've come to the conclusion this is a female because of the bright orange spots that occur during breeding.  I'm still marveling that we were there at the right time to see the unusual spots.  See, summer isn't such a bad time for a visit after all!

Rocky Mountain Nat'l Park - 3

There's nothing quite like meandering through the Midnight Garden, picking words and making new arrangements. ~ Linda Zajac

Last night between 1 and 2 am, I got a lot of inspiration from the Midnight Garden.  Lines with grace and elegance came to me with ease.  If only I could harness that creativity and move it to normal hours.   Sigh.  I'm currently fact checking and I've got to start reading and doing research too.

Here are more photographs from Rocky Mountain National Park.  The top one was taken on the hike to Flattop Mountain.  We saw a lot of elk while we were there.  On our last day in the park, we were fortunate to get a tip from a park ranger that led us to the breeding ground of bighorn sheep!

Rocky Mountain Nat'l Park - 2

The big news is that I'm honored and grateful to be a jolly good fellow--a Woods Hole Fellow!   It's coming up fast, so I'm trying to write up everything from my trip out West before I'm deluged with details for more story ideas.  On the road trip, I stopped at two research facilities.  So far, I've completed an article and picture book for one place.  I still want to do two more for the second research stop.  

While in Rocky Mountain National Park, we hiked 4.4 miles to the top of Flattop Mountain (elevation 12,324').  I've never hiked a mountain so high.  I only threw up once--thankfully it was a half mile from the finish.  At the top, the howling wind was incredible.  It wore us right out.

  Tyndall Glacier is visible from the tundra at the top.  While trekking to the summit, we passed a noisy ptarmigan, a beefy yellow-bellied marmot and a whole lot of wildflowers like this blue columbine.

Now that we are down one car, I'm pretty much stuck here during the day.  Although it's cramping my style, it's boosting my productivity (Hallelujah chorus breaks into song).

This past week, I shifted gears again and turned that article that was a picture book back into an article and I'm good with that.  I also wrote a lovely picture book on the same topic.  At 237 words, this is indeed a picture book with little words to spare.  I'll be adding backmatter this coming week. 

Last post, I mentioned seeing signs of climate change while out west.  In Utah and Nevada, I noted dramatic drops in lake water levels.  The first two photographs are of Lake Mead, a huge source of water for the southwest.

While crossing through Colorado, I drove toward a plume of smoke.  It wasn't the only raging forest fire at the time.  Temperatures were exceptionally high (although scientists are careful not to say there is a direct link between extreme temperatures and climate change).  It was 111 degrees in Kansas and 105 at the Hoover Dam.  This article is about fire, drought, and water levels in the Southwest.

Rocky Mountain Nat'l Park - 1

We came up with three ways to get a car out to our daughter in California:

1. Spend a vacation in CA shopping for a car
2. Ship the car (over $1,000)
3. Drive a car out West and make a vacation out of it

Although I'm not proud of chewing through so much gas, it seemed that driving was the best choice.  Along the way we hiked in five national parks, visited two research facilities and spotted evidence of climate change.  We passed forest, mountain, desert, ocean and prairie.  When it was possible, I checked email and got news that was deeply disappointing.  Later more news came, but this time it was highly exciting.

On one trail in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, I showed my photographs to a park ranger.  She verified they were moose scat and moose tracks, but I saw no sign of the moose.

  Later that day I finally spotted my mammal!

I have been hastily slapping together plans to travel cross country, so it's been a very busy week.  I am SO excited and exceptionally grateful that I will get the opportunity to visit two places I am currently writing about.  One is in the Midwest and the other is on the West Coast.  I was initially planning to leave all writing behind, but now I'm so charged up I wouldn't dream of it! 

I bought a few things for the trip: a 2-person tent, sleeping pads, a headlamp (Walt lost his), and a waterproof bag.  The last time we went family camping, rain turned our cheap tent into a waterbed, so finding a watertight tent was a biggie.  I have some adventures planned, but they are weather dependent so no sense going into details now.

Poor Charlotte was a sorry sight at Mystic Aquarium.  She was hit by a propeller and now she spends most of the day on her head (kinda like me last week!).  It was sad to see a turtle with bubble-butt.

