It's March!

Well, here we are already in the third month for the year 2019, proving time does fly rather one is having fun or not! I hope someone remembers to wake Mooch (who can be seen in the Mutts comic strip posted atop this entry). But, maybe Mooch needs to sleep a bit more... after all, his pillow looks pretty comfortable and plus the weather might not be so great just yet.

As you undoubtedly know the beginning of March is associated with an idiom: "If March comes in like a lion, and goes out like a lamb and if it comes in like a lion, it goes out like a lamb."

Evidently this is because "March straddles winter and spring in the northern hemisphere, it tends to have very harsh, unpleasant weather in the beginning but typically has milder, more palatable weather by the end." 

Here in NYC, March is beginning with moderate snowfall as seen in the picture below of my rooftop garden taken in the morning.

THE STORIES IN MY BOOKS TAKE PLACE IN MY GARDEN

In any event, according to a number of sources (including Holiday Insights AKA HI), the month of March in the United States is known as Irish American Month, Music in Our Schools Month, National Celery Month, National Craft Month National Frozen Food Month, National Irish American Heritage Month (designated by Congress in 1995), National Nutrition Month, National Peanut Month, National Women's History Month, Red Cross Month and Social Workers Month.

Throw Back Thursday: #NationalPeanutDay

IMAGE CREDIT

Today is National Peanut Day (hence the web-image atop this post). It is a holiday that I discussed in a prior post (published in 2016) making it "eligible" for a Throw Back Thursday entry. You may reference that posting by clicking here, and as I stated there, and reiterate today, #NationalPeanutDay is for the birds for they celebrate no matter what the day or the weather!

Friday in the Octave of Easter & Arbor Day

Today is Friday in The Octave of Easter; and because it is the last Friday in April, it is also Arbor Day. I've always appreciated Patrick McDonnell's (creator of the Mutts comic strip) "take" re this event and have posted a copy of it atop this entry. As you can see, McDonnell's characters Earl and Mooch seem to know how much birds appreciate trees as evidenced in their planting one, which is appreciated by an avian creature.

I have also planted trees in containers that are in my rooftop garden and have not only been blessed by the beauty they bring to my place; as well as by their often unspoken help to our environment; many birds have come to visit because of them...

N'tl Peanut Day 2019

BLUEJAYS ARE FEATURED IN "WORDS IN OUR BEAK"

BLUEJAYS ARE FEATURED IN "WORDS IN OUR BEAK"

In addition to it being Friday the Thirteenth, its National Peanut Day, a this national holiday that blue jays would probably like to celebrate everyday, as you might surmise from the photos atop this entry.

Tuesday's Truths are FROM the birds! (Especially the House Sparrows)

CARDINALS ARE FEATURED IN "WORDS IN OUR BEAK"

Hello, and welcome to week seventy-second segment of my Tuesday's Truths series, where I'll be telling you why house sparrows make such good birders.

During the "bomb cyclone," a winter storm that hit NYC with a vengeance a little over two weeks ago, I did a lot of bird watching from windows in my apartment which look out on to my rooftop garden; and it seemed a Northern cardinal was doing some people-ing at the same time (as evidenced in the photograph atop this entry).

Those of you who have read, Words In Our Beak Volume One,

SEE PRESS RELEASE

might recall, that the term, "people-ing," is one coined by Cam, a female cardinal, (and the story teller of this book), when she explained that it is a term which birds use when they watch people.

In any event, as you can see in the image atop this entry, in addition to people-ing, birds also do birding, and re this activity, house sparrows know just what to wear, did you notice a male one in the image atop this entry? He's perching on some vines to the left of the cardinal and truly blends in with his surroundings, which is what everyone who watches birds needs to do.

A Rainy Day in my Garden

THE JAPANESE MAPLE IS FEATURED IN "WORDS IN OUR BEAK"

Raindrops keep falling on my leaves,"but that doesn't mean my eyes will be turning red, no cryings not for me;" instead I am continuing to heed the wisdom of Elizabeth Lawrence when I spend time in my garden — even on rainy days!

Ms. Lawrence is known to remind folks that "even if something is left undone, everyone must take time to sit still and watch the leaves turn."

Not only have I taken the time to watch the leaves turn, I've taken the time to appreciate "rain drops on foliage," as evidenced in the pictures atop this entry featuring leaves from my Japanese Maple (AKA 'Tamukeyama') as well as leaves from my Smoke Bush.

Cam's Mysterious Disappearance!

For those of you who follow TLLG on Facebook, you may recognize the handsome guy in the image above today's entry, a guy who I have reason to believe is Cam's significant other.

