Women's Health & the Environment

Yesterday I attended the conference "Women's Health & the Environment" in Pittsburgh. It was a sobering experience and I learned some disturbing facts:
Babies born today still have DDT in their bodies.
Chemicals we use every day have never been tested, so there is no way of assuring us that they are safe.
The following disorders have been linked to toxins: attention deficit disorder, learning disabilities, diabetes, obesity, cancer, infertility, even Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.
Women were targeted because they make most of the purchasing decisions in a home. The idea is, of course, that we go out and use what we learned in our everyday lives, work, and our homes.
A great website I learned about is the Environmental Working Group, http://www.ewg.org and http://www.ewg.org\women. One of the many goodies on this site is a link to a cosmetics database (www.skindeep.com) where you can search for non-toxic cosmetics. I also received a free book, "Slow Death by Rubber Duck" by Rick Smith & Bruce Lourie, who also spoke at the conference.
Because nowadays there are many more non-toxic cleaning products available than there were years ago, I have already been using them for a while. I came away from the conference with the resolve to replace our personal care products with safer ones. Some other tidbits I learned:
Buy organic
Eat low mercury fish
Filter drinking water
Avoid canned food whenever possible
One of my concerns was not addressed yesterday: If the products we use are so toxic to our bodies, what is their effect on the much smaller bodies of birds, insects, and aquatic life?

A New Officer

When I joined a Toastmasters club one and a half years ago, I had no intention of becoming an officer. After all, I just joined to gain speaking experience before starting my new endeavor of giving presentations about backyard habitats. Fast forward to now, and I am suddenly the newest officer of Toastmasters Club #144, the Vice President PR. My role will be to promote our club in the media, send out newsletters, and greet guests, among others.
Are you wondering whether Toastmasters is for you? Check out www.toastmasters.org to find out more information or to locate a club near you. Whether you are a student or professional who needs to improve his/her speaking skills, or simply want to join to make new friends--you will be welcome with open arms at a club near you.
I'll see you at our next meeting!

If the Shoe Fits...

Women are supposed to love shoes, right? But if your shoe size is 6 1/2 WW (in other words, if it's like mine) you probably hate buying shoes. The reason is, of course, that no one makes shoes in that size. Things got even worse for me when my doctor prescribed insoles. I recently went to a shoe store that sells nothing but shoes that fit insoles. Guess what: they didn't have my size and had to order a pair. Of course, when it arrived it was too tight and I had to order yet another pair. This time I hope they fit.
What's a writer to do when faced with such a dilemma? Write an essay about it, of course. For years, I have submitted a humorous essay about my not so funny misadventures of shoe shopping. Last week, I sent my updated version to a women's magazine and hope they will accept it. After all, we can't all be like Imelda Marcos, can we?

Snow be gone

We are experiencing unusually sunny and warm temperatures. For the first time in over a month we can see our backyard and driveway again.
The sunny weather brings out some strange creatures inside our house: our cats! During the long winter they only emerged from their sleeping positions to answer calls of nature. Somehow they always managed to show up right before feeding time, but other than that I was beginning to wonder if we actually had cats. Now they are up in the windows again or staking out the sunny spots on the floor.

March 2

For the past few weeks I've been posting about the wildlife in our backyard at my other blog, http://birdswithpersonality.blogspot.com. Come on over and check it out.

Snow and Icicles

We're well on our way to experience the snowiest February in Pittsburgh history. And on the weekend we can expect more snow. Getting bundled up and clearing off the cars, the walk, part of the driveway and the trail to the bird feeders takes so much time we're exhausted. And now we have to worry about ice dams as the temperature crawls above freezing during the day and then refreezes everything at night. All the salt on the roads brings an early start of pothole season. Potholes are sprouting like garlic mustard in the spring. I wonder what they do our suspensions.
There are more and more tracks in the snow. Who visits our yard when we aren't looking? A deer, a turkey, a dog? All of them? If I could actually venture out into snow that reaches over my knees I might be able to read the tracks.

Snow, snow, snow

We were told to expect 6-12 inches of snow on Saturday. We got more than 21 inches. It is the most snow I have ever seen in a place I actually lived. The snow is so high it reaches my upper legs.
Worst of all, this storm has no name so far. In Pittsburgh, storms usually get colorful names, such as: St. Patrick's Day Parade Blizzard, Valentine's Day Massacre, etc. But this storm has no name. I guess "Day before the Super Bowl Storm" does sound awkward.
And now we're told to expect another storm system tomorrow. We sincerely hope that our roof and our trees can handle all the weight.
Let it snow? Bah humbug!

Critter food

It is one of Murphy's Laws that no good deed goes unpunished. It is equally ironic that my last post was about being a pack rat.
For quite a while I've been buying peanuts, which my husband throws out every morning for the birds and squirrels. Those peanuts are a big hit. Even though we started putting our bird seeds into a plastic tote, for some reason the peanuts ended up on top of the tote the other day. This morning I took my car in for inspection and mentioned to the attendant that my "check engine light" came on the other day. A few minutes later she returned and told me that the light was on this very moment. I grudgingly agreed to a costly diagnostic check. She then informed me that 1. the knock sensor had to be replaced, and 2. that there were peanut shells in the engine!
I laughed, until I learned how much it would cost to replace the sensor. Those were the most expensive peanuts I ever purchased.
I guess we should have learned our lesson the first time. A couple of years ago we opened up the hood of my car and found so many peanut shells in the engine that it took us an hour to vacuum them out. The reason is probably that there is a hole between the bottom of our garage door and the wall, just big enough for a critter to slip through. And the garage is a lot warmer than the outdoors right now. So, until we can figure out how to plug that hole I'm parking my car outdoors. After all, three is not always a charm.

Fighting clutter

January is the perfect time to conquer clutter because there isn't much else to do. It often seems as if the clutter is winning. Not only is it taking over our small house, but it also has taken over our computer. Before I know it there are over 500 messages in my e-mail inbox that have to be deleted or filed under a category. If I don't keep up with that it takes hours to do. When it comes to computers I'm a packrat. I don't want to delete anything, unless I make a copy first.
Last weekend, my husband informed me that there were only 3 GB of free space on our hard drive left and I had to delete my photos. I reluctantly did, but not before I made sure that I had two copies: one on our external hard drive and one on my portable hard drive. Did I mention I'm a packrat? I acquired a portable hard drive a while ago after hearing stories about external hard drives that crashed. Of course, in a few years I will a. probably realize that many of my photos are not as great as they once seemed and that I got much better ones now; or b. our external hard drive will be full too.

Walking down memory lane

Like most serious photographers we have hundreds and hundreds of 35mm slides stashed away in our closet. We haven't looked at them in years, except for those that I had scanned into our computer years ago. However, when we bought a new computer it didn't have a connection for our trusty little scanner anymore and my scanning project came to a shrieking halt. What to do with all those slides? I would love to convert them into saleable photos and recently learned that I could get them scanned onto DVDs.
Now I am looking at all those slides, trying to decide which ones to get scanned first. It is a walk down memory lane. As I am glancing over images of city sights, fall foliage, a locked bicycle with missing wheels, a dead mouse (don't ask), flowers, waterfalls, rocks, churches, signs, palaces, street cars, covered bridges, etc. I realize that these photos are snapshots of our lives. How many of us write a journal every day? Not too many, I guess. Yet, most of us would remember a funny or sad incident connected with our photos. Whether it was that trip to Norway where I froze in July (and then ate enormous soft serves), the hike in Ohiopyle where I tripped over a root, our quest for covered bridges, our blossoming love for wildflowers, or shop signs in Germany--all of these are highlights of our lives and our photos recharge our memories about them. They are indeed photo journals.

A Fresh Start

Last week, we woke up to see this winter wonderland outside our windows. Knowing it wouldn't last long before a breeze would drop the snow off the branches, I grabbed my camera and took a few photos after breakfast. In case you're wondering why our arbor is lying on the ground, it was felled by a gust of wind around Thanksgiving.
The New Year is off to a busy, if not frigid start. Meetings that discontinued during the holiday season are resuming and everyone is making resolutions. My resolutions consist of writing, photography, and networking. The order is determined by the weather--meaning, I won't do any bird photography this week since my fingers are freezing inside the house. That means buying a better pair of gloves is high on my to-do list. Therefore, I am planning on decluttering my filing cabinet and the house, so when the weather does get better I can go out and enjoy it.
Happy New Year!

