ALONE ON A BOREAL STAGE

as

2012-02-05T19:11:00.000-06:00

                         you

were

Winter and new books

2012-01-30T15:51:00.000-06:00

...go together perfectly. These two came in the mail today.

Threading Light: Explorations in Loss and Poetry by Lorri Neilsen Glenn.

Gunmetal Blue: A Memoir by Shane Neilson.

I've heard great things about both. I look forward to reading them once I finish up my revisions.

Latitude Drifts has posted an interview with Annette Bower on the publication of Moving On: A Prairie Romance. Annette is a friend. I'll be getting this e-book as well.

Lichen winter

2012-01-26T11:45:00.001-06:00

...you ask? Of course!

Getting to Know Saskatchewan Lichens: Lichens of the Prairie, Aspen Parkland and Boreal Forest by Bernard de Vries.

The latest addition to our collection of field guides came in the mail yesterday along with a bunch of research-related material, but I'll get to that another time.

More snow fell overnight. I haven't seen this much snow in ages. I cleaned off the feeders before it was light, but I guess it was light enough as the redpolls were there already.

Revisions

2012-01-15T15:21:00.000-06:00

Apart from the flock

2012-01-08T17:04:00.001-06:00

...and plowing on

regardless

A risk

2012-01-05T10:27:00.001-06:00

...of freezing rain this morning and more snow on the way. Some rain has fallen already. I could feel it on the snow when I cleaned off the step and the bird feeders.The coffee was ready by the time I came in. I checked my online haunts, Facebook among them. Then I visited Navigatio, a new blog by Frances Greenslade. She has arrived in India where she is researching and writing a new novel.

India captures my imagination. I bought A New History of India by Stanley Wolpert years back and read it one winter. In January, I think, as that's when the snow and cold tend to take hold and I seek some kind of escape. I can't find any mention of it on my blog. Perhaps I read it before I began blogging.

The pine grosbeaks and redpolls were chattering softly when I stepped out to take this pic. During the winter I'm always up before it's light, but if I were to sleep in, they're too quiet to ever wake me. I can't imagine being in a place where I'd need earplugs to sleep through the birdsong. A birder's dream.

The Creighton Christmas Bird Count

2012-01-02T19:49:00.001-06:00

...happened today. It was windy, the roads icy and our favourite road hadn't been plowed. We already had lots of snow and more fell over the weekend after the freezing rain, so we knew we were in for some challenging conditions. Regardless, it was fun.

One of the highlights occurred right off this morning just 1 km from home. A flock of ptarmigan flew over the road in a serious hurry. Then we saw the Northern Goshawk. I've seen many over the years, but this one was hunting. I was holding my breath.

Here's where we stopped to check for otters.

No luck.

By the end of the day the wind was gusting to 50 km/hr. So were the ravens. They seemed to be having fun. The 443 that we counted, anyway.

We saw a total of 15 species of birds:

Northern Goshawk - 2
Willow Ptarmigan - 20
Sharp-tailed Grouse - 1
Rock Pigeon - 142
Hairy Woodpecker - 1
Gray Jay - 2
Black-billed Magpie - 6
Common Raven - 443
Black-capped Chickadee - 5
Boreal Chickadee - 7
Evening Grosbeak - 25
Pine Grosbeak - 31
Common Redpoll - 62
Hoary Redpoll - 6
House Sparrow - 2

My fingers were freezing. I got snow in my boots. It felt good.

Happy New Year!

Today

2011-12-21T16:19:00.000-06:00

...a quick tug

and it's gone

A seriously bright day

2011-12-20T14:43:00.000-06:00

...and seriously bright books to match.

Top to railing:

An Exaltation of Larks by James Lipton.

Thanks to Ian for recommending this book.

Beyond Religion by the Dalai Lama.

Damned Nations by Samantha Nutt.

In Other Worlds by Margaret Atwood.

Diplomacy in the Digital Age by Janice Gross Stein.

The Anatomy of Israel's Survival by Hirsh Goodman.

Arguably by Christopher Hitchens.

I won these six Signal Books by entering this contest at The Afterword.

How to Prepare for Flooding by Ariel Gordon and Julia Michaud.

A gorgeous chapbook. I owe Ariel for this.

The other day I pinned a draft of a new book to my bulletin boards. As I sat back and celebrated with a cup of hot chocolate, I thought of the people who have given me feedback and encouragement over the years. Thanks again.

As the year winds up I'd like to thank all of you for stopping by. May the year ahead be filled with great revisions!

What balance

2011-12-14T13:08:00.000-06:00

...to perch atop a loaded branch and reach to the side

while snow settles on your back

Today a shrike

2011-11-20T18:01:00.001-06:00

...stopped by.

Its bill lacked a hook.

The chickadees ganged up on it until it moved off.

The lone junco stood still as a stone until the shrike was gone.

A very weird day

2011-11-11T15:04:00.001-06:00

...as far as birds go. Here's the evidence, blurry as it is.

Three ravens and a magpie in the mountain ash this morning.

A redpoll with a white head this afternoon.

And now a mourning dove.

Yes, a mourning dove. Here. In November. What next?

Today

2011-11-05T11:38:00.003-06:00

Because distraction

2011-10-28T12:32:00.000-06:00

...seems to be an inevitable part of the writing process, as this post titled "How to avoid writing" over on Always Under Revision shows so well and in which, I'll happily add, this blog is mentioned, I would like to dedicate this post to L. Here's the book I received in the mail yesterday.

Killdeer by Phil Hall.

