TODAY is the day! My owl book (A Charisma of Owls) is out today! This is the first book which I have made any major effort to promote, and I need to do more. It’s tiring. I know my books won’t sell just because they exist. Sigh. So, I am actually having an event to promote this one. Below is my “ad” for the event. I hope somebody shows up or I will have to eat a lot of cookies!
What’s Happening – BOOK LAUNCH PARTY
for A CHARISMA OF OWLS by Lynn E. Barber
When – Saturday, February 7 at 2 pm
Learn a few things about owls, see beautiful pictures of owls and hear stories about owls, hear Lynn read a few words from her new book, maybe, buy a signed copy of her new book, and most importantly, eat some of Lynn’s cookies
Where – Peace United Church of Christ, 1530 Grand Ave., Schofield (park in back; go to upstairs fellowship hall)
I love to write. I love to write about birds and I love to write rhymes. And that has mostly been the extent of my writing in the past. Although I have never written while being specifically mindful about it, I think of myself as being mindful, although I don’t actually know for sure what that means.
For the past 5 days, I most happily participated in an online free “course” just finished yesterday, the “Mindful Writing Challenge,” that has given me a much better idea about it. In fact, it helped me write paragraphs and whole essays that surprised me. After you sign up for the course, you get a link each day that you can click on whenever you want to listen to that day’s session. Beginning with about five minutes of guided meditation, the formal part of each day’s session only lasts fifteen minutes, but of course one can continue writing long after the online session ends. This course immediately helped me to get away from my constant production of rhymes. I wrote prose about all sorts of topics, not just birds. I am not being paid or rewarded or coerced into writing this, but I definitely recommend Nadia Colburn’s “Mindful Writing Challenge (nadia@nadiacolburn.com) for all writers or would-be writers or people who might want to move from a practice of meditation to writing something.
After the five sessions are all over, there is of course the possibility of paying for additional inexpensive sessions, but I did not feel pressured to do so. I may sign up for more. Whatever I do, this course helped me feel more excited about the process of writing, not just about the outcome of the process.
Of course, the outcome is also important. I refer you to my published books, including the one just published.
A CHARISMA OF OWLS (available now from me, see my “shop” page)
I am currently in a whirlwind of trying to figure out how best to tell the world about my new owl book. I almost forgot that I need to update my blog site!
Drum Roll — my book is scheduled to be published on January 27, 2026, which is 26 days away! It is now possible to order copies from me and from the usual booksellers. Books from me, of course, can be signed and additional notes to the purchaser or an intended recipient can be added. I will have copies of the softbound copies by the publication date, with my hardbound copies probably arriving later. To order from me, you can call me at 682-365-6531, or you can go to my “shop” page and then to my “cart” page. If you have any questions, please call or text me.
Pine Siskins arrived in great numbers in our central Wisconsin yard along with a huge snow we had a few weeks ago, and have mostly stayed around, even when most of the snow melted. Yesterday we received nearly 3 inches and the Siskins were again famished. Some even hopped on my hand to eat seeds today, as a couple of them had done after the last snow. There is something amazing in having a wild bird sit on your hand. Previously I have had Black-capped Chickadees (many years ago in WI) on my hand, and when we lived in AK, Common Redpolls and Steller’s Jays did so. I guess it takes a combination of birds hungry enough to forget to be afraid, and warm enough weather so I can stand to stand motionless outside for long enough for them to find me and my offering.
My box of softbound/paperback books has arrived! I have shipped out a couple and sold a couple in-person, and am open, of course, to taking more orders. I am currently charging $15 each for signed copies, which includes postage. My hardbound books are still being printed, but I assume they will arrive soon, and I am charging $23 each. I realized yesterday when I did a mailing that postage is more than I realized for books, so I expect I will raise the price at some point. Email orders to dalybar@aol.com or call me at 682-365-6531.
I know that woodpeckers eat lots of things, but their visits to our feeders are almost always at the fake or real suet blocks. Somehow I often forget that they like nuts even though I do regularly see Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers at my peanut feeders. Yesterday’s visiting Pileated Woodpecker was one of the first times that I had seen one of these lovely monsters on the peanuts. Before this male came to the feeder, he and another Pileated Woodpecker did a round-and-round-the-trunk dance on our spruce tree.
My New Book is Published — BIRDING TIMES, A LIFE IN RHYMES
Please consider ordering a copy from me (signed, soft or hard cover; email me at dalybar@aol.com to inquire about ordering from me) or order from Amazon.com (also can order eBook there). Also, please let EVERYONE you know know about this book. Thanks!
Today is Polar Bear Day. None in Wisconsin, of course, but I did get to see them in far northern Alaska a couple of times, including during my ABA big year (2008) and when we lived in AK (2014-21). This painting, done a few years ago, is from one of my photos. Happy Polar Bear Day!
My excuse – I was busy, but it’s never to late to celebrate Love Your Pet Day. This holiday was officially February 20 as I was reminded by a friend’s Facebook post, but really, it should be every day. I recently put this painting of our dog Caster on Facebook. Definitely loved.
The plan was to post blog-type posts on a couple of pages of this site, but that apparently doesn’t work. So, below you will notice a whole bunch of “holiday” posts that got moved to this page. Below those posts (before 2025) are prior bird-related posts. I plan to continue to post bird-related posts on this page, probably intermingled with holiday posts every now and then. Birds are the main point of this site, and I will try to be more focused on those.
Book is good; cookies will be also good!
Dave B.