Baby Mourning Doves

The Babies Eating Bird Seed

Earlier this month, I woke up to an exciting surprise.

Two baby mourning doves were peaking in my window.

I wondered if the parents, who like to roost on my fire escape, had dropped them off. : )

It was such a happy moment. How wonderful that the mourning dove I had followed through her single life, into finding a mate, had now hatched two offspring.

I hope she's happy...and I imagine that she's now setting on a new nest of eggs. They do that. It turns out that mourning doves are one of the most prolific birds in the United States.

I love it when good things are abundant.

It Can Be Scary Making Friends

Sometimes It's Scary Making Friends

This illustration is the result of a story that I recently wrote with a wonderful 2nd grade class in Brooklyn. The whale is afraid of sharks and the shark is afraid of whales. Eventually, they realize that they have nothing to fear in each other and become friends.

Doesn't that sound alot like real life?

I used to go to many conferences. I'd get so nervous about all the people. Then I realized that almost everyone else was probably nervous too. So, I decided to treat them with the kindness I'd show a new guest in my home. After starting that, I've rarely been nervous, because now I have the job of making others feeling at ease.

What do you do to feel at ease around new people?

My Happy New Year Has Begun!

She Returned!

This past Wednesday I was at home sick when my mourning dove friend returned to our fire escape garden.

I was so happy to see her that I immediately felt better... reaffirming that a happy mind can improve the way our body feels.  : )

She ate some bird seed, drank a little water...then came over to the window and peaked inside...before she settled down in the corner of the window ledge and fell asleep...as did I in the nearby bed.

Later that day, I investigated what it would take to build a bird house for a mourning dove.  I wanted her to be warm in the winter. Turns out mourning doves like very simple bird houses. So next week, while I'm visiting my family in Kansas, my brother-in-law, Doug, has agreed to cut out the wood for her new house.

And Old Friend and a New One

Today, January 1, I woke up to the New Year...put bird food and clean water out to the sound of chirping sparrows, anxious for me to finish so they could start to eat. I shut the window and counted 14 sparrows. After about 30 minutes, I heard a space age whirring sound as two mourning doves landed on the fire escape.

My mourning dove friend was back with a partner. Looks like the bird house is needed not just for keeping her warm this winter, but also for the continuing expansion of this family.

As I watched the pair, I felt a touch of anxiety...the kind that comes with new responsibility. Then, I reminded myself ... I wished for the mourning dove to return. I set in motion the building of a bird house to keep her warm and dry. I've investigated the food she should eat...I wanted her to have a mate. I've done the research, planning, work and wishing...did all that bring about the appearance of this pair?

Usually our goals and plans aren't answered so quickly, but this was a great reminder that they are answered.

So as I think of my career, as writer and illustrator, maybe it's just a longer road than getting two mourning doves to live outside my window.

A career does take research, planning, work, and wishing...just like having mourning doves outside the window.

My New Year has started off just right.
Hoping that yours has too!

Face Time -- blessing or curse?

Face Time might exist on all the smart phones...I have it through my iPhone.

I have never used it before yesterday, Christmas, when I got a FaceTime call from my niece, Sarah...and all my family gathered around her.

Let's just say for the future...should anyone plan to FaceTime call me...give me a text message 15 minutes in advance so I can prepare.

I spend Christmas in NYC...by myself...doing quiet things...like painting new pictures and sewing on my quilt...nothing that requires make up much less a cute outfit.

We can safely say I wasn't prepared for public viewing. : )

Thank goodness, I'd at least washed my face and brushed my teeth.

The beauty of FaceTime is that I could show my sisters the projects that I'd been working on...and more importantly, I could see everyone. I do love my family. And how wonderful it was to see them in real time.

I remember as a kid...Dick Tracy and his two way viewing wrist watch. The future is now!

Are you ready for your close-up?

The Best Thing About Being an Author - School Visits!

Working with Young Writer.

For the last three weeks, I've been doing a writing / illustrating workshop with 2nd graders at a wonderful school in Brooklyn, NY.

Through Behind the Book, a non-profit organization, I'm able to go and do what I like to do best...work with young people on writing and illustrating their own stories.

Illustrator in Action.

What a great group of students these are! And their teacher...wow! She did work above and beyond what was expected with her students. It paid off big time in how well the students wrote and illustrated their stories, understood structure, setting, characters, conflict, and more.

Because the students did such an incredible job of writing and editing their stories and creating wonderful illustrations, they had time to also write short biographies and draw self portraits.

Handsome Self Portrait

Now, Behind the Book will take all the stories and illustrations and create a book that the students can have in their classroom and school library.

Signing Books for All!

Behind the Book also made sure that every student received their own copy of "Not Afraid of Dogs," which I was very happy to sign for all my new writer friends.

The Muppets are Back!!

Last night, I went to see "Muppet Movie." It was just as wonderful as I had hoped. Filled with the same wonder, humor, kindness, and inspiration as their very first movie, "The Muppet Movie."

The story behind the making of this new Muppet Movie is equally heartwarming.

Listen to the interview on NPR with the movie's writer / producers, Jason Segal and Nick Stoller.

Then give yourself the gift of a movie night.

Here's hoping that one day we all find the Rainbow Connection.

Quentin Blake and the Process of Illustration

Check out this great 10 minute video of beloved illustrator and author Quentin Blake.

Quentin in Action