Around the world in three hours

One of the perks of being a freelance writer and photographer is that I can pick the assignments I would like to cover and then pitch them. And so I was happy to be able to photograph the Nationality Rooms at the University of Pittsburgh while they are decorated for the holidays.
The first room I photographed was the Austrian Room with a nativity scene that was handcarved in Austria. A wreath and guitar commemorate the origin of the song "Silent Night."
The German Room looked also very pretty with its Advents wreath and Christmas tree, but then I'm biased.
My goal was to photograph holidays in different cultures. The Chinese New Year is celebrated with an elaborate display of symbols, while the African room shows a simple Kwanzaa scene. From Russia to India to Italy, I photographed traditions around the world. But a photo shoot like this does not come without problems. The French Room, for example, showed a large creche under glass--impossible to photograph, especially when there are chairs posted in front of it. If you want to see how the holidays are observed in different cultures, I suggest a trip to the Cathedral of Learning. You will never get a cheaper deal on traveling around the world.

Party Like It's 1939

Perhaps 1939 wasn't the best year to choose as a party theme, but that's when my Toastmasters Club was founded. So, last Monday we celebrated our 70th anniversary with a phantastic wingding. Most of us played period roles and the illustrious crowd included Glenn Miller, Charles Lindbergh, Bob Hope, President Roosevelt, Rosi the Riveter, yours truly as John Steinbeck, and many others.
At the last minute I was asked to bring my camera to the festivities, and so I was pulling double duty as both photographer and participant. There was a lot of talent at the event - we had dancers, singers, a DJ, two photographers (Ansel Adams was the other one) and speakers, of course - and I'm glad someone recorded everything. I can't wait to see the movie, especially the parts that I missed because I was too busy.
Happy birthday, Toastmasters Club 144!

End of an Era

All good things must end. For years, I've been part of a writers group that met in a church in the South Hills. I was there from the beginning and have seen quite a few people come and go. But life got in the way and "members" drifted out of it, one after the other. While it lasted, we have seen novels written and rewritten, babies born, articles published, and Christmas parties held.
Yesterday, the three people of the hard core decided to quit our group until further notice. Now, some of them are also Pennwriters and I know that I will see them again, but it was still a bittersweet experience.

An Anniversary to Remember

Tomorrow marks the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. As I recall those days the first thing that comes to mind is that I was occupied with other things. As a newlywed, I had just decided to vacate my bachelor efficiency apartment. Scraping wallpaper, arranging the move of my few belongings, and finding a bigger apartment were foremost on my mind.
Disbelief was the first reaction I felt at the news that the most visible symbol of the Cold War had fallen. Just a few years before I had stood in front of the Brandenburg Gate in East Berlin--a mere two months after visiting West Berlin. The contrast between the bustling West Berlin and the almost empty streets of East Berlin (we could almost walk on the main street at night, that's how empty it was) could not have been greater. If I returned today I probably would not recognize the city.
A history buff, I have always been fascinated by castles, old houses, and museums. But back in 1989 it occured to me for the first time that I was living history. I had seen the Berlin Wall rise and fall in my lifetime.
For the first year, a shopping frenzy began. East Germans were buying cars, furniture, and traveled. They had a lot of catching up to do. And then reality set in as more and more of them lost their jobs. As with most things in life, euphoria does not last forever. It will take many years for the formerly two Germanys to be truly one. Tearing down a wall made of concrete is a lot easier than tearing down the walls in people's minds.

Work in progress

For several months now we have been looking for a contractor to have a minor bathroom renovation done. After talking to two contractors (who of course had different ideas of what we needed) we researched online. Contractor No. 2 decided that we needed a complete overhaul even though we had told him we only wanted a surround and other small upgrades. Therefore, his estimate was out of this world. Back to Contractor one. We now had an idea of the surround we liked. But... it turned out that the window that is in our bathroom is a big problem, and cutting the surround might crack it. So, we finally settled on the solution we had looked at at the beginning. Did I mention that we also talked to Contractor no. 3, recommended by Contractor no. 1? Fortunately, said person can do the job very soon. At this point, we just want the project done so we can move on with our lives, even it it means painting a small bathroom with lots of corners and tiny spaces. You know you're in trouble when you check out surrounds and vanity tops in every venue you visit.

Reflections

I have been very busy lately. Last weekend, I attended a wood duck photo workshop in Ohio and posted about it on my other blog, http://birdswithpersonality.blogspot.com. Such a trip requires almost as much time packing as the workshop takes. I was grateful for packing a parka and gloves because it was about 10 degrees colder up there than here in Pittsburgh. I haven't even put away my luggage yet and am still editing almost 800 photos.
Last night, my husband and I got free tickets to see Jean-Michel Cousteau at Heinz Hall. It was a very entertaining and thought-provoking speech. He showed several clips from his DVDs about Midway, an endangered fish, and a toxic test on Orca whales and humans, including himself. A woman (a vegetarian, no less) and her 4-year old son tested the highest in toxic elements in their bodies. One reason is that they live in California, which has a law requiring many household items to be flame-retardant. Evidently, those chemicals pass into the bodies of humans. Cousteau compared Orcas and humans because they are both at the top of the food chain. Orcas absorb toxins that are released into the water over decades, such as garbage, chemicals, sewage, etc.

A Not so Perfect Day

Yesterday, my husband and I headed to Presque Isle to see some bird migrants. At the first stop - where I expected to see warblers - we saw nothing but mosquitoes, hundreds and hundreds of them. We applied plenty of insect repellant and then declared defeat. There were no birds, warblers or otherwise. The second stop promised wildflowers and birds, according to my guidebook. What we found was a path so overgrown that we couldn't walk on it unless we wanted to get more inset bites than we already had. We retreated to the Perry Monument where I finally photographed some birds. Okay, they were gulls but I was determined to photograph something.
After a picnic at the beach - where I photographed more gulls - we walked through deep sand to the lighthouse. With camera and tripod in hand I wanted to get a better view of the lighthouse when I tripped over a sling root. The sand cushioned my fall. However, my hand was clutched to my camera and I sprained my thumb. That finally did it and I declared that I wanted to go home. I iced my hand on the drive home and my thumb is feeling much better now. At home I told my husband that, if I ever wanted to go to Presque Isle again, he should just point at my thumb.

Gearing up

The end of summer is near and fall promises to be a busy one. I'm gearing up to attend some shows and a networking event. That means that I have to order prints and make note cards. I just learned that I can attend the Bridgewater Bookfest in September by sharing a canopy with a Pennwriter friend. In addition to that I have found several bookstores willing to sell my work.
After the bookfest my husband and I want to squeeze in a vacation, which means we want to go birding. Because spring was cold and sometimes wet, I haven't been able to add any new bird species to my stock photo list. I want to remedy that in the fall and do some birding between my many meetings.

Picture Perfect

Sometimes the best photographic subjects are close to home. When we planted a new native garden this year we bought a Joe-pye-weed. Now it is blooming and a big draw for bees and butterflies alike. Last Sunday, for example, I saw an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail on the Joe-pye and grabbed my camera. I then spent some time capturing this beautiful specimen. A few days later, on a recent bright overcast day - perfect lighting for macro photography - I went ouside to take photos of our lobelias. But then I saw a Monarch butterfly landing on the Joe-pye and chased it instead. It had long been my wish to get a closer picture of one with its wings open. It was not easy. The Monarch did not like my close presence and kept flitting away to the other side of the plant, with me in hot pursuit. Finally, I decided that I must have something good on that flash card and left the Monarch alone. I was right.
People who see my photos often say, "You must be very patient!" They're right, of course. But luck is also involved. Had I not gone out at the time when the Monarch was on the Joe-pye I would have never captures this photo.

In the Marsh

Last Saturday, my husband and I headed to Independence Marsh. Fog hung low over the valley when we arrived, but it soon lifted and gave way to warm sunrays. Bullfrogs honked from the ponds but we never saw one. A mockingbird eyed us suspiciously, with food for its chicks in its beak. While I finally got a mockingbird photo (on a powerline, unfortunately), our main goal was seeing wildflowers. A marsh is an awesome place to see summer wildflowers. We saw Joe-pye-weed, teasel, field thistle, green-headed coneflower, orange and yellow jewelweed, blue vervain, and countless others. Two hummingbird moths were fighting over a flower and a hawk flew over the lake. On the way back I flushed out a blue heron which I had not seen (otherwise I would have stalked him to get his photo). The hours flew by until the heat forced us to return home. It was a beautiful morning on the marsh.

Blazing Star

Last Sunday, my husband and I headed up north to the Jennings Environmental Center near Slippery Rock for a guided walk. The occasion was the blooming of the Blazing Star. While not all flowers were blooming yet (they never bloom entirely, but bloom from top to bottom), at least 30 or more people had turned out for the walk. Apparently, they had all read it in the newspaper like we did. There was a lot to learn about glaciers, Ice Age animals, the Massasauga snake, and temperatures on the prairie and how plants and wildlife adapt to them. A breeze kept the air temperatures tolerable, but prevented me from taking many pictures.
After making a stop for ice cream, we headed home and are pretty sure that we'll plant a Blazing Star in our garden next year.