Cam is an adorable female cardinal who began visiting my rooftop garden last year and is the feisty lady in the banner image on TLLG's FB Page.

My "evidence" of their relationship has been through subtle "signs," but a few days ago, the signs were not as subtle, as you can see from the image posted below (which was also featured on TLLG's FB Page as well as in my previous post here on Blogger).

However, a couple of days after their interlude, Cam's beau arrived very early in the morning to meet her by the saucer and she was not around; so he flew off. I'm not sure why he didn't stick around and wait for her arrival for she seems to be a late riser, as he must know by now!

In case you missed this breaking news... (MONDAY's MEMO)

CAM IS TWEETING NEWS RE HER BOOK!

Every year, World Read Aloud Day, "calls global attention to the importance of reading aloud and sharing stories." 

This year the event was held on February 1, 2018, and I gave a shout out to the occasion with an entry on my personal Facebook Page, where I included the image of Cam (my visiting cardinal who authored Words In Our Beak Volume One) that is atop this posting.

Cam's Unnamed Beau

Anyone who follows TLLG's venues either here on Blogger, tumblr, Pinterest, or Facebook knows without a doubt, Cam (the female cardinal in the image atop today's entry which was taken in my urban rooftop garden) is very dear to my heart.

Moreover, Cam had a "one woman show," in that she was the sole character in one of my Virtual Stories (mini movies) titled Words in my Beak , which may be viewed via my Vimeo Library.

I named her Cam for my dearly departed grandparents, Clara and Albert Melahn. Cam first arrived in my garden in July of 2012 and up until that time I had never seen a female cardinal, nor did – I must confess — I realize that female cardinals had brown coloring!

Monday's (10-8-2018) Musings

MY GARDEN IS WHERE THE STORIES IN "WORDS IN OUR BEAK" TAKE PLACE

MY GARDEN IS WHERE THE STORIES IN "WORDS IN OUR BEAK" TAKE PLACE

The photographs atop this posting were taken by Joan Budilovsky who is visiting NYC for this Columbus Day holiday. She stopped by my rooftop garden (with her husband and their eleven year old son) yesterday to play a few games of Bird Bingo...*

... and so that I could autograph her copy of Words In Our Beak Volume Two.

Tuesday's Truths, the seventy-fifth week. Tomorrow is Saint Valentine's Day (ETC)

Cupid (the figurine seen in the image atop this entry) joins me today in welcoming you, dear reader, to the seventy-fifth week of my Tuesday's Truths series. He wants to make sure that we heed the certain words (posted directly below) uttered by Ophelia in Shakespeare's Hamlet.

To-morrow is Saint Valentine's day, 

All in the morning betime, 

And I maid at your window, 

To be your Valentine. 

Then up he rose, and donn'd his clothes, 

And dupped the chamber-door; 

Let in a maid, that out a maid 

Never departed more.

For indeed, tomorrow is Saint Valentines Day! This year it coincides with Ash Wednesday, which means today is Shrove Tuesday.

Therefore, because Valentines Day is on Ash Wednesday (marking the onset  of Lent), you may not want to give your special someone chocolates, or champagne, but, you probably want to give the person who is near and dear to you a special gift! May Cupid and I suggest giving him/her a version of the book, Words In Our Beak Volume One.

"WORDS IN OUR BEAK" MAKES A GREAT GIFT ANYTIME

Here's the info on how to buy all the versions:

HARDCOVER:
Book Seller Info: http://bit.ly/2AFZDCz
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2zxVujM
Barnes & Noble On-Line: http://bit.ly/2AAnB26
book culture On Columbus: http://bit.ly/2FsC1Uf

SOFTCOVER:
Magcloud: http://bit.ly/2nrBJDj

DIGITAL (TWO OPTIONS):
ePub: http://amzn.to/2kzWGw0
iBook: http://apple.co/2nHZMBq

FALL 2018 ADDENDUM: 

The digital versions of Volume One within the Words In Our Beak book series that are mentioned in this entry may only remain available for a limited time, but hardcover versions of Volume One, Two and Three can now be found wherever books are sold.

Moreover, I no longer actively produce event program covers, invitations and the types of greeting cards described here or on my website but arrangements might be able to be made under certain circumstances. My focus is on the Words In Our Beak book series, pictured below...

WORDS IN OUR BEAK BOOK SERIES

...whose stories are told from the point of view of Cam, a female cardinal, whose photo is on the cover of each book. Words In Our Beak’s goal is to open readers to a simple understanding of the winged world and their environment. Set in my rooftop garden in NYC,  Words In Our Beak is directed to children and adults who are curious about birds, and want to learn about them from a unique perspective. The books include hundreds of images of flora and fauna, links to movies, as well as to informative narratives that have been created by the author.

