Take Time to Enjoy the Turkeys!

Oftentimes life gets hectic, and the past couple of weeks were busier than usual. One daughter had the stomach flu for several days and another daughter had a cold, and we were ready for Spring Break, when morning and bedtime routines wouldn't be so rushed. It was the last day of school before break, and my daughter with the cold woke up with a leg ache too. Though she's prone to achy legs, she's never had a leg ache first thing in the morning, so this news was unexpected and unwelcome. I plugged in the heating pad, gave her some medicine, and hoped that she'd soon feel better.

Finally, her ache started to decrease, and I helped her finish getting ready for school but got myself behind in the process. I hurriedly dropped the girls off at school and ran home to eat a quick breakfast before dashing out the door myself, for a program at my older daughter's school. However, our dog decided that she didn't want to stay in our house, where we were having some work done, and the air hammer was disturbing her.  Patches bolted out the back door without a leash, hopped into my car, and would not budge. I carried her to the backdoor and tried to ignore the resulting dog hair and smell clinging to me.

Despite all that, the presentation for my daughter's class went well, though I arrived a few minutes late. I was finally on my way to work and driving along a county road known for its hills and wildlife. I usually look for deer on this road, but on that crazy day, a large, wild turkey scooted across the road in front of my car. Luckily, the awkward looking turkey was amazingly fast on its feet and made it to safety across without any problems.  I started to laugh at the morning's events and relaxed a little. Seeing the wild turkey was a rare treat, despite the surprise of it flitting in front of my moving car.

During this already busy week, another major thing happened; Rachel and Sammy Learn to Conserve was released!  Even though this is the fourth book in the Rachel Raccoon and Sammy Skunk Series, it's still very exciting to have a new book published. This book contains beautiful and realistic illustrations, colorful photographs, and cute animal characters.  Rachel, Sammy, and their classmates will teach children about native plants, trees, recycling, wildlife habitats, energy, soil, and water conservation, and much more! Hopefully after reading this book, readers will appreciate the everyday wonders of nature, such as a glimpse of a turkey trotting across the road, while traveling on one of life's journeys.

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.
 

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!