One morning right before New Year’s Eve I was driving to work. The weather was frigid, and the roads were extremely slick. It was even cold inside my car; my driver’s side window was frosted on the inside, and my front windshield was splattered with road salt. Despite my impaired vision, I was still on the lookout for my favorite winter wildlife, bald eagles. I was headed south out of Wyanet and crossing over the Hennepin Canal, one of my preferred eagle sighting areas. Sure enough, I spotted a black and white beauty, soaring straight above my car. I craned my neck and slowed my speed, trying to keep my car on the road, as I gazed as long as I could at this majestic creature. Often times I’ve seen several eagles at one time roosting or flying near this location; however, this time there was only one. Still, it was enough for me. That lone eagle gave me inspiration not only for the day but for the rest of the year. Okay, there were only a couple of days left in 2013, but it got me to thinking about the New Year.
Why would an eagle inspire me? When I was a child it was unheard of to see a bald eagle locally. I saw my first bald eagle in the wild about fourteen years ago. Now I may see several at once during the winter months. I can’t believe how much their numbers have increased in that short of timeframe. We must be doing something right, and that makes me feel more optimistic.
I can’t believe 2014 is here already. I’m not one who enjoys ringing in the New Year. I think the years fly by entirely too quickly, and I’m not enthusiastic about celebrating the end of one. New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day mark the end of a hectic holiday season, and I prefer to stay home and relax. In some regards it’s nice to get back to normal, but I miss all the fun, festivities, and traditions of Christmas. Taking down the Christmas decorations is a bit depressing. Those lovely little twinkle lights and candles make our house look so pretty, and it looks stark when they’re put away for the season.
But once I get past January first and back on a more normal schedule, I reflect on the past year and look ahead to the New Year. I'm continuing to promote my Rachel Raccoon and Sammy Skunk books, but there's something New to add for 2014. Soon my newest work, "When Nature Calls" will be available. It's my first attempt at writing a novel, and I've learned so much from this experience and have had a ball writing and editing it. I hope to continue writing several more cozy mysteries in The Nature Station Mystery Series. 2014 is also chock full of new releases and submissions at the small publishing firm I own and operate with my business partner, Amanda Thrasher. So while I'm sad to have 2013 behind me, and almost the end of January, I'm optimistic about what the future holds and can't wait to announce the release of "When Nature Calls".