The cover goes well with the Evening Grosbeaks who were distracted by me as I took this pic and were much closer to the window than they appear. The edge of the cover isn't dark like that either. Perhaps the dark room and the bounce of light off the triple pane and a lack of planning and control over the conditions led to this. I might spend more time trying to capture an image that's closer to what I'd imagined, but this is the best I can do for now.

Speaking of distractions, those of you who follow my culvert blog can likely imagine how the news of culvert thieves affected me. How on earth do you steal a culvert?

Rejection, acceptance and what it means

2011-10-20T11:41:00.004-06:00

...to show up. All this in a post over on Poet Shoes.

In book news, I ordered a copy of Writer's Block by Robert Kroetsch, a newly released chapbook from Greenboathouse Press. Looks like a beauty.

As far as birds go, a flock of Evening Grosbeaks showed up yesterday morning. Pine Grosbeaks arrived in the afternoon. Snow is never far behind. Sure enough, Environment Canada is forecasting flurries for Saturday.
It's that time.

Finally, here's a great post on Blue Duets on happiness and the good life.

For years the SWG Conference and AGM

2011-10-18T15:10:00.000-06:00

...has been held in mid October before winter sets in. Migration is still in full swing. Cranes, hawks, eagles. Geese by the thousands. Everything on the move. It's a beautiful time of year. The AGM wraps up at noon on Sunday. If it's in Saskatoon we might get home at dusk if we're lucky. When it's in Regina we must drive the last leg in the dark and that brings with it more hazards as deer, moose and caribou are on the move. The rock cuts can be slippery. But we choose to live where we do. Attending the conference and AGM is a matter of choice as well.

We had a great time at the conference. Hats off to the SWG staff, presenters and readers. The addition of the hospitality room was brilliant. I've never seen that kind of interaction at the conference before, but mingling in close quarters will do that. It was great to meet new people and catch up with old friends. Thanks to everyone for the fun.Here's what I bought at the book table:

Stripmalling by Jon Paul Fiorentino.

Widening Embrace, a newly launched CD by Carolyn McDade & Friends, one of those friends being my friend Bernadette Wagner. All profits go to a good cause.

Because the conference was held in Regina this year, we had plenty of time to tally things up on the way home. The price of everything. Gas. Hotels. Meals. Conference fees. We also had plenty of time to talk about next year. With the conference likely moving to a later date, we're considering a different approach to deal with rural realities. The practical matter of travel and road conditions cannot be ignored. H was talking to another rural member who echoed the same concerns. Neither party is too keen on driving that far in winter conditions. Whether we start attending every other year, take in less of the conference, or simply choose not to go, I don't know. But things change and we'll have to change accordingly.

Stories about my time at the Mackie Lake House

2011-10-17T17:12:00.000-06:00

...appeared in the Vernon Morning Star and the Penticton Western News. Thanks to the writers of both.

Hard to believe we're already halfway through October. Here's a pic H took while I was working at the Mackie Lake House last month. In this case I had no idea a camera was aimed my way.

Hard to believe that's me sitting at the table.

Where

2011-10-08T16:08:00.000-06:00

Over here. Well, here.

Thanks to recent conversations

2011-10-06T13:48:00.000-06:00

...with writers who never fail to send me off in interesting directions, I ordered these books.

Steveston by Daphne Marlatt & Robert Minden, a book I should have ordered long ago.

When Tish Happens by Frank Davey, a book I was unaware of until last week when it was mentioned in an email exchange.

That chunk of wood they're sitting on is where I put my coffee when I'm reading outside. The top of the pic is east. That's where my chair is. Or was. It's stored away for the winter. I expect snow in the next couple weeks.

My time as writer-in-residence

2011-09-30T11:33:00.000-06:00

...at the Mackie Lake House flew by. It was an unbelievable experience. Thanks again to the Mackie Lake House Foundation and The Kalamalka Institute for Working Writers for this amazing opportunity. Thanks to those who attended my reading/talk at Gallery Vertigo, those who listened and asked questions during my class visit at Okanagan College in Vernon, and to everyone for their help and hospitality. It was great to engage with the community.

Of course I came back from the Okanagan with a pile of books.

From railing to right:

Unfurled: Collected Poetry from Northern BC Women edited by Debbie Keahey.

Winging Home: A Palette of Birds by Harold Rhenisch.

Shelter by Frances Greenslade.

Rhapsodomancy by Kevin McPherson Eckhoff.

Easy Peasy by Kevin McPherson Eckhoff.

Notes on Leaving by Laisha Rosnau.

Lousy Explorers by Laisha Rosnau.

Badlands by Robert Kroetsch.

While I was writing, H was photographing bugs found on the grounds of the Mackie Lake House. He launched a blog called Bugs of Mackie at the closing reception. I imagine some bugs and toads and quail and owls and who knows what else will find a way into my work. We'll see what happens in the coming months. I look forward to returning to the Okanagan next fall to launch the book.

The 2011 Mackie House Writer-in-Residence

2011-09-06T20:22:00.000-06:00

...is me and I'm absolutely thrilled. Thank you to the Mackie Lake House Foundation and The Kalamalka Institute for Working Writers for this amazing opportunity. Can't wait to get there!

A birder's dream came

2011-08-31T14:59:00.004-06:00

...in the mail today.

The Modern Beginnings of Subarctic Ornithology: Northern Correspondence with the Smithsonian Institution, 1856-68, edited and introduced by Debra Lindsay. I had no idea this book even existed. Many thanks to Ariel for sending it my way.

I'm pretty sure Gerry wouldn't appreciate the book, going by his poem over at The Winnipeg Review.

There's a long post on Grain

2011-08-29T07:45:00.007-06:00

...over on rob mclennan's blog, which includes his take on the departure of Sylvia Legris as editor. McLennan later says "she has long been one of my favourite Canadian poets." One of mine too. The summer issue, dedicated to Robert Kroetsch, is another dandy.

