Today Is International Typewriter Day

The day marks the 145th anniversary of the first U.S. patent for the typewriter.

And this is the newest addition to my collection:
Olivetti Lettera 35

It came with an 8.5" x 11" sheet of instructions that were handy when I couldn't figure out how to unlock the carriage.

Audubon, Peonies, and Birds
My sister and I went to Audubon yesterday to take a walk and see the peonies in bloom. The peonies, and, as it turns out, the birds. So many birds.

We startled a turkey that took flight across the open field before us. It stayed low, just above the tall grass — far more graceful that we expected.

With all the birdsong and bird sightings, we talked about the movie, The Big Year, with Jack Black, Steve Martin, and Owen Wilson. It's a comedy  centered around the competitive world of bird sightings (745 is the current record).

Bounty from a blustery day. After three days of high winds, the pine tree in the side yard dropped about 50 green pinecones. Clearing the lawn of them before mowing proved sticky business (tip: remove sticky pine sap easily by scrubbing it with a dollop of peanut butter — not sure why, but it works).

The pinecones have interesting patterns and it seemed a waste to just toss them into the recycling bag. So after fiddling with a few arrangements, a snapshot, and a dramatic color shift in the image file, the pinecones, daisy, and iris greens take on the look of an underwater starfish.

A real page turner. At least once a week I go to one or another of three branches of my local library. Each branch has its own collection, and holds for all three are available through the main library's website.

I go because there are books on display that I would otherwise certainly miss. I find newly released titles—waiting, it seems, just for me—on the "New Titles" shelf. And very often when I get a recommendation for a book, sure enough, they have it at the library. If you haven't been in a while, check it out!

Beachcombing
Every time I go walking on the beach it's hard to resist the urge to collect things.

When I get home I empty my pockets of sand, sea glass, driftwood, seashells, and occasionally the treasured bit of broken pottery. Most of what I find I put on display on bookshelves or glass jars.

Listed in the Top 10 I Farmers' Market, Portland, ME — Wednesdays in Monument Square, Saturdays at the Oaks.

Today there were plenty of farm-fresh eggs, Swiss chard, radishes, parsnips, lots of mixed greens, seedlings, hanging baskets, and flowers (beautiful poppies in bright yellow and orange). And it's the best place for people watching.

Note: The Saturday market in Deering Oaks park was voted one of the top 10 in the country by Travel+Leisure. It really is a pretty spot for the market.