Birds: The Trip List

I don't consider myself a birder, but I enjoy looking for them and assisting in identification. Jim (my husband and traveling companion) comes from a family of birders and I support the habit as much as possible. We have a good pair of binoculars and we use the Sibley Guide to Birds (Second Edition). On our recent trip to Utah via Nebraska we decided to look for and record the birds we saw.

Our first stop (March 27, 2016) was on the Sandhill Crane Flyway near Kearny, Nebraska where we saw tens of thousands of Sandhill Cranes on their spring migration. We were told that the weekend before had been the peek with around 500,000 birds. We were there when about 250,000 were still hanging out in the cornfields during the day and congregating at the North Platte River at night. 

During the day the Sandhill Cranes feast on the local corn fields.
(Don't miss the masses on the ground!)

At night they congregate along the river. The sound an be deafening.

In the morning they fly back to the fields.

We heard them before we saw them.

A group landed right next to our camp site. 

If you like birds, don't miss this annual event!

The following list includes the first siting of each bird and the place it was seen. 

Bird	Date	Where
Meadowlark, Eastern	3/26/16	Wisconsin
Hawk, Red-Tailed	3/26/16	Wisconsin
Goose, Canada	3/26/16	Wisconsin
Vulture, Turkey	3/26/16	Iowa
Crow, American	3/26/16	Iowa
Pigeon, Rock	3/26/16	Iowa
Starling, European	3/26/16	Iowa
Gull	3/26/16	Iowa
Robin, American	3/26/16	Iowa
Duck, (Misc)	3/26/16	Iowa
Grackle, Common	3/27/16	Nebraska
Dove, Mourning	3/27/16	Nebraska
Blackbird, Red-Winged	3/27/16	Nebraska
Kestrel, American	3/27/16	Nebraska
Sandhill Crane, Lesser	3/27/16	Nebraska
Sandhill Crane, Greater	3/27/16	Nebraska
Wigeon, American	3/27/16	Nebraska
Teal, Blue-Winged	3/27/16	Nebraska
Flicker, Northern (Yellow-Shafted)	3/27/16	Nebraska
Owl, Barred (heard)	3/27/16	Nebraska
Willet	3/27/16	Nebraska
Goose, Snow	3/27/16	Nebraska
Mallard	3/29/16	Colorado
Heron, Great Blue	3/29/16	Colorado
Raven, Common	3/29/16	Colorado
Towhee, Spotted	3/30/16	Utah, Moab area
Jay, Pinion	3/31/16	Utah, Dead Horse SP
Magpie, Black-Billed	4/2/16	Utah, Moab
Woodpecker, Downy	4/2/16	Utah, Moab
Dipper, American	4/2/16	Utah, Moab, Mill Creek
Wren, Canyon	4/3/16	Utah, Arches NP
Sparrow, English	4/5/16	Utah, Capitol Reef NP
Chat, Yellow-Breasted	4/5/16	Utah, Capitol Reef NP
Vireo, Warbling	4/5/16	Utah, Capitol Reef NP
Bluebird, Mountain	4/5/16	Utah, Capitol Reef NP
Coot, American	4/5/16	Utah, Bricknel Bottoms
Pheasant, Ring-Necked	4/5/16	Utah, Bricknel Bottoms
Swift, White-Throated	4/6/16	Utah, Capitol Reef NP
Titmouse, Juniper	4/6/16	Utah, Capitol Reef NP
Eagle, Bald	4/6/16	Utah, So of Capitol Reef
Jay, Stellar’s	4/6/16	Utah, So of Capitol Reef
Flicker, Northern (Red-Shafted	4/6/16	Utah, So of Capitol Reef
Loon, Common	4/7/16	Utah, Petrified Forest SP
Merganser, Common	4/7/16	Utah, Petrified Forest SP
Merganser, Red-Breasted	4/7/16	Utah, Petrified Forest SP
Cormorant, Double-Crested	4/7/16	Utah, Petrified Forest SP
Sparrow, Chipping	4/8/16	Utah, Lower Cedar Creek
Sparrow, White-Crowned	4/8/16	Utah, Lower Cedar Creek
Sparrow, Lincoln	4/8/16	Utah, Lower Cedar Creek
Bluebird, Western	4/10/16	Utah, Bryce NP
Shrike, Loggerhead	4/10/16	Utah, Bryce NP
Nuthatch, White-Breasted	4/10/16	Utah, Bryce NP
Nuthatch, Pygmy	4/10/16	Utah, Bryce NP
Kinglet, Gold-Crowned	4/10/16	Utah, Bryce NP
Warbler, Yellow-Rumped	4/11/16	Utah, Zion NP
Goldfinch, Lesser	4/11/16	Utah, Zion NP
Warbler, Black-Throated Gray	4/12/16	Utah, Zion NP
Goldfinch, American	4/12/16	Utah, Zion NP
Chickadee, Mountain	4/12/16	Utah, Zion NP

Spotted Towhee in a nearby bush. The redish background is the rock formation across the River.

My favorite bird siting was the Spotted Towhee that hung out by our campsite on the Colorado River near Moab, Utah. 

