A birding update...

I hoped that I would spot my 200th bird this summer, but I fell a little short. I did spot my 198th and 199th bird at the beginning of summer, but then didn't run across any new species of birds in my summer jaunts. Oh, well. Maybe next spring when the migrating birds come back to Utah. My 198th bird was a common yellowthroat...which isn't actually all that common:

And then, for my 199th bird, I spotted an elusive and shy Virginia Rail...with a little help from some birding friends.

While I didn't take these fabulous pictures (though I wish I had!), I did see these amazing birds. Fingers crossed that next year I can add #200 to my bird list. The bird I would most like to spot? The common loon! Although a barn owl would be cool, too. And if I make it to the Oregon coast next June, I'd really love to see some tufted puffins. Wish me luck!

In other, bird-related news, I recently learned to play Wingspan, a fun board game where you collect different bird cards and build your own bird habitats, earning points for both the number of birds you have, and any eggs you've collected. It wasn't too difficult to learn. And it plays fairly fast once you get going. I loved the beautifully illustrated bird cards, and the little round eggs, too. If you love unique board games, this is a fun one to try....even if you're not a birder.

Happy Birding!

Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library

"...the twelve twelve-year-olds who write the best essays on 'Why I'm Excited About the New Public Library' will get to go to the library lock-in this Friday night. The winners will spend the night in the new library before anybody else even gets to see the place!"

I needed an easy and entertaining read this weekend and Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein fit the bill perfectly. The dialogue is snappy; the kids are funny. Plus, it's a book that combines four of my favorite things: books, libraries, puzzles, and games. Luigi Lemoncello, the world's most famous game maker, donated the money for and helped design and build Alexandriaville's new public library. He also designed a contest where the game board is the library itself. Kyle Keeley and his friends have 24 hours to decipher the clues, solve the riddles and find the secret way out of the library. The first kid out wins the prize. Cool, huh? I thought it was a very clever plot. I mean, who wouldn't want to have an overnight adventure in a library like Mr. Lemoncello's? This is a fast-paced and fun mystery that readers of any age will enjoy. I know I did!

Happy Reading!