Pam Webb

a writer's journey as a reader

Archive for the category “Nature”

01 Jun 2025
5 Comments

Of Rabbits and Such


Rabbit. Rabbit.

Okay, got that out of the way.

Apparently one is supposed to say ‘Rabbit, Rabbit” first thing in the first day of the month. Not sure why but hints of good things happening are implied.

It was easy to rabbit trail on this first day of June since it is my favorite month. Why my favorite? Well, thank you for asking.

my inner feelings revealed
  1. School ends in June—referring to most K-12 students. Knowing that summer break’s imminent arrival created an anticipatory exhilaration. And I suppose students felt that way too. I know as a teacher I did.
  2. Flag Day! Not only is this a day to honor our nation’s flag it’s my birthday. Yes, not everyone can claim the truth that people hang the flag out for them on their birthday. That’s what I believed because that’s what my mother told me. Believed it. I still do, actually.
  3. Family birthdays. Winter must have been long because we have a plethora of family birthdays in June.
  4. Summer solstice. Shades of Shakespearean delight as summer officially begins with the solstice. Watch out for fairies and wayward thespians if walking in the forest.
wood you care for a walk?

5. Settling into summer mode. Even though May provides some bodaciously warm days there remains a sense of “just kidding!” since May still tosses in some rain and inclement weather. June seems more confident in providing consistent blue sky days.

6. Birds and blooms. Giving credit to April and May for nudging winter to pack up and leave for a while, June ushers in the season of winged friends and garden flurry. My backyard is a small slice of paradise as hummingbirds and assorted feathered friends cavort amid the feeders and bird baths while I appreciate the lavender, lilies, and other blooming details. And the busyness of bees is a bonus. 🐝

7. Then there is the celebration of the hammock. Reading, lounging, napping—aah, so nice.

tis the season

8. And throw in longer days, longer nights.

Yes, June is a fave for sure.

Any thoughts on June?

Posted in celebrations, humor, Nature, Reflections, summer and tagged , , , ,
24 May 2025
7 Comments

Robin Recall


To prevent any misconceptions I will emphatically state that I do indeed like robins.

Not that is out of the way I have say this: Robins have got to be one of the stupidest birds out there.

Why the vitriol?

Maybe I’m just fed up with this particular batch of red-breasted harbingers of spring.

I don’t mind how they try to nest in our patio rafters every year—at least not too much since when we do allow a nest it’s plenty entertaining watching them raise their noisy brood.

I’m irritated but understanding when they lob their droppings all over my outdoor furniture—when nature calls, and all that.

I must say I get tremendous enjoyment watching them splash around in the birdbath—they are exorbitant extroverts when it comes to bathing.

Getting ready to splash and dash

I do mind one distinct and inexcusable behavior: robin reflection bobbing. Or flap and slap. I’m sure there must be a scientific term for how robins (I have yet to see other birds do this behavior) go for their window reflection endlessly flapping up against it until I shoo them away.

This is is the first year in the thirty years at this address I’ve seen this behavior.

Right—I understand they think it’s another bird and are feeling territorial…

Yet this year they are taking on car windows, the neighbor’s shed window, the office window, the living room window. These aren’t isolated incidents but repeated violations no matter how many times they are chased away.

We even blocked a window so the reflection was covered and the robin still wanted to fight with the window.

I’m doing a call out here—has anyone else noticed their backyard robins being so crazily hostile this year?

My explanation is that this year’s robins are an off batch. They give meaning to the description of being bird-brained.

Maybe there should be a robin recall. Anyone know the number of the department of defective birds? Or did that one get shuttered as well?

Chillax, fella
Posted in birds, humor, Nature, Reflections, Spring and tagged , ,
20 May 2025
7 Comments

Today is World Bee Day!


Then again I tend to celebrate bees everyday. We keep a bee-friendly yard by planting lots of flowers that bees favor, such as a huge mound of lavender.

I will often go out and search for bees once the lavender comes into bloom. My favorites are the big black bumblebees. They remind me of little bears as they flit around gathering pollen.