On Friday

2011-08-21T16:33:00.000-06:00

...The Watchmaker's Table by Brian Bartlett arrived. I look forward to reading it. Today I balanced the collection on the mountain ash for this pic.

I see the tree from my desk every time I turn my head to the left. Last year it had nothing to offer the waxwings. This year it's so heavy the bottom branches are touching the ground.

On Saturday, just southeast of these boots

2011-08-14T21:58:00.000-06:00

...I tackled my second assignment for Allan Casey's Creative Nonfiction Workshop.

The workshop was held at St. Peter's College, but as you can see I went on an adventure. Some of you might recall that I bought Casey's Lakeland back in December. That book is the reason I signed up for the workshop. It was well worth it. I worked hard. Just ask the chickens.

It's August and the railing

2011-08-01T08:40:00.001-06:00

...needs paint. But first, here's a couple additions to my collection. I hope to dig into them this month.

Why Beauty Is Truth: A History of Symmetry by Ian Stewart.

Self Comes to Mind: Constructing the Conscious Brain by Antonio Damasio.

It's been a few years

2011-07-06T10:22:00.010-06:00

...since I last attended a writers/artists retreat at St. Peter's Abbey. This post on Blue Duets captures the spirit of the place and brings back so many memories. I wonder if there's still an endless supply of cookies. I'd like nothing more than to grab one and head out for a walk around the grid. Maybe wave at the writer who sometimes sits in the chair by the dugout. Maybe not. He's not always easy to see.

Robert Kroetsch touched the lives

2011-06-23T18:50:00.002-06:00

...of so many. I spent a good part of yesterday and today reading moving tributes on blogs, Twitter, Facebook and news sites. I wondered what I could possibly add other than my thanks. I came up with nothing.

So I read Seed Catalogue.

I read the line

How do you grow a poet?

over and over.

I'm craving buttertarts

2011-06-06T17:27:00.000-06:00

...thanks to Matilda Magtree.

Today two swallows

2011-05-28T19:41:00.009-06:00

...were going about their business at the Table Creek bridge. Barn Swallows are not common in this area, so these were a nice surprise, especially considering their new status.

Barn Swallows everywhere are in big trouble, as Trevor Herriot explains in his latest post, so needless to say I watched these two with delight and a measure of sadness as I snapped a few pics, steadying the camera lens on the CROSS AT YOUR OWN RISK sign. The bridge has been in rough shape for years. Recently a meeting was held to discuss its future. I don't know what they decided, but I fear the swallows soon will.

Dance on my grave

2011-05-20T18:38:00.004-06:00

...all you like.

H shot this video this morning. I just sat there and watched them dance. What a way to wake up.

Dear poets, there are spots

2011-05-09T17:09:00.008-06:00

...available in the Poetry Colloquium with Al Moritz and the Poetry Workshop with Priscila Uppal at the Sage Hill Writing Experience this summer. What a fabulous chance to work with one of these incredible poets.

And what a fabulous chance to talk a fellow poet into applying as well. A friend talked me into applying last year. It was a great opportunity to reconnect, make new connections and to move ahead with my work. Late applications are still being accepted. The online application process is super simple. In fact, it's pretty tempting.

This mining town roars into May

2011-05-01T17:58:00.005-06:00

...while redpolls mine the willow catkins.

Yes, a few redpolls remain. A dozen this morning, 19 this afternoon.

Our yard is teaming with migrants. Juncos, American Tree Sparrows and Fox Sparrows galore. Lincoln's Sparrow. Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Purple Finch. Yellow-rumped Warbler. The ground is moving. Branches jumping. Endless singing. And just now the boom of a bird-banger on the tailings pond just north of here.

We drove down the West Arm Mine road yesterday. Highlights include six pairs of Hooded Mergansers, each pair on its own wooded pond, and a troupe of twenty Rusty Blackbirds foraging on a wooded swamp while Buffleheads fought nearby and Greater Yellowlegs went about their business. Good plan.

What a fox

2011-04-28T11:11:00.010-06:00

...sparrow sings

sounds true

enough

More new books

2011-04-26T14:00:00.000-06:00

The Other Side of Ourselves by Rob Taylor.

Outskirts by Sue Goyette.

Small Mechanics by Lorna Crozier.

Origami Dove by Susan Musgrave.

Folk by Jacob McArthur Mooney.

Bye-and-Bye by Charles Wright.

Riddlehoard by Cassidy and Jonah McFadzean.

Twas a blooming good weekend

2011-04-25T11:52:00.001-06:00

Some books look even more appealing

2011-04-20T15:28:00.004-06:00

...than usual on a partly cloudy day. More new additions to my collection:

Methodist Hatchet by Ken Babstock.

been shed bore by Pearl Pirie.

All This Could Be Yours by Joshua Trotter.

White Egrets by Derek Walcott.

Indexical Elegies by Jon Paul Fiorentino.

Because of Anne

2011-04-18T15:44:00.011-06:00

...Simpson's upcoming essay for Canada Reads Poetry (which as it happens was just posted today), I added Nox by Anne Carson to cart (I meant to order it last year but somehow forgot) when I was ordering To the Edge of the Sea by Anne McDonald, a just-released novel that I've been looking forward to for quite some time. Both books came in the mail today.

Is by Anne Simpson arrived last week. In the acknowledgements of Is I found Anne McDonald's name.

Today an oddball redpoll

2011-04-06T12:21:00.008-06:00

...with a distinct yellow forecrown. Maybe ochre is a better word.