My Travel Bag

When I travel overseas, I need a big tote bag. Nowadays, passengers need to bring along their own food in case the airplane fare is inedible for dietary or other reasons. I, for example, won't touch rock-hard buns or cold-as-ice desserts. So, I bring along cereal bars or a muffin. And then I need to take water, a camera, a cell phone (in case the plane is delayed), an i-pod, a book, money, boarding passes and itineraries and all the other hundred gadgets that make a long day a little less long.
For years and years, I've been taking my trusty tote bag along. It has lots of zippers and other pockets for the above mentioned gadgets. And it has lots of miles on it. In fact, if bags could get frequent flyer miles, my bag should earn me a free flight overseas.
Imagine my surprise when I walked through a sandwich restaurant at Cincinnati Airport and a woman said to me, "I like your bag!" She had the exact same bag I had. Hers was in much better shape than mine, but then mine gets kicked around airplanes a lot more than hers, I bet.
Some day I'll have to buy a new one, but I doubt it will last as long as this one did.

Lost Memories

A depressing aspect of my recent trip to Germany was that my mother didn't recognize me. She seemed convinced that I had a traveling companion, a woman I met on the plane. I was never sure whether she was talking to me or my "companion." She also didn't recognize my friends who came to pick me up.
She is in the early stages of dementia and changes in her memory came on so gradually that no one noticed at first - until I showed up. I also learned that she doesn't drink much and that dehydration can cause dementia. When her doctor returned from vacation I made an appointment for her. Needless to say, her reply was something like, "I'm old. Whatever do I need a doctor for?" Did I mention that she is very, very stubborn?
But I was undeterred and my brother and I took her to the doctor. Now she'll have to see a neurologist in a few weeks (it's vacation time). I'm glad I got the ball rolling after observing my mother all day long and am anxious to hear what the neurologist will find out.

Looking back - Part 2

I have already mentioned that I met many old friends during my recent trip to Germany. We had lost track of each other after school, pursuing our different career and life paths. Most of us married, some have a partner, many have children and others - like me - don't. One chose traveling over having children, having been to every continent except Antarctica. Two of us emigrated to another country. I came to the U.S. and a friend emigrated to Australia. Needless to say, she was not at the reunion.
I also saw members of the club my brother and I belonged to in the late Seventies, early Eighties. We had weekly meetings, often followed by a trip to a dance or guesthouse. I was treasurer of the club for seven years and therefore very involved in our annual ball and other fundraising activities. A core of our club was a folk dance group. We practiced and performed at area festivals and took trips to the United States, Sweden, Hungary, France and any place in between. It was awesome to see so many foreign places at little cost for me since we stayed with host families. The club disbanded eventually when everybody got married and had kids.
Now they are meeting again several times a year for dinner and reminiscences. The Internet helps staying connected between meetings. Somewhere along the way, my friends have become respectable citizens. Two are judges and township council members and another one just got elected to her town's council. Eleven of them turned out to see me, which I take as a great compliment. While we all have had our ups and downs (health problems being at the top of the list), our years together have forged a bond that lasted over decades.
I don't get to do much sightseeing, but my trips to Germany would be a lot less enjoyable if I didn't see my friends.

Looking back

I've returned from Germany a few days ago. It's difficult to sum up my trip in one blog, so I'll break it up.
The best thing about my vacation was reconnecting with old friends. There were some faces that I had not seen since the early 70s and early 80s. Now that their child-rearing years are over, my friends have time to socialize again--and socialize we did. There were two "mini-reunions" from grade school, one from business school, one from a club my brother and I belonged to, and a couple of meetings with individuals. And I saw one friend (we go back to kindergarten, which begins at age 3) four times. Add to that visits to relatives and I can honestly say that I met everybody I wanted to meet. One girlfriend joked, "I'm glad you live in the States. Otherwise I would never see you!" It is gratifying to know that I brought people together, using my visit as an excuse for a meeting. Saying good-bye again so soon was the hardest part.
Another quest was visiting as many Italian ice cafes as possible. My favorite is spaghetti ice. It consists of whipped cream covered with vanilla ice cream pressed through a press, strawberry syrup and grated white chocolate. I skipped the whipped cream for health reasons, but the ice cream itself agreed with me. After I left the cafes probably noticed a dip in their profits. Ah, what would summer in Germany be without outdoor cafes?

Relief

Yesterday, I had an endoscopy done. I had to fast until afternoon. While my husband and I waited before the procedure it became clear that the office staff needed some sensitivity training. They began talking about what they had for dinner the night before, and then one of them began eating sweets. The patients - all with empty stomachs - looked at each other with disgust.
The procedure revealed that I don't have an ulcer, at least not any more. Apparently, the medicine I got at the ER, and since then, has relieved my symptoms. I have to stay on these capsules for a while and am now awaiting the biopsy results.
Now, I can finally eat again. Even though I had recently fasted for 24 hours I was incredibly hungry yesterday.
After fortifying myself, it's time to think about all the things I have to do before I head to Germany next week. After all these tests, I deserve a vacation.

A very long day

Last Tuesday was a very long day for us. My husband had to undergo a medical test at a major hospital and we had to get up way early. Then we waited, and waited, until they wheeled him down. I then went to eat something because I had missed breakfast. Hubbies test provided good news for us. Lifestyle changes and some medication should bring relief very soon.
However, during the afternoon I developed severe abdominal pain that came in waves. I managed to drive us home using backroads during rush hour. But even eating a plain meal of chicken noodle soup brought no relief and my pain got worse and worse. Finally, my husband (who was not supposed to drive) took me to the hospital where I had a CT scan done just five days before. I did not know the results yet but the ER doctor got to see them. After X-rays and blood tests etc. I received an IV with medicine to ease my acidic stomach, and a prescription. I was told to get the rest of my prescribed tests done and sent home. Apparently, it helped and we finally arrived at home after midnight. At our age, that was a long day indeed. Today I had an ultrasound test and next week I will get an endoscopy. More fasting! All signs point to another ulcer. I had an ulcer 21 years ago and learned that they can come back. Why, I don't know. It wasn't much fun the first time around.

Looking back and looking forward

The 2009 Pennwriters conference is over, but my schedule is still full. Now it's time to exchange notes and ideas with other conference attendees. After that, I'll have to follow up on promised submissions and queries.
But first, I'll have to undergo some medical tests that require fasting. That means that I'll attend a lunch meeting sans food. I can't wait for that test to be over.
Doctor's and veterinary appointments are not the only things that keep me busy. We have also been planting our yard. The recent rain helped things grow a lot. Yesterday, I checked out our butterfly weed and was thrilled to count almost two dozen monarch larvae on its leaves. We have no idea where they spent the winter, and today I'm seeing only a few larvae. Where do they go?

A Successful Conference

The 2009 Pennwriters conference is over, and it was a huge success. Theoretically, it began on Thursday evening - at least for volunteers. I went to the hotel to greet my editor Matt Holliday from Pennsylvania Magazine. We had a nice chat and then I helped stuffing folders. On Friday morning I helped the gift basket coordinator with the monumental task of preparing dozens of baskets for the Chinese auction. That gave me a chance to figure out which baskets I would like to win.
I was the official photographer for the event and hopped from room to room to photograph the speakers. The most important lesson I learned doing this was: Don't try to take pictures when you're laughing--too much camera shake. And laugh we did. The publishing world is not for the faint of heart, and if we didn't laugh sometimes we would pull our hair out. New this year was that several speakers rewarded audience participation with chocolate. Chocolate seems to be mandatory for writers, which was evident in the many gift baskets that were loaded with it.
Speaking of gift baskets: I finally won a basket stuffed with 14 books. Granted, many of the books have been around the bookshelf for a while. But no matter. I already gleaned some helpful advice from one book. And the basket was so heavy that I had to ask a fellow writer to carry it to my car.

Busy Times

To say that I'm busy this week is an understatement. I had four meetings in two days, of which three were on Tuesday. On Monday, I gave my fourth speech at Toastmasters and it was a great success. One woman said, "I can hardly wait till you're in the storyteller's manual!" Of course, speaking is a lot like writing: You need to grab your audience with your opening, support it with the bulk of your speech and round it out with a conclusive ending.
Now I'm getting ready to attend the Pennwriters Conference that starts tomorrow. On Tuesday evening, we practiced our pitches on each other and it was a real learning experience. I learn a lot from listening to other people. And it's great to have a support network of friends to help me through the setbacks and celebrate the triumphs.
In between all my meetings, I'm trying to photograph birds. I have not been too successful this spring, and the weather is partly to blame. On weekends, it is often windy and cold and the trails are too muddy to hike on. I'm hoping that will change soon and can't wait to report any new species in my bird list.