Reading about bees is also a favorite. Here are few recommendations:

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

The Bees by Laline Paull

The Music of Bees by Eileen Garvin

He Should Have Told the Bees by Amanda Cox

Hour of the Bees by Lindsay Eager

The Keeper of the Bees by Gene Porter-Stratton

And I definitely tune into nature shows about bees. One of my favorites is found on PBS’ Nature called “My Garden of a Thousand Bees.” A wildlife filmmaker is stuck at home in Bristol, England during the pandemic lockdown and decides to film the busy bees in his backyard. I’m on my third rewatch. Here is the preview.

What are your thought about bees?

P.S. Don’t forget to nudge your congressperson to support PBS. Public broadcasting benefits everybody!

Go to http://www.protectmypublicmedia.org and send a message. Thanks!

Bees loving their lavender
Posted in Nature, Reflections, Seasons, Television series and tagged , , ,
02 Apr 2025
2 Comments

Reader Roundup: March 2025 plus a POM


March had plenty of wind and rain marking the start of spring in a blustery way. Most books selected dwelt on mysteries ranging from classics like Josephine Tey to contemporary authors such as Robert Thorogood. Taking a break from solving murders I was delighted to have a longtime library hold arrive and spent a few days relishing a birder’s journal—but this wasn’t just anybody’s birding journal and proved to be my only five star read for the month.

The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan

image: Amazon

Amy Tan applies her talents as a writer to keeping a six year journal of her backyard birds. Her observations are witty and insightful and provide a perspective that falls between enthusiast and expert.

Her detailed descriptions of bird behavior, accompanied by her impressive (and fun) illustrations create an informative and entertaining read.

April is also National Poetry Month and I’m providing an appropriate poem.

Hope” is the thing with feathers

BY EMILY DICKINSONSHARE

“Hope” is the thing with feathers –

That perches in the soul –

And sings the tune without the words –

And never stops – at all –

And sweetest – in the Gale – is heard –

And sore must be the storm –

That could abash the little Bird

That kept so many warm –

I’ve heard it in the chillest land –

And on the strangest Sea –

Yet – never – in Extremity,

It asked a crumb – of me.

Posted in authors, literature blogs, Nature, Poetry, Reflections and tagged , ,
21 Mar 2025
5 Comments

Snow kidding–it’s spring, right?


“I told you we got here too early, but no–you said spring had arrived.”

Yup, after all that nice weather: the temps in the forties; the clear blue skies; the good riddance to that winter white stuff because it rained for three days; and the daffodils starting to poke up their little green noggins, we woke up to an inch of snow with more falling down on Saturday which eventually melted in time for the spring equinox.

So is it spring or should I be prepared for disappointment once again?

Well, it’s a good thing my holds arrived at the library and I still have cocoa mix…

Posted in birds, humor, Nature, Reflections and tagged , , ,
12 Sep 2024
6 Comments

Word Nerds: Collective Nouns


Naming a group of something is a job I wouldn’t mind applying for. Someone gets to do it and the results are pretty fun, especially when it involves animals.

A Kindle of Kittens

A Congress of Baboons

A Prickle of Hedgehogs

A Bloat of Hippopotamuses

A Mischief of Mice

A Waddle of Penguins

A Memory of Elephants

A Whoop of Gorillas

A Raft of Otters

A Scurry of Squirrels

A Journey of Giraffe

A Crashof Rhinoceroses

Posted in Animals, Expressions, humor, Nature, Reflections and tagged , , ,
08 Apr 2024
7 Comments

An anniversary is eclipsed…


Today’s focus is on the eclipse, which for some didn’t register as an event because of a)not being in the path of ta-dah or b)dealing with cloudy skies. There is also c)there was an eclipse?

For me the event of focus today was the four year anniversary of my debut picture book Someday We Will.

Yup, four years ago Beaming Books brought out my book in the beginning of April having postponed its publication from the previous fall. FYI: Grandparents Day is the first Sunday in September.

