There is a deep and ancient wisdom held by the trees, wilderness and nature. Quiet your mind and be attentive for the voice you can only feel. Peace and answers await in the stillness.
“Close your eyes so the heart may become your eye,
and with that vision look upon another world.”
“A Moment in Time” by John Kolenberg, available on Fine Art America.com
“There is a voice that does not use words. Listen.”
— Rumi
Just a quick update. As you read this, Amazon helpers are working feverishly, fueled by gallons of coffee, hot chocolate and sugar cookies, to get “The Adventures of Little Red Bear” short stories collection set to go for you.
They are busily copying, pasting and stitching together the final formats and links for the Kindle and Print versions, and trimming the seams. One of the bird images apparently slipped out of the print version last night and caused a heck of a mess flying about, but has been put back in place without further incident, thank goodness. Word is a lot of duct tape, Elmer’s glue and staples were involved overnight working to get the two formats put together. As I understand it, the staples are mostly for the various links involved, but might be wrong. I’m not really very technical.
Please stay tuned. We’re almost there. Red has been so excited the past few days he couldn’t sit down and alternated between pacing and paddling around the lake, eventually plopping down for a nap, worn out. It’s best really. Patience and bears frequently tend to travel on different roads.
So please stay tuned. As soon as the Amazon techies finish their work and we get the official okie-dokie, we will have release information and more details to share. We are so close!
Thanks as always for visiting! — Jim (and Red!)
A quick bit of news to share this morning– Red and I just placed an order for a final proof copy for the print book version of his short story collection “The Adventures of Little Red Bear!” Hip-Huzzah!
We’re getting very close to the release and everyone is starting to get excited here. Well, maybe not the weasels, but they have their own issues.
So, please stay tuned for more updates soon. As the farmer’s cat said when it got its tail caught in the fan– “It won’t be long now!” — Jim (and Red!)
Found on Pinterest via National Geographic, uncredited
Wishing everyone a very Happy and Safe Memorial Day weekend!
If heading to the beach, inland waterways, or anywhere out with nature and wildlife, please remember this is nesting and babies season. Please teach the kids to keep a respectful distance for their own and the wildlife’s safety not to damage any nests, eggs or babies. When we are out on the beach, in the woods or on the rivers and streams, we are really guests and visitors in someone else’s home. Here is a link to a great article and advice from the American Bird Conservancy→ Fish, Swim and Play From 50 Yards Away
For more information, please visit the National Audubon Society→ Sharing Our Seas & Shores
Image via National Wildlife Federation, by Jim Gray
Hope everyone has a chance to have a picnic, go hiking or biking, play softball, go fishing, splash in the surf, go boating or swimming this weekend and enjoy the great outdoors, fresh air, exercise and the start of the summer season! Remember to bring the sunscreen. Stay safe and please keep an eye out for rip currents, pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcycles!
And please pause for a moment to reflect on the real meaning of the weekend.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_memorialday.html#lqIY9pTKYCMBMxPw.99
“Memorial Day this year is especially important as we are reminded almost daily of the great sacrifices that the men and women of the Armed Services make to defend our way of life.”– Robin Hayes
Little Red Bear always reminds– “Remember when visiting in Mother Nature’s home, leave nothing behind but footprints, take nothing away but memories, and kill nothing but time.”
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_memorialday.html#lqIY9pTKYCMBMxPw
Have a wonderful weekend and visit back next week for an important update on “The Adventures of Little Red Bear” short stories collection. Hint- it’s coming very soon! — Jim (and Red!)
Little Blue Heron Family, Paul Fernandez Photography
Today is “Endangered Species Day”, a day set aside by Congress to bring awareness and attention to the plight of endangered, fragile and threatened species. Folks of all ages can and are encouraged to learn more about the importance of protecting imperiled species and what they can do through their own actions to help.
For more information and links, please visit The Endangered Species Site.
Here are two other links for great information–
From the Park Advocate Site — Nine Endangered National Park Animals.
Black-footed Ferret in a Colorado conservation center. Photo by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
From the wonderful folks at BirdNote, a discussion of Piping Plovers and Golden-cheeked Warblers– BirdNote.
Golden-cheeked Warbler, via BirdNote, photo by Greg Lavaty
Please learn more and contact your elected representatives to help support the wildlife and plants struggling so hard to survive faced with oppressive habitat loss, climate change, illegal poaching and other dangers. And please get the children involved, as it is their future we are talking about, as well.
Thanks as always for stopping by! — Jim (and Red!)
Welcome to “Springtime in the Ozarks Mountain Country”, Little Red Bear’s newest video and book trailer for the soon to be released “Adventures of Little Red Bear” short stories collection!
With his first collection of short story adventures to be released very soon, Red couldn’t wait to show everyone springtime in his neck of the woods and all that is going on around. As Creative Director on the video projects, Little Red Bear wanted it to be filled only with beautiful images and music for you, but our esteemed attorney, Brooks the Badger, insisted that he include a few promo texts for the upcoming book as well. They finally agreed on just a couple.
If you enjoy Red’s video, please feel free to share and pass along to friends and family, and consider giving him a “Thumbs Up!” like on youtube. It really makes his day as he watches the numbers go up and gets him out working on the next one even sooner.
Big bear hugs and thank you’s to fellow birder Adele Barger Wilson, author of “Bonding With the Barn Swallows” for permitting us to use some of her images, and to the Missouri Wildflower Guide for making their images available for use.
Hope you enjoy it. Thanks for visiting! — Jim (and Red!)
James Milson - The Writing Pages 