Please click here to go to my blog post that provides details as to where you can get these books.

Additionally, I have rendered some images from these books into other formats and they are available via Fine Art America (FAA). Some of my other photographs (Black & White Collection, Kaleidoscopic Images and the famous Mandarin duck who visited NYC) can also be found on my FAA pages.

SUMMER 2020 ADDENDUM: 

                             

"Never say never," the saying goes, and I suppose that applies to saying, "I no longer....," which I did in my 2018 addendum and now I'm here to announce at the advice of Chris Deatherage, my book series formatter, who is also my web-master (for patriciayoungquist.com) I now have some versions of the greeting cards that are referenced in this blog post available via FAA, please click here to view them.

ADDENDUM SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER 2021:

When the third volume of the hard-cover version of Words In Our Beak was released, I withdrew from promoting my former versions of Words In Our Beak. 

The very first one is an iBook and went into Apple's book store in 2015.

This was followed by an ePub version...

... that is available on Amazon and was also published in 2015.

Subsequently, Words In Our Beak's digital versions were published as a soft-cover book (with slight variations) by MagCloud in 2017.

Its press release can be read by clicking here.  

Now with the release of BIRD TALES....

... I've been advised to make mention of my early versions of volume one of Words In Our Beak, they do vary ever so slightly in content from the hard-cover version of volume one.

As of this addendum, I do not intend to create digital or soft-cover versions of Words In Our Beak Volume Two or Words In Our Beak Volume Three.

Arbor Day 2018

Today is Arbor Day and as you can see in the Mutts comic strip atop this entry, Mooch and Earl are celebrating it by planting a tree, much to the delight of a bird! Unfortunately, for me, my Arbor Day is being spent with one less tree in my rooftop garden.

Yesterday when Juan V was here to help me with flora placement after I de-winterized my garden, we discovered that my Acer palmatum (AKA 'Shisitatsu' Sawa), a type of maple tree which I have had since 2008 or 2009, had to be  uprooted for the tree had died.

Saturday's Sequel (WINTER BACK YARD)

The mini essay, WINTER BACK YARD, which is posted atop this entry was evidently published in The New Yorker sixty-seven years ago today.

It's by E.B. White and, as you may recall, I've already featured this particular essay in bygone years here on Blogger. Because today marks the anniversary of its publication, and because I admire the written works of E.B. White; and because I adore the bird type known as dark-eyed juncoes, I'm posting the essay again.

I so agree with White that these birds "are beautifully turned-out little character(s) who look as though (they) are on (their) way to an afternoon wedding" — or any occasion where one usually dresses up.

A few pictures of a lone junco spending time in my rooftop garden can be seen directly below:

DARK-EYED JUNCOES ARE FEATURED IN "WIOB"

DARK-EYED JUNCOES ARE FEATURED IN "WIOB"

DARK-EYED JUNCOES ARE FEATURED IN "WIOB"

I'm not the only one who is impressed when dark-eyed juncoes visit my place.

Discovery Day

Today many folks in the United States are celebrating Columbus Day, which basically means that schools, post offices and banks are closed. I wish it meant that construction on Columbus Avenue, less than a block from where I live (and have my terrace — roof extension — garden), would cease, because the jack hammer is deafening! But hammer away it is, and the noise is quite distracting to yours truly, even though the sweet house finches are trying to drown it out with their songs as they go about their activities; which mostly include eating, as seen in this image posted above.

Monday's Memo: Volume 3 is Finally Available!

Chris Deatherage, who is the designer of my web-site, patriciayoungquist.com, and the formatter of my Words In Our Beak book series posted a copy of the cartoon atop today's blog entry on one of his  social media venues. In his posting, he stated, "These people (in the cartoon) should read WORDS IN OUR BEAK, VOLUME THREE wherein Cam, our female cardinal narrator, teaches readers several ways to winterize an outdoor garden."

I am happy to announce that Chris and I have now received our copies of volume three! The book (pictured below) looks great and with the winter season upon us, I encourage gardeners to heed Chris's opinion, "... read WORDS IN OUR BEAK, VOLUME THREE wherein Cam, our female cardinal narrator, teaches readers several ways to winterize an outdoor garden."

SEE PRESS RELEASE

Winterizing an urban garden is a only one portion the story within this volume of the series. As the front flap of this book (seen in the image below) states...

DETAILS RE BOOK JACKET FOR VOL 3

... this particular book" brings to a close the stories told by Cam, a feisty and beautiful female cardinal living year — round in a New York City garden.