Confessions of a dog magnet

Let me begin by stating that I have never owned a dog. My parents had chickens and rabbits. Nowadays, we have two cats.
But for reasons I cannot explain, I am a dog magnet. Such was the case on Saturday morning again when we went to Sewickley Heights park to see some birds. This is a park where dogs run lose and I can't even get out of the car before the first dog comes over to greet me. Later on the trail two beautiful dogs approached from the other side. One of them ran right past my husband to me. It was a beautiful retriever and I was astonished to learn that it was a five-months old puppy. It was big enough to be adult. Since I can't even lift our chubby cat out of the car I consider everything over 10 pounds heavy.
Speaking of cats: Our "Chubby" has recovered from teeth surgery like a trooper. She has lost a bit of weight but not as much as we would like. The downside of her diet is, of course, that she wakes us up early on weekends because she wants to be fed. So, perhaps I should feed her a late night snack if we want to sleep in...

Heat Wave

Our new serviceberry bloomed briefly, but because of the high winds we have had I didn't even get a chance to photograph it. Oh well, I'll just wait till it gets berries and hope that I can photograph the birds that eat them. I heard that the berries taste good in jams but doubt that I will get enough to go through the trouble. After all, we planted the serviceberry to attract birds and wildlife.
Most of the trees on our hillside are still bare, which is really weird when it's 88 degrees out. I think spring happened sometime between 10 and 12 o'clock on Friday. This is unfair! I've been looking forward to spring for a while and now it's over already?

Kitty Recovery

Our cat, aka Chubby, survived her teeth cleaning. The tooth fairy had to take away two of her teeth. One would think that she would eat less during her recovery, but no. The first thing she did when we brought her home was walking to the kitchen where we keep her food bowl. Reluctantly, I gave her a bit of canned food later and she chomped it down without any upset stomach. She is now on a canned food only diet for a while. However, since we also learned that she has arthritis she is on a permanent weight loss diet now. She just doesn't know it yet! Another reason we're trying to make her lose weight is that I couldn't even carry her into the vet's office but had to ask the assistant for help. You know your cat is too heavy if you can't even lift her. So, a diet it is and I'm going to be firm about it.

Take me out ...

When it comes to meetings and appointments, my weeks are usually feast or famine. Last week was particularly crammed. I had four meetings (including three in one day), an appointment, and a workshop to attend. Everything was very enjoyable and instructive. This week, however, it's famine again. The only appointment I have on my calendar is taking the cat to the vet for a teeth cleaning and possible teeth pulling. I'll keep you posted on the outcome.
Because the weather was beautiful on Saturday, we went to a Pirates game. Finding a park house was easy, getting out of it after the game less so. The biggest problem I encountered, though, was finding appropriate food for my sensitive stomach. My husband asked me in jest whether I wanted to buy an all-you-can-eat ticket. I replied that I wouldn't be able to eat anything but salad and ice cream. Yep, ballparks don't offer food for health conscious people and I finally settled on a grilled chicken sandwich. Our biggest challenge, however, was trying to avoid getting fried by the sun. Who would have thought that we could get roasted in April? Next time we'll sit under the roof.
Now, how was the game? I confess that, after having been married to a baseball fan for almost twenty years, I still don't have a clue what baseball is about. The reason is, of course, that I come from a country where soccer (Fußball) is king. That explains why I didn't even know which team the Pirates were playing until we bought our tickets. For the first few innings the crowd was strangely quiet until it finally got exciting. And the Pirates won!

The Estimate

On Tuesday evening, we took our older cat, aka Chubby, to the veterinarian for her annual check-up and shots. We learned that not only does she need a teeth cleaning under anaesthesia, she might very well need to have two teeth pulled. Until now, the only health problem she had was her excessive weight and, we suspect, arthritis. In other words, she mirrors our own problems, especially the arthritis part.
The veterinarian printed out an estimate of the cost for the procedure and her assistant handed it to my husband. He studied the total amount and finally uttered, "Ninety thousand dollars?"
"Oh, I'm sorry," she said, grabbed the paper from his hand and disappeared. We glanced at each other, wondering if the real total would amount to the price of a row of houses around these parts. It turned out that the final estimate was also a hefty sum, hefty enough for a cat with some annoying habits. For one, she has become very vocal, particularly when we are trying to sleep. Since she snoozes all day, she does not find anything wrong with meowing at the top of her lungs when we retire for the night. Another problem is that she is scared of everything. I believe the term "scaredy cat" was named after her. She is even afraid of plastic bags. As far as her diet goes, she has not lost as much weight as we had hoped. I will have to feed her even less than before. I'm sure she has a loud answer for that!

Cat tales

We recently switched to corn based litter because our younger cat was always sneezing after using the litter box. Now, she doesn't sneeze at all and the scratches in her eyes are pretty much healed. To think that we used to complain about the cost of clay litter is a joke now. But we'd rather pay it instead of paying the veterinarian. It is a bad sign when your vet sends you a Christmas card...
Our older cat, also known as 'Chubby', has been on a diet for two months now and I believe she has lost some weight. That doesn't mean she likes it. This morning, for example, as I was getting the cats' breakfast ready 'Chubby' licked out her empty bowl. Who knew that cats can be sarcastic?

Today, I'm posting on my other blog, http://birdswithpersonality.blogspot.com

History Lesson

The other day, I was on assignment to the Soldiers & Sailors Hall. To get an overview of the museum, I received a tour by the curator. He told me that they wanted their showcases to tell the human story behind the historic events. Apparently, it works because I was compelled to talk when we came to the Berlin Wall exhibit. I was shocked when my guide told me that kids nowadays ask him, "What's the Berlin Wall?" It seemed so much a part of my younger life that I never expected it to fall. I told my guide that back in the early Eighties, I had been to the wall on the West Berlin side and two months later I saw the Brandenburg Gate from the East Berlin side. Life in a divided country was certainly different than what Americans are used to. For example, there were only three corridors to drive to West Berlin. We were even told what reading material we could take along on the bus so we wouldn't get into trouble. Of course, I didn't need any reading material to go to West Berlin because I didn't go there to read. Why would I when the pubs are open all night? Nowadays, I wouldn't even make it till 11 o'clock, but that's a different story.

The days are just packed

I have had a very busy week so far. On Monday, I took the plunge and booked a flight to Germany this summer. First, I had to confirm dates with my family. And because there are no more direct flights to Germany from here, I had to find connections that would neither give me too little nor too much waiting time for my next leg. I am not fond of sitting at some airport for over four hours, but I also don't want to sprint through an airport to catch my flight. So, the new flight to Paris is out because it only gives you one and a half hours to catch a connection and immigration and customs take at least one hour in a perfect world. After checking all my options I decided to use one airline for the first leg and come back on another airline. Now, I just hope that none of my flights get canceled as was the case the last time I traveled.
Yesterday, I was working on a new assignment and had a great time doing it. It was good to be photographing again and museums are always happy for the publicity. I also had a letter to the editor in yesterday's Post-Gazette and received a very positive response so far.

The eyes have it

The car radio played Shout and the cat on the backseat howled. Playing the radio is absolutely essential when I take Roxy for a ride because there is only one reason I put her in a car: We're going to the dreaded V-E-T. This time, the problem is that she has two ulcers (aka scratches) in her eyes.
To help our other, big cat with her arthritis, we had put a litter box upstairs so she wouldn't have to climb stairs. That plan backfired because 1. Big cat still went downstairs most of the time out of habit; 2. The floor was a mess; 3. Roxy started sneezing soon after we brought up the litter box. Then her eyes became watery and she rubbed them. I had to get an emergency appointment at the vet to check her eyes. Now, I have to find some clay based litter so we can get rid of her allergies once and for all. Will old cats learn new litter? I'll keep you posted.

Birding

Today, I'm blogging about birds at birdswithpersonality.blogspot.com

Update

Yesterday was my birthday - again - and we went to the Amazon. Okay, so it wasn't the Amazon in South America, but the new exhibit at Phipps Conservatory. We hadn't been there in years and after we finally found a parking spot, it was a nice respite from the cloudy weather. I liked the new Amazon exhibit and the orchid show the most.
Last Saturday, I received an early gift when we went to see Topol in his going away tour of "Fiddler on the Roof." Even though we could only get seats on the second tier I enjoyed it immensely and am wondering who can fill Topol's boots now.

A New Blog

Today I'm posting on my new bird-watching blog, birdswithpersonality.blogspot.com

Outings and Outages

A side effect of the recent bout of snow and ice was that many of my meetings were canceled. I'm making up for cabin fever this week. On Monday and Tuesday, for example, I attended three meetings. Talk about information overload! It was a welcome change that I had no appointments yesterday. However, due to the storm that rammed through here (there is that evil weather again!) we had two major power outages and lots of flickers. Luckily, they didn't last long enough for me to shiver, but the second one meant that I had no computer and Internet for a while. Nonetheless, I got lots of writing done and am making great progress on a big writing project. How I miss German utilities!
On the home front, I'm getting ready for the Great Backyard Bird Count which starts today. The worse the weather, the more birds visit our backyard. Yesterday, they were particularly ravenous and I had to make a run to the feeder as soon as the power came back on. That's the disadvantage of an electric garage door.