__________________________________

April 7 - It was a colder morning. Once again a large redpoll with a yellow ochre forecrown showed up. I took photos of its undertail coverts, which are a clean white with no apparent streaks. Here are two photos of it in the presence of other redpolls.

My response to the not-so-simple

2011-04-06T06:49:00.001-06:00

...question "Why should people read poetry?" has been posted over at That Shakespearean Rag. For more on why TSR asked the question in the first place see here.

Today redpolls galore

2011-04-05T11:39:00.004-06:00

...and of every description. Upwards of 200 at a time in the yard. Here are some pics I took this morning after seeing a few very large dark redpolls in the mix. The first pic was taken through a window, so it's not clear, but it does show how large and dark it is compared to the other redpoll in the feeder. Click on the pics for a closer look.

The dandiest of today's findings

2011-03-30T10:59:00.003-06:00

...in no particular order:

riddlehoard, a new blog by Cassidy McFadzean. I've been preoccupied with a brilliant observation and question she posed at Talking Fresh. I imagine this thinking will find its way into my work.
Gerald Hill's post honouring his teachers. Gerry was my mentor in the SWG mentorship program and thanks to him two of the teachers he mentions have directly influenced me as well. I worked with Fred Wah in a poetry colloquium at the Sage Hill Writing Experience and with Tom Wayman in a workshop at the first Talking Fresh.
Zach Wells on the poetry and poetics of description. Both his talk and the discussion that follows are well worth the time.

It's spring, so I freshened up

2011-03-27T11:57:00.017-06:00

...a blog. Brenda Schmidt...in progress now has a new look and new author photos. I think the sunny day influenced my choices.

_________________________________

Bird news:

Crows are back. March 27.
Bald Eagles reported by a fisherman ice-fishing on March 19.
13 Willow Ptarmigan on March 24.

Sign of a poem (3)

2011-03-22T09:23:00.000-06:00

The descriptions in this little book

2011-03-17T16:01:00.001-06:00

...called Birds are delightful. Here's a bit from the introductory section "About Our Birds."

Alas, my "here" sounds like "ear." That's what happens when I don't bother to set up a tripod. Now I know I can't hold a camera in one hand, a book in the other and read clearly at the same time.

Thanks to Ariel for the book. It's a wonderful addition to our collection.

____________________________________

Bird news:

I saw seven Willow Ptarmigan this morning. They no longer look pure white against fresh snow.
The Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch was last seen on March 12.
Evening Grosbeak numbers rose to 40 on March 16. No Pine Grosbeaks today.
A mix of Common and Hoary Redpolls continues, mainly Hoary, up to 20 at a time.
Twenty Willow Ptarmigan in Creighton on March 8. Ptarmigan observed as far south as the La Ronge junction on the Hanson Lake Road on March 2.

____________________________________

Yesterday I read "Walking" by Henry David Thoreau. I spent time with it again today. Perfect March reading.

When is a poem

2011-03-10T21:49:00.001-06:00

...finished? This was a question put to the panel at Talking Fresh 9. Our responses and a video can be viewed in this great post over at Latitude Drifts.

A response to the Talking Fresh panel discussion

2011-03-08T22:10:00.005-06:00

...is posted over on Blue Duets, and an insightful response it is. Thanks to Kathleen Wall both for the feedback and the opportunity to further consider her thoughts on what for her are the "two qualities of the Saskatchewan landscape that are almost synonymous with poetry," thoughts which are beautifully put and most inspiring.

Talking Fresh 9: Saskatchewan Poetry Summit

2011-03-07T10:12:00.024-06:00

...featuring Karen Solie, Michael Trussler, Daniel Scott Tysdal and me, happened on the weekend at Luther College in Regina. It was immensely satisfying and stimulating in every respect. Thank you to Gerry Hill and Tracy Hamon for organizing a perfectly smooth and classy event. Perfect right down to the single daffodil that graced each white-clothed table. Katherine Lawrence did an amazing job of moderating the panel as did all those who delivered introductions and kept things moving on time. The readings were fantastic. My session was first on Saturday. Then the audience was treated to mind-blowing presentations by Michael, Karen and Dan. And the audience, with their questions and comments, played a great part in making the event a success. It was great to talk with students, new writers and established writers, some of whose work is examined in essays that I had studied in preparation for this event.

Talking Fresh wrapped up with a lovely happy hour launch of Quiver by Holly Luhning and Girlwood by Jennifer Still. Books were flying off the book table after their fabulous readings. I bought one of each. I also bought The Mourner's Book of Albums, Daniel Scott Tysdal's new book. Now I own a copy of every book published by every one of the presenters.

There's a group photo and links over on Latitude Drifts. And more flowers.

More photos and comments over on Poet Shoes.

_______________________________

After the panel on Friday, Tracy led me to the library at Luther College where I visited the Margaret Belcher Reading Room.

The late Margaret Belcher, a university professor, author and ornithologist, is a well-known name in Saskatchewan natural history circles. I had no idea, however, that she wrote a book titled Bird Imagery in the Lyric Poetry of Tristan L’Hermite (1987). I must track it down.

Snoozing

2011-02-28T10:22:00.006-06:00

...away this morning. This cold,

windy morning. But there are signs of spring on this one.

Spring is getting close.

Day 2 of The Great Backyard Bird Count

2011-02-19T17:54:00.006-06:00

...and a cold one at that. It was -35 when we got up, but it was calm and the ice crystals glorious. While we had coffee, we counted the birds that showed up at the feeders, the Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch among them. It's been here since December 9. We've had plenty of Pine and Evening Grosbeaks all winter. Redpoll numbers are hovering up around 20 now, which is low compared to most years, and the majority are Hoary, which is unusual as well. All the regulars showed up, too, except the Downy.