"In this volume, Cam describes two methods for winterizing an urban garden as well as her interactions with some new diners at TLLG"s bird feeders. She also clues the reader into why birds seem to 'hide' in their surroundings.

"Visit one last time with Cam as she chronicles the habits of her avian community, what it is like to spend time in this special urban garden, and why — for all the hazards of bird life and garden greenery — New York City is still the place to live."

Words In Our Beak, Volume Three is currently available on Amazon, but it can also be ordered by any bookstore if you give the title and/or ISBN which is 978099637853.

FALL 2018 ADDENDUM: 

Hardcover versions of Volume One, Two and Three can now be found wherever books are sold.

MY BOOK SERIES

Please click here to go to my blog post that provides details as to where you can get these books. Additionally, I have rendered some images from these books into other formats and they are available via Fine Art America (FAA). Some of my other photographs (Black & White Collection, Kaleidoscopic Images and the famous Mandarin duck who visited NYC) can also be found on my FAA pages.

ADDENDUM SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER 2021:

When the third volume of the hard-cover version of Words In Our Beak was released, I withdrew from promoting my former versions of Words In Our Beak. 

The very first one is an iBook and went into Apple's book store in 2015.

This was followed by an ePub version...

..that is available on Amazon and was also published in 2015.

Subsequently, Words In Our Beak's digital versions were published as a soft-cover book (with slight variations) by MagCloud in 2017.

Its press release can be read by clicking here.  [The press release does note my Kindle version of the digital Words In Our Beak, but I withdrew it from Amazon a few years ago and at this time, I do not intend to make it live again.]

Now with the release of BIRD TALES....

... I've been advised to make mention of my early versions of volume one of Words In Our Beak, they do vary ever so slightly in content from the hard-cover version of volume one. 

As of this addendum, I do not intend to create digital or soft-cover versions of Words In Our Beak Volume Two or Words In Our Beak Volume Three.

“Hollywood Finches” Honoring Bragging Rights

Last year on June 22nd, Words In Our Beak Volume One, (the book I wrote with Cam, a female cardinal who visited my garden), was published in Apple's iBook's Store, where it subsequently received a number of five star reviews!

Words In Our Beak’s"goal is to open readers to a simple understanding of the winged world and their environment. Set in a rooftop urban garden in NYC, the story is told in the voice of Cam, a female cardinal, who visits it. 

"Words In Our Beak" is directed to children and adults who are curious about birds, and want to learn about them from a unique perspective. The book includes hundreds of images of flora and fauna, links to movies, as well as to informative narratives that have been created by the author.

Following its publication with Apple, an ePub version of "Words In Our beak Volume One," has been published with KDP, and it is now on Amazon, where it has picked up five star reviews! This book has also received reviews on Goodreads (five stars).

Moreover, images of fauna and flora that are in included in "Words In Our Beak Volume One" are available in the storefront @ PatriciaYoungquist.com.

But it all started last year on this on this day, June 22nd. Hence, a couple of "Hollywood Finches," whose stories are included in Cam's book  are celebrating the birthday of Words In Our Beak Volume One, and invite you to check out the video I produced featuring them celebrating their having been include in a book that has received such great response. The "Hollywood Finches" and I ask you to share this post in honor of the birthday of Words In Our Beak Volume One!

FALL 2018 ADDENDUM: 

I no longer actively produce event program covers, invitations and the types of greeting cards described here or on my website but arrangements might be able to be made under certain circumstances. My focus is on the Words In Our Beak book series, pictured below...

WORDS IN OUR BEAK BOOK SERIES

...whose stories are told from the point of view of Cam, a female cardinal, whose photo is on the cover of each book. Words In Our Beak’s goal is to open readers to a simple understanding of the winged world and their environment. Set in my rooftop urban garden in New York City. Words In Our Beak is directed to children and adults who are curious about birds, and want to learn about them from a unique perspective. The books include hundreds of images of flora and fauna, links to movies, as well as to informative narratives that have been created by the author.

Please click here to go to my blog post that provides details as to where you can get these books.

Additionally, I have rendered some images from these books into other formats and they are available via Fine Art America (FAA). Some of my other photographs (Black & White Collection, Kaleidoscopic Images and the famous Mandarin duck who visited NYC) can also be found on my FAA pages.

WW: Look or Ask For "Words In Our Beak" (*Wednesday's Wisdom)

VOLUME ONE WAS in book culture's UWS STORE

Last Friday, January 12, 2018, I posted information within my entry here on Blogger, that included a copy of an email (which can be seen in the next paragraph) from Cody, the events coordinator of an Upper Westside book store in NYC, book culture On Columbus. (Views of the store can be seen in the collaged-image atop this entry.)