The Diet

At the beginning of a new year many people resolve to go on a diet. I'm not sure how many cats make that same resolve. My guess is, not one. However, I know one cat who is on a diet as of now, like it or not.
For the past few weeks we suspected that our older cat - aka Chubby - has arthritis because she was having increasing difficulty jumping and climbing the stairs. So, last night we took her to the vet on what could only be described as "black dog night." One technician even complained that all she saw that day were black dogs. They ranged in size from handful to big Labrador. It was quite entertaining for us, but quite traumatic for our cat who doesn't like any change.
So, Chubby hat a hissy fit when the vet began her exam. We learned that our cat had gained one and a half pounds since last April. At one point, she (the cat, not the vet) howled, confirming our suspicion that Chubby has indeed arthritis. The culprit, however, was the food we gave her. Because our other cat, Roxy, is on a special IBS diet we decided to give both cats the same dry food so Roxy won't steal food she shouldn't eat. We learned last night that that dry food is very rich in calories and we should feed Chubby a diet of nothing but canned food sprinkled with glucosamine. Feeding our cats in separate rooms seems to be the only solution. Roxy, of course, gets her dry food at an elevated place where Chubby can't get to.
In addition to our cats, we are also feeding plenty of birds in our backyard. Yesterday, I saw to my great shock that a squirrel was on our squirrel-proof feeder not once, but twice. I wish I could catch him in the act so I can see for myself how it gets around the squirrel guard. I guess we could add another section to the pole but how am I supposed to fill the feeders then? Life with animals is certainly interesting and, at times, challenging.

Exciting Times

It has been an exciting week. On Sunday night, the Steelers snatched a ticket to the Superbowl. While I don't watch sports at all I am happy when my new hometown's teams do well. I have proudly supplied my nephew (and subsequently, his younger cousins) with T-shirts and/or hats from Pittsburgh's sports teams.
On Monday, I gave my second speech at Toastmasters. The theme was "A Day of Service" and I spoke about attracting birds to your backyard. I stressed that I hope that my bird and nature photos will encourage other people to protect birds and their environment. Naturally, I took along photos of birds at feeders. The speech was well received and I even had to answer questions afterward. A friend in Germany e-mailed me that she recently put up a birdfeeder and that it was one of the best investments she made recently. She greatly enjoys watching the birds and thinks of my photos while doing it. What a great compliment!
On Tuesday, of course, was Inauguration Day. My writing critique group, which meets every second Tuesday, decided to meet at a friend's house to discuss our writing and watch the swearing in and speech afterward. Later, it occurred to me that three of us weren't even born here. Pittsburgh is indeed a melting pot.

Great Backyard Bird Count

If you care about birds, please put the Great Backyard Bird Count on your calendar. It takes place February 13 - 16 this year. For instructions and checklists, read www.birdsource.org. Basically, all you need to do is to count birds for at least 15 minutes. You may, of course, count them much longer.

Squirrel Update

This morning, we woke up to a sight we never expected to see again: There was a squirrel on our squirrel-proof feeder. We have no idea how it got up there, but suspect that it jumped from the ground. The neighbor's barn and pear tree are a bit too far away for a squirrel to jump over. So, we might have to add another piece to our bird feeder pole. The only problem is that, at my short stature, I might not be able to fill the feeders anymore. Oh well, those little critters sure can make life difficult.
Our bird feeders are very busy this time of winter. They have been raided by a flock of grackles this week. Yesterday, we witnessed a huge flock of red-winged blackbirds in our yard. We have never seen any blackbirds at this time of year and have no clue where they came from or where they're heading. Spring and fall are their usual migration times. Where they lost or trying to avoid bad weather elsewhere? Other than that, we see the usual suspects: lots of cardinals; chickadees; tufted titmice; downy, hairy, and red-bellied woodpeckers; juncos; finches; and, of course, sparrows and doves. Not to mention squirrels...

Published Again

Last summer, I sold three photo features in quick succession. The wait between contract and publication is always a long one. Finally, yesterday I received the January/February 2009 issue of Pennsylvania Magazine with my four-page article "Beaks to Bills." It looks very nice and includes some of my favorite bird photos.
Now I am waiting for the other two articles to be published. They feature, of course, more birds. One highlights the festival of the birds at Presque Isle, which will take place again next May. The other article will be published in Pursuits Magazine, a magazine issued by the Pennsylvania Tourism Office.
Do you see a pattern here? Well, I'm now working on an idea that has nothing to do with birds, just to break the monotony...

End of Year

The year is almost over, and I can honestly say, "good riddance." It has been a challenging year all around. The headline news kept getting worse and worse and my private life has had ups and downs too. I observed my 50th birthday in the middle of a family crisis and an overall lousy month weatherwise. Arthritis in my knee kept me sidelined for several months and I haven't been photographing nearly as much as I would have liked. A couple of close family members spent weeks in the hospital and our cat has been sickly since spring. I had to cancel a photo workshop I had looked forward to, but made an unexpected trip to New York instead.
On the plus side, I finished three assignments last summer which should all be published shortly. That gives me something to look forward to. All in all, my photos have appeared in four Pennsylvania Magazines this year. I also started working on a big writing project and am busy sending out queries. I joined Toastmasters and am looking forward to the Pennwriters conference next May. Will everything go according to plan? Probably not, but at least I have set goals for myself.

Merry Christmas

My first Toastmasters speech is over and it went very well. Luckily, I had practiced at home. Everybody liked my cookies, and rightly so.
I finally wrote all my Christmas cards and greetings. It must be a Murphy's Law that the one person you forget to write sends you a long letter. Such was the case today when a long-lost friend in Australia send me a long chain letter e-mail. Chain or not, I was happy to hear from her and quickly wrote her back before I forgot again. She is one of only two people who went through 13 years of school with me. Apparently, we both got the travel bug because I ended up here in the U.S. and she's in Australia.
Today is Christmas Eve and we open our gifts tonight, as is the German custom. Tomorrow, we eat turkey--an international Christmas.
Merry Christmas everyone!

Water, water

For years, we've been wondering how long our water heater would last. Now we know...
On Thursday morning, we discovered a puddle of water coming from our water heater. Luckily, we could get a new one installed before I even ate lunch. We shudder to think what would have happened if the heater had died when we were out of town. So, we count our blessings that we were at home when it happened and that not too much water had leaked yet. On top of the water issues of Thursday, it rained buckets yesterday. I guess the drought is over now. In other news, our cat #1 has been very friendly lately. Next week is Christmas. Coincidence?
I have been very busy lately. Between Christmas parties and baking cookies, I'm preparing for my first Toastmaster speech next Monday. My theme is German Christmas traditions. I hope all goes well. Just to be safe, I'm taking German cookies to influence the evaluators...

The Big Apple

Last Monday, I had to attend some business at the consulate in New York and so we flew there in the early morning. The day began with an amazing experience at home when we saw a deer in our backyard, which then walked down our suburban street.
By 10:30, I had already concluded my business at the consulate and we had the rest of the day to act like regular tourists. Being in the heart of Manhattan, our first stop was St. Patrick's Cathedral. It was truly awesome and can rival the many cathedrals and churches I have seen in Europe. After warming up at a cafe, we headed to Rockefeller Center where we had no trouble finding the iceskating rink (it was still closed to skaters, though) and the famous Christmas tree. There were tourists from all over the world, despite a freezing 19 degrees Fahrenheit. We then went to the Top of the Rock where I detected German tongues everywhere. Luckily, we experienced the only sunny day recently and it was actually warmer up there than it was at street level. Unfortunately, the sun was directly behind the Empire State Building and I couldn't take any photos in that direction. The clear day provided a terrific view in all directions, though. Back on the ground, we walked around in circles, seeing the tree from all directions, until we found a place to eat. After that, it was time to hail a taxi to the airport. Luckily, the first taxi we approached just became available and we left Manhattan before rush hour. We were beat by the time we arrived back in Pittsburgh and concluded that our airport is nicer than New York's.

Squirrels be gone - or not

After spending way too much money on bird seed because the squirrels just jumped on the feeder and the seeds fell to the ground, we finally bought a post with a squirrel guard. So far it seems to be working. The squirrels can't get to the feeders anymore and resort to scrounching on the ground for the crumbs from the table - err, feeder.
Yesterday, I did have an amazing experience when I heard noises from outside our kitchen. It was a squirrel that clung to the screening outside a kitchen window. I guess it figured that's where the food is. Before I could grab my camera, it took off. There is never a dull moment when there's a squirrel in the area.

