Local Author Releases Freak of Nature, the Third Book in the Nature Station Mystery Series

Kristen Matthews has worked for months to ensure that the Nature Station’s first Eco tour goes off without a hitch. But hauling a busload of nature lovers around the Door County Peninsula in Wisconsin has its stressful, and oftentimes, freakish, moments. Expecting breathtaking views of fall foliage and striking Lake Michigan waters, it’s a shock when one of the passengers ends up having her breath taken away—literally! Longing for placid waters, Kristen and her team spend what should be a relaxing getaway working to uncover which one of the travelers is the killer, before the trip—or another life—comes to an unfortunate end. Travel along with the Nature Station crew, as they explore beautiful, but possibly dangerous, waters.

Powelson is also the author of four books in the award winning Rachel Raccoon and Sammy Skunk Series. These educational books use entertaining storylines, colorful and realistic illustrations, and actual photos taken by Powelson. She is employed as a resource conservationist at the Stark County Soil and Water Conservation District and resides in Princeton with her family.  Ms. Powelson is currently working on Flower Child, the fourth book in the Nature Station Mystery Series.

Books in the Nature Station Mystery Series in the Rachel Raccoon and Sammy Skunk Series may be purchased from several local stores and online retailers.

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Series: Nature Station Mystery Series
Paperback: 280 pages
Publisher: Progressive Rising Phoenix Press, LLC (March 27, 2017)
Language: English
ISBN-13: 978-1-946329-20-2
Price: $12.95

Books available: www.barnesandnoble.com - www.amazon.com - www.progressiverisingphoenix.com

A Great Trip to the Great Lake!

It’s become a tradition in my family to take a short trip during Columbus Day weekend. My daughters have a four day break from school, so it’s the perfect opportunity to escape for a couple of days. We usually head north to Wisconsin, which was the case for this year’s trip. In a mere four hours we reached our destination of Port Washington, which was perfect, since we got a great deal on a room, and it was close to where we wanted to visit.  Other than getting a late start and having to sit in Milwaukee’s Friday evening rush hour traffic for an hour, our drive north went smoothly. We checked into our hotel early that evening and decided to drive a few blocks east to get our first real glimpse of Lake Michigan. 

We drove around the downtown area, checking for possible dinner destinations, and parked near the marina. Though the evening was cool, with the sun was starting to set, we walked around the pristine park-like paths. My daughters were mesmerized by the fishy smell, boats, people fishing off the docks, and of course, Lake Michigan itself.

Saturday was the day we were planning to explore two state parks to the north, which is what we did, despite the rainy weather. Wisconsin needed the rain as much as Illinois did, so I was glad they received some, but I wished the rain could have waited a few hours! I love Lake Michigan, and all of the Great Lakes.  I never grow tired of seeing the vast blue amazing splendor. I jokingly call the lakes “Midwestern Oceans”, since they seem so endless.

The first park we visited was Kohler – Andrae State Park, located near Sheboygan. If you enjoy camping, this would be a great place to pitch your tent. For those staying for the day, there are plenty of natural areas to explore, including a few miles of lakefront beach and associated sand dunes. While it would have been pleasant to visit the lake on a warm and sunny day, like the last time we visited, the threatening gray skies and white-capped, crashing waves were breathtaking. After spending time on the beach, we trekked inland to explore the sand dune trails and saw more spectacular vistas. Of course, we also saw a variety of trees including various evergreen conifers and stunning multi-hued deciduous trees. 

In retrospect, we should have spent the rest of our time hiking in Kohler-Andrae State Park, but instead, we decided to drive farther north to Point Beach State Park, near Two Rivers. This park contains even more miles of lakefront beach, an original Civilian Conservation Corps building, and an authentic light house. However, as we entered the park, the storm decided to really hit. We spent a short time on the beach and became thoroughly soaked in the process. The girls begged to stay longer, but we’d had enough of the cool, windy, wet afternoon. We ran back to the parking lot and navigated the rest of the park from the cozy confines of the van.

The next day was stunningly bright after the previous day’s stormy weather. Even though we drove the interstate all the way home, the scenery was beautiful, almost as if the fall foliage had become more colorful in the short time that had elapsed from our journey north. Even though we were only gone 48 hours, it was enough time to see some gorgeous scenery, spend some time together as a family, and temporarily forget the stress of our daily lives.  However, one of the best things about the trip was watching my young daughters not only enjoy, but get excited about, experiencing the beautiful scenery, despite the stormy weather. That's an important reason why I write Rachel Raccoon and Sammy Skunk books -- to help children and their families learn about nature and enjoy being outdoors. Maybe my next book will be "Rachel and Sammy Visit the Great Lakes"!

 

Leave the Highway

Driving along the interstate highways in Wisconsin on our Columbus Day weekend getaway, I was amazed at how beautiful the trees looked. We had driven on some of these same roads in August, when trees were merely green, and the difference was astounding.

In early October, fall leaves are at their peak in this area and contain a rainbow of colors, including various shades of yellow, gold, orange, rust, brown, green, and red. The bright sunshine shown directly on the pretty leaves, making the contrast between colors even more striking.

