The wildfires devastating much of Canada right now are sending their smoke south, and many areas have been badly affected. The more vulnerable among us must be very careful. Though today is relatively clear, for the past several days, I've had windows closed, the air conditioner in the bedroom running, and fans circulating inside air. The skies were yellow, air thick with smoky haze, and even though the fires themselves were hundreds of miles away, it smelled like they were right in my backyard.

Reblog of my May/June newsletter issue on gazehound.com. The Gray Catbird.

Meet Mr. & Mrs. C., our new Catbird neighbors.

If you find one tick, will there be more? What to do when you find a tick on yourself? Global Lyme Alliance has all of the answers to your tick related questions.

Lyme Disease Awareness Month is a time to get people’s attention. It's a moment each year when we metaphorically shake folks by the shoulders and say,

There is a frenzied feeling to the news coming from the White House these days.

The “Emily Hart” story is absurd. Turns out the self-proclaimed champions of “fake news” were not especially hard to fool.

I miss you, my Whistle Bird. You made a hard choice all those years ago, and although it wasn't the option I'd selected for you at the time, I'm so glad you stayed. And will stay, forever in my heart.

Farewell, sweet Stripes. Fly high above the rainbow with your sister Stars. I'll miss you forever.

Listen now | A constitutional proceeding was interrupted by force. The lie that justified it was later monetized, litigated, and in key ways politically rewarded. How you can help with documentation, ...

Click the image to view your e-card. Wishing you all, human and non, a wonderful Thanksgiving Day. And if you are not in the US, an autumn filled with love, peace, and joy.

In the USA, Thanksgiving is nearly here. Once that holiday is past (and, in some households, even before), people start thinking about Christmas decorations. (Or, at least, those do who celebrate that holiday.)  In homes occupied by pets, that indulgence may require added precautions.

Tulane University News and Press Releases

The Bay Area Lyme Foundation has announced the launch of Bay Area Lyme Ventures, a new impact fund designed to fast-track promising diagnostics and

I was searching in my old Blogger archives this morning, looking for inspiration for this month's newsletter. I actually was searching for something totally different, but happened across the issue I'm quoting below. As I looked at the date, saw the opening lines, my heart nearly stopped. The day after I wrote this ... my mother died.

Sometime in late April, just about every year, people who follow me on Facebook will be greeted by a single-word, all-caps post. HUMMINGBIRD!

Creating characters that readers can relate to is always a fun part of writing. We have so many tools at our disposal to make our heroes and heroines believable. Dialects and regional differences can be a great way to flesh out those characters, and enhance the way they interact with the people around them.