Thank you Marilyn and Gerry PDF

THANK YOU & HAPPY NEW YEAR! Dear Marilyn and Gerry, Thank you both so much for the kind and generous Christmas and birthday gifts! Last year, I used the money to get myself a wonderful new camera with a high-powered zoom (a Canon Powershot), and I’ve taken literally hundreds of nature and wildlife photos with it ever since. I use it almost every day, and love it! As you can see from the flowers above, there’s a lot of beauty around Wilmington, even in the middle of winter. That photo was taken on Christmas morning, when Tim and I took Bella for a walk at Greenfield Lake Park, which is only a 5-minute drive from our house. Right at the parking area, there were several Azalea bushes blooming, so I couldn’t resist taking a shot. A five-mile path that goes around the lake, making it a delightful place to take a stroll (with or without the dog) and see all kinds of plants and animals. I’ve even seen alligators there! Tree-size Camellias bloom all throughout the winter here too, like this one from earlier in January that was just covered in blossoms.



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And then there are 5 the raptors, such as Above: Osprey with fish (taken with older, lower-quality camera). the Ospreys and Red-tailed Hawks, who are also large and easily spotted. Often the best time to photograph raptors is when they’re sitting still having a meal. As a vegan, it’s gruesome for me to look at that…though it makes me grateful I’m not a carnivore! Below: Red-Tailed Hawk with squirrel (?) breakfast, taken with new camera Jan. 9, 2019.

6 I also use the new camera to photograph wildlife around the house. I don’t know if Tim has told you, but there’s practically a nature show every day in the backyard! We sit at the kitchen table and look out the window, and it’s better than any show on Animal Planet. We have feeders with suet and bird seed, and provide water for the birds (and squirrels) as well. Clockwise beginning from upper left: Pine Warbler 1/17/19; Downy Woodpecker 11/8/18; Starlings 11/10/18; Mourning Dove drinking 4/22/18; and Carolina Wren 11/1/18.

And more backyard birds (clockwise from upper left): House Finch (male) 4/23/18; 7 Red-bellied Woodpecker 11/22/18, Brown Thrasher 11/1/18, and White-Winged Dove (an “accidental” from the Southwest) 1/16/19.

8 Here’s a beautiful pair of White- Throated Sparrows on the back fence. This photo was taken in April, but they’ve been here all fall and winter. And below is my favorite Squirrel friend, “Bobtail.” I don’t know how she lost most of her tail, but she seems to be doing just fine these days. She used to lack confidence, but now she’s acting bolder and not getting bossed around by the other squirrels. I’m always happy to see her when she comes to the yard.

9 Other than birds and squirrels, one of the most common animals we see around the yard are the lizards known as Anole. These are the same handsome green guys I used to play with as a child when I lived in Florida. This one was lounging on top of our chain link fence and did a nice pose for me! This past fall, one Anole managed to find his way into the house — imagine my shock when I saw him on the kitchen window blinds! But I quickly regained my composure and easily captured him with a plastic cup. After taking his photo, I relocated him outdoors. Our old cat Teddie loves nothing more than lying outside on the back deck on her favorite chaise. As you can see, she is oblivious to squirrels (as well as birds). The squirrels don’t know that Teddie’s hunting days are far behind her, so they're still a bit nervous in her presence — though it doesn’t stop them from coming to the deck for food or water. By the way, that tree is the one we lost in the hurricane.

10 Unlike Teddie, Bella is still rambunctious and always ready to go out to walk or to play. She especially loves water, so a day at the beach is one of her very favorite activities. And boy does she need a good bath after that!

11 All in all, things are great! I am working a numerous writing projects, mostly plays, and it’s fulfilling whenever one of them gets staged. Last spring I was a finalist in a short play festival called PlaySlam (in nearby Cary, North Carolina), and I got to direct for the first time. The event was sold out, and it was amazing to hear the entire audience roar with laughter as the actors said the lines of my comedic play. I also had a longer one-act staged here in Wilmington; it was a serious drama and received favorable reviews in the local papers. My goal is to write more plays that will be staged in bigger theaters to wider audiences. It’s hard work, but also super satisfying. Waiting for the theatre to fill in Cary, NC In order to start generating an income again, I’ve taken on online clients doing writing- based work. I’ve completed a handful of one- time jobs (writing an article about veganism, writing an original parable for a finance company, and a few other less interesting projects). Right now I have two ongoing clients — Shawna, a small-business owner in California (I edit the company blog) and Joe, an aspiring writer in New Mexico who needs feedback and advice. Between these two, I have steady income, which means I don’t have to spend time constantly looking for new jobs. Plus, both clients are sweet and I love interacting with them! Of course, it’s not always easy for Tim and I to be apart. On the other hand, it makes us appreciate our time together in ways we never did before. As you may have heard, on his last trip here we went to legendary Cameron Indoor Stadium to watch the Duke Blue Devils play Syracuse. It was a dream- come-true for me to see famous Coach K and to experience the exciting basketball environment. ←Here we are in Durham before the game.



13 Luckily, the weather here is nice enough to walk outside year round. On his last visit, Tim suggested we get up early to see the sun rise over the ocean. So we headed to the beach and watched as the sun poked its way past the horizon. Here’s a photo of that sunrise and the gentle waves that were breaking on shore that morning. On an earlier visit, we took a birding tour on the other end of this same beach, where hundreds of migrating seabirds nest and raise their young. I’ll end with two photos of Black Skimmers — the strikingly colored adults and their homely, sand-colored chicks. These were taken with the old camera, so the quality is only fair. I can’t wait until the next breeding season when I’ll go back, this time with the new binoculars and new camera, and capture another generation of these amazing birds. So that about sums up life in Wilmington lately. I look forward to seeing you both when I’m back in New England — probably in May. And I again want to thank you for the kind gifts and want you to know that they’re bringing much joy to my life! Much love you to both! Elizabeth