Although we noticed beautiful scenery along the major highways, at least more so than on Illinois roads, the scenery along lesser traveled roads was even more spectacular. We left the highway and journeyed toward lovely state parks in Door County and were fascinated by the gorgeous fall landscapes. We enjoyed breathtaking views of Lake Michigan and its sandy beaches, mixed in with colorful trees; we were seeing nature's handiwork at its finest.

A particular favorite view of mine was the white birch tree bark highlighted against the scarlet leaves of maples and the burgundy leaves of ash trees. I snapped photo after photo of the peaceful splendor, in an effort to complete taking photos for my upcoming book, "Rachel and Sammy Learn to Conserve". I kept thinking of how these pictures would have also worked well in "Rachel and Sammy Learn About Trees".

Whether you choose to read "Rachel and Sammy Visit the Prairie", "Rachel and Sammy Visit the Forest", "Rachel and Sammy Learn About Trees", or "Rachel and Sammy Learn to Conserve", I try to capture the true beauty of nature to use for the books' photographs. The photos, in conjunction with realistic illustrations and educational and fun storylines, help readers learn to better observe and appreciate our many natural wonders.

We had a fun weekend of relaxing, eating, swimming, and a little shopping, but it was experiencing the stunning autumn scenery that was my favorite part of our trip. I hope that as leaves continue to change and drop, you can all find a place to relax and enjoy the autumn's magical beauty. It won't be long before the landscape is drab, cold, and bleak, as winter nears.
 

Have Book – Will Travel!

I’ve been working with a local library to set up an event using my book, “Rachel and Sammy Learn About Trees”, as part of the library’s summer reading program. I love the 2013 theme for summer reading, “Have Book – Will Travel”. That theme pretty much summarizes my life. I love books, and I love to travel!
 

Living in the Midwest is wonderful, but I always enjoy traveling to other areas to absorb different landscapes, cultures, and traditions. As I write this, I am headed north to our neighboring state of Wisconsin. It is Columbus Day weekend, so we have a break from work and school. The colors of fall are at their peak, and I’ve been looking forward to this weekend since we returned from our summer vacation. In addition to spectacular fall foliage, we are planning to enjoy Lake Michigan, which is the landlocked Midwesterners' version of the Atlantic or Pacific Oceans. Driving through the pretty and quaint Door County is on our list of things to do. The scenery along this peninsula is amazing, and we will visit state parks along the way.

In addition to doing the normal vacation things like seeing new places, relaxing, spending extra time together, swimming in the pool, shopping, and eating great food, I plan to finish taking photographs for the fourth book in the Rachel Raccoon and Sammy Skunk series, “Rachel and Sammy Learn to Conserve”.

Rachel and Sammy books are intended to be read indoors and then taken outside and used to help young readers learn more about nature, so “Have Book -- Will Travel” is truly a reflection of my life and the books I write.  By reading Rachel and Sammy books, you can visit your backyard or natural area and turn that trip into a grand learning endeavor. Whether you are reading an old favorite book or a brand new one, reading is a great adventure, and the same is true with traveling to different places. If you are unable to travel to far away places, it is easy to get caught up in a great book set in an exotic location, and you can experience the world by reading. You don’t always have to travel far from home to learn something totally new and exciting. A good book will help you see the world with new eyes, no matter where you are!

Fall into Nature!

It was the first day of autumn and a bright and beautiful day.  I was on my way to Forest Park Nature Center, where I was reading "Rachel and Sammy Learn About Trees" and leading a nature walk. After a busy morning of doing household chores and preparing for the program, it was almost a relief to hop into the car and begin the hour long drive.

I headed south in my car and enjoyed the shelter from the brisk and windy day; it felt good to absorb the solar heat. As I drove up the bluff near the small town of Tiskilwa, I noticed the leaves on a few maple trees starting to turn into various shades of red, orange, and gold. In sharp contrast to these earthy colors were the periwinkle-colored asters blooming in the understory.

The sky was a bright blue, and with harvest beginning early this year, several corn fields were picked, allowing for uninterrupted views of the countryside. I drove past several fields that had combines, trucks, tractors, and wagons working away, a sure sign that fall had arrived. Closer to my destination of Peoria, I went by Tanner's Orchard, which was bustling with business. Beautiful mums, pumpkins, and other fall decorations were scattered around, and added to the beauty of the day.

Soon I arrived at the Forest Park Nature Center, and I was treated to more fall splendor!  The prairie plot near the front entrance was ablaze with color and texture, and birds and insects were buzzing around the plants.  The trees were full of seeds, nuts, and fruits, which would make good food for the animals that lived in the area.

I unloaded my crate of book supplies and entered the building. I was excited to have the opportunity to read the new edition of "Rachel and Sammy Learn About Trees" to a group for the first time.  Chock full of information on tree parts, tree products, photosynthesis, and more, this book also contains 41 photos  and 16 realistic illustrations that help teach readers the basics about trees. I had brought several leaf specimens to illustrate the difference between deciduous and coniferous trees, alternate and opposite leaves, and a few others to show children the diversity of leaves. After the reading, we went outdoors to enjoy the fall scenery and hiked along the nature trail, just like Rachel Raccoon, Sammy Skunk, and the other the characters in the book! All in all, it was a great day to Learn About Trees!