I think he got used to us. That's our picnic table! 

Watching for birds was fun. They are so elusive! The activity added to each day's agenda. Is this a sign of aging? If so, it's OK.

The Utah road trip description will follow soon. Three weeks, 5 national parks, a couple national monuments, and some state parks left me with too many photos to sort and notes to edit. Look for the post in a week or so.

Can a Ceiling be that Important?

If you were sleeping on a bed under a cracked ceiling like this, would you be worried? Maybe, maybe not. 

Ceiling cracks follow the path of the copper tubing bringing heat to the room.

It seemed a good idea to repair the ceiling and freshen up this extra bedroom. In deciding what to do about it, the heating company that recently upgraded our boiler system seemed a good place to start. They (and we) think that radiant heat in the ceiling is great. But they were at a loss to recommend someone to repair the ceiling. Our house with its plaster ceiling and walls was constructed around 1950. The heat is very even with no blowing or drafts or big ducts. But why did the ceiling crack?

Ceiling accès from the hall and lights plugged in to an outlet in the kitchen.

Inspecting the attic required removing a floor covering over the joists above the ceiling. This revealed a minimal amount of insulation and the shocking revelation that at the center of the room, the "rock lath" was pulled away from the joists by about 3 1/2 inches. The ceiling was held up by what? The strong plaster and the connected copper tubing? When pushing on the ceiling from the room, it did not budge. How had it sagged? Nails too short? Did someone step on it and loosen it, but then cover it over without fixing it? Who knows. But, how to fix it? The structure is in this order:

attic floor

joists

rock lath (like drywall)

copper tubes (with hot water)

plaster covering the tubes

room below

Apparently the room was too small and plasterers too busy to bother with returning my calls. Recommendations went nowhere until I tried "Artisan Plasters" in Madison. The owner Theresa Farris returned my call promptly, came over to look at the job and concurred on Jim's plan for what might be a reasonable approach to fixing it. Whew! I felt a weight lift from my shoulders. We had a plan!

Boards attached to the joists in the attic.

The solution was to attach 2x6 or 2x8 boards to the joists along the line of the sagging ceiling and anchor the plaster to the new joists from below. This was not an easy job. Jim's head has the nicks to prove it. There is very little headroom along the two outside edges of this room. I mainly worked from below.

The plaster washers drilled into the ceiling avoiding the copper tubing.

Jim drills after I measured where the screws would go.

Once we finished anchoring the ceiling we were ready for the professional plasters. Oops! Their schedule was booked. I pleaded and they squeezed us in. There are very few people willing and trained to do this work. Theresa works on the state capitol building! She's thinking of retiring, but can't find people who want to learn the trade. 

Theresa and her partner Conrad made quick work of our small room. They arrive early on Friday to scrape, tape, lay down an adhesive, and apply the first layer of plaster.

They were fast and fun! I loved the stilts! The next morning they came back for the finishing coat.

The room is ready for paint (but not the ceiling, I'm told) and new window coverings and a fresh look. What seemed an insurmountable task is finished. I can get on with the small, easy to manage parts of redecorating. Whew! My mood has improved in spite of a wintery start to spring.

Book Group: March and April 2016

Book: Some Luck
Author: Jane Smiley
Meeting: Wednesday, March 16, 2016 at Ginny's
Dessert: Pumpkin Cognac cheesecake

This is the first book of a 100-year trilogy set in Iowa beginning in 1920. I wanted to like it, but found the beginning tedious (babies thoughts drive me crazy) and I didn't really care for the major characters. But I persevered and found myself getting caught up in the more complex relationships and politics in the later parts of the book. Some in the group will read all three. I think I'll just get a report.

 Book: M Train

Author: Patti Smith
Meeting: Wednesday, May 20, 2016 at Jennifer H's
Dessert: Coffee chocolate cake (in theme with the book)

I read this book on on my camping trip in Utah. The photo below is me reading on the rocks along the Colorado River. Moments later a great blue heron landed next to me and 4 bighorn sheep strolled across the mountainside across the river. It was a magical moment and I think the book helped to make it happen.

I liked the book for many coincidental reasons: she traveled extensively and to exotic places/I traveled to Utah. She turned 66/ I was about to turn 66. I was in the center of an area that moved from the equator to Utah 150 million years ago/ she belonged to the CDC (Continental Drift Club). But she's famous and brave. I'm not!!! I need to read some of her other books.

Looking Past the Winter Doldrums

When I look back at what I wrote on this blog a year ago in February and March, not much has changed. My knees are OK and I'm playing a lot of tennis. The political scene continues to deteriorate in Wisconsin and now we have the presidential primaries to compound the absurdity.

My winter "project" was going to be fixing up the extra bedroom with the cracked ceiling. It's one of those famous "Just don't start" jobs; too big to tackle alone, too hard to get anyone's attention, and a lot of tedious work ahead. I'm getting tired of being bummed out about it.

No winter trip to a warm climate. Jim chose time off at the end of March and beginning of April. We will take a road trip to Southern Utah. Stay tuned for a summary when we return.

