Road trip and manuscript update

We're back from our road trip from Denver, Colorado, (where I was born many years ago) to Yellowstone. We left NJ with the trees in full leaf, which is why we were surprised to find a snow/ice scraper in the trunk of our rental car! Then we arrived in Yellowstone; snow was piled high beside the mountain roads, and snow squalls blew in & out during our drives & walks, including one with a cold wind & "ice balls," as Linda called them when we were at the West Thumb Geyser Basin (photo). Needless to say, we were glad to have the scraper.
So, did I finish checking the copyedited manuscript of my forthcoming book, Elizabeth Cady Stanton & Susan B. Anthony: A Friendship that Changed History, that arrived the day before we left? (See previous post.) Yes, by working many hours, including some in the Denver airport (photo).

Connections, ECS/SBA

My dear, dear friend Annie Unverzagt & I were roommates in graduate school 44 years ago! We went on to have flip-flop life trajectories: I had children first, then a career; she had a career and then children. We kept in touch via Christmas cards until a couple of year ago when we reconnected in person. What a special treat!! She was in NYC for a few days & today we ignored the chilly rain to see the engaging exhibit, "Emily Dickinson's Garden: The Poetry of Flowers," at the New York Botanical Garden.
After a stimulating, joyous day of catching up, I arrived home to discover the copyedited manuscript of my forthcoming book, Elizabeth Cady Stanton & Susan B. Anthony: A Friendship that Changed History, waiting for me with a letter from editor saying she needs it back ASAP. Since Linda & I leaving early tomorrow morning & traveling until the 26th, guess what's coming with us in the red bag--to quote Linda, "What's a vacation without a manuscript."

Yellowwood

There's a wonderful path along the Hudson River that runs about a mile between the Englewood Boat Basin and Ross Dock Park, which in just north of the George Washington Bridge. Yesterday when Linda & I were walking there, we detected a light, fresh, sort-of-like honeysuckle-but-not-so-sweet fragrance (describing smells is an interesting writing challenge!?) in the air. We followed our noses to these loose clusters of white flowers cascading from branches that poked here and there through a tangle of trees, vines, & bushes. Checking my favorite tree guide: New York City Trees, written & illustrated by Edward Sibley Barnard, I discovered we had found Yellowwood trees, which, according to Barnard, only grow naturally in the southern Appalachian Mountains of TN and adjacent states, and in portions of Missouri and Arkansas. Pioneers used the bark of the roots to make a yellow dye. I returned this morning with my camera so I could post this picture.

Sophie's School

Stephanie Leung, Sophie's wonderful first grade teacher, emailed me photographs she took during my recent author visit to P.S. 334 in New York City. Sophie & her classmates are already serious and skilled writers. I had fun showing them my PowerPoint (with zooming words, etc.)and answering their interesting questions about my job.

Author Visit

Last week I made a return author visit to Marie Russell's 6th grade classes at P.S. 174 in Rego Park, NY. Last semester Marie, who is a highly skilled & creative teacher, used my book Where the Action Was: Women War Correspondents in World War II, as a class read aloud. In December, I went to the school to talk to her terrific students. They were just as terrific the second time I visited! Good luck to all of them as they graduate and go to middle school next fall!

Nonfiction Rocks!

Last night I wrapped up my teaching career as a Distinguished Lecturer at Queens College, the City University of New York. I was delightedly surprised when Christine Schachter arrived at my Nonfiction Literature class with this very cool & delicious cake. David J. Jansen took the photo. Thank you to my former and current students who have made my years at Queens so stimulating, rewarding, and fun!

Speaking and 3 Springs

I'm back from speaking at the 3rd Annual Nonfiction Institute at the University of Maine. In my mind, I think it's about a five hour drive, except that's just to the border, the University is another 3 hours north! Sophie was hoping I'd see a moose, but I didn't, although I did see periodic warning signs to watch out for moose along the Maine Turnpike. I've been making the trip for a number of years, and, as always, I stopped in Wells, Maine, to walk through the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge and indulge in two nearby establishments--one the Maine Diner where I thoroughly enjoyed a hearty helping of Indian Pudding (mixture of molasses & corn meal topped with vanilla ice cream, which I've loved since I was a kid). The other at Douglas H. Harding Used Book Store where I bought a bunch of books. I did that going on Thursday and returning on Saturday. The weather was gorgeous and Spring was in the early stages, which was cool because my first sight of Spring this year was when I went to Washington & Baltimore in March, then it unfolded in New Jersey, and now it's emerging in Maine. Having three Springs this year reminded me of Edwin Way Teale's book, North with the Spring: A Naturalist's Record, that I read many years ago. Teale and his wife Nellie started on a long road trip in the Florida Everglades and headed north to follow the arrival of Spring.
The pictures are: the marker to Rachel Carson with a view of the salt marshes and estuary and ocean in the distance and me talking about making the writing/reading connection.