Walt and I are gearing up to deliver a much needed car to California, then we're flying back.  I'm hoping to slip in some research trips along the way.   It would also be nice to stumble upon some new stories while visiting National Parks across the country.  If all goes well it will be a trip that includes  research, hiking, nature and adventure.

My writing friends thought my ever changing piece that started as scraps--> article --> picture book is working!  It was SO nice to meet on a picnic table out by the pond in town.  We gazed in wonder as a blue heron flapped its wings over the water.

I thought these photos of a bee and rhododendron worked perfectly after getting stung--more like punched in the gut with the wind knocked out of me.  Not all rejections from editors feel that way, but this one did.  It is a fine time to hop in a car and go hike a mountain or twenty.  When I come back, The Revisions will be waiting for me and hopefully, absence will make the heart grow fonder.

Today I went to Rhode Island to attend a SCBWI P.A.L (published and listed) roundtable discussion.  Most of those in attendance were authors.  I must admit when I received the handwritten invitation I thought, clearly there must be some mistake.  Clearly.  Clearly, I was wrong.  It was nice to be included  with a group that I don't yet feel I belong in.  Melissa Stewart led the discussion about how SCBWI can better serve its published members.

It's funny how things have been moving and progressing.  First I recycled the scraps of an article and turned those into a short piece.  I saw more potential in it, so it's getting transformed into a picture book.  Although I wasn't done, I shipped it off to Critique Land.  Now, I'm barreling ahead to meet a deadline on something else that I'm a little apprehensive about--but of course I'm not letting that stop me. 

These beautiful and interesting annuals are gazanias.  At night, they curl up their petals.  By morning, the spikes unfold into stunning orange stars.   Brilliant blue lobelia is behind the gazania and a rhododendron bush is in the background.

In addition to writing, this past week I researched how the teen brain is different from the adult brain.  Faced with the same situation, a teen will take risks, but an adult will not.  I found this National Geographic article about a study of teen risk taking, called Beautiful Brains, really helpful.  Here's the bottom line:

"So if teens think as well as adults do and recognize risk just as well, why do they take more chances? Here, as elsewhere, the problem lies less in what teens lack compared with adults than in what they have more of. Teens take more risks not because they don't understand the dangers but because they weigh risk versus reward differently: In situations where risk can get them something they want, they value the reward more heavily than adults do."

This explains why I knew better, but I still took a ride home with a stranger after track practice in high school.  I was walking home exhausted after running the mile, 2 mile and a relay in a track meet.   Thankfully, nothing bad happened.  

The brain is a fascinating organ.  Vanderbilt University in Tennessee has a new doctoral program for educational neuroscience.  It combines the field of education with studies of the brain.   Neuroscience research is quite interesting.  It's giving us new understanding on how we learn.  Educating children is what writing nonfiction is all about.  In the wrong hands, that research could be used in a negative manner.   

In other news, I spent the week working on a new article fashioned from the scraps of a completed article.   Also, I put together proposals for two classes (one is about jellyfish) for kids at the brand new Vernon Community Arts Center.  Hopefully, they will be accepted and that enough students will sign up so the class will run.

These photographs are moon jellies at Mystic Aquarium.

Talcottville Gorge, Vernon

Some day I'll make it to Book Expo America which is taking place June 4th - June 7th at the Javits Center in New York City..  

I had a wonderful time at Chautauqua last year and can't say enough good things about that writing workshop.  This year, they're moving the writing conference to the Barn at Honesdale PA and splitting it up into three week long writing workshops:
Writing from the Heart
Fiction Writing for Children and Young Adults

Nonfiction Writing for Children and Young Adults.

I've been busy working on a short manuscript and two magazine articles.  During editing of a chemistry article, an editor trimmed off portions of my article that included quotes from an expert.  At 4:30 am, in a moment of brilliance, I decided to take those scraps and make them a stand-alone article.

I went back to Talcottville Gorge and spotted a bullfrog swelling out its belly, a great blue heron in flight, and a northern water snake slithering across the pond.  It was a great morning for wildlife viewing!