Quick thoughts
Finished reading: Liberation Day by George Saunders 📚 This is a book of ten short stories. I enjoyed all of them, although several had very unusual premises.
Finished reading: Year of Wonder: Classical Music to Enjoy Day by Day by Clemency Burton-Hill 📚
My wife and I used this book to guide our listening each day after dinner. Be aware you need an account with Apple Music or Spotify to access the playlists.
Happy New Year everyone! 🎉
I really dislike year end reviews of the news (or most anything else, actually). It seems to dampen the hopefulness of the holiday season by reminding me what happened the last time I tried to be optimistic about the year ahead.
The temperature this morning is -15°F. It reminds me of the year we lived in Duluth, MN.
Finished reading: The Bookstore Sisters 📚
Between the storms.
A huge willow after the ice fog lifted. If you look at the center of the tree you can see a major branch that split.
Finished reading (actually, finished listening to): The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn
Elderberry branches after a couple of days of ice fog.
This is the extent of my holiday decorating this year. I spent more time tracking down dead light bulbs than hanging the lights. Still, I enjoy seeing them when I step out to do the evening chores.
On a snowy day like today, it’s nice to be able to sink into the warmth and safety of a comfortable chair by the fire.
The official Washington State fish is the steelhead trout. However, our house favorite is the coho salmon.
Although the trend is towards a warmer climate, it has been a damn cold November.
On the topic of backyard birds, I finally identified a little brown bird that has been scratching under the thistle feeder. It’s a juvenile spotted towhee. It doesn’t look anything like the adult but the behavior is characteristic.
My motivation was tested today on a difficult jigsaw puzzle.
I missed yesterday’s mbnov challenge word. I guess that shows a lack of commitment.
Largely because of this month’s challenge, participating on Mb has become a daily ritual.
Even though I am retired, I retain my professional interest in maps and the data that go into them.
I find that reading and participating in conversations on Mb have lead me to adjust my whole approach to social media. It has nothing to do with the blue bird. I closed that door a while ago.