Author Visit

Today, I had fun doing an Author Visit with Sophie's first grade class at PS 334, The Anderson School in New York City. I showed a PowerPoint about how I write both fiction and nonfiction stories. The kids were delighted with the words I had animated to zoom & swish & asked great questions! Together we read a shape poem I wrote titled, "Who Writes?"
Tomorrow I drive to Maine where, on Friday, I'm speaking at the 3rd Annual Nonfiction Institute at the University of Maine, which means that I'd better sign off and pack!

Sophie, butterfies, and tickets

Several friends recently reminded me that they check my blog to see what I am up to, in particular with Sophie. Last weekend she came for a two-night sleepover, which meant we could spend all day at the Bronx zoo. Today we spent a rainy day in a park at the foot of the Palisades, played inside games, reviewed new books, etc. About mid-afternoon her mother called to report that the Painted Lady Butterflies had emerged!!!! Of course, when I took Sophie home, she wanted me to come in and see them, but typical New York City--no parking!!! We drove around and around and around. Finally I saw a SUV parked but partially blocking a fire hydrant. There was enough room for me to park behind it, although I, too, would partially block the hydrant. Since the space was close to Sophie's apartment, I figured I could be in and out in ten minutes.
"Sophie, I'll park here, but I'll have to come right back because the car is too close to the fire hydrant and I might get a ticket."
"That's OK, Grammy, because a ticket is a good thing."
"It is?"
"Yes, because tickets teach you something."
"What?"
"Not, to do that again."
Sophie dispensed her wisdom in such a calm voice that I resisted pontificating about not needing a ticket to learn a lesson, etc. And when she added, "Besides I liked tickets," I smiled because she's been making tickets for this and for that since she was very little. I just hustled up to her room, marveled at the butterflies, returned to my ticketless car and went out to dinner with Linda.

Sophie and me with a bird in the tree

Sophie and I celebrated Spring Break with a road trip to Baltimore to explore the National Aquarium, tour historic ships, ride the water taxi, "hang out" in the Inner Harbor, etc. Note in the pictures--one in the aquarium's rain forest (note the Ibis)the other onboard the Lightship 116 'Chesapeake,'which had an exhibit of historic dog mascots, Sophie is wearing the beluga whale t-shirt I got her in Tadoussac, Quebec (see earlier post) last year.

YouTube

My web manager set up a new PennyColman YouTube Channel & is adding my eclectic mix of videos. You can check them out and/or subscribe at
http://www.youtube.com/user/PennyColman

Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi and Women's History Month

What a day!! I'm just back from Washington, DC, where I had the amazing opportunity to attend a Women's History luncheon at the Capitol hosted by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi in honor of
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The other woman in the first
picture is Representative Lynn Woolsey.
Here's a link to Ann Gerhart's article in Washington Post http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/25/AR2010032504598.html

What a storm

What a wind & rain storm! Huge trees uprooted all over our town & surrounding area. We were without power for 36 hours, at least. On Friday, the night before it hit, we had Sophie and Linda's 18-month old granddaughter Francesca for a fun-filled sleepover! The next day, in a blustery downpour, we returned Sophie & Francesca to their respective parents; then we set out in an increasingly serious storm to met our friends Sue (the science educator in earlier posts, e.g., why cranberries float) and Moshe at the Orchid Show at the New York Botanical Garden. Moshe took this picture of us--dripping wet, but happy--beside a Jade Vine. The theme was Cuba. (Click on picture for larger image.)