We decided to make a point of tracking down some ptarmigan today. That means scouting the area for fresh tracks early in the day and then returning to the freshest of the tracks in late afternoon when they start coming out to feed. Here are two we found enjoying a little sun.

And here's one that was just plain hungry.

We saw four Willow Ptarmigan in total, though the tracks suggest there are many more. We could've waited longer for more to fly up into the willow, but decided to head home instead. We've had a lot of snow over the past while and the roads aren't birding friendly at all. There's no place to safely pull over.

The Great Backyard Bird Count goes until February 21. More info here.

Gatekeeper

2011-02-15T10:51:00.002-06:00

...is a word I love. Every time I see or hear it, which for writers is often enough, I picture the guard shack at the mining company here. It's not a shack, but a respectable looking building, at least from the outside. I've never been inside. Whenever I drive by I stare at the window, hoping to see who's watching, but I only ever see a reflection of me and my vehicle. But someone is always watching. That much I know.

Needless to say, I thought of the guard shack this morning when I read this post on Bookslut, which gives "some ruthlessly pragmatic suggestions" to female writers on getting published and reviewed.

Imagine

2011-02-13T18:37:00.006-06:00

..."cool inimitable birdie-hop style." I like that.

The best advice for this writer

2011-02-06T14:16:00.021-06:00

...comes from this bird.

Will do.

____________________________

I've been thinking about the publishing side of things a lot lately, so Chad Pelley's post "Evolution in the Book Industry? On Peter Darbyshire and Michelle Butler Hallet's Big Moves Last Week" over at Book Madam & Associates really hit the spot. It's well worth reading.

____________________________

The snow has taken on that sunken look. February snow is not my favourite. It lacks that satisfying crunch. But the song of the pine grosbeak more than makes up for it. There's lots of singing going on.

Ptarmigan and yellow truck near sunset

2011-02-02T10:10:00.003-06:00

...is a photo I didn't have to work too hard to get. Willow ptarmigan have been wintering in this area for ages, feeding on willow and mountain ash and so on. Along came roads and houses and vehicles, but ptarmigan keep coming for their winter food supply is here. And along come birdwatchers in their trucks, their SUVs, their cars. Some come from afar, hoping to glimpse this great northern bird in the pristine wilderness. Flocks of ptarmigan will watch them pass by, then nod back off to sleep beneath the willow in the ditches.

Sign of a poem (2)

2011-02-01T13:11:00.002-06:00

An excellent day of writing topped off

2011-01-26T20:12:00.005-06:00

...with a call from the Saskatchewan Literature class at Luther College in Regina. They had some questions about my poem "A Contractor" from More Than Three Feet of Ice. Good questions. It was good to look back at a poem and book that I haven't looked at in a while, especially now that I'm well into something else and wondering where it's going. Thanks to Gerald Hill and his class. It was fun.

Sign of a poem (1)

2011-01-25T15:08:00.000-06:00

No wolf tracks

2011-01-15T09:59:00.004-06:00

...in the yard this morning. I haven't seen any in the yard yet.

There have been a number of wolf sightings in town lately. This isn't new. Apparently one was standing across from the town office the other day. That's just a block from here.

I keep thinking one will stop by. So this morning I looked out my office window, half expecting to see a wolf looking back at me. Half hoping.

It's a selfish hope and one that I immediately felt guilty about. I never want to see one in town. That's always bad news for wolves. For everything.

I tried to focus on other things.

But looking didn't help.

There were old tracks everywhere.

____________________________________

Speaking of old tracks, on this day in 2005 this blog was born. I'm grateful to those of you who stop by. Some of you have been humouring me since the beginning. Thank you.

While this blog has been quiet lately, life hasn't. For one, I've been preparing for Talking Fresh 9: Saskatchewan Poetry Summit, March 4-5, 2011, Luther College, University of Regina, featuring Karen Solie, Michael Trussler, Daniel Scott Tysdal and me. And worrying. The weather in early March can be horrible, the roads downright scary, and it takes forever to get to Regina at the best of times. I'll be squirrelly by the time I get there.

A foggy -33

2011-01-01T17:30:00.005-06:00

...this morning and calm. A perfect day for birding.

We spent the day doing the annual Creighton Christmas Bird Count, a dreamy way to spend New Year's Day. We birded from before sunrise to after sunset. Coffee and granola bars for breakfast on the West Arm Road. Camembert and baguette for lunch on the Mystic Lake Road. Lots of time to reflect and dream and let go.

We saw 13 species:

Willow Ptarmigan - 31
Rock Pigeon - 17
Downy Woodpecker - 1
Hairy Woodpecker - 4
Pileated Woodpecker - 4
Gray Jay - 1
Black-billed Magpie - 13
Common Raven - 157
Black-capped Chickadee - 4
Boreal Chickadee - 10
Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch - 1
Pine Grosbeak - 28
Evening Grosbeak - 2

Happy New Year!

2010 was a Gray Jay

2010-12-31T10:48:00.008-06:00

eyeing my hand.
It took

what was offered,
robbed me whenever

I turned my back,
glued what it stole

to branches above
the probable snow line.

With glowing hearts

2010-12-25T16:59:00.003-06:00

No top ten list here

2010-12-16T16:07:00.012-06:00

...I'm afraid. No "best of" list. That's just not me. Not these days. But I'm happy to present this pic of my latest purchases.

Crow by Ted Hughes.

Complete Physical by Shane Neilson.

Lakeland by Allan Casey.

Can't wait to read them.

*
I've also been painting, which gives me plenty of time to think. I posted my latest watercolours here.

