Pam Webb

a writer's journey as a reader

Archive for the category “reflections”

29 Oct 2026
4 Comments

Backyard Bystander: A Bully or a Beauty?


A couple of posts back I wrote how the resident red squirrel had chased away all the fox squirrels. Well, all it took was one large foxy squirrel to stand up to red’s territorial suppression and more foxys have arrived, including one adorable baby foxy. He reminds me of a Steiff animal. So cute!!!

Foxy Jr
this guy goes for $50 on Etsy, Jr is available for peanuts

Within the week another former visitor arrived: a Stellar Jay. This one sometimes has a pal accompany him, but mostly he is a loner.

At first he contented himself with birdfeeder gleanings on the ground and then got innovative as he coveted all those yummy seeds and peanuts the littles were enjoying.

Too large to perch on the feeder his attempts to perch were thwarted until he discovered he could cling to the sides and tiptoe around. It was like watching a cross between a mini pterodactyl and a blue ballerina, with the grace of a performing feathered monkey.

Having conquered the front birdfeeders, he now desired my office window feeder, the one dainty chickadees and finches gather at.

Watching JayJay tried to home in on the tiny portal was entertaining as he approached and backed off, flapping away in frustration.

Then one day, as I was reading on my napping bed, I heard a *whump* and there was JayJay in the window feeder, up close and personal chowing down. He filled the entire feeder space! Seeing him so close I could better study his features. That black crest with white eyebrows and soul patch combined with the Prussian blue body feathers makes him one good-looking bird.

Two weeks later JayJay is quite at home and has mastered all the feeders. He is not polished in his table manners. At all. He swishes and sifts through the feeder to find the perfect treat and gobbles down as much as he can, as fast as he can. He has earned the sobriquet of “Vacuum Guts.”

Wasn’t that full two days ago?

The dilemma is whether or not to encourage his visits. Some people consider Stellar Jays pests. Yes, they can be loud. And it is disturbing to learn they snack on bumble bees and hummingbirds. JayJay rarely squawks and arriving in fall he missed bee and hummingbird season. The little birds don’t seem frightened of him, as there are other feeders in the yard they can dine at.

Lively bird forum discussions are filled with suggestions to discourage Stellar Jays and yet, we have grown fond of JayJay. I might feel differently if he is still in residence when the bees and hummingbirds return in spring.

What are your thoughts on Stellar Jays?

Are they bullies or beauties to behold in the backyard?

Posted in birds, humor, Nature, opinion, reflections and tagged ,
23 Oct 2026
6 Comments

Bard Bits: Dear William


I neglected to post my usual Shakespeare thoughts last month. It’s hopeful the following serves as both an apology and a tribute.

Dear William,
Did you have any idea
your words would be read
and reread, go from stage to
screen and be presented in
so many clever ways?
To think you were so worried
about Kit getting all the glory!

Truthfully, I have come to
like Kate after all, yet Juliet–
Romeo is not my ideal. I am
undecided about Hamlet. Being
crazy and acting crazy are two
different things.

Sorry your marriage was so
scrutinized. As for your children–
I can’t imagine the pain. Especially
as there is no continuing heritage.

But your words have stood the test
of time. They are your legacy.
Then again, one William has
been so amazing.

Sincerely,
Just another English Teacher

Photo by Zeynep Merve Ku0131lu0131u00e7 u00c7aku0131r on Pexels.com
Posted in reflections and tagged , , ,
12 Oct 2026
8 Comments

Reader Roundup: September 2026


September. Ah, September. It’s the month of summer ending, fall beginning. Vacation stops, school begins.

For some.

Woman reading beside sleeping cat as school bus passes autumn window
Generated by Jetpack Editor (Transparency note: no real cats were used in the making of this image)

For me? September continues to be my vacation time. As the school bus rolls by the house, and as I pass that packed parking lot at school on my way to the library, I can’t help but reflect on the question put to me when I bumped into a couple of (still) teaching friends:

“Am I living my best life?”

My big grin was answer enough.

Oh, yes. There is something extra special about being a retired teacher when September rolls around.

For one, as the days roll up sooner, I don’t have to fret about missing my quality hammock time since anytime is hammock time in September. Loving those warm mornings reading in the sun and then catching some warmer rays as the afternoon comes along. Book, sun, hammock—it is indeed a very good life.

And here are the top ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ reads of September:

All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot.

The cover is definitely in need of updating

Read the series ages ago, enjoyed the original series, and am learning to like the new PBS adaptation. Throughout all these versions there is a certain tension of how much James is taken advantage of by people, be it stubborn clients, the irascible Siegfried, or other vets, that somehow creates an edge lessening the enjoyment of the story. It seems so unfair because James is so likable. Nevertheless, there are still great tales, whether read, watched, or listened to. This time around I tried out the audiobook with Christopher Timothy (the original Herriot) performing the stories admirably. It was quite the treat.