In the meantime we purchased a 2016 Subaru Outback. Twilight blue. We're working on adaptations so that we can sleep in it. I'm actually getting quite excited about the trip.

A Tribute To My Friend Sari

I played the part of a "groupie" at the Midwinter conference of the American Library Association in Boston, January 9-13. Sari Feldman my good friend from UW-Library School is the current President of the association and in that capacity instigates national initiatives and programs at the conferences along with a host of other duties I can't even imagine. I shared her suite for a few days to be of help or support (which she did not need). I cruised through the exhibits, went to some programs, and attended her party. And then I toured Boston and on my last day immersed myself in the Museum of Fine Arts. (Maybe that will warrant its own post.)

ALA President Sari Feldman at ALA Midwinter in Boston.

Sari has accomplished much in her library career. She is currently the director of the Cuyahouga County Library System in Ohio. It is an award-winning library system. I have always been inspired by professional and community partnerships that Sari has initiated in every place she's worked. From author readings, to new parent programs, to theater connections, you name it, she's done it. And in many cases she invented it!

A funny aside here: While in Boston, I had breakfast with a friend from Chicago who I knew when I was working at ALA. She mentioned that when walking through the exhibits she had come across a booth for the US Passport Service. They are looking to libraries to be centers for passport applications. Each center receives a fee for processing the applications. It seemed to me like such a logical local connection. I too stopped by and chatted with the staff. Later, I mentioned it to Sari and her staff. The response: "Oh, yea, we've been doing that since 2010. We've trained all our staff so anyone can be of assistance in all of our 28 branches. We make about $10,000 a month. We were facing a budget cut and were looking for ways to increase revenue. It was easy." Not an exact quote, but an example of Sari's willingness to jump on opportunities. The libraries can then help with books and information about travel destinations and promote the collection. What a no-brainer. Does your library offer this service?

Wandering the exhibits; felt like old times.

Sari has surrounded herself with young, smart, and energetic staff. She actively manages the careers of those she sees as stars in the profession. She also recruits seasoned workers from other areas who will compliment or enhance her staff mix. I was fortunate to spend time with some of these people. It seemed like a dream work situation. Fun people who jump at the chance to try new ideas.

Sari's professional roots go back to 1976 and Dr. Margaret Monroe at the University of Wisconsin (Madison) Library School. Margaret was also one of my professors and she was a woman that many people feared. But, she had a vision for libraries that she passed on to many of her students. At that time we used the phrase "Libraries as Change Agents." Sari's (and ALA's) new national initiative is called "Libraries Transform." Margaret would be proud of what Sari has done for the profession and for the communities where she's worked. 

I hope that more libraries will be inspired by this transformation and instead of wringing our hands about how libraries will disappear in the age of technology, wake up to realize that it is through libraries the people will be able to tap into technology and participate in society on a more equal footing. One slogan of the campaign that strikes home is:

Libraries Transform 
because more than a quarter of US households 
don't have a computer with an internet connection.

US Senator Cory Booker at ALA Midwinter in Boston.

The most inspiring program that Sari initiated and I attended at the ALA conference was the presentation by Cory Booker, the US Senator from New Jersey. He has a book coming out in February (that's why publishers will sponsor speakers at conferences). I think it's title is United. This isn't a post about Cory Booker, but I think he's a person to watch. Some have mentioned him as a VP option. I don't know about that, yet. He's smart, very articulate, charismatic, big (former football player), and vegan. A favorite quote from his parents (who faced major housing discrimination after coming to Newark to work for IBM) to Cory: "You are drinking from the well, buy you did not dig it." You can feel his drive to contribute when you hear him speak. 

And what am I contributing? And what have I contributed? And what should I contribute? And how would I do that? All these questions swirl in my mind. Donations aren't enough (for me). My forays into volunteerism are feeble. Would I be more satisfied if I had gone into the library profession after library school? I do not regret any of the 4 "careers" that I've had. I enjoyed all of them. I felt that what I was doing was important. I learned from them. But I don't feel done.

I am happy to have friends like Sari and others who have worked in the library profession their entire career and have contributed in significant ways. Thank you.

Book Group: January and February 2016

Book: Everything I Never Told You

Author: Celeste Ng
Meeting: Wednesday, January 20, 2016 at my house
Dessert: Gail Ambrosius chocolates and pistachio ice cream

A mixed-race couple raise three children in a college town in Iowa in the sixties and seventies. The book begins with the death of one of the children and then delves into her life and what people knew and didn't know about it. There is an ongoing exploration of the parents' relationship as well. I found the subject of living your life as an outsider quite relevant and thought provoking. The family relationships are fascinating and tragic.

Book: Lucky Us

Author: Amy Bloom
Meeting: Wednesday, February 17, 2016 at Jennifer S's
Dessert: Chocolate cake and clementine slices

Eva is the main character. She is the glue of the story set mostly in the 40's. Her mother leaves her on the doorstep of her father whose wife has just died; her half-sister/movie star would-be uses her and befriends her; her kind-of nephew needs her; all amid cross country trips, unexpected friendships, Hollywood, New York, orphans, lesbians, immigrants. It's a wild ride and worth it.