Instead of fall, the idea was Mother’s Day and the summer months of vacations when families visit. Good plan except four years ago about this time the pandemic showed up closing schools, libraries, bookstores, all those places where I might have personally promoted my book. A virtual book launch does not quite have the same impact.

Since then I have tried to make up for lost time and have done some story times with the library and have done a couple of bookstore appearances.

If you have yet to check out Someday We Will I hope you will. It’s a dandy little book for sharing just how special those family visits are, especially the grandparent ones.

As for the eclipse event? I hope your experience was satisfying. I ended tidying up the garage in hopes the clouds would part. They didn’t, but the garage looks better.

The perfect gift for grandparents as well as grandchildren anticipating a visit
Posted in authors, celebrations, children, Family, Nature, Reading, Reflections and tagged , ,
23 Mar 2024

Bard Bits: Shakespeare Speaks of Spring


Spring supposedly began March 19th. Words fail me when it comes to describing the fickleness of the weather. Shakespeare knows just what to say.

As sun and showers

There had made a lasting Spring.

– Henry VIII Act III, Scene i

The spring is near when green geese are a-breeding.

– Love’s Labour’s Lost Act I, Scene i

Unruly blasts wait on the tender spring;

– Lucrece (Poem)

Yes, last week crocus flowers heralded the arrival of sunny days and I basked in spring’s warmth while reading. Today it’s stoking the fire and watching the grey skies dribble out its watery lament.

Sigh.

More of this
Less of this
Posted in Nature, Reflections, Seasons, Shakespeare, Spring and tagged , , | Leave a comment
10 Nov 2023
2 Comments

My Not So Big Year: Zamboni Weather


November weather is doing it’s usual thing of a stretch of rainy days followed by freezy nights and shivery days.

The birds and squirrels are coming in thick and fast stocking up before the snow flies. We keep the feeders going year round but having second thoughts about the birdbath. The birds appreciate the solar fountain, yet that was stored away due to lack of solar power. The best it could muster was an anemic dribble effect.

The birds still gather for a quick sip. No baths lately. One reason is because the water is freezing up. I have taken up the chore of pouring warm water in the birdbaths to loosen up the ice. The fun part is the monocle I pull out.

Backyard Science

I think of Woodstock running his Zamboni on his birdbath ice rink. And I did watch a starling skate around on the ice before I managed to do my defrosting chore. It was one puzzled bird.

credit: Pioneer Press
Posted in birds, fall, humor, Nature, Reflections, Seasons and tagged , , ,
02 Nov 2023
1 Comment

My Not So Big Year: A Stellar Bird


As our backyard birding intrigues continue a new player has arrived on the scene, actually one player and two cohorts.

We have been used to our little feathered friends: juncos, chickadees, sparrows, finches, the odd guest of cedar waxwing, and obsequious robin.

Then one day a raucous “shack shack shack” sounded from the front yard. Looking out the window revealed a flash of brilliant blue amongst the leaves. Further inspection showed a bird larger than the usual batch of birdies. I recognized the bird as a stellar jay from my Washington state childhood days.

Seeing one after so many years, and caring more about birds now, I observed how odd the stellar jay is in appearance and mannerisms.

First off, they are quirky. They jump about from branch to rock to feeder to birdbath all with flourish of squawk scattering all the feathered residents to safety.

Clearing the competition

Another aspect is their size. Compared to the diminutive chickadee the stellar jay, with its black top-notched hood, long tail, and considerable wingspan, is reminiscent of a pterodactyl.Sounds like one too.

The way it eats is worth a mention. It’s a gobbler. It snatches up the birdseed as if it is guilty of sneaking from the larder. Not a dainty eater it gulps down the food with head raised, moving quickly to secure the next mouthful.

Multiple these shenanigans with two more stellar jays and it becomes one entertaining circus. It’s especially amusing when these big blues try to clamber on top of the bird feeder. They flap their wings trying to balance and forage. It’s laughable.

Should they stay through the winter they will provide a colorful splash on the snowy landscape.

Not a boring interloper, that’s for sure
Posted in Animals, Nature, Reflections, Uncategorized and tagged , ,

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