Late November Musings

Pittsburgh is celebrating its 250th birthday this week. I guess that's a long time for Americans. Personally, I think that's just a drop in the bucket. In Germany there are outhouses older than that. I've been to quite a few cities that are two thousand years old and more. Even my hometown once had a Roman villa, dating it pretty far back. Anyway, happy birthday, Pittsburgh!
On the homefront, our cat has turned into a heat-seaking missile. Ever since it has turned cold, she seaks heat in front of a register or in her igloo. And whenever we try to give her her medicine, she turns into a missile who launches behind the couch where we can't catch her. We've had to forego medicating her twice in one week and have now changed our routine to make us less predictable. Believe it or not, these little creatures know our routine to a T. We are determined not to be bested by a cat. But we're thankful that she is still with us considering all her health problems. Tomorrow, we'll reward her with a bit of turkey.
Happy Thanksgiving!

Busy-ness

I haven't posted a blog for a while because I have been very busy. Last week I had three meetings in two days because I joined Toastmasters. I'm hopeful that it will help me with my goal of speaking to civic groups. I also signed up for an online marketing class before realizing how much work was involved. The marketing plan is due in two days and I haven't done much yet.
I also have a craft show at the Castle Shannon fire hall this coming Saturday and Sunday. Add to this some travel planning for an unexpected trip and you'll understand why I am running in circles.

They're heeere!

My husband told me days ago that he saw a junco and yesterday I saw and photographed juncos in our backyard. As if we needed another reminder besides last week's snowfall that winter is ahead of us, that's it. I also photographed a darn cute chipmunk that was stuffing its cheeks with our birdseeds.
The sun's rays are shining through the few leaves that still cling to the trees, making them golden or russet. It won't be long before the last leaf has fallen. But this week at least, we're enjoying a last stretch of Indian Summer. After that, it is up to the birds to provide us with some color in our yard.
The new issue of Pennsylvania Magazine shows one of my photos in an article about Whiskey Rebellion sites. It will be the first of three issues in a row with some of my work in it. Stay tuned!

Writing and Reading

Ever since I started writing seriously, I have a hard time finding a novel I enjoy reading. Either the plot is weak or non-existent or the characters aren't fully developed. The two books I enjoyed the most this year are The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck and Bleak House by Charles Dickens. Research takes up quite a bit of my time, not to mention all the magazines I get each month. So, I don't have much time to read fiction, and when I read a book I want it to be good. But since I'm writing myself, I find myself dissecting each book instead of just losing myself within its pages. Life is too short to read something I don't enjoy. But my tastes have changed over the years. What I enjoyed at age 20 puts me to sleep now. I guess it's normal to change interests over time. One thing is certain: I still love to read.

Musings on a blustery day

A friend of mine invited me to join the German version of facebook. Curiosity won the better of me and I signed on today. Of course, I first checked the pages of the people I knew on her page. My brother's page was particularly fruitful, since I could not only check on our common friends, but also what his kids are up to. No sooner had I filled out my profile, that I was already bombarded with requests from class mates - and some people I didn't even know. You can waste a lot of time on such a site, but I guess it is a great place to find long-lost friends.
On the homefront, we almost ran for the hills last weekend when we heard Christmas music on the radio. We haven't even bought pumpkins yet. Of course, when we saw how much pumpkins cost this year, we went to the farm market next door and spent the money on food.

A Trip to Moraine

On Saturday, we took advantage of the great weather to go leaf peeping at Moraine State Park. The leaves looked even worse than at home and I did not even unpack my camera. Even the little cove where I took gorgeous shots last year looked different. The low water level showed so many dead trees sticking out of the water that it looked almost depressing. We picked up a map of the park and scouted out a waterfowl observation deck. It was a beautiful deck with a view on almost 50 Canada geese, three blue herons, and several coots. A birder told us that in three to four weeks there should be plenty of migrating birds there. We vowed to return.
My knee is still hurting, and so it is probably a good thing that we're not having much of a fall. Otherwise, I would be upset that I was missing something.
At home, our hillside is getting pretty bare already with many trees just dropping their leaves. Yesterday, my husband spotted the first white-throated sparrow. Can the juncos be far behind? If we needed another sign that winter is looming ahead, this was it.

Return to Presque Isle

Last week, my husband was on vacation and we took the opportunity to go to Presque Isle. I had been there for a birding festival last May and loved it. At the beginning of the peninsula, I photographed a blue heron posing on a log. That was the only bird I photographed that day. Bird-wise, it was a quiet day. I wanted to show hubby the bald eagle nest I had seen in May (minus the absent eagles). Even though I had marked the location of the nest on my map, I could not find it anymore. The Long Pond Trail was a nice trail anyway. While I was shooting some landscapes, a canoe came around the corner and I fired away until it was out of sight. Much of photography is being at the right place at the right time. We drove around the tip of the peninsula and returned to walk the Graveyard Pond Trail. It was a disappointment. I had hoped to get views of the ponds, but the dense vegetation only allowed a tiny view in two places. That's where I photographed painted turtles sunning themselves on a log. When we finally reached an open area near the end of the trail, there was nothing to see. By then, I was getting sore arms from carrying around my tripod and camera. It was time to call it a day. I concluded that birding is much more exciting in the spring when there weren't just tons of warblers, but also robins, red-winged blackbirds, cedar waxwings and others. Weatherwise, we couldn't have picked a more perfect day. A blue sky and warm temperatures lured out many people to run, bike, or walk in thpark.
In our backyard, things are pretty quiet too. The hummingbirds are probably gone because we haven't seen one since Wednesday. The trees are beginning to change and drop their leaves and the wildflowers are going to seed. Fall is here!

Anniversary

Today is our anniversary, the 19th on the 19th. Has it really been that long? We'll celebrate with a nice dinner tonight. My husband is also beginning a week-long vacation, or as they say nowadays, a staycation. That doesn't mean that we won't go anywhere, it just means that we won't go away overnight.
On the home front, it is getting harder and harder to medicate our cat Roxy. She has our routine down to a pat and disappears under the couch the moment we appear. So we decided to give her her medicine at night for a while until she becomes less suspicious. I've even googled the problem, only to find my own blog--which was no help at all. Does it really take two people to give a five-pound cat medicine? I am tired of looking like the cops on "It's a wonderful life" as they grab thin air. She does have the advantage of being very slippery. She gave me two nice scratches on my shoulder the other day as she wriggled out of my embrace.
In other news, I am preparing for the fall show season. The first show is Art under Glass at Bedners Greenhouse in Cecil on October 4. The other show is the HolidayMart at Sweetwater Center for the Arts in Sewickley which will take place in late November. I have sold another article to Pennsylvania Magazine and will have features in the January and March issues 2009.

A Froggy Day

Last Sunday, we headed out to Beechwood for a little walk and a picnic. I took my camera along, which turned out to be a good thing. Every time I leave it at home, I regret it (like that time when a juvenile hawk landed in a tree in front of us and sat there for quite a while). I stepped to the endge of the pond and spotted a bullfrog close by. This time, it really filled the frame and I got some awesome photos. I didn't take any bird photos at all because birds were mostly absent. I also stalked a monarch feasting on a field thistle. The goldenrod is just beginning to bloom and it will probably be another week or so until the entire meadow is in bloom. It was a nice day, though, and we saw quite a few families out enjoying it.
In our backyard, the New England Aster is in full bloom and looks awesome. Its purple color it quite a sight when everything else has gone to seed. We now have achieved continuous color from spring - columbines - to fall. We still have at least two hummingbirds around and keep filling our feeder. It won't be long before migrants pass through our yard. I'll keep an eye out for them.

"Independence" Day

My knee felt pretty good yesterday and so we went out to explore Independence Marsh. I had read that egrets and herons and other shorebirds gather there and wanted to check it out. Of course, although we had been there once years ago, we didn't exactly know where it was. It was not marked on any map we own, either. So we drove around and around until we made a complete circle. In the end, we stumbled on it with sheer luck and because the name Cowpath Road sounded familiar somehow. I'm glad we found it.
Although the water level was low and therefore it was no use for me to set up my camera in the blind, there were killdeer everywhere. Later, I noticed egrets and herons on the other side of the pond. We also saw wildflowers we had never seen before and butterflies flitted about the place. There were even two honeybee hives and I made sure not to get too close to them. The carp carcasses floating in the water did not diminish my desire to return to the marsh at a better time of day in fall or spring.
In our backyard, there are good news and bad news. The bad news is that a groundhog has taken residence in the area and is not only munching our flowers, but he is also devouring my tomatoes. Tomatoes that I had been looking forward to munching myself. This is serious business! We bought a repellent (making these the most expensive tomatoes we ever planted) and I'll be anxious to see if it works.
The good news is that we discovered three Monarch larvae on our butterfly weed last week. Since we hardly saw any Monarchs this summer, we weren't sure if we would see any larvae this year. And the New England Aster I inherited from Old Economy Village is coming into bloom and looking beautiful.

