I have been working hard at taking action, but with all that is happening in the world, it often feels like I am throwing pebbles into the ocean trying to make the water rise.
I am reminding myself that I can throw pebbles, laugh, sing, and play -- all at the same time.
Please enjoy reading about some of my funny adventures that led to mini-lessons on a recent trip to Arizona.
Notes from a Beginning Birder: Chasing False Idols through the Woods
I was looking and listening for birds as I walked on a trail through a small patch of woods near my parents' assisted living facility. But every time I heard a bird call, their song would be drowned out by the thunderous rumbling of an overhead plane, the whirling, and whooshing of a car, or the banging of a hammer and grinding of a saw from a nearby construction site. While I knew there were birds in these trees, I was unlikely to hear them.
Then, much to my delight, perhaps only thirty feet in front of me, I spotted a pileated woodpecker perched on an old cedar tree. I couldn't believe my luck -- I was in a noisy city and seeing this beautiful woodpecker for the first time.
This is the first blog of Liz Melville’s “Notes from a Beginning Birder” series. She invites your thoughts and comments.
A Door has Opened
My new Merlin Bird Application that I downloaded onto my phone has opened a door to a whole new world for me. Birding, which before Merlin seemed too hard, is now exciting and accessible.
This Week’s Focus: Try to Buy and Give Extraordinary, Ordinary Presents
by Liz Melville
Every year I say, “I am going to buy less.” And most years, I still feel pressure to buy more. It is as if I need to prove my love to my family and friends. I worry that if I don’t do enough they will be disappointed or worse, feel like I don’t care.
Goal for over the holidays: Waste less food
by Liz Melville
Who wouldn't want a tidy, clean kitchen and an organized refrigerator? Who wouldn't want a plan for shopping, cooking, and meals? Who wouldn't want to avoid food waste?
These seem like simple, easy accomplishable goals. But for me, they are hard. I have had issues with organization and clutter for as long as I can remember. The back corners of my refrigerator often contain green, slimy things and odd items bought for special recipes. I save what I don’t want to eat until it is no longer edible and then throw it away.