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch

2010-12-09T10:38:00.021-06:00

...showed up in our yard with some Pine Grosbeaks this morning. I took these pics with H's camera, but it's heavy and I cannot hold it steady. A cold triple pane window doesn't help. I'm posting these anyway as this is an unusual sighting for here. I did take video as well to back up the sighting. It's clearer than the pics.

Update: It came back this afternoon, so I tried again. It's a manic eater, so its head is blurred in many of them, but I managed to get some clearer shots. Still not the best.

Update: I uploaded the video I shot of the bird this morning to YouTube. Click here. (I'll likely replace this video later on with one H just shot in HD.) Those of you who have been here will recognize the legs of our big tray feeder. H just got home from work and is watching the Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch right now.

Update: Here's H's video of the bird from this afternoon. Way better!

I've said I don't write book reviews, but

2010-12-04T11:25:00.004-06:00

...you'll find a capsule review by yours truly in today's Winnipeg Free Press.

I had the pleasure of reviewing The Stokes Field Guide to the Birds of North America by Donald and Lillian Stokes. The limit was 100 words. I rarely say good morning in less than 100 words, so needless to say it was a challenge.

Vision statement

2010-11-28T19:38:00.004-06:00

A room with a view

2010-11-23T14:34:00.012-06:00

...like this

is a room with a clean Boh window.

A good 50 Bohemian Waxwings lingered in the yard this afternoon. This pic was taken from my office window. There's nothing left in our yard for them to eat. I think they were just enjoying a little shelter from the wind.

*
Nov 24 - No wind today. No waxwings so far. Another deadline met, another to go. I just uncovered the big box of books and journals now parked beside my desk. The flagged pages will have my attention until the new year.

More books in the mail today

2010-11-22T14:58:00.007-06:00

Night Gears by Bren Simmers. What a gorgeous book.

Where the Words Come From: Canadian Poets in Conversation, edited by Tim Bowling. I read most of this book during my stays at St. Peter's Abbey, but thought it was high time to purchase a copy of my own. Might come in handy.

Some roads are narrow

2010-11-19T16:42:00.013-06:00

...and the curves blind. Then add winter.

This pic was taken along the Phantom Lake road this afternoon. I've been down this road countless times, but never noticed those letters on the rock before. They look like they've been there a long time. They could stand for anything.

*
I just checked out the new Master of Fine Arts in Writing program offered by the University of Saskatchewan. It's great to see the entry requirements take into account participation in the Banff School of Fine Arts, the Sage Hill Writing Experience and the Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild programs. I haven't been to Banff, but I know Sage Hill and the SWG offer top-notch workshop, colloquium and mentorship experiences. The faculty for the MFA isn't listed yet, but the U of S has plenty of impressive writers in their ranks, so it's bound to be a fine program.

"...the writer in question

2010-11-15T11:24:00.004-06:00

couldn’t be farther removed from the literary establishment." This from a profile of Regina author Sandra Birdsell posted on The Globe and Mail site today.

Of course this causes me to pause,

considering where I am.

This might be the worst bird photo ever

2010-11-11T13:29:00.019-06:00

...but I'm posting it anyway to give you an idea of the kind of activity in our yard the past few days. This was the scene 20 minutes ago.

Click on the image and then click on it again for a closer look. Of course there were more grosbeaks in the trees and at other feeding stations in the yard. Our yard has been teaming with grosbeaks since it snowed. There's up to 50 Evening Grosbeaks at a time and up to 10 Pine Grosbeaks. They hang around all day and pack down sunflower seeds like there's no tomorrow.

*
I did more than my fair share of staring out the window today. It's that kind of day. While I was staring, three Common Redpolls made a brief appearance. A dozen Bohemian Waxwings stopped by. And the regulars: Black-billed Magpies, Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, Black-capped Chickadees, Gray Jays. And ravens. Can't forget the ravens.

I have no idea what this one was digging for.

Maybe I should take it as a hint.

*
Tis the season! Project FeederWatch starts on November 13.

While the squash cooks

2010-11-07T16:29:00.004-06:00

...I cook up a cover.

The squash isn't done. Neither am I.

Seriously though, I took a pic of the squash before H threw it in the oven. I should be working, but I decided to play. This is why things take forever.

Oh well. The squash is smelling good.

Why did the grouse cross the road

2010-10-30T16:38:00.009-06:00

...ask the grouse. A reasonable question.

Here's the other side.

And here's the other side of that.

Cross another road to get there.

Snow and what looks like another dandy

2010-10-28T14:15:00.007-06:00

...issue of The Malahat Review. I'm thrilled that a poem of mine is included.

As I stood on the step to take this pic, I heard Pine Grosbeaks in the trees above. The chickadees were going on as they always do. A Downy Woodpecker was tapping away on the suet. All the birds seem to be in winter mode. The Gray Jays are already making regular visits. No sign of Bohemian Waxwings today. More than 250 of them visited the yard on October 22 and left little behind. Our mountain ash didn't produce this year, so I doubt if we'll see such a flock here again. And I won't name the bird I saw yesterday. It's far too early for them. That would mean we're in for a long hard winter. It was flying full-out as they do when fleeing danger. That in itself I took as a bad sign.

A pile of winter reading

2010-10-25T15:09:00.017-06:00

...came in the mail today.

Signs of Meaning in the Universe by Jesper Hoffmeyer, a book mentioned by Don McKay in response to a question from the audience following his Caroline Heath Memorial Lecture. I can't remember what the question was.

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. This thanks to a Facebook status line.

Trace: Prairie Writers on Writing, edited by Birk Sproxton.

