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A Couple Titles

Loree(2)
© Ellen Harasimowicz

So. So so so.

Whatcha been up to?

I’ve been busy working on a new book idea. In fact, I put the finishing touches on the first draft of my proposal this morning. And I kinda really love it. Yes, I do. Here’s hoping that my writing peeps do, too. And my collaborator. And my agent. And, eventually, my editor. It’s a book about a certain beetle that has been wreaking havoc and breaking hearts in my neck of the woods. My working title is BEETLE BUSTER. (I’m out in the woods practicing my own beetle busting skills in the picture above.)

I’ve also been thinking about my next-into-the-bookstore book, which will be published by Henry Holt in spring 2012. I’m anticipating notes from my editor soon and hope to be finalizing the text and photo selections in the coming months. This makes me very happy. There is, however, a tiny glitch: the title. As in, I just can’t come up with one! I’ve tried a few thousand possibilities (here’s one), I’ve made lists, I’ve consulted friends, I’ve asked kids in schools and libraries across the state … and, still, nothing. But last night, just before bed, I had an idea. I jotted it down.

And this morning, I still liked it. This is a good sign.

So … some background:

The book is about citizen science, that is, science done by kids and families and school groups and adults who are interested in observing the world around them. Professional scientists need our help on so many projects, and this book explores four of them in (what I hope is) irresistible detail. It needs a great title, something friendly, enticing, memorable, and representative of the projects inside.

So … a possibility:

BIRDING, FROGGING, TAGGING, SPOTTING: A YEAR OF CITIZEN SCIENCE
By Loree Griffin Burns
Photographs by Ellen Harasimowicz
Henry Holt, 2012

Soooooo … what do you think? I’d really like to know.


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Melrose

Do you remember that scene in the Pixar movie The Incredibles when Dash, the superhero son, having just escaped evil villains and near death while trying to save his father, splays his arms wide, throws back his head and screams “That was TOTALLY WICKED!” before falling backwards onto the bed behind him? I have always loved that scene … and I totally lived it last night.

There were no evil villains, of course, or even near-death experiences. In fact, it was a ho-hum Loree sort of evening: I visited a public library to talk with patrons about TRACKING TRASH. (I don’t find this sort of thing ho-hum at all, mind you, but I think Dash and his Incredible family would.)

Anyhow, the library was in Melrose, Massachusetts. I didn’t grow up in Melrose, but my cousins did, and that means I spent lots and lots of time there. Visiting MPL felt a bit like coming home. Even more so when friendly faces from my past began to show up. My oldest and dearest friend in this world was there, along with her son … and they sat with my daughter and smiled at me all night. That was cool.

And then there was Marion, who knew me when I was my daughter’s age. I cannot for the life of me remember Marion, but she remembered me. She brought a Thank You card that I wrote to her thirty years ago (!), and a photograph that nearly brought me to tears. Check it out:

That’s me and my sister on our first day of school many, many years ago. Oh, those outfits! The macramé plant hangers! That little linen purse!

The rest of the crowd were strangers to me, but they were some of the most attentive, interesting, and curious folks I’ve ever met. They participated at every turn, shared observations, made comments, laughed when I attempted being funny and, best of all, hung out after the talk to buy books, chit-chat, and tell me a bit about Melrose today.

Anyway, you may not get the full effect from this little blog post, but my night at Melrose Public Library was spectacular. We got home very late and I tucked my overtired daughter into bed straightaway. But then I looked at that photograph some more (Oh, those lime green curtains!) and thought about the many Saturdays I spent thumbing through magazines at the Melrose Drug Store with my cousins. I thought about old friends and new friends and leaving home and returning home. Eventually I threw out my arms, tilted back my head and screamed “That was TOTALLY WICKED!”

Then I crashed into bed and fell asleep.

True story.

 

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Calling all Spotters


© Ellen Harasimowicz

Bah!

Juggling summertime and working and blogging is proving nearly impossible for me this year. I’m not sure why, but I suspect it has to do with the garden villains foiling my bean beds (rabbits! groundhogs!) and the bushels of zucchini overflowing our kitchen (why don’t the garden villains eat zucchini?). Anyway, I’m putting the rabbits and the groundhogs out of my head this morning so I can update you on the fabulousness that was last Saturday’s Searching for Lost Ladybugs program at Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary in Princeton, Massachusetts.

Longtime readers know that I have written a book on citizen science (coming from Henry Holt in spring 2012) that includes an introduction to the Lost Ladybug Project (LLP), and that this work has turned me into a devoted ladybug hunter. My kids and I conduct regular ladybug surveys around central Massachusetts, and last weekend we welcomed a handful of families into the uber-cool world of ladybugging.

It was insanely hot on Saturday, but eighteen stalwart spotters-to-be showed up anyway. After a brief overview of the ladybug life cycle and the mission of the LLP, we set out for the nearest milkweed meadow with sweep nets on our shoulders and clamshell collection boxes in our hands. In fifty minutes of searching, we found 23 ladybugs representing seven different species. In fact, we found more native species than invasive species, which is quite encouraging. (If you are interested, you can see our data here; look for the photos dated 07/17/2010.)

