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In just a couple of days we commemorate the legacy of the brave soldiers and the tragic events of World War 1 that occurred one hundred years ago. A beautiful selection of ANZAC books for children have been reviewed by Dimity here, but here’s a few more that certainly captured my heart with their touching […]

Have been up since 5 o’clock this morning, having struggled out of bed to attend the ANZAC day dawn service on the hill behind my house. Worth the struggle, to spend the time reflecting on what the brave soldiers from our past (and present) have done. Back at home, my beloved cooked me bacon and eggs and we spent a lazy couple of hours before it was my turn to cook and I whipped up a batch of

From here on out, I'm going to call my current MG story George. 

Have I mentioned that George has loons in it?  No, no, not looney stuff in it, but loons:





And it's strange, but before I started this manuscript, no one ever really talked about the loons.  We have a nesting pair on our lake every year.  Few people get excited over them as I do . . . although they love to hear the call of the loon at night.

In the past week though, three people have mentioned them to me!  One couple discussed the fact that the loons have not successfully had a nesting season since the eagles made our lake their home.  Another very nice couple from a neighboring, busy lake timidly expressed their dislike for the loons.  It seems their kids are afraid of the loon dance, and because the loons nest so closely to their property, the loons dance a lot while the kids are swimming.



"But a loon would never hurt them," I said.

The very nice Mom smiled ruefully.  "I know that, but try telling your seven year old who's treading water after having fallen off her water skis and has just seen the loon dive.  Talk about panic!  And don't even get me started on how they pop up out of nowhere between the boat and the skier . . ."

She had a point.  And this was a different perspective for me, coming from a quiet-no-motors-allowed lake.  Which is fabulous for my book . . . I can use it!   This element came at the perfect moment in time. 

Yesterday, Cookie and I discovered a sad, sad sight on my little beach. One that will be with me for a long time.  A dead loon. 

We aren't sure how it died.  There seemed no sign of man made trouble . . . no six pack ring around its neck or feet .  . . no shots I could see (it's duck season).  It's possible the eagles got him, but their taking a full grown loon is rare I think.  And to leave it on the beach pretty much intact doesn't make sense either.

I do have to say, I've never been so close to one before.  It was interesting to see their thin webbed feet.  And their beak.  And the sheer size of one.

It made me very sad .  . . and is perhaps another element I can use in the book somehow.