Canceled Plans

It is one of life's mysteries that the farther ahead you plan something, the less likely it is going to actually happen. I had signed up for a photography workshop six months ago in the hopes that it would give me a chance to improve my bird approaching skills and increase my stock photo list.
Because my bum knee is still giving me trouble, I was about to call the instructor and cancel the workshop when I received an e-mail and phone call from him. The township where the workshop was supposed to take place on Lake Erie is staging a D-Day reenactment this weekend. Because this will involve cannon fire, machine gun fire, and noisy crowds - all of which are probably going to chase birds away - he offered a refund on my deposit and I accepted. After all, if I were a bird that had just crossed a huge lake, I would want some peace and quiet instead of being greeted by cannons. Under the circumstances, I got off with the least financial damage--having only lost my deposit on my lodgings. Perhaps my husband and I can check out the lcoation by ourselves. Right now, I just can't plan anything. At least the weather is nice enough so that I can sit in our backyard.
Our little butterfly garden has assumed its late summer look. The purple coneflowers are wilting, but the black-eyed Susans are still putting on a show, even if they're drooping. The New England Asters are getting ready to bloom soon. The hummingbirds are visiting our feeder more and more often, stocking up for their big trip south. I actually spotted one checking out the flowers in our little garden. Isn't this what they are supposed to eat, flower nectar? Ours seem to prefer the fast food of our syrup feeder.

A Matter of Taste

I have always known that I'm not a beer drinker. But now I know I'm not a birch beer drinker either. After drinking a peppermint phosphate recently, I got brave and decided to try a birch beer. Luckily, I only bought one bottle. Yikes! It is certainly a matter of taste, but not mine. I have a sweet tooth, but this was way over the top. Coming from a area where bakeries bake special (=sweeter) cakes for Americans, I should have known better. My European taste buds cannot be trifled with.
My knee is still giving me trouble and that puts my weekend trip in jeopardy. Right now, I'm on the same medication our cat is on. I can attest that it does improve the appetite, if not my knee. Another call to the doctor is on my agenda.

Odds and Ends

Last Friday, my husband spotted a weird creature at the edge of our property--meaning the neighbor's wall. We whipped out our cameras to photograph what turned out to be a Dogday Harvestfly just emerging from its nymph skin. That's a fancy name for a cicada. We fired off some photos before the cicada left the skin and crouched on top of it. Its green wings were transparent and looked pretty cool. The whole process didn't take very long and so we were happy to witness another first for us. Amazing what adventures await us in our own backyard. We are not so happy about the groundhog that seems to fatten itself up in our butterfly garden.
Our cat Roxy is doing much better now. In fact, she ran outside on Saturday--something she hasn't done in years. Apparently, she felt very frisky, at least until the neighbor's dog spotted her...
I, however, am sidelined again by a persistent flare-up in my knee. Instead of playing around with my new tripod, I have to prop up my knee and wait for the swelling to subside. At least I was able to finish all my three writing assignments I worked on for most of the summer.

A great Sundae

The past weekend was pretty much perfect, for August. We had a break from the humidity of last week and the temperature was bearable. I put my new tripod to work photographing the black-eyed Susans in our butterfly garden. Nothing says summer like a group of yellow flowers buzzing with insects. We also saw a monarch, but it didn't stick around for me to photograph it.
Yesterday, we visited relatives and we all headed to Klavon's Ice Cream Parlor. It was a really great experience. I had never seen an old-fashioned drugstore before (I'm not counting new restaurants with phony interiors) and had a good time inspecting it. I tasted a strawberry sundae and a peppermint phosphate. I wanted to buy a bottle of the syrup, but my favorite flavors were not available. Perhaps next time, if there is a next time.
This morning, I headed to the National Aviary to photograph some newly hatched flamingo chicks. As I pulled up in the parking lot, I saw a van from a local TV station parked there. Apparently they had the same idea I had and were already filming the chicks when I approached. I quickly fired off frame after frame and soon they were put back into their crate again to get their breakfast. The whole experience lasted less than 10 minutes, but I got a couple of great shots to include in my article. And I was glad that I arrived a little early...

Decisions, decisions

Back in the dark of winter, I signed up for a shorebird photography workshop in Ohio which will be held next month. I decided it would be a good idea to buy a lighter, more versatile tripod before attending the workshop. When I finally settled on a model I learned it was discontinued. More research followed. Last week, I ordered it and it arrived two days later already. It is hard to order something I have never set eyes on, but this is the most beautiful tripod I have ever seen. I almost hate to use it so I don't scratch it. Unfortunately, my bum knee is acting up again and so I haven't been able to put my new purchase through a serious test yet.
Last week, it also occurred to me that I better find a place to stay during the workshop. The workshop leader mentioned the only chain motel in town, but I learned that it received less than favorable reviews. My online research revealed that there were two bed & breakfast places in town (or rather right outside of town) and one of them had rooms available. I therefore decided to "splurge" and stay there. Who knows, it might actually be cheaper than a chain motel since they always add on so many fees to your bill that you get sticker shock. This might turn into a scouting trip since there are 15 covered bridges in the county.
Our cat Roxy now has a much better appetite and seems to have put on a wee bit of weight. That doesn't mean that she likes to be medicated. On the contrary: she has a sixth sense about the exact moment when we try to give her her medicine. Oh well, at least she's eating better...

How to (not) medicate a cat

Our cat Roxy is now only getting Prednisone once a day. Nobody is happier about that than we are. That's because she's on to us now and knows that we usually give her the medicine around the same time in the morning. That turns out to be the time when she becomes Houdini and disappears mysteriously. This morning was the hardest one ever. As if the heat and humidity weren't enough to wipe us out, we had to chase Roxy all over the house. First, she crawled under the couch and I grabbed a broom to flush her out of there. Unfortunately, she ran under our bed next. I brought her syringe in and closed the door. We had her trapped, but how to coax her out from under the bed? The broom came to the rescue again. Finally, she came out and a very exhausted "mother" cradled her in her arms while my husband administered the medicine. We are going to have to alter our time schedule a bit because we are too predictable. I can understand why she doesn't want to swallow cherry-flavored medicine (it's made for children), but take it she must. She is eating much better now but still looks like a feather-weight. I have bought some prescription dry food for her and am anxious to see if she eats it. Little Miss Finicky won't just eat any old food, you know.
On the gardening front, we are having hits and misses this year. Because of the wet, cold spring, only two of the flowers we started in the house actually survived. Then we went out and bought a pot with three sunflowers for our flower island. The next morning, almost all its leaves were eaten. We suspect a rabbit as the culprit. So, now we have to buy rabbit-prove plants. Sunflowers seem to be particularly tasty since we are having bad luck planting them. Too bad, because we really love them. Our native plants are faring better this year. Last week, I photographed a honey bee on a common milkweed. Now the milkweed stopped blooming, but the purple coneflowers and black-eyed Susans bloom now. I haven't seen any monarchs yet and am wondering what happened to them. The insects sure like our little garden and it's always buzzing until late in the evening. And, best of all: we don't have to water our native garden since they're all perennials.

Sprechen Sie English?

A couple of weeks ago, my husband and I were at Sewickley Heights Park and noticed that the milkweed was almost ready to open. On Saturday, we went back to see if the blooming milkweed attracted any monarchs yet. Indeed, we saw several monarchs all over the park feasting on milkweed, together with honey bees and countless other insects. At one point, the sign post said that we were on a "Bridal Path." Alas, there was no bride to be seen anywhere. Neither were there any bridesmaids with interesting dresses. A look at the hoof-shaped prints in the mud confirmed my suspicion that we were on a "Bridle Path." This is only the latest example of my ongoing study how Americans mangle their language. Recently, I've noticed that my grocery store doesn't sell iceberg lettuce anymore. It's now iceburg lettuce. I have heard that produce travels long distances nowadays, but to literally ship it in from the North Atlantic is ridiculous. Are there any greenhouses in Greenland?
On the home front, there is one piece of good news. Since we put Roxy on medication, her appetite has greatly increased. She doesn't exactly eat the diet she should eat, but right now we're just trying to increase her weight so she can get her strength back. This doesn't mean that she likes to take her medicine. The better she feels, the more she fights when we try to perform our "favorite" hobby: cat wrestling. Yet, we're happy that she has regained her appetite and is also livelier.