The highlight of the morning was the collection of a gorgeous ladybug pupa from the field. We put it in a collection box so that we could take a photograph later, but before we did, the adult ladybug emerged. A handful of us got to watch in awe as a brandy-new adult Cycloneda munda crawled out into the world! Check out Her Newness:


© Loree Griffin Burns

It is NOT too late to become a ladybugster yourself, so if any of the above interests you, get yourself over to the LLP website for tips on how to get started. And feel free to leave questions in the comments below.

Happy spotting!

 

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Wondering About Mushrooms

“If I had influence with the good fairy who is supposed to preside over the christening of all children I should ask that her gift to each child in the world be a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life…”

Rachel Carson
A SENSE OF WONDER

I read this essay for the first time today, and it gave me strength. Strength to dig in, to lean harder in the endless tug-of-war between Things To Do and Time to Be Quiet. It also gave me strength to shut down my computer and head out into a cool drizzle for a midday hike.

Ahhhhhhh.

That felt good.

And, as if that weren’t good enough, I found me some mushrooms …

All photos © Loree Griffin Burns

Here’s hoping you found some time to wonder today, too!

 

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July Doings

Milkweed blooming at Wachusett Meadow
© Loree Griffin Burns

I usually take the summer off, but not this year. I’ll be visiting a handful of public libraries to talk about my books, and also running a hands-on introduction to the Lost Ladybug Project at my local Audubon sanctuary. The library events are free and open to the public, and I’ve included a description of the Audubon event, including the associated fees. I hope some of you can join us!

Tuesday, July 6, 2010
6:30 pm
Richards Memorial Library
44 Richards Avenue
Paxton, MA

Thursday, July 8, 2010
10:15 am
Conant Public Library
4 Meetinghouse Hill Road
Sterling, MA

Saturday, July 17, 2010
10:00am-12 noon
Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary
113 Goodnow Road
Princeton, MA

Program Fees:
Adults: $6.00 Members, $8.00 Nonmembers
Children: $3.00 Members, $4 Nonmembers

Program Descrption:
Scientists at The Lost Ladybug Project are searching for rare native ladybug species, and you can help find them. Spend a few hours brushing up on ladybug biology, learning to identify common and rare species, and documenting ladybugs at Wachusett Meadow … then go home and survey the ladybugs living in your backyard. Bring sharp eyes and a digital camera, if you have one.

Thursday, July 22, 2010
7:00 pm
Groton Public Library
99 Main Street
Groton, MA

Wednesday, July 28, 2010
7:00 pm
Melrose Public Library
69 West Emerson Street
Melrose, MA

 

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Scenes from a War Zone

DSC_0141

DSC_0181

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All photos © Loree Griffin Burns

In 2008, a resident of Worcester found some strange looking beetles in her yard … and life in this part of Massachusetts has not been the same since. More than twenty-seven thousand beetle-infested trees have been removed from our landscape, and thousands more are being treated with chemicals to curb movement of the beetle. At risk is the entire northeastern hardwood forest, and scientists and foresters are taking a hard stand here in Worcester. It’s a fascinating story, scary and worrisome and a little bit amazing. After a day of field research last week, I’m realizing this story is different from–harder than–any other I’ve ever written about, because it’s close to home. Very close to home.


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Loree Ann

Oh, my, how I loved this darn inchworm. (Perhaps this was the beginning of my fascination with insects?) I came across this photo while searching for pictures of me when my name was still Loree Ann.

Why was I looking for such pictures?

Because my blippety-blurb has just gone live on the TeachingBooks.Net Author Pronunciation Guide website. That’s right, when kids are online trying to find out how to pronounce Jon Scieszka, Jarrett J. Krosoczka, and Deborah Heiligman … they can now find, um, me. (This cracks me up.)

So, if you’ve always wondered how to pronounce my name, or if you’re wondering what happened to the “Ann” bit, or if you’d just like to giggle at my formal recording voice (do I really sound like that?), surf on over and give a listen!

 

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What A Girl Wants: Nonfiction!

© Loree Griffin Burns

Colleen Mondor has put up a new post in her “What A Girl Wants” series, and it is a Must Read. The question this month is simple: what books of nonfiction do you wish your seventeen-year-old self could have read? There are some new women nonfiction writers on the panel (Tanya Lee Stone! Pamela S. Turner!) and you should check out what they and the other panelists have to say on the topic. Have a pad and pencil handy.

(And when you do, you’ll know why I have decorated this post with that gnarly beetle up there.)

 

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What I’m Up To


© Loree Griffin Burns

1. Not blogging. Clearly.

2. Preparing for a new field adventure, this time with a beetle buster. Details soon.

3. Playing beetle buster at home, in my garden*. They. Will. Not. Win.

4. Slowing life down for the duration of our summer break. This is not as easy as it sounds.

5. Smiling over this.

Hope you’re up to some good stuff, too!

* I took the photograph above in my garden. Lovely looking eggs, no? Sadly, they hatch out maniacal plant-eating potato beetle larvae, so I had no choice but to squish them to bits.