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

A great cover for a great read

The book was read ages ago and revisited as an audiobook in tribute to Talk Like a Pirate Day on September 19.Frederick Davidson does an admirable reading of Stevenson’s classic tale of adventure, providing appropriate voices to the characters.

Shiver me timbers but it were quite a jollying good listen.

SIDE-NOTE: I decided to go all in and watch various versions of the classic pirate story. Everyone knows the 1950 Disney version, but the 1983 adaptation with Charlton Heston and a young Christian Bale truly captures Stevenson’s tale of treasure and treachery.

I am finding unexpected enjoyment revisiting old favorites through audiobook. I tap into either Libby, which is a free perk from my local library, or use one of my monthly “coin points” through Hoopla, another library perk. I pick up aspects of the story I might have missed when the words are spoken, or rather, performed. The only problem I have is the tendency to doze off while listening, unless I am doing something mindlessly active, like crocheting a hat or working on the latest jigsaw puzzle.

I still can’t cozy up to e-reader versions of books. I used to only tap into audiobooks for my solo car trips, but I am finding they are fairly handy when I just want to hang out in the hammock or snuggle in bed before committing to the day.

Do you have a preference: paper book, audio book, or e-book?

Until next month’s roundup…

Posted in Book Boosters, reflections
10 Oct 2026
5 Comments

Word Nerds: New Words!


Just in!

Here are a few entries that caught my eye:

ELI5: abbreviation. explain like I’m five (used to ask for a straightforward and simple explanation of a complex topic or concept).

padawan: noun. an inexperienced person, particularly one being taught by someone more experienced.

greenhushing:noun. the practice of a company not reporting its sustainability efforts, often in order to avoid scrutiny.

glow-up: noun. a positive transformation, generally in appearance but often also in confidence, social capital, or ability.

How Does a Word Get Into the Dictionary?
According to Dictionary.com a word gets entered into the dictionary after there is evidence that it has been in use for some time by lots of people. Thus, a word “suddenly” found in the dictionary may not be a newly coined word, being one that has found its way into everyday use already.

Check out the entries here. What words did you discover?

Posted in reflections and tagged , , ,
30 Sep 2026
2 Comments

Jane Eyre(s) Her Importance in China


I’m very wary of China in many ways, and yet I might have to award a slight nod to their recognition of the importance of Charlotte Bronte’s classic novel Jane Eyre.

Book cover reading Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, featuring a woman before a Gothic house
Jetpack Image Editor

According to a recent New York Times article, Jane Eyre is now required reading for teens. Why a story about a feisty, impoverished Victorian woman would qualify as a Chinese curriculum must is surprising. Apparently this British classic has long captured the interest of Chinese readers for many years, and had been recommended reading for schoolchildren, yet it is now required reading for ninth graders. 

Jane Eyre is definitely a favorite of mine, and I included it in my Senior AP Literature curriculum. Most students embraced it, guys included, although I had one male student who exuded such dislike for it, not even willing to give it a try, that parental conferencing took place.

Onward.

Quick summary:
Jane Eyre is an orphan in 1800s England. Her aunt has agreed to raise her but treats her badly. Jane is sent away to school, receives an education, and sets out to earn her way in life as a governess. She becomes the employee of Rochester, a cynical man with deep secrets. Strangely attracted to each other yet separated by their social status, Jane and Rochester have many impediments to overcome, including a tragic secret that Rochester hides from the world.

Why this plot intrigues Chinese readers intrigues me. Since its publication Bronte’s novel has been translated many times, especially as stage and screen adaptations. In 1925, a Chinese translation hit the shelves, finding its way into the hands of the general population.

But why require 13 or 14 year olds to read about Jane and her epic journey. While Campbell might disagree with me, I believe Jane’s journey from bullied orphan to independent, wealthy woman is indeed epic. She has much to overcome and with the help of mentors and relying on her own resources she succeeds in vanquishing those elements that nearly did her in. Jane is quite amazing.

Ping Zhu, a literature professor at the University of California, San Diego, known for researching Chinese feminism (is that even possible?) and literature, believes Jane Eyre complements the Chinese government’s vision of women’s equality in that it promotes how a woman can be independent yet exemplify the traditional gender role found in the traditional heterosexual nuclear family. That makes sense. Jane has no family, and her initial prospects of marriage are not favorable, being plain and poor, and even when given the opportunity to be loved by Rochester she spurns his suggestion to be his mistress due to his unfortunate marriage to an insane woman. She ends up independently wealthy and marries Rochester once he is no longer attached to his wife. She even has a child.