The Art Instinct: Beauty, Pleasure, and Human Evolution by Denis Dutton. I meant to order this book after reading this short interview, but promptly forgot. I only remembered after seeing the book mentioned recently in a Facebook status line. At least I think it was on Facebook. Maybe it was Twitter.

The End of Food: How the Food Industry is Destroying Our Food Supply -- And What You Can Do About It by Thomas F. Pawlick. H ordered this after reading the Pawlick book mentioned a few posts ago.

Mordecai: The Life & Times by Charles Foran.

More snow in the forecast for the next couple days. Time to hibernate.

The latest additions to my collection

2010-10-20T14:49:00.008-06:00

The Bourgeois Empire by Evie Christie, which was reviewed over at the Globe today.

Dimensions of an Orchard by Dave Margoshes.

Welcome to Canada and A Hunter's Confession, both by David Carpenter and both reviewed here.

I bought the last three books at the Saskatchewan Writers' Guild Fall Conference and AGM in Saskatoon on the weekend where Don McKay delivered the Caroline Heath Memorial Lecture. The other conference guests included Mary Balogh, Robert Currie, David Carpenter, Amy Jo Ehman, Jean Freeman, Wes Funk, Louise Halfe, Gerald Hill, Myrna Kostash, Alison Lohans, Elder Michael Maurice, Ken Mitchell, James Romanow, Arthur Slade, Karon Shmon, Peter Stoicheff, Geoffrey Ursell, Carol Vandale and Kenneth T. Williams.

I wrote an occasional poem and read it at the open mic on Friday. Here it is.

Who knew there'd be cheesecake at the banquet.

Knock knock

2010-10-09T16:11:00.000-06:00

Biographies of Canadian writers would hit the spot

2010-09-19T17:37:00.001-06:00

...right now. Any recommendations?

Right now I'm reading Wider Boundaries of Daring: The Modernist Impulse in Canadian Women's Poetry. I'm only partway through the collection of essays, but already my eyes have been opened a fair bit wider and my jaw has dropped more than a few times. One thing I now know for sure: everything I thought I knew about the poetry scene in Canada needs serious rethinking.

On the outside

2010-09-07T11:14:00.003-06:00

Scored some real gems

2010-08-20T09:09:00.008-06:00

...all thanks to Gerry:

Silk Trail by Andrew Suknaski.
Selected Poems by Theodore Roethke.
Continental Trance by bpNichol.
The Night the Dog Smiled by John Newlove.
A Map to the Door of No Return by Dionne Brand.
The Green Plain by John Newlove.
Headframe by Birk Sproxton.
Momentary Dark by Margaret Avison.
Land to Light On by Dionne Brand.
No Language is Neutral by Dionne Brand.
Deep Hollow Creek by Sheila Watson.
The Snowbird Poems by Robert Kroetsch.
The New Layman's Almanac by Jacob McArthur Mooney.

They arrived the other day.

Go Leafs!

Recent arrivals

2010-08-17T11:33:00.021-06:00

The War in the Country: How the Fight to Save Rural Life Will Shape Our Future by Thomas F. Pawlick.

Pandora's Seed: The Unforeseen Cost of Civilization by Spencer Wells.

These two books were ordered by H, who is a big reader just like me. He heard interviews with the authors on CBC radio. Much of the nonfiction that comes into this house is thanks to this.

As well, many of the writers I hang around in life and online are those who share what they're reading. The rest of the books in the pile are here because of this.

The Art of the Personal Essay: An Anthology from the Classical Era to the Present selected and with an introduction by Phillip Lopate. I ordered this thanks to Ian.

Hiddenness, Uncertainty, Surprise: Three Generative Energies of Poetry by Jane Hirshfield. Thanks to this post on Capacious Hold-All.

My Life as a Dame: The Personal and the Political in the Writings of Christina McCall edited by Stephen Clarkson, foreword by Eleanor Wachtel. Thanks to this post on Matilda Magtree.

The Martyrology: Books 3 & 4 by bpNichol. This is thanks to Gerry following a previous post here. But I have to give this one back.

*
Yes! I just came across another must-have book over on That Shakespearean Rag.

August is always the weirdest

2010-08-12T19:20:00.023-06:00

...month going. That's a given. This August is no exception. Nothing but weird.

How weird is a meatloaf cupcake with mashed potato icing? An image of this arrived with a letter today.

How weird are the words "Good Year Blimp" handwritten on a postcard? Weird I tell you. Those are the first words that popped out at me. This arrived the other day.

How weird is a yard full of grackles? Seriously weird. They arrived the other day and just hung around as if the souls they were carrying were too heavy. They stayed the night.

And that's not all. Things clicked. I'm writing. I've been writing August away.

*
August briefs:

I'm reading Lives Like Loaded Guns: Emily Dickinson and Her Family's Feuds by Lyndall Gordon and loving it, absolutely loving it. It's the most compelling and inspiring biography I've encountered in quite some time.

I gave Brenda Schmidt a facelift.
(Aug. 13 Clarification - This just means my other blog has a new template and new author/artist pics. That's all.)

I hopped on Select Hops. Check out my tomatoes!

What a wonderful writing experience

2010-08-01T10:05:00.014-06:00

...I had! I spent 10 beautiful July days in the poetry colloquium at the Sage Hill Writing Experience. Yes, I indicated in the comments to a previous post that I wasn't applying, but I eventually caved in to peer pressure. At my age caving in means deep down I really wanted to go. And I did. It was a thrill to work with Daphne Marlatt. I first encountered her work in an English course way back when and have since added many of her books to my collection. And now I have a copy of my manuscript sitting before me, her thoughts penciled in. Possibilities. Paths. The odd ledge.

The odd opening.