"Hello Patricia,
Thank you for your interest in Book Culture! Unfortunately, our calendar is already at capacity for events for the upcoming season. We are not able to host you. It looks like we've sold some copies, though, so I'll make sure it's back in stock soon. I wish you luck with your tour!
Sincerely,
Cody"

In the aforementioned entry, I also stated "I'm thrilled to have received this news (Cory's email) for as anyone who has been to book culture On Columbus knows, the store is AMAZING! I hope that peeps living in #NYC as well as the surrounding area can pop over to #bookcultureOnColumbus and have a look at it."

Yesterday, after taking a walk in Central Park, I took the eighty-first street exit in order to pass by book culture On Columbus, to see if my book, Words In Our Beak Volume One,

SEE PRESS RELEASE

was now included in their stock.

I'm so excited to let you know, dear reader, that you will find Words in Our Beak in their "outdoors & nature section," but, if you don’t see it, ask! It’s shortish size and white spine cover have a way of hiding....especially if there is only one or two copies left.

Valentines Day is less than one month away! (Monday's Memo)

Another reminder to lovebirds,

HOUSE FINCHES HAVE A STORY IN VOLUME ONE

who love birds,

soon it will be Valentines Day!

Valentines Day is now less than one month away! If you know of bird lovers who love birds, the perfect gift for this 'holiday' (or any other day for that matter) is the gift of Cam's (the cardinal seen in the picture below) wisdom and wit.

CAM, THE NARRATOR OF "WORDS IN OUR BEAK"

As some of you know, Cam is a spokes-bird for the avian community, and she has written a book!

A photo of the hardcover version of her book, Words In Our Beak Volume One can be seen in the next image.

SEE PRESS RELEASE

Words In Our Beak Volume One (WIOB V1) has received rave reviews, including the following (which is posted on Amazon and written by the writer/musician/teacher, Joan Budilovsky).

"If you are not yet a bird-lover, you will be after reading this book. Words in our Beak is so enchanting as it follows a little cardinal named, Cam, through the rooftops of NYC and beyond. Cam has so much to share from a bird's eye perspective, it was hard to put the book down. I became enveloped in Cam's world by imagining what it is like to live on a rooftop, choose the right flowers to eat, and listen to the world around in the most intimate, gentle and fascinating ways. Thank you, Cam! I hope to read ever more of your travels in the new year!"

Because Valentines Day is one month from today, it's not too early to get Cam's book for "that special someone" in your life.

Cam's story is accompanied by over one hundred pictures that feature flora, insects, points of interest in NYC; and of course, members of the avian community; including house finches, the bird type featured in the photograph atop this entry.

Here's the info on how to buy all the versions of  WIOB V1:

HARDCOVER:
Book Seller Info: http://bit.ly/2AFZDCz

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2zxVujM

Barnes & Noble On-Line: http://bit.ly/2AAnB26
book culture Columbus (a bookstore on the UWS in NYC): http://bit.ly/2FsC1Uf

SOFTCOVER:
Magcloud: http://bit.ly/2nrBJDj

DIGITAL (TWO OPTIONS):
ePub: http://amzn.to/2kzWGw0
iBook: http://apple.co/2nHZMBq

ADDENDUM FALL 2018: 

The digital versions of Volume One within the Words In Our Beak book series that are mentioned in this entry may only remain available for a limited time, but hardcover versions of Volume One, Two and Three can now be found wherever books are sold.

MY BOOK SERIES

Please click here to go to my blog post that provides details as to where you can get these books. Additionally, I have rendered some images from these books into other formats and they are available via Fine Art America (FAA). Some of my other photographs (Black & White Collection, Kaleidoscopic Images and the famous Mandarin duck who visited NYC) can also be found on my FAA pages.

ADDENDUM SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER 2021:

When the third volume of the hard-cover version of Words In Our Beak was released, I withdrew from promoting my former versions of Words In Our Beak. 

The very first one is an iBook and went into Apple's book store in 2015.

This was followed by an ePub version...

... that is available on Amazon and was also published in 2015.

Subsequently, Words In Our Beak's digital versions were published as a soft-cover book (with slight variations) by MagCloud in 2017.

Its press release can be read by clicking here.  

Now with the release of BIRD TALES....

... I've been advised to make mention of my early versions of volume one of Words In Our Beak, they do vary ever so slightly in content from the hard-cover version of volume one.

As of this addendum, I do not intend to create digital or soft-cover versions of Words In Our Beak Volume Two or Words In Our Beak Volume Three.