National Women's History Month

Happy March 1 & the beginning of National Women's History Month.
Check out the National Women's History Project at: www.nwhp.org
Also check out: Herstory Scrapbook at www.herstoryscrapbook.com

Snowing

Tonight I called Sophie to compare notes on the snowstorm & she asked if I had "done the thing with the cardboard," i.e., try to see a snow crystal (there's an earlier post about that). I had tried earlier but the snow was too wet; so, I tried again. By the light of the porch light, I think I saw one!

Happy Birthday

Today is it, the actual day David and Stephen were born, eight minutes apart, forty years ago--and what a fabulous adventures we have all had together along the way!!!! Here's a picture from our celebration on Sunday at Sophie's, Jonathan's & Katrin's home in New York. Crystal, David's wife, and Sophie are presenting the cakes. Jonathan & Linda are in the pics also.

catching up

At last!!! A few days ago, I sent to my editor everything that is needed to publish my forthcoming book about the friendship between Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony that changed history--revised manuscript, front matter and back matter, captions, jpgs, etc. etc.! What a job--interrupted by shoveling snow, teaching three classes, baking chocolate cookies to keep our energy up, etc.--but it's done! Special thank you to Denise Gilrane and Debbie Ganeles who read the manuscript and gave me feedback. Then there is Christine Schachter who undertook a last-minute close read and emailed me pages of indispensable comments, which ranged from typos to her responses to ECS & SBA--thank you, thank you!!!!!

I surfaced on Friday, the day before the "drop-dead" deadline for my essay in response to a chapter, "Nonfiction Literature for Children: Old Assumptions and New Directions," by Barbara Kiefer and Melissa Wilson for the Handbook of Research on Children's and Young Adult Literature, co-edited by Shelby Wolf, Patricia Enciso, Karen Coats, and Christine Jenkins, to be published by Routledge/Taylor & Francis in October 2010. Made it!!! Today we're gathering to celebrate my twins' 40th birthday!!!! Hip, hip, hurrah!!!!!!

Sophie

Without realizing what we were saying, "Yes," to, Sophie and I had a terrific experience on Saturday.
We regularly go to the American Museum of Natural History, although not usually on a Saturday. This Saturday, however, there we were making our way through a crowd of adults and kids who were waiting to get into the Discovery Room. Everyone had tickets; we didn't, but as we got to the ticket-taker, I said, "We're members."
"Are you going to 'Meet the Scientist?'
Sophie looked at me, I at her, neither one of us knowing what that was, but, since it seemed like a "ticket" in, plus who wouldn't want to meet a scientist, I said "Yes."
We were directed up a flight of stair, through a narrow room with books and microscopes to a back room with a young woman standing in front of a screen with the word "Scorpiology."
That is how we happened to hear a scorpiologist tell us all about scorpions, including how to catch specimens (go out at night with an ultraviolet flashlight and long tweezers)!

Picture Research

As many of you know, I do my own picture research and photography for my books (my photographs range from many to a few in my various books). What with revisions, i.e., putting four chapters into two, plus the scope & complexity of Elizabeth Cady Stanton & Susan B. Anthony: A Friendship that Changed History (how do you like version #3 of the title?), yesterday I decided to revert back to scissors-and-paper-cut-&-paste. The pink strips are chapter headings under which I've placed the images I've selected. Now I'm keying the images (each has a number) in the margin of the relevant page in my manuscript (in the blue notebook, lower right corner) to ensure balance, e.g. images spread, not clumped, which means I am also revising my selections. The process is intense, but engaging, even fun.

Sophie & Stirring

Quick catch-up: I've been in the throes of revising and revising my manuscript, Stirring Up The World: Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, A Biography of a Powerful Friendship (although today a new subtitle popped into my head, i.e. "A Biography of a Friendship that Changed History"). Worrying about getting my revisions mixed up, I decided to print each one on different color paper. The original is white, #2 is yellow, #3 revisions within #2 are beige. Late last night I started the final revision but couldn't print any pages because I didn't have a different color of paper! In the middle of a restless night, I decided to use blue (Elizabeth's favorite color.) First thing this morning, I got a package of blue paper. Later in the day, I picked up Sophie for our Sophie/Grammy time. During our chatting about our day, I told her about doing revisions and using different color paper.
"So, Sophie," I asked, "What color do you think I'm using for the final revision?"
"Blue," she replied.
"How did you guess that?"
"It's Elizabeth's favorite color."
"How did you know that?"
"I don't know. I just did."