Chinese moral (seems to be): You can be an independent woman, be a wife, and be a mother. Not sure about the wealthy bit, how that fits in.

One reason Jane Eyre is being promoted in schools at the impressionable age of 14 is that there is a decline in the general population and China wants women to get married and have children. If Jane can do so, then Chinese female readers should be so encouraged.

Whatever the reason, JE is a great read and I miss teaching it.

I am tempted to write my own version of Jane Eyre, but then, when it has been done so well why try to duplicate?

Posted in reflections and tagged , , , ,
28 Sep 2026
7 Comments

Backyard Bystander: Fall Insects Really Bug Me


“Shut the door! Shut the door!” became the ongoing admonition for two weeks.

I’m talking about Load of the Flies.

Parody book cover reading “Load of the Flies,” featuring stranded children, flies, and a pile of rubbish.
Jetpack Image Editor

For some reason a load of those tiny black flies descended upon our house to the point where we banned the use of our door leading to the garage since flies hung out there like delinquents waiting to stir up mischief. They would zip in and loop-the-loop through the rooms, pester us while we quietly sat down to meals, and flitted around windows. The extra fly strips helped but did not deter them.

They would coat the south-facing walls outside, sunbathing, which was their privilege. That is, until I would sit down and try to read a book. They all wanted to hang out with me then. That did not do. Not at all.

Wondering what might have brought on this particular buggy problem, we realized the nearby county fair had recently ended. Supposition: the flies were homeless without the animals and our house seemed handy enough.

I do not like flies. Do not. Do not. Do not.

Once the night temps dropped to the mid thirties the flies packed up and left. However, the onslaught of bark beetles began.

I dislike almost as much as bark beetles. While these beetles have no bite and rarely make a sound (unless trying to land in one’s hair–ewickch), they are still incredibly annoying.

Three children looking through a window surrounded by swarming insects
Okay, a slight exaggeration. (Jetpack Image Editor)

We were unaccustomed to these critters until we moved to the Inland Northwest. Our first house lay in twelve acres of a pine forest and these insects revel in chewing up the bark of said trees. Granted, we landed in the middle of their feasting ground, but they absolutely freaked out my kids. They called them dinosaur bugs and would not venture outside. Here they had scads of forestry playground before them and cowered inside afraid that dinosaur bugs would get them. They did finally get over their fear, although they harbored a resentment towards them. Always. Especially when discovered at the bottom of the glass of milk just finished–ewickch.

Cutting these bugs some lack, they are only harmful to trees (as far as I know); however, they earn their nickname of “stink bug” with good reason. When threatened they raise a pungent smell that lingers. So, squashing them is not advised. They also get into everything: cupboards, drawers, boxes. And milk glasses. Often they are not found until after they are dead. Desiccated little critters that faintly reek. Really not pleasant. Especially discovering one afterwards. At the bottom of your glass. Ewickch.

I’m told they are trying to find a cozy place to live as it gets colder. I’m hoping for they will succumb to the season’s first frost.

It almost makes me thankful for winter. Almost.

Anyone else dealing with autumn’s deluge of insects?

Posted in reflections and tagged , , , , , ,
22 Sep 2026
8 Comments

Falling into Autumn


What? Today is the equinox? Difficult to believe since I spent yesterday hanging out in the backyard basking in 76 degrees. Then again, the front yard is depositing its first layer of leaves and the burning bush is glowing red. Yes, fall has arrived once again.

Fall in my region is a dichotomy of indecision. Mornings require a quick warmup with the heater and a spritz of air conditioner by noon. By evening the decision to have the fuzzy blanket nearby is made since nights plunge down to the forties.

Cold, hot, cold run the days until early October then its preparation for winter, which runs cold all the time.

Today, though, I will celebrate the last bits of summer with a nod to fall by sharing Emily Dickinson’s “Autumn.”

Autumn
The morns are meeker than they were,
The nuts are getting brown;
The berry’s cheek is plumper,
The rose is out of town.

The maple wears a gayer scarf,
The field a scarlet gown.
Lest I should be old-fashioned,
I’ll put a trinket on.

Instead of a trinket I will lounge out back in the hammock with another book.

Happy fall!

Posted in celebrations, fall, humor, Literature, poems, reflections and tagged , , , , ,
19 Sep 2026
15 Comments

Aargh: Talking as Pirates


The National Calendar says it is Talk Like a Pirate Day on September 19th.

Even before Jack Sparrow and his crew, pirates held sway with many a landlubber, pirates have captured audience appeal through books, film, and even an operetta.

