We've had some really bad weather in the UK just lately. There has been lots and lots of rain, and some flooding, and because of this we had to drink bottled water for 24 hours! The wet weather has slowed down the growth of many plants, but it's been heaven on earth for the slugs and snails.
I took a photograph of this baby robin enjoying one of the brief spells of sunshine that we've had. Robins are very tame, and they often follow you round the garden, hoping that you'll turn over a juicy little caterpillar...
Alan Brown has just posted a new review of
The Divide on his site,
Just For Kids Who Love Books. This is the link:
http://alanbrown.com/JustForKids/Reviews_07_Jul/Z_ReviewJul07.htmlIt's a really nice site, simple to use and easy to read. Take a look - there are lots of other book reviews up there, all written by kids aged 8 - 14, with useful pages such as
how to write a letter to an author.
Of course, if the author has a website you can always send an email instead, and you'll find plenty of links to them there as well.
There's also a new review by Mark Robson on his own site, which I recommend you explore.
http://www.chronicles-network.com/forum/39609-the-divide-elizabeth-kay.html
Today I achieved a lifetime's ambition by seeing a pair of adders in the wild. September is a good time for spotting snakes in England, as the weather has begun to get a little cooler and they are more sluggish. Although adders are poisonous, and a bite should always be treated seriously, there have only been 12 deaths from adder bites in the last 100 years. Snakes are far more frightened of people than we realise, and they will escape at the first opportunity.
I do like reptiles; I think they're really beautiful, and when, eventually, these two slithered off it looked as though someone had poured them away like water. Adders in England hibernate each winter, and a lot of them may use the same place. They don't lay eggs; they give birth to live young.
I have been to Mexico this past week, birdwatching and visiting the Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza. It’s the first time I’ve returned to Central America since I went to Costa Rica and had the inspiration for The Divide, and it was just as beautiful as I remembered. The pelicans and the frigate birds were the most memorable sightings, soaring over the hotel with an elegance and an expertise that left me awestruck.
We've had some really bad weather in the UK just lately. There has been lots and lots of rain, and some flooding, and because of this we had to drink bottled water for 24 hours! The wet weather has slowed down the growth of many plants, but it's been heaven on earth for the slugs and snails.