*
The photo above is not from Sage Hill. It's the Sandcastles near Beechy, Saskatchewan. We were there in July. Didn't see any snakes. Not then.

Wherever you are, wherever you're headed

2010-07-01T14:12:00.007-06:00

...Happy Canada Day!

Have a great summer.

The latest books to arrive

2010-06-29T10:51:00.005-06:00

Fallout by Sandra Ridley.

Tommy's Team: The People Behind the Douglas Years by Stuart Houston and Bill Waiser.

Wider Boundaries of Daring: The Modernist Impulse in Canadian Women's Poetry edited by Di Brandt and Barbara Godard.

The Arts Professions Act

2010-06-25T13:41:00.015-06:00

...means written contracts are now required between professional artists of all types and those who want to hire, engage or contract them for their work or performance. Starting June 1. Thanks to the Saskatchewan Writers' Guild eBriefs for reminding me of this. The Arts Professions Act is a component of the new cultural policy, Pride of Saskatchewan. More here.

*
The big forest fire keeps getting bigger. It gets pretty smoky here at times.

It puts a weird light on everything.

For the first time I'm giving away

2010-06-23T08:59:00.006-06:00

...something on my blog. I have a few extra copies of this gorgeous new issue of Grain in which my work appears.

For more info on the issue, check the Grain site. If you'd like a copy, send me your address and I'll pop it in the mail. My email address is here.

I'll post a notice when the copies are gone.

*
June 23 Update - And gone they are.

The Saskatchewan dinosaur industry

2010-06-17T16:00:00.010-06:00

...is lagging according to this CBC story. I hadn't thought of it as an industry before. The story mentions Scotty, the T. rex skeleton found near Eastend, which reminded me that a replica of Scotty's head is here in town right now. So off we went to take a peek.

Scotty has quite the noggin.

While I posed with Scotty, I listened to the video and watched a bit of it before we left. I'm pretty sure I saw it on TV years back as the paleontologist looked familiar. Anyway, it's a pretty cool display. Nice to see something like this in a small town. And who knows, I might get a poem out of it.

Conclusion

2010-06-16T16:28:00.002-06:00

The south side of Luck

2010-06-13T21:52:00.007-06:00

Saskatchewan's oldest building

2010-06-10T10:04:00.002-06:00

...is now 150 years old.

A haunting image of three women

2010-06-03T12:14:00.001-06:00

...has been occupying my thoughts ever since I stumbled upon it on the Sask. Archives Board Photo Blog. The photo was taken in the early 1900s. Look at those expressions.

There's always thyme for poetry

2010-06-01T13:44:00.002-06:00

...in my world. Here are the latest additions to my collection.

Sweet by Dani Couture.
Too Bad: Sketches Toward a Self-Portrait by Robert Kroetsch.
Lost Gospels by Lorri Neilsen Glenn.
Rain by Don Paterson.

Paterson's is the only rain so far today. It's mostly sunny. The wind is picking up though. Risk of a thunderstorm.

A mall within a mall

2010-05-31T15:21:00.013-06:00

...is one of the many disturbing, too-believable elements of the world offered up in The Warhol Gang by Peter Darbyshire, a well-written, fast-paced and relentless novel that came uncomfortably close to some of my deepest fears, but it was the neuro-marketing that left me wide-eyed at 3 a.m. for two nights running. Darbyshire talks about his novel and neuro-marketing in this interview at Maisonneuve. I think everyone knows on some level that this is happening, but Darbyshire gives us a super-macro view of what is and what might be. The book rattled me. I read You Are Not a Gadget earlier this year, a nonfiction eye-opener which looks at technology and marketing, so I was already stewing on this. The Warhol Gang takes things further. Much further. And then to top things off, the day after I finished The Warhol Gang the Globe ran this story on Ikea and its maze. A coincidence? Now I can't help but wonder.

*
I wonder when the rain will stop. It's been raining forever. This morning I checked my gardens between showers and found some blooms.

Alas, I found mosquitoes, too. Lots of them.

The Warhol Gang held against

2010-05-20T08:30:00.014-06:00

...a northern sky. That was yesterday afternoon, after the book arrived.

The Warhol Gang by Peter Darbyshire, owner of CanCult, is at the top of my summer reading list largely because his first novel Please was a dandy.

I'm bound to have a ball.

Lots of good news at Grain

2010-05-13T15:53:00.000-06:00

...as you can see on their website. And check out the final paragraph! I'm stoked.

The latest on the Disneyfication

2010-05-08T09:56:00.003-06:00

...of the South Saskatchewan River, as planned by Saskatoon, has been posted at Pelican Watch.

May 13 - More news.

*
I posted my latest watercolours on my other blog. I had a productive week. I think I'm gearing up for June.

Now to loosen up.

May is here and I painted

2010-05-01T18:15:00.004-06:00

...my afternoon away. I posted today's watercolour on another blog. That's where I'll be posting my new work from now on.

I can't believe May is already here.

What's there to say

2010-04-25T17:15:00.007-06:00

...when there's so much singing going on outside?

This little guy was singing in the willow by my office window, so I cranked it open and took a few pics. Mostly I just listened. Noted the balance.

Among Wood Frogs

2010-04-21T17:41:00.003-06:00

When a creative writing instructor breaks a leg

2010-04-19T11:10:00.003-06:00

...she goes all out. I've been catching up with Writing Around the World, a fabulous blog by Judy Berlyne McCrosky, a Saskatchewan writer who designed and is running a creative writing program on Holland America's Grand World Voyage cruise. She's currently on-board a ship crossing the Pacific and seated in a wheelchair after having surgery in the Maldive Islands six weeks ago to repair a badly broken ankle and fibula. What an adventure!