Four Sagas Are Now in the Archives!

There was a time when I believed in love, hope and Christmas. I wrote stories about dreams and dreams coming true. I created a character called Purple Monster, and she became the North Pole Ambassador. I also created a character called the Chronicler, who had issues, but faithfully recorded the exploits of our magical heroine and her friends and family in Christmas Monsterland and at the North Pole. Thus came about the PM Sagas, and thus came about this Web site and blog.

A number of the PM Sagas have been placed online for your reading pleasure. I have just added four more:

Crisis at the North Pole, or Yet Another Christmas Story

In this third Saga, SEGWAC malevolently disorients the North Pole crew with a hallucinogenic drug.

 

PM becomes North Pole Ambassador, is kidnapped, and meets Alabaster Eggshell, the Christmas Monster of her dreams.

 

Santa is called before the Un-Christmas Activities Committee by the Purity Plurality.

 

Ho! Ho! Ho! A UFO!: The North Pole is bonked by an alien spacecraft carrying Relicta, the ET IT; and PM and Alabaster get married.

Ducks Make Me Happy!

In the midst of despair, I have turned to ducks to counter my depression. There is Woody, of course, and yesterday he offered great solace. Today, I offer you the American wigeon, the newest entry in the Filming the Feathers series.

American wigeon, Prospect Park, November 6, 2016

American wigeon, Prospect Park, November 6, 2016

I first saw a wigeon in March 2014 on the Reservoir in Central Park. Then on Sunday, after a nature walk in Prospect Park, we came upon a pair of wigeons gorging on duckweed north of the Lake. What joy to watch them. Little did we know of the coming apocalypse!

So enjoy these dabblers. We were amazed at the high-pitched whistle they squeaked when chasing off some American black ducks. The mallards could be tolerated, apparently, but not the black duckies!

This first grouping is of the ice skater in March 2014.

And these are the dabblers from November 2016:

So let's celebrate the duckies before the climate change deniers and the hunters take over the Department of the Interior and these guys become even harder to find!

The Hunter at Bethesda Fountain Returns

The young adult red-tailed hawk seen on Oct. 28 (see Hunting at Bethesda Fountain) was seen flying around Bethesda Fountain on Nov. 5. So more photos, and another video.

A young red-tailed hawk at Bethesda Fountain, Nov. 5, 2016

A young red-tailed hawk at Bethesda Fountain, Nov. 5, 2016

This young red-tailed hawk has a nice red tail, but the amber eyes of a younger hawk. The raptor was first seen going after a squirrel in a tree around 1 p.m., and then seen later around 5 flying around Bethesda Fountain and the Bandshell.