November 4

It's supposed to be clear and sunny today. It's cold, though. Cold for me, anyway,in the 40s. Supposed to be in the 60's later. I am listening to Roger Faris, the home repair expert from Phinney Ridge, on KUOW about winterizing our homes for the season. I am taking notes and will be spending Saturday tightening up and filling in.

Sunrise is at 6:59, sunset will be at 4:47.

I moved one of the bird feeders and it seems to be attracting a few more birds in the new location, although they are now landing on the bare pole and using it as a resting place before heading to the water to stand in the spray. I have only seen chickadees and sparrows, so far. I put out a finch feeder and a hummingbird feeder. I guess I should be more patient. Right now, there are lots of berries in the bushes to compete with.

I just picked up The Atlantis Code, by Charles Brokaw, and Smells Like Dog, by Suzanne Selfors. Two very different books (one is adult speculative fiction, one is a humorous middle school novel)with similar themes: treasure, maps, danger. I love how that happens. Sometimes, every book I pick up for weeks will have some sort of serendipitous event within. Maybe this could be a new kind of divination tool? Palm reading via text? You hold a book, your palms touch the book, am I reaching too far? Hmmm....

I am looking forward to both of these books: The Atlantis Code is a Da Vinci Code-ish kind of book. Clues to the whereabouts of Atlantis are beginning to show up in archaeologist's digs. The clues, musical instruments, are covered in a written language that leading linguists can't read. The Catholic church is involved in trying to keep the clues and the dig secret, but leaks abound. It's a pretty good story, so far, although I had a hard time getting through the introductions of the characters at the beginning.

Smells Like Dog is written for elementary/middle school so not nearly as full of bullets, sex and blood as Atlantis Code. Funnier, though. I will let you know all about it when I'm done!

There are many birds, now, under the feeder and the bubbler out back is a big hit with the little birds. Lots of ducking and bobbing going on out there.

Atlantis Code is for adults. Forge. Hardcover, 25.99. Smells Like Dog is for ages 8-12. Little Brown. Hardcover, $15.99, available May 2010 (no cover art yet).