Cat Health

After weeks of watching our cat's health and weight deteriorate, we decided to have an ultrasound done to find out what's ailing her. Did we get a diagnosis of the problem? Not exactly. One of Roxy's kidney's is small (the other one shows signs consistent with kidney stone), her adrenal glands are enlarged, and she might have inflammatory bowel disease. The last one is ironic because I have colitis. I know we have a lot in common, but that goes too far!
Because Roxy has always had an inquisitive mind and ate stuff that she found on the floor etc., we had associated her frequent vomiting with the fact that she ate something she shouldn't have or that she simply ate too fast. As a result, we eliminated canned food from both cats' diets a while ago. Another mistake. Now we know that we should have taken her to the vet much sooner for a blood test and whatever else was required. Right now, we're treating her for IBD and are trying to increase her appetite with the help of corticosteroids and a special diet.
Of the two cats we own, Roxy has always been "my" cat. In winter, she spent all evenings on my lap and the nights on my bed. Was I outside in summer, she meowed in the basement until I came back in. Nowadays, she rests most of the time with the occasional jumping on the keyboard or a window. It is hard to see such a lively cat acting so listless. Right now, all we can do is feed her often with small portions and give her tender loving care.

A Day at Beechwood

Last Tuesday, I went photographing at Beechwood for the first time this year. Usually, I spend a lot of time there in the spring, but this has been an unusual spring. Between arthritis, allergies, and bad weather, I haven't had a chance to go shooting as much as I hoped. It was quiet at Beechwood, except for the Song Sparrows. I now know how they got their name. They just won't shut up! This sparrow seems to sing "The hills are alive!" I also chased an Indigo Bunting around, but it was very skittish. A summer day at Beechwood wouldn't be complete without taking photos of bull frogs. I don't know why, but I always feel compelled to add more photos to my growing collection. Perhaps it's because there wasn't much going on at the pond. The summer wildflowers are not blooming yet, either, so there aren't many insects around the place. Weatherwise, it has been a strange year.

Green is In

I can't open a magazine or a newspaper these days without seeing countless references to green living, recycling, etc. Green is all the rage these days. Will it last? When I moved here from Germany, I had to rethink (=meaning back-track) my recycling habits. Every shopping trip yielded numerous plastic bags and I soon didn't know what to do with all of them. In Germany, people have always taken their own shopping bags to the store and if they needed plastic bags, they had to pay for them. Charging Germans for something is a sure way to get their attention.
Recycling and reusing materials is also in our genes. My frugal, depression-era mother went so far as to recycle Christmas wrapping paper from one year to the next. I will never forget that I had to open my gift so carefully that I didn't damage the paper too much. Then, before next Christmas, my mother ironed the gift wrap and the ribbons, too!
I applaud all efforts to recycle plastic, metal, and paper, but my pet peeve is litter. In this area, the U.S. could take an example from Europe. When the snow subsided, I was shocked to see how much litter had accumulated alongside the Pittsburgh roads. Why can't these people take their trash home with them? It shouldn't require the efforts and time of volunteers to keep the roadsides clean. Whenever we go somewhere, we take all our trash home with us to discard there. Why can't everybody do that?

Communing with Naturalists

I mentioned in my last blog that I got a big assignment--with a short deadline, no less. So yesterday, my husband and I headed out to Powdermill Nature Center to get material for my article and take the photos. Our drive was accompanied by lightning and pouring rain and I was beginning to question our sanity for getting up so early. I was particularly interested in the bird-banding which was supposed to begin around 7 o'clock. That's why we got up at the unreasonable hour of 3:30 a.m. Because of the rain, the banding was delayed but fortunately not postponed. After the rain let off, it got steaming hot. That did not tamper the enthusiasm of the naturalists who really seem to enjoy their jobs. I also learned that they're getting quite a work-out during their research and have to walk miles inspect nesting sites twice a day over uneven terrain and streams. After watching the bird-banding in the morning, I opted to take some photos of the "fish shocker" and his BioForay "crew." I was told that the site was 300 yards away from the parking lot. Because I grew up with the metric system that meant absolutely nothing to me. The hike turned into quite an exercise that involved crossing a stream and bending under fallen trees. And a trail was virtually non-existent. I tried to remember our way since we had to trace it back alone but we had our doubts sometimes. We made it, though, parched and exhausted. My new purchase, a pair of overshoes, proved to be a real help yesterday. Not only did they keep my shoes and feet dry, I didn't slip once.
Most amazing for me was that I met three people who had a) a German wife; b) had been stationed in Germany while in the Army; c) had studied German in college and had actually spent three months in a town that is less than 20 miles away from my hometown! I often run into people who have German connections, but this was a record.
I had to absorb a lot of information yesterday and only wish that Powdermill was closer to our home so we could go out there more often.

Big Job

Last week, I landed my biggest assignment so far. Not only will I write an article on a subject I am keenly interested in, I'll get to provide the photos too. My secret is: persistence. I kept sending queries to an editor and in one of them I mentioned that I am a bird photographer. She replied that, while she wasn't interested in my idea, would I like to do something else along that line? Of course I would! So, next week I'll be off to shoot this assignment together with my assistant, aka husband.
Things have quieted down in our backyard. The migrants have passed on to greener pastures, meaning that the rose-breasted grosbeaks and Baltimore orioles have disappeared.
On Sunday, we visited the Wingfield Pines area in Bridgeville. We saw bluebirds, Baltimore orioles, mallards, and yellow warblers, to name the ones we could identify for sure. It is an interesting place and I am sure we'll go back once the wildflowers and butterfly weeds are in bloom. I can hardly wait to get the overshoes I ordered so I can explore wetland areas without getting wet feet.

Health woes

I had already had a sore throat when I left for Presque Isle last Friday. I took along plenty of cough drops but my throat got worse over time. Just when I wanted to talk to people I croaked like a frog. Now, I am slightly better and can't wait to stop coughing.
When I returned from Presque Isle, our kitty who has just been diagnosed with kidney disease did not greet me as usual. She barely lifted her head and I learned that she had scarcely eaten anything while I was gone. I was alarmed over her gaunt looks and took her to the veterinarian. It turned out that Kitty had lost more weight and her kidney values have gotten worse. I was told to give her what she wants to eat, even if it is not a kidney diet food. The most important thing right now is to put some weight on her. So far, it seems to work. She is eating more now and with great appetite. I am also giving her vitamins and hope that makes a difference. She still is very skinny and does not play like she used to. I miss her antics of running through the house and playing with her feather toy. Now, all she does is sleep and eat occasionally.

Festival of the Birds

I just returned from the Festival of the Birds at Presque Isle State Park. It was were well organized and the weather was awesome, especially on Saturday when we had sunshine and blue sky all day. People took advantage of the great weather and fished, hiked, biked, and birded all over the peninsula. On Saturday, I attended a walk at Fry's Landing that yielded a lot of warblers for birders. My summary of the walk is: Warblers seen: plenty; warblers photographed: 0. I am now convinced that photographing a warbler is just about as difficult as winning the powerball. My greatest success that day was a Cedar Waxwing I photographed in a flowering tree. Yesterday morning, I had better luck during a photographer's walk on the Sidewalk Trail. I spotted my first Tree Swallow and my first Red-headed Woodpecker. The woodpecker, of course, was too far away for a good photo, but it was exciting to see it. On the way back to the conference we stopped to look at the Bald Eagles' nest but the eagles were absent at the time. At least, now I know where the nest is. In fact, the most fruitful aspect of the conference was the inside scoop, the information on which trails yield which birds. During the two days of the festival, birders tallied 132 species. Don't ask me how many I saw... I was surprised, however, when one woman spotted her first Rose-breasted Grosbeak. That was one day after I had seen three at our backyard feeder!
To sum it all up: Presque Isle is a great place to visit this time of year, before the summer crowds arrive. The festival therefore closed with these words: Happy trails and happy birding!

Spring is here

Yesterday was a great day for birding...in our backyard. I glanced out the window and jumped for joy when I spotted a male Rose-breasted Grosbeak in our silver maple. I put my camera together and carefully went outside to photograph it but it flew off when it saw me. A while later, I set up my blind in the hopes that it would show up again. It took a while to come back so I photographed other birds, including a very streaked brownish bird that turned out to be a female RBG. Finally, the male returned to our bird-feeder and I got some great shots. I would prefer to photograph it on a branch but right now, I'll take what I can get. While I was sitting in the blind, I also saw the first male Ruby-throated Hummingbird of the year. Is it a coincidence that I just filled the syrup feeder with fresh syrup yesterday? Other regulars are Chipping Sparrows, White-throated Sparrows (yes, they're still here), Blue Jays, and our "resident" Eastern Towhee. I have yet to see a female towhee so I wonder how long the male will be around.
Our backyard is turning greener every day. The redbud in our front yard is having an excellent spring and the insects are swarming around it all day long. The columbines are ready for the hummingbirds to savor their nectar and it is exciting what will bloom next. We have started some flowers indoors, including a very good-looking crop of sunflowers and zinnias, another hummingbird favorite.