A GREAT READ FOR ALL YOU BIRDERS – AND EVERYONE ELSE

Thanks to my temporary library card, I have devoured 20+ books here in Hood River.  For FREE!  I’m now current on the entire Alexander McCall Smith series (No. #1 Ladies Detective Agency), read most of Fannie Flagg’s novels, and several more of Anita Shreve’s.  Even Odel got in the act, checking out Robert Parker’s Spenser mysteries to read during the slow weekday shifts in the visitor center. 

While Odel was in Memphis and I was lonely, I checked out CD audio books to enjoy when I wanted to hear a human voice saying something intelligent and entertaining. When he returend, I checked out the Cultural Pass for Maryhill Art Museum, which got us – and a randomly selected couple we met in the parking lot of the museum (he had a ponytail, the deciding factor) – into the museum for free. 

Each time I visited the library, the free use computers, set up at long tables in a lovely, large, light room, were all in use.  I was saddened when the little library had to reduce it’s hours by about 25% while we were here.  SUPPORT YOUR PUBLIC LIBRARY, those of you lucky enough to have one!

Flyaway (photo courtesy of Amazon.com) was my favorite read.  I know that several of you are birders – you HAVE to read this book!  We are NOT birders, and probably most of our readers are not – you, too, HAVE to read this book!  Suzie Gilbert is hilarious, a WONDERFUL writer and observer of nature.  She not only writes about rehabbing injured and recovering wild birds, but about her two parrots (Rosanna, you will die laughing!). It’s a book you will want to share with all your friends – if you can bear to part with it. 

We’re leaving tomorrow!  My library books go back today, one of many chores on the “to do before we leave” list – along with vacuum, buy fresh cherries, return our volunteer vests, radio and bicycles, pack away all the stuff that has found a temporary home on horizontal surfaces. 

It hit the mid-90’s here yesterday, and our low last night was 67.  Today is more of the same; tomorrow and beyond will be around 100 degrees.  We’re heading to the coast, where it is foggy and cool, with highs in the 60’s.  Long pants!  Sweatshirts!  Foods cooked in the gas oven!  Chilly walks on the beach!  That’s the essence of hitch-itch: glamorizing what you don’t have.  :)