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson introduced the world to the conundrum of a likable rogue through Long John Silver.

A host of pirate films hit the silver screen starting in the 1900s with Douglas Fairbanks as the memorable swashbuckling Black Pirate, which set the standard for action-adventure for films to come.

Avast me hearties, there was clamoring for more pirates, so MGM delivered their version of Treasure Island in 1934, starring Lionel Barrymore, Jackie Cooper, and Wallace Berry. Its black and white production produced a thrill for audiences and is a faithful adaptation of Stevenson’s classic, becoming a classic itself.

All sorts of pirate movies sailed through cinema after TI, ranging from Seahawk with Errol Flynn, who added romance to his adventures sailing on to Disney’s contribution to Long John Silver (this version probably started that distinctive pirate diction).

Then there the films that feature the British Navy battling pirates such as Gregory Peck in the 1950’s Horatio Hornblower. Even Davy Crockett dabbled with pirates on the Mississippi River. Lest we not forget Julius Caesar had his own adventure with Mediterranean pirates.

There were also cinematic women pirates. And lots of Hollywood stars got the pirate itch: Yul Brynner, Ricardo Montalban, Rod Taylor, Frank Sinatra, Kirk Douglas, Tommy Lee Jones, Robert Duvall, Dustin Hoffman, Geena Davis, even the Muppets, and that barely tickles the barrel of pirate wannabes. It’s as if having at least one pirate films on the resume was a requirement for Hollywood acceptance.

I’m not forgetting Pirates of the Caribbean, but those films have received their due contribution and consideration.

How about revisiting Gilbert and Sullivan’s 1879 comic opera, The Pirates of Penzance? This is definitely an early, early introduction to pirates being likable, and even entertaining. Did you catch the film version with Kevin Kline (spoiler: this clip is the bang up finale) and Linda Ronstadt?

Of course, real pirates were bloodthirsty, morally bankrupt lot. My pirate book says so.

But we still celebrate pirates. We still read the books (like Mike Allegra’s wonderful Pirates and Penguins). We still watch the films and we still Talk Like a Pirate. Even my mother was a pirate for a short time (but that’s a different story).

Shiver me timbers, beware of false doubloons and all that sort of stuff on this piratey day.

Question: What is the appeal of pirates? Hey, Mike Allegra–if you are out there this is your opportunity to make a public appearance and promote your pirate books…

Posted in reflections and tagged , , , , , , , ,
02 Sep 2026
5 Comments

Reader Roundup: July/August


Once August ends summer ends. At least that what it feels like in my part of the world. A week ago Saturday, the last day of the county fair, I sat in the library booth, sweltering with 92 degree weather. The next day the temperature registered 65 degrees, and our pastor announced to the congregation: “Welcome to fall.” The weather remains gently warm since that Saturday.

Despite the temperature change, and no matter that school is ramping up to start, I am still clinging on to that summer feeling since I don’t have to go back to school (reflecting on Alice Cooper lyrics). Instead, I can keep hanging out in my hammock, as long as the weather holds, and soak up the sun while immersing myself in some good/great reads.

I didn’t realize there was a Summer Reading Challenge besides the one Goodreads puts out, until I came across the 746books post about reading 20 books over the summer. I decided to go through my Goodreads book list to see if I had read at least that many. Umm, I read 60 books. This is almost embarrassing.

Anyway–

Not wanting to deluge you with my summer reading list, here are my top reads from July and August:

Sniper: a YA Survival Thriller About Danger and Mystery at a Wildlife Preserve by Theodore Taylor

This arrived as a donation to the library and while the cover and title didn’t entice me, I remembered reading Taylor’s The Cay and was impressed with his story of Philip, a boy who is marooned with Timothy, a West Indian. Taylor’s story is once again about a young teen who is placed in a difficult survival situation where he has to rely on others than his own culture in order to survive. A sensitive and thrilling novel that I enjoyed while hanging out at the beach.

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower

I have been rereading the Emma Lion journal series by Beth Brower via the audiobook. This makes for the third time enjoying the exploits of Emma as she comes into her majority as an orphan in Victorian times. She is a plucky heroine, bordering on shockingly sassy, as she survives crochety aunts, irascible cousins, balances her budget, as she navigates friendships and a blossoming romance. Brower is adept at humorous dialogue, witty repartee, while presenting subtle satire on social manners. This is Jane Austen with minimal restraint.

The Outside Boy by Jeanine Cummins

Christy is a traveller, an Irish pavee. The life of the open road, of having no settled roots is the only life he’s known. Yet, he questions about his mother’s death. He feels that the story she died in childbirth doesn’t ring true and he wants answers.

Pirates by Terry Deary

A slim little handbook that dispels the myth that pirates were Disneyfied. Entertaining illustrations to boot.

Bumblebee Season by Eileen Garvin

In this sequel to her first book, The Music of Bees, Garvin tackles heavy issues while juggling three character stories, and does so with aplomb. I’ve a penchant for bee books. Hmm, maybe a need to do a bee book review post…

Hawthorne and Horowitz: #6 A Deadly Episode by Anthony Horowitz

The sixth installment of H and H receives a reluctant five star rating, going from a three (the initial mystery of the murdered prima donna actor—rather cliche), to the Foss Hall murder becoming a four (much more interesting and more like a Susan Ryeland setup), and the denouement pub scene sliding the rating up to five due to the Horowitz clever factor kicking in.

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

A third rereading for the library book club, and it was still enjoyable. Count Rostov’s house arrest in the posh Russian hotel reads like a fairy tale in many ways. He suffers, yet also has many privileges compared to those living outside the walls of the hotel. The DVD series captures the heart of the story and Ewan McGregor’s version of the count is charming.

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

The first go round didn’t go well. Not wanting to read a book that contained the musings (rants) of an old woman, the book found its way back to the library.

Months later, this book kept popping up as a must read, and due to the sincere encouragement of a friend the book was requested. Being put on a hold list with 21 other patrons secured the pressing concern that it had to be that good to have to wait so long.

It was.

Tuck Everlasting: The Graphic Novel by Natalie Babbit; illustrator/designer K. Woodman-Maynard

A fine tribute to Natalie Babbitt’s enduring tale of the Tucks. A story that continues to impact readers generation after generation.

Woodman-Maynard’s graphic novel captures the essence of the story both visually and textually, adding in her own insights without diminishing Babbitt’s.

It’s raining as I complete this post and rain is forecasted for the next week. The upside to this inglorious conclusion to summer weather fun is that the rain is welcome due to all the fires in our area. Another upside to a rainy day is how it simply invites a person to grab some cocoa and cozy into my chair and fall into a good read.

Any summer reads to share?

Posted in reflections and tagged , , , , , , , ,
29 Aug 2026
15 Comments

Backyard Bystander: A Squirrely Dilemma


Oh, those squirrels. I have a grudging appreciation for them since they are fairly entertaining and liven up our window side theatre.

Once I learned how to (mostly) thwart their attempts to raid our bird feeders we settled into an amicable relationship: we provide peanuts and they provide a show.

That is, until recently.

Our primary squirrel residents are fox squirrels, the large ones with gray coats and orange tummies. They are curious, personable, and definitely comical. For over 20+ years they were constant in our yard. We even had one squirrel, Syringa, who would come bounding up to us and sit on our leg while she cracked open peanuts. She would never allow us to pet her though. She lasted a couple of seasons, as a squirrel’s life is a short one, unfortunately.

Syringa would hang out with us. On hot days she resorted to “splooting” — stretching out on the cool concrete patio

In the last couple of years our squirrel population increased with the addition of a couple of red squirrels.

These are odd little critters. Tiny, just a bit bigger than a chipmunk, about half the size of a fox squirrel, these little guys are frenetic compared to their foxy cousins. They zip and dash about gathering up seeds and nuts, burying with the determination of a terrier hiding bones in the backyard. They resemble little terriers as well, the way they bound about with purpose. They are not personable. They are caffeinated. They rarely stay in one place long enough to be watchable. Their main purpose in life to claim as much food as possible and as quickly as possible.

They have also chased away all our fox squirrels. I wondered what happened to them, thinking it strange how we went from several cavorting around the yard to none.

It became clear to me one day as I glanced out the window. I spied JB (short for Jitter Bug), the alpha red squirrel, suddenly zip out from the day lilies and take on a juvenile fox squirrel, who, though young, was twice the size of JB.

JB tussled with that foxy intruder (an interloper in his mind) like a tiny tornado. Foxy, being a squirrel, being food-motivated, did not give up, and kept attempting a raid on the birdfeeder gleanings. Although after the third time of being trounced soundly by JB he is gone.

I did spy a couple of fox squirrels crossing the driveway, migrating to our neighbor’s yard. I see them frolicking together, living the squirrel dream.

We are now a one-squirrel yard. We have reluctantly accepted the fact we harbor a bully squirrel. This presents a problem, as we like our backyard to be a haven for wildlife, with the idea that feathers and fur can safely come and go in peace.

JB is not interested in that agenda.

What does one do with a bully squirrel?

I am quite open to suggestions.

Posted in reflections and tagged , , , , , , ,

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